What About That One Swimming Pool?

[eroller]

4 hours ago, Myrtle Ave. Mayhem said:

Yes, I agree Ernie. A proper swimming pool is a requirement for me. Sitmar had the best ! The infinity pools on Viking Ocean are fantastic. 

 

 

I LOVED Sitmar and those pool decks were legendary!   I haven't been on Viking Ocean, but the two pools look fantastic all for less than 1000 pax and no kids.  

[eroller]

1 hour ago, dancarebear said:

 

 

Is it though? Just look at the latest NCL ship. ONE pool for a ship double the size. They even removed the adults only pool at the back for the race track. Personally I prefer more hot tubs anyway.

 

 

I agree the pool deck on NORWEGIAN ENCORE is pitiful.  Personally I have no desire to sail on that ship because of it.  There are two pools and while they are larger than the one on SCARLET LADY, they are still not sufficient and the overall deck space is dismal.  This is where SCARLET LADY wins hands down.  Deck space.  It looks expansive and lovely, with no "attractions" littering the decks and no kids running around.  I only wish the pool was larger and really it should be for the amount of passengers the ship is carrying. I don't think we have heard the last of it, especially when the reviews start coming in from the actual Caribbean cruises.  Maybe it will be fine, but my guess is that it's not adequate.  

[2NOLAcruisers]

I love the idea of a tiny pool! I think they are a waste of deck space. 

 

On previous cruises, it was mostly kids swimming, so the no kid policy gets rid of that. On my other adult only type cruises, a very low percentage of people got in the pool and nobody swam. It was just wading or light movement. They probably figured out how many people really use the pool and adjusted the size accordingly. 

 

I'm on the first sneak peek sailing and look forward to not swimming! 

[AlyssaJames]

19 minutes ago, 2NOLAcruisers said:

On previous cruises, it was mostly kids swimming, so the no kid policy gets rid of that. On my other adult only type cruises, a very low percentage of people got in the pool and nobody swam. It was just wading or light movement. They probably figured out how many people really use the pool and adjusted the size accordingly. 

 

Yeah, I've been trying to mostly stay out of this one because I don't swim in the sundeck pools on cruise ships. But this turns into a chicken or egg thing:

 

I don't swim in cruise ship sundeck pools because the ships I sail on a lot (NCL megaships) have tiny, crowded pools that are all in direct sunlight, and I'm not a sun worshipper. Also not a kid person.

 

On my single Celebrity cruise, I DID swim in the Solarium pool, which was big enough to swim in, and shaded. But that was back in 2015, and I didn't like a whole lot else about Celebrity. 

 

So I like swimming, but only if it's a big, uncrowded pool, adults-only, and shaded from intense sunlight.

 

So yeah, if VV had one of those, it would be awesome. But I guess I was never expecting them to in the first place. I can see how people coming from X or Princess (or higher end lines) would be disappointed. 

Edited February 25, 2020 by AlyssaJames

[eroller]

4 minutes ago, AlyssaJames said:

 

Yeah, I've been trying to mostly stay out of this one because I don't swim in the sundeck pools on cruise ships. But this turns into a chicken or egg thing:

 

I don't swim in cruise ship sundeck pools because the ships I sail on a lot (NCL megaships) have tiny, crowded pools that are all in direct sunlight, and I'm not a sun worshipper. Also not a kid person.

 

On my single Celebrity cruise, I DID swim in the Solarium pool, which was big enough to swim in, and shaded. But that was back in 2015, and I didn't like a whole lot else about Celebrity. 

 

So I like swimming, but only if it's a big, uncrowded pool, adults-only, and shaded from intense sunlight.

 

So yeah, if VV had one of those, it would be awesome. But I guess I was never expecting them to in the first place. I can see how people coming from X or Princess (or higher end lines) would be disappointed. 

 

 

The good thing is that the deck space on Scarlet Lady looks awesome, and it won't be overrun with kids.  I'm guessing that finding a chair in a great spot will be no problem.  So if you don't swim you're in luck.  If you like to take a dip in the pool like I do, especially to cool off after laying in the hot sun ... well you have seen the pool.  

[AlyssaJames]

4 minutes ago, eroller said:

 

The good thing is that the deck space on Scarlet Lady looks awesome, and it won't be overrun with kids.  I'm guessing that finding a chair in a great spot will be no problem.  So if you don't swim you're in luck.  If you like to take a dip in the pool like I do, especially to cool off after laying in the hot sun ... well you have seen the pool.  

