Hlitner

This might be difficult for you to understand, but this is not about me. It is about the reaction to the OPs post which shows an appalling unhealthy condition onboard and the failure of management to correct the situation. You might also consider that many ship plumbing problems impact multiple cabins and that only a small percentage of folks post on CC.

I think that Viking and Explora Journeys are a huge game changer in the luxury market. While Viking is more of a premium rather than luxury product, the lines are somewhat blurred. And the new Explora Journeys will likely add 5 more ships (within the next 6 years) to their current 1 ship line. Like Viking, these will be 900 passenger ships that target the premium/luxury market. Increased competition is good for those not us who routinely move between lines. We think that SB still has a good place in the luxury market, but the balance sheet of CCL might handicap them in the future. As one who cruises many different mass market, premium and luxury lines, I see all this as a big win for cruisers. Hank

Not sure there is an actual definition, but when looking at a cruise ship schedule it it the time when the ship finishes mooring at the pier or is in position (usually with anchor deployed) at its tender location. In the case of the latter, there are some tender ports where a ship cannot drop its anchor and will simply maintain a set position using thrusters . Once a ship has arrived, there is usually an additional wait until the vessel has been cleared by local authorities. Hank

Hola, We are on a different ship (Quest) and have been in Saguenay today. You might have seen the new Seabourn Pursuit, which is an exploration ship on her maiden voyage. We have an upcoming O cruise and are using our excursion credit to book various culinary tours. Hank

On the Quest, for the past month, and Restaurant always opens from 7-9 with the Colonnade having the same hours. The Restaurant does not get very full until around 8pm, although there is also a crowd that likes to dine at 7. I recall the days when many mass market lines had 2nd sitting around 8:30, and it was the more popular of the two sittings. These days it seems like many fellow Americans would eat dinner at 4pm if there was such an option 😋. A friend calls it the “early bird effect.”

Aft cabins (which we avoid like the plague) are relatively close to the props. On many ships there are speeds that can cause a cavitation issue as the props move water against the hull. That cavitation can create a vibration and shimmy which is annoying and sometimes noisy. There are some professional mariners on CC who can speak to the issue, but we once had a well known marine architect explain the problem and the steps his firm took to try and prevent the harmonic issues. Quite interesting. Hank

We knew about the rumor of new rules, so applied for the credit in July. Surprisingly, it was processed and applied to our Dec cruise within 1 day. Miracles never cease 🫠 Whether we ever book another Princess cruise is another question. Despite having more than 30 Princess cruises (hundreds of days) we now see more value with the higher end small ship luxury lines. Hank

I think you have framed the situation. You would have the hassle of getting a car in Piraeus, doing the drop at ATH, and dealing with the usual parking hassles in town. While we have often used such a strategy (most recently in Seattle) it may not make a lot of sense for 8 hours. Taking a taxi into Athens and than using one of the storage services (easily found online) might be both an easier option and less costly. Hank

I a confused about broken FCC promises. When we book onboard, everything promised is delivered in writing. Interested why the OP cites an issue but will not elaborate. Hank

We have enjoyed 4 hosted tables on this cruise with entertainers and the cruise director. The Hotel Manager has also hosted some tables and been very accessible as has the Doctor.. But the marine officers (Capt, Staff Capt, Chief Engineer, etc.) have been notable for their absence from the Restaurant and TK Grill. Hank

I think later dining times are the norm on many luxury lines. For example, on Seabourn the Restaurant (MDR) and Colonnade (lido) do not even open until 7pm. And many do not consider dining that early.

Our brand loyalty only extends to the current cruise🤪. We are always looking for new, fun experiences which also means cruising on many brands. For example, while we are currently on the Quest, we will soon be cruising on Explora Journeys, Princess, Oceania and SS. Variety means completely different menus, changes in entertainment, etc. Hank

While some have complained about a decline, we have seen very little difference on our 3 post COVID cruises (currently on a 32 day Quest cruise). One noticeable difference is that the Senior officers are no longer hosting tables in the Restaurant and significantly reduced their interaction with passengers. No question, that post COVID has meant losing many experienced crew and replacing them with new folks who sometimes lack the experience and polish of the old guard. That being said, some of the new crew are fantastic and others are quickly improving from day to day. Hank

