Thing Cruises Should Drop

[hitmann327]

Just a conversation starter.

What features or on board activities should there cruise lines stop.

My opinion is the Art Auctions

Now not knowing if they make a lot of money on this. But to me it seems to be a waste of space and time.

[Laszlo]

Art Auctions.......as an artist I found it pretty lame

 

The TV station that is always hawking their stuff

 

The constant reminders of BINGO over the loud speakers

[valleyvillage]

...but if Art Auctions keep the costs of cruising down, I am all for them. Also, I have read posts from pax who really enjoy them, have nice collections as a result.

 

I enjoy the shops and I'm glad they have them, however the way the beautiful atrium gets turned into a kind of flea market sometimes, not my favorite.

 

Screaming children (and adults acting like children) who jump right over the no jumping into the pool sign and land on your head. Yeah, I could really do without them!

[newmexicoNita]

first thing they should drop is the anchor when we get into port, next drop the price of booze. smiles

 

serously, I never go near the Art Actions, but they don't bother me either. My understanding, they are a huge money maker for the cruise lines, so I am not sure they need to be discontinued.

 

I really can't think of anything that should be dropped, I wish they would add back things like the horse races and decent shore excursion talks. Oh, yes, drop the channels pushing everything from cruises, to excursions to where to shop.

 

Nita

[Clay Clayton]

Charging me extra for the beverages I order at the bar!:D:D:D

[bangzoom6877]

The art auctions don't bother me...I don't really notice them so much and I don't go to them, and still have plenty to do. Neither does the advertising channel...I just don't watch it.

 

I know that NCL is known for Freestyle Cruising, but I do wish they had one main dining room with traditional dining (first and second seating, same waiter every night). I used to like the cheesy, silly "entertainment" done by the waiters a few times throughout a 7-night cruise. And I also liked when they prepared certain foods tableside (like cherries jubilee). I wish they would make this a choice as part of Freestyle Cruising. Still, it's not that big a deal that they don't have it.

 

The only other thing I wish there was a lot less of (or none for that matter) is guests who reserve deck chairs with a pair of flip-flops while they go wander the ship, doing various activities for a few hours and then return...not fair. Now granted, it's been a few years since my last cruise, but I still read some complaints about that. I wish the staff would make more of an effort to help this issue. Of course, the behavior that guests choose to display is of no fault of the cruise. I feel the same way about people trying to reserve a row of seats for a show while the other 25 people in their party are "in the bathroom" for 30 minutes before the show starts. Again, people's choices are not the fault of NCL, but it would be nice if they controlled it a little better. Both of these situations are on every cruiseline out there, and not exclusive to NCL of course.

[electro]

The constant reminders of BINGO over the loud speakers

 

I totally agree, there should be no anouncements over the PA except:

1:once a day by the captain with position and weather

2: in an emergency

 

I don't need the daily read to me over the PA, I can read!

 

I don't mind the art auctions but I wish they wouldn't have them in the Atrium.

Have them in one of the lounges or the theatre.

On my last cruise on the pearl, we were having an afternoon snack at Blue Lagoon and we couldn't even carry on a conversation because the art auctioneer was so loud in the Atrium!:mad:

 

Lois

[srlafleur]

They can keep everything that makes money for them - art auctions, stupid sales, photo set-ups, etc., but get them the hell out of the WAY. Jeese! I'm a small, able-bodied person, and even for me, sometimes, it's a real hassle to get from one place to another because of all the junk blocking the way. I can't imagine how someone with mobility issues, or - god-forbid - a wheelchair, could even do it.

Forget which ship or line it was a couple of years ago (either HAL or RCCL), but they didn't have the photo gallery. You could look up your photos at computer stations to choose the ones you wanted. Made almost too much sense - no waste of all that paper and ink to print every photo and no space wasted with displaying them all.

[bangzoom6877]

They can keep everything that makes money for them - art auctions, stupid sales, photo set-ups, etc., but get them the hell out of the WAY. Jeese! I'm a small, able-bodied person, and even for me, sometimes, it's a real hassle to get from one place to another because of all the junk blocking the way. I can't imagine how someone with mobility issues, or - god-forbid - a wheelchair, could even do it.

Forget which ship or line it was a couple of years ago (either HAL or RCCL), but they didn't have the photo gallery. You could look up your photos at computer stations to choose the ones you wanted. Made almost too much sense - no waste of all that paper and ink to print every photo and no space wasted with displaying them all.

 

That is great about the photos!!! In this day and age of digital everything, it would be great for all cruise ships to have this! I wish NCL did, it would be awesome.

[LizG12]

how long were the lines to use the computers to see the pictures?

[youngestof9]

That is great about the photos!!! In this day and age of digital everything, it would be great for all cruise ships to have this! I wish NCL did, it would be awesome.

 

Epic has this - it was done by facial recognition (WILD!!) and there were small stations and you swiped your card and it brought up your pictures. Way cool. We bought 1 pic and went to the photo area and they printed it.

