More "at sea" itineraries?

[pb82]

The gist of many posts on these threads is that we love the ships and love just being on the ships; getting there is more than half the fun for us. Back-to-back crossings are great, but I'd like more choices with lots of days at sea and fewer "three islands in eight days" cruises.

 

For example, four days New York to the Azores, two days in the Azores, and four days back to New York.

 

Or New York to the Azores to Iceland and back to New York, with two days in each port.

 

Or how about four days to Trinidad, two days there, and four days back?

 

Is anyone else interested in these ideas? Nothing against World Cruises, but I'd prefer round trips that didn't take as long and cost as much. And let's not even consider "cruises to nowhere".

 

Paul

[Bramcruiser]

Oh I love your ideas. I realized on my last cruise that I preferred days at sea to relax and lay back over running hectic day after day visiting different ports. Hey, I have nothing against port visits but I did enjoy the rather laid back attitude of resting up on a sea voyage. The reason I picked my Eastern/Southern Caribbean cruise over the Western Iteniary this December is the number of "at sea" days and I believe these will become more important in the future to me.

 

I love your NY-Azores-Iceland iteniary! I've always wanted to see Iceland. If you ever start up a cruise line of your own sign me up.

 

David

[pb82]

If you ever start up a cruise line of your own sign me up.

 

David

I had hoped that my suggestions would be so popular that I wouldn't have to start my own line. Doesn't seem to be happening so far, so I'll start saving to buy my own line. I expect to be signing you up sometime in 2156.

Paul

[spinnaker]

If you include the UK in some of your trips I'll certainly cruise with your line - so perhaps 2154 might be feasible?!

[spinnaker]

If you include the UK in some of your trips I'll certainly cruise with your line - so perhaps 2154 might be feasible?!

[pb82]

If you include the UK in some of your trips I'll certainly cruise with your line - so perhaps 2154 might be feasible?!

Another possibility for more days at sea would be an extended crossing: New York, the Azores, Southampton; then, Southampton, Iceland, New York. And why wait for my phantasmagorical ships, talk it up now!

Paul

[OceanLiner]

Iceland, Ireland, Greenland......why not? What a great idea. Something very different, and more days at sea. We found that the best ways to get "extra" days at sea is to simply ignore the port. The ship takes on a very relaxed personality while at port and you have much of her to yourself.

[pnhmrk]

I like the idea of more days at sea. What I'd like as well (no harm in asking!) is shorter cruises from the north of England. For example: sailing from Liverpool at full speed, a couple of days at sea, Gibraltar the next day, then Tangier and return. If Cunard wanted to slow the cruise down and save fuel you could do Lisbon and Gib, taking three days on the return.

[pb82]

If Cunard wanted to slow the cruise down and save fuel ...

I like your idea of gaining sea days by slowing down. Why not seven day crossings? Reducing the ship's speed by 17% will certainly reduce fuel consumption by much more, perhaps 25-30%. That and a small fare increase and a day's more on board spending by the passengers may well mean more revenue from fewer crossings for Cunard.

Paul

[Kindlychap]

I like your idea of gaining sea days by slowing down. Why not seven day crossings? Reducing the ship's speed by 17% will certainly reduce fuel consumption by much more, perhaps 25-30%. That and a small fare increase and a day's more on board spending by the passengers may well mean more revenue from fewer crossings for Cunard.

Paul

 

For one, part of the attraction is going at speed! :D

 

I'm sure the figures suit six day crossings, as we have six day ones - other than the next Tandem Crossing. QE2 is going to have to creep across so that QV can keep up.....

[lexxity]

ooh yes, sailings from Liverpool. That's a good idea. Talking of which, apparently the city is building a cruise terminal, to open in 2008 I believe. I would use it. Come on Cunard, you know it makes sense.

 

Speaking of Liverpool we will be sailing into the city on the QE2 next year on the 40th Anniversary tour of Britain. I can't wait!!:D

[david,Mississauga]

I like the idea of more days at sea. What I'd like as well (no harm in asking!) is shorter cruises from the north of England. For example: sailing from Liverpool at full speed, a couple of days at sea, Gibraltar the next day, then Tangier and return. If Cunard wanted to slow the cruise down and save fuel you could do Lisbon and Gib, taking three days on the return.

