cal516

The only good thing, once they got me a login ID and password that actually worked my Diamond status was still there..............

Unfortunately, I'm on my second account which worked fine for a few weeks ... now, the same symptoms have occurred. Their only solution is to create a third account !!! You need a new user ID and Password and a different email address for each new attempt.

I can't login to my RC web account. Keeps telling me my User ID & PW don't match their records. I've tried using the reset PW function but that gives me the same error message. I discovered that if I try to change to my PW to my actual current PW the system tells me I can't use the same PW ... frustratingly confirming that I am entering the correct PW all those other times.

I've been thru four levels of Help Desk. Their only solution is to create a new account. I've actually done that once already and the resulting new account worked for a few weeks before displaying the same symptoms.

All this happens on three different currently updated computers using two different currently updated browsers connecting to the net over Verizon FiOS. Celebrity and Azamara sites work fine (I think they use the same back end).

I'm a retired geek ... degrees, experience, etc. I asked to talk to a manager in their IT dept and they absolutely refuse ... IT does not talk to customers. Too bad because I have several technical thoughts on the issue which might help them diagnose the problem.

This is really frustrating when it's time to complete booking info or print your Sea Pass! Worse, nobody at RC seems to care.

Wow!!! Great to look at the price of a cruise through that perspective. The price of a 16 day cruise now, especially for what is essentially an ocean view cabin, would be a lot less. For the $20,161 I think we would all expect incredible luxury.

Yes ... of course, perspective does change. In 1970 I bought a brand new Corvette Stingray for $5,400 !!! Sure wish I still had that car !!!

Cruised the fabled Home Lines in the late 50's as a young boy with my parents. Here's one thing none of us miss ... for a 16 day Caribbean cruise in what might today be called a junior suite (no balcony, only port holes, but a fairly large room with separate sitting area/fold out bed), they paid $2,500/adult, me half fare. The adult fare is the equivalent of $20,161 today!!!

... Cal

Celebrity's perks are still miles ahead of RC, but they do certainly reflect the tightening down trend of the past few years. Nonetheless, we still quite enjoyed all of the extras.

Up until a few days ago I would have quickly agreed with you but, we just (yesterday) got off Grandeur of the Seas. Don't get me wrong, I'm still a -X- fan but, holy cow, has RC upgraded their program!

Very nice a Diamond lounge with machine made speciality coffee 24 hours/day. Same B'Fast set up as -X-. Unlimited waiter served Beer, Wine, and Mixed Cocktails from 4:30pm to 8:00pm with lots of servers available. Never ending self-serve hot appetizers like wings, fried shrimp, fried mushrooms, egg rolls, meatballs, etc. plus fruit, cheeses, etc. Hostess in attendance in lounge roughly 8am to 8pm. Lounge & cocktails available EVERY DAY, no exceptions, even embarkation day.

Diamond Plus and above had about the same but in a separate lounge.

Also, each a Diamond got 1 free 8x10 photo, 30 min internet, 1 free glass wine or beer, 20% off wine by the glass, etc. Pretty decent, I thought.

Also various bars had half price Happy Hours (1-2 bars a day) and about 5 of 8 nights the Martini Bar had evening BOGO from approx 6pm to 9pm. (This was for all passengers, not just Diamond).

Other observations: MDR food & service was very good and, surprisingly to me, was comparable to -X-. Windjammer food & service, and all entertainment, not so much. Biggest noticeable difference was the total invisibility of senior officers so unlike our experience on -X-.

... Cal

With all due respect, you seem very negative in so many of your comments ...

Hardly seems bouhunter's comment merited this response. I was thinking the exact same thing. But then, I hate schlepping stuff around!

... Cal

T.I'm trying to decide about AquaClass; I'd do it just to veg on heated loungers and gaze at the ocean for 7 days.

Pam

Pam ...

One opinion on AQ: We've sailed AQ once and to us the biggest attraction was dining in Blu - which was great for B'Fast and dinner. Used the PG once to relax while watching us enter a port. It was half full. Since the AQ cabins are exactly the same as any other veranda cabin and since we're Elite and treated very well anyway, AQ is only worth it to us if the price differential is very small (which, occasionally is true). On a 7 night cruise we prob eat in a speciality restaurant once or twice. That means the Blu advantage is only 5 dinners. Also, when we cruise with others who are not AQ it clearly makes no sense. That said, if all the stars align, we would do it again.

... Cal

A great review. We will make plans for early March Reflection cruise based upon your observations. Thanks!

Home Lines S/S Homeric (circa 50's-60's), Home Lines S/S Oceanic (circa 60's-70's), and several -X- ships which have been rebranded - Horizon, Mercury. Those Home Lines ships were something else altogether.

