Stefan_Varong

Obviously I misunderstood what Cruise Critic is for. Here a single poster attacks with deliberately wrong quotes, invented statements, constantly promoting a single cruise, telling the readers that only who books his favourite line are smart, while those who calculate and even offer handy tools are obviously not. Although it has been deleted before I have to say it again: this person is free to have his own opinion, but instead he wants his own facts. Since Cruise Critics seems to be a place for such a kind of trolling I doubt whether this is a place to exchange experiences, to get and offer help, contributing seems senseless to me. Good Bye.

18 minutes ago, Jim Avery said:

There are two and only two reasons to take one.

1.  You want to take a world cruise.

2.  You can take a world cruise.

And definitely only one of them is not enough!

7 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

We also consider ship's shore-ex a minor consideration when selecting preferred cruise lines.

As I said before in this thread the best excursions ever I organised myself. So I also book cruises without knowing what the cruise line has to offer as shore excursions and select the best according to my own desires. It comes to a very different consideration as soon as I go on a cruise where in all ports excursions are included. As homo economicus I am aware that this is not a present the cruise line gives me out of generosity, but offered to earn money. And if I pay for a product I want to get a good product for my money. If I take my own world cruise the excursions I had booked for 2022 (based on the valid corona rules through the cruise line only) the costs for the entire cruise would have ended up to be the by far largest part of the additional costs of my cruise. So it is both cost intensive and a very relevant part of a cruise. Ship excursions are for me no central factor to select a line, but making me paying for excursions I’d refuse in very huge numbers to participate in is definitely a reason not to book. With such a price tag and the claim to include excursions in every port I expect quality and no sales strategies offering in 90% the cheapest product available only, instead of at least a reasonable selection. Yes, there are enough ports I have more than once, but I definitely don’t want to visit the same port again and again and again. Also for world cruises there are enough offers to see different parts of the world, BVI Lady booked two in consecutive years with completely different itineraries on the same line. Of course it is my personal view that Petra belongs to the places that can be visited more often than once only. But neither Petra nor Wadi Rum are among the included excursions. I am aware that Petra has one of the most expensive entrance tickets on the world, but it remains the most important site in entire Jordan. Including would have underlined the qualitative status of the line.

45 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

An interesting first sentence...

I admit, I was is sharp in style, mostly because the person I answered to clearly misbehaved and refuses to understand that his estimations are not true in the light of mathematics. Let’s now have a look to the facts in neutral wording. All excursions are booked base on the description the provider offers, regardless whether it is a cruise line or third party. Who has never done exactly this excursion before has to rely onto this description. Very most of the included Viking excursions all extreme short walking or panoramic tours with a length between one to three hours only. The most positive exception in Egypt you mention is long, a very natural thing since travelling to the Nile from the Red Sea takes seven or eight hours for both directions. At least in this case it is not the cheapest possible solution, perhaps even the best value of all included excursions. In every respect much more positive compared to the visit of Jordan, where only an excursion within the city limits of Aqaba is included, while the excursion to Petra is not. Nevertheless, it remains a positive exception. Since I got the link to these excursions mailed yesterday I had a look and the very most included excursions really disappointed me. If I would have been offered these included excursions in a bundle after a booking I really would be upset and look for an alternative, because the very most of the included excursions I never would book. In this meaning they are bad indeed and paying twice for excursions would be the result in most cases. Such a policy makes it extremely unlikely that I ever will book a cruise with this line. Sure, everybody can make selling a package of what ever more attractive as individual items, it is a question of calculation and enlarges guest loyalty during the cruise. But it only works if both parties are happy with it. You may like it of course, but I regard it as a very disappointing collection of excursions and certainly not a pleasant business conduct.

39 minutes ago, BVILady said:

 there was no way I would spend $ 49.00 a day on drinks

Exactly this is fitting your cruise to your needs. Only you know what you are used to. With a look into the price list of the bar you have an idea what you would spend on daily basis and with that knowledge it is very easy to decide. And obviously you know how to add some amounts. It is very easy to decide in the case I mentioned in my reply on SargassoPirate when the free drinks at lunch and dinner can be upgraded for 15 €. If I am very reserved and only order three cappuccinos a day (I am a coffee junkie, can be easily two digits on a sea day) only 6.15 € remain for a drink. In this case it is very well spent money. 49 or 60 $ to spend on daily basis is way harder of course. Only stupid cruisers are throwing money away, even those can’t spend a buck twice. These days cruise lines are giving perks to convince people to cruise again, but there are people that really seem to believe that they get goodies for free in regular tariffs.

