Inaugural Cruise Question

[Radbooks]

Hello!

I'm interested in taking the first cruise on the Rotterdam next summer but am concerned that it may be delayed. Of course, Covid may delay things, but I wondered if those of you who have taken inaugural cruises in the past have had your cruises delayed? I'd really enjoyed doing that itinerary next summer but I'm a teacher and couldn't really take a delay of any length of time.

 

Thanks in advance for your help!

[Alberta Quilter]

Well, the inaugural Rotterdam VII cruise was supposed to start on May 15th but was already delayed to August 1st due to Covid and the shut down of the shipyard for six weeks earlier this year.  So who knows if there might be further delays.  But one would think that any delay would be communicated before final payment.  Or am I being naive?!

 

I believe the inaugural cruises for Nieuw Statendam and Koningsdam were on time but others will correct me on that if I'm wrong.

[LoveHAL]

My wife and I truly enjoyed the Inaugural Cruise on the Nieuw Statendam. It was quite special and did sail on the initial departure date. Still, the current date for the Rotterdam VII is still close to a year out and things could happen. So in your situation, having no flexibility on a possible delay, I think I would hold off on any booking till much later. Just keep tracking the progress of the ship's build and make a decision much closer in.  This certainly will reduce you choice of cabin assignment, but at least you will have more knowledge of the departure date. 

[NavArch64]

If you are referring to the sailing from Trieste, assuming it is as currently scheduled, be prepared for numbers of Fincantieri shipyard workers and subcontractors to be onboard to "finish" the ship. Many aspects of the outfitting of the ship may not be complete and the IT systems flakey at best. But, it is fun to be part of the process of bringing the ship to life.

[1ANGELCAT]

The KDAM was originally scheduled for February and was delayed until April 2016.

 

 

[RuthC]

Over the years, the pattern has been that the first ship of a new class has been delayed, but the following ships of the same class have not. 
The difference this time is that covid-19 has already thrown a monkey wrench into this once, and for all we know could do it again. 

[Radbooks]

Thanks for the input! I think we'll wait and see what happens.

[rkacruiser]

6 hours ago, Radbooks said:

Thanks for the input! I think we'll wait and see what happens.

 

My opinion, it's too early to book anything, anywhere.  

[Radbooks]

40 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

My opinion, it's too early to book anything, anywhere.  

Oh, I wouldn't make a final payment for next year yet, but we have Future Cruise Deposits that I would certainly use to hold my spot.

[Alberta Quilter]

You could consider using your FCD to book a spot and, if the embarkation date changes, cancel if it conflicts with the school year.  If no delay by final payment, you would then have to judge at that point if you want to make final payment.  

 

I wonder if there could be delays after final payment?  (other than due to Covid as no one can predict those)

 

 

[colonialinnkeeper]

My aunt and uncle were to be on the inaugural cruise for Zuiderdam but their cruise was cancelled due to a change because the ship delayed.

[TAD2005]

There could still be delays in the finishing of the R-Dam 7.   Many components of the ship are supplied from vendors all over Europe and Asia..   They are just assembled in the Fincantieri shipyards.   The finishing out of the ship all depends on hundreds of suppliers doing their job and on schedule.   

[lazey1]

If you really want to do the inaugural tour why not go ahead and use your future cruise deposit so you can book the cabin of your choice. You can always cancel before final payment if you can not go. And if you buy HAL platinum insurance you can cancel for any reason even after final payment.  

[Sir PMP]

On 8/24/2020 at 5:04 AM, NavArch64 said:

If you are referring to the sailing from Trieste, assuming it is as currently scheduled, be prepared for numbers of Fincantieri shipyard workers and subcontractors to be onboard to "finish" the ship. Many aspects of the outfitting of the ship may not be complete and the IT systems flakey at best. But, it is fun to be part of the process of bringing the ship to life.

And the crew will be a bit rusty too..

[iancal]

I also suspect that paying customers will play second fiddle to the cruise line executives, supplier executives, and travel industry types who are probably cruising gratis.  No doubt venues will be occasionally closed to accommodate gatherings/meetings for these people.

Edited August 25, 2020 by iancal

[rkacruiser]

7 minutes ago, iancal said:

I also suspect that paying customers will play second fiddle to the cruise line executives, supplier executives, and travel industry types who are probably cruising gratis.  No doubt venues will be occasionally closed to accommodate gatherings/meetings for these people.

 

????

 

When the cruise lines begin operating again, they will need booked revenue.  If for no other reason than the shareholders of RCI, CCL, and Norwegian will surely "demand" such.  

