My personal experiences onboard the Sapphire 28 day Hawaii/Samoa/Tahiti cruise.

[compozer]

I do wish someone would answer this question. We are all perplexed as to who the "hi rollers/VIPs" were. It was obvious other than suite passengers were given the privilege to eat breakfast at Sabatini's as we never passed the entrance once at 10 AM that the line was not well out into the photo gallery. Who were these people?

 

 

I would also like to know the answer. We only have been booking suites now and have one for Christmas and have been looking forward to a nice relaxing breakfast. I sure hope there aren't VIP's on our cruise who will be given this perk. And I'm wondering about our 2013 cruise - how many VIP's will there be???????????????????????

 

I'm not on Facebook but maybe someone could ask this question there. Will they answer? - that's another question..

[Cruis'n Guys]

Toto:

I agree 100%. We were there also and saw the same things and felt the same way.

I notice you did not mention the old men going to dinner in jeans and bare feet in

in sandals. Princess has been degenerating over the past 7 years (in my opinion).

I have been asked by 2 couples about suggesting a cruise line. No way could I

suggest Princess.

[Who Knew]

I do wish someone would answer this question. We are all perplexed as to who the "hi rollers/VIPs" were. It was obvious other than suite passengers were given the privilege to eat breakfast at Sabatini's as we never passed the entrance once at 10 AM that the line was not well out into the photo gallery. Who were these people?

 

I don't know that any of us know the answer unfortunatley. I just know that these "VIPs" were even in the Horizon Court as I overheard one of the supervisors informing a waitor that a VIP was present. :confused: (and I'm fairly certain they weren't talking about us, lol).

