tfred

The elevated list presentation  - which shows the actual net up charge - is a better way to present it. You dont have to do the math $22-17=$5.  It is easier to say yes to the net number rather than seeing the prices and wondering "how much is the bottle at the wine store?" 

it is $17 + shipwide.  For all the marketing panache of the Retreat experience, the wine component really falls short   $2 up charges, lesser quality wines and  a lot of "yeah, I can drink that " going on.

Maybe a special selection of lounge and Luminae only wines is a better solution   In 2022 we were drinking super Tuscans in Luminae and loving it - and they had equally good other choices   Not asking for upscale white burgundies but most of the selections now are everyday Publix pickings 

I can understand the $10-15 up charge selections. Those are well known name liquors and wines.  

The $2 up charge selections are very annoying - especially in Retreat or Luminae.  Getting dinged for that small amount is ridiculous.  They should include the extra $2 wine  for suite pax

btw - the PDP wine selection is pretty weak

30 minutes ago, southerngoose said:

If prices are dropping, it doesn't happen on my cruises.   I booked my solo balcony cabin a year ago for a cruise in January.   I got an 11day and b2b 12 day for approx $2500 each cruise (same room).   I checked the prices today and an interior for one person is nearly $5000 for only 11 days.   I don't think I would have paid $5000 for an interior room on that cruise (certainly not after seeing the air prices!).  I ended up getting an award ticket for the airline ticket going and I'll buy the ticket for the return.

 

I think that $4000-5000 for one person on a 12 day in a well located balcony could be reasonable (assuming it's not a repositioning/transatlantic/transpacific).   But not an interior!

single rooms are never going to be a "good deal". Probably have to look at other lines like Crystal for still expensive but better value rooms. 

I had been looking at Jan 2025 7 day Caribbean cruises for the last few months. Most were at $4800/pax for a Sky Suite so I didn't purchase. 

I waited a month, looked again and it was $3500 and I bought.  2 weeks later it was $3100 and had it repriced. 

It pays to look as for whatever reason, prices are dropping. 

1 hour ago, italnsd said:

It does not work with the TV in my room, which seems to be an older model than yours (the Samsung code indicates it is from 2008) with a non-original and limited-function remote. From different posts on the subject, including the one I linked in my original message, it seems that not all rooms in a ship have the same tv model, so you might have more luck. I think that my only option might be to purchase an HDMI to VGA adapter as in the pic below to connect to the only selectable tv input. I'll try to do it at the next port in two days. It would be much easier if I can find out how to get it delivered to a locker in Brazil lol.

Pretty much why X IT makes it harder whenever they can to stop any pax connection with cables of any kind. They don't know what you have connected and reconnected to make your device play. Additional the room attendant isnt going to check so they would have to send someone from the limited computer lounge staff to check so the next pax can actually use the TV (maybe for the muster drill) 

No IT dept in any company would allow a physical connection to a network - which this TV really is   They would duct tape the entire back of the TV and cover every port if they could

X IT probably got tired of resetting any TV that was reconfigured by the previous guest who had to watch their personal video programs. 

It just takes time to figure out what the previous guest has done to change the TV inputs. Why allow that voluntarily?

Sky suite can board at 11. There is a lounge that is available to wait. Certainly opens at 10, maybe as early as 930 ?  Go to the ship as the wait wouldn’t be long. 

9 hours ago, no1talks said:

We've not been on a river cruise, but I've studied the subject a bit. I get the impression the small area of these boats makes for a somewhat regimented experience until one is off the boat and seeing the sights.

River ships are close to "better" ocean ships, just much smaller. 

Restaurant, bar with lounge and a few common areas - mostly on the top deck for viewing.  All of these ships are smaller than any ocean ship in every dimension. There aren't 5 restaurants, 12 bars and tons of common areas 

River cruises are port intensive and almost everyone gets off to tour. There is generally on "river day" for a scenic stretch of the river.  Parents with younger kids aren't going to hang out in the room all day or up on deck (too sunny, cold, etc).  They set up camp in the bar/lounge with a collection of toys and blankets.  

Viking and Virgin ocean ships are over 18.  Two different ends of the spectrum but they seem to be making it work. 

