General Immersion Thread (merged)

[coxswain]

Given all these Immersion Cruise threads with people complaining - i was wondering all those cruises we'd taken out of Florida in the past ( we're UK'ers ) where we on an American Immersion Cruise's ?

 

 

 

 

jj......

[Cruise Junky]

Just found out our Independence cruise for next June 2009 is an "immersion" cruise. I have no problem that they will now cater more to the "British" as RCCL stated. I truly enjoyed sailing on Sea Princess from Southampton which also seemed to cater to the British influence and passengers. We enjoyed our cruise and met many nice people and the food was fine. If all it was on Independence was the food, entertainment, etc... that would be ok with us but that isn't the case.The reason we are canceling is that I just found out that the currency on board will now be in Euros .

 

This is getting ridiculous...The Euro isn't even the currency of Great Britain. If it's catering to Brits, why aren't they using the Pound? They seriously need to give their heads a shake, their brains are obviously stuck.

[scottbee]

I must admit, I am a tad confused. Are there really people that think;

• Royal Caribbean International - (owned by shareholders around the world)
  
• operating a ship registered in Bahamas
  
• leaving Southampton, UK
  
• visiting non-American ports
  
• carrying a majority of British passengers

would cater to persons from the USA ? If you're in business, you cater to the majority.

 

In this case, most of the people on board are British (as it departs from Southampton), so they're aiming to be a little more British. They've been these things for years, to cater to the majority of the passengers, and in reality is so minor that they're only just realizing that some people notice, and maybe they should mention it.

 

You know what, McDonalds have regionalized menus too. Is everyone up in arms that McDonalds burgers are made from lamb in some countries?

[SF]

Cruise Junky:

 

Totally agree! I even asked her that same question two times. I would have thought it would be in Pounds. The answer I got was they decided on Euros. I plan on calling my TA tomorrow to clear all this up and see if he can get some correct answers. If it's true then we will be canceling. To tell you the truth I'm concerned booking with RCCL right now until all this gets straightened out. I don't want to get stuck holding reservations (plane/hotels) that I can't get refunded.

 

 

scottbee:

 

I can't speak for others but personally we aren't up in arms that they are catering to certain nationalities. We loved all our cruises from Southampton and yes, they had a majority of British passengers. We enjoyed mingling and they did have certain foods catering to them which we enjoyed. Meeting people and experiencing new cultures is part of traveling. I think the only thing upsetting most people is that they should be given the choice at time of booking, this shouldn't be implemented afterwards so people feel like they "have" to go or lose deposit money. If RCCL wishes to do this then let the public know and make up there own mind when they originally book. When I purchase anything I like to know at the time of booking what I'm paying for. I'd be really upset if I purchased front row seats to a concert and then ended up sitting in the balcony because the stadium decided to change it. We personally also don't want to spend more on top of what we were originally planning to spend to exchange currency for shipboard charges. This may not bother others but with all the "extra" add ons for cruises to flights with baggage charges every little bit adds up. If the currency on board was still in US dollars we wouldn't be thinking of canceling.

[Ela 2]

Yes. When we have cruised out of the USA we expect a fully American immersion cruise. Maybe the issue comes to the fore when American passengers book on an American ship that is sailing from another country. If they book on P & O or Princess out of an Australian port, they wll get an "Australian immersion" cruise, but with several different accents from the staff and crew. :)

[TRacanoUK]

Cruise Junky:

 

Totally agree! I even asked her that same question two times. I would have thought it would be in Pounds. The answer I got was they decided on Euros. I plan on calling my TA tomorrow to clear all this up and see if he can get some correct answers. If it's true then we will be canceling. To tell you the truth I'm concerned booking with RCCL right now until all this gets straightened out. I don't want to get stuck holding reservations (plane/hotels) that I can't get refunded.