 

~~~

 

While I thoroughly enjoyed this cruise, and I supposed I'd do it again if the circumstances were right (I doubt I can take this much time off work again any time soon), I agree with a lot of what Sue said.

 

Fortunately we took lots of things to do and really just enjoyed making use of our balcony as we intended to do from the beginning. I had good luck in the public areas in "off" times, like early in the morning. I'd get my coffee and enjoy a little time in a mostly empty casino, walking around the atrium area, etc.

 

I met lots of very nice people, but there were quite a few MORE rude people on this particular cruise than I've ever encountered before on Princess. I too witnessed many fellow passengers taking out "whatever" on the crew and on other passengers. And, I just have to say, the crew were wonderful. I can't even imagine how they hold everything together as well as they do.

 

Sue, I have never seen anyone on any of the boards I frequent with as much patience and generously given advice/help as you give all of us here...thank you for that. Speaking selfishly of course, I hope you don't stay gone long, but I certainly understand why you need a break.

[dog]

Good evening to all

 

I too have just returned from this cruise, and would like to add my personal perspective.*

 

As this is entirely my own opinion, it is of necessity also entirely subjective. It is my experience, and that is all. I do not offer it to counter other opinions in any way. It is my story.

 

I had the most fabulous time. It was a dream come true. Bora Bora had long been a dream, but the prospect of flying there from the UK was not great. Round trip from LA with 'only' a 12 hour flight seemed much more attractive.

 

 

I did join the roll call for the cruise. I really enjoyed sharing the planning and

the excitement with others. It was great fun, and I got some very helpful

advice. I did go to the venue for the first meet and greet, arriving a little

early. I am quite a shy person, was travelling alone, and as more and more

people gathered I realised that such a large group was not going to be

comfortable for me. I chose to leave. I never did get to meet or contact any of

the group.*

 

The ship was beautiful, my cabin very comfortable, and my room steward a delight. To be greeted every day, by name, with his cheerful grin was very special. I met nothing but kindness, courtesy and efficiency from the crew

wherever I went. The room cleaned twice a day, fresh towels, the bed turned

down, chocolates.......just fabulous.

 

 

I had a bit of a plumbing problem in my cabin one day - the toilet would not

flush - and I called to report it. Within 5 minutes, there was a knock at my door. There was a smiling maintenance man, who had the problem fixed within a few minutes. I had a follow up phone call from customer services a little later to check that all was well. I was terribly impressed with such service.

 

I attended most of the enrichment lectures, and thoroughly enjoyed them. The war in the Pacific series was particularly interesting, and the lecturer very engaging and full of knowledge. I am a big movie fan, and enjoyed watching those as well. I attended the line dancing and hula classes, which were great fun - if a bit of a challenge at times, when the ship was rocking! The fruit carving and napkin folding demonstrations were very entertaining. The cappuccino in the lobby bar was hot and delicious, and was my daily treat. It was served with a smile.

 

I ate in the Horizon Court each and every day - solo restaurant dining is not for me. The food was varied, tasty and plentiful. My drink order was taken within minutes of sitting down. Yes, most certainly it was busy there at times- but only in the front section. Walk just a few paces to the back of the seating area and there was always room. I had a table to myself, every day, without problem. The staff there worked incredibly hard, but maintained a smile. I was always greeted warmly and treated like a queen. My thanks to those good people.*

 

The ports, well what can I say? I enjoyed them all. Bora Bora was beautiful, Moorea with it's jagged mountains was stunning. Hawaii offered such variety. Western Samoa was lush and green. Tahiti had literature and history, alongside sunshine and black sand beaches. My personal *favourite though was American Samoa. I was just so touched by the genuine warmth of the people. Happy, smiling people waving at you wherever you went. A tour guide from the local college, just so excited and proud to tell you of her island and culture. I will treasure forever the memory of my time there.*

 

Sailing away from the lagoon of Bora Bora at night, the flying fish attracted to the lights of the ship, the Southern Cross in the inky black sky as the lights of the island gradually faded into the distance........just magical. The tug captain in Lahaina, pushing the ship on her way then playfully showing off his skills with the 360 degree turns to the cheers from the balconies!

 

 

My fellow passengers. To be sure, many were elderly and infirm. There were lots of walking aids in use. I am younger and fit. I am grateful that I have the agility to use the stairs - so I did, and left the lifts to those that needed them. No other passenger, of whatever age or ability, impacted on me negatively in any way on the ship. What others wore was of no concern to me. I met lots of nice people who just stopped to say hello, I had pleasant company on many of the tours.

 

