Terrible Moana-torture at sea

[Emdee]

If you are talking about the nude/Bare essentials cruise then yes there are a couple off cc members going on it. I cannot remember their names but they brought it up. Hope they have proper insurance cover.

[Buddymudpiecruising]

Jimmy,

You got it right. Thanks for putting it down in your unique fashion.

[jimmybrnx]

To Twin123185, yes I too have been on probably 40 ships , including maiden voyages of Carnival Elation from Miami to San Fran 17 days, Carnival Spirit, as well both GREAT

I, m Platinum in Princess, Celebrity , holland amer. etc. the only other worst sailing was the maiden voyage on MSC OPERA (disaster)

 

But the only difference was this trip was labeled HighEnd, Luxury , 5 star, for select previous PG guests.

your friends, saying having a BLAST on 2nd. voyage? I,m in disbelief! unless they have taken over the helm and are beaching it in Costa Rica and enjoying Manuel Antonio National Park.

 

Please take a trip on TM and let us know your thoughts

 

Jimmy from Da Bronx

[twin123185]

Hey Jimmy - nah i won't be going on this ship. I will not pay this kind of money to sail the Caribbean and next time to Europe its to take a CHEAP transatlantic cruise back to the USA.

I would like to try but not in the cards. My friends told me that yes there are problems but maybe the fact that there are a few folks from the cruise we were on together last year on the PG made a big difference. Having friends on board a bad situation can make it better I guess.

[lovecruisingtoo]

I am sure some of the bloggers have received significant discounts for being on the first cruise. The staff has been told who the bloggers are.........and I am sure they are told to take special care of those people. Everyone needs to read all the posts about the TM and see what their overall impression is - and what is real and what is not.

[Tikiintahiti]

There are three 7-day SM to SM runs on the TM this coming March. I'm sure we will have more accurate feedback come then as the crew should have enough time to have it together. The first run out is not a good indicator of how the ship/crew really is.

 

I'm holding off judgement until the end of March and we have more feedback. My guess it will all work out and the ship/crew will be a hit.

[trav25]

For those of us who will lose their deposit and are going this spring in Europe, we are trying to assess now and would like an honest evaluation.

[Emdee]

I will stand by my opinions. I tried to give as balanced a view as possible including posting about others problems that didn't effect me personally.

The only discount I received was a referral bonus from referring family and friends to PG. Four of which I will be travelling with next week on the PG.

I don't think we got better service than others on the cruise with us although the staff knew I was blogging after the second day. If you read my postings and my post cruise review you will see that.

I think because they did read my postings sometimes the staff were really angry with me saying that the TM didn't come close to the PG and resorted to saying that they shouldn't be like the PG as they are the Tere Moana. A couple of whom I singled out looked daggers at me during the cruise.

 

I respect everyone's opinion as they have a right to have them but I try to be as fair and open as possible. This is just my personality. You can read past postings of mine on Azamara, Regent and PG to give you perspective.

 

Yes we did have dinner with the owners the second night but I suspect that it was because of my suggested repeaters cruise. In fact my DD went so far as to tell them that other cruise lines don't accept full capacity on new ships and make things sweeter by throwing a large perk in for early cruises.

 

Next week when I am on the PG I intend to continue posting. I may be one of the PG's biggest fans but I am not a blind fan.

[lovecruisingtoo]

Yes we did have dinner with the owners the second night but I suspect that it was because of my suggested repeaters cruise. In fact my DD went so far as to tell them that other cruise lines don't accept full capacity on new ships and make things sweeter by throwing a large perk in for early cruises.

 

Next week when I am on the PG I intend to continue posting. I may be one of the PG's biggest fans but I am not a blind fan.

 

Let me understand, on the SECOND night you had dinner with the owners (which I assume means that they knew who you were on, or before, the first night). How many other people had that benefit (and how many other passengers had dinner with the owners on subsequent nights)????? I know if I owned a company and I knew a blogger had the ability to give me very good or very bad press, I would do everything possible to make that specific individual felt very special and make sure they did not have issues.

 

Also, as regards to the "daggers", I can imagine how a crew member would feel when he / she was told to give exceptional service to an individual (read blogger) and yet gets a negative review on the blog site. I am sure that the crew member has had significant discussion regarding his / her career.

 

Just my thoughts.

[Emdee]

Let me understand, on the SECOND night you had dinner with the owners (which I assume means that they knew who you were on, or before, the first night). How many other people had that benefit (and how many other passengers had dinner with the owners on subsequent nights)????? I know if I owned a company and I knew a blogger had the ability to give me very good or very bad press, I would do everything possible to make that specific individual felt very special and make sure they did not have issues.

