Thoughts on Black Watch refit

Booked for 2018 World Cruise. Have not been on Black Watch, just a few times on Balmoral. Keen to know opinions on refit.

From what I have heard people would quite like a functional TV system - it has not worked since the refit apparently.

Should be sorted by 2018 though.

I hope they get it sorted out long before then! Most of us like to at least stay in touch with the news while we are away. Perhaps they are offering compensation by way of free movies. ;)

If you mean movies on the TV, I do not think they are working at all - I may be wrong though.

Last I heard there were some moving dots on the screens, so people were feeling a bit excited that they may actually get it working....................

Sounds like it is being worked on anyway, even though they are on the world cruise :)

The more cynical among us might suggest it's a ploy by FOCL to get passengers out of their cabins to spend money at the bars and shops.

Hi all , I too haven't travelled on this ship yet, but I see it has a cinema on deck 3 . Do you have to pay to see the movies and will this be the place to preview shore trips, ship talks etc ....

Do they have carpet bowls and quoits ?

The cinema is very intimate although the films will have Norwegian subtitles. At least they always have when I've been on board. The excursions preview and talks will be held in the main show lounge. They will sometimes use

the cinema to hold talks on the jewelry they are selling on board.

Hi all , I too haven't travelled on this ship yet, but I see it has a cinema on deck 3 . Do you have to pay to see the movies and will this be the place to preview shore trips, ship talks etc ....

The movies are free and there is often a series of them throughout the day, good if you are a movie buff (I'm not)

Others have answered about port talks etc

Do they have carpet bowls and quoits ?

Caret bowls happened outside the Observatory (I think) and deck quoits were somewhere on Lido Deck

Being a movie buff, I was disappointed with the cinema.

The quaint size is nice and cosy, but the screen quality was not even HD, let alone the high 4K UHD I can watch at home.

So this would need to be changed in the refit but don't think this has, maybe someone else can check for us.

When we were on the Black Watch in April/May the cinema had the same screen and projector as it always has. One good thing is that the Norwegian subtitles had disappeared!

There was a different film on every night which was very welcome although we only saw three during a 25 night cruise.

Do they have carpet bowls and quoits ?

They had carpet bowls in the Games room but it was pretty ropey - the floor was so uneven it was almost impossible to send the bowls in the right direction

They had carpet bowls in the Games room but it was pretty ropey - the floor was so uneven it was almost impossible to send the bowls in the right direction

But that’s the fun!

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Without having experienced Black Watch before the refit, here are some of my thoughts and experiences:

• The new Black Watch Room and The Poolside were nice changes of pace to eat lunch. They offer the same menu, with The Poolside open in warm weather, and The Black Watch Room open when The Poolside is closed. I would not go to these places every sea day, as it is a limited menu, but I did enjoy everything I ordered off of it. I did not try The Black Watch Room for dinner, when it is a specialty restaurant and there is an extra charge.
  
• The new Brigadoon buffet restaurant could be crowded, especially on formal nights when those like myself who prefer not to dress in formal wear do not have any other restaurant options.
  
• The entertainment system in my single interior cabin did have issues. Even though the ship announced our Arctic itinerary would disrupt internet service, I got the impression that the ship's position also affected the entertainment system. I had to restart the system on a regular basis, and I called Guest Services a couple of times, during a 28-night cruise.
  
• I liked having a mini-refrigerator in my room for drinks and food.
  
• In any weather, the Lido Bar on deck 7, aft, became my regular late-afternoon and evening hangout location. I liked its new floor-to-ceiling, sliding-glass doors extending almost the entire width of the ship providing both indoor and outdoor seating, along with the live music performed there.
  
• I enjoyed a few movies in the cinema. Although being HD and 3D, the screen is a little small. They don't completely black out the room, because they do not place anyone at the exits while movies are being screened, so I was told. In contrast, the Neptune Lounge can be completely blacked out because they do place people at the exits. Also, they screened The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel even though The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel appeared on the schedule. Then, a few days later, when The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel appeared on the schedule, they screened that movie again.
  
• Finally, I liked being able to use the new USB charging port in my cabin.
  

We were on Black Watch last June and again in December. I was interested to see that they had repainted the Black Watch Room between our cruises. Originally the walls were a very dark colour, causing it to be known as ‘the Black Hole of Calcutta’ since it has no windows. It now has white walls and is definitely much brighter as a result!

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Hi all , I too haven't travelled on this ship yet, but I see it has a cinema on deck 3 . Do you have to pay to see the movies and will this be the place to preview shore trips, ship talks etc ....

No movies are free. The cinema is used for other activities too eg passenger choir practices, drams performances , church services. I will say most of these are on longer cruises.

No movies are free. The cinema is used for other activities too eg passenger choir practices, drams performances , church services. I will say most of these are on longer cruises.

Comma's help!

Example:

No movies are free. - means all movies are paid.

No, movies are free. - means they are free.

Hope this clarifies the statement.

Comma's help!

 

Example:

No movies are free. - means all movies are paid.

No, movies are free. - means they are free.

 

Hope this clarifies the statement.[/quoteTouche

Having returned from our first cruise on Black Watch, having previously sailed on Balmoral and Boudicca we were well impressed by the ship. It is easy to understand why she is a favourite of many.

We found the Black Watch room devoid of any atmosphere perhaps due to the small amount of customers on the one night we visited although we never saw it busy at any time. I do wonder if the space might have been put to better use.

We also felt that the lighting could be a little softer in the observatory lounge in the evening which could create a more intimate and relaxing atmosphere.

The cinema is excellent and we saw quite a few films whilst on board, impressed with the up to date films and the showing times, especially the late night ones.

As per usual form Fred the food, staff and entertainment especially Brenda Collins were excellent. Looking forward to our next cruise on board Black Watch which will be in September when are sailing to Canada in the Fall.

Just off the Lima - Sydney leg of the world cruise which we thought was excellent despite the best efforts of Cyclone Gita. Plenty of onboard entertainment because of the number of sea days. A first at sea is the onboard kiln together with pottery lessons. Sadly my wife is hooked and is talking about buying a kiln for home. :(

The entertainment team on Black Watch is probably the best of any of Fred's ships.

Just off the Lima - Sydney leg of the world cruise which we thought was excellent despite the best efforts of Cyclone Gita. Plenty of onboard entertainment because of the number of sea days. A first at sea is the onboard kiln together with pottery lessons. Sadly my wife is hooked and is talking about buying a kiln for home. :(

 

 

 

The entertainment team on Black Watch is probably the best of any of Fred's ships.

We are also just off Black Watch having spent 72 days onboard and would agree with the above. The daytime entertainment and the Theatre Company were brilliant but the resident bands were very poor and in our opinion should have been changed after the first section at Calleo.

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