kawagama

My initial thought about OP's original post is that perhaps they should look more at the itinerary they are choosing, rather than the cruise line.

European, and especially Mediterranean, itineraries are much more port intensive, significantly reducing the number of sea days, which they apparently find boring.

I returned home last week from a 23 day cruise from Dover, England to Venice on the lovely Pacific Princess, which only has capacity for 670 passengers. Of those 23 days, only about 6 were sea days, while the vast majority were port days. With so few sea days, and at times having 5-6 port days in a row, the occasional sea day was quite welcome, as we were ready for a mini-vacation day to just relax.

Something like that might be more to OP's liking.

Yes, I do agree that after several days of intensive touring, a sea day would be relaxing and refreshing. On our recent cruise, our single sea day was to be our last day, allowing for relaxation and time for packing up. However, due to the changes, they added a sea day and both of them came right at the start, before we had had any time off of the ship. At times we felt a little caged, despite taking the time to explore, to read, and to walk on the decks.

Hi there

 

What I read in your post suggest that you do not really like the "cruising" aspect of this mode of travel.

 

Many of us very much enjoy the lying around on deck (or your balcony) maybe sipping a drink, reading a book, listening to some music. You know, just relaxing, for hours at a time for many days.

 

I truly do understand your appeal of how the ship can allow you visit many different locations with little effort on your part. That was definitely something that was immediately evident and a major plus for cruising after our first cruise, but a true love of just being at sea was also significant.

 

The idea that some sort of enrichment lectures and other entertainment will keep you amused will only work for a short time.

 

If you can't be happy with just "lying around in the sun, eating and drinking", and you haven't found ways that would make you feel the down time is what you are looking for, this would be the reason I suggest cruising might not be your cup of tea.

 

That being said, since you mentioned that you do like the fact that cruising allows you to see many locals, I can only suggest that you find "port intensive" cruises and plan ahead on what you can do for your sea days that you would enjoy on your own.

 

There are of course some of the larger RCCL ships where the ships are considered the "destination". They have zip lines, rock climbing walls, ice skating, flow riders, bowling alleys...whatever you want. If this would keep you interested, you could check them out. I personally don't consider that an aspect of cruising. Otherwise, if you are relying on the cruise line to entertain you on those sea days, and after your two cruises you haven't found that to be the case, it likely won't change no matter what cruise line.

 

hope this helps

Yes, it does. The larger ships don't appeal at all. We are 60+, so all the bells and whistles such as flow riders, etc. are beyond us now (sadly).

We do enjoy relaxing with a book for a certain amount of time and try to find a place on the ship to do that. For Alaska, it became too cold to use our balcony. On Royal, there was too much noise and/or smoke in the outdoor spaces (we didn't have a balcony this time).

Perhaps you are right; maybe we just aren't the cruising type. Although, some other posters have included some viable possible options that I will be looking into.

I agree with SadieN, try Celebrity. It is a step up from Royal, plus they have no smoking indoors - that means an entirely smoke-free casino for your whole cruise. It is wonderful.

 

Regarding the sales pitches, well, that's how the lines make money. A polite, firm "No thanks." should do it, but on the mainstream lines, you're more likely to find this. You should also know that lines have the right to revise an itinerary for whatever reason. I'm not sure what happened with you on Royal but just know that it could have happened with any line.

Thank you! The port of Venice was fogged in and closed. Previous cruise couldn't end and ours was delayed by a day. Consequently they had to rejig the itinerary. Many of us were disappointed with the choices made by the captain. Two of the Greek islands (Mykonos and Corfu) were cancelled, added a sea day, and then added Split, Croatia. We booked it because of the islands, so were quite upset by the changes.

I never considered an ocean cruise vacation, based on the crowds of people, the casinos, the "party" atmosphere, and some of the other things you mentioned. After our first Viking River cruise (which we greatly enjoyed), we learned that Viking was expanding into the ocean market, with new ships built for them. There are just over 900 passengers, no casino, virtually no children, all cabins with a balcony, with an unofficial motto of the "thinking man's cruise". There is a resident historian, and several guest lecturers who travel on the ships, and true enrichment lectures are offered daily. In addition, there is a port lecture for every port. There is classical music live in the atrium, small scale shows in several venues, and sometimes movies under the stars.

