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Captain_Morgan

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Posts posted by Captain_Morgan

  1. 16 hours ago, bluemarble said:

    I saw this mentioned on another board. There are two Cunard queens at Trieste today. Queen Victoria is at the cruise terminal and Queen Anne is under construction at Fincantieri not far away. Apparently Queen Anne is the ship designated as "A" in this capture from marinetraffic.

     

    703421831_QVQATrieste2022-09-14.thumb.jpg.301644dace2b97f0f94ccb94326cbe47.jpg

     

     

    Sadly, whomever advised that Queen Anne is in Trieste as referenced is mistaken as 'A' is a private sailing yacht owned by a Russian oligarch; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_(sailing_yacht)

    image.png.df0c99ad92f44656e84500c1c4a57fec.png

  2. There should be no doubt that the focus on the 'younger' demographic is the cornerstone of Carnival Corporation's vision of how to generate revenue as look no further than Carnival Cruise Lines and their moniker of being the 'fun ships'.  Sure P&O doesn't have waterslides and other gimmicks (yet) but since Carnival took over P&O/Princess there has been a very deliberate shift towards reinventing the product to be more complimentary to their 'fun ship' model.

    It should be well known that the onboard spend accounts for the majority of revenue, hence the model of short cruises (i.e. 7 days or less) on ships with many thousands of people who paid little to get through the door will inevitably be more profitable than the likes of Seabourn even when their 400 passengers in some cases have paid $1000/day to cruise on a 30+ day cruise because that latter model is more inclusive when it comes to onboard features meaning those few hundred souls are much less likely to spend, and even if they are the sheer volume on the likes of Azura doing shorter cruises will generate so much more spend.

    Sadly it seems P&O management (and perhaps the corporate overlords) have made a conscious decision that they'd rather place their bets on the Gen Z / Millennial crowd who might take a cruise once per year as opposed to those who cruise many times per year which I personally think is very short sighted given the relatively small fleet in comparison to the North American 'cousins'.

    • Like 1
  3. 12 minutes ago, Bazrat said:

    Ok grossly overpopulated ships is that now past or present, short trips what do you define as short trips

    Grossly over populated is the notion of packing 5000+ passengers onto a ship which is what Iona and Arvia are designed to accommodate; the fact Iona is not sailing at her full capacity is not the norm and I'm sure the preference would be to have her chocka-block on a 7 day trip which would equal much higher returns and a much faster breakdown of the hard and soft furnishings & equipment

     

    11 minutes ago, brian1 said:

    A and V are no tiddlers. At 116000 tons and 3000+ peeps, they are still up there with the bigger boys.

     

    They're certainly not small, but when you consider they were the largest ships ever built for the British cruising market at the time of their introduction, and they were in turn followed by Britannia which overtook that honor and now she too has been replaced by Iona so the trend is pretty obvious...

  4. I think its safe to say that Iona and Arvia are the future replacements for the likes of Azura and Ventura, which is in line with what seems to be the Corporate objective over the years of 'build bigger'.

    If you look across every company under the Carnival Corporate umbrella, every single one of the newest ships has been bigger than the previous class, and this includes Seabourn!

    Sadly, the smaller ships that often do longer trips and go to more interesting places are not as profitable as the mega-ships which are more akin to a city bus with a revolving door, which of course means a much faster degradation of both the hard and soft fixtures and equipment.

    As it relates to P&O, the current leadership seems quite content to focus on maximizing profits through grossly over-populated ships, sailing on short trips at seemingly 'affordable' prices in order to appeal to a younger market share.

    • Like 1
  5. 1 minute ago, Middleager said:

    When we got off Getaway on Dec. 22, we went to get PCR tests at Walgreen, 3pm.  On Dec. 24, at 5pm, the results didn't come back.  We had to go pay US$175/p to get rapid PCR test at the Miami airport, for our 8:35pm flight back to Toronto.

     

    In recent days, all the Covid test appointments are booked up many days out.  Sometimes if you check as soon as the appointments open up (a week out), you may be able to book.  But for PCR tests, don't expect them to come back within 2 days.

    Unfortunately, the vast majority of Canadians returning home from the US have it stuck in their heads that they need a PCR test, which often times has a longer turn around time especially now with the Omicron madness.

    The reality is that ANY molecular test (PCR, NAAT, RT-LAMP) is acceptable whereby the Rapid ID NOW test offered by Walgreens is a NAAT test and often comes back in less than 24hrs; however, like everything its always a good plan to have a back up plan (i.e. multiple test options if time permits)

    • Like 1
  6. For those with time post cruise, Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid all offer free NAAT tests which are accepted molecular tests to get back into Canada with.  Of course it requires some pre-planning and waiting for results but if you don't want to spend $200 pp for a test, there are free alternatives bearing in mind costs coming elsewhere.

