Suggestions fornew itineraries

[comcox]

I would love a cruise to lesser known ports in Southeast Asia--Borneo, Brunei, Java, Bali, Papua New Guinea--round trip out of Australia perhaps?

[Hflors]

I would love a cruise that spent two full days in each port. (of course I am talking about longer cruises) We are booked on a med cruise this fall. Right now we are scheduled for about 20 ports with two or three overnights. I wish it were say 12 ports and all of them overnights!

 

And for me any longer cruise out of any Florida port is good with me. Our upcoming med cruise leaves and returns to ft Lauderdale. It's 42 days, but now that we are retired its a win - win for us.

[RuthC]

And add Labrador and Newfoundland.

They were already on the original list of places to stop.

[RuthC]

I believe that Oceania does this yearly. We are seriously thinking about it for the summer of 2017.

But then you'd have to sail Oceania.

Nope. Never again.

[RuthC]

This is likely why HAL doesn't sail to Petropavlosk any longer.

 

A really big hassle arriving and departing. Wait, wait and then wait some more.

 

They went through every passport 4 times! We left hours late.

 

A lovely town, one I would love to return to, but I doubt if HAL will bother.

Sounds about the same as Murmansk. Yes, I enjoyed my visit, but the officials were beyond belief! Hours upon hours getting the ship cleared to leave.

[kazu]

But then you'd have to sail Oceania.

Nope. Never again.

 

You can include me in that nope, never again group too Ruth ;)

 

+1

[wander]

Many of the port ideas given above (and I like them as well) have and are being done as I have been on a number of cruises with many of the ports listed. You really have to look at each itinerary in a cruise Atlas and/or Cruise Planner. Granted, those with some of the less used ports are slim pickings, but many options are there. Now, when you limit the ports you are willing and/or able to get to for the cruise - that does limit the options.

 

On our numerous visits to Ports in Russia (west coast and east coast) things have gone quite smoothly the past few decades (not as true while it was still the USSR). We have seen more problems with China. I will always remember one port where there was nothing but trouble/confusion, unpleasantness. As we were waiting to be cleared to LEAVE the port, thee were trays off our passports in the immigration/customs area, we could see them when a upset (apparently) person in a uniform took the trays and dumped the out on the floor. It took some time for HAL to pick them up and re-alphabetize them to be sure they were all there so we could leave. (No, we had not been allowed to carry them ourselves. China maintained control of them while we were in port. Guess they were afraid we would get off to stay in China if we kept them.

[Sir PMP]

How about: Ft. Lauderdale-Capetown-Singapore-Capetown-Ft. Lauderdale....

[KirkNC]

You can include me in that nope, never again group too Ruth ;)

 

+1

 

Not to hijack the thread but what was so bad about O that both you and Ruth have such strong feels? We have never sailed them but have come close a few times. Your experience might help us in the future.

Edited July 1, 2016 by KirkNC

[OlsSalt]

Sounds about the same as Murmansk. Yes, I enjoyed my visit, but the officials were beyond belief! Hours upon hours getting the ship cleared to leave.

 

Ah, you just reminded me. Two years ago on a White Sea cruise on another line, the special itinerary included both Murmansk and Archangel - yes some hassles, but we luckily got a great young guide who was very candid about life in Murmansk today - fascinating port cities which played an important role getting supplies to the Russians in WWII, and the fabulous Solovetsky Islands of the White Sea (think Gulag Archipelago) and the haunting history of Peter the Great's first attempted port city of Archangel makes this area definitely a good new itinerary. I think the Prinsendam occasionally makes this full White Sea trip beyond their stop in Murmansk.

 

The captain of our ship at the time was a droll Ukranian - at the worst possible moment in modern Russian/Ukranian history --- and was asked in a passenger Q&A if he thought there were extra problems with Russian immigration because of his nationality - he shugged in the most cosmopolitan manner - and simply said this is Russia, and let it go at that.

Edited July 1, 2016 by OlsSalt

[donaldsc]

I would love a cruise that spent two full days in each port. (of course I am talking about longer cruises) We are booked on a med cruise this fall. Right now we are scheduled for about 20 ports with two or three overnights. I wish it were say 12 ports and all of them overnights!

 

And for me any longer cruise out of any Florida port is good with me. Our upcoming med cruise leaves and returns to ft Lauderdale. It's 42 days, but now that we are retired its a win - win for us.

 

We did a Mediterranean Celebrity cruise from Barcelona to Lisbon and back., We had 2 nights in 3 of the ports. That is why we took it. The cruise also had almost no sea days. I hate sea days as I consider them a total waste.

