Saga Rose Greenland Voyager August 2007

[Druke I]

Ship's stability is determined by among other things metracentric height.

 

That said, I don't have a clue!

 

I "googled" metracentric height, but don't understand it. Physics/fluid dynamics was usually well beyond me.

Edited June 23, 2010 by Druke I

[Host Sharon]

Ship's stability is determined by among other things metracentric height.

 

That said, I don't have a clue!

 

I "googled" metracentric height, but don't understand it. Physics/fluid dynamics was usually well beyond me.

 

 

Centre of gravity ??? I guess the ship is designed with all the heaviest aspects pushing the ship down into the water along a central imaginary line, but that's a guess. I am told they are stable, but still find it hard to believe.

[seabourndt]

NOT IMPRESSED!! either by the embarkation which was awful! or my cabin or the deck space where is it? you are right cannot walk along promenade just a jogging track up and back cannot see over the lifeboats nothing forward either. a tiny sink in the living area nop phone i found it in the safe!! PUT ME OFF NCL!!!

dave

[Kapricorn]

NOT IMPRESSED!! either by the embarkation which was awful! or my cabin or the deck space where is it? you are right cannot walk along promenade just a jogging track up and back cannot see over the lifeboats nothing forward either. a tiny sink in the living area nop phone i found it in the safe!! PUT ME OFF NCL!!!

dave

 

I am very sorry to hear that our worst opinions about the Epic have been confirmed by your experience on that monstrosity. It was obvious from photographs that the lifeboats slung alongside the promenade deck would block views of the sea. And no deck space ... that was no surprise at all, the way that apartment barge designs are headed.

 

What about the food and service on the ship?

 

Donald.

Edited June 26, 2010 by Kapricorn

[Druke I]

That lifeboat placement has been used on several new ships that were introduced in 2010, including Carnival's Dream, and the still fitting out Marina.

 

I've been told that is to comply with some of the new SOLAS (Safety Of Lives At Sea) regulations, and will become standard for new-builds.

 

If correct, I think it a shame, for it in effect does away with the familiar Promenade Deck configuration that many of us like.

[Kapricorn]

That lifeboat placement has been used on several new ships that were introduced in 2010, including Carnival's Dream, and the still fitting out Marina.

 

I've been told that is to comply with some of the new SOLAS (Safety Of Lives At Sea) regulations, and will become standard for new-builds.

 

If correct, I think it a shame, for it in effect does away with the familiar Promenade Deck configuration that many of us like.

 

The new SOLAS regulation regarding lifeboat placements does make sense, as during an emergency valuable time cannot be wasted by winching lifeboats from overhead and then lowering to deck level.

 

It's too bad that promenade decks will eventually disappear. How fortunate it is that most of us in this thread has had the experience of strolling the promenade decks, relaxing on a wooden deck chair, or merely standing at the railing, idly watching the wake pass by along the side.

 

Donald.

[Kapricorn]

duplicate post

Edited June 26, 2010 by Kapricorn

[Saga Ruby]

It was obvious from photographs that the lifeboats slung alongside the promenade deck would block views of the sea. And no deck space ... that was no surprise at all, the way that apartment barge designs are headed.Donald.

 

It's too bad that promenade decks will eventually disappear. How fortunate it is that most of us in this thread has had the experience of strolling the promenade decks, relaxing on a wooden deck chair, or merely standing at the railing, idly watching the wake pass by along the side.Donald.

 

About Epic and her ilk - after reading Dave's comments and those of Donald and Druke, I probed deeper for information about newbie ships; sadly I can see a definite trend backward. The elegance and sophistication of voyages, crossings, and world cruises are few and far between. We have now reached the Walmart level of cruising and I will not be a part of it.

 

The attitude of modern cruise travel seems to be to offer a cheap tariff then charge "over the moon" prices onboard. I hear the murmur of "bait and switch" in the air. It would be like living inside an honour bar.

 

In my opinion, we have marched briskly backward in the world of cruise travel. I have fond memories of Fairsky which invited us ladies to use our hair dryers in an area down the hall where proper electrical outlets were located. And I loved the fold-out sofa that became my bed at night on Royal Viking, and the beds were mats, not true mattresses.

 

At the time, it was quite the giggle but I readily confess that I have moved on to enjoy the upgrades and furnishings now extant. But locating a sink in the living area of my cabin? And no promenade deck to enjoy the classical view of sun and sea? Fuggedaboudit.

 

ships cat - what did you encounter on QM and QV? Was the plumbing in your cabins properly located? Did you feel that wondrous joy of being on a cruise ship or were there changes onboard that didn't fit your mood?

 

Donald - Would you sail on a ship that has a cabin with a sink in the living room? What will you do when your favourite ships sail over the horizon one last time?

 

Ruby

[Druke I]

Perhaps it is true - those of us who relish the past are rapidly becoming dinosaurs!

 

I worked for one Chief who labeled those of us on day shift as dinosaurs, as we resisted some of the changes he was trying to implement. We went so far as to proudly wear enameled dinosaur pins on our uniform shirts! (I think they were brontosaurus.)

