Ride-The-Waves

Its all "smoke and mirrors." Projections beyond lunch tomorrow, which is "strategic planning" for most companies, is fantasy. A CCL ship could hit an iceberg tonight and the company could literally sink, Spent a career in the intelligence business where forecasting/projections of future events based on best data provides good points for discussion but nothing substantial. See Russia today after the Prigohzin failed coup. Cruising's high "occupancy rates" are also a fantasy and not reality. Rather, wistful dreaming on the part of management. Today's extremely high prices are not sustainable - its a "bounce" of pent-up desire by people with money to burn. That usually ends in a crash. Until things "normalize" and prices return to some norm, cruise lines will be flaunting their success using whatever fantasies they can while still heading for that proverbial iceberg of poor planning and poor service.

We are Azamara fans - O's smaller ships. Always good eating, always well presented with great fanfare by the kitchen and wait staffs. Have not sailed Azamara since the pandemic but hope to return in the future.

Agree. Thought the bakery items on Zaandam were excellent with good selection. Have read that HAL's larger ships enjoy expanded bakery items as well as Dutch treats.

Good question. First, I am not a "foodie." My observation is based on how the food is cooked, which impacts taste, and presentation. The locale (restaurant) is also important. Another note: I am not a "foodie" but have had the opportunity to eat at "state level" events outside the US, events where a senior US official is hosted to an elaborate lunch/dinner by a counterpart. I understand "good" food. The specialty restaurants on Marina are designed to serve the maximum number of people as possible (maximize profit). Tables are crowded together to the point where its is difficult to reach your table and more importantly difficult for servers. This is true in the buffet as well as the specialty restaurants. In comparison the specialty restaurants on Zaandam have well spaced tables as does the buffet. We found the servers on Marina a bit gruff. No accommodation of any kind, even by request. Example: my spouse asked for "pink" sugar substitute (blue and yellow on the table) was rebuffed. "Pinks" were readily available but the server didn't want to extend himself to retrieve them. As I mentioned, I am not a foodie so stick with the basics. And on Marina was very "basic" in taste and presentation. Food was not prepared to that ordered: steaks (fillet) were undercooked and vegetables over cooked in any cases. Soups, for me, are usually telling. Better prepared and tastier to me on Zanndam. We found the selection in Zaandam much wider that that offered on Marina. More choices and better prepared. This especially includes that buffets. Ambiance plays a large part in restaurant enjoyment. Marina was lacking with its noisy and too closely arranged tables. Maybe the worst specially restaurant experience ever on a cruise ship in Marina's Italian restaurant. My experience on the seas? First "cruise' I remember was a transatlantic in 1949. Family made about ten crossings in the early 1950s, First Class, where you were called to dinner by a waiter walking the passageways playing a xylophone. Elegant settings. Perfectly cooked and well presented delicacies. I also served 30 years in the US Navy. Always great food on the table even in the "buffets."

Recently home from a Panama Canal transit on the fine ship. Comfortable, excellent venues, wonderful food and entertainment. Previous cruise a Transatlantic on Oceania Marina, a cruise line which advertises itself as having the "finest cruise at sea." We much enjoyed Zaandam's restaurants over Marina's - more elegant, "better" food and much less noisy. Tables on Marina were so close together and thus to close to others that one could not carry on a conversation with one's tablemate. And the crew on Zaandam was always ready to help us anywhere on the ship.

Recently home from a Panama Canal transit on the fine ship. Comfortable, excellent venues, wonderful food and entertainment. Previous cruise a Transatlantic on Oceania Marina, a cruise line which advertises itself as having the "finest cruise at sea." We much enjoyed Zaandam's restaurants over Marina's - more elegant, "better" food and much less noisy. Tables on Marina were so close together and thus to close to others that one could not carry on a conversation with one's tablemate. And the crew on Zaandam was always ready to help us anywhere on the ship.

I don't get it. Why mock seniors? Our one cruise on Marina resulted in "never again" on Oceania. Too many people who believe they are "entitled" to do what ever they want anywhere on the ship. This is not "refined" cruising. The alcohol policy provides for too much "lubrication" for enjoying dinner in a specialty restaurant. One group of 2 couples came to dinner carrying three drinks each. Not enjoyable sitting next to them. Found many fellow passengers very critical of others. Not a welcoming cruise line.

Viator and Trip Advisor are one and the same company. Tour recommendations are the same. Be very careful with both in following advice and bookings.