 

For what it's worth, I'm also very underwhelmed by the thermal suite, especially at the prices they are charging. NCL definitely has them beat there. BIG thalassotherapy pool, hot tubs, a good number of contoured heated tile loungers, and a TON of cushioned loungers.

 

VV apparently expects people to sit around on warm, flat, hard marble, or sit in one of about five upright chairs. That space is the head-scratcher for me. 

Edited February 25, 2020 by AlyssaJames

[eroller]

8 minutes ago, AlyssaJames said:

 

For what it's worth, I'm also very underwhelmed by the thermal suite, especially at the prices they are charging. NCL definitely has them beat there. BIG thalassotherapy pool, hot tubs, a good number of contoured heated tile loungers, and a TON of cushioned loungers.

 

VV apparently expects people to sit around on warm, flat, hard marble, or sit in one of about five upright chairs. That space is the head-scratcher for me. 

 

 

I think the thermal suite looks absolutely amazing.  Very sleek and cool.  I've heard they will even have events in there like a mini nightclub.  How practical it all is I don't know??   And yes it's really really expensive.  

Edited February 25, 2020 by eroller

[AlyssaJames]

16 minutes ago, eroller said:

 I've heard they will even have events in there like a mini nightclub.

 

Hmm. Maybe there are bits of it they haven't shown or that I haven't seen. 

[floridaboundsoon]

Maybe they assume so many people will be getting tattoos and won't be able to go in the water as a result.😀

[nigelc]

Just watched the video and saw the swimming pool - very funny, still laughing now. Who in their right mind would design such a thing for a ship of that size? But love it or hate it, I think we can all agree it is not a swimming pool.

[philsuarez]

I'd be interested to know what the official line on the swimming pool thinking is from Virgin? Clearly they have spent millions sorting this out so must be some grand plan behind this?

[MBP1]

The lack of a nice pool is a big bummer for us. I love a nice pool where you can wade and enjoy a drink. On our last cruise on the Carnival Vista we spent tons of time in the pool on the Havana Deck and loved it, great way to stay cool on hot days. 

[kwokpot]

I am not sure what Virgin thinks people will do in those large shallow areas - just sit on the tile floor? None of the renderings show loungers in those shallow areas, so my impression is that they aren't going to put them in there. Isn't having loungers in those shallow areas one of the main benefits of those types of spaces? 

[Myrtle Ave. Mayhem]

 

On 2/25/2020 at 5:33 AM, eroller said:

 

 

I LOVED Sitmar and those pool decks were legendary!   I haven't been on Viking Ocean, but the two pools look fantastic all for less than 1000 pax and no kids.  

If only they'd build exact replicas of the T.S.S. Fairsea/Fairwind ! Knowing that you enjoy cruise travel so much, I implore you to give Viking Ocean a whirl. It's a cruise & ship product that must be experienced ! I think of it as a modern throwback to Royal Viking Line, but more comfortably casual. 

[eroller]

2 hours ago, Myrtle Ave. Mayhem said:

 

If only they'd build exact replicas of the T.S.S. Fairsea/Fairwind ! Knowing that you enjoy cruise travel so much, I implore you to give Viking Ocean a whirl. It's a cruise & ship product that must be experienced ! I think of it as a modern throwback to Royal Viking Line, but more comfortably casual. 

 

 

You seem to know me!  Great suggestion and spot on.  Viking Ocean is very high on my list to sail.  Their ships seem perfect for me.  Adult-only, no casino, wrap-around promenade deck, a clean & contemporary Scandinavian design, and yes two beautiful pools for less than 1000 pax.  Also free access to the spa thermal suite for all pax.  Bravo!  I agree about the Royal Viking analogy.  About as close as we can get today I think.   

[WonderMan3]

5 hours ago, Myrtle Ave. Mayhem said:

 

If only they'd build exact replicas of the T.S.S. Fairsea/Fairwind ! Knowing that you enjoy cruise travel so much, I implore you to give Viking Ocean a whirl. It's a cruise & ship product that must be experienced ! I think of it as a modern throwback to Royal Viking Line, but more comfortably casual. 

 

Viking ships look nice but no casino means no go for me.

 

[LMaxwell]

Virgin sure screwed this up big time.  

