Catlover54

I am pretty sure you won't have to go "ugly American" on them, because I think you're right that my case was in outlier. Everyone who has main speaking parts  *can* speak in English if they want to or are alerted they need to or have to (the captain, the expedition leader, the expedition team members), and they are nice people, who want to do the right and proper thing, once politely alerted if there is a problem. So even if you're the only Americans on board, once they know that's the case and you say that you want full service English, my guess is it will happen (but it would of course be nice to have it happen starting with check-in and have staff already expecting you, with English menus etc.)  I never asked them when I was on board to start doing English as well as German, because at that point it would have been just to run an experiment and report about it on CC rather than to understand.

Just in case, there is a "customer relations" (i.e., complaints) person on board with an office near reception.  The expedition leader made a point at the beginning of the cruise (appropriately) to let them know if something is not to your satisfaction early on, so they can try and fix it.  There is no 'cruise director' per se.  

Staff  hours for different departments  are announced in the written daily program towards the back -- you should get yours in English (paper and TV -- stewardess can show you key things on TV), after you get your safety briefing in English).  If you have an elective issue, be there 5 minutes before they open, otherwise there may be a German already in line  in front of you.  No one will likely be there in off hours, and staff  expect to leave when their hours are up.  But receptionists are there 24/7 officially for whatever you need, including urgent issues, deck 4, which also has the Hanseatic main Restaurant.

Keep in mind the stewardess (likely a Filipina with better English than German though it helps to avoid slang and jargon and speak clearly and slowly), is not a butler or general problem solver like on Silversea.  Her duty, other than orienting you initially to your cabin, is to clean 2x/day (unless you put the do not disturb sign out) and keep the mini-bar stocked with your requests (I had my list of requests and preferences written out in advance, to keep the first day flow going quickly for her). Everything else goes through reception triage.

One more thing I didn't mention:  Germans value and expect  punctuality.  So don't be late for Zodiak rides, spa and other appointments. This may mean coming a couple minutes early (in case the elevator is slow -- which it often is).  Then there is just a general politeness expectation , e.g.,  "hello" when you enter a venue (like the boutique, a restaurant if there is  a host standing there or line-up of waiters etc.), and goodbye.

If you talk to other guests, if they're older, don't immediately go first-name with them (if at all), that is not customary (i.e., no, "Hi, I'm Jeff from Texas"), but if you get seated close to someone, either nod or say "Guten Abend" (Good evening) before you sit down.  One older couple I sat next to landed up asking me about the Japanese venue and though we talked for 20 minutes, we never exchanged names, and the wife still felt she had to semi-apologize and say "I hope we didn't disturb you".  Immediate boistrous familiarity is not the norm, but there are friendly people curious about foreigners.

7 hours ago, jeff74 said:

Hopefully what you had mentioned about it not being a dual language cruise is not the case for our cruise that is in 20 days on the Inspiration because the extent of my knowledge of the German language comes from watching reruns of Hogan's Heroes on tv.

🙂

If you booked through a TA, I suggest calling her and having her confirm with HL that you are an English-speaker (and are thus relying on the dual language presentation).

On HL's other dual language ship (Europa 2), the English speaking started right in the boarding line when they see your foreigner passport (typically at 4PM, all in a mass).  If it's not happening, speak up immediately, because Sargent Schultz isn't going to be on board.

Also get to know the expedition team as quickly as you can, they speak English, so they can organize you.

Have a wonderful trip!

Below is my very long review of my recent experience on this Hapag Lloyd (HL) luxury expedition ship.

Unfortunately I accidentally submitted the review before I was done fixing  spelling errors and typos, so many apologies for that.  But it can still give you an idea how the ship was.

One very positive thing I forgot to mention is that unlike on most English language luxury ships, out on the decks, unless there is a party going on, *there is no pumped in pop music*.  That way one can enjoy the sound of the sea from the many comfortable outdoor perches that are available.  I truly dislike pumped in music, usually thumping or wailing, on outdoor decks, and am happy it is not present on HL.

