Cmv cruises

[Gwendy]

Has anyone cruised with this line? Looking at a cruise for next year on Columbus, rebadged Pacific Pearl. It has a great itinerary but the general feedback I am getting is lots of older folk (oops forgot I am one of them).

Have looked on Cruise lines, other but not a lot there.

All comments welcome.

[leaveitallbehind]

From what I can tell the ship you are referring to currently sails with P & O cruises, so not sure how any reviews would reflect what the experience would be when transferred to CMV this May. Other than that the ships that currently sail with them are all older being built between 1948 and 1985, with this soon to be new ship to the fleet being built in 1987. In general, those ships would not be of interest to me and if fact your post is the first I've heard of this line. But to each his own and enjoy your cruise!

[John Bull]

Cruise & Maritime is a small cruise line, geared to Brits. So you'll not learn much about them on Cruise Critic.

 

Columbus was built for Princess as Star Princess in 1989. Switched to P & O as the Arcadia in the 1990's. Probably the most favoured ship in P & O's fleet at the time, lots of folk have fond memories.

In 2003 Arcadia became Ocean Village, the first ship in P & O's experimental subsidiary line Ocean Village Cruises (later joined by Ocean Village 11). Promoted as being "for people who don't do cruises" the ships had no serviced dining, they were all buffets and deck-barbies. There being no regular serviced dining, the buffets had to be excellent - and they were, best I've experienced. I sailed her twice - very un-structured and laid-back, enjoyed her immensely.

In 2010, just as the Ocean Village concept was taking off, P & O abandoned that concept and both ships were re-fitted (including reverting to serviced dining in the main dining room) and joined their Australian fleet, where OV was re-named Pacific Pearl. (I could never understand why just buffets-and-barbies wasn't first tried in Aus, or why it was abandoned when moving the ships to Aus - surely the most likely country to embrace the concept :confused:)

 

So for background on the ship itself google those names, ensuring that you've got the right dates & bearing in mind there will have been changes.

Cabins are larger than on most ships, and extremely well-planned. Some (all??) of the balcony cabins are hull balconies - holes cut into the hull to create balconies from part of the cabins so not as airy and with metal rather than glass fronts.

 

Only sailed C&M once, on ms Discovery (which has since been scrapped :().

It's a budget line with some excellent itineraries to less-obvious destinations. Ships are quite small & old, altho' Columbus is a little larger & younger than the rest of the fleet. On-board costs are lower than on US ships. Very traditional, dare I say a little boring.

As you've discovered, an older clientele - though that does depend to some extent on the itinerary. Few kids, if any.

 

C&M is "OK".

Wouldn't be my choice, but I'd happily sail with them if the price were right and, more importantly, for an interesting itinerary.

 

All JMHO as always

 

JB :)

[jocap]

I've noticed several questions about this ship on different forums recently- I think she is the one offering a world cruise for 121 nights for £15,000 for 2.. buy one get one free... :D I'm still waiting to try C&M, as they have great itineraries and sail from different home ports.

[LHT28]

There are several threads on CMV under the OTHER CRUISES forum

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=218

[Gwendy]

Thanks for info. I have sailed on Pacific Pearl and found it to be a lovely smaller ship. It will go into dry dock for a refit before being launched as Columbus.

The forums are not offering a lot of newer info. I have cruised with a lot of different lines, the itinerary is great, I am a very experienced cruiser, not too fussy and like my own company so will give it a try.

[jocap]

Gwendy- you said that the reviews mention lots of older folk... C&M have adult only ships, so I should imagine that that's a reason for this... you'll not get the younger family groups on board. :)

[Gwendy]

Gwendy- you said that the reviews mention lots of older folk... C&M have adult only ships, so I should imagine that that's a reason for this... you'll not get the younger family groups on board. :)

Not concerned with missing out on the family groups, just don't want to be in the nursing home. On Princess world cruise you had to dodge the mobility scooters to get into the Horizon buffet.

On one Celebrity cruise after 10 pm the ship was deserted.

Oh I forgot I am in that age group, lol

[jocap]

Just seen today that C&M are having two cruises this year, and eight next year, where you can take children... but they will be in the school holidays.

We've just been on a month's cruise with around 8 children on board, so it was mainly older people, but the ship was busy until late at night... Oldies Partying! :D :cool:

Hope you find a cruise...

[FredT]

Face reality here. ANY longer cruise (especially a world cruise ) is going to be old folks. No school issues, no work issues... The biggest difference I have seen is that on some of the "upscale" lines those "old folks" are more active and in better shape than most 40 somethings in the normal world