LEtue

If you aren't going until next year, you have time to wait until you hear what's actually happening. I'm doing the 14-day in August, and I promise to report back on the extent of the Oprah effect. I'm betting it's minimal.

Thank you and I appreciate that.....but I don't like what HAL is promoting.

I agree with OlsSalt on this one....celebrities on board don't interest me - just lectures and events that are appropriate to the destination. :)

I don't think it will be that bad. The cruise Oprah spends a few days on and the big Oprah-themed cruises could be too much. But the other cruises shouldn't present much of a problem. The CC article bears little resemblance to the HAL website page that applies to all cruises.

 

Lectures and entertainers are probably just on the few Oprah-intensive cruises. And even if they are on other cruises, don't go if they don't appeal to you.

 

According to the HAL website, Oprah-influenced items are:

--Exercise classes. I don't do those anyway, so not a biggie for me.

--Oprah-themed clothing (Love that!). If it's a lecture on how to dress, I'll pass. If it's stuff in the shops, I don't shop onboard anyhow, so not a biggie for me.

--Book club. Go if the book interests you, don't go if you don't like the book. Not a biggie, unless they give everyone a copy of the book and assign homework.:eek:

--Healthy eating. OK, this could be an issue, depending on how pervasive it is. So maybe they'll add a "healthy choice" item to the menu. I'll eat it if it's something I like. If not I'll order something else. But if they go overboard on the healthy thing and take away that decadent Lido bread pudding, there WILL be a mutiny!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :p

I am sure there are some people that wouldn't mind however, I choose to spend my limited vacation time and dollars on an Alaska cruise that doesn't have the potential of surrounding me with Oprah. And I'm not willing to risk that lectures and venues around the ship pertain to the items that you describe and what HAL is promoting - or that this is all that is offered while on board.

This trip has been on my bucket list for some time and a big expense for me....

Why do they need celebrity branding? Silly me, but then I keep thinking cruising is about travel and destinations. And lectures appropriate to the destinations and transit.

 

Used to be just immersing in the "negative ions" at sea was meditation enough. Now I need a billionaire celebrity to entice me to get artificially mindful? Not making a sale here obviously.

Thanks for saying it better than I ever could!

I had been looking forward to finally sailing on the 14-Day Great Alaskan Explorer itinerary next year and will now be cancelling.....:(

Just when I finally book the HAL 14-Day Great Alaskan Explorer for next year - this happens.....

Since this starts in August I am guessing that there won't be much or any feedback from the 2017 sailings on how to avoid all of this so now I need to look for another cruise option :( Really disappointed!

This is very disappointing to read that HAL doesn't have similar internet options as I am used to on Princess and RCI :(

I do like to keep in touch with home while away so maybe they will make some improvements by next year?

This sounds similar to my experience on Princess in Alaska.

So I am glad to hear that it will be the same on HAL when I finally get to sail this awesome itinerary in 2018 :D

:)

Very excited about everything! Yesterday I went through my friend's care suitcase. It felt good to be doing some prep and finding out what I need and don't need. Adds to the excitement while waiting for our travel date to get here. Still haven't told Mike the good news, though he knows I was trying for an upgrade. :)

I can just imagine your excitement. If you don't tell Mike before you go....I think he may guess something is up when you dance up the gangway! :D

Hope to read a review when you return!

A really sad ending to the story.....

.....I am dancing on the ceiling!

Wow, that is awesome Sean! Keep dancing and enjoy your cruise :D

I have used both MM and Kenai Fjords. Personally I like Kenai Fjords slightly better since I don't like the reserved seating. I prefer to find my own preferred seat. I also place a low priority on the food service. I am outside most of the time and also want to be in an "aisle" seat so I can bolt outside in case wildlife is spotted when I am inside.

 

I have had a naturalist on board my last Kenai Fjords tour.

 

I like your idea of the 8am departure so you have several hours to explore Seward.

You have reminded me about my one negative of the 26 Glacier Cruise that I took of Prince William Sound. I would have liked the assigned seating - if we hadn't been assigned the window and middle seat. I definitely want to be able to get up freely and get outside. We were lucky that there was an open table for 2 that we moved to once we left the dock and it worked out great. I only sat down to eat so and outside seat is best for me too.

It would be nice to have a naturalist on board with a nice sound system to be able to hear when outside....so I will have to weigh my options.

LOL, this thread made me chuckle. I moved to Florida from Michigan in 1982 and have never used gloved here or in Alaska.

