cltnccruisers

1 hour ago, Wishing on a star said:

I believe it is already improving!!!  Word is that the shows, and hopefully Park 19, etc..  will all be up and running soon.

I am looking forward to October, with very few worries.  (except that personally, for me, the new modern look and feel won't appeal like my favorite Princess ship. )

 

I had heard about the ship being warm, needed some AC temp. improvement.

I would love to hear that this is no longer!  And, a few comments about noticing stray smoke that is not limited to smoking areas....  I don't think that can be addressed easily.

To me, the modern look is straight out of Ikea.

15 minutes ago, Sox Fan Cruiser said:

It’s not that disturbing. We just got off and most of it was ready. It will all be fully operational by October.  Couldn’t care less about Park 19 and was glad it wasn’t ready. That should not make or break your cruise. Love is the only thing still in the works that we wanted to do. 

So it sounds like things are improving.  How was the MDR?

We've been booked on Sun for October, 2024.  We haven't checked the very disturbing threads about all the things that aren't ready for prime time.  Entertainment, the Deck 19 stuff, etc.  Anyone have an update as to whether or not things have been fixed?  We haven't found any reasonable options.  It's either hope Sun improves or nothing.

18 hours ago, JoieNsk said:

We received cancellation email today about 10 nights Mediterranean out of Barcelona on October 1st 2025.

 

The wording of the email upper on this thread is nicer than the one we received.

 

"Dear Valued Princess Guest,

We are writing to share an important update regarding the delivery and launch of our second spectacular Sphere Class ship, Star Princess.

Princess Cruises, in collaboration with shipbuilder Fincantieri, has made the difficult decision to postpone the delivery of Star Princess until Fall 2025. Following a thorough evaluation of the remaining construction milestones, both parties have determined it is necessary to adjust the ship’s delivery date from late July 2025 to late September 2025. Unfortunately, this will result in the cancellation of the multiple inaugural sailings originally planned, including yours.

While this decision was not taken lightly, we believe it is essential to ensure that Star Princess’ delivery upholds the impeccable standards expected by our esteemed guests.

The new inaugural sailings of Star Princess will sail roundtrip from Barcelona and include an 11-day Mediterranean voyage on October 4, 2025, and a 7-day Mediterranean voyage on October 15, 2025, that precede a 14-day transatlantic crossing to Fort Lauderdale on October 22, 2025, for the ship’s first Caribbean season. These three new cruises will open for sale on April 30, 2024. We understand the inconvenience this may cause and extend our sincerest apologies. In recognition of this, we have automatically turned all funds paid to date into a refundable Future Cruise Credit (FCC) and will add a $100 per stateroom onboard credit (non-refundable) to your account. This FCC and bonus OBC can be applied when rebooking any Princess cruise sailing by November 30, 2025, when booked by November 30, 2024. Alternatively, if you would like to forgo the bonus OBC and simply cancel your booking for a full refund, please complete this form by May 6. If you do not complete the form by May 6, you will retain your FCC and Onboard Credit. Star Princess represents the next generation of cruise ships within the Sphere Class – following in the footsteps of her sister ship, Sun Princess, which debuted in February. Mirroring Sun Princess, Star Princess will shine with exciting new features, such as The Dome, the cruise industry’s first geodesic feature on the top deck; and The Sphere, the captivating, suspended glass Sphere Piazza at the heart of the ship – all while retaining the timeless elegance Princess is renowned for. We appreciate your understanding and patience during this time of adjustment. Our commitment to delivering exceptional experiences remains unwavering, and we eagerly anticipate welcoming you aboard Star Princess as we embark on this remarkable journey together."

They are proud of Star's sister ship?  That's almost funny.

2 hours ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

...and ships will continue to sail at over 100% capacity....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

...and more people will book NCL sponsored excursions instead of booking independent excursions.  

Full capacity is generally based on 2 per cabin for most then more once you get to suite level. But those 2 per cabins often have convertible sofas or drop-down bunks, increasing the real capacity.  That could account for being over 100%.  Not the same as airlines overbooking.