We have never used tours or tour guides in Paris. Paris is relatively easy to navigate DIY, with the help of a working phone and perhaps a decent guide book such as Rick Steves. DW and I really enjoy both the Musee d’Orsay and Rodin. The Louvre is huge, so you might want to do a little research and focus on specific areas or interest. For those of us who like to walk, Paris is a great walking city. We get around with mostly long walks and some use of the Metro (for longer distances). Since we have a personal interest in Impressionism we also enjoy the Orangerie and the lesser known Marmottan Museum. Hank

If you can get an Uber or taxi at a reasonable price then it is a good option. Keep in mind that many of us use trains/buses or even rental cars because they offer a better value. Taxis, in France, can be quite expensive and Uber is not always an option. Hank

Many newer cruisers may not be aware that X once had a wonderful reputation for having the best food of any mass market line. We noticed a downward trend, in quality, soon after LLP took over the helm and it makes us very sad to read about the continued decline. In our case, it drove us to book other lines, especially smaller ship luxury lines….often at comparable or lower prices than small suites on X. We are amazed that some folks simply accept bad changes and alter their own standards (such as accepting buffets rather than sit down). We continue to seek out the quality lines and simply take our business elsewhere. Vote with your dollars and lines like X will be forced ti improve or ultimately sink into the depths. Hank

We never “insist” on any kind of deal, rebate, etc. What we do is simply shop around for the best overall deal (always found through various cruise agencies). Those that prefer to spend more money on principle, are not much different than a person going to an auto dealer and demanding to pay the full retail price. Each to their own….we think. Hank

As one who cruises on many different lines I think that I is simply embracing the trend we see with many lines. Too many folks play the “book many dates- later cancel most” game which creates problems for both legitimate bookers and the cruise lines. A “pay to play” scheme makes a lot of sense. Seabourn has a slightly different tact which usually requires large refundable deposits. We are talking about thousands of dollars…which does make many folks hesitate to book until they are sure. Hank

I would suggest that folks cruising to/around Australia/NZ try to find the time and money to add some land time to their trip. Both Australia and NZ have much to offer the land traveler. The huge size (and distances) of Aus do mean focusing on certain areas. NZ is much smaller and easier to cover with a few weeks of driving (car or caravan). In the case of NZ, many of the best parts are not reachable on cruises which is why we live driving trips on South Island. With a car you can drive to glaciers as well as our very favorite area of Queenstown. Hank

With Princess we like to keep 1 or 2 Future Cruise deposits on our account. It is not necessary to actually choose a cruise until a later date (used to have 2 years. The advantage is having a low deposit and extra OBC. If you do not use the deposit within the required time the money is refunded. Since we book through various discount cruise agencies we get the OBCs from that future cruise deposit (for both DW and myself) plus the OBCs from our cruise agency (can sometimes be 7-10% of the cruise price) and often other OBC from a Princess promotion. Add our veterans OBC (up ti $250) and shareholder credit (up to $250) and our OBC can total well over $1000. Hank PS. Rumors say Princess will no longer allow piggybacking the veterans and shareholder credits although we were able to get both for an upcoming Dec cruise.

I will toss out an alternative idea which might help the OP or others in a similar situation. Being stuck at an airport hotel for an entire day is not our idea of fun. We would arrange for a rental car in downtown and grab a taxi from the pier to our rental car. Book a one-way with drip at SeaTac. You then have your transfer, means to enjoy your day, an easy way to get to a nice restaurant for dinner, etc. There is plenty to do in the Seattle-Tacoma area and having a car makes anything doable. Hank

An absolute croc for another “drive by” Antarctica itinerary. The latest polar rules forbid normal cruise ships from going anywhere near nearly all of Antarctica. Unfortunately, Princess does not have a single vessel that is even close to the Polar 6 standards required for a real Antarctica experience. While we would still enjoy these sailings, for Antarctica one should look at the various expedition ships that can actually cruise the icy waters and get folks ashore.Hank

Agree with Girr on the DIY option to Pisa. Not my favorite place, but some do enjoy. For a long day at Pisa, we would probably plan a nice picnic. Hank

Normandy is a very large Department (area) of France, so you need to focus on the details of which port, where you want to visit, etc. You could spend months in Normandy and not “see it all.” Hank

Luggage is always a logistical issue and part of good planning. You would need to handle your own luggage on all public transportation (including trains) and always consider security (protecting your stuff). In Paris, with luggage, you should consider using taxis to get to your hotel. You can also arrange shared shuttle rides (often mini buses) between hotel and CDW as a way to save money over a taxi. A few of us here can provide detailed advice/suggestions if you decide to give it a go. Hank