Edited June 29, 2010 by Druke I

[Saga Ruby]

I worked for one Chief who labeled those of us on day shift as dinosaurs, as we resisted some of the changes he was trying to implement. We went so far as to proudly wear enameled dinosaur pins on our uniform shirts! (I think they were brontosaurus.)

 

I wanna a brontosaurus pin! Evidently I was lucky to cruise in the decades of civility and service. Colour me sad.

 

Ruby

[Conte Di Savoia]

Off to Copenhagen tomorrow to join Silver Cloud for our Norwegian fjord cruise and North Cape. Got to get back to packing!

[Saga Ruby]

Off to Copenhagen tomorrow to join Silver Cloud for our Norwegian fjord cruise and North Cape. Got to get back to packing!

 

Ahh, Silver Cloud - one of the increasingly rare small, elegant ships. I'm envious. I'm sure you are celebrating an escape from the summer heat, celebrating seeing those beautiful fjords, celebrating this, celebrating that.

 

Have a wonderful cruise!

 

Ruby

[Kapricorn]

Donald - Would you sail on a ship that has a cabin with a sink in the living room? What will you do when your favourite ships sail over the horizon one last time?

 

I like the way that you refer to current cruise trends as Walmart Cruises ... very apt! What would I do with a sink in the living room of a cabin ... to wash fruit? It seems superfluous, as there is a perfectly good sink in the cabin's bathroom. After my favourite 70,000-ton cruise ships end up at Alang, I would go on the Millennium-class ships. After that, I would have to try the Solstice-class ships to see if I will continue to cruise or to just stay at home on my rocking chair watching sunsets.

 

Off to Copenhagen tomorrow to join Silver Cloud for our Norwegian fjord cruise and North Cape. Got to get back to packing!

 

I see that you have Silver Cloud among your list of cruise ships in the past. How many times have you sailed on her? She must be a very nice ship, as Ruby said, for you to sail on her again. Have a great time! Do let us know how it went.

 

Donald.

Edited June 30, 2010 by Kapricorn

[Conte Di Savoia]

 

I see that you have Silver Cloud among your list of cruise ships in the past. How many times have you sailed on her? She must be a very nice ship, as Ruby said, for you to sail on her again. Have a great time! Do let us know how it went.

 

Donald.

 

This will be our sixth cruise on SilverSea, all of them on Silver Cloud. I would like to try their other ships but each time we've looked at their cruises, the one itinerary we like has been Silver Cloud's. They always treat us very well and make us feel right at home. All of our cruises except one,have been in the same cabin (we do remember cabins don't we?).

 

The luggage is now all closed up but I have to say that packing has become very tedious between managing liquids and weights of bags especially since the restriction on number of "free bags". They certainly aren't considerate of us cruisers who have an image to maintain onboard.

[Druke I]

Have a great trip.

[Host Sharon]

But locating a sink in the living area of my cabin? And no promenade deck to enjoy the classical view of sun and sea? Fuggedaboudit.

 

ships cat - what did you encounter on QM and QV? Was the plumbing in your cabins properly located? Did you feel that wondrous joy of being on a cruise ship or were there changes onboard that didn't fit your mood?

 

Ruby

 

 

Donald - I think that is the point on Epic - there is NO bathroom!! The sink is in the cabin, the shower is one side of the door into the cabin (with translucent screen) and the toilet is the other side of the cabin door, also with translucent screen!! God forbid anyone wishes to share a cabin with a friend!! and what if the steward waslks in while you are drying yourself in front of the cabin door :eek:

 

Ruby - Everything was properly appointed on the Cunard ships. I loved QV, although some people might find the decor a little dark and traditional. I loved it, from the orchids in vases on the tables in the bars to the fabulous cocktails in the lovely Commodore Club with forward views over the ocean (It's situated over the Bridge). QM2 is very different - not remotely like a cruise ship and like a traditional ocean liner - long indoor promenades, lots of corners to sit and read, proper ballroom, officers in navy blue with gold rings round the sleeves, rather than the current trend for white sleeveless shirts and epaulettes...truly spectacular furnishings and decor and acres of proper teak deck! Admittedly she is BIG, although mid Atlantic that's no bad thing, but once on baord she really doesn't feel it as the passenger/space ratio is quite low.

 

 

And a real proper promenade deck too

Edited June 30, 2010 by ships cat

[Kapricorn]

Donald - I think that is the point on Epic - there is NO bathroom!! The sink is in the cabin, the shower is one side of the door into the cabin (with translucent screen) and the toilet is the other side of the cabin door, also with translucent screen!! God forbid anyone wishes to share a cabin with a friend!! and what if the steward waslks in while you are drying yourself in front of the cabin door :eek:

 

Oh, so now the new mega-barges have sinks in the main cabins, just like in the steerage accommodations of transatlantic liners 100 years ago! When Ruby talked about sinks in the living room, I had quite no idea what she meant. I have no desire to shave or brush and floss my teeth in front of friends. Translucent screens do not provide a sense of privacy while showering or whatever.