 

Also, as regards to the "daggers", I can imagine how a crew member would feel when he / she was told to give exceptional service to an individual (read blogger) and yet gets a negative review on the blog site. I am sure that the crew member has had significant discussion regarding his / her career.

 

Just my thoughts.

 

 

 

You certainly have a lot of 'thoughts' for one who neither knows me nor knows the PG or the PG Board. I have never seen you before on this board on which I am very active.

 

I was actually invited before the blogging came out so the invite had nothing to do with the blogging. As a 6 time repeater I was entitled to a dinner with an officer or equivalent ( Per standard PG repeaters perks) and that was the only dinner I had with 'management'. When you have 4 or more cruises with PG you will also be invited!! When I received the invite I believed it was because I was involved in spearheading the Repeaters cruise and we did have some discussions on my 'asks' on behalf of the repeaters at that dinner. In case you care to read the PG board you could perhaps read my various postings on the repeaters cruise and my solicitation of board suggestions for the itinerary which was only finalized on Tere Moana.

 

I have no idea how many others had dinners with the owners/ Captain or management on subsequent nights ( nor do I care) as I had dinner in L'Etoile on all other nights. I am sure that those who had 4 or more cruises on the pG would have been invited as part of the usual perks.Other cruiselines have a similar perk and I have been granted similar privileges on Regent though I havent been on them for a while.

 

It seems to me that you have other fish to fry ... you are not a PG cruiser or a PG lover so why do you come on this board and make allegations?

 

You choose to misinterpret my comments for your own ends. Its clear you havent even read what I have written.

 

It is my usual procedure to do a blog posting when on the PG or Azamara or Regent but I am ALWAYS careful to speak out my opinion with honesty and integrity. Whether the staff knows it is I who write it or not is of no relevance to me. I would still write it in the same fashion. On the Tere Moana I had the same food or drink or service which the other passengers got and in return honoured Jacques, the hotel manager, with my endless complaints about the standards on board not living up to the PG.

 

Both PG cruise critic writers and the PG management and staff know me and its only because I am so active on this board and of help to a number of passengers. I have never hidden this from anyone because I have nothing to hide. Unlike you lovecruisingtoo I dont hide behind my nom de plume and use my own name freely.

 

I am afraid I will have to cease sparring with you because I am off to enjoy my vacation in Moorea and then on the PG next week.

If you so have the inclination feel free to enjoy my LIVE from the PG which will be on this board next week. Let me also tell you that I intend meeting and talking to the new PG chefs as they are new and have changed the menu after 7 years. It will be for the benefit of other PG board users and PG lovers and not because I want any special service on the PG. If you have ever been on that ship you will know that the staff are wonderful and you cannot get any better service than the BEST.

[MotuIslander]

You certainly have a lot of 'thoughts' for one who neither knows me nor knows the PG or the PG Board. I have never seen you before on this board on which I am very active.

 

Miriam, you are my hero!

 

lovecruisingtoo -

I too have had dinner with 'management' on a number of sailings. This is standard treatment for repeat passengers.

 

I can't understand how you could have read Miriam's early reviews of the TM and STILL think she got special treatment. It took guts to post an honest appraisal of the initial shortcomings, but look at what resulted. Things improved. Isn't that what you would hope would happen?

[Richard in Panama]

Emdee, I have enjoyed your posts and frankness. Keep them coming! BTW glad you enjoyed the Canal. Do not be dissuaded by a few "critics". Regards, Richard

[Emdee]

Thanks Motu and Richard for your support.

 

Richard our cruise was not in Panama but in the Caribbean. I am not one to be easily dissuaded instead am known to be feisty especially when attacked without merit! Anyway on to the PG for me......

[swimmerboy]

To be fair to Miriam I heard her and her family being very vocal about what was missing on the cruise – they were talking to the hotel manager Jacques.

She even asked us ( divers) what we thought was wrong about the cruise and the diving program so that she could add it to her posts. We also discussed Tim’s non performance with her. When reading her postings I now see that she did address the service issues that other passengers had. Because of her posts Grey Goose was taken off the reserve list . I think that your complaining that she possibly received extra special attention makes no sense. You are totally out of it.

We are so happy that she is organizing this repeaters cruise and will definitely be on it as we love the PG.

I still say the Tere Moana cruise was not 5 star and not as advertised.

[Tikiintahiti]

The CruiseCritic forums is not a place to make personal attacks but a mutual point of contact to share ideas and experiences.