    Sadly, the cost of travel just seems to be going in one direction and its not in the favor of the traveler

  7. 26 minutes ago, ziggyuk said:

     

    How can that work for a quick result? PCR tests are lab tests so any self test needs to be posted/delivered to a lab for processing.

    'Quick' is a relative term, but the test in question is an RT-LAMP test which is a type of molecular test accepted for return to Canada and the results come through much like a rapid antigen test whereby the test is conducted individually under observation by a medical practitioner on a webcam.  Once the result comes through, you scan the QR code on the test and the data is uploaded to the test provider who in turn processes the results for travel.

  8. We had to chase them onboard during our Getaway cruise over Xmas out of Miami.  When we booked they specifically said as part of the booking that PCR was included for return home (to Canada); however, when i inquired onboard you'd think I had three heads the way the crew at guest services looked at me.  After a lot of chasing, we finally got the testing onboard confirmed despite already knowing what was supposed to be in place so its no surprise they're now dropping this as it seemed they were pretty clueless and not the least bit interested.

  9. 7 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

    I can confirm that she is due to dry dock before her formal return to service in late April. At the point of my previous post, the dry dock date was not confirmed. Carnival as a corporation have various ships scheduled to make use of various dry docks and there is a degree of flexibility in those plans. Current plans have QV in the Caribbean until end of January.

    Fair point that the corporation is likely to move pieces around with respect to docking different ships in different locations, and if the aforementioned AZ saga is any indication it might very well be no surprise to anyone if QV's plans get shifted at least once or twice.  Add to the mix the uncertainty of the current COVID landscape and it brings an entirely new meaning to word 'flexible' when referring to future planning

  10. We just listed the ports the ship visited regardless of whether we got ashore or not.  Didn't seem to matter much when we got back to the airport (YYZ) as i'm pretty sure its all just data collection for the purposes of contact tracing, etc. should you report a positive result in Canada upon return.

    • Like 1
  11. On 12/12/2021 at 5:07 PM, molecrochip said:

    Queen Victoria will continue to be based at anchorage until the end of March. She is providing support for a number of Carnival Group brands who need crew to go through quarantine post flying from their local country and before joining the ship.

     

    This allows capacity on the operational ships to be higher and avoids the need for landside quarantine in Barbados.

     

    End of March?  We had heard through the grapevine of past guests and crew that she (QV) was meant to go to a dry dock at the beginning of March?  Are we seeing another AZ saga for the poor ship where repairs are deferred indefinitely I wonder?

  12. 2 hours ago, elf426 said:

    No worry about the "kids someday" here. We talked ad nauseum about if the ship were just the Haven, we'd have loved it, which begs the question what is the next step? I don't mind kids on cruises, however, there's something drawing me personally to Viking Ocean, which is 18+. VV is also adults only, but it's its own animal and I'm a bit of a traditionalist. My favorite spaces on Celebrity Edge this past July were the magic carpet bar and the solarium. 

    Viking Ocean is very good value, especially when you compare the average cost of a stay in the Haven.  That said, you will undoubtedly be the youngest passengers onboard by a long way so if you don't mind that you will likely enjoy the overall experience as the ships are very understated in their elegance and the food offerings are quite high quality too.

  13. Thank you for the review, which if we were staying in the Haven could very well have been written by us as well!!  

    Your reference to the pre-embark chaos (aka Thunderdome) was brilliant as it certainly felt that way outside of the terminal when we arrived around 10am and things gradually calmed (albeit just slightly) when we got into the testing area; however, as you say it was much ado about nothing when you consider the lack of activity going on inside to cause such commotion outside.

     

    Its difficult to write constructive feedback without coming across as 'negative' or 'miserable' or in some people's minds ungrateful that you were actually able to travel during a pandemic but, much like us you sound like the type of people who don't want everything for nothing, just good value for what you have paid and reasonable expectations of the same, which on this sailing fell short...

     

    Funny enough, my DW spent a lot of time cursing the paper straws as well which i found their use ironic given the drinks were still served in single use plastic cups?!?  Who am I to say?!? 🙄

     

    Seems our perspective on the hard-sell marketing blitz of never-ending messages, annoying overhead announcements by people who think they're entertaining, and the puzzling overuse of the atrium for ALL things wasn't just our own which is somewhat comforting for lack of a better phrase.