 

 

scottbee:

 

I can't speak for others but personally we aren't up in arms that they are catering to certain nationalities. We loved all our cruises from Southampton and yes, they had a majority of British passengers. We enjoyed mingling and they did have certain foods catering to them which we enjoyed. Meeting people and experiencing new cultures is part of traveling. I think the only thing upsetting most people is that they should be given the choice at time of booking, this shouldn't be implemented afterwards so people feel like they "have" to go or lose deposit money. If RCCL wishes to do this then let the public know and make up there own mind when they originally book. When I purchase anything I like to know at the time of booking what I'm paying for. I'd be really upset if I purchased front row seats to a concert and then ended up sitting in the balcony because the stadium decided to change it. We personally also don't want to spend more on top of what we were originally planning to spend to exchange currency for shipboard charges. This may not bother others but with all the "extra" add ons for cruises to flights with baggage charges every little bit adds up. If the currency on board was still in US dollars we wouldn't be thinking of canceling.

 

Does anyone know the currency definitively? My cruise docs (27 June sailing) clearly indicate USD, but the rep I talked to last night "guessed" it would be changing to euros (which is funny because its a scandanavian immersion--most of those countries have their own currencies still!). Anyhow, I am really curious if anyone heard something definite on currency.

[scotsman]

SF

 

What is the Problem with paying in Euros ?

Us Brits will be paying in Euros instead of American Dollars, most credit cards dont charge an exchange rate.

We have to convert from Pounds to your dollar when we cruise out of the States.

 

I have paid my tours on the Indy this June in Dollars and this is converted at the exchange rate into pounds.

If a drink on the ship is $6 at the mo they will convert this to the Euro rate which at the moment is 3.50 Euro you will still be paying $6. (this drink will not be charged at 6 Euro)

 

Unless you were planning on spending thousands of Dollars the difference of dollar to Euros might cost you $20 to $30 :eek: if you transfer to Princess the price of a few cocktails against your free ones in the RCI Concierge lounge will soon eat into you exchange difference.

[Davey Interweb]

Whew, I was just thinking that they might just switch the $ sign to a € in the bar menus and be done with it. If they did that a martini would cost, like, $300 by the time I cruise next!

[Foody]

Having already purchased £1000 worth of dollars when they were at a great rate of $2.08 what am I supposed to do with them now !:mad:

 

Just paid the final balance on the holiday yesterday........

Will be calling the travel agaent today, the immersion thing dosen't bother me but changing the currency is just crazy and very unfair on many passengers who have planned ahead. The euro conversion rate for us at the moment is rubbish - not happy at all.:(

[Foody]

Update - I have just spoken to my travel agent who in turn spoke to a main contact at RC, they assured her 100% that everything would be in dollars.

Also the immersion thing was no big deal and just a couple of things may be more geared towards brits like the bacon etc. Really is nothing to worry about ....................

[El Mono]

Given all these Immersion Cruise threads with people complaining - i was wondering all those cruises we'd taken out of Florida in the past ( we're UK'ers ) where we on an American Immersion Cruise's ?

 

jj......

 

 

Yes, you probably were.

If I were you I would write the CEO a nasty letter demanding onboard credit for your next cruise and also demand them to pay back any gratitudes that you have paid on these cruises :p

[scotsman]

Foody

Where did you get the rate of $2.08

The travelex rate today is £1 buys $1.91

[Foody]

I bought them months ago when the dollar rate was at a record high. You pay upfront and then the dollars are sent to you at the time of your holiday, you get such a good rate as you are paying in advance.

Basically they must be making there money from having my money sat in the bank for all these months.

I have used tham several times before and they are very reliable.

The company is called crown currency exchange, google it and they will come up.

If you have holidays booked in advance this is a great way of getting the best rates..

[scotsman]

Cheers will have a look

[Ephraim]

Yes. When we have cruised out of the USA we expect a fully American immersion cruise. Maybe the issue comes to the fore when American passengers book on an American ship that is sailing from another country. If they book on P & O or Princess out of an Australian port, they wll get an "Australian immersion" cruise, but with several different accents from the staff and crew. :)

 

American ships? I assume you are talking about NCL America because all the major cruise lines are not flying American flags instead they usually fly the flags of Bahamas, Bermuda, Panama, Liberia or Britain. The corporations may have head offices in the US, but they are generally incorporated for tax purposes in Panama.