 

On an adults only ship there should have been multiple themed pools/lazy rivers/bars etc.  Think Vegas club pools.  

 

Interested in a lot of things by VV but, really, this is a big fat miss on their part. 

[Myrtle Ave. Mayhem]

19 hours ago, eroller said:

 

 

You seem to know me!  Great suggestion and spot on.  Viking Ocean is very high on my list to sail.  Their ships seem perfect for me.  Adult-only, no casino, wrap-around promenade deck, a clean & contemporary Scandinavian design, and yes two beautiful pools for less than 1000 pax.  Also free access to the spa thermal suite for all pax.  Bravo!  I agree about the Royal Viking analogy.  About as close as we can get today I think.   

Yes, I've seen your Flickr page! Wonderful picture documentary of your years at sea. I admire your reverence for all things maritime! I mean Home Lines out of New York, Statendam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Fairsea in the '80's! Then the fact that you sailed aboard Fairsea then worked aboard Fair Princess ! The Pacific/Island Princess twin sisters were also special to me(sorely missed!). Being from California my grandparents & aunts always cruised Sitmar but family in Queens always cruised Home Lines. Most boys my age poured over comic books, but I always had the latest annual brochures for Sitmar, Princess, Royal Viking Line, Home Lines, & Royal Caribbean - studied each ships deck plan for hours on end !

[CruisingWalter]

The pool has been the biggest head scracher for us too.  From the renderings it was hard to tell how deep the 'wings' of that main pool were going to be. And in the renderings, that large hot tub looked like it was going to be a sit in pool with cold water. 

 

For a Caribbean based ship, the lack of a true 'pool' is a misstep. We tend to take a dip and swim after working out in the morning and then from time to time during the day to cool off. We also really enjoy the indoor solarium pools on Celebrity, Royal and Princess. 

 

That's what I'm really surprised Virgin didn't do, build a large indoor, solarium type of pool space that also had a killer bar and turned into an event space at night. Something between what Celebrity and the new Royal ships have in terms of space, but putting that Virgin touch on it. They could have make a beautiful swim up bar with a killer pool, oversized bar in the space along with some sort of spa eatery kind of thing.  Disney has one of the smallest bars we've seen in their adult only area, but even that has a swim up bar.  

 

We're booked in August, but based on what we're seeing in the videos, we are honestly rethinking our cruise. Not cancelling yet, but seriously reconsidering  before final payment is due.

[eroller]

28 minutes ago, Myrtle Ave. Mayhem said:

Yes, I've seen your Flickr page! Wonderful picture documentary of your years at sea. I admire your reverence for all things maritime! I mean Home Lines out of New York, Statendam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Fairsea in the '80's! Then the fact that you sailed aboard Fairsea then worked aboard Fair Princess ! The Pacific/Island Princess twin sisters were also special to me(sorely missed!). Being from California my grandparents & aunts always cruised Sitmar but family in Queens always cruised Home Lines. Most boys my age poured over comic books, but I always had the latest annual brochures for Sitmar, Princess, Royal Viking Line, Home Lines, & Royal Caribbean - studied each ships deck plan for hours on end !

 

 

Wow you really do know me!  It sounds like we have a lot in common.  Like you as a child I studied all those cruise line brochures and loved the deck plans (Virgin's deck plans are pathetic).  I still do actually.  I've saved many of those old brochures and still collect any significant brochures like inaugurals.  Back then as a kid I felt like I was the only ship aficionado in the entire world.  I'm sure you did too.  As you mention the other kids were looking at comic books, or were into cars, trains, or airplanes.  No one cared about ships but me.  Now thanks to the internet we know we are not alone!  The Sitmar Experience brochures were some of my very favorites, and what wonderful deck plans they had.  Sitmar and Home Lines offered a very similar experience, but Sitmar of course had the more laid back West Coast feel to it.  Anyway happy cruising to you!  Do you anticipate a Virgin cruise in your future?  I'm still on the fence.  

[Myrtle Ave. Mayhem]

20 hours ago, eroller said:

 

 

You seem to know me!  Great suggestion and spot on.  Viking Ocean is very high on my list to sail.  Their ships seem perfect for me.  Adult-only, no casino, wrap-around promenade deck, a clean & contemporary Scandinavian design, and yes two beautiful pools for less than 1000 pax.  Also free access to the spa thermal suite for all pax.  Bravo!  I agree about the Royal Viking analogy.  About as close as we can get today I think.   