1 hour ago, BVILady said:

my $ 150.00 per excursion might be to high

It really is! I estimated a 100 € average per excursion and in the end my booked average price was 83 € - without being cheap in my selection and while in Sydney, Cairns, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Mumbai and Athens free excursions were offered I didn’t book them, but others I liked more. Of course financially it is better to estimate too high than too low.

15 hours ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

Here is my cost calculator.   You can fill it out online.  

 

https://www.theinsidecabin.com/world-cruise-cost-calculator/

 

 

I tried the sheet as well. Definitely great for a first impression, my own sheet is way more for organising the entire voyage than for a fast calculation before booking. May I tell a bit of constructive criticism? I missed the item laundry, perhaps an idea for the next edition. And I found a little bug in the service fee: after entering 61 port and 65 sea days for my own cruise the 126 days showed correctly, but the entire charge was 1,575 instead of 1,953 (based on the default 15.50 in the sheet). The value seems to be 12.50 instead. Changing the fee into the 11 € for my own cruise the amount of 1,575 remained unchanged, obviously the formula is not linked to the variable. Besides: I found the item “expected casino losses” very true, but also a bit funny. I am no gambler, but those who do expect to win, don’t they?

2 hours ago, BVILady said:

For me the base-price traveling solo is a major decision point.

Exactly! I said it as well: the price matters! At the end you will be on a ship you like, see what you want - and do two different world cruises for less all-in than the price you have been quoted for one on other lines for the bare cruise package. It is not about a cruise that is inferior, it is not about a cruise with bad food, ship, service, whatever. For sure not a bit cheaper cruise that will result in higher costs compared to those including a few items more, as suggested. In the end it is the question, whether the little bit more others offer is worth the double, the triple price or even more - and still not covering everything you mentioned in your calculation.

59 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Are you aware that there’s at least one cruise line where many regulars choose its ships on longer itineraries primarily because of the excellent food?

I definitely would not advise to base the decision for a world cruise on food only. Of course it plays a role, an important role, it is even a very good reason for excluding a cruise line. But I would not decide for a cruise boring me with a line I just love the food on. There are some cruises that are offered by many lines every single week in summer (or winter), all visiting the same ports. In this case the food might be the only important difference. This of course is not the same with grand voyages or world cruises. Perhaps they all visit Rome, but not all visit Korea and Hawaii and Tahiti and South Africa and the Amazon and New York… As I wrote yesterday I excluded lines for their “fast” 2022 itinerary with too long times on sea, too little days in port. Matters! It is a combination of all: feel at home (very correct!), great food (personal taste), and love the places visited! Not to forget that everybody has personal interests, for me every square meter used for a casino is wasted space, others complain that they couldn’t gamble enough, when at sea their favourite game is not available during morning hours already. Royal Caribbean - to return finally to the topic - offers definitely a unique voyage. Your question about their food is legitimate, just must be answered individually, neither you nor me can do it for lbt43.

Again: I can only talk about myself, my experiences, and my expectations. And to say it clearly: with most lines I would sail again without hesitation.
 
I consider a cruise ship being something very different from camping in nature far from civilisation. Where you don’t have the possibility of fine cooking it is pretty hard to do so, but where you have and don’t do so I regard it as a problem. Not to forget that we are talking about months and not about one or a few night(s).
 
And yes, I had bad meals at cruise ships, the quality differences I experienced as enormous! Usually not so bad to return what was served (I only did once with a single course, exactly on a ship that delivered all other meals at high standards, so it was clearly an exception), but definitely substandard. I think it is a very questionable policy to send fresh bread to the restaurants that are paid for, while the included ones serve lesser quality. A restaurant serving such food close to home would never see me again.
 
So I completely agree with the question of wanting to eat their food for months, just that this question can’t be answered generally. And I would not advise to sail a cruise line for their food only, but to think whether one would be happy with the food served on that line for a long while.

Of course I can’t know the reasons Costa had for this change and you don’t mention them either. However, my experience is that in case of cancellations and planned changes Costa communicated everything well, including alternatives and compensations, when applicable. In case of a change of port Costa provided transfers and for late boarding everybody got 25 € OBC as compensation for the missed lunch. So I wouldn’t worry about being just dropped and sitting on suitcases until a hotel check-in in the afternoon would be possible. I myself often enough arrived at hotels way before time and if my room wasn’t available I was able to store my baggage.
 
