Here is another bit of news which you probably cannot find elsewhere...yet. Seabourn has selected its top officers and staff.
All of them have a tremendous amount of experience and will please many of you to see they have been recognized.
Captain - Karl Buer
Hotel Manager - Guenter Steinbrunner
Chief Purser - Andrew Thompson
Restaurant Manager - Karl Eckl
Executive Chef - Graeme Cockburn
Public Room Manager - Oliver Ellinger
Provision Master - Willem Knijn
Executive Housekeeper - Michelle Roberts
Cruise Director - Barry Hopkins
Tour Manager - Carol Frey
Cruise Sales Specialist - Jennifer Kok
Personnel Training Manager - Johan Poelmans
I would like to extend my congratulations to each of them and look forward to greeting them onboard prior to the Maiden Voyage on June 24, 2009.
(Personally I will try to get in good with Graeme Cockburn and Willem Knijn rather than Johan Poelmans! I do have my priorities.)
Friday, September 5, 2008
Seabourn Upgrades On The Way
Yesterday was some somewhat disappointing news (at least for some) regarding the discontinuation of most of the complimentary Seabourn Experiences. I told you it was really not a cost-cutting measure, but rather an evolution of Seabourn's upscaling its overall experience for its guests. Sooooooooooo......
I can now let you know of a couple of very nice upgrades across the entire fleet:
Deck Furniture - Yes, its true! Gone shortly will be the plastic lounge chairs. In their place will be extremely nice, comfortable and very upscale lounges...and they will be very cool. I can't disclose more now, but I know it will be hard to find a complaint about them. I, personally, think they will well and truly change the look of the deck on the triplets and richen the experience. Trust me on this: When you see the you will know that there were many less costly options available...and Seabourn went for the best.
Tableware - New tableware is coming and there will be three different styles; one focused for each unique dining venue on the Odyssey. It is amazing how a change in tableware - which is surprisingly expensive - can alter the look of not only the restaurant, but the presentation of the food. In my superyacht business I can tell you that just the size, shape, color, trim (if any), if there is a discernible rim, weight, balance, durability, etc., etc. of each piece takes hours of discussion. Each piece receives different opinions from the chefs (presentation), the servers (workability) and head of the restaurant (overall look). It is not an easy task.
Now, let's compare: How many are happier with the new deck furniture and spiffying up of the tableware vs. how many are disappointed with the elimination of the mostly underutilized Seabourn Experiences? Thought so.
(And for those are are still disappointed...and didn't book your cruise with me to ease same...there are are more good things to come!)
How to Handle...And Not Handle...A Hurricane
With hurricane season well and truly upon us (Thanks to Fay, Gustav, Hanna, Ike and...) there are a few things which need to be mentioned; highlighted by the USA Today report about the Mutiny on the Carnival Miracle.
First, any passenger traveling to the Caribbean between August and October must (that is "must") understand that ship happens during hurricane season. If you have saved up for your one and only trip to St. Thomas or you have finally decided to "now or never" swim with the stingrays in Grand Cayman this is not the season to book your cruise to do it. Fly to the destination and do a land-based holiday. You may get wet, but you only have to deal with problems if the hurricane is going to be over the top of you...rather than blocking the ship's path back to port.
Second, be flexible. Even if your itinerary isn't what it was supposed to be remember that First and Foremost, you wanted to be on a cruise. You spent how much time selecting the ship, which cabin, avoiding which airports, etc.? You think (or post) endlessly about your favorite waiters, the "secrets" of enjoying the ship more, how the entertainers are going to be, whether there will be new towel animals and have pre-booked the spas and specialty dining areas. Even if you don't get to go to a port, you have the ship...and that is THE major destination for most Caribbean cruises.
Third, hope and pray the cruise line handles it well. Here I can give you too great recent examples...one Excellent and one, apparently, terrible.
A. Excellent - During my recent cruise on Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas we dodged Fay, but had to deal with Gustav. As a result our 4 port cruise (Labadee, Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman and Cozumel) became only 2 ports (St. Thomas and St. Maarten). Captain Johnny gave a very detailed explanation over the ship's PA system (which was great for those that could not understand his very enthusiastic and upbeat Norwegian accent!). BUT RCCL DID MORE: The Cruise Director and Captain broadcast a detailed explanation over the television system using charts, weather tracking information, travel distances, etc. leaving absolutely no question in any reasonable mind that every option was taken into account (even, "Well we could have sneaked into Labadee and then changed course, but you would have been met with a cold, rainy and windy beach along with rough seas, so we opted for a sea day with sunny skies and smooth seas")...and then they explained it again; confirming the difference in port charges would be added to everyone's onboard account. Yes, there was disappointment for many with less ports and more sea days...and being in St. Thomas again (though there were happy shoppers) and being in St. Maarten with 10,000+ cruise passengers, but most everyone understood. (There were a few out of control passengers, but they were far and very few between). All in all it was handled extremely well by the cruise line and the passengers.