If anyone has any specific questions, please ask me on this thread.

https://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=715896&stay=1&posfrom=1

DH and I are on the verge of booking a panorama veranda suite to Antarctica, but the only ones available on the cruise we're interested in are on deck 5. It is of course good to be low in a storm/Drake Shake, but I'm wondering if deck 5 is *too* low, i.e., so low that crew would often have to seal off the windows during such storms (which would defeat some of the purpose of paying extra for the awesome views, including views from the bath tub which appeal to me a lot). 

Of course I understand that it is unlikely one would have a severe storm the entire trip, but I wonder if it is typical, or if anyone knows how often deck 5 windows and balconies (be it in a panorama or a regular veranda) have to get sealed off for protection.

Thanks in advance!

2 hours ago, MillyDM said:

Yes, it's true. We were there this past December 2023, and you're not allowed to sit nor drop your backpack or any other personal belongings on the snow.

 

Before the first landing, we got checked on all of our gear (jackets, scarves, hats, gloves, shoes etc, etc) to make sure we removed any debris, sometimes as simple as dog hair or your hair, grass, mud, or anything that can contaminate the Antarctica soil.
As strict as it may sound, I think preserving one of the most unique places on our planet is necessary.
For us on Silversea, it also worked the other way around, meaning that after any landing, you go through a sanitization process for your shoes or trekking poles before boarding the ship.
Hope this helps

Thank you for clarifying the rule and it does help inform me what is mandated.

However, if all your gear is "checked" (at least macroscopically) before a landing, including pants and jacket and pack, it would be interesting for me to see the data and scientific analysis  (if there is any) indicating that setting the same "checked" pants, jacket, and pack on the ground for a few minutes actually spreads bird flu, and that banning such activities helps preserve "one of the most unique places on our planet".  Alternatively, maybe dousing everyone's exterior in a disinfectant spray (like is used on the boots) would be even better?

If it is just theory, i.e.,  that there is potential harmful microscopic spread which *might* infect wildlife if one sits down (despite having been "checked") then arguably there could also be spread of disease just from the jiggling and shaking of a human's body while moving, mouth (while talking -- maybe better to remain silent?) and nose secretions (while sniffing or breathing),  and hairs and skin cells shaking off that occurs while walking across the landscape, and frankly maybe people simply shouldn't be there at all, no matter how much Antarctica travel  contributes to Argentina's and Chili's economies.  Or perhaps wearing a "clean suit" (like in some science labs) is the way to go, to protect the continent  even more?

Also, if there is documented microscopic risk of disease created by sitting or resting packs, then  definitely people should not be "camping" overnight there, as some expedition trips offer to potential customers, as it is impossible  to camp without putting things on the ground (such as your body). 

In any event, I think the cruise companies right now, with this season's new rules, should make *very clear*, *in advance* of booking and putting down often irreversible down payments, that one is not allowed to put anything on the ground, or sit down, if on land when walking around as long as 2-2.5 hours. This is especially important, in my view,   since these trips are mostly marketed to older people (not all of them fit and vigorous), and sitting down and putting packs down when tired or dizzy from exertion used to be allowed, and/or a reasonable person not informed otherwise will assume it is allowed). I've been to Antarctica marketing presentations on luxury cruise lines where they did the opposite (as late as fall 2023) i.e., push how *easy* it is to go to Antarctica, e.g., that seniors don't really need to worry about getting in and out of the zodiaks, and also no mention of the "no rest" rule.

I have seen periodic comments implying that visitors are not allowed to sit down or put down their packs during their Antarctica landings (which typically last 1.5-2 hours), not even to change lenses on a camera.

But I've also seen periodic comments from visitors advising that to get the most out the landing, and for people who don't want to hike a long way, one option is just to sit down at the landing site or nearby, and slowly just visually take it all in.

So which is it?

Or is it in theory forbidden but no one cares because on a practical level,  it doesn't really matter?

Or was it originally allowed, and now with bird flu concerns is not allowed?