 

Pricing is pretty inclusive, with an included excursion in every port, wine and beer at lunch and dinner, and no additional charge for the specialty restaurants. We sailed with them this April on the Empires of the Mediterranean itinerary (Athens to Venice), and have discovered that, based on the Viking version, we are cruise people after all !

Thank you! This sounds more like what we are looking for. I will certainly do some research on Viking now.

We have been on two cruises, both with different cruise lines. One was with HAL to Alaska, and the other with Royal to Eastern Mediterranean. There were differences that we noted on both trips, but essentially, much of the activities on board were the same--and not especially ones we enjoy. We like the idea of a cruise that takes us to many ports, as we feel it is a comfortable way to travel and see places without dragging around luggage and making transportation arrangements in foreign countries. However, both times we found the at sea days to be boring and confining. Yes, we walked around and around on the decks outside, but that has its limits. Our recent cruise with Royal dropped two ports (very disappointing) and consequently added a sea day. Most people seemed happy to lie around in the sun, drink, and eat. We are not tanners or big drinkers. We are also not gamblers, making a smoky casino not at all inviting.

Can anyone recommend a cruise line that would have enrichment activities such as lectures on the ports--flora and fauna, history, archaeology, art, etc.? We went to what we thought would be a lecture on our upcoming ports in the Mediterranean; however, Royal simply used this as an opportunity to try to sell their excursions. There was little actual interesting information given. Do cruise lines offer actual enrichment talks? Is there one that has more refined entertainment for the evening? We liked the options on HAL better than with Royal. Is there a line that doesn't try to sell you art, jewellery, and specialty dining everytime you turn around?

Or are we just not really cruise people?

We booked stuff on our own, but in the end, because the ports are small and rely on tourist dollars, we didn't find that it saved us much money. Our choices were comparable in price to the ones on our ship. However, we did do some cool stuff. Hiked the Chilkoot Trail and then floated down a river on a rubber boat. There were only 4 of us on this trip, so it was very personal. This was in Skagway. Did the bus to Mendenthal Glacier in Juneau. Nice trip. In Ketchikan we went kayaking. Again, there were only 2 of us and a bunch of guides, so it was quite personal. Saw some humpbacks up close too. Unfortunately, it started to rain quite heavily, so our trip was a little shorter than originally planned. Do your research. There's lots there and these ports are not big, so it's easy to find your driver, etc.

The cruise was over but the question that still remains, On our way to Athens, we could've have knocked off Corfu since its on our way, "Why did they changed it to a sea day?"

I have a few theories on that. One, the port of Corfu was full of other ships and couldn't accommodate Rhapsody at a different time and date. Two, distance that needed to be covered. Three, being a business they wanted us to spend money on the ship. I wonder why Mykonos could not have remained on the itinerary instead of Split. While Split's old town was quaint, we found the difference in currency a hassle and the shops very very expensive. I went in to one of those tie and scarf shops and scurried out quickly when I saw that a silk scarf was retailing for $400! I suspect there are those who can afford that, but I am not one of those. I would've prefered wandering around Mykonos I think.

No harm in trying for additional compensation.

 

We were on the opposite side of the cruise having being delayed 16 hours from getting out of port.

Missed flights, private transfers cancelled and housed overnight in a grotty hive.

 

Royal Caribbean gave no compensation or future OBC, even though private transfers, flights and cruise were book direct with them.

 

Hopefully RCCL have learned from their mistakes and will ensure more staff available the next time this happens.

Mind you, I'm sure this has happened before and yet they still messed it up.

We felt very badly for you folk who missed your flights, transfers, or even another nice stay in Venice itself. It sounds like you had a very rough end to your cruise, which is very unfortunate. I guess RC felt that their end of the deal was done--cruise was over. In our case, we were just starting, so I suspect they felt the need to satisfy us as we were short-changed a portion of our agreement.

There was lots and lots of staff at the terminal while we were waiting. They basically stood around doing very little. When we asked why they couldn't just "process" all the waiting people before the ship came in, we were told that all the computers were on the ship, so nothing could be done. They were all young adults, quite meek and mild in manner. Once the check-in began, they were quite ineffective in controlling the crowds that wanted on all at the same time. It was a zoo.

