Ship's Wake

I think it suffered from failing to deliver on the hype. Add in the soot issue, pool grumbles and the no promenade deck brings it down. Also lot of people were disappointed about no ocean view cabins.

I think your comments are spot on.

This ship was designed to maximize revenue for Princess. I would imagine in their management's eyes it is a smashing success. No doubt someone has or will be promoted for the results the ship is contributing to the bottom line.

From a passenger point of view, more discriminating cruisers who do want the missing features they have come to expect on a cruise ship have to either cruise on other ships or change their liking to what Princess has designed.

If HAL drops Russia (I'm assuming you mean St Petersburg and not any Black Sea ports), and the reason for dropping Russia is based on politics and not the safety of the passengers, they need to be fully aware that Russia may not allow them back in at a later date. Baltic itineraries without St Petersburg will not have anywhere near the same appeal - is HAL willing to risk this?

Also, the OP makes the assumption that most cruisers march in lockstep and have the same interpretation on the Ukraine events. Maybe in the US, but when you look at interpretations outside of the US, the viewpoints are not unanimous. There's more to what's going on than just black or white.

Who cruises during the NHL playoffs??? :confused::D:D

People from Toronto. ;)

Here's one option for you. Look for a cruise on the Danube that stops for a good part of the day in Linz. Mauthausen is about 12 miles away.

If the cruise line does not include a tour, you can arrange one on your own. Here's one choice:

http://www.linztours.at/sightseeing-tour-mauthausen.html

Hope this is helpful.

Well, there is a shortage. That's why the prices have skyrocketed.

 

And then there's the decision for a business to pay the outrageous prices to keep the product in stock. If they are eating the cost, they may be frugal in putting them in the drink, or just forgo it altogether.

 

Maybe the truth about Corona will finally come out, that the only original purpose of the lime was to keep flies off the rim of the bottle, and never meant to make beer a lime flavor.

Is that really why they started putting limes on the Corona bottle? I always wondered......I drink Bud Light so I didn't know.......

There are a few theories about this - who knows what the real reason is.

One I read about from a book on how companies brand products indicated that a bartender in California started putting limes in Corona bottles and the practice took off from there.

I am a CPA and my husband is a dentist. We have been on two Viking cruises...the Danube in 2012 and the Rhine in 2013. We enjoyed the first trip so much, we booked the second one and we enjoyed it so much we're booked on the Viking Star Ocean liner. We had read things about Viking on cruise critic and would probably not have booked our first cruise with them but another couple asked us to go with them and four other friends. The eight of us had a wonderful trip! The cabins, the food, the service were wonderful! If what we have experienced on Viking is " near the bottom" then I would love to experience what is the top. On my birthday, our chef took me with him on a shopping trip and I got to select the cheeses the ship would enjoy that night for dinner. Maybe all the cruise lines do that...I wouldn't know because like you, I have only cruised with one line and that is Viking. I would never try to compare Viking with other lines because I have not cruised with them but I have no problem vouching for the Viking experiences we have had. I don't think my friends and I are " near the bottom" of river cruise passengers and that is what was implied by the statement you made...we are neither easily impressed nor easily fooled.

It is a real disservice to offer opinions on a product you have never used.

You make some excellent points.

It's one thing to be a fan of a cruise line you have sailed with (or be a detractor if your experience was not satisfactory).

It's a totally different dynamic to praise the cruise line you are a fan of and then slam another cruise line you have never cruised with.

Anyway, that's my view - no doubt others may disagree and argue that internet research passes for first hand experience.

The vast majority of posters on CC have enjoyed their Viking cruises and plan to cruise with them again. But whenever comparisons are made, Viking falls to the bottom. Why? All cruise lines go to pretty much the same places and offer the same basic services. But on some the quality of the food and wine are better, the quality and variety of the shore excursions are better, the level of service is higher, the included amenities list is longer. All this is subjective, and particularly on a first river cruise you may not feel that anything is missing at all.

 

There are three objective points about Viking:

• they pack more passengers into the same size ships

• they require full payment much earlier than the other lines (which also makes it much more difficult to change your mind about a Viking cruise if, say, there's a revolution in Ukraine)

• they did not do well at all last year during the Danube flooding

 

PS - have you ever seen a commercial that made the product NOT look nice?

Jazzbeau,

Do you speak from experience - have you sailed with Viking?