I assume that all of the visitors, including their packs, are sprayed with disinfectant before they are allowed to board the Zodiak to go land, and vv.

I'm trying to understand both the logic and rules, regardless of rationale, so I can properly comply (different preparation is required if I can't periodically  sit or rest my pack). 

I brought up the question with one of the luxury lines cruise consultants recently when I was on the verge of booking this season and he'd never heard of such a rule (but he'd also never been to Antarctica), so he knew less than I did. 

On 4/5/2024 at 12:46 PM, calm down dear said:

Hi - you misunderstood we enjoyed it and booked another - I was merely pointing out some aspects. The weather was a bit atmospheric but in all honesty it was down to what you wore. The expedition leader was Dom and the expedition team were good - some were better speakers/presenters than others but all gave interesting talks. There were in general 2 or 3 lectures a day. The only “excursions” were in the two ports - Punta arenas and Puerto Montt - they were the “usual” Seabourn type a bus, sightseeing etc, all other days except sea days were 1 or 2 zodiac tours and landings. You were off ship about 2 or 3 hours each time. Hope that helps but happy to take questions.

Thank you for your review.  I understand you booked another cruise, so it was more than 'good enough' for you, but it was disappointing to read about the issues you reported, especially given the prices charged (even with adjustments for a lot of inflation).

Punta Arenas and Puerto Montt are set up so that usually regular tenders from cruise lines can dock there.  So why did the Pursuit have to use Zodiaks to get pax to shore there?  Do they simply not have a regular tender available in addition to their Zodiaks (like some expedition ships do, and those ships use tenders for "normal" ports and Zodiaks for more "expedition" oriented landings).

It isn't a deal breaker for me if one is primarily interested in the expedition destination that one reaches by Zodiak, but logistically, it is a bit of a pain to have to put on the whole open air Zodiak costume just to then get into a hot bus or van that takes you on a regular excursion after docking.  

Did you also embark and disembark using Zodiaks?

I am delighted you had a great time!  I'm also glad to hear that a Crystal team member accompanied you on excursions, and refunded money where the excursion was not good.

Have you ever sailed on any other luxury line before this, for an equivalent comparison?  If so, which one?

Or, if not, when you were on X and HAL, were you in a "suite", or just in regular cabins?  The " suite" service  experience on premium or high mainstream lines (depending on how you classify X and HAL), would be closer to a luxury line experience than just a regular cabin on those lines, especially on X where suites have their own dining room access and where you can mostly avoid the rude  "people who pile food" problem.  But of course when you leave your suite area, you still have to mingle with the masses. 

I see you have another luxury line, Regent, scheduled next year, so you are branching out.

Generally (though not always), the more you pay per square foot of public space, and private space, the better your experience.  The thing I like most about luxury lines is that there are, with rare exceptions, almost never lines (for dining, for tenders, and for entertainment venues),  and generally fellow pax  are more polite (again, with exceptions).

I wish you further happy sailing.

On the Nova in November, in a base veranda suite, there was no tote.

On 1/15/2024 at 11:53 AM, Khareef said:

To be quite honest, the Venture entry and exit wasn't exactly a piece of cake. They have a fairly weird system where the zodiac zones are located on both sides of the ship and they do not put any mobile stair to make it smoother. You basically step from the ship into the zodiac so if the sea is rough you gotta wait for the proper timing.

 

On the bright side I don't think there is a lot of pressure on the shoulders when you grab the arms of the crew helping you in and out..

 

What I would not recommend is the optional kayak activity, there you need quite a bit of shoulder strength to get back on the zodiac from the kayak. 

 

Seabourn could definitely improve this system though.

Is there at least a *box* that one can step down unto when boarding the zodiac (like some lines have for zodiacs) , before then stopping unto the zodiac's floor, or is it straight from the ship exit down unto the floor of the zodiac (the latter requires more sense of balance and puts more pressure on sick knees, which is my concern)?

