Regaining public confidence

[Pear Carr]

Have never experienced problems with ordering room service on QM2 and Queen Victoria, either in Britannia or grills cabins, including early morning trips in St Petersburg.

We opt never to dine in Kings Court. 

[TheOldBear]

7 hours ago, tv24 said:

I understand this, and for us, we end up in Kings Chaos on disembarkation days and it is always a horrible experience.  Total chaos, nowhere pleasant to sit, no one to help with beverages, tacky buffet displays of mediocre food products, just a crummy mass-market cruise experience like the rock bottom price point cruise ships.   Nothing close to anything luxury, and not anywhere I really want to be.  But I was hungry and in desperate need of caffeine.  So nose down and deal with it.  Depressing.

We normally do room service or KC for breakfast - except for disembarkation days.

Then, we typically have the 'do not disturb' sign out and go to an early breakfast in Britannia, then back to the room to brush teeth and collect our things.

Typically, the only part of the process we don't like is the tedious wait in the Queens Room for the last set of disembarking passengers [decks 4 and 5]  

[BklynBoy8]

7 hours ago, tv24 said:

I understand this, and for us, we end up in Kings Chaos on disembarkation days and it is always a horrible experience.  Total chaos, nowhere pleasant to sit, no one to help with beverages, tacky buffet displays of mediocre food products, just a crummy mass-market cruise experience like the rock bottom price point cruise ships.   Nothing close to anything luxury, and not anywhere I really want to be.  But I was hungry and in desperate need of caffeine.  So nose down and deal with it.  Depressing.

Hi tv4 from the east coast..... Take Care & Safe in these stressful times.

 

Everyone has their own opinion but I do miss the Old Kings Court even though it's layout was so spread out.

I did have my favorite parts ex. Asian and Chef Gallery which I headed for and enjoyed like my DW loved the Carvery.

 

But I do agree with you in some parts after experiencing the new layout twice after it's refit.

 

I do not agree with this new layout and also the way the several times I experienced it at breakfast and lunch, it was a free for all and never got to enjoy all the items laid out without them being grabbed. And the replacement items ex. beautiful Asian Stir Fry Dish replaced with piles of Hamburgers...yuk!

 

Sorry for your experience on disembarkation morning but IMHO, we would not ever go since we expect to experience what you well described. 

[ABoatNerd]

Cruising also has another big problem - their partner, the airlines.

 

In Canada the airlines are refusing to give customers their cash back and refusing future credits - they are in fact stealing our money.  Unlike in the EU where they were ordered to reimburse in cash,  but I hear from friends KLM is being difficult.

 

Suffice it to say there are many class action suits now underway in Canada and a huge backlash against the airlines.

 

So a vacation - airlines and cruise lines - Not happening until I see a consumer friendly corporate attitude change.

[Trevor33]

If it helps I was stranded in Europe years ago when the Volcano erupted in Iceland and all planes were grounded for sometime. My return flight was with KLM. KLM are part of Air France so any problems need to be addressed to Air France - their Paris address I am sure should be on their website. Good luck to your friends as despite ATOL & ABTA It took me over 8 months to get a refund on the unused return ticket and from memory I was not fully refunded or refunded for the overland journey home I had to make myself. It is a crazy world out there right now, hopefully order will be resumed soon

[resistk]

On 4/3/2020 at 11:03 AM, BklynBoy8 said:

Hi tv4 from the east coast..... Take Care & Safe in these stressful times.

 

Everyone has their own opinion but I do miss the Old Kings Court even though it's layout was so spread out.

I did have my favorite parts ex. Asian and Chef Gallery which I headed for and enjoyed like my DW loved the Carvery.

 

 

I agree 100%, the new layout is like a cheap cafeteria.

[Guest SilverHengroen]

On 4/3/2020 at 4:03 PM, BklynBoy8 said:

Hi tv4 from the east coast..... Take Care & Safe in these stressful times.

 

Everyone has their own opinion but I do miss the Old Kings Court even though it's layout was so spread out.

I did have my favorite parts ex. Asian and Chef Gallery which I headed for and enjoyed like my DW loved the Carvery.

 

But I do agree with you in some parts after experiencing the new layout twice after it's refit.

 

I do not agree with this new layout and also the way the several times I experienced it at breakfast and lunch, it was a free for all and never got to enjoy all the items laid out without them being grabbed. And the replacement items ex. beautiful Asian Stir Fry Dish replaced with piles of Hamburgers...yuk!

 

Sorry for your experience on disembarkation morning but IMHO, we would not ever go since we expect to experience what you well described. 

I also preferred it how it was, the different sections made navigation a bit easier, I've found it more confusing to remember how to get to the buffet and back to your table since it now all looks the same! 

[SargassoPirate]

On 4/5/2020 at 8:50 AM, ABoatNerd said:

Cruising also has another big problem - their partner, the airlines.

 

In Canada the airlines are refusing to give customers their cash back and refusing future credits - they are in fact stealing our money.  Unlike in the EU where they were ordered to reimburse in cash,  but I hear from friends KLM is being difficult.

 

Suffice it to say there are many class action suits now underway in Canada and a huge backlash against the airlines.

 

So a vacation - airlines and cruise lines - Not happening until I see a consumer friendly corporate attitude change.

 

We are not going to travel outside the U.S. until there is a vaccine for Covid-19 in use worldwide.  We have cancelled our remaining cruises for 2020 and will consider our 2021 bookings as the final payment dates approach.  Future cruise bookings and airline choices will depend on how we are treated with regards to the travel we have cancelled.  They need us more than we need them, so we will wait and see.

 

In the meantime, Viking Ocean has announced a very generous Risk Free booking guarantee for cruises booked through April 30.  I feel confident about a late 2021 cruise we have booked with them.