*I did witness one episode of extreme rudeness on shore. I was in a queue to board a tour bus in Honolulu when there was an altercation between two women - of middle age - about getting on the bus in front of each other. I was saddened at this display - we were all going to get on the bus and go to the same place, what possible difference did it make if you got on before another individual? Not a very edifying sight.

 

 

Is anything in life perfect? Rarely. Expectations vary so widely. This trip was a once in a lifetime event for me. I had been saving for a very long time, and it is highly unlikely I will ever be able to afford it again. My expectations were not only met, but exceeded. Others were bitterly disappointed - this is the nature of expectation. I fully understood the itinerary before I left, and that time at each place was limited - but, what an opportunity to at least sample these exotic destinations. I understood there were many days at sea- I am very content to sit and read, and thoroughly enjoyed having the luxury of time to do this. This is not the trip for those who need constant activity, I would humbly suggest. I was so happy to be away from my busy job and my demanding home responsibilities, not to have to cook and clean, to have my laundry done for me.......just wonderful.*

 

Yes, Internet connection was patchy and slow. Yes, there was limited TV. Was this really an unexpected occurrence given the location of the ship? I managed to send an e mail home every evening except one - yes, it required patience, but I was personally impressed to have a connection at all. I was on holiday to 'escape completely ' - so I did!

 

 

Anyway, enough ramblings.*

 

I just wanted to share some thoughts with you, to offer my perspective.*

 

I would do this cruise again in a heartbeat.

 

Darcy, you are one in a million. I really love your perspective. Glad you enjoyed this cruise that many of us would love to take, but for various reasons cannot.

dog:)

[happytalk44]

Please don't anyone misunderstand me. I loved this cruise. Have waited for years to go to the South Pacific and have been saving my coins to do just this. The South Pacific and seeing Bali Hai have been a dream---hence my screen name!

I was just flummoxed by the grumpiness and generally bad attitude of so many people. I saw so many confrontations and was even confronted myself at Bloody Mary's by some "lady" who decided she was in the "purchasing position" (her words) and I was not allowed to look at the shirt display. It pretty much floored me that she was on such a wonderful vacation and had such a horrible disposition. All I could think about was all the happy folks who were unable to be there while she was taking up their space.

 

She was not the only one---they seemed to be everywhere. Some days they took a little of the fun out of things for me but I tried to re-group quickly. Just sorry for them...

 

I will always remember the full moon over Tahiti, the excellent lectures and the gorgeous waters. Also, the really nice folks I did encounter. Darcy, I share your thoughts on Samoa.

 

Life is too short for me to stew over those other miserable folks. I just feel bad that they choose to live such a miserable life...their problem not mine!

[JEH]

Sorry to read about your disappointments, You put yourself in a position to be taken advantage of by your fellow CC ers. DW is a TA and some years ago while cruising she offered to a fellow passenger some free advice and for the rest of the cruise this person and her friends haunted my wife. It was a very unpleasnt experience for the both of us.

 

I hope you continue to post but with the disclaimer that you will not field any questions and will post only your observations.

[4cats4me]

to sum it up, some cruises are good ones and some are not so good;)

[icyfrost]

I was also on this cruise, and I loved it. The ports, especially in Samoa and French Polynesia were fantastic and so beautiful! The sea days were very relaxing and I never felt bored. While IÂ’m usually content to swim, read out on deck or walk around the Promenade deck, there seemed to be plenty of organized activities for those so inclined. IÂ’m in my early 40s, and I certainly noticed that this was the oldest cruise IÂ’ve been on, but it didnÂ’t negatively affect my experience in any way. I always used the stairs and not the elevators, so that may be part of it, but I never had any problems with rogue scooters!

 

For those who have written to say they are cancelling this cruise based on Toto’s review, just keep in mind – as others have said – that this is just one person’s personal experience. Everyone I spoke to on board seemed to be having a great time, and I would definitely do this itinerary again.

 

i Would never cancel a cruise b/c of one persons review

[Kmkub]

I cannot fathom the audacity and rudeness of those who called your cabin or knocked on your door.

 

When travelling with family, we didn't even knock on each others doors without calling ahead first. You shouldn't need permission to take a nap. :mad:

 

*sigh* It just doesn't pay to be nice, sometimes... keep your cabin location a secret until you are off the boat.

 

Absolutely wonderful review and I honestly don't know why you'd hesitate to post it. I'm a person who appreciates objective observations. You candor IS appreciated. This cruise was also on my bucket list, but your comments do give me pause.