[InTheCruisingYearsOfLife]

What features or on board activities should there cruise lines stop.

 

Feed Spongebob to the fishes.

[InTheCruisingYearsOfLife]

first thing they should drop is the anchor when we get into port,...

 

No, with all due respect to Nita, that's the second thing they should do. The first thing they should do is attach Spongebob to the anchor.

[Laszlo]

The art auctions are bogus. I have no idea what they make on them but their are plenty of law suites out there from people being ripped off for whatever reason. The one day I happened to walk thru I ended up talking to the "Art Director" for 15-20 min. He went on to explain to me how many of the prints hanging were "Original" works of art. When when I called his bluff and said they were reproductions he quickly ran me out. This was after telling me if I bought X print today for $23,000.00 it would be worth $36,000.00 the following week:rolleyes:. I said they should keep it and wait until next week to sell it:D

[APDMOM]

1. Cut back costs on PHOTO's

 

I have also been wondering for a long time why they waste so much with the photo stations. On Carnival Dream they had the digital stations too, but they still printed all the photo's! I know the up front cost of such a photo digital library may be a lot, but in the long run ( probably not that long at all ) they will save a lot of money and paper waste.

 

2. Cut back food waste:

 

...by offering a ladies' portion, or call it a half portion, in the MDR. I can never eat all my food, neither can my mom and son. I think if they offer this option they can also save a lot of money. Granted, it could be a logistical challenge, but definitely possible.

 

OP, this was a good subject to take on :D

[fiftyguy]

 

I enjoy the shops and I'm glad they have them, however the way the beautiful atrium gets turned into a kind of flea market sometimes, not my favorite.

 

Definitely agree. On my last trip on the Dawn you could barely get through the Atuim with all the tables of junk. I found it very tacky given the beautiful setting of the Artium.

[Tatka]

Room service during late night?:D

[iceman2a]

The art auctions don't bother me...I don't really notice them so much and I don't go to them, and still have plenty to do. Neither does the advertising channel...I just don't watch it.

 

I know that NCL is known for Freestyle Cruising, but I do wish they had one main dining room with traditional dining (first and second seating, same waiter every night). I used to like the cheesy, silly "entertainment" done by the waiters a few times throughout a 7-night cruise. And I also liked when they prepared certain foods tableside (like cherries jubilee). I wish they would make this a choice as part of Freestyle Cruising. Still, it's not that big a deal that they don't have it.

 

The only other thing I wish there was a lot less of (or none for that matter) is guests who reserve deck chairs with a pair of flip-flops while they go wander the ship, doing various activities for a few hours and then return...not fair. Now granted, it's been a few years since my last cruise, but I still read some complaints about that. I wish the staff would make more of an effort to help this issue. Of course, the behavior that guests choose to display is of no fault of the cruise. I feel the same way about people trying to reserve a row of seats for a show while the other 25 people in their party are "in the bathroom" for 30 minutes before the show starts. Again, people's choices are not the fault of NCL, but it would be nice if they controlled it a little better. Both of these situations are on every cruiseline out there, and not exclusive to NCL of course.

 

That's what Carnival and RCCL are for:D

[housepeepers]

They can keep everything that makes money for them - art auctions, stupid sales, photo set-ups, etc., but get them the hell out of the WAY. Jeese! I'm a small, able-bodied person, and even for me, sometimes, it's a real hassle to get from one place to another because of all the junk blocking the way. I can't imagine how someone with mobility issues, or - god-forbid - a wheelchair, could even do it.

Forget which ship or line it was a couple of years ago (either HAL or RCCL), but they didn't have the photo gallery. You could look up your photos at computer stations to choose the ones you wanted. Made almost too much sense - no waste of all that paper and ink to print every photo and no space wasted with displaying them all.

 

The photos are done that way on the Epic:)

[wibeachbum]

I love the Newlywed game but they need to get rid of the old questions and come up with some new ones. Same questions and choice of respones on at least two cruises on the Jewel and then the same on the Pearl as the Jewel.

[collectingcoke]

Stop

- art auctions - waste of time and space

- charging extra for all the "used to be included items" specialty restaurants, room service,

- sales pitches for expensive jewelry shops in ports.

[mypleasure]

There were never any lines I saw. Always machines free.

[stefs111]

With employee cutbacks, the cabin attendants have more rooms to care for, so I think they should stop making the towel animals, or maybe do one a week, especially if children are in the cabin. This is time consuming. I also think it is an environmental issue because it is a waste of towels and then they need to be laundered.

Stefani

[sverigecruiser]

The photos are done that way on the Epic:)

 

They do have the computer stations on the Epic but they still print the photos! Every cabin have a binder with the photos, don't know why when they have the computers! We don't let them take lots of photos of us but all photos they took were in the binder.

 

Can anyone explain this to me?

[pmatawan]

Keep the photographers from blocking the gangways when getting off in a port. I don't want my picture taken with every pirate or gorilla and I don't want to stand there waiting to get off as others get their picture taken.