RMS Olympic

If Aqua is close to her float out….will the next build be started? I think the plan was another ship for 2026. Viva in January 2025 Aqua in May 2025 Aqua….tbd in October 2025 next build I’m guessing late fall of 2026. Send money…….🤪

The one area that the World Explorer has which WS does not have is the lecture Hall up forward. On an expedition ship….lectures by science/environmentalists makes sense but WS states these vessels will be cruise ships not expedition ships. I hope the first itineraries are in the Caribbean and not on the other side of the pond during the winter months. Come on June!

When NCL decided to build this Prima class I was happy to think NCL was going for a more upscale product with 3000plus passengers. Perhaps targeting Celebrity and not going for the truly mega ships ala Carnival and RCI. Well looks like the decision has been made to follow the pack with these 200k ton ships. With ports restricting the number of passengers into ports of call, I question the decision. Even the new Sun Princess is experiencing tendering issues in the Mediterranean and even dropped Santorini due to port congestion. Me, the smaller the better but-to each his or her own😉

If interested, check out WestSea ship yard images. There are a number of construction photos of this series of ships being built. I hope the WS conversion will be found on line towards the end of the year.

I just watched a YouTube video on an epicurean cruise on the World Explorer. The interior of the ship and the cabins were beautiful and were very Wind Star. I’d even go to say the decor is nicer than the WS yachts….minus the geometric carpeting. Now to find some construction photos of the modifications….especially the bow.

Me, I want a stunning bow, and a stunning rear(transom). So these new ladies will be the Ava Gardener and Sophia Loren of the cruising world. Hey, I’ve great taste in elegante ladies😉

I was thinking the bow needed to be modified to look like the existing motor yachts. So happy this May actually happen. As for the purchase….my thoughts are: ships available as Atlas may be struggling. These two ships are the right size, designed to be environmentally clean and with one still under construction easy to modify. As for not planned for expeditions, the expedition market is full, WS demographics might not support cold itineraries beyond Iceland. This purchase suggests the balance sheet is healthy unlike other cruise lines in debt up to their necks. Then no continuing cut backs😉. I am soooooo happy!

I called WS to see if there was a waitlist for the inaugural/maiden voyage….answer was no. But schedules would come out in June. I’m hoping a late Dec or early Jan cruise will be like the Breeze first sailing in 2021(post stretch)….in the Caribbean. So I will check the web site daily starting in mid May.

Just checked out the interior of the ship…..looks like a perfect fit for WS. Even the dining area aft of the restaurant lends itself to a candle’s venue. Since the ship is being delivered in December…..could she start off in the Caribbean? I’d love to see an embarkation port of St Thomas, but San Juan would be in keeping with their current scheduling. Waiting till June for scheduling……😰😰😰

Fantastic news! Now to figure out how to get on the maiden voyage. I don’t care about the breakin period🤓. Just finished a March cruise on the Spirit…..it was wonderful. She needs her refit, but hey, she’s showing her age just like me😝

A big thank you for all the construction photos! counting the days to Prima in January and then the Aqua in May next year. Thanks again!

all is well. I called WS to ask about documents and was instructed to print out the welcome aboard email and all its attachments. I explained that I never received that email….she looked into the problem and stated that they did not have my phone number so the email was never sent. So she sent the welcome aboard correspondence and I printed it out. I further asked if I was fully checked in with all personal info….she said yes. I asked including my phone number….she said yes. so next week at this time I will be on the Wind Spirit…..having a cocktail with an umbrella in it. Umbrella’s protect your beverage from a stray shower, or low flying seagulls 🤗

Thank you. Everything changes over the years. Long ago There were paper baggage tags, then there were fancy leather identification tags for your bags.

I’m a week and a half from sailing, and have not received any cruise documents of any type. I searched the website (my wind Star) for documents to print…..yet found nothing. I figure I’ll print my email confirmation information, but wondered if anyone has actually received hard copy documents from WS to bring to the embarkation port? Thanks for any info and or guidance. Tom

I’ll post thoughts and photos upon my return. The one thing I won’t talk about is the internet…I go off line for the duration of the cruise.