 

That sounds very much like two terrific cruises we had on P&O's Canberra. One of them took four days betweeen Southampton and Madeira. They also called at Lisbon, Gibraltar and the Canaries.

[pnhmrk]

That sounds very much like two terrific cruises we had on P&O's Canberra. One of them took four days between Southampton and Madeira. They also called at Lisbon, Gibraltar and the Canaries.

 

Our first cruise on the QE2 was for four nights - Southampton, a day at sea, Lisbon, another day at sea and then return to Southampton.

[Normandie-BCN]

Or New York to the Azores to Iceland and back to New York, with two days in each port.

 

Or New York to the Azores (are several islands), to Madeira, to some of Canary Islands (there are 7 major islands) and back to New York would have better weather.

[Kindlychap]

The three nighter to Guernsey had two sea days and no ports.

 

Ideal for a short break!

[pnhmrk]

The three nighter to Guernsey had two sea days and no ports.

 

A whole day to sail from Southampton to Guernsey?:eek:

[travel-to-go]

A whole day to sail from Southampton to Guernsey?:eek:

 

We once spent an entire night sailing from Cancun to Cozumel. I think it's about 18 miles or so!. This was on a smaller Cunard ship, was the night that prime rib was served and the only time I have ever gotten sick on a ship. We basically circled in our own mostly unburned deisel exhaust. We had the waiter pack the prime rib up and I took it back to our cabin. After a couple hours nap, I arose feeling much better and the prime rib was fabulous cold! (Glad it wasn't pork chop slathered in greasy gravy night. That would have been NASTY cold!)

 

Karie,

Who doesn't get sea-sick, but DOES feel a bit queasy in a tight dress breathing unburned deisel exhaust while eating fine food, rich appetisers and fabulous mixed drinks

[Kindlychap]

A whole day to sail from Southampton to Guernsey?:eek:

 

Southampton to Lizard, back to about Bournemouth, back to Plymouth, back well past Guernsey and down again.

 

Looked daft on the TV map!

[Post Captain]

The gist of many posts on these threads is that we love the ships and love just being on the ships; getting there is more than half the fun for us. Back-to-back crossings are great, but I'd like more choices with lots of days at sea and fewer "three islands in eight days" cruises.

 

For example, four days New York to the Azores, two days in the Azores, and four days back to New York.

 

Or New York to the Azores to Iceland and back to New York, with two days in each port.

 

Is anyone else interested in these ideas? Nothing against World Cruises, but I'd prefer round trips that didn't take as long and cost as much. And let's not even consider "cruises to nowhere".

 

Paul

Absolutely! Especially the New York-Azores and New York-Azores-Iceland itineraries. As well as a New York- Greenland- Iceland itinerary.

 

Maybe it's because I'm fundamentally a northern seas/high latitudes sort of person (none of this "Bahamas beach party" cruising for me, thank you), but I've long hoped to visit Iceland by ship. Living near NYC & prefering not to have to fly to or from a port (though of course I am happy to do so for transatlantic sailings), the notion of such an itinerary greatly appeals to me.

 

If Azores cruises are a staple out of Britain, why can't they be so out of the east coast of the U.S.? (Is it simply that your typical American mass-market cruiser has never heard of the Azores & has no idea of what & where they are?) Similarly, why are there cruises out of Britain that include Iceland, while such is unheard of out of New York? The autumn New York-New England-Canada cruises are all very well, but why can't Cunard (for one) be a little more adventurous?

 

pnhmark & lexxity: Fred. Olsen's Black Prince sails out of Liverpool, doesn't she? However, much as I like the idea of a sailing on a smallish ship on the North Atlantic, what I've read about the Black Prince's sea-keeping abilities (or lack thereof) doesn't inspire great confidence. :eek: Given the right ship, I enjoy rough weather as much as the next person; but I like my creature comforts even in rough weather.:)

 

An off-topic thought, though one that I expect will spur some comment here: Why can't Cunard build a vessel in the 40,000-ton range or so that would specialize in routes/itineraries such as the ones proposed here? (Well, we all know why... But it's a thought.)

