I personally could do without....

[Ma Bell]

[quote name='Coco Creek']I guess most of the stuff we an do without, we can choose to skip. All the revenue stuff--art auctions, spa products, etc.--bring in revenue that keeps cruise fares lower. It is a fair trade off, given that the sales pitches can be skipped or ignored.[/quote]

I agree, just keep walking.:)

[cruise kitty]

Get rid of the art auctions:( , give me my massage without the sales pitch, and bring back the librarians to the library ( and some new books)

[Captain Jake]

Things I could do without:
3rd Formal Night
Green Gunk on Afternoon Canapes (smells like a teenagers sneakers)
Replace with:
More Live Music
Better Coffee at Buffet

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

[quote name='Blazerboy']Do without?

Disembarcation!:D

I think that with almost any activity/entertainment/etc., you'll find some fans and some detractors, so I guess it would be a shame to get rid of something that a significant # DO like...

Maybe it's my arched eyebrow, or the lift of one corner of my lip, but even the spa staff rarely try to sell me anything. That, or the note that I slip them that says that any purchases will result in me having too little money for a tip!:rolleyes:

Seriously, I'm generally happy with most things, and those I don't like, I ignore...Art auctions, napkin twirling, and in-cabin smoking would be high on the list of things [B][U]I[/U] [/B]could do without, but that's me.

Andrew[/quote]

Love it! Let us stay on longer. Then they can have all the art auctions or whatever they want, I'll just continue to ignore them and do what I consider to be fun.

[librarycin]

[quote name='BrendaJ']I was going to jump right in and say "The Baked Alaska Parade" until I thought of the first-time cruisers. I must admit, the first time I saw it, I thought it was pretty cool. Of course, after the 14th time, I really don't need to see it again.[/quote]

I agree that the Baked Alaska parade can go. I've only been on one cruise, and when it started, I just wondered about the [I]very [/I]odd ritual that seemed to be happening. Honestly, I just thought it was kind of lame and silly.

The art auction can also go.

I'd love to see more lecturers. I went to every one (there were only three) on my Alaska cruise.

I also like the shows before dinner for the late seating (and I like the production shows!). After dinner, it just goes too late. Actually, as a bit of a stargazer, I like heading outside for a while after dinner, and if I had to go to a show first (and I would go, because I do like them), that's when it becomes late.

Obviously everyone likes and dislikes different things, but it does seem that the art auction and Baked Alaska do not seem to have very many fans...

[librarycin]

[quote name='cruise kitty'] and bring back the librarians to the library ( and some new books)[/quote]

oooooh - librarians in the library! What a thought! :D Yup - I'm a librarian and I'd love to work on a cruise ship! Well - except that I have two furry babies at home that I could never leave.

[StewieGriffin]

Sky Sweet: I agree they should bring back bridge directors. DW and I started learning 4 months ago and were disappointed when we sailed on Millie 01-06-08 and discovered there was no bridge director on board. They listed unsupervised bridge play every day, but we are too new to bridge and didn't participate. How about dumping art auctions in favor of bridge?

[Tisambas]

Ditto!

[lisiamc]

I could do without the Baked Alaska parade - I agree with the poster who didn't like even the first time they saw it. And as for twirling napkins, well, I refuse to twirl - I clap instead.

And I'd love it if they would bring back real dance instructors. The dancers are pleasant, but just because you can dance well doesn't mean you can [B]teach [/B]dancing well! I'm twice the age of some of those girls, and sometimes I fell like I'm twice their size, too! And definitely more than twice as clumsy!:p

Lisa

[richsea]

Formal nights.

[Mike2131]

... have no decent male lead singer. Our experience has been that the female singers are so much better than the male singers that it is almost laughable. Why is it so difficult to get a male of equal caliber? The dancing is also usually only fair. Maybe it has just been the luck of the draw, but we seldom attend more than one production show per cruise.

Several posters have offered a couple of nice ideas - more individual acts or perhaps spend the money for a "headliner". Although I think they would be hard pressed (not to say spend the money) to get a true "name" act to head the bill, we would like to see either approach tried.

[Ma Bell]

[quote name='StewieGriffin']Sky Sweet: I agree they should bring back bridge directors. DW and I started learning 4 months ago and were disappointed when we sailed on Millie 01-06-08 and discovered there was no bridge director on board. They listed unsupervised bridge play every day, but we are too new to bridge and didn't participate. How about dumping art auctions in favor of bridge?[/quote]

There was always a lot of participation for organized bridge and I too would like to see directors on all cruises, however, they play duplicate bridge and some take it fairly seriously so it would be really difficult for a beginner.

[CathyCruises]

As a veteran of many cruises and cruise lines, I agree with the majority of the issues here--mainly art auctions, hard sell in the spa, and the dreaded Baked Alaska parade.

But I think the bottom line is that the cruise lines need to start listening! As baby boomers edge into retirement, more and more of us will be taking more and more cruises--until finally "we" collectively decide that after 25+ cruises we have experienced our last BA parade! If they don't start changing it up, WE will start changing our vacation plans and then where will they be???

When all the cruise lines do exactly the same things, disaster lurks for the cruise industry. In desperation, I have scheduled my next cruise on Oceania, to see maybe if I pay more, can I avoid the same old, same old??
I did cruise on Crystal once, and the on board activities were the best ever--great lectures that were very well attended (several on investing and retirement planning that had no "hook", just good info), wonderful dance lessons with a different dance featured every time, bridge lessons that were very well taught and attended, etc. This was about 10 years ago, but I still remember what we did on sea days, as opposed to my most recent cruises when I wandered about looking for something worthwhile to occupy my time and have no memory of what I ended up doing.