B. Terrible - In today's USA Today online there is a blog about there being a virtual Mutiny on the Carnival Miracle not only because of the change in itinerary caused by Hanna (including a non-Caribbean port call in Newport, Rhode Island...which I personally love), but because of the way the captain has purportedly handled it. USA Today reports that one CruiseCritic poster claims "The attitude of the captain has caused passengers to (go) ballistic" and that the passengers are shouting "Refund! Refund!" while threatening to penalize the innocent crew by reducing their gratuities to "zero". Now, I have been around long enough to know that not every CruiseCritic poster portrays things as accurately as they might and that some have agendas which are not totally honorable, but where there is smoke there is a good chance of fire. Quite possibly an understanding and warm explanation that there as no way to cross Hanna's path safely (which should be obvious) either on the way and/or the way back coupled with an explanation that because of the size of the Miracle, Bermuda was not an option (I am assuming here), Carnival might have avoided the Mutiny.
Alas, there is a reason my motto/business plan is very simple: Be Treated By Your Travel Agent As You Will Be Onboard! I expect to be treated exceptionally well. If I do not believe I will be, I will not board the ship and will not suggest such a ship to my clients. (Ironically, I have 8 clients sailing on the Carnival Miracle tomorrow! I will be able to let you know how Carnival response to Ike with more direct info!)
Personally, no matter how arrogant the captain may be, no matter how bad the ports may be, no matter how disappointed you may be, you are still on a cruise...on the ship of your choosing...and the ship has lots of good things to do. Why ruin the entirety of your cruise while you are on it? Make the best of it and, if ultimately appropriate, complain when you return. BUT REMEMBER, you chose to cruise during hurricane season. (Did you like the discounted price offered on your cruise? You could have taken the same cruise Christmas for lots more money. First ask yourself, "Why was the cruise discounted so much?" and then write your letter.)
First, any passenger traveling to the Caribbean between August and October must (that is "must") understand that ship happens during hurricane season. If you have saved up for your one and only trip to St. Thomas or you have finally decided to "now or never" swim with the stingrays in Grand Cayman this is not the season to book your cruise to do it. Fly to the destination and do a land-based holiday. You may get wet, but you only have to deal with problems if the hurricane is going to be over the top of you...rather than blocking the ship's path back to port.
Second, be flexible. Even if your itinerary isn't what it was supposed to be remember that First and Foremost, you wanted to be on a cruise. You spent how much time selecting the ship, which cabin, avoiding which airports, etc.? You think (or post) endlessly about your favorite waiters, the "secrets" of enjoying the ship more, how the entertainers are going to be, whether there will be new towel animals and have pre-booked the spas and specialty dining areas. Even if you don't get to go to a port, you have the ship...and that is THE major destination for most Caribbean cruises.
Third, hope and pray the cruise line handles it well. Here I can give you too great recent examples...one Excellent and one, apparently, terrible.
A. Excellent - During my recent cruise on Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas we dodged Fay, but had to deal with Gustav. As a result our 4 port cruise (Labadee, Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman and Cozumel) became only 2 ports (St. Thomas and St. Maarten). Captain Johnny gave a very detailed explanation over the ship's PA system (which was great for those that could not understand his very enthusiastic and upbeat Norwegian accent!). BUT RCCL DID MORE: The Cruise Director and Captain broadcast a detailed explanation over the television system using charts, weather tracking information, travel distances, etc. leaving absolutely no question in any reasonable mind that every option was taken into account (even, "Well we could have sneaked into Labadee and then changed course, but you would have been met with a cold, rainy and windy beach along with rough seas, so we opted for a sea day with sunny skies and smooth seas")...and then they explained it again; confirming the difference in port charges would be added to everyone's onboard account. Yes, there was disappointment for many with less ports and more sea days...and being in St. Thomas again (though there were happy shoppers) and being in St. Maarten with 10,000+ cruise passengers, but most everyone understood. (There were a few out of control passengers, but they were far and very few between). All in all it was handled extremely well by the cruise line and the passengers.
B. Terrible - In today's USA Today online there is a blog about there being a virtual Mutiny on the Carnival Miracle not only because of the change in itinerary caused by Hanna (including a non-Caribbean port call in Newport, Rhode Island...which I personally love), but because of the way the captain has purportedly handled it. USA Today reports that one CruiseCritic poster claims "The attitude of the captain has caused passengers to (go) ballistic" and that the passengers are shouting "Refund! Refund!" while threatening to penalize the innocent crew by reducing their gratuities to "zero". Now, I have been around long enough to know that not every CruiseCritic poster portrays things as accurately as they might and that some have agendas which are not totally honorable, but where there is smoke there is a good chance of fire. Quite possibly an understanding and warm explanation that there as no way to cross Hanna's path safely (which should be obvious) either on the way and/or the way back coupled with an explanation that because of the size of the Miracle, Bermuda was not an option (I am assuming here), Carnival might have avoided the Mutiny.