[Mary Ellen]

54 minutes ago, iancal said:

I also suspect that paying customers will play second fiddle to the cruise line executives, supplier executives, and travel industry types who are probably cruising gratis.  No doubt venues will be occasionally closed to accommodate gatherings/meetings for these people.

This is exactly what we encountered on the E’dam inaugural and why we won’t ever do another again. We expected to have things/crew a little rough around the edges. We could have lived with that. To be treated as an ‘inconvenience’? Never again.

[colonialinnkeeper]

1 hour ago, Mary Ellen said:

This is exactly what we encountered on the E’dam inaugural and why we won’t ever do another again. We expected to have things/crew a little rough around the edges. We could have lived with that. To be treated as an ‘inconvenience’? Never again.

It's too bad that you had that experience.  We were on the Nieuw Amsterdam inaugural and had a very different experience where there was excitement, wonderful staff with just a few bumps, special memorabilia (a book, pewter plate, etc.) and the feeling of being part of a special happening.   We would do it again especially now that we are able to make adjustments should the dates change.

[RuthC]

15 minutes ago, colonialinnkeeper said:

It's too bad that you had that experience.  We were on the Nieuw Amsterdam inaugural and had a very different experience where there was excitement, wonderful staff with just a few bumps, special memorabilia (a book, pewter plate, etc.) and the feeling of being part of a special happening.   We would do it again especially now that we are able to make adjustments should the dates change.

One difference between the inaugural of the Nieuw Amsterdam vs. the E-dam is that the E-dam was the first in a new class of vessels. 
Did the inaugural of the Nieuw Amsterdam have all the travel agents, heads of HAL and Carnival Corporation, reporters, etc. that the inaugural of the E-dam did? If not, I'm sure that made a big difference. The E-dam had a showroom full of paying passengers waiting for the show to begin, but it was held up quite a while so the CCL/HAL heads could linger at their dinner table chatting. 

[rkacruiser]

20 minutes ago, RuthC said:

The E-dam had a showroom full of paying passengers waiting for the show to begin, but it was held up quite a while so the CCL/HAL heads could linger at their dinner table chatting. 

 

And were probably enjoying a continual refill of their wine glasses?😀

[RuthC]

1 hour ago, rkacruiser said:

 

And were probably enjoying a continual refill of their wine glasses?😀

I'm sure. They were in no rush. 

[colonialinnkeeper]

13 hours ago, RuthC said:

One difference between the inaugural of the Nieuw Amsterdam vs. the E-dam is that the E-dam was the first in a new class of vessels. 
Did the inaugural of the Nieuw Amsterdam have all the travel agents, heads of HAL and Carnival Corporation, reporters, etc. that the inaugural of the E-dam did? If not, I'm sure that made a big difference. The E-dam had a showroom full of paying passengers waiting for the show to begin, but it was held up quite a while so the CCL/HAL heads could linger at their dinner table chatting. 

I remember someone representing Carnival/HAL speak one evening and there were other welcomes and short speeches but, I think you are right in that there weren't large groups of TA's, reporters, company reps, etc. on board.  Or, if they were there, there was no disruption of the usual happenings on board.

[Mary Ellen]

On 8/25/2020 at 5:51 PM, rkacruiser said:

 

And were probably enjoying a continual refill of their wine glasses?😀

Ah, NO.
 

We were just left cooling our heels for 20 minutes after the scheduled start of the show because the heads of HAL and CCL hadn’t finished their dinners. 

[JeffElizabeth]

On 8/25/2020 at 2:38 PM, rkacruiser said:

 

????

 

When the cruise lines begin operating again, they will need booked revenue.  If for no other reason than the shareholders of RCI, CCL, and Norwegian will surely "demand" such.  

You think so? I could see the opposite.  Load up a short cruise with industry types, five days long, and only a few paying passengers just in case there are issues. Like a soft opening in the restaurant business.  A shakedown cruise. 

[rkacruiser]

2 hours ago, JeffElizabeth said:

You think so? I could see the opposite.  Load up a short cruise with industry types, five days long, and only a few paying passengers just in case there are issues. Like a soft opening in the restaurant business.  A shakedown cruise. 

 

Thanks for your post.  I disagree.  We will both see what the future holds.

 

3 hours ago, Mary Ellen said:

Ah, NO.
 

We were just left cooling our heels for 20 minutes after the scheduled start of the show because the heads of HAL and CCL hadn’t finished their dinners. 

 

Maybe because they were slow to finish their dinners because their wine glasses had the same problem that my wine glass always seems to have:  there is a hole in the glass. 😁