It certainly is not a rumour. We were on Star at the end of September and our departure was delayed until after 9.00 pm due to demonstrations by the people of Venice. They did have small boats to try and disrupt ship departures.

 

It was not a regatta as such, it was a demonstration where they used little boats to prove their point and disrupt the cruise ships. With small boats in the way no cruise captain is going to attempt a dangerous departure down the canal, and of course the demonstrators know this.

 

I have to say that I really don't understand the Venetians. They make bucket loads of money from tourists, including the cruise passengers. I understand concerns about ships damaging the foundations of buildings, but you only have to watch the vaparettos or private boats which speed up and down to see that they could also be damaging buildings. The cruise ships could not have arrived there uninvited. Somebody must have authorised the building of terminals, and docks deep enough for these ships.

 

Apparently Venetians are moving out of their homes and renting them out via airbnb for vast sums leaving the city a ghost town with fewer and fewer true residents. Many Venetians are also ambivalent towards tourists.

 

Maybe they need to reroute the cruise ships away from the centre of Venice?

 

But they need to decide whether they want tourists and all the jobs and revenue they bring or whether they want to discourage visitors.

 

But IMHO disrupting the cruise ships really achieves nothing.

 

I agree with those who feel the tone of some answers was rude and unnecessary as well as unbelievably condescending. I can understand the OPs disappointment at missing out on the Greek islands. They are very beautiful and so they must have been disappointed. Hope they are able to see them in the future.

Wow! That's quite astonishing about these purposeful disruptions.

I agree with you that it is ironic that the tourists and their money is not appreciated, especially since much of the economy is based solely on tourism.

OP thank you for posting this. We are looking to do a B2B out of Venice next fall and were thinking October would be a good time as the rates are lower and ports less crowded. After reading this I think we'll spend a few more $ and go in September.

You're welcome, and good idea. Venice is a beautiful city and not to be missed. It just does have its challenges as a port. We heard that the locals are not taken by big cruise ships in their city. I don't know whether this was a rumour or not, but one of the ground crew in the terminal told us that once the fog lifted, the ship was not allowed to proceed because of a gondola and sailboat regatta. This delayed its arrival even longer. Again, not sure if this is true or not. If it is, it just shows us that the Italian governing bodies are not concerned about the tourist dollars brought to their city by the thousands of cruisers every year. In North America, that regatta would have been delayed so that the ships could get through. At least its existence would have been communicated.

It was half a day OBC, so it depended on how much you spent (stateroom category). This was per stateroom, not per person. We got $132 I believe. I feel that this was a nice gesture for the late departure and the mess getting on the ship, but by no means made up for dropping a port and changing one. Our port fees and taxes were not adjusted either. Being a relative newbie to cruising (only been on 2), I don't know whether it is worth pursuing this any further with RC. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

The chaos of embarkation was quite nightmarish indeed. Given that fog often disrupts in October, one would think that RC could come up with something more expedient. Water under the bridge. The half day credit was certainly appreciated, but in my opinion, not sufficient given that we totally lost one port. Our plan for Argostoli was to simply relax, knowing that it was to be the last of the Greek islands we visited. When we didn't get to see any of the others, we didn't have the time or resources to scramble together an excursion out of town. We scrambled to book something for Split (which was the addition at the last minute), booked it through RC, and were terribly underwhelmed. Can't say there was value for money spent on the Cetina River cruise tour. Live and learn.

Just returned from an alleged Greek Island cruise, leaving Venice on October 14th. Didn't leave until the 15th and consequently our itinerary dropped 2 of the 3 Greek islands we were to visit. Very disappointing, as that was our reason for booking. Argostoli, while on a Greek island, is not a great port to visit. There is very little to see in the port itself except for touristy souvenir shops. The town itself is modern, with none of the old Greek charm of historical old towns. My advice--think twice about an itinerary that includes this port, and be aware of potential fog affecting your cruise if you choose October-November as sailing dates out of Venice. Apparently the fog regularly disrupts the ports here. Wish we had known this before booking!