Premier's Oceanic, " The Big Red Boat " 1990

The SS Oceanic was built in 1965 by Cantieri Riuniti dell' Adriatico, Monfalcone, Italy. Originally she ran transatlantic voyages between Europe and North America for Home Lines but probably made her name as a world-class cruising platform during winter cruises from New York to the Caribbean and Bermuda.

The Oceanic has at various times also sailed under the names of Starship Oceanic and Big Red Boat I for Premire and Oceanic for Pullmantur. In April 2009 Oceanic entered service with Peace Boat.

1965—1985: Home Lines

1985—2000: Premier Cruise Line

2000—2009: Pullmantur Cruise Line

2009—Current: Peace Boat

Give me a Home Lines ship any day!!! I remember leaving NYC aboard S/S Homeric on a day just like this one. We worried we would not make the 60mi drive to the pier!

Not only is your list a history of lost ships - its also a NY cruiser from the 1960 - 2008 resume....I too have saield on may of the ships you list & miss those lines out of NYC...oh a carib cuise would be nice on ythe Italina Line right now!!!!

Home Lines S/S Homeric - sold for scrap in 1973

My first cruise, as a pre-teen with my parents, was on Homeric in 1958. It was a 14 or 16 day Caribbean cruise from NYC. My dad spoke Italian so we were treated like royalty.

For those who never experienced a Home Lines cruise, there is really no way to describe the experience which cannot be bought today, at any price.

My first cruise, as a pre-teen with my parents, was on Homeric in 1958. It was a 14 or 16 day Caribbean cruise from NYC. My dad spoke Italian so we were treated like royalty.

For those who never experienced a Home Lines cruise, there is really no way to describe the experience which cannot be bought today, at any price.

"S/S Oceanic has been acquired by a Panamanian company with operations in Asia for use by the Peaceboat educational program around the world."

Additional information available on the the Pullmantur website: Link Here

... Cal

My wife and I recently took a transatlantic cruise on Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas. We boarded in Barcelona, Spain on Nov 10, 2008.

Moored immediately ahead of us was Pullmantur's S/S Oceanic!

I remember Oceanic being a huge ship (39,000 tons) but compared to Navigator (138,000 tons) she seemed the size of a lifeboat!

None the less, no Royal Caribbean cruise will ever compare to a Home Lines cruise!

Enjoy .i found this on youtube .

Hey Mr Veendam06 ... too bad I did not notice this before we left but apparently we both were on AOS last week! I thought is a well done cruise in general with a noticeable improvement in main dinning room food (although Portofino was, I thought, not up to previous cruise standards).

Too bad none will ever match a Home Lines cruise!

... Cal

Enjoy .i found this on youtube .

 

 

That was just great !!!

<snip> Who would want kids on a cruise back then? My Mom and Dad! <snip>

My parents took me as a child too ... many cruises on Homeric and Oceanic. I do really believe those cruises had a defining impact on my life ... well, 24 years in the Navy for one! Took my kids on Oceanic when she was sailing as the Big Red Boat and, while there was no comparison, they still talk about it all these years later. I still take my family on cruises, and we still enjoy them but, it is obviously not the same. What great memories.

... Cal

We booked our current NextCruise (our first) in May of this year. The only documentation we ever received was a print out of the computer screen the LA used showing our names, deposit amount, and booking number.

After reading this forum, you would think 2 people would have received the same documentation, even if by a common mistake! :rolleyes:

Martha, I would say yes. If you can book a Celebrity cruise while cruising on Royal then I would say that you could use your NextCruise booking for a future Celebrity cruise.

 

Now watch, this will be the wrong information!:o

Hello all ...

I asked about this in May of this year on Mariner and was told I could buy a Royal Caribbean or a Celebrity NextCruise booking but that the programs were not interchangeable.

Take this with grain of salt as I've found the info one gets onboard is only reasonably, and not always completely, accurate.

FYI, I used the NextCruise booking on a 2008 12-day TransLant and max'ed the OBC! :)

Happened, by pure blind luck, to chance upon this thread. Who would have guessed so many people remembered Home Lines?

I sailed on a Home Lines ship (HOMERIC and OCEANIC) every year 1958-1968 and one again in 1975 - always on the longer NY to Caribbean winter cruises, 14-16 days. Years later, I took my kids on the re-flagged Big Red Boat (OCEANIC).

There was nothing like the high-class sailings on Home Lines ships. Service, Food, Entertainment was number one. My dad spoke Italian so we got really special attention.

In 1972, on my Honeymoon in Nassau, Oceanic made a port call and we were invited aboard for a 2nd day anniversary dinner by several of the senior dining room staff. What a group!