     

    Having sailed 'higher end' brands I can say that there are some benefits but there are also plenty of minuses as well but those things are all very much down to the individual and what they want versus what they're willing to accept I suppose.

     

    • Like 2
  14. 5 minutes ago, coffeebean said:

    After reading Moderna several times by more than one poster I feel it necessary to offer the correct name for the specialty restaurant......

     

    Moderna is a Covid vaccine.

    Moderno is the Brazilian Steakhouse specialty restaurant on NCL ships.

     

    Thank you.

     

    I kept thinking the same thing and wondered why the name Moderna kept coming so naturally 🤣

     

    Thanks for the correction!

    • Like 1
  15. 10 minutes ago, ECCruise said:

    Actually, we met virtually no new hires at all on Getaway.  Lots of "3rd contract or 5th contract or more."  Don't think we met a single crew member on their first contract.

     

    No, the problem with non-involvement was something else.  Like I've said, never seen such an obvious lack of it, especially from senior staff, on our 20 or so NCL sailings.  Not to even mention other lines. 

     

    And this is not to discredit those who were friendly and inclusive, because they definitely were some who were exactly that and we were appreciative.

     

    And note that the 2 posts directly above this cite basically the same thing. 

    Fair enough, I was trying to give some benefit of the doubt with respect to the dismissive behavior being perhaps down to a lack of confidence with the product as opposed to lack of interest in providing a product (customer service).

     

    Although there were a few crew who were noticeably more engaging than others, the vast majority seemed bothered that people were on holiday and that shone through in so many ways up to and including a complete lack of any ambiance onboard until the last 2 days of the cruise when we finally heard soft music being played in the hallways.

  16. 7 hours ago, mking8288 said:

    I wonder how many crew members onboard were new & fresh to NCL, post-covid and doing their first assignment & still in training - that might help answer their observed behavior.  I would not be surprised that some of the "elder" NCL crew members decided to not return, after what many of them experienced themselves - stranded at sea and unable to go home, being shuttled around for months circling the oceans.  Who was the CD onboard ??

    I have no doubt that there's been a large number of new hires under the given circumstances of the pandemic, but this was not the first cruise (albeit the first from Miami) as the ship has been trading in the Med for a good while.

     

    CD was 'travelling' Jeff...

    • Thanks 1
  17. 15 hours ago, oteixeira said:

    I decided to reply back again as I feel we are having a good conversation here.  I think if you are going to call specialties nickel and dimeing then it occurs on most lines, they all have restaurants like this.  As for the noodle bar, you missed out.  That was my absolute favorite venue to eat when we were on Getaway, and I am sad that they pulled it going forward (even though Food Republic is a great choice as well).   I am one of the few that does NOT like Teppanyaki, go to a Benihana on land and get the same experience.  I found that the chefs tend to be loud to try to get more attention on the ship, and the one time I went I left with a pounding head.  LOL  

    As for the guard you are right, but my point still stands that they were not an NCL employee, so you really should not hold the ship/line responsible, but rather bring it up with the port.

    I agree, a healthy discourse is something rarely had on CC as most times threads devolve into all sorts of bizarre topics and drifts...

    That said, I agree that every line has it's specialty venues (aka nickel and dime) but what I found with NCL on this occasion was that they were in the  majority so unless you wanted to eat in the buffet every meal or MDR your options were limited.

    The noodle  bar did interest us, but as i say with the close proximity of so many people literally within a chopstick's length from one another it didn't seem very appealing under the current circumstances, but perhaps thats just my view.  Ironically enough, when discussing Teppanyaki with my wife I did reference Benihana which might have been a factor in not worrying too much about finding a suitable time to check it out.

     

    I agree that the guard is not a reflection of NCL, but when that is one of the first things that you experience upon arriving at your vacation, due entirely to the lack of signage and information expected to be in place it puts a bit of negative spin on things with regard to how the company (NCL) organizes itself.

    • Like 1
  18. 5 minutes ago, MNcruisingcouple said:

    I agree Princess is mainstream but even mainstream have a difference in levels.  Think Kia versus Toyota.  I would put Carnival then NCL and RCCl and then maybe a step up would be Celebrity, Princess, HAL.  Just my opinion of course.  I hope you find a line you like and meets your personal needs and expectations.

    Totally agree about the levels of mainstream, and as another poster mentioned I think the biggest difference is the lack of or inclusion of gimmicky items such as waterslides and climbing things…both of which were virtually empty during our cruise yet still occupied a huge footprint.  
    We were hoping the ship itself would be the destination, but sadly the overall experience was quite disappointing despite glimmers of hope along the way. 