Alas, there is a reason my motto/business plan is very simple: Be Treated By Your Travel Agent As You Will Be Onboard! I expect to be treated exceptionally well. If I do not believe I will be, I will not board the ship and will not suggest such a ship to my clients. (Ironically, I have 8 clients sailing on the Carnival Miracle tomorrow! I will be able to let you know how Carnival response to Ike with more direct info!)
Personally, no matter how arrogant the captain may be, no matter how bad the ports may be, no matter how disappointed you may be, you are still on a cruise...on the ship of your choosing...and the ship has lots of good things to do. Why ruin the entirety of your cruise while you are on it? Make the best of it and, if ultimately appropriate, complain when you return. BUT REMEMBER, you chose to cruise during hurricane season. (Did you like the discounted price offered on your cruise? You could have taken the same cruise Christmas for lots more money. First ask yourself, "Why was the cruise discounted so much?" and then write your letter.)
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Seabourn is Discontinuing Complimentary Seabourn Experiences
I have some news from Seabourn that may affect your present bookings with me or your planning of a future booking with Seabourn, so I wanted to get this out to you quickly.
Effective December 2008 Seabourn will no longer offer its exclusive complimentary Seabourn Experiences except for:
- “Caviar in the Surf” beach party events that Seabourn does on warm-water itineraries;
- Brazilian Boi Bumba festival at Parintins;
- Jungle dinner party in the Amazon’s Anavilhanas Archipelago
- Evening in Ephesus at Kusadasi in Turkey.
This does not affect the 2010 World Cruise events.
While this may seem like a reduction in what makes Seabourn…well Seabourn…it is not.
While there will be a cost savings to Seabourn, the actual motivation is the lack of guest attendance at the events. Seabourn regularly would guarantee say 100 people would attend an event, but when it came to the day of the event only 40 would show. That not only caused a huge waste of money…which ultimately is passed on to all of Seabourn’s guests…it got Seabourn thinking about two things: (1) Why?; and, (2) Why increase our costs providing something our guests don’t really want?
As to “Why?”, as Bob Dylan sang, “The times they are a changin’.” The fact is that more and more of Seabourn’s guests are foregoing group tours, or anything seeming like a group tour; preferring instead to use Seabourn’s Signature Desk or to otherwise book private excursions. So what ten years ago was a very fashionable and upscale “experience” is now generally seen as a more run-of-the-mill event. So as Seabourn raises the bar with its new ships, it doesn’t want to provide what are seen by many guests as lower quality offerings.
As to “Why increase Seabourn’s costs for something the guests don’t really want?”, the answer is now obvious. If you are not convinced, think about this, I want to you consider that Seabourn could have eliminated caviar, change the toiletries, etc., but not only would that be honestly perceived as “cost cutting” measures…they would be. (I also bet more than 40 people per cruise would be upset about those items being reduced or eliminated!)
The net result is that Seabourn is not wasting money on underutilized events, is raising the bar in many areas (some I cannot let you in on just yet!), and unlike some other lines, is keeping its cruise fares down. Just compare Seabourn’s fares to some other lines and you will see what I mean!
However, for my clients who have already booked a cruise with Seabourn that has had the complimentary Seabourn Experience eliminated I, personally, am offering you a US$50.00 per person credit for any one shore excursion you take on a Seabourn cruise. (It doesn’t matter if it is a Seabourn excursion or if it is in the same port where the Seabourn Experience was going to be held, either!) All you have to do is send me a copy of your invoice for the replacement tour after your cruise and I will send you a check.
Why am I doing this? Obviously because I want you to be comfortable with the value I have represented you would receive. More importantly, I want you to know that I always work hard for you to make sure you are satisfied with your cruise experience…even if “shamefully” I don’t afford you the opportunity to complaint first!
Please call or email me with any questions or concerns.
Effective December 2008 Seabourn will no longer offer its exclusive complimentary Seabourn Experiences except for:
- “Caviar in the Surf” beach party events that Seabourn does on warm-water itineraries;
- Brazilian Boi Bumba festival at Parintins;
- Jungle dinner party in the Amazon’s Anavilhanas Archipelago
- Evening in Ephesus at Kusadasi in Turkey.
This does not affect the 2010 World Cruise events.
While this may seem like a reduction in what makes Seabourn…well Seabourn…it is not.
While there will be a cost savings to Seabourn, the actual motivation is the lack of guest attendance at the events. Seabourn regularly would guarantee say 100 people would attend an event, but when it came to the day of the event only 40 would show. That not only caused a huge waste of money…which ultimately is passed on to all of Seabourn’s guests…it got Seabourn thinking about two things: (1) Why?; and, (2) Why increase our costs providing something our guests don’t really want?