 

DON

Edited July 1, 2016 by donaldsc

[donaldsc]

But then you'd have to sail Oceania.

Nope. Never again.

 

I have never cruised Oceania. What were your problems? Contact me privately if necessary. The itinerary does sound great which is why we are thinking about it.

 

DON

[rafinmd]

RuthC and kazu, were you on the same ship or were your problems on multiple Oceania ships? Don, it looks like Princess is at least also going to Murmansk.

 

Roy

Edited July 1, 2016 by rafinmd

[RuthC]

Not to hijack the thread but what was so bad about O that both you and Ruth have such strong feels?

Kazu will speak for herself.

 

I found the service was not nearly as good as on HAL (except for my cabin steward, who happened to be Indonesian). The food was clearly not up to the hype that people say about Oceania. I had what must have been the worst interpretation of an American Thanksgiving dinner that was ever presented. Exactly once in 14 mornings did they manage to get bacon cooked the way I wanted; didn't matter how many times I told them how I wanted it cooked.

Otherwise, food was no better than on HAL.

 

The specialty restaurants were all right, especially since there was no added charge, but no better than all right. Privée was excellent, but at $250 for up to 10 people, it should be.

 

It took a long time to be waited on in the lounges, and no one ever came back to ask about refills. I was a regular in there every pre-dinner.

 

Entertainment was worse than on HAL, with nothing to do at night. For this night owl, that was especially disappointing. If there were any lectures during the day, I never found them---and this was on a trans-Atlantic cruise, with plenty of sea days!

 

No one ever used my name.

 

All of this for about 4 times the price I pay on HAL (admittedly, in a much higher category cabin, as I couldn't get what I would take on HAL).

 

The ship is gorgeous; cabin was lovely; hamburger stand was better than even Dive-In is. But those were the only good things on the entire ship.

[RuthC]

RuthC and kazu, were you on the same ship or were your problems on multiple Oceania ships?

Roy, yes we were both on the Riviera, but our disappointments with the ship were different.

[KirkNC]

Kazu will speak for herself.

 

I found the service was not nearly as good as on HAL (except for my cabin steward, who happened to be Indonesian). The food was clearly not up to the hype that people say about Oceania. I had what must have been the worst interpretation of an American Thanksgiving dinner that was ever presented. Exactly once in 14 mornings did they manage to get bacon cooked the way I wanted; didn't matter how many times I told them how I wanted it cooked.

Otherwise, food was no better than on HAL.

 

The specialty restaurants were all right, especially since there was no added charge, but no better than all right. Privée was excellent, but at $250 for up to 10 people, it should be.

 

It took a long time to be waited on in the lounges, and no one ever came back to ask about refills. I was a regular in there every pre-dinner.

 

Entertainment was worse than on HAL, with nothing to do at night. For this night owl, that was especially disappointing. If there were any lectures during the day, I never found them---and this was on a trans-Atlantic cruise, with plenty of sea days!

 

No one ever used my name.

 

All of this for about 4 times the price I pay on HAL (admittedly, in a much higher category cabin, as I couldn't get what I would take on HAL).

 

The ship is gorgeous; cabin was lovely; hamburger stand was better than even Dive-In is. But those were the only good things on the entire ship.

 

Thanks for the response. That is a pretty broad range of items they failed, not good.

[AmazedByCruising]

Rotterdam -> South Africa. Stay there for maybe 4/5 days, and back again. Maybe Canary Islands, Marocco, Namibia in between.

 

I like elephants and hate flying :)

 

Also, "slow cruising". Skip a few ports and get MUCH more time in others. More overnights or sailing at 2 AM instead of 6 PM. That would almost double the time in port.

 

I know that sailing faster means more fuel, and fuel is expensive, but then again so are martinis. I'd be more than happy to pay $20 extra/day if fuel costs (or port costs) would not be a major issue when new itineraries are designed. For me, 9 AM - 5 PM and constantly looking at the time in order not to miss the ship is the one thing that makes cruising a lot less relaxed than it could be.

Edited July 1, 2016 by AmazedByCruising

[sppunk]

NYC > Prince Edward Island (2 nights) > Halifax > London (4 nights) > Rotterdam (3 nights) > Hamburg (2 nights) > NYC

[Birder1]

I would love a cruise to lesser known ports in Southeast Asia--Borneo, Brunei, Java, Bali, Papua New Guinea--round trip out of Australia perhaps?

 

I did this, albeit, between HAL & Princess. Yes, it'd be nice to stay on one ship for these.