[nikkicattrell]

So even if that is the case for the immersion cruise, theater shows, pool side games, bingo, excursions, activities, kids club, etc.... would all be in chinese. Unless you know the language, please tell me how this is fun?

 

 

Chinese karaoke - absolutely brilliant. Didn't understand a word of it, but they were really enjoying themselves! :D

[nikkicattrell]

I bought them months ago when the dollar rate was at a record high. You pay upfront and then the dollars are sent to you at the time of your holiday, you get such a good rate as you are paying in advance.

Basically they must be making there money from having my money sat in the bank for all these months.

I have used tham several times before and they are very reliable.

The company is called crown currency exchange, google it and they will come up.

If you have holidays booked in advance this is a great way of getting the best rates..

 

Oh great tip - thanks! :D

[Ephraim]

A lot of this discussion can be summed up by one word:

 

xenophobia

Pronunciation: \ˌze-nə-ˈfō-bē-ə, ˌzē-\ Definition: fear and hatred of strangers or foreigners or of anything that is strange or foreign.

~*~

 

Doesn't this sound so horrible, to be in a foreign land and actually try some foreign food and a bit of their culture.

 

Frankly, this is my biggest complaint about cruising. I want the option to try something local. In Argentina I went out to a parilla. In Chile we had Pastel de Choclo and Pastel de Javier (I think that' s how it's spelled). If the cruise lines took on local produce around the world they would have fantastic fruit and vegetables from Spain and Mexico, wonderful beef from Argentina and great fish from Chile. What can be bad about that? So, I don't know the dish, that's fine, I'm on a cruise and I can order something different if I don't like it.

 

Where's a list of these immersion cruises... I want to book one!

[El Mono]

Given all these Immersion Cruise threads with people complaining - i was wondering all those cruises we'd taken out of Florida in the past ( we're UK'ers ) where we on an American Immersion Cruise's ?

 

jj......

 

Have I completely misunderstod COXs post as I thought it was a little ironical?

[Mocorobabe]

Yes, coxswains post was ironical, but misses the point. When he sailed out of a U.S. port or a foreign port, he knew what he was getting before he booked. Now some of us have discovered that cruises we've booked have become immersion cruises which is a complete turn around from what we expected.

 

We have sailed from many ports in many countries and always know what type of food we would be getting. At the moment we have concerns about dietary problems. Would cancel, but airfare is involved.

 

Mocorobabe

[Bakincakes]

A lot of this discussion can be summed up by one word:

 

xenophobia

 

Pronunciation: \ˌze-nə-ˈfō-bē-ə, ˌzē-\ Definition: fear and hatred of strangers or foreigners or of anything that is strange or foreign.

~*~

 

 

Doesn't this sound so horrible, to be in a foreign land and actually try some foreign food and a bit of their culture.

 

Frankly, this is my biggest complaint about cruising. I want the option to try something local. In Argentina I went out to a parilla. In Chile we had Pastel de Choclo and Pastel de Javier (I think that' s how it's spelled). If the cruise lines took on local produce around the world they would have fantastic fruit and vegetables from Spain and Mexico, wonderful beef from Argentina and great fish from Chile. What can be bad about that? So, I don't know the dish, that's fine, I'm on a cruise and I can order something different if I don't like it.

 

Where's a list of these immersion cruises... I want to book one!

 

I think that is unfair. This isn't a case of xenophobia. This is a case of pax booking one trip and being told it has now changed to another trip.

 

If people didn't want to experience different cultures they wouldn't book cruises from different countries. I think the issue is that they are basically being forced into an immersion. If the cruise was advertised as an immersion to begin with no one would have any room to complain.

[Cruising89143]

A lot of this discussion can be summed up by one word:

 

xenophobia

Pronunciation: \ˌze-nə-ˈfō-bē-ə, ˌzē-\ Definition: fear and hatred of strangers or foreigners or of anything that is strange or foreign.

