Saga Rose Greenland Voyager August 2007

[Kapricorn]

Have you seen the Aurora Borealis while cruising up to Alaska? Have you done all your Alaska cruises from Vancouver or have you tried going from Seattle? Have you been taken on any detours? Once on the Statendam, with time to spare while waiting for the tide to change at the Seymour Narrows, on leaving Vancouver, Capt.Boss took us on a scenic detour around Bowen Island, into Howe Sound & out the other side. It was great, as was the daylight passage of the Juan De Fuca Strait & Gulf Islands on the Oosterdam.

 

Graham.

 

Despite my eleven cruises to Alaska, I haven't seen the Aurora Borealis. That likely would be due to the fact that I'm an early-to-bed (10pm) and early-to-raise (6am) guy. For Sept. 19 on the Zaandam, I've requested late sitting (for a change). So, I will be around later at night and will definitely be on the look-out for the Aurora Borealis.

 

When my family lived on the outskirts of Montreal, during one winter night I went out for a walk and was surprised to see the Aurora Borealis. It was a spectacular sight, a shimmering and swirling curtain of fantastic colours. I've never seen another since then.

 

All of my Alaska cruises have been from Vancouver. There have probably been detours, as I've noticed my cruise ships to be on different routes each time. I like it when there are two or three other cruise ships returning home through the Inside Passage, and some of them are on the other side of islands, and I glimpse them behind these islands or as they emerge into view, like a game of hide-and-seek and tag. Night-time is spectacular, when the ships ahead and behind mine are brilliantly lit like birthday cakes.

 

D'maniac.

[bcscot]

Looks like we are posting at the same time again Donald. I almost set Titanic down on top of you there!

I certainly hope that the weather is clear enough for Northern Lights sightings next week!

 

Graham

[Kapricorn]

Donald D'maniac: That is such a grand title. It sounds like it comes straight from the pages of history along with other names such as: the Marquis de Sade, Vlad The Impaler & Ivan the Terrible!!!:D

Graham.

 

LOL!!! Graham, comparing me with Vlad the Impaler and Ivan the Terrible most likely would make Ruby run - not walk - away from her cruise agent rather than book the same cruise with me!

 

Thank you very much for your in-depth description of the Titanic exhibition. It made me feel as if I was there. If I can find someone to accompany me to Victoria, I will go there.

 

Regards,

Donald D'maniac.

[bcscot]

Thank you very much for your in-depth description of the Titanic exhibition. It made me feel as if I was there. If I can find someone to accompany me to Victoria, I will go there.

Donald D'maniac.

 

Donald: If you do not want to drive, there is a bus that you can get in downtown Vancouver which takes you over on the ferry & drops you off in downtown Victoria. I would think that it would be a very convenient way for you to get to the museum & avoid having to take a car over. The same service is available on the way back. Bus & ferry times are available online & you can also get your museum tickets & book your time for the exhibition online.

 

Just imagine, two more cruises in one day!!!

 

Graham.

[bcscot]

Hello! Is anyone out there? It is very quiet around here. It must be the fog.

Ah-OO-gah. Ah-OOO-gah.

Magandang Umaga Ruby.

Not a sound to be heard. Have we turned into the Marie Celeste?

Oh well, might as well turn in!

Good night.

 

Graham.

[CGTNORMANDIE]

HI GRAHAM!!!

 

NOT TO WORRY...we have been lurking...just not enough time to say anything. I liked your Titanic review...it is a great show...the movie really got a lot of people interested in Titanic history. I remember that I wrote a review for the newspapers way back...1997?...when the show came to Boston.

 

I think everyone is just taking a rest...I am sure RUBY will be here shortly. I am trying to get ready for our Southern Transatlantic on the JEWEL OF THE SEAS. This will be coming up on October 26th, when we fly to London. My big problem right now is trying to set up a D-Day beach tour when we get to Le Havre on the 31st. I still have not heard back from any of the tour operators. Any ideas would be most appreciated.

 

Ross

[Saga Ruby]

Graham, what a wonderful review of the Titanic exhibit. Thanks to your detailed notes I feel as though I have seen it. Magandan umaga sayo. Kumsta ka?

 

What does everyone think about these Titanic artifacts being raised from their watery grave? Where does the concept of salvage become the reality of plunder?

 

On odd-numbered days, I have some misgivings about salvage from a grave site. On even-numbered days, I know that shipwrecks have been dived on and plundered throughout the ages and appreciate that, so many decades later, we are able to view pieces and remnants of such a magnificent, doomed ship.