I also LOVE the idea of one formal night! Make it fun and special and something to look to--not, again, just the same old, same old.

Listen up, guys!! Ignore us at your peril!!!

[jt1120]

I think everyone agrees on the art auctions. What I want to know is where the "adults only" cruises went? They used to do a couple every year, but I haven't noticed them lately. I could go for a few more of those.

And leave the 4- and 5-nighters alone! For those of us who live in Florida, it's a great way to get your cruise fix, for those of us who are cruise junkies.

As for wine tastings, I learn something new every time I go. I guess it's a connoisseur thing.

Princess did a good job in the dancing department. They had a different dance learning session every day on my last cruise. I thought it was a good idea, except towards the end of the session, they started rushing things and I've got two left feet. It takes me awhile.

I can't understand how anyone could do without the champagne and the waiters in the buffet. Those are just two of the many things that separates X from the other lines. GMAB!

Finally, [B]DON'T TOUCH FORMAL NIGHTS![/B] Too many of the other lines are available for casual attire. Leave formal nights alone!

[Fogfog]

can do without

Perry Grant
and
the "art auctions"

[StewieGriffin]

[quote name='Ma Bell']There was always a lot of participation for organized bridge and I too would like to see directors on all cruises, however, they play duplicate bridge and some take it fairly seriously so it would be really difficult for a beginner.[/QUOTE]
Ma Bell: I should have specified we are novice duplicate players. We would have felt comfortable if there was a director on board. You should see how competitive supervised play is at our club!!

[Ma Bell]

[B][COLOR=teal]I guess what I meant to say is that most of the people who play duplicate onboard are very experienced and have been playing for many years. I remember the first time I attempted to play there was a question from one of the players about whether they were going to be playing with people on their level. The director asked him what level he was and he said he played on his country's team.:eek: Needless to say I didn't come back to play duplicate until I felt I could hold my own. It was a couple of years later. [/COLOR][/B]
[B][COLOR=#008080][/COLOR][/B]
[B][COLOR=#008080]There's no problem with novices attending the lessons in the morning and they are usually very good. In the beginning I would go to the lesson in the morning and then play unsupervised party bridge in the afternoon. I know some cruises the people are more relaxed about playing duplicate with new players, but I've also seen some where they will refuse to play with novice players.[/COLOR][/B]
[B][COLOR=#008080][/COLOR][/B]
[B][COLOR=#008080]I'm able to play and feel comfortable now at any level. The last cruise I played with a lady who is a Silver Life Master and has been teaching bridge for 30 years.[/COLOR][/B]
[B][COLOR=#008080][/COLOR][/B]
[B][COLOR=#008080][/COLOR][/B]

[Texed]

[B][COLOR=darkred]I could personally do without the waffles. :rolleyes: [/COLOR][/B]

[usha]

[B][I][SIZE=7][COLOR=magenta]Texed, LOL!!!!!:D [/COLOR][/SIZE][/I][/B]

[Cathy Laz]

I thought this topic looked like fun. I thought about it and thought that I could do without the horrible coffee, the sub-par shows for a cruise line of this caliber, and photographers at dinner time. BUT....then I read the post with 50 different things. I thought about this and decided that, I could just give up coffee, check my teeth for broccoli (at least we could both be in a photo together) and skip a show if it was not that good. Thanks Ma Bell.........you summed it up nicely. I guess the only thing we really need to do without is "grumpy people".

Cathy

[Cathy Laz]

sorry, duplicate post.

[Onessa]

GOFs!

(grumpy old farts! -- and before anyone gets uptight about the "O", realize that "old" is in the mind of the GOF, I know 12YO who are GOFs!)

[Karynanne]

[quote name='Texed'][B][COLOR=darkred]I could personally do without the waffles. :rolleyes: [/COLOR][/B][/QUOTE]

Surely you jest....

[retired1998]

2 formal nights instead of 3 (also not in the mood that late in the cruise)
art auction (although on one cruise years ago, I bought something)

I like the production shows and the ones with headliners. On our last cruise 2 out of 3 headliners were wonderful. The 3rd was good.

The Cova Cafe should be open more than two hours in the afternoon.
My DH complained about the coffee at the buffet being lukewarm.
More sugarfree desserts.

Instead of canapes, I asked for and received, cheese and crackers or shrimp cocktail.

I could live without a casino. We don't play.

More than one specialty restaurant. Last summer we were on Pride of America (NCLA) and there were several.

[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]8/99 Alaska Celebrity [/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]8/01 Scandinavia/Russia Princess [/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]1/05 Western Carribean Celebrity [/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]10/05 Hawaii Norwegian [/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]1/07 Panama Canal Celebrity [/FONT][/SIZE]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]8/07 Hawaii Norwegian[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]1/08 South America Celebrity[/SIZE][/FONT]

[sfcsu]

[quote name='cruisePRN']I could do without the ART action
I could do without any smoking onboard (one little outdoor corner for smokers would be okay)
I could do without all the calories :D[/quote]

You must be reading my mind! I am not too sure about the coner for smoking. Smokers can leave the ship and smoke.

I could also live without the midnight buffet. I love a daily late night dessert and coffee bar by the pool or some other outdoor location.