[Guest zafra63]

Thanks Toto for your interesting review. I really hope not to have that experience on our Sydney to Hawaii 35 days cruise in 2012. Thanks for your honesty. I hope we all will learn from your experience. Wishing you happier times for your next cruise and keep on posting.

Cheers, Netty

[bcnvcanada]

We have noticed changes in the paxs that sail either roundtrip for the U.S. We had a simular experience last year on our Panama Canal Trip. We thought that we were on another cruise line known for the seniors. So sorry, that you had a cruise like this. We were in Asia at the same time as and would say that we had a great holiday cruise, good age mix, and a good mix of nationalities on board. Bars and clubs open to 3 am plus most nights. We do hope that you continue your honest reports. We have always found you to be spot on. We meet you during an overnighter to Egypt several years ago. Hopefully your next cruise will be better.

[compozer]

i Would never cancel a cruise b/c of one persons review

 

There were other people on this cruise that agreed with the her review. And you must not have read her LIVE reports because she said she was NOT going to post a review but many of us bugged her and asked her to please post one since there are many of us who are booked on a future cruise with this itinerary. We want to know all opinions before we make final payment on this cruise

[landnsea]

Sue, thank you for your post, I am not as tactful or "cruise critic political correct" as you, well done with your post, don't be surprised to find you have been reported for an offensive or inappropriate topic.

 

Now that we are doing longer cruises we can totally relate to your point of view at hand, its just amazing to us at how some of the older passengers are even given medical clearance to even board let alone sail. On our second Trans Atlantic the Ship had not one but two doctors onboard, at every port of call there were at least two ambulances carting off passengers, and on our Lisbon stop before the crossing we counted six ambulances and one hurst next to the ship.

But then again this is the aging Princess customer base that we are talking about.

 

Sue, once again thank you for doing such a good job with expressing your self and making your point.

 

Please don't leave the boards we really enjoy reading your post.

 

John,Laura and Gaby

Seattle,Wa.

[KKMKEM]

Please continue posting because you are always honest. Sometimes you hit a bad cruise and it makes you reevaluate your choices. My daughter turned 18 and we will not cruise again until she is 21 due to lack of activities for her. I can totally understand your needing to take a break, but please don't make it permanent.

[avalong]

Good evening to all

 

I too have just returned from this cruise, and would like to add my personal perspective.*

 

As this is entirely my own opinion, it is of necessity also entirely subjective. It is my experience, and that is all. I do not offer it to counter other opinions in any way. It is my story.

 

I had the most fabulous time. It was a dream come true. Bora Bora had long been a dream, but the prospect of flying there from the UK was not great. Round trip from LA with 'only' a 12 hour flight seemed much more attractive.

 

 

I did join the roll call for the cruise. I really enjoyed sharing the planning and

the excitement with others. It was great fun, and I got some very helpful

advice. I did go to the venue for the first meet and greet, arriving a little

early. I am quite a shy person, was travelling alone, and as more and more

people gathered I realised that such a large group was not going to be

comfortable for me. I chose to leave. I never did get to meet or contact any of

the group.*

 

The ship was beautiful, my cabin very comfortable, and my room steward a delight. To be greeted every day, by name, with his cheerful grin was very special. I met nothing but kindness, courtesy and efficiency from the crew

wherever I went. The room cleaned twice a day, fresh towels, the bed turned

down, chocolates.......just fabulous.

 

 

I had a bit of a plumbing problem in my cabin one day - the toilet would not

flush - and I called to report it. Within 5 minutes, there was a knock at my door. There was a smiling maintenance man, who had the problem fixed within a few minutes. I had a follow up phone call from customer services a little later to check that all was well. I was terribly impressed with such service.

 

I attended most of the enrichment lectures, and thoroughly enjoyed them. The war in the Pacific series was particularly interesting, and the lecturer very engaging and full of knowledge. I am a big movie fan, and enjoyed watching those as well. I attended the line dancing and hula classes, which were great fun - if a bit of a challenge at times, when the ship was rocking! The fruit carving and napkin folding demonstrations were very entertaining. The cappuccino in the lobby bar was hot and delicious, and was my daily treat. It was served with a smile.

 

I ate in the Horizon Court each and every day - solo restaurant dining is not for me. The food was varied, tasty and plentiful. My drink order was taken within minutes of sitting down. Yes, most certainly it was busy there at times- but only in the front section. Walk just a few paces to the back of the seating area and there was always room. I had a table to myself, every day, without problem. The staff there worked incredibly hard, but maintained a smile. I was always greeted warmly and treated like a queen. My thanks to those good people.*

 