 

You don't make points to cruise lines or owners by making over the top accusations and exagerated comments. Another words you write diplomatically and not in an attacking way. Truth is fine if written in non attacking way but in written in a way that brings problems to the surface to be dealt with in a positive way.

 

When I read posts I always keep objectivity. When I find a post that has an agenda I usually toss it aside. Sort of like olympic judges. You drop the high and the low scores and average out the remainder, this is usually where the truth lies.

 

I find Emdee's post to be written with objectivity. I have gleened from her post for both the TM and the PG. To make personal attacks is childish, should not be made on this forum and in this case completely without merit. I do not know Emdee personally but after reading for years on here take of the PG I can say she writes with passion and truth.

 

Peace

[ALB0711]

I've been following this thread - wanted to jump in a few times to share my inaugural story.

My father a seasoned cruise, went on the inaugural cruise of the Diamond Princess several years back. His expectation was that being on an inaugural cruise would be the best experience ever - a brand new shiny ship with never before seen features and the royal treatment a passenger deserved for paying top dollar to be on its first voyage.

The reality was quite different - Princess had just started "anytime dining" but weren't restricting reservations. A large portion of the passengers were guests from the shipbuilding company in Japan who were according to my father given priority reservations over other passengers. He couldn't get into a dining room until after 8 at night for dinner - and at his age that was a big problem. Add to that passengers slipping on pool decks where the shiny new decking didn't have enough anti-slip and a cabin toilet that never seemed to work right and my father had the "worst cruise ever" and swore he would never cruise Princess again.

He posted his complaints on cruise critic, and they weren't well received by the CC Princess forum members. He wrote Princess and was offered a couple of hundred in future on board credits when he thought he should have gotten a full refund.

Dad cruised over 50 times in his life, but never again on Princess.

I'm a fan of Princess cruises, tried to get him to come along with us a few times after his bad experience, but had no success.

Morale of the story - I truly believe cruise companies want nothing but the best from an inaugural cruise, and so do passengers. But - when you've got a complex machine like a cruise ship with a norming and forming staff things can and will go wrong.

Too bad cruise lines don't send out buyer beware warnings - but I can't imagine they ever think that way - also too bad passengers don't search CC forums with the word inaugural to read past passengers good and bad inaugural experiences.

I for one will never take an inaugural - just too many unknowns.

I've not yet been on a PG cruise, but am looking forward to my first this coming June and what I believe will be a well run ship with a seasoned staff.

[Tikiintahiti]

You will have a good time on the PG. A good small ship with a very good crew. Small ship crusing is different than the mega ships, I prefer the small ships and don't expect an ice rink : )

 

Here is the link to my last review/sail on the PG just 3 weeks ago. I've been on several ships in FP including the PG a few times. My review is transparent pointing out small flaws but also pointing out the good. I will be back on board the PG in 2014 : )

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1758456

[Emdee]

Interesting post ALBO711. I have never been on inaugural cruises for the very reasons that you posted. The reasons we did decide to go were the following:

 

1) This was not a new ship and has been around for a few years so the kinks should have been already worked out.

2) It was a PG ship .... what could possibly go wrong ( we thought) if it has the PG Love.

 

I dont think that there is anything wrong with the product per se - its just in the wrong selling space. The ship is not 5 star and shouldnt be sold as such. I understand that is what passengers were expecting and what they didnt get and that is why they are angry.

 

That being said the PG is an older ship refurbished but older still so it has none of the facilities of the newer ships. For me the charm of the ship (PG) comes from two things its staff and the beautiful location.

 

I will give you some examples since you are a new PG passenger:

I once called Room service and asked for a glass of freshly squeezed OJ. The response was sorry they had finished their freshly squeezed and there was only the other stuff which I declined. But then, 5 minutes later there was a knock on the door and with a big smile the waiter explained that yes it was finished but they just squeezed a couple of glasses more for me.

I usually get an order of morning coffee and croissant at 6 am or so in the room. A couple of times DH asked for my favourite almond croissant and they didnt have any. The third day not only did they bake the almond croissants earlier so i could enjoy them in the cabin but I had a plate presented to me at breakfast as they knew my failing.

 

This is why the PG is special to so many passengers ... its the little things that keep us coming back. Since I will be on the PG next week do let me know if there are any questions you would like answered relating to your trip and I will be happy to ask them.

[ALB0711]

Thanks TIki and Emdee - I've read all your posts - and have done quite a bit of planning using your suggestions. First time on an upscale line for us - looking forward to the little extras.