Costa’s customerservice ashore is problematic in some countries, some offices need way too long for searching out things, while others always react within reasonable time. It is way easier to tell a good TA to do that work, but a bad one doesn’t care about your needs. When I dropped on facebook (CostaCrociereInternational) a message that I need help with solving my problem, the Dutch office contacted me within a few days and solved. I don’t know whether Costa UK also moves if they get a complaint from Genoa, but at least you can try.

3 hours ago, Stefan_Varong said:

 I made the experience that a line others said about having sooo good food I only eat well in a speciality restaurant at additional costs....

is definitely not

8 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

... overgeneralized. For example, on a premium line like Oceania, where the specialty restaurants are available without any extra charge, the superior quality of ALL the food and dining venues is the same.

The opposite is true. This is my personal experience in one single case where others exactly were very happy about the food. I didn’t mention the name of the line not to go into discussions about the food quality, just because there are people who love what I regard concerning the preparation (not concerning the products used) as substandard. This means: if people like that it’s fine, I don’t. This is not about spoiled or otherwise ingredients, or about dirty plates, or about not kept promises, this was only about personal taste and experience. Of course you have the same right about RC, as others have the opposite opinion. That is why I said the cruise line should fit!

On 12/5/2021 at 10:04 PM, Flatbush Flyer said:

.... would you want to eat Royal’s food for that long a time?

In any case the cruiseline should fit to one’s desires. I would never go on a long cruise with a line I never sailed before with, not even on a top of the notch luxury line. I made the experience that a line others said about having sooo good food I only eat well in a speciality restaurant at additional costs, while in the MDR I experienced the food quality as poor. Paying once in a while for a special dining experience is fine, an entire week additionally just for having decent food is bad enough, but for weeks or even months? An absolute no go! Good food in the MDR is definitely a must for me. Of course it is completely a question of personal taste, but who is happy with the food at a special line should have no reason not to book with them. 

On 12/5/2021 at 9:28 PM, lbt43 said:

To me, the royal cruise just looks like a bunch of different repo cruises.

The time of the RC cruise is incredible long. When I looked out for my own world cruise I studied the offers of Cunard and P&O (both about 100 days) well, but although some very interesting destinations were included in these cruises, these were too much a rush around the globe for my taste. A bit more time than Phileas Fogg had would be fine for me. So I ended up with booking a 126-day cruise, now by circumstances postponed to 2024. Although I am sailing at the same time as RC’s ultimate world cruise takes places I had a look at it. It really looks good, just for me as European it spends too much time in Europe, for Americans exactly this could be very attractive of course.
 
Everybody who ever did a B2B knows that the change of guests influences a cruise, the composition of the crowd can change significantly. And it disturbs life aboard, since luggage transport is blocking lifts or staff is needed to proceed the muster drill short before leaving port instead of serving a cocktail to those who enjoyed the day ashore. Of course this is not completely avoidable, also my world cruise collects guests in three countries at the beginning of the cruise, but thereafter it will become calm. I assume it is an economical decision of cruise lines to offer segments to get the ships fully booked.

On 12/5/2021 at 10:04 PM, Flatbush Flyer said:

IMO, If you want to do (and can afford the time, energy and cost of) an ATW cruise, pass over mass market lines for all of the obvious reasons. Remember too that while their cabin prices may look attractive, all of the non-included items and nickel/diming over those approx.5-6 months will end up with a “bottom line” cost that is probably more expensive than the inclusive premium/luxury lines. AND we haven’t even begun to address the Quality and Service considerations....