14 minutes ago, www3traveler said:

Most young to middle age passengers left at the port.  No, SHE has not been arrested.

Different story, maybe.  Memory isn't the best lately, but what I recall that was one hairy woman.

18 minutes ago, dmwnc1959 said:

Despite all the bumps and bruises the cruise line has gone through in the last several years, this recent indecent not withstanding, we will all continue to cruise until they can spread our ashes off of the stern into the churning ocean. As an old Navy guy, that’s my wish. 

Hope it's not too soon.

2 minutes ago, dmwnc1959 said:

Funny thing is, I don’t even live in Pennsylvania but the closest big airport to me is Pittsburgh 🤣. NC happens to be an old stomping ground. I was actually booked first on the Coral Princess doing the Panama Canal, and after a very long time of weighing all of the information kept Norwegian Jade. 

Have a great trip.  We start a 10 day on Celebrity Silhouette this Saturday, then Sun Princess on 10/24, Majestic Princess in 2/25 and Enchanted Princess in 10/25.  That might be all she wrote, but we'll see.

10 minutes ago, dmwnc1959 said:

Yet despite all of this, my 😢 ‘reputation’ here of being 😉 ‘the agitator’, and the countless threads I’ve started and posted in questioning NCL, I’m still booked on a 32-night cruise from Florida to Alaska, already have my pre-flight hotel booked in Pittsburgh, already have six shore excisions booked, and will be booking my pre-cruise hotels this Friday. For a cruise that’s still a year away. 
 

Despite all of the appearances on how this was handled by both sides, I’m still going on my cruise as a first-timer. And I’m pretty damned excited about that. 

You from PGH?  Bethel Park and Ross Twp for my wife and I.  Left for NC in 2001 'cuz we hate snow.  😀  So you'll be transiting the canal.  Been on my bucket list for years, but all DW thinks about are the bugs.

13 minutes ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

 

https://www.insideedition.com/south-carolina-tourists-stranded-on-island-off-central-african-coast-after-missing-cruise-departure

 

Getting the elderly woman onto the boat from the dock was difficult....(:32 in the video)

 

 

Imagine how difficult and dangerous it would be to get her from a small boat onto the pilot platform.

I keep going back to the logistics of reboarding these folks.  Elderly, infirm, wheelchair bound, possibly injured.  Being ferried out by an alleged Coast Guard boat that, according to a post from someone 'on board' looked nothing like any CG vessel he'd ever seen.  The tenders are all recovered and secured.  Hatches are locked.  That leaves, maybe, the little platform used to board harbor pilots.  I can't see any sane captain sanctioning that.  Not to mention that their passports were no longer on the ship.  What can of worms would that pose for the passengers down the road.  I really think the captain, almost certainly in concert with NCL corporate staff, made the right call.

7 minutes ago, dmwnc1959 said:

Sort of like the very recent news story of a travel agent who stiffed 50 people (?) Then boarded the ship, leaving them on the pier. That news story is pretty much forgotten. 

I remember that.  Mostly elderly folks.  I think he got arrested.

6 minutes ago, dmwnc1959 said:

I find it extremely reckless that any cruise line would schedule a ship through a high piracy zone. There are plenty of other places in the world that will not put your passengers at risk, or require a military escort and the onboarding of extra security and ammunition. Sounds like a money grab by NCL. 

Read somewhere that this is a repositioning cruise.  As such, there may not have been a lot of options on the route.

7 minutes ago, dmwnc1959 said:

So, there is some ‘admission of guilt’ by NCL. 

Hmmm... more like just a little damage control.

