Passenger count Dec 22 - Jan 5 journey

[Feelthebreeze87]

Hello!

 

Booked on our first cruise in less than 2 weeks now. From other posts I noticed some of you seem to have pretty good intel on passenger loads ahead of the journey. Anyone has any idea how many guests aboard we should expect on our trip?

 

Thanks in advance 

[saminina]

During October the count was about 350.  I have not noticed it going on the heavy discount list. 

[uktog]

We were told onboard it was expected to be around 700 with up to 50 under 18s. 

[parallax]

We will be on this cruise.  Two adults and one 16 year old.  

[moofster85]

We are on this but only the first leg with two adults and a 12/14 year olds. Good to hear there will be other kids on board, I'm sure its going to be very different with 700 vs. 350. 

[PaulMCO]

The OT are pretty much sold out because of the Black Friday sales.  Still PH and Residences available so 700 to 750 is about right.  

[joseph123]

Will be interested in hearing reports on how the ship fares with near or full capacity. Most have been reporting on far less passengers.

[kidless]

While on board in November Captain told me they are expecting 75 children on the Christmas cruise. 

[PrivateIdaho]

On 12/12/2023 at 6:53 PM, joseph123 said:

Will be interested in hearing reports on how the ship fares with near or full capacity. Most have been reporting on far less passengers.

It’s been interesting to compare this cruise with our others on this ship. We have about the same number of pax as our last sailings, however the Lobby Bar and Whiskey Bar are packed this time. Really hard to find bar seating, which is disappointing. Next week, will be impossible. 

[moofster85]

13 hours ago, PrivateIdaho said:

It’s been interesting to compare this cruise with our others on this ship. We have about the same number of pax as our last sailings, however the Lobby Bar and Whiskey Bar are packed this time. Really hard to find bar seating, which is disappointing. Next week, will be impossible. 

Never know with 75 kids, while my 14 year old may want to sit at the bar, I do not when I'm with them lol.

[Stickman1990]

On 12/16/2023 at 2:42 PM, PrivateIdaho said:

however the Lobby Bar and Whiskey Bar are packed this time. Really hard to find bar seating, which is disappointing. Next week, will be impossible. 

Do you mean sitting in the lounge area of the bar or at the actual seats right at the bar?

 

Personally I prefer to sit on a lounge when with a group rather than spread across the seats at the bar 

[PrivateIdaho]

Both seating options are very crowded. 

[kidless]

On our cruise which only had about 500 passengers on board. Finding a seat at the bar or even the lounge area sofas at Lobby Bar was near impossible at peak times. With full passenger pre dinner. We often walked down to Med Yacht Club even when not eating dinner there. Bar was always empty and bartender was one of the best! 

[travelwide]

Next cruise, 12/22 has 600. The one after that around 500+  It is 10:26 and lobby bar did last call. Ship operations definitely needs some tweaking. Ran out of lamb chops last night.and we have 4 nights to go. 

[Stickman1990]

32 minutes ago, travelwide said:

Ran out of lamb chops last night.and we have 4 nights to go. 

Is that across all restaurants? Lamb chops are on Marble (French), Sakura and Fil Rouge (New Zealand) at least so that’s a big miss

[uktog]

5 hours ago, travelwide said:

Next cruise, 12/22 has 600. The one after that around 500+  It is 10:26 and lobby bar did last call. Ship operations definitely needs some tweaking. Ran out of lamb chops last night.and we have 4 nights to go. 