Thank you for your report.  Some odds and ends questions:

1.  Were you required to provide a letter from your doctor before SB agreed to allow you on this cruise (some lines that go to Antarctica require this)? If so, what requirements had to be met?

2.  I heard a rumor that during landings on some lines, if you have a pack with you , you are not allowed to rest your pack on the ground  due to some concern about "contaminating" the area.  Is it true you are not allowed to set your pack down at any time?

3.  I know it is quite clear that there are no outhouse or toilet or bush options of any kind during landings.  What is the longest period of time you had from ship to shore and back, i.e., the longest period of time one would be without toilet access of any kind?

4.  Were the people who had "colds" on board (and hopefully also sequentially tested for Covid) then restricted to their cabins until cleared by the doctor, or did they mingle with others?

5.  Was there a face mask requirement at any time on your trip (airline, airport, lounges, boarding, on board), and if so, when, and was there a requirement it be a certain type?

Thank you in advance!

I assume you are aware that the Med is usually * very hot* in August and September, and tends to be crowded. Hot weather  makes having a less full pool and good AC, and/or shorter lines, more important for a sense of luxury and to minimize frustration. 

Only Seabourn (SB), and possibly Cunard, are "luxury" lines, the rest are premium/upper premium, with some nickel and diming and some lines/crowds. 

Cunard is very sedate, and a bigger ship, with a stricter dress code.

I think SB would be  a good fit:  lots of space, good AC, fewer kids so pools are emptier, few if any lines, as close to "quiet luxury" as you can get, though a short cruise of just 7 days might have TA or corporate events, and they can be rowdy.  Food/beverage are about as good as you can get on all but one other (more expensive, and foreign) line. Most staff are very nice, even if some are still training and not perfect. 

Be sure and have your TA alert SB that you are on an anniversary cruise, and confirm that when you board (there may be a special checkin desk to confirm). They will decorate your room and make it even more special. 

SB poolside tends to fill up early with hot weather, but there is a "retreat" area where you can pay extra for more space and more pampering. 

Be sure and book spa treatments in advance, and also specialty restaurant (currently Thomas Keller, this is changing) they are popular and fill up.

On 1/4/2024 at 2:35 AM, chrismakris said:

Hello all,

 

We are a couple in our mid 40’s and we have been cruising together for a few years now and we are starting to find that our regular cruise line is not meeting the standards we are accustomed to from them. 
 

We are looking at switching lines and have contemplated switching to a higher end line and cruising every 18-24 months instead of once a year. 
 

Siversea has caught our eye and we have a few questions from the experienced Silversea crowd. 
 

1.  What is dress code like at dinner? We’re a little more business casual than dressed up but not a dealbreaker. 

2. Are the included shore excursions of good quality? We like a wide range of activities from beach getaways to learning about destinations we are visiting 

 

3. Is there entertainment on board and what can we expect?

 

4. Quality of food?

 

5. Tipping?  Is it included in the price?  I don’t see it included when doing a booking. 
 

Im sure I’ll have more questions but thank you in advance and any advice is greatly appreciated. 

I'm a little late to this thread (was busy booking cruises :)), and appreciate most of your questions were answered.

I mix and match various lines (mostly but not exclusively luxury lines), and see you have previously sailed on Celebrity, and with that in mind, I will add these comments:

1.  The crowd on SS tends to be older  than on Celebrity (where many middle-aged pax are seen), unless it's a beach-oriented holiday time trip.  If you're "young and hipster 40's", unless you're unusual, quite a bit of entertainment may at times seem dated to you, almost comically dated  (e.g., with an emphasis on sappy old Broadway songs, melodramatic crooners, and lounge lizard music), but it is getting more modern  (the last SS cruise I was on even had an aged rocker as a guest performer and about 70 pax were really into the show!).  There are also typically a few regular dancers of varying skill who move around a lot, and regular singers who belt out some older and previously popular tunes, sometimes in synch with the dancers, YMMV.  I experiment and try almost all!