Agree that food is subjective. We are NOT foodies by any stretch of the imagination. What we do expect is a nice ambiance contributing to "fine dinning." Did not find that on Marina. Table in the specialty restaurants were so close together it was difficult to get to your chair. The noise levels were so high that we could not hear each other sitting across the table. Not enjoyable. I wont mention the well lubricated couples next to us... Similar experience in the buffet - tables so close to each other it was a challenge to carry food from the serving line to the table. Crew was very helpful in helping carry items.

Astute observation. The "luxury" lines appear to be doing well - passengers with no concerns over cost are well cared for. From there on down the economic scale, and that includes Oceania, is a different story and cruise lines are struggling to balance the books and will be struggling for some time. The nickel and diming has really gotten outrageous. Pricing for basic fares as well. Cutting corners can only go so far before the roof falls in. Spouse has us booked on an RCI transatlantic in the Fall - not my choice. I've long outgrown plastic party ships, but she has friends who convinced her to go. Everything is extra and expensive. Sad that many lines view this is the new norm. Possibly in the end we will end up with high-end cruising and mass market party ships...

Recently cruised Oceania Marina (Transatlantic) and HAL Zaandam (Panama Canal), ships about the same passenger capacity. No comparison. The Zaandam cuisine was better, cabin nicer, public spaces more inviting, ship more spacious, the crew more inviting, especially the officers. Remember, "the best cuisine at sea" is a trade mark, not a factual statement. My experience? First cruise as a youngster was 1949 and in the 1950s on SS United States, SS America, America Lines ships, and a host of HAL ships. More recently Celebrity, Hurtigruten, Princess, Azamara (a favorite) and Royal. We will not sail on Oceania again. Over priced, snooty fellow passengers and crew.

...and its much more expensive. "Nickel and Diming" are the trends.

My spouse's favorite analogy : as her parents drove Manhattan in the 1950s: "Look out the rear window to experience the Empire State Building." NO - a driveway in NOT the same as experiencing Antarctica on land. We did it on Hurtigruten Fram with landings south of the Antarctic Circle. If you are spending the coin to get there, spend a few more and do landings. We did 12 in different locations, ranging from rocky or volcanic ash to mooring pier side at a station. Another good analogy: seeing a tulip in a flower pot and visiting Keukenhof in April.

Presuming that a grocery store has a number of trained and qualified check out clerks "doing other jobs" may be a misconception, especially since these stores are focused on profit and not proving public services. Government are usually very efficient and employees focused on customers up to the point of locals enabling services through revenue.

Early on-set Type 2 Diabetes. Check with you physician.

Last renewal we ordered both the passport book and the passport card. Carry the passport card with us off the ship along with a credit card. Passport card is the best deal going. While it doesn't;t replace the book, it facilitates obtaining a new book at the local embassy.

Rearranging the deck chairs... It continues to amaze me that these corporate types couldn't care less about the product - the customer - and focus on caring about themselves.

NEVER travel outside your country without a passport. PERIOD. We have both passports and a cruise card which is the same size as a driver's license. Take both on cruises with the card being identification on/off ships if needed. One never knows when an emergency will happen and the passport become the proof of citizenship.

Cruise line contract employees' gratuities are NOT "on the books" of a cruise line. One of the reasons cruise lines do this is to avoid paying taxes on gratuities.

As discussed on other threads Paxlovid is a prescription medication that is prescribed for a specific instance and use. Self-medicating using Paxlovid is not only dangerous, but likely illegal in most places. Doctors who prescribe it "just in case" need to be reported to state and federal medical authorities. That said, most cruise ships carry it these days.

As discussed on other threads Paxlovid is a prescription medication that is prescribed for a specific instance and use. Self-medicating using Paxlovid is not only dangerous, but likely illegal in most places. Doctors who prescribe it "just in case" need to be reported to state and federal medical authorities. That said, most cruise ships carry it these days.

Likely the cruise lines will totally balloon the price above anything reasonable.

We sailed with Hurtigruten (Fram) to Antarctica and south of the Antarctic Circle with many stops to Zodiac ashore. Great trip to include wonderful food. And, great internet enabling the downloading of books for evening reading. Have also had horrible totally unusable internet on Princess during a TA. Its all in what the cruise line wants to provide it customers.

Marina does NOT "look bad." Just fine, in fact. Personally don't much care for chrome and glitz.

Thanks for the advice. The actual time "away" was in seconds to minutes, not hours. FYI - its not easy to finger-type on an iPad or other small mobile device, especially when the connection is "dropped." Were there lounge chair hogs on Marina's last TA? Didn't notice...