 

Reading Graham’s fine notes about the Titanic exhibit, I didn’t realize that the Russians had gone back to the Titanic site and recovered so much in the form of relics and artifacts out of the shipwreck. Can you tell me who sponsors this particular exhibit and what corporations are involved in its profits?

 

Ruby

[bcscot]

Ruby: Mabuti. Salamat ho.

 

'RMS Titanic Inc.' is the Atlanta based company which has the salvage rights to Titanic & has been diving on & recovering objects from Titanic since 1987. Robert Ballard did not recover any artifacts out of respect for the wreck, leaving the way open for a following Franco-American expedition (forerunner to RMS Titanic Inc) to start salvage operations & get salvage rights. The company is a subsidiary company to 'Premier Exhibitions Inc', also in Atlanta, Georgia, who run various exhibitions including the big 'dead body' ones: 'Bodies'.

 

I am not sure if RMS Titanic used the Russians for their explorations or not, James Cameron certainly did on his ground breaking exploration of the wreck.

 

Like you Ruby, I have mixed feelings on the recovery of the artifacts. However, I think the disaster happened long enough ago to make this acceptable & as the bodies have totally disappeared, it is no longer really a grave. These items are now a part of history & can be appreciated by many instead of being lost on the ocean floor.

 

I would find it less acceptable if human remains were disturbed in the recovery process, as happens in other archaeological ventures. This poses an interesting question upon which I have often pondered; at what point is it acceptable to dig up & display human remains, as they do with those from ancient cultures?

 

I think that another important point here is that these artifacts are preserved & displayed tastefully & with respect for their original owners & the calamity that befell them. I certainly think that it is far better than those 'Body Works' exhibitions, which I find repulsive!

 

Ross: You could always hire a car & do your own D-Day tour, or (horror of horrors), go with the ship's tour!

 

Graham.

[Saga Ruby]

I have posted a reply on the Celebrity board regarding "Michel Roux" being gone which has theoretically affected restaurant services. My comments are simply an old seahorse musing about all things cruising in today's market. I would be interested to hear your comments.

 

To Graham: I really liked the title of your last post - plunder v. recovery, and everything you talked about are musings I have also had. It's an imperfect world, no?

 

Ruby

[Kapricorn]

I have posted a reply on the Celebrity board regarding "Michel Roux" being gone which has theoretically affected restaurant services. My comments are simply an old seahorse musing about all things cruising in today's market. I would be interested to hear your comments.

Ruby

 

Ruby, I agree with your observations on that post. It also could be that the cruise lines have decided that those whom they are targeting to fill their ships have been raised on fast foods and thus are less discerning or appreciative of fine cuisine. On at least three of my cruises, my dining room table companions requested French Fries with their filet mignons, lobsters or some other fancy entrees. I couldn't believe it, but said nothing.

 

On the past few Celebrity cruises that I've been on, for the most part pepper grinders were not offered unless asked for. I was shocked on the last two cruises that crumbers were not used at all. I ate sumptous desserts and drank coffee, with bread crumbs on the tablecloth. That was not appetizing or a sign of fine service!

 

I will closely observe how things are done (or not done) on Holland America's Zaandam next week.

 

As for cruise lines encouraging us to spend, spend and spend on their ships, I am immune to these enticements. Spa? No. Teeth whitening? No. Bingo? No. Acupuncture? No. Art auctions? No. I do spend on drinks - usually one or two beers with lunches, a pre-dinner martini and then a couple of glasses of wine at dinner - so in my opinion that's enough for the cruise lines, considering that I pay the outrageous single supplement.

 

The ship's photographers usually snaps endless numbers of pictures of everyone, but I always wait until the last day of the cruise and then I buy the best one (not two or three or four). I've noticed that these photographs have increased in size in order to justify $14.99 or $24.99, instead of $7.99 for smaller prints.

 

D'Maniac.

[Kapricorn]

Donald: If you do not want to drive, there is a bus that you can get in downtown Vancouver which takes you over on the ferry & drops you off in downtown Victoria. I would think that it would be a very convenient way for you to get to the museum & avoid having to take a car over. The same service is available on the way back. Bus & ferry times are available online & you can also get your museum tickets & book your time for the exhibition online.

 

Just imagine, two more cruises in one day!!!

 

Graham.

 

Thanks for all your suggestions. I will consider it, if I can find someone to tag along with me.