9 hours ago, no1talks said:

From the linked article:

 

"Unlike other upscale brands, Explora Journeys caters to families as well, he noted, with a complete entertainment program for children."

 

Whether Explora Journeys get these families on their ships or not, the targeting of such may very well dissuade not a few luxury cruisers.

 

It is no secret a good many such cruisers enjoy the nearly child-free surroundings typical of luxury cruises.

I like the Viking model of no one under 18

I know the argument  -I would rather sit with my well behaved 8 year old world traveler rather than your drunk uncle.  We did a two 100 pax Crystal River (sad to see them go). First was no kids and great.  Second was enough kids that made a big difference on a small ship. They didn't like staying in the room so it was play time in any of the lounges   Dinner was kids standing on the seats swaying to the beat with an iPad. 

No thanks

17 minutes ago, Beamafar said:

For us, MSC YC is a far superior experience (though food in Luminae is ‘fancier’ and not to my taste). 
 

MSC has a new ‘luxury’ line - Explora Journeys.  There are some very positive reviews and fares seem reasonable - especially in comparison to The Retreat (which, IMHO, is overpriced and over-hyped). 

I can't comment on MSC YC or Explora. But I did look at Explora and that looks like something I would do in the short term   Small enough ships, food looks good, reasonable booze included.  The 7 day Caribbean on Explora was about $3000/pax  for a veranda suite-  X is usually $4800 with some savings down to $3500 - sometimes. Explora may not be a forever thing but it would worth a look 

Phones are computers that happen to make phone calls and driven by software  Apps will not be always be able to be updated forever. Apps require technical resources on the phone that may not easy to develop a work around. Overall graphics, GUI and UI experience cant be adjusted to the lowest common denominator   

To some extent, X looks at then number of Apple SE (or whatever) and determines that the amount of development required to make an SE run is not worth the effort considering how many SE phones are on the market 

16 minutes ago, Cruisegirl6 said:

We do not like Blu on the E class ships.  We went on each of our E class cruises once or twice and never went back.  But on the Equinox we got overall subperb everything in Blu on this ship, it was like night and day (Edge/Beyond/Apex vs Equinox Blu).  We are going on the Beyond again next week and won't be dining in blu.  Another thing, Blu on the E class we were unable to order off the MDR menu choices but the Equinox allowed us to.

If don't like the Blu food offering, you won't like the AQ experience. E Class doesnt allow MDR food menus and that really trips up some folks. Blu food is slightly different (we like it) but some don't. 

Blu is smaller I think better service, but if are looking for a standard MDR experience then it isnt the place for you. 

FedEx handles SSea indirectly. The issue is getting it on/to the ship if you do it on your own

There may be a valet system available from Crystal

I know that MSC has a ton of money but what does it take to get on the radar with a brand new cruise line these days?  Even MSC is "kinda" known these days in the US market but ask anyone to define who they are?. They have been around for 20 years still looking for their niche.  

How does Explora market themselves?  There seems to be 8 or 10 cruise lines like Explora (especially to the new to cruising crowd). Everyone wants the land resort crossovers

Never been on Explora, looks interesting, some of entry pricing is enticing. 

T&L writeups are always puff pieces. Just enough info to make it real, but this isn't an in depth review - they never are 

If I was a T&L reader this piece would tell me there are other "better" cruise lines to look at that I haven't heard of 

1 hour ago, Whipsnade said:

I really don’t think Rome, Lisbon, Dover, Athens or Istanbul are “hard to get to”.  
As far as older pax are concerned all the young marketing “geniuses” eschew us because we are allegedly “fossils”. Yet we have the money and the time to stay on board for longer than seven days which is a boon for the lines like Crystal who want us. 

All of these legacy lux lines have to get newer customers on board now so they can return when retired for longer cruises.  12 day cruises that start on a Wednesday aren't  convenient for the working folks 

No one working (or at least very few) is able to take a 14-21 day cruise plus travel time   These lines have to have some "starter" cruises that get people on board, like the product and come back later. 

The new crowd is now dropping big money at Ritz or Four Seasons and is using that as a comparison to what their next vacation would look like.  There will be some changes to cruising as that new group infiltrates the ranks. What they do want is great service at a location

Be prepared. 

