UK Ships are we being left out?

[Newtoncruise]

I think it is mainly about design of the larger ships and the long hauls down to the Med from Southampton. Cold weather doesn't suit the oasis class.

 

I also think that standards of food and service out of the UK are lower than the US routes.

 

THis is probably due to poor tipping by Brits and Europeans generally and the consequent difficulty in attracting the best waiters and house staff to what are poor tipping routes.

 

THe best staff will be chosen for the better tipping routes.....

 

I have witnessed many passengers removing their tips on euro routes.....not so in the caribbean.

 

I look forward to a cruise on a mega ship. But it would be a caribbean route......

[pspercy]

I think it is mainly about design of the larger ships and the long hauls down to the Med from Southampton. Cold weather doesn't suit the oasis class.

 

I also think that standards of food and service out of the UK are lower than the US routes.

 

THis is probably due to poor tipping by Brits and Europeans generally and the consequent difficulty in attracting the best waiters and house staff to what are poor tipping routes.

 

THe best staff will be chosen for the better tipping routes.....

 

I have witnessed many passengers removing their tips on euro routes.....not so in the caribbean.

 

I look forward to a cruise on a mega ship. But it would be a caribbean route......

 

Agreed. Crew have told me tipping stories many times.

 

As for Galveston, it's within driving range of millions and its traffic is growing. Houston is currently dormant but supposedly Princess wants to return, but to Galveston.

 

Current offerings:

http://www.portofgalveston.com/80/Cruise-Lines-Schedules

Edited July 13, 2016 by pspercy

[CakeyLady]

I am new to cruising having sailed my first cruise on Harmony last month. I for one would love to experience all the Oasis and Quantum class ships so I think they should do their turn cruising around the med every year. Not everyone wants to sail on the smaller ships and like me some people would not be able to do the long haul flights to the Caribbean. So please Royal Caribbean give us some consideration too when planning the ships itineries 😜

[MADflyer]

I sailed Norwegian Breakaway one year and then Quantum and Oasis the next from Southampton, having sailed on both Breakaway and Oasis over from Rotterdam.

 

While the first night onboard these ships was amazing with everyone loving the new features and adaptions of service on both Breakaway and Oasis, the mood of the ship changed dramatically when sailing out of Southampton.

 

Those joining in Southampton just wanted everything to be like it was before on the cruises they had sailed on previously. They hated the new Casino layout with Breakaway and a poor Southampton embarkation just in some ways ruined this sailing for many with the complaining continuing all throughout the crossings. Southampton was clearly not prepared to host Oasis.

 

This continued with Quantum with the Dynamic Dining that I loved, completely unaccepted as an option for the UK market. The only thing that was fully accepted was 'Jamie's Italian', also something known to the home market.

 

Based on this experience, I can not imagine why any cruise line would want to place their latest most innovative ships out of Southampton. The UK market has shown a great affinity for Indy and even Navigator or other Voyager class and a more traditional form of cruising.

 

I do not see RCI placing a new ship out of Southampton again. It most certainly would be an option for the introduction sailings or new ships and sailings following dry-docks.

[troykahack]

Speculation only

 

1. US Tips customary and higher.

2. Every cruise ship that sales seems to be near capacity, this includes the sailings we have been on Allure and Oasis?

3. Weather

[Tin can]

I sailed Norwegian Breakaway one year and then Quantum and Oasis the next from Southampton, having sailed on both Breakaway and Oasis over from Rotterdam.

 

 

 

While the first night onboard these ships was amazing with everyone loving the new features and adaptions of service on both Breakaway and Oasis, the mood of the ship changed dramatically when sailing out of Southampton.

 

 

 

Those joining in Southampton just wanted everything to be like it was before on the cruises they had sailed on previously. They hated the new Casino layout with Breakaway and a poor Southampton embarkation just in some ways ruined this sailing for many with the complaining continuing all throughout the crossings. Southampton was clearly not prepared to host Oasis.

 

 

 

This continued with Quantum with the Dynamic Dining that I loved, completely unaccepted as an option for the UK market. The only thing that was fully accepted was 'Jamie's Italian', also something known to the home market.

 

 

 

Based on this experience, I can not imagine why any cruise line would want to place their latest most innovative ships out of Southampton. The UK market has shown a great affinity for Indy and even Navigator or other Voyager class and a more traditional form of cruising.

 

 

 

I do not see RCI placing a new ship out of Southampton again. It most certainly would be an option for the introduction sailings or new ships and sailings following dry-docks.

 

 

I'm not sure that is correct about dynamic dining.

 

It was embraced on Anthem out of Southampton (sort of [emoji15]) by the UK market as most were first cruisers and knew nothing else.

 

I heard the "we prefer Indy" by UK guests a lot of the time but honestly it was the very hostile reaction by American guests I witnessed that I think caused the cancellation of the planned DD on Oasis.

 

We are not traditional MDR folks over here sitting with strangers, we are too reserved and I can say that as a Brit. The same as Quantum now over in China that operates open MDR.

 

Formality as in set seating and tradition is a US thing. It's embraced by an older UK market but not the new family market that RCI is targeting in the UK.

 

Just my opinion.

 

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