 

D'Maniac.

[bcscot]

Donald: Over on the Celebrity board, someone was complaining of loud, 24hrs per day, 'nightclub music' at the pool on the Mercury in Alaska. It was so loud that the bass 'thump, thump, thump' was heard in the cabins & the Cruise Director refused to turn it down. Now you tell us that you had to dine in the midst of your crumbs & with no pepper mill.

 

OK I would say,for mass market but not 'premium'. I have been looking forward to trying Celebrity as having a slight edge over HAL. Now I am wondering. I have always had my crumbs removed on HAL & been offered the 'lada besar' (big pepper). These little things mark the difference between a standard experience & a premium one. For those who do not appreciate, let them happily stay with the mass market. What is the point of dumbing down the premium experience to be like the standard?

 

By the way, 'steak,frites' is a classic & very popular combination in France! All to their own I suppose. I think they go well together though.:D

 

Graham.

[Druke I]

Just a "quickie" from Woking Surrey, where the sun is out and the weather beautiful.

 

At one point we thought about retiring to Vancouver Island or Vancouver BC, but my wife said only if we continued to maintain a home in NorCA. She doesn't like the damp and wet. That was the end of that thought.

 

Reference Mercury. We thought it over-rated, and did not think the food as good as touted. Sizewise, we prefer the Sun class ships sailing for Princess and P&O (UK). We've only been on Celebrity once, and unless they come up with a fantastic itinerary, doubt we will go again.

 

As Ruby knows, we are Oceania converts, but still like some of Princess' Exotic Adventures. Princess, in our opinion, excels at Exotic Adventures.

 

That's all for now.

[Saga Ruby]

Just a "quickie" from Woking Surrey, where the sun is out and the weather beautiful.As Ruby knows, we are Oceania converts, but still like some of Princess' Exotic Adventures. Princess, in our opinion, excels at Exotic Adventures.That's all for now.

 

Yay! Michael is checking in! He and Virginia will soon board their river cruise and I hope it is a grand voyage.

 

Ruby

[Saga Ruby]

Okay, I’m gonna step on some toes here, so buckle your seat belts:

 

Donald, you had me smiling about the dining room service. I agree with everything you have said. As far as tastes are concerned, there is a difference between the service at a Four Seasons hotel or a Hilton hotel and one does pay for the difference.

 

To me, that is the difference between mass market cruising and specialty cruising on smaller ships. A fine-dining experience cannot be maintained at the highest levels when 1,000 people are being fed at one seating and 1,000 people are being fed at the second seating. Even on Saga Rose, I encountered an amusing situation - I ordered "grilled apple" for an appetizer and it arrived with grill marks but was stone cold, right out of the fridge. Most food items must be prepared in advance to serve all the diners at approximately the same time, especially for a single-seating service on the Saga Sisters.

 

I have often said that I was covered with stars to be reared by a loving mother who taught me finely detailed etiquette over many decades. Nothing escaped her gaze. When I was in my early 50s, she "got" me on the difference between "primer" and "primer." As a youngster, I deeply resented being corrected all the time, now I appreciate her dedication to the highest standards.

 

I watched a famous chef on TV using his dining utensils like he was roping a steer while making finely-detailed critiques of the food presentations of other chefs. I’m sure if his poor table manners were pointed out, he would take complete umbrage at the impertinence of the observer. If one has been taught the social graces, one can discard them at will. If one has little social training, it is quite difficult to break the habits of the years.

 

I absolutely agree with the poster on the Celebrity board who said that we will pay between $600-$1,500 per day for the finest service as surely as we pay top dollar at the Four Seasons hotels. To complain about onboard services when paying $200- $400 a day for a cruise package of food, entertainment, and a cabin is a puzzlement to me.

 

Ruby

[bcscot]

Hello Michael. Enjoy your float down the river.

 

Ruby: I agree with what you say, up to a point. If people want the luxury & service of the days of yore, they are more likely to get it on a 'luxury' ship & good luck to them. I would love to do that but cannot afford it.

 

For those of us who like quality & standards but cannot afford the 5 star hotel, we do not have to gravitate to the opposite extreme & go 1 star (aka mass market, standard party ships), there are 3 & 4 star hotels between (ie the premium ships). It is also not just about cost, but different people appreciating different things.