As to “Why?”, as Bob Dylan sang, “The times they are a changin’.” The fact is that more and more of Seabourn’s guests are foregoing group tours, or anything seeming like a group tour; preferring instead to use Seabourn’s Signature Desk or to otherwise book private excursions. So what ten years ago was a very fashionable and upscale “experience” is now generally seen as a more run-of-the-mill event. So as Seabourn raises the bar with its new ships, it doesn’t want to provide what are seen by many guests as lower quality offerings.
As to “Why increase Seabourn’s costs for something the guests don’t really want?”, the answer is now obvious. If you are not convinced, think about this, I want to you consider that Seabourn could have eliminated caviar, change the toiletries, etc., but not only would that be honestly perceived as “cost cutting” measures…they would be. (I also bet more than 40 people per cruise would be upset about those items being reduced or eliminated!)
The net result is that Seabourn is not wasting money on underutilized events, is raising the bar in many areas (some I cannot let you in on just yet!), and unlike some other lines, is keeping its cruise fares down. Just compare Seabourn’s fares to some other lines and you will see what I mean!
However, for my clients who have already booked a cruise with Seabourn that has had the complimentary Seabourn Experience eliminated I, personally, am offering you a US$50.00 per person credit for any one shore excursion you take on a Seabourn cruise. (It doesn’t matter if it is a Seabourn excursion or if it is in the same port where the Seabourn Experience was going to be held, either!) All you have to do is send me a copy of your invoice for the replacement tour after your cruise and I will send you a check.
Why am I doing this? Obviously because I want you to be comfortable with the value I have represented you would receive. More importantly, I want you to know that I always work hard for you to make sure you are satisfied with your cruise experience…even if “shamefully” I don’t afford you the opportunity to complaint first!
Please call or email me with any questions or concerns.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Iamboatman Book Review: "Cruise Confidential: A Hit Below the Waterline"
UPDATE: I guess the author liked my review (below). You can also read it on his website: http://lovebruns.com/Templates/Review_GoldringTravel.html.
I just finished reading a very light, but interesting, book entitled: Cruise Confidential: A Hit Below The Waterline. One Crazy Year Working on Cruise Ships. It is probably worth a few hours to read it as it does put into perspective some of the ups, downs, trials and tribulations of training for, and working in, cruise ship restaurants.
While the author of this non-fiction book, David Brian Bruns, seems to place himself as the virtuous, never straying, deeply devoted boyfriend chasing his Holy Grail girlfriend, Bianca...and, of course, while being the best waiter ever to have served on the seven seas, for pure voyeuristic enjoyment and as a vehicle to tie all the craziness together, without it having a total feel of a trashy novel, it works.
Without ruining the book, Mr. Bruns discusses (exposes?) the relatively - OK, absolutely - wild, sleep deprived, cramped, smoky and sexually active lives below deck. Not unlike the yachting industry (only more-so due to the horrific number of hours/weeks/months worked without a real break), much of the focus is on sex being used as a tension release rather than for intimacy. I say this upfront because you need to read through the regular references to it in order to find the real nuggets of information and perspective.
One of the starkest realities is that most of the ship's waitstaff (and, to be sure, others) simply do not understand the general American philosophy or approach to many different things. This goes far beyond the concept of as an American we tend to think of owning a car and having a private home (rented or owned) as birthrights while some crew will work years on a ship just to be able to buy a used car.
Some things really make you think. A negative example: Why do we require the buffet to look as if no one has been there before us even minutes before it closes? (The amount of needless waste created as a result is shocking.) A positive example: Why do many of us actually care about those serving us; asking about our waiter's family and life at home? (Many cultures are such that waitstaff should not even be acknowledged.)
So enjoy reading about how the staff is trained and what they are actually trained for (it is not just about serving food), realize the hours it takes to put together all the things and time needed for a breakfast or dinner service (and the differences between them!), appreciate the working of 15+ hours a day without a break for months, ponder how and why the supervisors are so tough in a "survival of the fittest" world, and enjoy the descriptions of the Eastern European beauties and Turkish and Caribbean musclemen...or just the need for a tattoo.
But remember this is book about one American's experience on Carnival in the days when they were The Fun Ships, where cheap cruises and huge amounts of alcohol were the rule...apparently both above and below the decks. I am sure much of it remains valid today, for as I have said, I have seen similar (but not quite as wild) behavior on superyachts, but I would suggest that when you board a Seabourn ship you will see far fewer bloodshot eyes and encounter far fewer with slurred speech from the crew party the night before.
And, ironically, understand just how profitable it is to be an art auctioneer aboard a cruise ship. (See my last post!)
I just finished reading a very light, but interesting, book entitled: Cruise Confidential: A Hit Below The Waterline. One Crazy Year Working on Cruise Ships. It is probably worth a few hours to read it as it does put into perspective some of the ups, downs, trials and tribulations of training for, and working in, cruise ship restaurants.