The ports, well what can I say? I enjoyed them all. Bora Bora was beautiful, Moorea with it's jagged mountains was stunning. Hawaii offered such variety. Western Samoa was lush and green. Tahiti had literature and history, alongside sunshine and black sand beaches. My personal *favourite though was American Samoa. I was just so touched by the genuine warmth of the people. Happy, smiling people waving at you wherever you went. A tour guide from the local college, just so excited and proud to tell you of her island and culture. I will treasure forever the memory of my time there.*

 

Sailing away from the lagoon of Bora Bora at night, the flying fish attracted to the lights of the ship, the Southern Cross in the inky black sky as the lights of the island gradually faded into the distance........just magical. The tug captain in Lahaina, pushing the ship on her way then playfully showing off his skills with the 360 degree turns to the cheers from the balconies!

 

 

My fellow passengers. To be sure, many were elderly and infirm. There were lots of walking aids in use. I am younger and fit. I am grateful that I have the agility to use the stairs - so I did, and left the lifts to those that needed them. No other passenger, of whatever age or ability, impacted on me negatively in any way on the ship. What others wore was of no concern to me. I met lots of nice people who just stopped to say hello, I had pleasant company on many of the tours.

 

*I did witness one episode of extreme rudeness on shore. I was in a queue to board a tour bus in Honolulu when there was an altercation between two women - of middle age - about getting on the bus in front of each other. I was saddened at this display - we were all going to get on the bus and go to the same place, what possible difference did it make if you got on before another individual? Not a very edifying sight.

 

 

Is anything in life perfect? Rarely. Expectations vary so widely. This trip was a once in a lifetime event for me. I had been saving for a very long time, and it is highly unlikely I will ever be able to afford it again. My expectations were not only met, but exceeded. Others were bitterly disappointed - this is the nature of expectation. I fully understood the itinerary before I left, and that time at each place was limited - but, what an opportunity to at least sample these exotic destinations. I understood there were many days at sea- I am very content to sit and read, and thoroughly enjoyed having the luxury of time to do this. This is not the trip for those who need constant activity, I would humbly suggest. I was so happy to be away from my busy job and my demanding home responsibilities, not to have to cook and clean, to have my laundry done for me.......just wonderful.*

 

Yes, Internet connection was patchy and slow. Yes, there was limited TV. Was this really an unexpected occurrence given the location of the ship? I managed to send an e mail home every evening except one - yes, it required patience, but I was personally impressed to have a connection at all. I was on holiday to 'escape completely ' - so I did!

 

 

Anyway, enough ramblings.*

 

I just wanted to share some thoughts with you, to offer my perspective.*

 

I would do this cruise again in a heartbeat.

 

What a lovely review! Thank you.

[homeinboca]

Good evening to all

 

I too have just returned from this cruise, and would like to add my personal perspective.*

 

As this is entirely my own opinion, it is of necessity also entirely subjective. It is my experience, and that is all. I do not offer it to counter other opinions in any way. It is my story.

 

I had the most fabulous time. It was a dream come true. Bora Bora had long been a dream, but the prospect of flying there from the UK was not great. Round trip from LA with 'only' a 12 hour flight seemed much more attractive.

 

 

I did join the roll call for the cruise. I really enjoyed sharing the planning and

the excitement with others. It was great fun, and I got some very helpful

advice. I did go to the venue for the first meet and greet, arriving a little

early. I am quite a shy person, was travelling alone, and as more and more

people gathered I realised that such a large group was not going to be

comfortable for me. I chose to leave. I never did get to meet or contact any of

the group.*

 

The ship was beautiful, my cabin very comfortable, and my room steward a delight. To be greeted every day, by name, with his cheerful grin was very special. I met nothing but kindness, courtesy and efficiency from the crew

wherever I went. The room cleaned twice a day, fresh towels, the bed turned

down, chocolates.......just fabulous.

 

 

I had a bit of a plumbing problem in my cabin one day - the toilet would not

flush - and I called to report it. Within 5 minutes, there was a knock at my door. There was a smiling maintenance man, who had the problem fixed within a few minutes. I had a follow up phone call from customer services a little later to check that all was well. I was terribly impressed with such service.

 