 

I have enjoyed HAL for several different reasons. They provide a quality premium experience, which is a cut above the mass market ships, & at a good price. Of course the cuisine is 'banquet' & not 'gourmet', & the service is not what you would expect of a luxury experience. It is however, excellent value & I appreciate the quality, service & ambience provided for the price. Others prefer the 'party ships' & good luck to them. I enjoy the quiet elegance.

 

What I object to is the 'dumbing down' of the quality of this experience to appeal to those who prefer the 'mass market' experience, ie the reduction of everything to the lowest common denominator.There has to be a range of different products in a market place to appeal to different tastes; it is not just about cost. To plead cost all the time just gives them an excuse to 'Carnivalise' everything.

 

I appreciate a 'premium' experience for a good price & several lines have been providing this. Some people seem to be concerned that Celebrity, one of the best, may be slipping. It does not cost a lot extra to avoid loud music at the pool, sweep up the crumbs at the table & offer freshly ground pepper. Even the food budget on premium ships has never been all that much more than the mass market ships. You can go a long way to providing that little extra for not a lot more, you just need an appreciation & a demand for it. I for one say that I appreciate it & I want it. I will not slide quietly into 'Carnivalisation'!:mad:

 

Graham.

[Saga Ruby]

Ruby: I agree with what you say, up to a point.

 

For those of us who like quality & standards but cannot afford the 5 star hotel, we do not have to gravitate to the opposite extreme & go 1 star (aka mass market, standard party ships), there are 3 & 4 star hotels between (ie the premium ships). It is also not just about cost, but different people appreciating different things.

 

I have enjoyed HAL for several different reasons. They provide a quality premium experience, which is a cut above the mass market ships, & at a good price. Of course the cuisine is 'banquet' & not 'gourmet', & the service is not what you would expect of a luxury experience. It is however, excellent value & I appreciate the quality, service & ambience provided for the price. Others prefer the 'party ships' & good luck to them. I enjoy the quiet elegance.

 

What I object to is the 'dumbing down' of the quality of this experience to appeal to those who prefer the 'mass market' experience, i.e., the reduction of everything to the lowest common denominator.There has to be a range of different products in a market place to appeal to different tastes; it is not just about cost. To plead cost all the time just gives them an excuse to 'Carnivalise' everything.

 

I appreciate a 'premium' experience for a good price & several lines have been providing this. Some people seem to be concerned that Celebrity, one of the best, may be slipping. It does not cost a lot extra to avoid loud music at the pool, sweep up the crumbs at the table & offer freshly ground pepper. Even the food budget on premium ships has never been all that much more than the mass market ships. You can go a long way to providing that little extra for not a lot more, you just need an appreciation & a demand for it. I for one say that I appreciate it & I want it. I will not slide quietly into 'Carnivalisation'!:mad: Graham.

 

But I believe that it is, indeed, all about cost. Again, Four Seasons versus Hilton versus Motel 6.

 

What I may have said poorly is that, in my opinion, you get what you pay for. After 9/11, I got a fantastic deal on a crossing on Celebrity Constellation - $199 per day. I jumped at the chance. But as the travel industry recovered, so understandably did the price structure.

 

It costs money to train staff and keep them comfortable enough, and happy enough, to remain with a cruise line and provide thoughtful, continuing good service. It depends on how and where the fiscal budget is applied by a given cruise corporation.

 

In my view, there is no mystery about which cruise lines are good and which ones are not, because I can read daily on Cruise Critic fresh news about the good, the bad, and the ugly from returning passengers. It's the beauty of an open, online forum such as this one.

 

This discussion is not about being a luxury cruiser. It is about an individual's expectations versus money spent. I sometimes question what the passenger expected in return for the tariff of their cruise ticket.

 

The reason I cruise only once every year or more is that I want to apply my disposable income in a direction which almost certainly guarantees me satisfaction.

 

Ruby

[bcscot]

Ruby: If I buy a Rolls Royce or a Cadillac, no matter how good a deal I get on the price, I am still entitled to the same quality that is expected as the norm for these vehicles. Whatever I pay for it, it is ultimately the company's decision how little they will allow the car to sell for, but this does not reduce their responsibility to provide the same quality.

 

In the same way, if I buy a cabin on a 'premium' cruise ship, no matter how good a deal I get, I am still entitled to the same quality & service that is the norm for that cruise line & advertised standard. If I do not think that any given part of the experience is up to the normal standard, then I should be able to complain about it to give the company & the people involved the necessary feedback. If I am not allowed to complain just because I got a good deal on the price, then that would just further encourage a decline in the service.