I do like to have a nice fleece jacket with a hood and deep pockets though - over plenty of layers. I need to be able to use the camera and binoculars and then I just tuck my hands back in my pockets....

Lots of good suggestions here though and if your first stop is Ketchikan the stores have great selections at reasonable prices :D

Whatever ship that would eventually replace Radiance, assuming it alternates with the Alaska itinerary as Radiance currently does, would also have to "fit" into the Alaskan ports of call. I'm thinking specifically of fitting under the bridge in Vancouver.

 

Lots of "ifs."

Total agreement and I would never sail the Explorer in Alaska based on the horrible itinerary. Not to mention that the itineraries that interest me are port intensive and the amount of passengers getting off is an issue. Even more so In Alaska where the ports towns are small.....

I just changed from the Symphony to the Jewel in the Med because I don't think there is any advantage to a mega ship there either.

Yes, I used them for airport to hotel in Rome and for a group transfer for 6 to the port. Rome Cabs was full for the day and they recommended them. I will always use one or the other - both provided excellent service in the past.

Are you sailing on the Brilliance of the Seas? If so, here is the link to the roll call.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2478406

Thanks for posting this!

I got a good visual on what you described and I don't think I would enjoy a mega ship either. I like the connection to the ocean when sailing too!

In fact I booked the Symphony for the western Med in 2018 and promptly switched to the Jewel instead. Love the Radiance class and since I really enjoyed a similar itinerary on the Serenade so it was an easy switch....

Linda, I rebooked it and paid the deposit yesterday, so it's possible that I might really take this cruise!

 

You mentioned Kusadasi on the Jewel roll cal thread (which I'm not committing to yet). It's possible that the political situation in Turkey will improve in the next 18 months, and RCI won't drop that port. If they do - I hope the replacement port is in Greece.

Awesome! Keeping my fingers crossed :D

I would be fine with Rhodes or Malta since I enjoyed my stop in Kusadasi in 2014. So glad I got there!

Hi, Linda! I put that same cruise on hold a few days ago during the 30% off sale, but didn't pay the deposit yet. :cool: Today I saw the "Every Third Night Free" sale (33.33% off), so I emailed my travel agency to see if they could adjust the price without me having to cancel and rebook. They said they would check.

 

Meanwhile, my husband and I are booked on the Nov. 5 Jewel Transatlantic, with plans to travel around Italy first. However, he wasn't too keen about this cruise itinerary (I love it) - so it might not be a keeper.

Hi Nancy!

I hope you book it! I'm traveling solo on this one and it would be great to finally meet you!

I recently booked my first solo cruise on the Jewel of the Seas for a 9 night Med cruise in 2018.

The studio cabins are outrageous but single occupancy in an inside isn't bad.

Just a heads up for anyone looking at a future Med cruise......

My Jewel sailing dropped $132 so I called to get the reduction. A very long wait on hold....

I really enjoyed the underground tour too and if you have interest in it I would book it. No sense looking back and wishing you had.

I used the following site for tickets - very easy.

http://www.tickitaly.com/

I have, even at the 150% supplement pricing. Laura does a lot of solos.

 

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The inside cabins on the 9 night Jewel Med sailings in 2018 are not priced at 150% and the studio cabins are priced as I posted above. Just checked again and they haven't changed.

I have not seen such a discrepancy before either.......and pricing should eventually go back to normal.

I don't believe they are more than the solo price for an inside cabin

 

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You can easily check for yourself.

I booked a studio from Barcelona before I knew they were going to offer some sailings from Rome. Oh well, at least I got one.

 

Have you seen the prices for the studio cabins on the Jewel? Over $2300 plus fees - the standard inside cabins are priced hundreds less. But the new cabin categories are "whacked". How can they justify deck 2 being $141 more than deck 3 - both forward :confused: I was considering moving to Jewel once the sailings were released but the pricing is outrageous.......and only having 3 studio cabins on the ship doesn't help.[/q

 

Studio cabins - whenever I have checked always are more than a regular inside. Don't know why anyone would book one and be 'squished"?

 

When I booked my studio the price was $820 less than the inside cabin which will cover my airfare. So, I book what is affordable for me.

That was the same thing the first day on symphony-- then the next day the studios came down, so keep checking.

 

 

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Yes, I caught that too and called to get the reduced fare. I will keep watching to see if the same happens on the Jewel but only because I would rather see more of Greece than Spain. Unfortunately with only 3 studio cabins on the Jewel - I doubt the price will be anywhere near my current fare :D