What is a cruise ship?

[m steve]

In my mind it is a floating resort that has bars, restaurants, pools, showrooms, casinos and rooms. What you do in your room is private. What you bring to your room is of no concern to the innkeeper. If you drink your own liquor in the room there are glasses provided, ice in the machine in the hall and a soda machine to buy your mixers. You choose to eat in their dining room or go elsewhere. It a cruise ship is transportation to get you from one location to another the Dept. of Transportation has rules and laws to back up the rules.

Since none of the X ships are even registered in the US are there laws in the Bahamas, Panama or Greece that cover your ability to bring wine or liquor on board? Common sense says that you don't bring your own liquor or wine to a restaurant or bar without paying them a fee but to a room?

:mad:

[MoreCruisesNow]

I think you go too far. What you do in your room is manifestly NOT private. Violations of the law are still violations of the law even if they take place in your room. Violations of the hotel's policies are still violations (say no loud TV after 10:00 PM), even if they take place in your room. There isn't a business in the world that doesn't have policies and procedures. If you choose to patronize a business, you implicitly and sometimes explicitly accept those policies and procedures. To choose to do business with someone and then to whine and complain about the way the business is run (not about a particular service issue) is just not rational. If you don't like the way things are run, don't participate - but don't act the rules don't apply to you for one specious reason or another.

[mmp13]

Morecruisesnow Bravo! A well thought out answer. It's all about choices. If you can't live with the rules of one cruiseline, pick another! There is something for everyone out there.

[dkjretired]

The laws regarding bringing liquor on board are the cruiselines regulations. That answers your question...

[rebeccalouise]

I don't look at a ship as a floating resort- that's the problem with some of the newer "Explorer of the Seas" type ships. I don't want a mall inside. I don't want to be one of a countless, faceless, nameless people.

 

For me a cruise is walking on the deck with the sea air in my hair. It is relaxing in the hot tub, dining with new friends and being rocked to sleep in my cabin. It is about escaping the "real world" and being welcomed by a smiling and well dressed crew from Poland, Bulgaria and India. It is about no phones, no news- just relaxation. As for alcohol, I keep it to a minimum. I was married to an alcoholic who lived to drink. That is no way to live. There are so many other things I value about cruising and travel in general.

[Laoghaire]

Amen, Rebecca, couldn't agree with you more (except for being married to an alcoholic, sorry about your experience). Just give me a smaller ship with a promenade deck, a pool, and good service!

 

Helen

[caviargal]

For me, a ship itself is the destination and what I base my decision on, unless the itinerary is truly exotic. In the Caribbean and to some extent in Alaska, many lines and ships offer the same ports so it becomes an issue of the style in which one prefers to cruise.

 

Low key, elegant, service oriented with comfy accomodations, comprehensive room service options and a choice of restaurants are high on my list.

 

I prefer to travel with an adult crowd that enjoys the more traditional aspects of cruising. Anything much over 80,000GRT is too big for me. 50,000 is even better.

[BaltiGator]

Common sense says that you don't bring your own liquor or wine to a restaurant or bar without paying them a fee but to a room?

 

Common sense might also pause to ask what is the point of starting thread #1,473 about this particular topic.

[Susan-M]

Common sense might also pause to ask what is the point of starting thread #1,473 about this particular topic.

 

Do you mean it's getting just a little repetitive? :rolleyes:

[m steve]

I used to enjoy X and now their rules are making me uncomfortable and I think that my experience in Dec. will not equal past enjoyment with them. I used too be an X cheerleader especially concerning Princess. Now I'm not so sure but I will find out.

And all the opposition regarding following rules let me ask if you ever go over the speed limit and that's violating a law, not a corporate rule.

[Roland4]

To paraphrase an old boating joke.............

 

 

Cruiseship (n) - A hole in the water surrounded by steel into which one pours money.

[duckman715]

For me, a ship itself is the destination and what I base my decision on, unless the itinerary is truly exotic. In the Caribbean and to some extent in Alaska, many lines and ships offer the same ports so it becomes an issue of the style in which one prefers to cruise.

 

Low key, elegant, service oriented with comfy accomodations, comprehensive room service options and a choice of restaurants are high on my list.

 

I prefer to travel with an adult crowd that enjoys the more traditional aspects of cruising. Anything much over 80,000GRT is too big for me. 50,000 is even better.

 

We are of one mind Caviargal. Regrettably, there will probably never be another SS United States or France etc and 1954 will not come again, but I will continue the search and advise accordingly...

[Karynanne]

I used to enjoy X and now their rules are making me uncomfortable and I think that my experience in Dec. will not equal past enjoyment with them. I used too be an X cheerleader especially concerning Princess. Now I'm not so sure but I will find out.

And all the opposition regarding following rules let me ask if you ever go over the speed limit and that's violating a law, not a corporate rule.

 

M Steve, if you get yourself into a mindset that your cruise in Dec. WILL NOT equal past enjoyment....then remember the old phase...."Be careful what you wish for"....we always get what we wish for...we sometimes just dwell on the negative, and then are surprised when it actually occurs!