Believe it or not: the price matters! Of course everybody doing or seriously considering a world cruise is definitely not the poorest part of the society, nobody for whom a four day cruise is an unreachable once in a lifetime dream. But still the price related to the value matters. For my own now cancelled world cruise 2022 I budgeted 100 € for excursions in each port, while I booked excursions for an average of just below 83 €. I wasn’t looking for the cheapest and even skipping a few free excursions where I found excursions more suitable to my taste. In these days sticking to ship excursions could be necessary, my experience is that I more often paid less when arranging excursions individually, so in future the effective costs could be even less. When I booked a drink package was included during a special offer period, who books now for 2024 can buy it right now for 3,654 €, and for that one including top brands it would be 4,914 € instead. For washing and ironing service I calculated 240 € (up to 300 pieces). My flights were 247 € (Lufthansa and Austrian Airlines short haul flights economy on rebookable tariff), additionally to flight luggage (23kg suitcase plus hand baggage) 2 extra standard bags collected at home and sent to the ship and back for 180 €. Mandatory tipping was 1260 €. Adding-up all these things resulted for me in 6,990 €, if no drinking package would be included and even buying the most expensive one it would result in 11,904 €. These costs are definitely not so much as the entire ticket price and still remain at the fraction of the costs the top end cruise lines want to get. It doesn’t matter whether I compare with Regent, Viking, Silversea, or Seaborn, their starting prices for comparable long cruises are - even if I add all additional costs as mentioned - at least twice as expensive. Not to take into the account that I am sailing alone and the supplements are often enough ridiculous high, while I paid 50% more over the passage ex port taxes. The claim to pay at the end even more when booking with a mass market line is definitely wrong. Yes, service and quality might be a bit better at high-end cruise lines than on lines of the mass market. Whether one is willing to pay the double or even triple price for this is up to the individual traveller. I for my part prefer to invest that money in another cruise.

17 hours ago, KKB said:

Then It directs me to a US booking site (they were both official Costa sites) & it was $35K/2 with no other perks.

I can‘t access the booking process of the US site, but generally you start booking, chose a cabin type and you will see the available tariffs, what is included and surcharges for them. Basic usually has no drinking packages. Classic sometimes includes drinks during lunch and dinner (named Pranzo & Cena), Premium always has the lunch and dinner package, but can include the smallest all inclusive package Brindiamo. The world cruises are different. I never saw a Basic tariff on world cruises and the other two usually come with the lunch and dinner package, except they add more value during sales. In general terms the prices for the packages per person and day are 20 € for Pranzo & Cena (lunch and dinner), 30 € for Brindiamo (most coffees, all non-alcoholic, standard alcoholic drinks pure or as long drink but no cocktails), 35 € for Più Gusto (adds cocktails) and 45 € for Intenditore, some ships and routes have slightly different prices, for cruises starting in Europe always payable in Euro. If you have a package included you can upgrade for just paying the difference. Everybody in a booking has to buy the same packages.
 
In the world cruise 15 excursions are always included, this is also stated on the US website of Costa (just go to https://www.costacruises.com/destinations/round-the-world.html). These are 15 fix offered excursions you can take or leave. As Uschi wrote included is for example the usually expensive trip to Petra. In Mumbai it was just a half day excursion to be introduced to the city. I did an excursion included in Malaysia already on another cruise and it was definitely worth paying for it. The free tour to Athens wasn’t mine, I was too often to Athens that I wanted to do another tour, but this is about my very personal experience living just one and a half hour flight from Greece and been there regularly. You will see excursions on mycosta.com after they are released. For 2024 it should be way too early, the first excursions for 2022 were published in August and September. For closer departures a courtesy hold is enough to log in with name and booking reference.

3 hours ago, HASPEN79 said:

... a world cruise for ... a family of five? 

 

Hello Carina, you should have a look at Costa. They are very family orientated and have also connected cabins for families. Just that by obvious reasons there might be no other kids aboard a world cruise. During school holidays there are many children, during school time and on longer voyages only very few to none are aboard. This might result in limited or no activities for the young ones. But for 2022 Costa definitely was prepared to accommodate children on their world cruise (cancelled a few weeks ago), all excursions were offered against cheaper prices for children. Their world cruise starting on January 6th, 2024 will last 127 days and go around the globe from Venice (usually every second year, in 2023 the other route around Africa and South America is offered). There are several stops in the Mediterranean for picking up and returning guests in Rome, Savona, Marseilles or Barcelona, besides this no segments and leaving Europe with just calling a few ports along the route.

I never heard that Costa and/or Italy would use a six months rule concerning fully vaccinated persons. Everybody needs a Green Pass (or comparable international documents) for international transport from or to Italy or transport over the border of Italian regions with very few exceptions and many, many other things, all of course regardless the stricter rules for entering from the UK and other countries. So Costa must check the Green Pass as well. At the airport in Rome my Green Pass was checked four times before a recent flight, it is taken very seriously. Validity of the Green Pass used to be nine months, but is extended to one year if fully vaccinated. After receiving a booster shot the 12 months start again. But fact is that there is such six-month term in Italy, it is the period after recovery. Testing is the third version for getting a Green Pass for very short time.