 

If the overall 'bottom line' price goes up, then that is a different matter & the ball is then in my court for me to decide whether I pay the price or go as often. If the company lets me on though, for whatever price, then they are obliged to provide the normal standard of service for that category of cruise. I expect a premium experience for a premium cruise, not a luxury one. If the overall normal level of service declines then complaining will do no good. If however the level of service falls below the norm, then complaining is worthwhile. That is what helps to keep the standards up.

 

Paying more money does not always guarantee better service either. I have heard lots of stories about poor service on expensive luxury ships. Generally speaking, you have to pay more also, to get on the British ships because the Brits are not such big spenders onboard, so they have to pay more upfront, a bit more like the old days.

 

If people do not complain about poor service, but let it go because they paid less, it will just encouage a further decline in service.

 

Ruby, we may just have to agree to disagree on this one.:)

 

Graham.

[Saga Ruby]

If people do not complain about poor service, but let it go because they paid less, it will just encouage a further decline in service.:) Graham.

 

I like what you’re saying and I agree with you. Frankly I didn’t understand the direction you were going in your previous messages.

 

I do speak up in a business-like way, usually by hard-copy letter, when things go astray with a product I bought. However, I find that lately Corporate America blithely turns a deaf ear to its "units" - pardon me, its customers. Look at the decline of Ford and GM and Dell - they persisted in ignoring customer input until it was almost too late for the corporations.

 

Why don’t more corporations get the message so effectively laid out by Herb Kelleher? Where is the corporate concern for true customer service, like Oceania, rather than routing us to Bangalore or subcontracted "customer service" at the cruise lines which has no real ability to resolve issues?

 

I absolutely agree with you that we have to speak up and good on you for having the commitment to do so. We have to try. I simply wonder if anyone is listening.

 

Ruby

[bcscot]

People are often quick to complain but often do not give credit where it is due. We feel that it is important to give constructive criticism as feedback, to help those in charge to improve & fine tune their service. We also feel that it is very important to complement those who have done a good job. As a consequence, we usually take the time to fill out our end of cruise questionnaires in great detail, sometimes running to a couple of extra pages! We try to balance the good & the bad.

 

I accept what you say about big corporations not listening to their customers Ruby & I agree. However I must give credit where it is due. After filling out so many of these HAL questionnaires, we have been repeatedly amazed at how many of our points have been addressed by the time of our next cruise. I do not flatter myself by thinking that HAL is paying so much attention to what we say, but presumably many others are saying the same thing & someone is listening. It is nice though to comment on a problem, to find the issue addressed on the next cruise!

 

Sorry if the direction of my ramblings has been difficult to follow. Let me try to clarify things. I think that we have been dealing with three separate issues here:

 

1. The isolated drop in standards below the norm, requiring complaint.

 

2. The change in the product offered, to appeal to a larger audience, but spoiling the experience for those who like something different from the majority; ie a loss of choice of service (the Carnivalisation).This is not necessarily associated with cost. This requires us to stand up & be counted so that they know we are here & want something different.

 

3. The overall drop in the standard of service provided due to the cheaper cost of cruises today; although the cost dynamic is different as the companies make more of their profits on the 'extras'. Some lament over this or move up to 'luxury' cruises. I am happy if I can find a balance because I can make it work for me & it allows me to go on more cruises. My balance is the 'premium' cruise. If everything short of the luxury cruises becomes like Carnival, then either my cruising days are over or I will start looking at freighters!

 

Graham.

[Kapricorn]

Donald: Over on the Celebrity board, someone was complaining of loud, 24hrs per day, 'nightclub music' at the pool on the Mercury in Alaska. It was so loud that the bass 'thump, thump, thump' was heard in the cabins & the Cruise Director refused to turn it down. Now you tell us that you had to dine in the midst of your crumbs & with no pepper mill.

 

OK I would say,for mass market but not 'premium'. I have been looking forward to trying Celebrity as having a slight edge over HAL. Now I am wondering. I have always had my crumbs removed on HAL & been offered the 'lada besar' (big pepper). These little things mark the difference between a standard experience & a premium one. For those who do not appreciate, let them happily stay with the mass market. What is the point of dumbing down the premium experience to be like the standard?

 

Graham.

 

On my July 27 cruise on the Mercury, there was no thump-thump-thumping music. At Hubbard Glacier, the naturalist was heard clearly. This loud music situation must be a recent development. The Cruise Director, Donnell Davis, is quite young - in his late twenties or early thirties - and his staff is in the same age range. When Donnell took over his position a few months ago, there was a comment in the Cruise Critic message board that perhaps his knowledge and expertise might be better suited for a mass market cruise line, which is clearly obvious now from the complaints of loud music.