We think (but cannot prove) that there is more to this story then it appears. California adopted ship anti-pollution rules that forced cruise ships to burn a special low-sulfur fuel that costs a lot more then normal "bunker" fuel. (these rules will soon go nationwide) In addition, the demands of the Longshoreman Union have done nothing to reduce the cost of the cruise lines. And then there are the constant hassles from the US CBP folks which can make turning around a cruise ship even more difficult. And then there are the various restrictions resulting from the Passenger Vessels Services Act (PVSA) which is a 19th century US Law still imposed on cruise lines.

 

So along comes Mexico (our winter home) with an attitude that welcomes cruise ships and their business. Rather then throwing up more an more rules and regulations, Mexico is business-friendly and truly wants the business.

 

Unless their is a major attitude change in the USA towards the cruise business, we can envision more and more cruise ships moving their home ports outside the USA. There are already non-USA ports in the Caribbean (such as Antigua and Aruba) that are capable of acting as home ports. The cruise lines are going to do whatever is in their best interest which means maximizing their bottom lines.

 

Hank

Good observations you make here.

Have to make a point to take this itinerary before the cruise ports have two Diamonds Internationals and the obligatory Margaritaville or Carlos and Charlies.

We are big fans of the Uniworld product. They have many sailings where the single supplement is waived:

http://uniworld.com/solo-travelers

River cruises are ideal for single travelers, as excursions are included and done is groups, so you can interact easily with other passengers if you so desire.

Just ran across this which certainly explains a lot about the docking and tendering situation in Juneau:

 

http://juneauempire.com/state/2013-09-22/panamax-cruise-ship-docks-way#.UySHcLXnapo

Thanks for posting this. :)

I don't think it's hyperbole. We attended a rock concert 4 days before we cruised. The music onboard was louder.

That's because the numbers on Celebrity all go to 11. :D

There are really two possibilities here:

1. Celebrity has data that shows that younger folks spend MORE on average when they are onboard. Mabye it's specialty restaurants, or spa visits or excursions or whatever, but they have data that shows this so are trying to attract more and more younger pax to maximize that higher spend.

 

2. Celebrity wants to hook a generation of cruisers who will continue with them long after the current folks have moved on.

 

3. Or actually, and more likely, it's a combination of the two. They see a generation of younger cruisers who aren't hung up on "how it used to be when everything was included" and thus don't mind paying a lot for a la carte items, AND figure that if they hook them now, they can build a loyalty and allegiance that will last for decades to come, long after the current "senior" crop of loyal pax can no longer cruise.

It's a Miami decision for the following reason: louder music means more beverage sales.

A study on this showed than when a bar's music was 72 decibels, people ordered an average of 2.6 drinks and took 14.5 minutes to finish one. But when the volume was turned up to 88 decibels, customers ordered an average of 3.4 drinks and took 11.5 minutes to finish each one.

Read the research yourself:

http://www.spring.org.uk/2008/09/why-loud-music-in-bars-increases.php

Celebrity is putting your onboard spend ahead of your onboard enjoyment. As another poster stated, what a way to run a business!

In addition to the ones previously mentioned, The Travel Corp owns Uniworld as well as many tour operators (such as Trafalgar, Insight, Brendan). They offer past traveler discounts among their brands. http://www.thetravelcorporation.com/holiday-style/escorted-travel

Legitimate questions are (1) when will Azamara proceed with the full renovation of its two ships, as planned two years ago; (2) whether Azamara has the financial wherewithal and the parent company backing to expand its fleet when for seemingly financial reasons it backed away from the full renovation of its two ships; and (3) whether an expansion of the Azamara fleet would adversely affect the on-board experience about which everyone raves.

 

I know nothing about the Celebrity "ship within a ship" plans. But for a good portion of its market share, I would think that Azamara does not compete against Celebrity as much as it does against other lines, especially Oceania.

Some details on the ship within a ship:

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=5728

The latest to add to the "ship within a ship" trend is Celebrity Cruises, which will begin featuring a more self-contained and exclusive experience to passengers who book suites.

Offering access to a suite-passengers-only restaurant and lounge, the line's "Suite Class" concept -- set to debut on all ships in the fleet (with the exception of Celebrity Xpedition) during the line's 2015-2016 season -- will also provide the most elite cruisers with complimentary alcoholic beverages, free alternative dining, unlimited Internet and the services of a butler.

Private restaurant offerings, which won't be available anywhere else onboard, will focus on local cuisine found in the ports of call on each itinerary. In some cases, the ingredients will even be locally sourced. Additionally, courses will be paired with complimentary wines, chosen by Celebrity's head sommelier.