I attended most of the enrichment lectures, and thoroughly enjoyed them. The war in the Pacific series was particularly interesting, and the lecturer very engaging and full of knowledge. I am a big movie fan, and enjoyed watching those as well. I attended the line dancing and hula classes, which were great fun - if a bit of a challenge at times, when the ship was rocking! The fruit carving and napkin folding demonstrations were very entertaining. The cappuccino in the lobby bar was hot and delicious, and was my daily treat. It was served with a smile.

 

I ate in the Horizon Court each and every day - solo restaurant dining is not for me. The food was varied, tasty and plentiful. My drink order was taken within minutes of sitting down. Yes, most certainly it was busy there at times- but only in the front section. Walk just a few paces to the back of the seating area and there was always room. I had a table to myself, every day, without problem. The staff there worked incredibly hard, but maintained a smile. I was always greeted warmly and treated like a queen. My thanks to those good people.*

 

The ports, well what can I say? I enjoyed them all. Bora Bora was beautiful, Moorea with it's jagged mountains was stunning. Hawaii offered such variety. Western Samoa was lush and green. Tahiti had literature and history, alongside sunshine and black sand beaches. My personal *favourite though was American Samoa. I was just so touched by the genuine warmth of the people. Happy, smiling people waving at you wherever you went. A tour guide from the local college, just so excited and proud to tell you of her island and culture. I will treasure forever the memory of my time there.*

 

Sailing away from the lagoon of Bora Bora at night, the flying fish attracted to the lights of the ship, the Southern Cross in the inky black sky as the lights of the island gradually faded into the distance........just magical. The tug captain in Lahaina, pushing the ship on her way then playfully showing off his skills with the 360 degree turns to the cheers from the balconies!

 

 

My fellow passengers. To be sure, many were elderly and infirm. There were lots of walking aids in use. I am younger and fit. I am grateful that I have the agility to use the stairs - so I did, and left the lifts to those that needed them. No other passenger, of whatever age or ability, impacted on me negatively in any way on the ship. What others wore was of no concern to me. I met lots of nice people who just stopped to say hello, I had pleasant company on many of the tours.

 

*I did witness one episode of extreme rudeness on shore. I was in a queue to board a tour bus in Honolulu when there was an altercation between two women - of middle age - about getting on the bus in front of each other. I was saddened at this display - we were all going to get on the bus and go to the same place, what possible difference did it make if you got on before another individual? Not a very edifying sight.

 

 

Is anything in life perfect? Rarely. Expectations vary so widely. This trip was a once in a lifetime event for me. I had been saving for a very long time, and it is highly unlikely I will ever be able to afford it again. My expectations were not only met, but exceeded. Others were bitterly disappointed - this is the nature of expectation. I fully understood the itinerary before I left, and that time at each place was limited - but, what an opportunity to at least sample these exotic destinations. I understood there were many days at sea- I am very content to sit and read, and thoroughly enjoyed having the luxury of time to do this. This is not the trip for those who need constant activity, I would humbly suggest. I was so happy to be away from my busy job and my demanding home responsibilities, not to have to cook and clean, to have my laundry done for me.......just wonderful.*

 

Yes, Internet connection was patchy and slow. Yes, there was limited TV. Was this really an unexpected occurrence given the location of the ship? I managed to send an e mail home every evening except one - yes, it required patience, but I was personally impressed to have a connection at all. I was on holiday to 'escape completely ' - so I did!

 

 

Anyway, enough ramblings.*

 

I just wanted to share some thoughts with you, to offer my perspective.*

 

I would do this cruise again in a heartbeat.

 

Darcy15, thanks for the wonderful upbeat review. I love your attitude. I certainly agree with you that stuff happens when traveling and you have to learn to roll with it. I don't let small petty things ruin any vacation for me.

 

However, some of the things that happened to the OP were certainly not called for, especially the intrusion on their privacy. I would have not been happy with that.

[compozer]

Yes, when these issues first came up, I wondered if I should consider canceling but I didn't jump on it.

 

We have a great roll call for our cruise and I truely would miss meeting them all. I have never been to Tahiti so that makes a difference also.

 

Yes, I also think Princess will work these things out - we are beating a dead horse into the ground so I'll check out too.

[Mom33]

After reading Toto's review and her live thread, I have come to some conclusions on what to expect on this particular itinerary.

 

One of her complaints was about the number of elderly cruisers on board that needed walkers, scooters and wheelchairs. Since this cruise could afford a disabled person travel with out air, it is not surprising that they took advantage of a chance to get away from their daily lives and sail to paradise.