If you're "older and maturer 40's" the 45 minute small group production shows will be ok but not as flashy or suggestive as they may be on Celebrity.  You might see a guest classical music performer. Compared with on X, even with a full cruise, you can find a seat within 5 minutes of showtime, so no need to come early.

Other entertainment options include swimming in heated pools, ballroom dancing lessons, trivia, bridge, a small casino, and other things like there are on big ships, just with smaller groups and older pax  (sometimes young at heart, sometimes not).  Of note, SS is also not a good place for young children (no organized kids' activities), so it is usually sedate.  

"Enrichment" lectures about the region or random subjects   (history, flora, fauna, chats by semi-celebrities) also are typically well-done on SS (a few exceptions), I thought they are better than on X, and are worth checking out as "entertainment."

After 10PM, it is generally very, very quiet on SS ships (so have a plan) -- this is a great time for romantic strolls on empty decks with your spouse/s.o. Early mornings are also great times for quiet walking or a trip to the gym as entertainment.

2.  Other than in the French specialty restaurant on SS , I thought  the food in Luminae (as you know, this is the suite-pax restaurant on Celebrity), was on average better than in the no-added-cost dining rooms on SS (whereas the other restaurants and buffet were worse on Celebrity ).  Selection, however, is much larger on SS, and *you can, with 24 hour advance notice, and no extra cost*, order a special meal prepared just for you* on SS (you don't even have to have a special event). You can also get caviar and champagne  on demand (no upcharge).  

There is almost no  nickel and diming like there is on X.

Decent hard liquor and mixed drinks are all-inclusive, as are beers and wines ranging from $10-$20 retail value +/- (with a specialty list of better wines that have reasonable markups).  You can also *bring on as many bottles of your own alcohol as you want*, there is no corkage fee, and you can drink them anywhere you want.

3.  The SS excursions are usually well-done, and the buses are not as crowded as on X (where every seat would be booked).  If you don't like them, you get little resistance if you try and get a partial refund.  If you can, pay for the ones that have a charge if they sound good to you, fellow pax will often be more interested in the trip if they are paying extra. 

4.  SS has *a lot* of public space per passenger, and lines are rare for anything that SS controls.  Other "luxury" English language lines like Seabourn, new Crystal,  and Regent (which you may also wish to consider since you're upscaling) have similar benefits in space and lack of lines , and have more  "business casual" days than SS (note the new SS ship Nova is so far unique in that it always has an elegant casual dress code, but people like to go beyond at dinner and there are formal optional nights). 

5.  You are not required to tip anyone, neither crew fund nor individual and will not get ugly looks from staff if you don't.  Crew fund of course is a form of tip, which will unfortunately include any rude waiter or hostile receptionist you may encounter as well as the terrific helpful (and more typical) crew you really want to tip, but who are entitled to only a tiny fraction of what you donate.  My preference is to personally tip the "butler" (basically a room service attendant in a tuxedo, but he can be more ) and his assistant (who mostly cleans) individually, if I like them and the work they do, even if they perform as expected on a "luxury" line.  But that is not required. I do this one day before the cruise ends, in person (so I can be sure and find them), with thanks and a nice note. I almost never have a 'regular" waiter, so other than in a specialty restaurant, I don't tip food people, but other pax develop an "in" with a special waiter they seek out  most of the cruise, and do tip.

Also be aware that some non-American and/or older school pax on SS find it distasteful when fellow pax (especially Americans) talk about tipping and cost saving issues at all (even on Cruise Critic).  Also note  that "pre-tipping" is frowned upon by many (other than the crew), for various reasons, and the topic of tipping often leads to threads being shut down.

I wish you and your s.o wonderful cruises on SS and/or other luxury lines!  They will not likely  be perfect but can be very good  (*all* lines, at varying levels, have experienced deterioration in service from baseline in recent years, per inflation-adjusted dollar spent)

I was told I had to do the transfer within 30 days and it would be fine to transfer to a TA.