While the author of this non-fiction book, David Brian Bruns, seems to place himself as the virtuous, never straying, deeply devoted boyfriend chasing his Holy Grail girlfriend, Bianca...and, of course, while being the best waiter ever to have served on the seven seas, for pure voyeuristic enjoyment and as a vehicle to tie all the craziness together, without it having a total feel of a trashy novel, it works.
Without ruining the book, Mr. Bruns discusses (exposes?) the relatively - OK, absolutely - wild, sleep deprived, cramped, smoky and sexually active lives below deck. Not unlike the yachting industry (only more-so due to the horrific number of hours/weeks/months worked without a real break), much of the focus is on sex being used as a tension release rather than for intimacy. I say this upfront because you need to read through the regular references to it in order to find the real nuggets of information and perspective.
One of the starkest realities is that most of the ship's waitstaff (and, to be sure, others) simply do not understand the general American philosophy or approach to many different things. This goes far beyond the concept of as an American we tend to think of owning a car and having a private home (rented or owned) as birthrights while some crew will work years on a ship just to be able to buy a used car.
Some things really make you think. A negative example: Why do we require the buffet to look as if no one has been there before us even minutes before it closes? (The amount of needless waste created as a result is shocking.) A positive example: Why do many of us actually care about those serving us; asking about our waiter's family and life at home? (Many cultures are such that waitstaff should not even be acknowledged.)
So enjoy reading about how the staff is trained and what they are actually trained for (it is not just about serving food), realize the hours it takes to put together all the things and time needed for a breakfast or dinner service (and the differences between them!), appreciate the working of 15+ hours a day without a break for months, ponder how and why the supervisors are so tough in a "survival of the fittest" world, and enjoy the descriptions of the Eastern European beauties and Turkish and Caribbean musclemen...or just the need for a tattoo.
But remember this is book about one American's experience on Carnival in the days when they were The Fun Ships, where cheap cruises and huge amounts of alcohol were the rule...apparently both above and below the decks. I am sure much of it remains valid today, for as I have said, I have seen similar (but not quite as wild) behavior on superyachts, but I would suggest that when you board a Seabourn ship you will see far fewer bloodshot eyes and encounter far fewer with slurred speech from the crew party the night before.
And, ironically, understand just how profitable it is to be an art auctioneer aboard a cruise ship. (See my last post!)
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Park West Art "Auctions" New Guarantee? Regent Come On Now!
The Wall Street Journal's Market Watch reported today that Park West Art Galleries announced it is markedly changing the way it does business...sort of. It has put in place its "40-40-40 Guarantee".
Supposedly purchasers can obtain a refund within 40 days after receipt of the art work. The refund will cover the full purchase price, less the buyer's premium up to a maximum of $1,000 per piece, and less any shipping costs if applicable.
For up to 40 months after being invoiced, purchasers are also supposed to be able to exchange any work purchased for any other work in the Park West Gallery collection of the same or greater price. Purchasers that exchange items are to be credited with the amount paid for the work purchased, including buyer's premium and excluding shipping and handling, with the only charges being shipping and handling and any price difference when the exchange is for a work of greater price. (Exchanges must be made directly with Park West Gallery by phoning 1-877-440-0630 and are not allowed at auction.)
It has been reported that the information will be prominently posted at its art auctions (yet more stuff hanging around Regent ships we don't want to look at!) and its website. Now, I was just looking at the Park West website and not only is the 40-40-40 Guarantee not prominent; the information is not anywhere to be found on the site...FAQs, press releases, etc. UPDATE: The information is now posted on Park West's blog at http://www.parkwestportal.com/2008/09/park-west-gallery-introduces-enhanced.html .
I don't care if Park West has been around for 40 years, or it gives me 40 days to change my mind, or it gives me 40 months to trade up to another overpriced piece of art.
WAIT A MINUTE! What I a great marketing ploy. I can hear it now: "Your protection is absolute. Take your piece home. Enjoy it. If after 40 days you are not sure, you have another 38 months to put your purchase toward the piece you wanted to buy originally...but, of course, it will be much higher (as this art does have a history of greatly appreciating, though - of course - nothing is certain). So why compromise now? You have our 40-40-40 Guarantee. Purchase the piece you really want. Enjoy it for 40 days without risk and never worry about having buyer's remorse." And Park West now just pushed another sucker..I mean satisfied customer...to buy something even more overvalued.
What the heck is it still doing on Regent?
Supposedly purchasers can obtain a refund within 40 days after receipt of the art work. The refund will cover the full purchase price, less the buyer's premium up to a maximum of $1,000 per piece, and less any shipping costs if applicable.
For up to 40 months after being invoiced, purchasers are also supposed to be able to exchange any work purchased for any other work in the Park West Gallery collection of the same or greater price. Purchasers that exchange items are to be credited with the amount paid for the work purchased, including buyer's premium and excluding shipping and handling, with the only charges being shipping and handling and any price difference when the exchange is for a work of greater price. (Exchanges must be made directly with Park West Gallery by phoning 1-877-440-0630 and are not allowed at auction.)
