Booking first cruise after dry dock?

[skis2]

We are looking at the FOS on 1/25/15. Should we be concerned that this might be the first cruise back after dry dock?

On one hand I'm thinking the crew is rested (or getting back to their regular work after 2 weeks of something different) and the ship will be as clean and fresh as it can get.

On the other hand, what if all the work is not completed on time? I wouldn't want to be smelling fresh paint and hearing hammering all week. I recall a TV program where this was an issue (possibly with FOS) when dry docked in the Bahamas.

Does anyone have experience either way?

I see conflicting reports as to whether this is a scheduled dry dock on the boards here. The 1/11/15 and 1/18/15 cruises are not available, some say dry dock and some say charters. Regardless, I'd still like to ask the question even if it ends up not applying to this cruise.

[chengkp75]

The crew will be no more rested than at any other time, and will most likely be more tired after drydock. The crew will continue to work at least 10 hours per day, frequently at far more strenuous work than they are accustomed to. Plus, being in port for 10-14 days leads them to spend more time ashore, to the detriment of their sleep.

 

As far as work not being completed, sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't. It all depends on how much work was planned, and whether the drydock gremlin decided to throw some roadblocks into the works.

 

The lines generally allow one day at the end of the drydock to clean the ship, top to bottom, inside and out. All hands to work. Then, there will be at least a day from the yard to the embarkation port, so more cleaning and cabin prep will be done then.

[megr1125]

I would never book the 1st cruise post dry dock.

 

Sometimes not all venues will be available, nor will all cabins be ready if some have been added...it really depends on what they are doing.

 

Not all crew just hangs around all day...they're on fire watch, cleaning the ship, cooking and cleaning for the people DOING the dry dock , etc..

 

Personally, I would wait a couple weeks but that's just me....

 

And we really haven't even heard what the ship is doing.....

[richstowe]

I will guarantee you that all work will NOT be done in time. :D

We have been on 2 cruises shortly after drydock ,3 weeks and 4 weeks respectively.

In both cases work was still being done. In one case our hallways carpeting was being replaced pretty much the entire cruise.

I asked if this was normal and it was explained that drydock is kept as short as possible.

No cruise, no money ! They do all they can and all the jobs that can't be done during a regular cruise.

Whatever is uncompleted is done with an attempt to minimize customer issues .

Having said this, none of the work being done impacted us in any meaningful way.

The carpet glue smelled but not in our cabin.

[CRUZBUDS]

Years ago we were on the Monarch after a rather major dry dock -- the ship was a mess. Major construction was still taking place in several areas -- we would never do a first cruise from drydock.

 

The Monarch example may be extreme - but why risk it if you don't need to?