At least they’ve pushed it 45 minutes from how it was in November based on feedback. We were impressed that our feedback that the bar should be open when Natalia is playing was acted on immediately mid cruise 

[Stickman1990]

9 minutes ago, uktog said:

At least they’ve pushed it 45 minutes from how it was in November based on feedback. We were impressed that our feedback that the bar should be open when Natalia is playing was acted on immediately mid cruise 

Are you saying the bar was shutting at 9.45pm????? Which one? - the lobby? Btw we loved listening to Natalia at various times of the day during our cruise 

 

Thats crazy 

 

I hope the bars in the Explorer lounge and the aft lounge with the duo  were open longer 

[uktog]

9 minutes ago, Stickman1990 said:

Are you saying the bar was shutting at 9.45pm????? Which one? - the lobby? Btw we loved listening to Natalia at various times of the day during our cruise 

 

Thats crazy 

 

I hope the bars in the Explorer lounge and the aft lounge with the duo  were open longer 

Last orders were being asked for at 2145 in the lobby with Natalia playing until 2230.  Unfortunately the trio as it was in the Astern played intermittently each night due to lack of customers ( the bar was open) and the Explora lounge bar stayed open but the other piano player stopped before 2200.  
The whole entertainment schedule was illogical. I’ve no idea who came up with it but it gave the impression either they’d never scheduled entertainment on a cruise ship, didn’t talk to the beverage manager to coordinate opening times and entertainment and/or were not looking each day at what guests were hanging around looking for.  Total lack of entertainment management despite the fancy job title.
As soon as Heike the general manager identified the disconnect on our cruise she did initiate changes though the entertainers still seemed not to have the full message! 
This was an example of an entertainment fix that didn’t need budget or new performers just a bit of scheduling nous. Make sure the entertainment and bar hours are coordinated and put one place with something that goes on until 2300 in addition to the disco - as we have on Azamara, Viking etc. An easy one to tweak. 

[Dr. Cocktail]

5 hours ago, uktog said:

  
The whole entertainment schedule was illogical. I’ve no idea who came up with it but it gave the impression either they’d never scheduled entertainment on a cruise ship, didn’t talk to the beverage manager to coordinate opening times and entertainment and/or were not looking each day at what guests were hanging around looking for.  Total lack of entertainment management despite the fancy job title.
 

It's my understanding that on our shared sailing, the Cruise Director (or whatever they're called) literally packed up and walked off the ship on embarkation day in Barbados!

 

We said hello to her on boarding, chatted about which part of Toronto she was from and never saw her again!  

 

That most certainly would have affected the general programming and schedules. The male singer was actually witnessed by our friends having a micro-meltdown on stage at the end of his set ....

[uktog]

15 minutes ago, Dr. Cocktail said:

It's my understanding that on our shared sailing, the Cruise Director (or whatever they're called) literally packed up and walked off the ship on embarkation day in Barbados!

 

We said hello to her on boarding, chatted about which part of Toronto she was from and never saw her again!  

 

That most certainly would have affected the general programming and schedules. The male singer was actually witnessed by our friends having a micro-meltdown on stage at the end of his set ....

If you think the scheduling was illogical on our sailing you should have seen them the sailing before - these were certainly the work of the departing manager. 
The male singer was so unprofessional and was the only “host” who repeatedly walked past guests without acknowledging them

And professionals (applies to both “singers”) don’t need iPads onstage to remind them of their words and music 

[thebigcruiseguy]

Does anyone know the latest bar is on the ship, and what time is last call? Assume they have at least one bar that closes at 1 or 2am (0100 or 0200)

 

Thanks.

[Dr. Cocktail]

4 hours ago, uktog said:

 

And professionals (applies to both “singers”) don’t need iPads onstage to remind them of their words and music 

We were really not impressed at the over reliance of the less than ideal performers on iPads and iPhones for lyrics. They really should have hired singers who actually had a repertoire or could use their very extensive down time to learn the songs!

 

 

[PrivateIdaho]

5 hours ago, Dr. Cocktail said:

the Cruise Director (or whatever they're called) literally packed up and walked off the ship on embarkation day in Barbados!

Read on a FB post, Tanya is going back to Azamara. 

[uktog]

1 hour ago, PrivateIdaho said:

Read on a FB post, Tanya is going back to Azamara. 

Yes read its a two month fill in.  I suspect she will be on when we are there.  Wonder if she will be more engaging with guests there

[java spot]

The Astern bar is probably open the latest. When I was on board in September there was an electronic music dj who played some great contemporary dance music (rather than recycled music for boomers) if it’s active it will probably stay open past 1 am.