Yes, I've seen your Flickr page! Wonderful picture documentary of your years at sea. I admire your reverence for all things maritime! I mean Home Lines out of New York, Statendam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Fairsea in the '80's! Then the fact that you sailed aboard Fairsea then worked aboard Fair Princess ! The Pacific/Island Princess twin sisters were also special to me(sorely missed!). Being from California my grandparents & aunts always cruised Sitmar but family in Queens always cruised Home Lines. Most boys my age poured over comic books, but I always had the latest annual brochures for Sitmar, Princess, Royal Viking Line, Home Lines, & Royal Caribbean - studied each ships deck plan for hours on end !

[Geoffa30]

Love how there are a selection of people saying it’s not a problem. Do they work for VV or are they influencers desperate to promote the line to ensure they get that free cruise? Judging by the number of emails I get from VV detailing various offers I expect things aren’t going as well as expected particularly as some of those offers are for April and May cruises. I anticipate said offers will increase as people potentially cancel after having seen the ship. 
 

Do they do classifieds for pre-loved cruise ships? If so watch out for a couple of grey battleships in the next few years.

[Myrtle Ave. Mayhem]

34 minutes ago, eroller said:

 

 

Wow you really do know me!  It sounds like we have a lot in common.  Like you as a child I studied all those cruise line brochures and loved the deck plans (Virgin's deck plans are pathetic).  I still do actually.  I've saved many of those old brochures and still collect any significant brochures like inaugurals.  Back then as a kid I felt like I was the only ship aficionado in the entire world.  I'm sure you did too.  As you mention the other kids were looking at comic books, or were into cars, trains, or airplanes.  No one cared about ships but me.  Now thanks to the internet we know we are not alone!  The Sitmar Experience brochures were some of my very favorites, and what wonderful deck plans they had.  Sitmar and Home Lines offered a very similar experience, but Sitmar of course had the more laid back West Coast feel to it.  Anyway happy cruising to you!  Do you anticipate a Virgin cruise in your future?  I'm still on the fence.  

Yes, ships, planes, trains, & cars! It was the era of "Airport", "Silver Streak", "The Big Bus", & "The Love Boat". The Sitmar Experience brochure was THE BEST, VERY detailed deck plans. The Royal Viking Atlas was crisply cool in a very Scandinavian way. You work for an airline, I'm a train attendant with Amtrak. I don't see myself on a Virgin Voyages anytime soon as it's definitely not my cup of tea; but next week I set sail on another Transatlantic crossing aboard Viking Sky, Miami to Barcelona. 14 nights of Viking Ocean bliss! I did the Lisbon to Miami in December & the whole experience was so extraordinary I knew I had to repeat soon! I posted a photo album in Member Photos.

Edited February 27, 2020 by Myrtle Ave. Mayhem
Spelling

[eroller]

10 minutes ago, Geoffa30 said:

Love how there are a selection of people saying it’s not a problem. Do they work for VV or are they influencers desperate to promote the line to ensure they get that free cruise?  

 

You could be right about the influencers with an agenda.  Also there might be a little buyers remorse.  Some people don't want to accept anything negative about a ship they just shelled out big bucks to sail on .  I can understand that.  Plus there are those that just don't care about a pool.  I can respect that too.  For those that do like a dip in the pool while cruising, I don't think there is any denying it's a piss poor excuse for one.  

[eroller]

8 minutes ago, Myrtle Ave. Mayhem said:

 but next week I set sail on another Transatlantic crossing aboard Viking Sky, Miami to Barcelona. 14 nights of Viking Ocean bliss! I did the Lisbon to Miami in December & the whole experience was so extraordinary I knew I had to repeat soon! I posted a photo album in Member Photos.

 

Sounds fantastic and a line I need to experience soon!  

 

I'm sailing on QUEEN VICTORIA next month.  A crossing from Fort Lauderdale to Southampton.  11 days.   Pretty much the polar opposite experience of Virgin.  Cunard is all about tradition, structure, and formality.  It's a bygone era.  Everything Virgin is not.  And yes, there will be old people god forbid!  LOL.  I'm just glad there is room in this industry for all kinds of experiences, like Virgin and Cunard.  Personally I enjoy them both!