However, the SS "cruise consultant" (who consulted on nothing) failed to mentioned that you cannot do a transfer after final payment, even if within the 30 day period (so if you do a "short notice" booking, i.e., 90 or less days before sailing, or online on your own or with a "cruise consultant at a time when full payment is due), even if you try and transfer to your TA within 30 days it will be no-go.

Thank you for your detailed review.

1.  Did you use the whirlpool tub on the balcony?

 If so, were you able to get and keep it hot enough to sit in for more than a few minutes?   We were in that suite earlier this year and even though outdoor weather was warm, we had trouble getting faucet water hot enough to keep the tub water hot (there was no separate heater, i.e., I understand it is not a real hot tub, but I wondered if the hot water flow itself was defective and perhaps meanwhile they fixed it to make it have a hotter option, especially since it takes a long time to fill the tub).

2.  Could you, or perhaps even people in the regular Neptune suites, order food off menus for service in your suite (with or without an extra charge)?

If yes, was it only for food from the MDR, or could you also order from other venues?

 And what kind of notice did you have to give?

3. Did you try and have guests visit you in your suite?

If so, were you able to plan in advance (perhaps for extra cost?) to have canapes and drinks available to treat them?

4.  How did the espresso machine work?  I had a few headaches with it last year, though staff tried to be responsive.

5.  When you ate in the MDR, did you just randomly appear, or had you been able to select a table of your choice in advance?

6.  If you could have changed or improved one aspect of the ship and suite experience you had, what would it have been? 

If anyone else has answers to these questions about the Pinnacle Suite experience on Rotterdam, please advise!

Thank you and any others for your time and help. 

I see you did an SS cruise in 2022, so you know what the boarding buffet lunch is likely to consist of.

You are likely to be able to board around 1PM (sometimes earlier), but do you want to?  

If you like the buffet lunches on SS, go ahead and show up early (I would shoot for shortly before 1) and plan for a late lunch on board,  but have an e-book with you in case you need to sit around.

If not, enjoy one more FLL lunch (there are so many choices, unlike on the ships), and just keep your 2PM time.

Despite so many cruises I have lost count, I tend to be a nervous Nellie and have no peace until I am actually *on* the ship, regardless of how good or poor the on-board lunch is, so I like to get on board as early as it is allowed, and at least have a celebratory glass of boarding champagne and walk the decks before more people come, even if suite access won't come until later.

Very recently on a non-expedition SB ship, sailing as a solo, in addition to announced pre-dinner cocktail options for solos, I received an advance written invitation to dine with different members of the staff in the main dining room (Restaurant) every night of my cruise.  I could then call to RSVP or decline. I didn't accept most of them but it was a nice gesture, since I know some solos don't like dining alone and/or don't like relying on timely meeting people to dine with.  Then at the table (with 4-6 guests) there would be other solos (including widows and widowers) and/or solos plus couples.

You do not have to be "single" per se BTW (quite a few people are married but sometimes or even always  sail separately from their spouses), i.e., the  effort is not about finding people romantic dates the way  "singles" gatherings  may or may not be on some mainstream lines. 

19 minutes ago, AnaiyaNB said:

Hi! This may sound like a strange question, but how noisy are embarkation ports and ports in general?

 

My husband and I are both autistic, and get easily overwhelmed by a lot of loud noises. I'm wondering if I should plan on bringing headphones/loop earplugs in my carry on for embarkation day?

 

This is our first cruise and I'm trying to get as much info as possible to make this as smooth as possible for both of us.

I am not autistic, but I hate random loud noises, including port equipment thumping, drilling, too many people loudly talking and hooting and hollaring all at once, etc. Definitely bring headphones.  If you have an iphone and normal ears that fit wireless ear buds, get ear buds (don't weigh much and are tidy ), and play soothing music through them if you are waiting around a lot in noise (not just at ports but also at airports).  

Wirless Apple ear buds unfortunately don't fit one of my ears (fall out) , so I have an old-fashioned cable that connects lower quality ear buds to my iphone for the soothing music. I can still hear announcements if needed. 