It has been reported that the information will be prominently posted at its art auctions (yet more stuff hanging around Regent ships we don't want to look at!) and its website. Now, I was just looking at the Park West website and not only is the 40-40-40 Guarantee not prominent; the information is not anywhere to be found on the site...FAQs, press releases, etc. UPDATE: The information is now posted on Park West's blog at http://www.parkwestportal.com/2008/09/park-west-gallery-introduces-enhanced.html .
I don't care if Park West has been around for 40 years, or it gives me 40 days to change my mind, or it gives me 40 months to trade up to another overpriced piece of art.
WAIT A MINUTE! What I a great marketing ploy. I can hear it now: "Your protection is absolute. Take your piece home. Enjoy it. If after 40 days you are not sure, you have another 38 months to put your purchase toward the piece you wanted to buy originally...but, of course, it will be much higher (as this art does have a history of greatly appreciating, though - of course - nothing is certain). So why compromise now? You have our 40-40-40 Guarantee. Purchase the piece you really want. Enjoy it for 40 days without risk and never worry about having buyer's remorse." And Park West now just pushed another sucker..I mean satisfied customer...to buy something even more overvalued.
What the heck is it still doing on Regent?
Monday, September 1, 2008
Mariner of the Seas Travelogue - The Last Days and A Conclusion: An Interesting Experience
I am now back from my cruise. I am well rested and, while the product really is not for me, fairly impressed with most aspects of my cruise.
I left off with St. Maarten. It was, well and truly, overwhelming to see the Freedom of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas and Carnival Valor on the same dock. Over 10,000 cruise passengers descending upon this tiny island was actually kind of depressing because I knew none of the quainter places could possibly be quaint at all. We decided to stay on board the ship and had a very nice time.
As I looked closer at the Solarium I kept thinking, "If they just reduced the number of lounge chairs by 50% this would be an absolutely incredible space to be enjoyed as a real luxury." And with so many ashore, it was a wonderful place to be. Any luxury ship or hotel would be proud of the space, design, finishes, etc.; and even the lounges were very good. I did find the lack of any real bar service to be a let down. (I had a ritual of getting my wife 2 orange juices from the Windjammer Café because there was no option. Not a huge problem, but with a full bar in the area, but not opened until 2PM, it was a bit disappointing. But with an obvious plan for onboard review, but it not panning out, RCCL obviously has limited the bar's hours.)
We also enjoyed Johnny Rockets with the kids. It is pretty much identical in food and experience as it is on land...but I was able to get out of there paying only for shakes, floats and a beer (not available in land operations!).
I would be remiss not to mention the Ice Show. It was truly a wonderful show with ice skating, aerial acrobatics and good music. It is truly a not to be missed show. (And I am not a fan of cruise ship shows!)
With the last two days at sea, I found myself getting up, taking my book to the Concierge Lounge and reading while I sipped coffee, setting off for a bit in the Solarium then getting out of the sun and relaxing on my balcony...interspersed with some playtime with the kids (who spent a small fortune in the Arcade - conveniently located by the kid's facilities - when they were not involved in the kids programs), a visit to the casino or a walk around the ship. There were no lectures unrelated to selling things available on board.
We decided not to revisit Portofino, but did have a third night at Chops (the last evening), which was again a very nice experience. I must comment however, that while I truly did not like our main dining room waiter (I decided he just has a very sly way about him and his habit of shaking the wine bottle to get the last drop off really bothered me...I guess it was his "thing"), our assistant waiter, Courtney, was a diamond in the rough...and working very hard to do things the right way: poised, quiet, served properly, was friendly but not too much so and always greeted you with a genuine smile. That said, we thought it worth trying the last formal night to see how the lobster was. Surprisingly, for shipboard lobster it was very good! The presentation of the rice and vegetables was not great and we were not offered any seconds...which I saw being brought out to others (I didn't want one, but I felt like our waiter just wanted done with us.)
Final Thoughts:
I will give some ratings based upon the ship and a more mass-market experience. It would not be appropriate to rate things versus, say, Seabourn.
I am absolutely positive that even with the change of itinerary, the vast majority of passengers had a great time. Royal Caribbean delivered the product they promised to deliver...and the many guests who had been on 10+, 50+ and even 100+ (?) cruises with them spoke with true satisfaction. So for the right market, the ship delivers...and being docked next to the 5,000+ passenger Freedom of the Seas elicited great excitement from them not only about it, but the even larger Oasis of the Seas. For them I think the cruise (itinerary change and attendent horrrific lines at the tour desk excluded) would be an A.