33 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Going from 1-1-1 to 1-2-1 is hardly a luxury improvement!

out of MIA, there are no good direct choices to LHR. Weird BA Club seat arrangements, DL 1-2-1 through ATL or JFK.  You would think that MIA would be better served

VS is dated but at least they are friendly   I think they are still using past good tidings of flights past. Sooner or later that goes away. 

On 3/19/2024 at 12:31 PM, Noggins said:

We are home in warm and sunny Scotland!

 

The Virgin flight was on an A330 with a business class product we were unfamiliar with - it is an old product they must keep on the leisure routes. The thrusting young business types would never accept such a poor product when there as so many better options!. Never have I sat in a business cabin and felt like I was in an old people's home - everyone in a line facing the trolley moving along the line dishing out food! Fortunately when the seats converted into beds and you shut your eyes the experience improved. I actually got a decent rest and (deliberately) dozed through breakfast. We landed a little early and BA kindly swapped us on to an earlier flight giving us just time for breakfast in the BA lounge before the short hop up to Aberdeen. An hour after landing we were home.

 

Adrian 

the VS UC hard product on board is very dated - innovative 25 years ago but way past its prime . Great Clubhouse in LHR, flight crew is great, food pretty good.

I think they are slowly changing to a 1-2-1 set up.  The new seating is in random routes (BOS_LHR) but not in MIA-LHR (where we live). 

On 3/8/2024 at 9:25 AM, Wheelhouse said:

While on my 800 passenger nearly full sailing last month I talked at length with two separate well-to-do younger working couples who had never cruised before.  Both couples booked the cruise no more than two weeks before embarkation.  They were very impressed by the ship, food, and the service.  They are the demographic that Explora is looking to attract and hopefully get to return. They will never book a cruise anywhere near a year in advance. With all it's pools and bars the ship was designed for a younger cliental rather than the fossils that permeate Crystal. 

 

Do they need to improve in a lot of areas?  Surely they do and they working on it.  The line has barely been at sea for half a year.  

This is exactly the demographic that every "better" cruise line is looking for   That also includes the Celebrity, NCL Haven and MSC Yacht Club suite crowd on bigger ships.  

They want the historically land vacation crowd that goes to a Ritz or Four Seasons and spends a ton of money. This is a case when it may be better to go after new customers instead of poaching existing cruise customers with very set in stone ideas of what constitutes a "good" cruise. 

Many of the Crystal, Regent, Sebourne Silversea routes start and finish at difficult to get to ports (as compared to flying to Miami or Barcelona), longer itineraries (makes it difficult to fit time off when you are still working) 

I deleted the celebrity cookie in my  computer 'settings'.   Signed back in with my usual password

In any case, Royal is installing their people own both X and now Silversea. It may not be a function of BM competency, but rather Royal installing their known executives. That said, BM may not have been amenable to what Royal had in the wings 

Increasing profit and revenue is not a bad thing - that keeps them in business. Raising prices to equivalent of land prices is a natural - why give it away?  New customers (from land) have no idea of "what it was like" years ago.  

earliest on board is about 11 am for anyone. As a suite you can get on then. I would arrive at the pier 1030, check ins and have a drink and snack   At 11 they open the gangplank and you can walk on 

you can get on starting about 11 am. There is a small waiting area for Retreat guests that is worth 20 minutes or so.  Depending on your parking situation, I would arrive at 1030 at the terminal, go to the lounge eat some food and check in. At 11 you can board. 

On 4/3/2024 at 10:11 AM, TominNC said:

Another question.  Our cruise leaves Basel on Dec 16.  Our itinerary has us flying from home (Charlotte, NC) on the 15th, arriving on the 16th.  If we'd prefer to travel a day early so that we can check out the Basel market at night, is there a way to notify Viking on line or do I need to contact someone before they make final arrangements in Sept?

No matter what, you don't want to arrive the same day as the cruise leaves. The risk is too high for any cancellation and then a recovery to get you in BSL on time.  Any flight you take is a connection and that increases weather, mechanical or misconnects 

Most cruise lines use regular airlines but with weird ticket fares that allow "better" prices.  It also can be a problem when things go sideways as the airline may have issues rebooking you