If this matters to you, than another itinerary would be recommended.

 

 

The scooters should be banned IMHO because of the danger they pose to other travelers.The drivers are not careful enough when in a crowd and they are usually parked in the hallways when not in use. The hallways should NEVER be blocked. If they can't fit in the state rooms, then they should be left on deck four and used when leaving the ship. Standard wheel chairs should be brought on board or power chairs if they can fit in the rooms. Someone in a power chair would tend to be more careful of where they were going because you would end up in their lap if they hit you:)

 

We took a 30 day cruise of the South Pacific one way from Sydney to LA. There were more ports on this itinerary and no problems with numerous disabled cruisers because a loooong flight was required ( unless you took it both ways as a b to b.)

 

A second disappointment concerned the elite perk of breakfast in Sabatinis. She could still use this perk, but was disappointed in the crowding in this restaurant.

It seems they gave the perk to a group on board referred to as VIPs. So if you are thinking of taking this cruise and are not in a suite, this complaint would not impact you.

 

The next problem that Toto had concerned CC members. She helped organize shore excursions for her roll call and was the go to person for a number of CC members while on the roll call. Once she was on the cruise, the job became demanding of her time and enjoyment of the cruise. This problem would not affect the average cruiser on this itinerary as they do not get involved with planning other people's tours.

 

Be aware that there are cruisers from all over the world on these itineraries. Some are rude, some are not friendly and keep to themselves as a group, some are veteran cruisers and some are new. Patience and respect are needed when encountering them. You are trapped together for a month and should never let them get the better of you. For every grumpy cruiser, there are 10 happy ones. Ignore the worst and appreciate the best.

 

Most of all be grateful for your health and ability to travel to far off places and see such magnificent sights as this itinerary affords.

[srphnx]

It is well worth pointing out that not everything that bothers someone else will bother you.

 

I for one don't really care what other pax are doing unless it is patently offensive, I also don't suffer in silence if they are being obnoxious in some way.

 

I wouldn't wait for security to tell people stripping to nude in public that it was rude and that I didn't want my wife to see it. The same goes for being rude to crew, I would do what I could to make it very uncomfortable for them to do it again without starting an actual physical confrontation. IMO this is the way society polices itself, peer pressure and setting minimum standards.

 

We are self entertaining cruisers so as long as the ship goes where it is supposed to (as possible) and the systems function we are pretty much good to go.

[CruzinNoony]

Well, for what it' worth, DH and I had a fantastic time on this cruise. We met some wonderful people from our roll call and also some great folks who were not on CC. We had one of the "scooter people" on our trivia team and he was very knowledgeable and a great guy. We, personally, didn't observe all the rudeness that others saw. Our waiter (early, traditional) was one of the best we've ever had (over 50 cruises) and we couldn't have asked for a better cabin steward.

 

We loved all the sea days, and filled them up with trivia, reading, naps, lectures, games, shows, etc.

 

I organized two small tours (8 people each) and had no trouble with being bothered. I believe Toto had around 90 on her tours, making it a lot more difficult to organize. That's a big group and I would never attempt it.

 

Organizing tours for small groups can be maddening enough, I cannot imagine how overwhelmed she was.

 

It always surprises me at the different experiences people can have on the same exact trip. While we loved it and put it in our top 3 cruises of all time, it sounds like Toto was just too overwhelmed by the annoyance of people on her tours to really be able to enjoy herself fully.

 

We would take this cruise again with no hesitation!:)

[kath00]

Thanks for the comments from all!

 

Can some of you on this cruise talk about what sort of entertainment was available on those last 8 sea days during the daytime???

 

I hear everything from "lots" to "nothing". I would appreciate maybe someone posting the activities for say, day 4 or 5 of the last leg of the cruise!

 

Thank you!

 

Katherine

[hillslife]

Appreciate your honest review, Toto. We were booked on this cruise and cancelled when we found out we were gonna be grandparents again about the same time. Sounds like we made the right decision now to cancel:(

 

So sorry this was not the trip of a lifetime......there are a few people on CC that always give honest and reliable info - you are one of them. So after you relax and refresh, hope you will rejoin us....

 

Thank you...

[morriscats]

After reading Toto's review and her live thread, I have come to some conclusions on what to expect on this particular itinerary.

 

