bepsf

Two captains and hotel managers have told us Tamarind's location isn't good due to the sometimes extreme vibration...

A few years back, my parents and I were aboard Eurodam, and we found ourselves having dinner w/ the Captain in the Tamarind.

As we sat there chatting and catching up, I noticed how the room was vibrating to the extent that his wineglass (He only had one glass the entire night) was moving across the table towards the front of the ship.

So I turned to the Captain and asked, "How fast is the ship traveling tonite?" to which he replied, "I told them to keep it at 18 knots"

"Well if the ship is doing 18 knots, your wine is doing 19."

:D

Would there be room enough for a specialty restaurant or lounge?

 

My understanding is that at least one specialty restaurant will up above the aft pool behind the stack - perhaps two.

But it wouldn't surprise me that the glass area overlooking the Promenade is the atrium, with a restaurant thereas well.

It would be nice to have an outdoor component to the Atrium as well - like the outdoor "sidewalk" cafes on the new NCL and Carnival ships.

(I posted this on the HAL boards to the same question - but I'll post here as well - B)

...with itineraries and pricing being relatively equal - I would go Cunard.

There are many more activities and opportunities for enrichment (lectures, classes) aboard a Cunard vessel.

The shops are outstanding - the selection, the prices, the quality are all far better than HAL.

I found entertainment to be better on Cunard - although my Cousin pointed out that Cunard has no Karaoke, which was a strike against in her book.

The balcony cabins are pretty much identical to a standard balcony cabin on HAL.

And if we're talking Suites - then I would DEFINITELY go Cunard Grilles.

You have a dedicated lounge, Bar, and outdoor areas with waiters bringing you cold towels, sunscreen and ice creams during the day.

You have your own restaurants where meals are made to order - and they do tableside flambes (Crepes Suzette, seared Lamb Chops, etc.)

You have your own table for the entire cruise - no Late/Early seating.

Aboard the Victoria and Elizabeth - if weather permits, you may choose to Breakfast/Lunch/Dine in the Grilles Courtyard.

Since all Princess Grille and many Queen's Grille suites are midship there's little reason to go aft of the midship stairwell - so the ship lives 1/2 it's size, but has the smoother ride of a larger vessel.

...with itineraries and pricing being relatively equal - I would go Cunard.

There are many more activities and opportunities for enrichment (lectures, classes) aboard a Cunard vessel.

The shops are outstanding - the selection, the prices, the quality are all far better than HAL.

I found entertainment to be better on Cunard - although my Cousin pointed out that Cunard has no Karaoke, which was a strike against in her book.

The balcony cabins are pretty much identical to a standard balcony cabin on HAL.

And if we're talking Suites - then I would DEFINITELY go Cunard Grilles.

You have a dedicated lounge, Bar, and outdoor areas with waiters bringing you cold towels, sunscreen and ice creams during the day.

You have your own restaurants where meals are made to order - and they do tableside flambes (Crepes Suzette, seared Lamb Chops, etc.)

You have your own table for the entire cruise - no Late/Early seating.

Aboard the Victoria and Elizabeth - if weather permits, you may choose to Breakfast/Lunch/Dine in the Grilles Courtyard.

Since all Princess Grille and many Queen's Grille suites are midship there's little reason to go aft of the midship stairwell - so the ship lives 1/2 it's size, but has the smoother ride of a larger vessel.

Only basic excursions are included. All the other options have a charge and that charge is not yet published.

Thank you for that - I had no idea.

I'm researching a river cruise w/ Viking, and it certainly isn't clear from the marketing!

"Viking Inclusive Cruising

• Complimentary enriching shore excursions in each port of call, led by knowledgeable local guides"
  

http://www.vikingcruises.com/oceans/why-viking/viking-value/index.html

http://www.wocls.org/maritime-art/by-stephen-j-card

I purchased my Stephen Card prints from here

I tend to think it'll have a full promenade but you have to go up a flight of stairs near the bow, ala some Princess ships.

The photo that HAL posted shows leads me to believe it would have a forward crossover between the Theatre and the forward machinery space like the current vessels - I don't see stairs leading forward and up.

Name her

THE MARINER

Royal Caribbean and RSSC already have Mariner of the Seas and Seven Seas Mariner

So will the running mate to Koningsdam be Vorstinsdam?

;)

Koningsdam will not be "just like the Queen Victoria"

It's being built on a wider and longer hull for one thing.

The Lido Magrodome will enclose two decks in height rather than one (on the Victoria the magrodome is over a lounge and the midship pool is open) and a premium restaurant(s) will be aft of the funnel facing the stern rather than ahead facing forward.

And yes, the Victoria and Elizabeth have full Promenades - although they are much narrower than those aboard HAL vessels - to accommodate the larger interior spaces. This is largely why they have their lifeboat drills inside.

Oh Dear - How Sad.

Much Love, Judy - I'm keeping you in my thoughts...

