Quantum First Cruise - Impressions from Many Reporters

[daisy-mae]

I will also risk being flamed by my comments.

 

We attended a cruise show recently where we viewed a very flashy promo clip about the new Quantum of the Seas, complete with godmother Kristen Chenoweth and other celebrities. After it ended I turned to my husband and asked if he had noticed the ocean. Apart from the various activities that left the narrator almost breathless with superlatives, there was very little emphasis on the water and nature -- the two reasons why we like to cruise.

 

If I want an amusement park, I'll book a room at WDW. IMHO, when it comes to cruising, bigger and flashier is not always better.

[Travalerie]

I had not been following the launch of the Quantum. Were charges for room service items expected? That was a shock to me. I know they charge for drinks, but eggs and hamburgers??? Did anyone find out if the suites were able to order from the dining room restaurants? It is listed as a perk for suites on other ships.

[Tyron]

I will also risk being flamed by my comments.

 

We attended a cruise show recently where we viewed a very flashy promo clip about the new Quantum of the Seas, complete with godmother Kristen Chenoweth and other celebrities. After it ended I turned to my husband and asked if he had noticed the ocean. Apart from the various activities that left the narrator almost breathless with superlatives, there was very little emphasis on the water and nature -- the two reasons why we like to cruise.

 

If I want an amusement park, I'll book a room at WDW. IMHO, when it comes to cruising, bigger and flashier is not always better.

 

You should perhaps check out the pics being posted. There appears to be plenty of areas with ocean views. I'm looking forwards to my 11/21 & 11/23 sailings to check this beauty out first hand. :cool:

[HiCSailor]

Wow, seems some (maybe many) have damned the ship, based on the very small percentage of negative reporting from it's maiden voyage...

 

Having followed the live reporting closely, I did not note the overwhelming dissatisfaction that a reader of the start of this thread would assume. [emoji33]

 

Changed menus, which I thought all restaurants did with regularity, not to mention the nightly change in the MDR menus. All I really one of the few people, who doesn't scrutinize a shore side restaurant menu before dining there? I select, based upon the "type of food" and look forward to the adventure. [emoji1]

 

The way the most insignificant item is whirled into a disaster makes the QOS threads scroll like a bad news day and makes me wonder how many competitor employees have been recruited to post about her. [emoji21]

[CRUISEFAN0001]

1. Is it windy out?

Yes - Proceed to 2

No - North Star likely to be open

 

2. Is it strong?

Yes - North Star not likely to be open

No - North Star may be open

Really???? Can't wait to see that sign onboard.

Wow, seems some (maybe many) have damned the ship, based on the very small percentage of negative reporting from it's maiden voyage...

The reports are coming from onboard passengers..and those you reference are in multiple threads and based on more than just a "very few" reports of less than WOW'd cruisers.

 

There have also been plenty of pluses reported...but it appears some people get very defensive quickly when anything less than stellar is reported. The reports are the reports - much more informed than any of us looking from the outside in toward what is being experienced onboard.

 

Anyone considering a cruise deserves to hear from both sides of people who have been on a specific ship or itinerary to get a realistic perspective - seeing as many angles as possible.

Edited November 8, 2014 by CRUISEFAN0001

[HiCSailor]

I was think something more like "North Star will be unavailable during severe weather or windy conditions over x miles per hour"...

Unfortunately, it's a bit more complicated than that. In addition to relative wind speed and direction (the apparent wind onboard the ship), one must also consider the size and frequency of the waves, rain intensity, lightening, and air temperature to determine whether attractions like flowrider, ripcord, and north star may be safely operated. More than that, it's the combined effect of all the above with the ship's motion that matters.

 

In short, for any sign published, there would be conditions that didn't meet the written criteria, but were still unsafe. Best course is to let the professionals decide...

[HiCSailor]

Really???? That doesn't even warrant a response.

 

The reports are coming from onboard passengers..and those you reference are in multiple threads and based on more than just a "very few" reports of less than WOW'd cruisers.

 

There have also been plenty of pluses reported...but it appears some people get very defensive quickly when anything less than stellar is reported.

 

Anyone considering a cruise deserves to hear from both sides of people who have been on a specific ship or itinerary to get a realistic perspective - seeing as many angles as possible.

True, it does appear that way.

 

While I'm thankful for the live reporting and the information being provided (not to mention the feedback to RCI to fix issues), I look forward to stepping aboard myself.

 

(Putting soapbox away)

Continue the bashing, I won't interfere.

[karena1]

Won't even think about cruising this class of ship unless 2 things happen

\

1. It goes out of Florida

2. Price goes WAY down from what they are asking which is stupid expensive.

[Clarea]

Won't even think about cruising this class of ship unless 2 things happen

\

1. It goes out of Florida

2. Price goes WAY down from what they are asking which is stupid expensive.

My thought exactly.

[CarpeCerevisi]

As far as I'm concerned, as long as they haven't hit any icebergs the rest are minor details. I'm booked on the 12/12 sailing and am highly anticipating it.

[evelyn51]

Anyone with any sense should be able to determine that for themselves.

 

I guess some people have to have everything spelt out for them. ;)

[orville99]

What strikes me about all of these threads is that everyone seems to forget that this is a working cruise on a "work still very much in progress" ship. While there may be a full complement of passengers on board, there's still nine days of "fit and finish" work left to do to complete shaking down all of the onboard features, functions, and to make sure that when she sails her first full revenue cruise that she meets expectations. Oasis and Allure were still bolting stuff together as they pulled into FLL to do their maiden voyages - this ship is no different.

[evelyn51]

Wow, seems some (maybe many) have damned the ship, based on the very small percentage of negative reporting from it's maiden voyage...