I don’t want to attack your heart, perhaps you can report about your own experience. I have no own experience in this case, I just know that the official Italian information states that those without vaccination need to go into self-isolation. There are a few exceptions, but children are not mentioned among the exceptions. Here the rules for list D countries including special rules for the UK from the Italian government:
 
https://www.salute.gov.it/portale/nuovocoronavirus/dettaglioContenutiNuovoCoronavirus.jsp?lingua=english&id=5412&area=nuovoCoronavirus&menu=vuoto&tab=4
 
BTW testing is part of every cruise of not only Costa, but an EU rule, Costa takes samples from all passengers from countries having higher infection rates than Italy by PCR test, right now this are indeed most if not all countries from where may be entered into Italy.
 
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OQgsAE4SRnlLCo5BstaKs9QxhX5f-OxR/view
 
What should be added is that the rules could change until the cruise of lynyrd skynyrd, just for sure not yours. But since Italy is not loosening rules generally (I think we all heard about the tight rules for employees in force since a few days) they might be adapted to a changed situation in the UK to both the better and the worse in the view of the Italian authorities.

Reminds me to something one cruise line employee said when handing out stickers: “Couples should stay together, except they want to be divorced.”

We are British are there many British aboard - Usually British are aboard of Costas, but not in huge numbers.

Will the ship be operating at full capacity - No, not allowed.

Is it true under 12 aren't sailing - No. Costa has no age limit and on the Mediterranean there is legally no vaccination needed for EU citizens and EU residents. This is different for Caribbean destinations, Emirates and the World Cruise. But be aware for British citizens living in the UK there are different regulations. They must be both vaccinated and tested to enter Italy, as far as I know tested to enter Spain. This means practically no UK based kids under 12, but for examples Italian children of all ages. Don’t forget to fill the forms for both Spain and Italy.

Can you only go ashore with Costa excursion party - Yes, a legal requirement on all ships under Italian flag (Costa is) and all ships visiting Italy.

Just book the excursion three times separately. Generally there are no reservations in myCosta for getting together on one bus, one tuk tuk, one gondola, or one whatever. Everybody will get a personal ticket, no matter whether there are three guests sharing one cabin or using three separate cabins. Of course couples in one cabin can do different excursions as well. Aboard stickers will be given for different groups (one bus, one tender boat…) and these are given away per group on first comes first served basis, this way the guests will be directed from the ship. Whenever guests want to stay together they should collect their stickers together. Later when groups are split up further just stay together again, no matter whether it is about transportation or being seated at the same table. While three in a single tuk tuk seems a bit narrow to me in all the other situations mentioned it should be no problem at all. Costa staff has always been helpful when it comes to keep a party together.

Thank you very much for sharing your experiences how a Costa cruise looks like these days. Gives me a peace of mind for my upcoming long stay on the Deliziosa soon.

19 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

At times, I have sailed solo and paid less than double the fare for my stateroom.  There seems to be no way to determine, for certain, when that happens.  The "fine print" for any fares that are quoted always state solo guests will be pay double for the stateroom booked.  

For quite a lot of lines this is true, just not all. Among the international present lines my Costa example generally handles 50%, while surcharges and taxes come per person and by this the payable price remains below the nominal 50%. And Costa offers world cruises every year, which was the question. I also looked at a Cunard world cruise and that was not at double rate. NCL has a system that definitely does not double the price, although I don’t know how the prices are actually calculated. British Marella also generally offers way lower surcharges for solo travellers. However, I came along cruises where a single supplement of more than 100% was asked. I understand that there is a surcharge, but I definitely don’t pay twice the price or more.

1 hour ago, Hflors said:

Are there any cruise lines that do not charge a 100% single supplement on a world cruise?  I have not been able to find one.  Maybe a sale even.   Thanks for any info.

Yes, I am booked on the Costa world cruise 2022 for about 50% single supplement, which fits into their usual price policy.

On 9/21/2021 at 5:28 PM, camparispezial said:

Very good:) 

 

Looking forward to hv a drink or two with u. Same name on insta.

Sure, of course we should have a drink together. I am happy finally to sail again, and to have a good time.

2 hours ago, BVILady said:

... where I can get the paper-form scanned?

Since I will stay a while in Venice before our cruise I’ll need a print shop for tickets and luggage tags. I found one close to Rialto Bridge, offering everything around copies, internet, digital and paper data: e copie da Toni, C. Giazzo, 5645, 30122 Venezia