~*~

 

Doesn't this sound so horrible, to be in a foreign land and actually try some foreign food and a bit of their culture.

 

Frankly, this is my biggest complaint about cruising. I want the option to try something local. In Argentina I went out to a parilla. In Chile we had Pastel de Choclo and Pastel de Javier (I think that' s how it's spelled). If the cruise lines took on local produce around the world they would have fantastic fruit and vegetables from Spain and Mexico, wonderful beef from Argentina and great fish from Chile. What can be bad about that? So, I don't know the dish, that's fine, I'm on a cruise and I can order something different if I don't like it.

 

Where's a list of these immersion cruises... I want to book one!

 

Has nothing to do with that at all. When I book a cruise, I book it due to what is being offered at the time of the booking. If the cruise line changes the on board atmosphere then I have a right to be upset. If I wanted a cruise for example that was British then I would book P&O or Fred Olsen and not RCI.

[curley23]

I don't think we are so immersed into ourselves. People planned an american cruise to international countries. They did this to visit various countries but still have an american cruise ship to return back to. Now they are told that is not the case. As far as English being spoken, on every RCCL ship I have been on, the only thing spoken in other languages are announcements. So even if that is the case for the immersion cruise, theater shows, pool side games, bingo, excursions, activities, kids club, etc.... would all be in chinese. Unless you know the language, please tell me how this is fun?

 

Would you go pay to go to the movie theater to watch a chinese movie with no subtitles? Imagine 7 days of that. :eek: Foreigners that go on RCCL cruise ships know before purchasing the cruise it is an american cruise. Most speak English, at least a little which is why they sign up to go. If they didn't, they would go on their own local cruise ships. These cruises were changed on many people who already brought airfare thinking they had an american focused cruise. I don't think it is right.

 

First of all RCI is not american, hence RC International. The ship does not embark from an american port, if it did, then I could understand all of the disappointment, but since it embarks in Asia, or Brazil, or where ever, wouldn't common sense tell you there probably won't be a large percentage of Americans aboard?? These cruise lines aren't moving ships around the world to give us americans a taste of other cultures. They want their business,too. I guess RCI might need to alert the TA's and also print a little blurb on their website, and in the brochures about cruises that embarq in some ports may not be an american type of cruise, for those who can't figure it out ahead of time.

[jmraggs]

Given all these Immersion Cruise threads with people complaining - i was wondering all those cruises we'd taken out of Florida in the past ( we're UK'ers ) where we on an American Immersion Cruise's ?

jj......

 

 

Great point!:D Unlike myself and my partner, many Americans don't like to enjoy other cultures. When we travel, we love to go into the non-tourist areas of the countries to acutallly see and interact with the locals. That is pure enjoyment to us, and sense we are Americans, we don't particularly want to be around Americans when we travel to other countries, otherwise we would just stay in the US. We have been to many areas where english was a problem in communication, but we survived.:rolleyes:

 

I would always expect to be immersed in the culture and people of the Country that we are sailing from as you are sailing from their country!:) I wish most people would look around the ship next time they are sailing from the U.S. and notice that the people from other countries are on an American immersion cruise like you have said!

[AnotherCruisingKid]

thanks to everyone so far for your quick responses.

 

unbelieveably so, i am also trying to figure out their definition of "all british food." i am sure there are a lot of british people, who want to try different types of foods and for this reason decided to book a cruise. to me the whole thing sounds completely ridiculous.

 

imagine taking a cruise out of america and having them say we were eating all american food for two weeks? pizza? hot dogs? hamburgers? french fries? mashed potatoes? yuck, yuck, and more yuck. to me the joy of cruising is being able to experience different types of food.

 

what in the world is rccl thinking? i think someone bumped his or her head.

 

No one in their right mind is booking with RCI to try different foods and expecting it to be a fair example.

 

And the comment about american food is either completely sarcastic or totally ignorant.

 

I am assuming that the food immersion is just in the dining rooms. The specialty and other restaurants will be keeping what they normally do right?