We were in this mess as well. The terminal could've been organized according to letter by the ground staff (sectioned off while they were all standing around doing nothing), then escorted to the wickets for processing.

While the fog was the initial problem, we were also told by ground staff that once the fog cleared the ships were stuck waiting for gondola races to carry on and finish. Imagine?! anywhere else, these races would've been delayed to allow these massive ships to get through first. We feel this was a political statement by the Venetians who clearly do not like cruise tourists.

The compensation of half a day OBC was inadequate in our opinion, as two of the ports were cancelled. Yes, they added Split, but if you booked for Greek Islands, like we did, it was very disappointing.

Being new to RCI, when do we get an email telling us when to board? We sail on Oct. 14 out of Venice. And if they tell us when we get to board, why do they ask us in on-line check in when we plan to be at the pier?

Thank you for all the tips! Much appreciated. We are not big spenders while on a cruise (at least we weren't on our first one!) and had a $200 OBC that we had to work hard to spend. This time we don't have any OBC and our gratuities have already been prepaid. I don't mind paying cash; I just don't want to stand in line at guest services on our last day--not a fun way to end a cruise!

Can anyone advise which is better to use for the on board account--cash or credit card? We are not big drinkers or shoppers, so we are not worried about not having enough money to cover a cash account. When I went to check in on line, I initially went for credit card option, but, because we are Canadian, the questions about currency exchange confused me. Not being sure which of the two options for exchange to use (RCCI or the other), I simply opted for a cash account. Now I am wondering whether one of us will have to stand in line for a long time on the last day trying to square up the account. If someone could advise me, I would be very appreciative. I am assuming that I can still change that option even though I have printed our set sail pass?

First time with RCI, sailing in October out of Venice--week long Greek Islands cruise. The other couple we are going with has never cruised before at all. We have only ever been once (to Alaska with HAL). The question of a Captain's Dinner has arisen and we aren't sure what to expect, if anything. I don't remember any such thing on our Alaska cruise, but assumed that if there was a Captain's Dinner it would be by invitation only to guests who have achieved some kind of cruising status. Am I correct on this? Can someone enlighten us about this event? We are concerned about having appropriate apparel if indeed we will be part of such an event. My husband doesn't want to bring a jacket as they are bulky and take up too much suitcase space. Any advice? Thank you in advance.

I'm really glad to hear this. I can't even imagine how the ships could possibly stop in St. Maarten with a boatload of tourists while the island tries to recover from the damage caused by Irma.

Wish they do what Hal had a few years ago they had corkage fee I think it was 18 but allowed unlimited amounts of wine to be brought on cruise, I always cruised with at least a case of our favorites

We cruised with HAL in May 2016 and were only allowed two bottles of wine--one each.

just back today from Raspsody, as long as there is food on then coffee/tea/ water/flavoured water is available. water and ice available all day at pool deck. we did delve package for drinks, well worth it. 3 cocktails and its paid for.

Did the tea include herbal teas too, or just black tea?

I'm still a newbie too, but one thing I learned from our one cruise last year is that you don't need nearly the amount of clothes that they lead you to believe you do. We brought some dress up clothes for the formal nights and soon discovered that we didn't really need the extra dress, shoes, jewellery, jacket, etc. Yes, some folks were decked out to the nines, but most simply looked nice, and some just barely decent. We will take far fewer items this time around, as dragging luggage around before and after cruise was not a pleasant experience. I guess it depends whether you are doing any more travelling before or after.

The tenders go back and forth all day long. You can take as many rides as you like.

thank you! that's good to know!

We are booked on an October cruise that has two tendered ports. We've only been on one cruise and none of those stops were tendered, so we are unfamiliar with this practise. Do the boats that bring us to shore from the ship go back and forth all day long, or are we destined to line up in the morning when everyone else does? I'm just wondering whether we can take our time going to shore and back, or if we have to maintain some kind of order or schedule. How do these types of stops work for the passengers? Can we come and go several times if the stop is long, or is it a once off/once on kind of thing? Btw, the cruise is out of Venice, 7 days and the two tendered stops are Kotor and Mykonos, in case anyone has already done this cruise.

Please let us know if that number still works for getting an invoice.

Yes! In my email inbox. Thank you!