For many food is something to be consumed; for some (many?) in great quantity and for others as either as subsistence or a time for socializing. For those wanting high quality food, the options are very limited...though surprisingly (at least for me) Chops had room on every night for additional diners and it is not a large venue. When Johnny Rockets is your best tasting lunch option... Anyway, for me the food was a C- (noting that marginal food served well probably would have tasted better), but for Chops I would give it a B+.
The kids had a great time, after settling in. My 9 year old was able to, for the first time, have some independence as Royal Caribbean very carefully makes sure the ship's public areas are safe. They have some crew in brightly colored safety vests/shirts and others quietly strolling around, but it afforded me the opportunity for my daughter (with a two-way radio always in hand) to venture out on her own or with a new found friend. My 12 year old found the Living Room and a few activities to be fun. While he proudly showed off his medal for coming in second in a Guitar Hero competition ("See Dad, all those hours of playing video games actually paid off!"), he did enjoy being able to come and go with his friends as he pleased. And I really didn't see any truly bad kids (thought, to be accurate, I was trying to avoid the masses!). So for kids I give the ship an A, but for the program (if your kids have been on a few cruises and have a "been there, done that" option) a C. New to cruising kids would probably rate it a B+. (I found the Celebrity programs to be a bit more sophisticated.) Overall cruise experience for the children: B+.
Our Grand Suite was very nice and out attendant was very good; leaving it spotless and never misplacing or accidentally throwing out anything. I do like the option to have quiet instrumental music in the bathroom. (Upgraded toiletries were just as good as Regent's!) The individual rheostat controlled lights by the bed and dimmers on all other lights in the suite were nice too. Our balcony was wide, but a bit too narrow. (This, I observed, was corrected on the Freedom-class ships.) I also found the complete array of glassware excellent, but wondered how it was to be used with the no bringing of alcohol on board policy in place. (BTW, I brought a bottle of Glenfiddich aboard in my luggage with no problem at all.) Frankly, without the Concierge Lounge as a quiet morning retreat with continental breakfast, its Concierge allowing me to avoid the Tour Desk's horrific lines and it complimentary drinks and canapés before dinner, I would have had a much less satisfactory cruise experience. I would rate the suite experience an A-.
One side comment: The staff needs to smile more and recognize the passengers. I know that with 3,735 passengers saying "Hello" and smiling all day and night is a daunting task, but the failure to do so leaves one with the impression that you are more of a bother than a guest. In fact, some times I was just ignored. To be fair, some were very good at acknowledging passengers, but that was most certainly a minority.
It also reminds me that the "software": the staff and crew that make an experience a luxury one. Sitting in the dining room with that wonderful view and the duo playing, I said a number of times, "If just the service and food were better." When entering the Concierge Lounge if I was greeted by, "Good Morning, Mr. Goldring" or "How was your son's parasailing?" I would have felt better. But with 3,700+ passengers every 7 days, to expect so much - and at the price we paid - would, well and truly, be unfair.
We went on a family cruise and the family is happy. It will not be remembered as special and will, to be sure, fade from our memories, but will do so as a non-descript good experience.
Overall, my feeling is that I can still readily recommend Royal Caribbean for the product it is. I cannot, as I can with Celebrity, recommend that a luxury experience can be had with a little knowledge about the ship and its offerings. Royal Caribbean does not market itself that way and, as I said, it delivers what it promises.
I left off with St. Maarten. It was, well and truly, overwhelming to see the Freedom of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas and Carnival Valor on the same dock. Over 10,000 cruise passengers descending upon this tiny island was actually kind of depressing because I knew none of the quainter places could possibly be quaint at all. We decided to stay on board the ship and had a very nice time.
As I looked closer at the Solarium I kept thinking, "If they just reduced the number of lounge chairs by 50% this would be an absolutely incredible space to be enjoyed as a real luxury." And with so many ashore, it was a wonderful place to be. Any luxury ship or hotel would be proud of the space, design, finishes, etc.; and even the lounges were very good. I did find the lack of any real bar service to be a let down. (I had a ritual of getting my wife 2 orange juices from the Windjammer Café because there was no option. Not a huge problem, but with a full bar in the area, but not opened until 2PM, it was a bit disappointing. But with an obvious plan for onboard review, but it not panning out, RCCL obviously has limited the bar's hours.)
We also enjoyed Johnny Rockets with the kids. It is pretty much identical in food and experience as it is on land...but I was able to get out of there paying only for shakes, floats and a beer (not available in land operations!).
I would be remiss not to mention the Ice Show. It was truly a wonderful show with ice skating, aerial acrobatics and good music. It is truly a not to be missed show. (And I am not a fan of cruise ship shows!)
With the last two days at sea, I found myself getting up, taking my book to the Concierge Lounge and reading while I sipped coffee, setting off for a bit in the Solarium then getting out of the sun and relaxing on my balcony...interspersed with some playtime with the kids (who spent a small fortune in the Arcade - conveniently located by the kid's facilities - when they were not involved in the kids programs), a visit to the casino or a walk around the ship. There were no lectures unrelated to selling things available on board.
