luxurysailer

I visited the HAL website yesterday, and they're listing two cruises prior to the "christening" cruise. Perhaps any problems will be fixed before the "christening" cruise. However, I assume that a "christening" cruise for a new class of ship will have lots of TAs, travel journalists, and cruise line execs on board; and I'm concerned that paying passengers may get short shrift as is said to have occurred on the Eurodam.

It seems to me that there's a lot of bravado being expressed on this thread. I've experienced real and immediate personal danger at the hands of man, and I freely admit that my bravado was markedly diminished afterward.

Are we going to stop traveling? No, but we're not going to areas where terrorist activity is much more likely to occur. Yes, there is danger aplenty right here at home: accidents, natural disasters, criminal activity, etc. But do I drive at very high speeds, go surfing with hurricanes approaching, or go into high crime areas? Absolutely not. Common sense tells me not to do such things. Doing so would, IMHO, be courting disaster; and that's an activity with diminishing returns.

My purpose in posting this reply is to merely express a cautionary note based upon personal experience.

To all who responded, thanks for the advice. It may not be a consensus but the nays seem to have it in a landslide.

We're looking at Koningsdam's maiden voyage in April 2016. The itinerary is great, but I'm concerned about problems that haven't been fixed. Seems to me there have been a considerable number of posts regarding problem's on recent HAL new ship launches.

We've never been on a maiden voyage, but we have been on a first cruise out of dry dock on which there were some very significant problems.

I'd appreciate hearing the opinion (both pros and cons) of those of you who've been on maiden voyages, particularly in the last few years.

Don't miss Geiranger. I'd recommend taking the overland bus excursion from Hellesylt to Geiranger on which you'll see spectacular scenery. Then when you get back on the ship you'll see Geiranger Fjord in its entirety as you sail back out. This is very near the top of all cruising experiences that we've had.

Does anyone have first hand experience with the actual cost of medical evacuations? Trying to determine how much insurance coverage to purchase - we are going to be doing the south pacific (Tahiti, Bora Bora, etc..) in Feb 2015. Of the plans I am considering one offers $250,000 or, for an additional insurance cost of $400 the coverage goes up to $500,000. Would $250,000 get a person back to the USA from Bora Bora?

May I suggest that you visit the medjetassist.com website. You don't have to purchase different levels of coverage, since there is one fee for all areas. My wife and I purchase full-time annual coverage (ages 73 and 71) for about $350/year. This includes both of us for this one fee and provides coverage for traveling within the U.S. as well as on trips such as you're taking.

There are news reports of three U.S sailors being accosted in Istanbul by a group of young men. They were jostled, their backpacks taken away, and a bag was placed over the head of one while the protesters chanted "Yankee go home."

When we were there about 7 or 8 years ago we were a little apprehensive prior to going ashore; however, everyone we encountered, and I mean everyone, was courteous and welcoming. We had a most enjoyable visit in Istanbul and again when we went to Ephesus.

At the time of our visit one of our tour guides told us that "we love Americans."

Changes since our visit suggest that this relationship may be in danger. I certainly hope not, because Istanbul and Ephesus were great ports of call, in both of which I'd have loved to spend more time.

My pet peeve is people hogging a dance floor. Dance floors on most ships are very small and someone showing off with high kicks or flinging their arms wildly prevent others from dancing. I and my companions have observed this behavior primarily by Asians. This behavior was especially bad on the Volendam on a China-Japan cruise in March 2013.

There were two - the first on the St. Peter's Port (Guernsey) day (all aboard by 1:30 p.m.) and the second on the first sea day. There was no formal night on the second sea day.

Thanks to baggal and maseric for this information. I have no idea how I missed baggal's post which appeared before my second post. My apologies.

Don't know about your specific cruise, but formal nights are usually on a sea day or a day when the ship is leaving port early. Generally most people don't want to come back to the ship after a full day ashore or on a tour and then have to rush around to get ready for a formal evening.

I agree, and that is what we like as well. On this particular cruise we have two formal nights with only two sea days and one early departure from port.

The only early departure day is the first day after embarkation, so I'm doubtful that'll be a formal night. All other departures are at 6PM except one at 5PM (the day following the first sea day) and one at 7PM.

The second sea day is the next to last day of the cruise, and people will be packing for the trip home on that day. Since people will want to pack their formals, it's also less than desirable for a formal night.

So, you can see there is only one good day for a formal night which is on day six, the first sea day.

Consequently, I'm hoping someone who's been on that particular itinerary will provide a specific answer.

Can anyone please tell me which are the formal nights on the British Isles cruise that has the Orkney Islands port of call on the itinerary?

Lots of complaints on several cruise line boards about the music broadcasts. Seems they can't make up their mind about the audience they are seeking. For now I'm the one spending the dollars 3 to 4 times a year on cruises--I am going with the Rat Pack, etc. at low decibels and I am in my 50's.

Cruise lines should play music appropriate to the passenger demographics rather than playing music for the demographic they hope to attract. They need to cater to the passengers who are actually paying the bills.

This is a pet peeve with me. We've been on cruise ships multiple times when passengers younger than 40 were scarce as hen's teeth. But guess what kind of music the DJs play. If you're perceptive you can guess the answer. No younger passengers in dance lounges but plenty of seniors and the DJ is playing totally inappropriate music for his patrons.

If these posts are accurate, it doesn't seem reasonable for the website to say that professional laundry is available.

The only thread I could find on this subject is several years old, so I'd like to see if anyone has more up to date information.

The Princess website says that professional laundry services are available but nothing about packages or "by the bag" offers. Can anyone please tell me what's available?