[Birder1]

Ah, you just reminded me. Two years ago on a White Sea cruise on another line, the special itinerary included both Murmansk and Archangel - yes some hassles, but we luckily got a great young guide who was very candid about life in Murmansk today - fascinating port cities which played an important role getting supplies to the Russians in WWII, and the fabulous Solovetsky Islands of the White Sea (think Gulag Archipelago) and the haunting history of Peter the Great's first attempted port city of Archangel makes this area definitely a good new itinerary. I think the Prinsendam occasionally makes this full White Sea trip beyond their stop in Murmansk.

 

The captain of our ship at the time was a droll Ukranian - at the worst possible moment in modern Russian/Ukranian history --- and was asked in a passenger Q&A if he thought there were extra problems with Russian immigration because of his nationality - he shugged in the most cosmopolitan manner - and simply said this is Russia, and let it go at that.

 

I used to live/work in Russia, though I've never been to Murmansk, Arkangelsk, nor the Solovetsky Islands (wanted for beluga whales!). Love to hear more about this itinerary. 😀

[OlsSalt]

I used to live/work in Russia, though I've never been to Murmansk, Arkangelsk, nor the Solovetsky Islands (wanted for beluga whales!). Love to hear more about this itinerary. 😀

 

If you google cruises and Solovetsky Islands you can find a few who go there. Oceania has a great itinerary, but it has already left - a few days ago! :( This is a very haunting chunk of Russian real estate. Hope you get there.

[Birder1]

If you google cruises and Solovetsky Islands you can find a few who go there. Oceania has a great itinerary, but it has already left - a few days ago! :( This is a very haunting chunk of Russian real estate. Hope you get there.

 

I see it on Oceania's docket for 2017. Thanks for the advice!

[cruisemom42]

I'd like to take a "Miraculously Safe Again" Roman ruins cruise around the southern and eastern Med...

 

Embark in Cadiz, then visit Rabat (Morocco) to see Volubilis, followed by stops in Tunisia (Carthage, Bulla Regia, El Djem) and then up to Sicily to see the Roman villa at Piazza Armerina.

 

Back to Africa to visit Libya (Leptis Magna, Cyrene, Ptolemais), and Egypt (Alexandria). Then on to Israel (Jerusalem, Beit Shean, Caesarea), Lebanon (Baalbek), and Syria (Palmyra).

 

A quick dash to Cyprus to visit Paphos, then back to southern Turkey to visit Iskenderun (for Antioch), Antalya, and Kusadasi (Ephesus, Miletus), with an overnight excursion to Hierapolis. After a stop at Delos, we'd Finally reach Istanbul where the cruise would end.

 

Maybe some day...

[iancal]

Itineraries and port time have become a real issue for us. It is the result of a number of extended independent land trips. We are now starting to view cruises as a pleasant interlude to this type of travel vs a vacation in and of itself. We feel this way about Europe, Asia, and Australia/NZ. Hoping to snag a SA cruise as part of a winter land vacation this year as it look like a cruise that will appeal.

[kazu]

RuthC and kazu, were you on the same ship or were your problems on multiple Oceania ships? Don, it looks like Princess is at least also going to Murmansk.

 

Roy

 

We were on the Riviera Roy.

 

I think service can be summed up best by saying it is the FIRST time DH ever wanted to fill out a mid cruise survey and requested a meeting with the General Manager (their name for Hotel Director). He got a pat reply saying all the issues had been addressed.

 

Our room was lovely (and I do mean lovely) but the butler was pretty much useless and I don't know what the point is in them other than he brought me honey, lemon and water every night. Now, to be clear, I could have gotten that on HAL on my own or ordered room service but on O there was no honey or lemon available at night.

 

It sounds like RuthC and we had similar experiences.

 

Service in the specialty restaurants ranged from wonderful to dismal. 45 minutes to wait for a plate to be cleared is dismal IMO.

 

Tables were never cleared in the Terrace Grill (their Lido) so to find a seat became difficult unless you went as soon as they opened.

 

Frankly, my cruises on both the Westerdam and Prinsendam had FAR better service than Oceania and the food was better too.

 

O was a very pricey cruise - HSC is MUCH higher - I have no idea why since the crew were cold and difficult to get service from in many venues. Culinary classes are MUCH more costlier as are the wines, drinks, etc.

 

I don't mind paying as long as the value is there. But there was no value on this cruise and many O cruisers said the same thing and some even cancelled their upcoming bookings, so it wasn't just us.

 

The one specialty restaurant that we LOVED was Jacques.

 

DH has made it clear that he will NEVER sail on Oceania again. He is more emphatic than I and frankly, I am of the same mindset.

 

I can't afford the $ it cost to give them a second chance. It seems they can't deliver a consistent product.

Edited July 2, 2016 by kazu