[pb82]

If Azores cruises are a staple out of Britain, why can't they be so out of the east coast of the U.S.? (Is it simply that your typical American mass-market cruiser has never heard of the Azores & has no idea of what & where they are?) Similarly, why are there cruises out of Britain that include Iceland, while such is unheard of out of New York?

I'm sure that you are right that the typical American knows nothing of the Azores, but that's no reason to think that they can't be convinced that the Azores are the destination to die for. All it takes is advertising. After all, most cruisers have no idea where exactly any of the Caribbean tourist trap islands that they flock to are.

 

An off-topic thought, though one that I expect will spur some comment here: Why can't Cunard build a vessel in the 40,000-ton range or so that would specialize in routes/itineraries such as the ones proposed here? (Well, we all know why... But it's a thought.)

This is a great topic that's worth its own thread. Please start one.

 

Thanks, Paul

[travel-to-go]

Wan't one of the Fred Olsen ships formerly one of the Cunard Crown ships? I don't remember if it was Black Prince or not, but I sailed on three of the four Cunard Crown ships. And I sailed them in rough seas. They were fine, although I am not sure I would want to cross the Atlantic in them. Then again, maybe I would!

I would do Iceland especially if it was reasonable, The problem with the Azores for me is probably time- that and having to fly back. It's usually not a round trip typ of itenerary, but a repositioning type. Isn't it usually a stop on the way to Spain and Portugal when being repositioned from the Caribbean for European duty?

 

Karie,

who would love to see the Azores, but would want enough time to do it right

[Post Captain]

Wan't one of the Fred Olsen ships formerly one of the Cunard Crown ships? I don't remember if it was Black Prince or not, but I sailed on three of the four Cunard Crown ships. And I sailed them in rough seas. They were fine, although I am not sure I would want to cross the Atlantic in them. Then again, maybe I would!

Yes, Fred. Olsen's Braemar was the Cunard Crown Dynasty once upon a time. And had other names besides. (Crown Majesty, Norwegian Dynasty... Not to be confused with the Norwegian Crown or Norwegian Majesty, though one easily can get confused!)

 

http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/CrownDynasty.html

I would do Iceland especially if it was reasonable, The problem with the Azores for me is probably time- that and having to fly back. It's usually not a round trip typ of itenerary, but a repositioning type. Isn't it usually a stop on the way to Spain and Portugal when being repositioned from the Caribbean for European duty?

Well, what some of us are proposing (or fantasizing about) here are cruises to the Azores out of New York, returning to New York (possibly by way of Iceland). Otherwise, yes, you do have to cruise out of the U.K. or else do the islands as a stopover on a transatlantic repositioning crossing/cruise.

 

Captain Rynd was the object of some mutinous mutterings by certain passengers when he took the QE2 south to around 200 miles from the Azores in order to avoid rough weather on our Southampton-NYC transatlantic crossing this past January. Doesn't he know the QE2 was built for the North Atlantic? Does he routinely take the QM2 on the same southerly route to avoid a bit of a blow?

 

If you're going to go that close to the Azores, why not make landfall there, eh?

[travel-to-go]

Well, Marc and I took the Dynasty through the canal. We didn't damage a pod, but we did damage - (oh lord, I know I will get this wrong, it was nearly ten years ago) a turbocharger? Something turbo to do with the props. We had to go on one while they flew in a part. We almost had to skip Costa Rica (hmm, like we did this past January!) We also took on the new Captain and ours got off during the cruise, as she had been sold. Many of our crew left before the cruise finished. This was 1997 and Captain David Warden-Owen was our Captain. By the way, the previous year on the Countess, Nick Bates was one of the Staff Captains.

 

Karie,

Who doesn't REALLY have that good a memory. I went through some of our old memorabilia and daily programs and made up a spread sheet of what I could find on our previous cruises.