 

Karyn

[suntan]

A cruise ship for me is a floating hotel, my private ship that takes me to different countries while I sleep and when I awake I get off the ship and explore these new countries.

 

The rules and regulations of a cruiseline are just that - their rules and regs. If you want to cruise with a specific cruiseline then you must abide by those r & r's.

 

I've seen a lot of griping about X's new regs on bringing alcohol on board and the increased corkage fee. What I would like to know is what are you all doing about it...except griping. Are you putting your comments in writing to X? Remember, there is a right way and a wrong way to let a company know of your displeasure with the product they are selling. Writing nasty letters will get you nowhere.

 

Maybe if enough of you write to X and provide them with constructive criticism they may (no guarantees) listen to you and make modifications to their decisions.

[m steve]

It seems that most of the writers here actually do complain directly to X thru emails, letters and the comment cards and X doesn't give a d---. As the old navy saying goes-"full speed ahead and damn the torpedos" seems to be X's policy.

[Post Captain]

For me, a ship itself is the destination and what I base my decision on, unless the itinerary is truly exotic... Low key, elegant, service oriented with comfy accomodations... I prefer to travel with an adult crowd that enjoys the more traditional aspects of cruising. Anything much over 80,000GRT is too big for me. 50,000 is even better.

Brava, caviargal--I couldn't have expressed it better myself. Unfortunately, the cruise lines are run by bean-counting landlubbers who seem to believe that bigger is better & who are in a tonnage race to outdo each other with ever-larger megaships featuring over-the-top decor & "amenities" (rock-climbing walls, roller rinks, boxing rings--what next?) that have nothing to do with the experience of being at sea. The name of the game is to jam as many passengers (er, excuse me--"guests") into these boxboats as possible.

 

Much as I like the Connie (a subdued and elegant vessel in comparision to the Carnival PartyBlasts, Norwegian OutOfThisUniverses, Monstrous Princesses, & Behemoths of the Seas of this world), I'd be more than happy to see a return to smaller, more traditional designs. The Saga sisters (ex-Sagafjord & Vistafjord) and the Fred. Olsen vessels are just about the only remaining ships I really want to sail aboard as destinations in themselves. RCI/Carnival/Star executives, take note!

[Post Captain]

I don't look at a ship as a floating resort- that's the problem with some of the newer "Explorer of the Seas" type ships. I don't want a mall inside. I don't want to be one of a countless, faceless, nameless people.

 

For me a cruise is walking on the deck with the sea air in my hair. It is... dining with new friends and being rocked to sleep in my cabin. It is about escaping the "real world" and being welcomed by a smiling and well dressed crew...

Hear! Hear! You've said it perfectly.

 

...from Poland, Bulgaria and India.

And the Philippines!

 

It is about no phones, no news- just relaxation...

Again, Hear! Hear! (Don't get me started on cell phones!)

 

As for alcohol, I keep it to a minimum. I was married to an alcoholic who lived to drink. That is no way to live. There are so many other things I value about cruising and travel in general.

Yes indeed. Many of us know this from sad experience... Thank you for stating this so clearly and resolutely.

[m steve]

are for desert and not a mode of transportation. My first cruise was on an 800 passenger Cunard something. When we docked in San Juan everyone on board was laughing at the big ships at the dock, especially those with balconies.

Now 6 years later I couldn't cruise w/out the balcony and the large stateroom. Taking the Norway, formerly the SS France our cabin was soo small that it became a Johnny Carson joke. Leave the mega ships to the seven day cruisers and hopefully the more refined ships of 1500 passengers or less will be saved for the older longer cruisers (who may personally be shrinking but that's another story). Just think in 2008 you can fly the double decker A380 Airbus to your cruise on the 3000+ passenger ship. You could just stand in the middle of Times Square for that same intimacy!

[DaisyGirl55]

Compared to some of the posters on these boards, I am still a virtual newbie when it comes to cruising. However, for me, the ship is just as important as the destination. I always try to go for itineraries that include at least one if not two days at sea. I don't care if the ship is big because I am still spending time with my family.

 

Yes, it can get crowded at the pool, and sometimes you have to hunt for a chair, but maybe I have been lucky, because I have always found a chair by the pool, a seat in the casino, and a table in one of the bars.

 

Most of our cabins have been roomy enough to put my stuff away, and be comfortable to spend time in during the day. All of the cruises I have been on have been well staffed with friendly and courteous people.

 

So for me, it is the smell of the sea, the endless miles of water, and the ocean rocking me to sleep at night. It is the pampering, the food, and the chance to do it all, or do nothing at all. In the end, big or small, I just plain love to cruise!

[njscuba]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rebeccalouise

It is about no phones, no news- just relaxation...

 

sounds like the beginning to the old "Gilligan's Island" theme song ....

[rebeccalouise]

Funny you should say that my last name is "Howell".:)