 

We sail in 148 days - not that I'm counting or anything. :)

[Tikiintahiti]

We, meaning Emdee and myself make a good team though we have never meant. Emdee knows the PG like the back of her hand. I on the other hand know the islands real well with 18 trips and counting. Between the 2 of us we usually have an answer plus there are a few others who chime in that have years of experience as well. Can't go wrong gleening info. Feel free to ask anything.

[Mart&Jim]

To: Swimmerboy ... please help. We have a group of 10 (all divers) booked on the seven day 16MAR13 Tere Moana cruise out of St. Martin. After reading the recent threads, especially those tidbits regarding divers, I am a bit concerned about shore connections. This will be my fourth time to Virgin Gorda, Tortola and Jost Van Dyke (all within the last four years). My sisters and others in the group are repeat PG cruisers, but this is their first time in the BVI/FWI. I've got the responsibility to "show them a good time" in these islands. Windstar was very VERY good and efficient so I thought I'd book my own excursions. Please comment on the efficiency and timeliness of the Tere Moana's tenders/zodiacs getting to the pier to meet with dive boats, taxis, shore transit, etc. Exactly what docks/piers did the ship's boats use? (ie. Leverick, Gun Creek, Bitter End, Prickley Pear when anchoring at North Sound ... or did he go to some other place on Virgin Gorda?). Same Question on Tortola and Jost Van Dyke???

 

Should I abandon this idea and stick with only the shipboard ShorEX bookings?

 

Secondly, and very important to our group, is the ability to spend the evening at "Foxy's" on Jost Van Dyke. The original booking had us leaving at ~midnight. When we recently received our confirmations ... the departure was moved up to 18:00 !!! Certainly NOT conducive for a good party evening at this world famous bar. How workable was the Captain to rearranging the ship's itinerary???

[Familygoboston]

Alb0- I know you can take the advice from Tiki and Emdee, because that's as exactly what I did and they prove to be an unbeatable tandem when giving straight up advice!

 

Read my review (linked in my sig) to see how their advice assisted me in having our best cruise ever on PG. Tiki's maps were enormously helpful to DH and myself who often like to go off and explore on our own and Emdee's spot on advice helped me to "get ahead of the curve" and have everything sorted (reservations, snorkel gear, excursions) on board so I could relax and enjoy the cruise, with none of that "first timer" confusion!

 

In my review I had a negative experience with bar service on the Tahaa motu and Emdee took me to task, saying that had never been her experience, but then she was also very honest about the challenges we would face at the travel concierge desk, so when I went I knew to stay on them like white on rice to get what we needed done. I for one appreciate that kind of straight dope, and feel that on the PG boards, you learn quickly from whom to get it;)

 

I can't agree more about inaugurals, it seems to me there should be some concessions given (price breaks, OBC) for the inconvenience of traveling on a "shake down" cruise (i'ts a cliche for a reason!:rolleyes:) I have asked those who have traveled if they were compensated for their inconveniences and how the management responded. The folks who are forthcoming are the ones I trust.

 

For myself, I had been considering TM, even though as an East Coast dweller, the Caribbean is familiar territory, but because the experience on PG was so special that I might have been able to see the value in a PG run ship in the Caribbean- even though I had misgivings about my ability to enjoy a vessel of this size. These reviews have helped me make my decision, I will stay with my bargain cruises in the Caribbean and hopefully enjoy the PG repeaters in Sept 2014.

[paulmichael]

I am sure some of the bloggers have received significant discounts for being on the first cruise. The staff has been told who the bloggers are.........and I am sure they are told to take special care of those people. Everyone needs to read all the posts about the TM and see what their overall impression is - and what is real and what is not.

 

We did not ask and did not receive any discounts. We all paid full price for the first cruise. Staff did not have time to take special care of us. Staff did a great job for as few as they were. I think we all were taken special care of

 

Mike

[wldlndcpt]

We will be cruising TM on March 23rd and we will get back to all of you about the service. One of the reasons we chose to wait was to allow for the "growing pains" that are so common on a shake down cruise. We have had wonderful experiences on PG and expect TM to be the same. :cool:

 

Lisa

[Cruisedreamer1]

My TA says that the ship had more mechanic issues than the owner knew about prior to selling so instead of just cosmetic changes they were forced to do and that took longer while in dry dock. Further, the ship was unable to have a "dry run" cruise since the tides in Brisbane were too lower and the ship actually just had time to arrive in the Caribbean for its 1st cruise. The PG company sent out an apology letter to its first cruise passengers along with a future credit for either the TM or the PG.