Prinsendam has a very loyal following and normally sails very full. I could theoretically see them transferring her over to Seabourn if anything but with HAL you never know.

Prinsendam was already w/ Seabourn decades ago - Not a chance that HAL would send it back (or that Seabourn would take it)

...and not a chance that Saga would take her either - They already passed on her, and that was before the Motel 6 was welded to the stern.

Meanwhile, I hear that the "renderings" of HAL's newbuild are wrong - It's not going to be another Vista derivative. For one thing, it will be wider than Panamax.

I fully agree airplanes and airports are among the highest sources of Noro like virus spread. Airplanes are filthy and the bathrooms are disgraceful. Why do we put up with it? Why do we permit airlines to not scrub the floor/bathroom on these flights? We meekly complain among ourselves but who tries hard to get them to clean up that disgusting filth?

Agreed - That's why i brought it up.

It's up to us to demand these things be dealt with - and not complain when ticket prices go up a little bit due to it, otherwise it won't happen.

Hi, Brian! ::waving:: I haven't been here much for a long time. It's nice to 'see' a familiar face.

Hi Back! Same here!

(NCL) likely thought it was a good move to set them apart from the pack.

That's it in a nutshell.

NCL had nothing special to offer other than the S.S. Norway - and when that was gone, their only hope at survival was to differentiate themselves from the pack...

...and now that the industry has followed them - NCL has nothing special to offer. ;)

After I destroyed a linen blazer by catching one of it's sleeves in the zipper of a suitcase, I now use garment bags from the tailor in my rolling garment bags to keep my suits/sportscoats tidy and protected from hungry zippers.:)

not everyone can or wants to afford Cunard, not to metion they do not have the longer itineraries that HAL has. ;)

Just because someone can't afford something doesn't mean those things aren't available. My point was that they DO exist outside of the HAL bubble - and in Cunard's Princess Grille, at a cost comparable to HAL Deluxe Suites.

And Cunard actually DO have quite lenghty itineraries - All 3 Queens are deployed on World Cruises at the beginning of the year, with segments of various lengths available at all levels.

I've long held the opinion that folks don't catch Noro from the ship's facilities, but from travel before they arrive at the ship.

Here's a juicy tidbit about Airline travel that I bet you didn't know:

"Those blankets have NOT been washed. Also, there's a solid chance your tray table has poo on it.

"I worked for Southwest as a flight attendant. Those blankets and pillows? Yeah, those just get refolded and stuffed back in the bins between flights. Only fresh ones I ever saw were on an originating first flight in the morning in a provisioning city. Also, if you have ever spread your peanuts on your tray and eaten, or really just touched your tray at all, you have more than likely ingested baby poo. I saw more dirty diapers laid out on those trays than food. And those trays, yeah, never saw them cleaned or sanitized once."

More here:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/31/airline-secrets_n_5043463.html

I miss just about all of the things others have listed already. There's been a real "dumbing down" of the experience we used to know and love.

Amazingly enough, I have found such things on other lines:

Horse Races: Princess has these in the Atrium/Piazza every sea day - It's quite a big deal!

Little Bottles of Shampoo, Conditioner, etc: Cunard offers Gilchrist and Soames toiletries for Grille passengers: http://www.gilchristsoames.com/

Receiving Line/Escort to cabins: Cunard Grilles

Gratis Cappuccino: Cunard Grilles

Live music in MDR: Cunard Britannia Class

Plentiful Cruise/Games/Fitness staff: Cunard, Princess and MSC

Formal Night observed by >75% of the passengers: Cunard

Dover Sole: Cunard and Princess

IIRC, Eurodam deckplans were out @15 months before the Inaugural - They were released at the time deposits could be taken.

However, the plans were revised about 6 months out when the line decided to add more rooms to the stern.

I use Uber whenever I'm home in SF or away in New York...

https://www.uber.com/

...I'm told by their contact in LA that I may be able to get a driver to pick my family and I up in San Pedro at the end of our cruise to take us to our hotel in Beverly Hills.

The Priority tendering always a nice bonus. No need to wait around for tender tickets.

Agreed - IMO, that alone is worth the cost of moving up to a Deluxe

;)

I always bring a box of Ginger Tea bags when I cruise and take some with my Breakfast. Also, I find that a bottle of Grolsch beer in the afternoon helps with the queasies - and some candied Ginger from the Yum-Yum Man after dinner.

IMO, the Worst Thing is to stay in your cabin watching TV/Movies - You've got to get out on deck and walking around, enjoying the sun and fresh air.

When we did B2B on the Eurodam years ago - new keycards were sent to our staterooms and any intercabin moves were handled by the stewards with luggage carts.

It is rumored (I heard it again on N. Amsterdam last week) they will be adding them to the Vista class ships- on the Lido Deck, but when? Who knows.

Say it ain't so!

I wouldn't mind so much if they were located up above the Crow's Nest where hardly anyone hangs out during the day...