One of her complaints was about the number of elderly cruisers on board that needed walkers, scooters and wheelchairs. Since this cruise could afford a disabled person travel with out air, it is not surprising that they took advantage of a chance to get away from their daily lives and sail to paradise.

If this matters to you, than another itinerary would be recommended.

 

 

The scooters should be banned IMHO because of the danger they pose to other travelers.The drivers are not careful enough when in a crowd and they are usually parked in the hallways when not in use. The hallways should NEVER be blocked. If they can't fit in the state rooms, then they should be left on deck four and used when leaving the ship. Standard wheel chairs should be brought on board or power chairs if they can fit in the rooms. Someone in a power chair would tend to be more careful of where they were going because you would end up in their lap if they hit you:)

 

We took a 30 day cruise of the South Pacific one way from Sydney to LA. There were more ports on this itinerary and no problems with numerous disabled cruisers because a loooong flight was required ( unless you took it both ways as a b to b.)

 

A second disappointment concerned the elite perk of breakfast in Sabatinis. She could still use this perk, but was disappointed in the crowding in this restaurant.

It seems they gave the perk to a group on board referred to as VIPs. So if you are thinking of taking this cruise and are not in a suite, this complaint would not impact you.

 

The next problem that Toto had concerned CC members. She helped organize shore excursions for her roll call and was the go to person for a number of CC members while on the roll call. Once she was on the cruise, the job became demanding of her time and enjoyment of the cruise. This problem would not affect the average cruiser on this itinerary as they do not get involved with planning other people's tours.

 

Be aware that there are cruisers from all over the world on these itineraries. Some are rude, some are not friendly and keep to themselves as a group, some are veteran cruisers and some are new. Patience and respect are needed when encountering them. You are trapped together for a month and should never let them get the better of you. For every grumpy cruiser, there are 10 happy ones. Ignore the worst and appreciate the best.

 

Most of all be grateful for your health and ability to travel to far off places and see such magnificent sights as this itinerary affords.

 

Thank you for an excellant post. It really angered me to read all the negative posts about the seniors and disabled but really without them this cruise would not have happened. These are the kinds of cruises they (we) book and if you don't want to cruise with them (us) pick another one.

[4cats4me]

With all due respect Toto, it sounds like perhaps you need a break from cruising for awhile. Maybe you are just burned out on Hawaii/Tahiti and floating convalescent hospitals in general. I can identify with that one; DH and I had a similar experience on a 7-day cruise once, so 28 days would have been too much. There are youthful seniors and not so youthful seniors. Sounds like you were sailing with the latter crowd.

We travel with my mom, who is a senior, on cruises, but she is very active. I'm sure there must have been some active seniors on board this cruise that you just didn't have the pleasure of meeting.

 

It's really saying a lot when you had THE best accommodation on the ship, yet out of your 30 + cruises it sounds like this was the least positive experience for you. You are not a negative poster, rather, a seemingly objective poster.

 

And your experience with the CC roll callers serves as a reminder why one shouldn't give out their location on a ship, unless you [a general "you" not to you Toto] intend on subjecting yourself to unnecessary phone calls, et cet. It must be pretty hard to conceal when you're in the Grand Suite, though. lol....... It was extremely rude, thoughtless, careless, of those on board to not consider your personal enjoyment of you and your DH's cruise. It sounds like you were extremely taken advantage of.

 

On one cruise a few years back we had a full suite, and the only ones who knew were our parents. Even our friends we were sailing with didn't know where we were OR the other 48 CC roll callers. DH and myself are very social, yet we chose to keep that aspect of our cruise private. I was the group organizer for that particular CC roll call.

 

Maybe there will be happier cruising days ahead for you in the very near future.:)

[vjmatty]

Thank you for an excellant post. It really angered me to read all the negative posts about the seniors and disabled but really without them this cruise would not have happened. These are the kinds of cruises they (we) book and if you don't want to cruise with them (us) pick another one.

 

The negative posts aren't about seniors per se, they are about rude entitled people who in this case happen to be seniors. There is a big difference. Are there rude younger people, sure.... but they don't generally run into people with scooters because they tend not to own them. If someone is going to be offensive with a scooter, it is 99% likely to be a senior.

 

In other words, not all seniors have scooters but most people with scooters tend to be seniors. If one-third of all scooter owners are rude and running into people, most of that third is likely to be seniors.