 

Nice picture of the traditional promenade deck! However, I must say that the promenade decks of the cruise ships that I've been on have been rather under-utilized, so no wonder that these are on their way out from future cruise ship designs.

 

Donald.

[Druke I]

I did read that Epic will have to drop its lifeboats on one side before docking in NYC, as the overhang would interfere with the terminal building.

 

Apparently dropping boats before docking, and picking them when leaving, will become standard practice at several ports with this hull design.

 

I think perhaps the decision to hang the boats outboard the hull was not thought through completely.

[Host Sharon]

I did read that Epic will have to drop its lifeboats on one side before docking in NYC, as the overhang would interfere with the terminal building.

 

Apparently dropping boats before docking, and picking them when leaving, will become standard practice at several ports with this hull design.

 

I think perhaps the decision to hang the boats outboard the hull was not thought through completely.

 

 

Wow - that is going to delay arrival somewhat!

 

By the way - that Prom deck was the Queen Mary 2 NOT Epic!

[Kapricorn]

I found this news item on the Internet today:

 

Canadians are increasingly taking to sea-based vacations, says PhoCusWright Inc., a travel industry researcher.

 

Cruises make up the fastest growing segment of the travel market in Canada, the U.S. firm says in a new report.

They're a relatively small part of the market at the moment — just five per cent — but represent "a compelling long-term growth opportunity," PhoCusWright says.

"Cruises fit well with Canadian travellers' appetite for all-inclusive package vacations."

The cruise industry is highly concentrated in three companies — Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian — and a handful of brands, the report says.

The number of Canadian passengers grew by five per cent in 2008 and "a stunning nine per cent in 2009" during the recession, PhoCusWright says in "Canadian Online Travel Overview Second Edition: 2007-2011."

Sinking demand from the United States, the largest cruise market, caused prices to fall sharply, "creating opportunity for Canadian travellers who were less severely affected by the economic downturn."

The report also says that the Internet is central to Canadians' travel planning in general — but not necessarily to their buying. Twenty-seven per cent of Canadian travellers surveyed said they usually book through traditional travel agencies, compared to 13 per cent of American travellers.

 

 

Interesting, eh?

Donald.

[Druke I]

We've usually run into Canadians on our cruises.

 

Some Americans try to "pass themselves off" as Canadians, fearing the Ugly American rap will cause them problems in Europe.

Edited July 7, 2010 by Druke I

[Kapricorn]

Last year, on my noro cruise aboard Mercury to Hawaii, the cruise director (himself a Canadian) told me that there were 250 Canadians among the 1,800 passengers aboard. He hosted a Canada Party for us, complete with red and white balloons, in Navigators Lounge. It was a nice event!

 

Americans wishing to pass themselves off as Canadians in Europe will need to learn to add "eh" at the end of sentences now and then. :D

 

Got it, eh?

Donald.

[Saga Ruby]

Well, I've done it again. After all my moaning about burn-out, no more cruises, phooey to international travel, I signed up last week with Silversea and their Silver Shadow for a repo cruise which sails from Vancouver to Tokyo on Sept 1, 2011. They practically threw in the Alaskan cruise because I have zero interest in another Alaskan cruise. When I told the sales rep I would meet the ship in Seward, he came up with quite a nice price for the Alaskan leg, while both of us know that, especially in September, the hail may start falling. Can you say "cold?" Bet on it!

 

This is all Conte's fault. He talked so vividly about Silversea that, out of curiosity, I started looking at the itineraries. I was gobsmacked to see the strangest phrase in an itinerary - "Seward to Tokyo" with stops at Dutch Harbor where Deadliest Catch is filmed, Kamchatka, Japan, etc. I ain't never been to any of those places except the Alaskan ports so here I go, 21 days, Sept 1-23. Japan and Russia were two countries I never got around to so it'll be nice to make a tick by those names.

I may request knock-out drops for the nonstop plane flight home from Tokyo Narita to DFW Airport. Does anyone on our thread have any information about Japan Air Lines? After their bankruptcy, they became a codeshare with American Airlines so how do I specify service on JAL instead of AA? Codeshares, alliances - I'm confused!

 

Obviously Donald will be my official Alaskan travel guide. I bow to his current knowledge of things Alaskan. What a resource!

 

Ruby

 

[Druke I]

Congratulations on the booking, Saga Ruby.

 

Looking at Travelocity, it looks like the Narita/DFW non-stop flight is operated by JAL, with AA the codesharing airline.

 

The Narita/Honolulu change of planes Honolulu/DFW flight is operated 1st leg by JAL, 2nd leg by AA.

[MMDown Under]

Congratulations Ruby on booking such an interesting repositioning cruise with Silversea.

 

I have been looking at suitable flights from Vancouver after my VIA rail trip in October this year.

 

As return tickets aren't much more than the cost of a one way ticket, I have been looking at repositioning cruises from Vancouver in September, 2011, which I could cruise on after my return flight.

Edited July 9, 2010 by MMDown Under