We decided not to revisit Portofino, but did have a third night at Chops (the last evening), which was again a very nice experience. I must comment however, that while I truly did not like our main dining room waiter (I decided he just has a very sly way about him and his habit of shaking the wine bottle to get the last drop off really bothered me...I guess it was his "thing"), our assistant waiter, Courtney, was a diamond in the rough...and working very hard to do things the right way: poised, quiet, served properly, was friendly but not too much so and always greeted you with a genuine smile. That said, we thought it worth trying the last formal night to see how the lobster was. Surprisingly, for shipboard lobster it was very good! The presentation of the rice and vegetables was not great and we were not offered any seconds...which I saw being brought out to others (I didn't want one, but I felt like our waiter just wanted done with us.)
Final Thoughts:
I will give some ratings based upon the ship and a more mass-market experience. It would not be appropriate to rate things versus, say, Seabourn.
I am absolutely positive that even with the change of itinerary, the vast majority of passengers had a great time. Royal Caribbean delivered the product they promised to deliver...and the many guests who had been on 10+, 50+ and even 100+ (?) cruises with them spoke with true satisfaction. So for the right market, the ship delivers...and being docked next to the 5,000+ passenger Freedom of the Seas elicited great excitement from them not only about it, but the even larger Oasis of the Seas. For them I think the cruise (itinerary change and attendent horrrific lines at the tour desk excluded) would be an A.
For many food is something to be consumed; for some (many?) in great quantity and for others as either as subsistence or a time for socializing. For those wanting high quality food, the options are very limited...though surprisingly (at least for me) Chops had room on every night for additional diners and it is not a large venue. When Johnny Rockets is your best tasting lunch option... Anyway, for me the food was a C- (noting that marginal food served well probably would have tasted better), but for Chops I would give it a B+.
The kids had a great time, after settling in. My 9 year old was able to, for the first time, have some independence as Royal Caribbean very carefully makes sure the ship's public areas are safe. They have some crew in brightly colored safety vests/shirts and others quietly strolling around, but it afforded me the opportunity for my daughter (with a two-way radio always in hand) to venture out on her own or with a new found friend. My 12 year old found the Living Room and a few activities to be fun. While he proudly showed off his medal for coming in second in a Guitar Hero competition ("See Dad, all those hours of playing video games actually paid off!"), he did enjoy being able to come and go with his friends as he pleased. And I really didn't see any truly bad kids (thought, to be accurate, I was trying to avoid the masses!). So for kids I give the ship an A, but for the program (if your kids have been on a few cruises and have a "been there, done that" option) a C. New to cruising kids would probably rate it a B+. (I found the Celebrity programs to be a bit more sophisticated.) Overall cruise experience for the children: B+.
Our Grand Suite was very nice and out attendant was very good; leaving it spotless and never misplacing or accidentally throwing out anything. I do like the option to have quiet instrumental music in the bathroom. (Upgraded toiletries were just as good as Regent's!) The individual rheostat controlled lights by the bed and dimmers on all other lights in the suite were nice too. Our balcony was wide, but a bit too narrow. (This, I observed, was corrected on the Freedom-class ships.) I also found the complete array of glassware excellent, but wondered how it was to be used with the no bringing of alcohol on board policy in place. (BTW, I brought a bottle of Glenfiddich aboard in my luggage with no problem at all.) Frankly, without the Concierge Lounge as a quiet morning retreat with continental breakfast, its Concierge allowing me to avoid the Tour Desk's horrific lines and it complimentary drinks and canapés before dinner, I would have had a much less satisfactory cruise experience. I would rate the suite experience an A-.
One side comment: The staff needs to smile more and recognize the passengers. I know that with 3,735 passengers saying "Hello" and smiling all day and night is a daunting task, but the failure to do so leaves one with the impression that you are more of a bother than a guest. In fact, some times I was just ignored. To be fair, some were very good at acknowledging passengers, but that was most certainly a minority.
It also reminds me that the "software": the staff and crew that make an experience a luxury one. Sitting in the dining room with that wonderful view and the duo playing, I said a number of times, "If just the service and food were better." When entering the Concierge Lounge if I was greeted by, "Good Morning, Mr. Goldring" or "How was your son's parasailing?" I would have felt better. But with 3,700+ passengers every 7 days, to expect so much - and at the price we paid - would, well and truly, be unfair.
We went on a family cruise and the family is happy. It will not be remembered as special and will, to be sure, fade from our memories, but will do so as a non-descript good experience.
Overall, my feeling is that I can still readily recommend Royal Caribbean for the product it is. I cannot, as I can with Celebrity, recommend that a luxury experience can be had with a little knowledge about the ship and its offerings. Royal Caribbean does not market itself that way and, as I said, it delivers what it promises.
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