 

Having followed the live reporting closely, I did not note the overwhelming dissatisfaction that a reader of the start of this thread would assume. [emoji33]

 

Changed menus, which I thought all restaurants did with regularity, not to mention the nightly change in the MDR menus. All I really one of the few people, who doesn't scrutinize a shore side restaurant menu before dining there? I select, based upon the "type of food" and look forward to the adventure. [emoji1]

 

The way the most insignificant item is whirled into a disaster makes the QOS threads scroll like a bad news day and makes me wonder how many competitor employees have been recruited to post about her. [emoji21]

 

 

My husband said the very same thing this morning. (Competitor employees posting)

 

I'm afraid I'm more in thinking "too" high and unrealistic expectations are the culprit. I'm more of the any cruise is better than.. but, what do I know. ;)

[evelyn51]

I had not been following the launch of the Quantum. Were charges for room service items expected? That was a shock to me. I know they charge for drinks, but eggs and hamburgers??? Did anyone find out if the suites were able to order from the dining room restaurants? It is listed as a perk for suites on other ships.

 

I understood "Hot Item" ='d charge.

[Nhsaltshaker]

The Live Reporters are doing an excellent job and I appreciate them giving their vacation time to report accurate information.

 

Thank you Quantum cruisers! Your threads are much more informative.

[roe2ship]

Agree the first cruise would have expected "bumps in the road".

 

But the high speed internet issues may take some time to cure.

Exactly, so what is the point of this discussion? For heaven sake, the ship did not even return from its maiden voyage.

[LMaxwell]

My husband said the very same thing this morning. (Competitor employees posting)

 

Interesting, I almost think the opposite. It seems like the highlights and photos are coming out of a lot of surcharge venues and features and reported as being great.

[DonnaK]

I will also risk being flamed by my comments.

 

We attended a cruise show recently where we viewed a very flashy promo clip about the new Quantum of the Seas, complete with godmother Kristen Chenoweth and other celebrities. After it ended I turned to my husband and asked if he had noticed the ocean. Apart from the various activities that left the narrator almost breathless with superlatives, there was very little emphasis on the water and nature -- the two reasons why we like to cruise.

 

If I want an amusement park, I'll book a room at WDW. IMHO, when it comes to cruising, bigger and flashier is not always better.

 

I always find it funny when people say that a ship is "inward focused" and there is no connection to the ocean.

 

Every ship we have been on, including Allure, had plenty of places with ocean views. By the pool, in the solarium, on our balcony, a window table at dinner, the AquaTheatre, etc. If you want to connect with the ocean, then seek out these places.

 

Yes, there is an emphasis on indoor activities too, which we appreciated because it gave us something to do at night or when the weather wasn't conducive to swimming or sitting outside. But to say that there is no focus on the ocean at all is simply not accurate.

[CRUISEFAN0001]

Exactly, so what is the point of this discussion? For heaven sake, the ship did not even return from its maiden voyage.

The point was to summarize the reports from the onboard passengers.

 

After all the advance promos on its features...hearing from those who are there was very mixed and very interesting...first cruise all the more interesting.

 

Seemed simple enough that many other folks got it.

Edited November 9, 2014 by CRUISEFAN0001

[CRUISEFAN0001]

Won't even think about cruising this class of ship unless 2 things happen

\

1. It goes out of Florida

2. Price goes WAY down from what they are asking which is stupid expensive.

Others have posted those sentiments as well.

 

Since Quantum will be only 1 season in Bayonne and then off to China...looks like Anthem will be the next candidate to meet your needs.

[Cotswold Eagle]

As of O3b...this was touted by the provider as a global service based on their constellation of satellites. Even Africa has service in play, which otherwise has limited technology. We know that more sats still need to be launched to make it truly global.

 

O3b have been opaque about many things, as they are entitled to be as a private company, but I have never seen them claim a global service. The name stands for 'the other 3 billion', i.e. the half of the world's population in their primary service area with poor connectivity. So when they say "O3b Networks delivers global broadband connectivity," they mean adding that half of the globe, not that their service reaches the entire globe :) This is the next line of their mission statement:

 

"Our vast coverage area includes emerging and insufficiently connected markets in Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, with a collective population of over 3 billion people"

[Coralc]

iFly is less expensive to do at one of their land based locations. (but still not cheap) We have one locally, and have never been. https://sfbay.iflyworld.com/

 

So it is probably a fun thing to do on vacation...but we probably wouldn't...because we have one locally...It is one of those loops. :D

[CRUISEFAN0001]

O3b have been opaque about many things, as they are entitled to be as a private company, but I have never seen them claim a global service. The name stands for 'the other 3 billion', i.e. the half of the world's population in their primary service area with poor connectivity. So when they say "O3b Networks delivers global broadband connectivity," they mean adding that half of the globe, not that their service reaches the entire globe :) This is the next line of their mission statement:

 

"Our vast coverage area includes emerging and insufficiently connected markets in Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, with a collective population of over 3 billion people"

That certainly part of the story...here's more from their website...

 

O3b Maritime will be the only satellite system capable of enabling cruise line guests and crew broadband services on par with onshore telecommunication standards.

[ocav]

That certainly part of the story...here's more from their website...

 

 

I posted the coverage map on here, much like a cell company, they can say "national" or "global" coverage if they cover a certain percentage of the world, which they do, but they have never claimed that.

 

O3B will be available not far out from Bayonne on the current cruise and will be available all the time on Caribbean and Asian itineraries.

[ocav]

iFly is less expensive to do at one of their land based locations. (but still not cheap) We have one locally, and have never been. https://sfbay.iflyworld.com/

 

 

 

So it is probably a fun thing to do on vacation...but we probably wouldn't...because we have one locally...It is one of those loops. :D

 

 

iFly is cheaper on land than it is being free onboard?