Other ballroom dancers have nothing to worry about in the month of August. The competition for the most marginal skill level will not be tested on your cruise. DH and I won't be sailing until September. Hopefully, someone with knowledge of the current state of affairs will respond to my query. I need to know if we should risk life and limb rehearsing our moves.

We'll return home on 15 August. I'll try to remember to reactivate this thread and tell you what we experienced. However, since I might forget, I'd suggest that if you're still awaiting an answer to your question that it would probably be best for you to reactivate it.

Incidentally, I read a thread a few months ago that indicated that dancing was available in the Wheelhouse Bar, and one post even said that there was dancing in the atrium on some nights. Don't remember which ship. We're already practicing.

We and two other couples will be on the August 3 sailing of the Ruby, and we'll be looking for dancing. I'd rate our dancing abilities as marginal, so if you're on that sailing perhaps you'll recognize us.

We've been on several Princess cruises and have always found good dancing opportunities. Hopefully, we'll not be disappointed on the Ruby.

Is it possible to use the house phones scattered around the ship to access and listen to messages on your stateroom phone?

I see this used as a reason for not booking a suite all the time. The question that I always ask myself is do you not spend any time in the room because its an small stateroom on a lower deck? :p

I really don't think that is the case with us. We stay very busy both night and day while on a cruise, whether it's a port day or a sea day. It seems illogical to me to go on a cruise and sit around in a stateroom. I'm sure we'll greatly enjoy our Princess mini-suite; and, who knows, maybe I'll change my mind. However, as always, we are looking forward to all the shipboard activities that we love so much; and I doubt that we'll change what we do simply because we have a larger stateroom

Most of what I know I learned here on the boards reading KrazyKruisers and RuthC. The opportunity for upgrades is best during slow bookings. I think it would be nice for everyone to experience the Suite life at least once. When it is all said and done, the budget rules.That way we can go on more cruises.

We always book a stateroom on one of the lower decks. I just can't see paying what a balcony or suite costs, especially when we use our stateroom only for sleeping, changing clothes, etc. But, I must admit that I"ve long considered living it up on at least one cruise.

And we're going to do it on our upcoming Princess cruise around the British Isles in August. We just celebrated our 50th anniversary; and my wife, who is an accomplished record keeper, showed me her accounting of our honeymoon expenses back in 1964. We shared a good laugh about the fact that we spent a total of $74.xx on a four day honeymoon. We had a lot of incentive to be frugal since we were staring four years of poverty in the face, while I'd be attending medical school. At any rate, I felt that she deserved a mini-suite after she so graciously put up with a $74 honeymoon.

Interesting thread, and good to see that there are some folks posting who are shooters. I'd have loved to been cruising back when real skeet shooting was available on the stern. I'll bet this was very difficult in rough seas.

Disappointing that the game sounds as if it isn't very challenging. There are some computer simulated laser shooting "ranges" with moving targets that are supposed to be quite realistic and challenging. Nevertheless, even if the current game isn't very challenging, I'm happy to hear that it is available. Wish they'd put it on the Ruby before 3 August. I'd definitely give it a try.

Thanks for the helpful comments and suggestions from everyone.

We're arriving shortly after noon and are planning on taking the tube to central London.

Insofar as the availability of courtesy shuttles from hotels to the various terminals is concerned, I've read conflicting comments on old threads. About 24 hours ago I emailed our hotel and inquired if they have a shuttle but have received no reply as of this time.

It does seem like Princess is being a bit uncooperative. If they already have a bus picking up at T4, why not? Sounds like someone doesn't want to do ten minutes of extra work and make sure the rep at T4 has your name on a list rather than the rep at T3.

 

BTW, Mr. Buckelew has moved up the food chain and is now the COO of Carnival Corporation. I suppose writing to him would still be OK but it might be more effective to write Jan Swartz who is now the President of Princess.

Thank you for updating me on the change in personnel at Princess. If I decide to write a formal complaint, I'll direct it to Mr. Swartz who'll assuredly never see it.

According to Cathy in "customer service" at Princess this policy is based upon an agreement with Heathrow as an effort to prevent congestion at T4. Right! And they're going to make us report for transfer to T3 which, the last time I was in Heathrow, was much more crowded than T4. People were packed in T3 like sardines. BTW, Cathy wouldn't allow me to speak to anyone else saying she reports directly to the executive offices which strongly suggests that office knows about and concurs in this policy.

Princess needs to remember that there are other quality cruise lines available for booking future cruises.

We're arriving at and spending the night in a hotel at terminal 4 one day prior to our cruise departure on 3 August. However, Princess will not allow us to simply re-enter T4 to catch our bus for transfer to the ship along with passengers arriving at T4 on embarkation day. Instead, passengers arriving at Heathrow prior to embarkation day are required to go to T3 for transfer to the ship.

Anyone familiar with Heathrow knows that transferring from T4 to T3 is a pain, particularly if you have a lot of luggage. Princess obviously places little value upon customer service and instead chooses to inconvenience their passengers with this ridiculous policy. It seems to me that Princess needs to send some employees, including Alan Buckelew if he is aware of this policy, for refresher courses in customer service.

Businesses make rules to benefit the majority of their customers. This certainly applies to drinking ages for young adults on HAL's ships.. Unfortunately the responsible young adults suffer because of the disruption caused by the irresponsible.

We were once berthed at a dock adjacent to a Carnival ship. The drunken behavior of a large number of youngsters on the Carnival ship made it unpleasant to even be on the same dock with them as we made our way back to our ship. Having them on board the same ship would have been an absolute nightmare.