Ear plugs/buds can also be handy if you get a loud neighbor (drunk, crying baby, etc.)

Have a wonderful time!

From a few years ago when we were on the Spirit.  Staff  made a cool ice sculpture:

I just finished going through your thread.  I appreciate all the work and frank commentary, about both the good and the not so good -- all very informative.

Also thank you for your careful photo *selections* and videos, i.e., for not posting every single image you took (tempting as it can be when one excitedly sails).  This helps make the ones you do post extra special.

And I don't think I've ever seen a live 'X-rated' penguin video before :).

Your kids are very lucky to have had such an experience while so young. 

I look forward to more trip reports from you in the future!

4-5 ounzes, as I recall (120-150 cc)

1 minute ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Take a look at https://www.spaindaytours.com

 

They have shared tours and the charge per person is very reasonable.  The only gotcha is that if the tour doesn't reach its minimum it would be cancelled [or you could make it a private tour at a much higher cost].

I had heard good things about this company on CC, so booked them.  They stood me up, and didn't give me my money back either.  I had to pursue AMEX refund for services not rendered.

Maybe I just had bad luck (Monsieur Murphy does tend to follow me around on international travel, as it does LesW, but I have learned to be ready for him!)

I always confirm and reconfirm private tours, up to the night before docking.

It is crazy that two years out excursions are booked up.  This is likely due to the new policy of being able to book them as soon as you place a deposit, rather than a few months before the cruise.

They will likely add extra buses and capacity by then (or some people will drop out).

But for those ports, a private excursion (with late cancellation rights of course) would likely be more enjoyable than going with a big group.

Or, you could start a roll call to set up a much smaller group to help share expenses (as on Tours by Locals, my favorite, but where the price for just going as a couple can be relatively pricey), and to customize what you are interested in. 

10 hours ago, jollyjones said:

Yes, and I used to always refuse it too, but it has occurred to me that I may need it sometime in the future if the menu doesn’t offer anything much that I like!

 

It is way too big an offering for a ship full of mostly seniors with lower caloric needs.  But young and/or well-muscled men who spend a lot of time on sports or in the gym likely appreciate it, especially if service is slow. 

Those antipasti  can be a nice source of midnight snacks for the suite after the show.  We/I sometimes picked a few things out for a small plate (especially the charcuterie options ) to send back to the suite to nibble on on the balcony, with a special midnight wine.

But back to Port Power and others who are doing a much appreciated trip report.  Thank you!

We did the SS F1 standard package (a VIP package like you describe was not offered then, don't know about now), a few years ago.  DH and I had been F1 fans for many years (and we had been recording and watching all races),  and one of engineer DH's hobbies for years had been tracking his own cars for fun, so he is a serious gearhead. But we were busy then, so we just signed up for the package instead of spending time exploring private VIP options, which we later learned were cheaper for value offered, and better.

We had hard grandstand seats with no backrests in a decent but not prime location (i.e., nowhere near the checkered flag).  We got a little waistpack kit including a cute but thin SS F1 cushion (which I still have , as it is handy to have in my handbag for excursions with hard seats).  At the venue big screens showed key scenes but we could hear very little that was announced and the "live" experience included some very drunk Australians (not from SS)   behind us who were a bit sloppy. The  toilet experience (especially for ladies) was horrendous, so I avoided drinking to avoid a repeat, even though it was hot and we were in the sun. We looked longingly at people not far away who were on small boats and in hotels with more comfortable seating, drinks, snacks, and facilities (some of which were available for online purchase at prices that are reasonable for SS cruisers). 

The best part was that there  was a special dinner for fans on the ship, (with a special menu)  with a not very well known former racer guest speaker who was entertaining.  It was great fun sitting at a table with a bunch of other car fans for several hours.  

We have no regrets about having done the tour package, but we would not repeat it as we are not into the "scene" on Monaco and one gets better race views and analysis on a TV.  IF we were to go again  we would get private VIP seating. 

Back then the tender schedule would have worked out for private seating.