  19. 2 minutes ago, skent259 said:

    It took me 4 days on the Bliss to realize how to increase the shower pressure.  At first it seemed like the dial stopped at low pressure, but if you pressed the button and twisted, it goes further. The same trick works on the other dial to make the water warmer.  

     

    I assume the Getaway has a similar system.  Probably not helpful to you at this point, but it might help other cruisers. 

    Oh yes, definitely discovered the dial button on first shower and sadly it was still quite poor pressure.  Upside was there was enough room to move inside the shower without dancing the cha cha with the shower curtain

    • Like 1
  20. 2 minutes ago, hallux said:

    Sorry, @Captain_Morgan Princess is one of Carnival's higher-end lines, maybe P&O also.  Maybe not to the level of Seabourn or Cunard, but it's a step up from 'mainstream'.  NCL is the 'mainstream' line for NCLH while Oceania and Regent are the higher-end.

     

    I agree with the other poster, the fair comparison is Royal Caribbean.  I see NCL as an intermediate between Carnival and Princess even if both Carnival and NCL can be classed as 'mainstream'.

    If Princess is considered higher end than they’re either masters of marketing or the definition needs to be revisited as I would consider them more mainstream than upscale, as is the same with P&O where the latter is changing considerably from catering to the ‘old and bold’ to more families and younger passengers overall

    • Like 1
  21. 41 minutes ago, oteixeira said:

    So I think you will find that any main stream line is not strictly enforcing masks or distancing (go read reviews on the RCL or Carnival boards).  Also understand that most of us just off NCL were expecting maskless cruising, so you may have run into people who were defying the rules.  On my cruise it was not bad until about 10PM, and then it seemed all bets (and masks) were off.

     

    As for the food, that is very subjective.  I would say NCL is better then Princess, but my last Princess cruise was in 2007, and I vowed to never go back as the ship was in poor repair and it seemed very dirty (again, we all have our opinions).   Did you try any other specialty restaurants?  MDR?  Can we get some context of where you ate?  I find Moderna to be my favorite restaurant and I am part Brazilian and frequent that type of restaurant on land.  I challenge you to spend 48 dollars per person on land and get the same food.  Around me in Raleigh NC it is usually that or more, with less selection on the bar (for sure no specialty seafood salads) and no free drinks.

    The security guard was just doing their job, they are trying to strictly restrict people from an area you were not supposed to go to, the job is thankless, and they work super long hours (ask any of them when their day starts and ends).  It could have been that maybe you took it wrong as well.   Also, they don't work for NCL, they work for the pier, so it could have happened no matter the line you boarded.

     

    I agree completely that other lines are fairing worse than NCL when it comes to masks, etc as evidenced by outbreaks across several RCCL ships!

     

    The food overall was better than Princess, I absolutely agree there but it did seem a bit repetitive even on a short trip.  Presentation was much better but the ‘nickel and dimeing’ with so many ala carte restaurants was a bit off putting.  Moderna was alright but as mentioned the crew didn’t seem to want to be there which puts a damper on what should have been an enjoyable experience.  We ate in Moderna, the buffet, Ocean Blue, and had snacks in O’Sheahans (sp?).  We wanted to try Teppanyaki but couldn’t get a good time and the idea of sitting near nose to nose with someone in the noodle bar was not appealing.  
     

    As for the security guard, the issue was less with their presence and more about the way they ‘greeted’ us after being sent to the wrong door in the first place and an obvious lack of visible signage.  I know it’s a thankless job at the best of times but barking at people who are about to start a vacation isn’t necessary. 

    • Like 1
  22. 39 minutes ago, MNcruisingcouple said:

    While we have not been on the Getaway, we have cruised with NCL quite a bit.  It seems most of your past cruise experience has been on lines that most would agree are a step up from NCL.  You are comparing a mainstream cruise line to luxury or even premium brands.  If you would compare NCL to RCCL or Carnival that is a much closer comparison.  We have always had pretty good success on NCL with the crew being attentive but have had a few times we were less then satisfied.  You are going to find that on any mainstream cruise line.  The bigger mainstream ships are going to be a less personal experience than luxury lines.  


    We’ve cruised quite a lot on mainstream lines (Princess, P&O) and definitely went in expecting a mainstream experience; however, what we got was pretty subpar when it came to even basic customer service.  As mentioned, the ship was in a good state of repair but between the crew seemingly having no idea about their own offer of testing, lack of enforcement of their own policy, and basic things like being passed in the hallway and being greeted, it really just left the experience feeling less than expected.  

    • Like 1
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