JeffElizabeth

We loved all the trivia. Had the drink package so we enjoyed winning even if we already had 16 free drinks daily. Also made the five straight sea days pass.

We were on that same cruise. Food wasn't as good for us. Thought the staff from room stewards to cruise director staff to restaurant and bar staff were great. We used to love Prinsendam, Amsterdam, and Old Rotterdam. We didn't care for the suite on the Konigsdam. Don't even consider it a suite, more like a Vista. The tours? I heard they couldn't get enough people in Hawaii to work the tours. I don't know, was only able to book a tour to the air museum. Did have problems in Maui getting taxi service away from the docking area.

We like Holland America's food, we don't care about the shows either. We are about to take Konigsdam to Hawaii from Vancouver.

Agree. Now would not be a good time to implement fuel surcharges. They will probably eat the increase or have hedged the market. Might see more low price deals to fill the ship's, because they use almost the same amount of diesel at 50 or 100% capacity.

My wife does that! Not dirty laundry but stuff she needs pressed.

Our trip from Miami to Rome on Oceania dropped Bermuda because their rules were too obnoxious. Went to their private island instead, liked it more.

Personally I think the pre-Covid years were a cruising golden age compared to what is coming. Expect to see lines absorbed or go bankrupt in the middle of cruises, especially the smaller lines. Someone above was looking into land vacations instead, I did a week in Mexico at an all-inclusive and it was slightly better, but they were really wanting people to buy a unit or a time share. Restaurants closed, cutting back on staff.

Carnival just too a hit in the Stock Market today. Lower than expected earnings, stock was down to $8.

Princess had eliminated their wine stewards on the Emerald Princess on our September Ireland cruise. Was a little shocked.

We used to use PCC's and always had great service but now use a TA and have better service, she is also ready to get us better cost savings and better benefits.

I am worried the next few years of cruising will be all about penny pinching, and even before the pandemic, the crews were saying the penny pinching they were feeling on their end. We might have to move to more upscale lines.

We plan to test the room service on our cruise to Hawaii in October. They have done it before where we can get whatever we want from the main dining room and specialty restaurants when in the Neptune cabins.

On one ship the tap water gave me horrible heartburn, but this was only one out of 20 cruises so I do wonder if it was water from shore.

This will help on our cruise to Hawaii from Vancouver in October.

We were curious too. We always loved the big eight person tables, and will be on a Hawaii cruise in October. Would hate to be confined to a 2 person setup. On Princess in September, we were traveling as two couples and were always seated at a four top.

The Emerald Princess wasn't full for our September cruise, I thought it was because they didn't have enough passengers, but now you think they didn't have enough staff?

We were just on this same cruise and the starboard side of the ship and agree with this poster. We liked the cruise a lot. Beautiful shots of the Scottish bridges. I got some sunset ones of those too.

Great point. Buffets in my city disappeared during the pandemic so I actually enjoyed having that option again on the Emerald Princess. My BIL also buffets only, he is a vegetarian and finds the main dining room too limited.

We just got done with a Emerald Princess cruise around the British Isles and we're for the most part pleasantly surprised. The boat was only about half full and a couple of the restaurants weren't open for this cruise but the service was great and it was nice to not be overcrowded. This was only our second Princess cruise and that one was about five years ago so I don't think service has declined.

Very true. Retired people can take longer cruises.

We are HAL people and we always heard they attracted the oldest, and believed it. Had an assistant cruise director joke, "Night of the Living Dead" described a Holland America formal night. We are mid-fifties and don't mind hanging out with our elders. I would guess Princess is slightly younger, more likely to have kids.

That pre-pay rule really makes me avoid Viking.

Exactly! I tend to lose weight on cruises. I do three meals but my breakfast tends to be light, just some sausage and some fruit. Lunch we prefer to do on shore, and dinner isn't overloaded with starches.

The bus trip from Trieste to Venice was long, traffic was bad on the highway in April, but I was glad I took the excursion. Even got to see a cruise ship being built in Finesterra (sp?)

I don't have an issue traveling with unvaccinated passengers. My four shots should protect me, right?