Suite privileges for those staying in Royal, Penthouse and Reflection suites -- including free premium beverages and gratis dining in restaurants that normally carry added fees -- extend to other restaurants onboard, as well.

VIP lounge Michael's Club will offer complimentary food, drink and concierge services for those booked in Celebrity, Signature, Royal, Penthouse and Reflection suites.

Other amenities included are priority embarkation and debarkation, as well as daily in-suite tea service.

I think the consensus is that there are plenty of decent options for Breakfast (no one mentioned the Balcony Breakfast either).

 

That said, Disney has had great success with their Palo brunches and I could see something similar on Princess as a nice option. I'd probably do it once per cruise if offered. The cost is the same as any other specialty dining.

 

Biggest issue would be finding the right venue, the steakhouses would probably not work as well as Sabatinis, which is committed to suite breakfasts.

A Palo like brunch would be awesome. It could be done on select sea days.

A few brunch photos from Palo:

Even if you don't ultimately wind up going on Viking, go to there website and request information by mail. Part of what they sent us was a DVD.

 

Boy did that seal the deal.

 

From the moment we finished watching that DVD my wife and I were totally sold on the idea of a river cruise.

 

Our only river cruise so far has been with Viking. I know there are better (more expensive) lines out there, but we thought Viking provided a good value for the money we paid.

 

All of the passengers were very friendly. At the time I was very critical of every aspect of the trip (having spent WAY too much time on this board), but looking back, it was certainly one of the best trips we have ever taken.

 

In the end we don't usually regret things that we did, it is usually things that we didn't do that we wind up regretting.

 

Get that DVD and watch it with your wife.

Agree 100% on this.

Pictures/videos are more powerful than words.

You may also want to watch the Burt Wolf video on Danube river cruises http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_T4EuvKMKg0

Much of the appeal of a river cruise in the destinations you will be visiting.

One of my first thoughts when Celebrity announced that for the 15/16 season all Celebrity ships would have a "ship within a ship" for suites with separate dining room and lounge that RCI has decided not to expand Azamara and instead will use Celebrity as its premium brand.

Anyone else think this is where they are headed?

My concern about Viking Ocean is they will lose a lot of client base as there is no Casino onboard..

Jancruz1

That's a valid concern for some ocean cruisers new to the Viking brand.

Viking is counting on marketing their ocean cruises to their vast numbers of repeat river cruisers. Having a casino onboard is not as important to these cruisers, as they did not have one on their river cruise either.

I think that all that is needed is a general River Cruising Forum and one on Roll Calls.

 

With the Roll Calls Forum, I feel that the generic river or area roll calls get alot more interest than the individual cruises, eg All French Waterways Cruises or Paris/Normady All ships.

 

 

All the forums have been quite a mess lately, so it'd be really good to have some order returned to them. JMHO

 

 

Deb

Very valid points.

I concur on having two forums - one for general river cruises and another for roll calls.

I also think catchall topics like "Christmas markets 2014" should be in the general river cruise forum, as they are only visible for those who are CC members.

Methinks that there are more readers of the CC forums who do not register than there are for those who take the time to register and post. These readers have no idea that a general discussion about a particular topic even exists.

deleted

With a passenger capacity of 3152, I'll pass! ;)

New HAL ship:

2660 lower berths, 99500gt, space ratio 37.4

Nieuw Amsterdam:

2106 lower berths, 86700gt, space ratio 40.9

Celebrity Reflection (latest and largest of Solstice class)

3030 lower berths, 126000gt, space ratio 41.5

Quite a change for HAL.

Carnival Corp does have other ships that can sail into Tampa. If the economics make sense they can reallocate tonnage from Holland America or Costa to the Carnival fleet.

Holland America has four ships that are based on the same hull as the Spirit Class (Zuiderdam, Oosterdam, Westerdam, Noordam) while Costa has a Spirit class derivative (Costa Mediterranea).

Doubt this would happen, but it is a possibility.

Tampa has serious problems in terms of being a long-term cruise port, thanks to the Skyway and the narrow ship channel close to the port itself.

 

Same can be said for Baltimore and Sydney.

Uniworld has not given me the impression either way but

I am trying to find some comparison to what I know. So far the food on the ships I've been on has been good enough, not stellar with the exception of The World which is a different experience altogether. I've never seen a 24 hour buffet on a ship.

 

Jpalbny, I would love some feedback if you get a chance after your cruise. Thanks!

seabreezer, here's a previous food review I did on Uniworld's food from several years ago that includes menus. Most of the review still holds true today. You may find it to be helpful.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=890494