Cruising...the magic is gone

[Cruising89143]

I just got back from two weeks on the Allure. For me it was just as good as my first cruise 25 years ago. I still think that cruising is one of the most realxing vacations out there. Unpack once and let the ship move you from one desitnation to another. I don't have to go looking for a place to eat every day, entertainment is great and I get to relax.

 

I for one detest sitting in a car for hours driving down the road. Just not my cup of tea.

[Talisker92]

Not sure if that is really true. If you look today you have Seabourn, Silverseas, Sea Dream, Crystal, Regent and a few others all in the Ultra-Luxury category. On these lines it is often difficult to even book a good cabin. For example, at one point Crystal was using a lottery to decide who got the best suites on their long world cruise since the demand exceeded supply and they did not want to choose between their best customers. Personally, we think the mass market lines offer a much better value but the luxury lines are sure there for those who don't mind spending the big bucks.

Hank

I agree with Hank. I have sailed on Silverseas and Regent, and still get their brochures. However, I have switched to Princess, because I can do 2 cruises on Princess for the price of one on the luxury lines. I understand that it is a mass market line, and take that into account. I do not expect the same class of service and food, but we are destination oriented, and that is what counts to us.

[Sargent_Schultz]

Not sure if that is really true. If you look today you have Seabourn, Silverseas, Sea Dream, Crystal, Regent and a few others all in the Ultra-Luxury category. On these lines it is often difficult to even book a good cabin. For example, at one point Crystal was using a lottery to decide who got the best suites on their long world cruise since the demand exceeded supply and they did not want to choose between their best customers. Personally, we think the mass market lines offer a much better value but the luxury lines are sure there for those who don't mind spending the big bucks.

 

Hank

 

Someone earlier mentioned Royal Viking. Regent is the result of a merger. Then there was Renaissance. Multi-class liners such as the France were sold to mass market cruise lines where there was a chance of survival.

 

I'm not sure Seabourn is in the same class as Silversea, but Seabourn is the only line you mentioned that has new ship under construction (AFAIK).

 

Yes, there are some people with too much money who will spend no matter what the economy is doing. Yes, many, but not all wealthy people understand value.

 

The cruise industry is still growing, but not in the upscale arena.

[Talisker92]

The main reason Seabourn has a new ship is that the little ships are getting tired. We were on the Seabourn Sun because we wanted to see what cruising was like when it was the Royal Viking Sun. It was dated, but retained a little of its elegance.

It was then trashed and moved to Holland America under the name Prinsendam. I thought a better name would have been Gotterdam (Twilight of the Gods)

[jjaazzy]

Here is my take on it, I don't care how many cruises I take I will never tire of the fact that my bed gets made, my meals are prepared and wonderful. There is no cooking, cleaning all I have to do is shower, dress and go have fun..... humm... nope that's never going to get old. But that is a woman's point of view, see my husband already gets these amenities on land! Fortunately he is a cruise freak like me. But I hear men time and time again say they are happy when it's over. Heck they have to call security to get us off. :p

[lolagail]

I am only on my third cruise, so no, it hasn't gone yet. Plus I am part of the mass market. What made me laugh was the Rome comment! They don't stop for ANYONE!! When we were there I said to Husband 'Haven't seen any old people, I reckon they've all been run over - the quick and the Dead' I am used to crossing the road in England, what a shock. I wouldn't dare drive there.

[musicgal]

Well, just to add a little folklore to the discussion- Romulus and Remus, the mythic founders of Rome, actually were raised by wolves! This is our third cruise; my huband does not care for them very much- not because of the rules (shorts vs. pants) so much, but because of the containment and smoke. Our first cruise was the 14- day Alaskan adventure on HAL which pretty much set the bar as far as providing an experience geared to our expectations of low-key cruise elegance. So to compensate for the differences somewhat on CCL, we get a nicer stateroom and make our own entertainment (books, cards, deckwalks/runs). I would have to cruise a lot to get tired of cruising, but as far as dealing with entitled people who think rules were made for everyone else but themselves... I find that everywhere now, unfortunately. I don't think those attitudes exist in a vacuum though; I think they become part of the ethos of successive generations- older people wondering why their kids have such a smart mouth or get into so much trouble because they have been shown no regard for authority. Working out at the gym, the young men next to me are throwing f-bombs around like they are participles. I've often wanted to surprise them by making genteel conversation with them with a few sweetly phrased bombs of my own, ala Betty White.

[cruisemom42]

Well, just to add a little folklore to the discussion- Romulus and Remus, the mythic founders of Rome, actually were raised by wolves!

 

And to take it a step further, Romulus actually murdered his brother Remus (thus becoming the sole founder of Rome and ensuring his name will live on forever...). Oh, and of course he also organized the "Rape of the Sabine women". :eek:

 

So....if in fact the story is the origin of the phrase, I think it's pretty spot-on.

[Hlitner]

Someone earlier mentioned Royal Viking. Regent is the result of a merger. Then there was Renaissance. Multi-class liners such as the France were sold to mass market cruise lines where there was a chance of survival.

 

I'm not sure Seabourn is in the same class as Silversea, but Seabourn is the only line you mentioned that has new ship under construction (AFAIK).

 

Yes, there are some people with too much money who will spend no matter what the economy is doing. Yes, many, but not all wealthy people understand value.

 

The cruise industry is still growing, but not in the upscale arena.

 

WOW! Now we are talking history. Not sure why you mention the France (a great liner) which would be forty-nine years old if it still existed (it is long gone) which was sold to NCL back in 1979. Although the France is long gone we still have great Liners in existance with Cunard such as the QM2 and the new Victoria. We did love Renaissance but they were an unfortunate victim of their own policies (they would not work through TAs) and the downturn caused by 911. It can be argued that both Azamara and Oceania (relatively new lines) have replaced Renaissance (they even bought a few of their ships). Some of these lines are slowly adding ships although this type of line tends to not grow fast since they do not appeal to the mass market cruisers who are not willing to pay the big bucks. Regent has also undergone a slow expansion. The upscale market is never going to grow as fast as the mass-market because they simply appeal to a smaller segment of the population.

 

Hank

[Sargent_Schultz]

The upscale market is never going to grow as fast as the mass-market because they simply appeal to a smaller segment of the population.

 

Hank

 

I think a part of that is the people who can afford the upscale cruises are less willing to pay the price these days.

 

I mentioned the France because I think I was on the last sailing.