 

Three years ago, my travel agent went on a HAL cruise in the Caribbean and was enthusiastic about its Signature of Excellence service. I decided to sail on the Volendam to Alaska in May 2004. I was shocked that the dining room standard, at my table at least, was even worse than on Carnival. The table waiter would serve soup while others at my table were still eating their appetizers, serve salad while soup was still being sipped, and serve the entrees while salad was still being finished by others. It seemed to be the same at the surrounding tables. I felt like asking the waiter if he and the others were having a contest to serve their tables the fastest. One evening I timed my five-course dinner from the moment that I sat, until I stood up after having finished my dessert and coffee. It was 62 minutes! Unbelievable! However, on the HAL cruises that I took last year, dining room service was much better.

 

The point is, a substandard cruise experience does not necessarily mean that the entire fleet is the same way. It depends on each ship's staff and their directors on their particular voyages.

 

Donald.

[Kapricorn]

Graham, I'm amazed that we often post our messages on this thread within a few minutes of each other! LOL!

 

Donald.

[bcscot]

There we go posting together again Donald! Yes I totally agree with you. I have also had good & bad service on HAL & it seems that this applies to all lines. Ruby's point about lower cruise costs resulting in less staff & training must also have a lot to do with it. It cannot only be cost to blame though when sometimes it is good & sometimes it is bad, on the same ships.

 

I certainly hope that someone at Celebrity is listening on the subject of the Cruise Director & the loud music. I still very much look forward to trying Celebrity. At the end of the day, one pays one's money & takes one's chances! You win some & you lose some!

 

I have never been all that keen on the cruise staff on HAL. They often have a rather unfortunate condescending & supercillious attitude, those on the Prinsendam being an exception. I think the example of the cruise director has a lot to do with it. What were they like on Saga Rose & Saga Ruby, Ruby?

 

Graham.

[bcscot]

SNAP!!!:D

 

Graham.

[Saga Ruby]

Oh you guys! It’s so refreshing to see an honest exchange of information and concerns on this thread. I’m enjoying your notes. But of course I have input.

 

Over the past many decades, I have seen the input of passenger comment cards reviewed by cruise staff who poured over the comment cards like entrails on a goat. And "Corporate" does pay attention, one assumes - or hopes. I keep getting back to the theory of serving thousands of passengers simultaneously which, in my opinion, can only be a "banquet" situation in ship restaurants and cabin service. I would never expect service at all levels to be the same on any ship that carries 2,000, 3,000 or 4,000 passengers - it seems like the impossible dream.

 

Which leads me to Azamara, the new, upscale, small-ship division of RCI. Why would RCI launch Azamara to compete with Oceania, then stumble severely out of the gate with their inaugural cruise? A swimming pool closed while construction workers onboard get it ready for the next cruise? Stains? Why did RCI management make the decision to launch the Journey when it was obviously not ready for passengers? To me, that speaks to the standards of management.

 

On Nautica last fall, after three days onboard, we were given comment cards soliciting our beginning impressions, so I mentioned that the Veal Oscar served on Embarkation Day was not recognizable on the plate nor properly prepared. Within 48 hours, the Maitre d’ had tracked me down on deck, apologized that I didn’t like the food, and hoped that I would find the food service more to my liking in the upcoming days. I much admired his bravery in talking quietly to me in front of hundreds of other passengers by the pool.

 

I always forget the bad stuff. On Saga Rose, the pastry staff was not good. I ordered "warm chocolate cake" and it was served cold and stale so I pushed it away. After several episodes like this, I started ordering vanilla ice cream with hot fudge sauce - which I can get anywhere. Onboard Nautica, I never missed the afternoon tea because I was keen to see what delicious offerings were presented by the pastry staff. From my side of the food service table, the pastry chefs on Nautica are so outstandingly creative that they should be awarded gold medals for excellence.

 

Don’t we agree that standards run downhill from the office of the Hotel Director and Cruise Director on individual ships? Yes, we must speak up, but do similar situations continue to crop up? Does helpful, positive input from passengers on mass market ships make a difference? Would I be able to meet the challenge as a Hotel Director to keep up standards on a megaship? I don't think so. Large numbers beget a diminution of quality.

 

Ruby