Iconic Islands + Adriatic Explorer 4TH May

We had 8086 right in the middle of the rear, two weeks ago for a back to back 14-night Iconic Islands followed by Adriatic Explorer. A very large balcony and a good size cabin. The problems started about 3 in the morning on the first night with a cleaning crew dragging day and sunbeds above us on deck 9 they also jet wash and clean all the glass, we thought it was a thunderstorm. We complained at reception, filled in the suggestions slips and rang when the racket started every night, they said it would be investigated but on our two week cruise we only got two nights uninterrupted sleep!!!

We did have a phone call on the penultimate evening from reception offering us money for the disruption and they said it was a known problem. The morning discussion with the cabins to the side of us was always about the noise.

Also there was a problem with soot from the engines landing on the balcony and soon learnt not to sit on the chairs before the room was cleaned, we were told by the cabin attendant that they would clean our clothes at no charge.

Then to top it all we were in the Giudecca Canal leaving Venice, waving to the shore and passing boats, a party was in full swing to celebrate the first year of the Discovery 2 joining the Marella fleet with an opera singer starting to sing “Time to say goodbye” and the ship lost all propulsion so three tugs came to the rescue and dragged us back to the birth. This was at 18:00 we had to overnight it in Venice and finally were released after repair 14:00 the next day. This meant that we had to miss our docking in Split and made for a late arrival in Dubrovnik. For this we were all awarded £25 which we thought was a bit of a joke. I wonder if we have any comeback on this one?

These things really spoilt my retirement treat so sorry Marella but never again.

We were on board from April 10th to May 4th in 8080 (next door but one).

Yes we heard cleaning and movement of the verandah furniture early on it but it never lasted long, and it wasn't considered an unbearable nuisance by any of our neighbours. I think we recognised that a ship is a 24 hour operation and cleaning etc must happen, ideally when passengers are absent.

You must have been unlucky with the soot and wind direction because I would estimate we only had issues with it on about 5 occasions in 24 nights. Again we couldn't get bothered about it because the ship is a moving object and emits exhaust, plus the fact it was soon cleaned up. We had some soot in a port side junior suite last year because of crosswinds.

If it was a static hotel room both of those issues would probably be unacceptable but it is a ship.

Those aft junior suites rate among some of the best accommodation we've had in many cruises and the space and views more than make up for any negatives.

We would go back in them in a heartbeat.

I envy you that you were able to overnight in Venice, how lucky was that?.

Again it is a ship and operational difficulties occur, and I think £50 plus a night in Venice is fine. It gives you a chance to visit Split on another cruise.

You could try for compensation but I think you would be tilting at windmills.

Yes agree we had to overnight in Venice once when on Celebration , such a hardship!!!

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Compensation is not an issue as we are not seeking any!

We know our way around Venice very well and it would have been nice if we were allowed off the ship!

But at the end of the cruise we were phoned by reception and told that the issue with the noise was a known problem and we were offered money as, and I am quoting "a goodwill gesture". If it is a known problem why not address it, the two occasions we did get a good nights rest the cleaning started at 06:00 not 03:00.

...We know our way around Venice very well and it would have been nice if we were allowed off the ship!...

Hi itsbigmal, did they really not let you off the ship, why not?

We had to overnight once in Venice as the weather was really bad for the journey to our next port of call and the weather predicted for the port of call bad too We were not offered any money and didn't expect any and didn't hear any complaints Lots of people got off the ship to spend the evening in Venice This will have cost Thomson quite a bit to berth another night and morning in Venice We left at 2pm to a lot of fantastic opera singing and people also went ashore during the morning Just cannot understand why you were not allowed ashore

We were told that the ship could be sorted at any moment and as they had the generators working for the hotel side of things we were told to sit tight and enjoy the ship!

As I said we had no propulsion it wasn't a case of bad weather, they didn't have a choice and had to stay, I understand it ignited the row about the case of trying to stop cruise liners going this way in and out of the port see link.

https://www.fleetmon.com/maritime-news/2018/22437/cruise-ship-marella-discovery-2-disabled-venice-hi/

That's a real shame - this was just 16 days after we had disembarked in Palma after crossing the Atlantic. For 2 days the Captain had the ship at full speed 22knots into a gale force head wind to reach Cadiz in time

Makes you wonder if this had an effect on the engines later as it's not usual to travel at that speed We are on again 29th June so hope the problem has been fixed permanently