2 minutes ago, dmwnc1959 said:

So, the blanketed warning statistics and quoting of safety levels in Caribbean and Mexican ports, those are seemingly worthless based on the fact that cruise lines go there ALL the time. 🤔

We check the State Dept warnings for all of our cruises.  Only had 1 Level 4 a few years ago.  Ship still stopped there.  We wandered the port area but that was it.  Have had several Level 3, which is basically "Watch your back" with no issues.  The only incident we ever had was in St Maarten several years ago.  We were beyond Back Street where we don't normally go.  My wife was window shopping about 15 feet ahead of me.  Two kids on a scooter came the other way.  The passenger got off and started towards my wife.  I got between them and used my best drill sgt voice to 'question his intentions'.  That ended that.

1 minute ago, graphicguy said:

I've done "non-sponsored" excursions unaffiliated with any cruise line.  They were pretty risk free....mostly personal taxi guides.  Always given strict instructions to have me (us) back to the ship at least an hour before all aboard time (preferably 2, just in case...).

 

Non-sponsored tour?  Taking a tender?  No tour operator responsibility?  Nope!

 

Again, waiting to hear what the tour operator has to say.  Why isn't anyone interviewing them?  Or, are they incommunicado since this whole thing started?

Might have lawyered up.  They are everywhere.  Can't swing a cat without hitting one or two.  That or they have been interviewed but what they said didn't fit the media narrative.

21 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

There's a reason those NCL excursions cost more.  NCL gets their cut.  But, they also get tour operators who LOVE to have a steady and reliable stream of business like partnering with a cruise ship.  So, it behooves them to perform well for them (and ultimately, the guests).

 

As an aside, I know if I add my Latitudes discount and the $50 excursion credit via FAS, the NCL excursions are not a bad deal at all.

We do most of our cruising in the Caribbean and know the islands well enough that we usually just wander on our own.  When we do decide to do an excursion, it's through the ship and mostly covered by OBC.  We've done Europe and the Med a few times and always do ship excursions there.

2 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Glaringly omitted is anyone interviewing the tour operators to find out why they were late and to corroborate the little they've stated so far!

 

 

Cruise lines vet, or clam to, all ship sponsored excursion operators.  They do not do the same for independents.  Do we even know the name of the tour operation?  There seem to be a lot of holes in this story.

13 hours ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

How about Park19 and all of the kid oriented stuff up there?

Good point.  Is any of it in operation yet?  Does it seem like many kids are on board?

We have cruised in the Med and northern Europe, but mostly Caribbean.  I wonder when Sun moves over here how thing might change.  With the problematic launch in the Med, hopefully things will shake out by Fall.  Hope so, because there don't seem to be many options once she is over here.

9 minutes ago, Fortunate 2 travel said:

There are 3 or 4 other pools on the Sun for parents/grandparents to be with the kids.  The Sanctuary has always been adult only.  I sure hope Princess leaves the Sanctuary adult only.  Time will tell.  

Sun has never struck me as a kids ship.  

2 hours ago, Kmangel said:

We sailed on Silhouette in January and noticed no coffee station in the Hideaway.

Rats.  It was really convenient being able to grab a cup first thing in the morning.

Thanks.

5 hours ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

On paper, it's a 12 year old 122 K ton ship versus a brand new 175 K ton ship.  IMHO, there is no comparison.  And I've sailed on four different classes of ships on X.

Not so much a comparison of the physical as which we are more comfortable with.  We've been fans of the X Solstice class for years but lately have been moving toward Princess for various reasons. My gut tells me the Sun may be too much change at one time.  We'll see.

4 minutes ago, Gail & Dan said:

I have not seen a pic or a comment on the Hook that drags you around the ship like a side of beef is it not there ? the Sea Breeze Rollglider®. 

There was an earlier post that it wasn't ready yet.

5 minutes ago, Nemanoxer said:

I am really, really curious how my first Princess cruise on the Sun will compare to Celebrity.

 

I loved the Equinox til she started getting neglected. She is cozy and homesy, somewhat more oldschool. My last trip was on Edge, and I finally got used to that concept and its liveliness. I started to like it after all resistance.

 

Now I see all the pictures from Sun, and she appears to be more cozy and homesy again. 

 

This will be a hard seven monthts of waiting to find out.

We're on Silhouette next month, then Sun in October.  Comparing them will be fun.