Reflections on Balmoral Cruise 3 March to 13 March

[MisterBear]

I used the Cruise Critic website to track progress on the Balmoral remedation activities after the problems that delayed the ship’s introduction at the end of January to try to get some idea if my wife and I would be going off on our long anticipated cruise in early March. I have to say that this website was the best and most consistent source of information – especially as Fred Olsen weren’t saying a lot - and I was impressed by the overall content and the posts in these forums.

Now we are back and have had a chance to reflect on the whole cruise experience I thought it only right to share our own personal views on the second voyage of the Balmoral.

We had a balcony cabin (8046) on Lido Deck in the newly inserted piece of the ship. The cabin was very comfortable, spacious and nicely decorated except for the art work (of which more later). Storage space was wholly adequate (with a good supply of hangers) and well up to standard. We loved the bathroom – two sinks and a roomy shower. The balcony was also adequate – it was a bit over-furnished with two seats, a lounger and a table. With just the chairs and the mini table it would have been just right for two people.

The flat screen TV proved technically tempremental and lack of content (only BBC World News) was a drawback.

Overall – if this is the standard throughout the refurbished cabin accommodation – a good job has been done

In the public areas we found the refurbishment was also to a good and pleasant standard – during the day both the Lido lounge and the Observatory lounge provided a quiet place to get away from the crowd and relax with a book or just disengage the brain and look at the sea with a drink at hand…

The only shortcoming we found was some of the art work (there it is again). We like the photos of Scottish castles and old Fred Olsen ships etc but the paintings were just not to our taste and some of the pictures looked downright weird…

We also thought the Morning Light ‘pub’ missed the target. It just seemed like a barn – had none of the cosy comfort we associate with the pub concept – and was on a walkway from the Palms Café to the rest of the ship. Anyway – as I’ve said – we found a preferred spot in the Lido Lounge and the Observatory so there’s something for all tastes.

We found the service levels from all staff (restaurant, bars and housekeeping) to be to a very good standard with the exception of breakfast service in the Palms Café where getting coffee and toast seemed to turn into a daily struggle. We did find the Reception staff to be offhand and lacking in information.

I want to especially mention Melvyn the Wine Waiter in the Ballindalloch restaurant . He was attentive without being overbearing and knowledgeable. He gets the ‘man of the cruise’ award.

We can’t comment on any of the shore excursions as we didn’t take any. Have to agree though that Grand Turk is a bit of a non-event and we’re glad we didn’t make the effort to taxi into Cockburn Town. Anyway we had the ship to ourselves – which worked very nicely.

We did find the ship to be a bit of a ‘wind-tunnel’ when at sea which made things uncomfortable on our balcony – haven’t experienced that on any other ship.

Overall – allowing for some final fixing that was being carried out very unobtrusively – the ship and service were well up to Fred Olsen’s usual good standard.

Unfortunately what took the shine off for us was the pain of getting into and out of Miami.

At the start of the cruise the line for US immigration at Miami Airport was very long and slow moving with no seating for extremely tired passengers many of who were of senior years – the lady behind us was in a state of virtual collapse by the time we got to the head of the queue. It also has to be said that the officials’ adoption of a very threatening demeanour does not help. After immigration however the baggage hall and customs clearance was another challenge with no system and no order – it was frankly a frightening experience! Overall 3 hours of misery after a 10 hour flight.

It was at this point my wife remarked (and I have to agree with her) that we would never visit USA again.

On the way back we waited for 3 further hours to be seen again by US immigration – at least this time we got to sit in the ship’s public areas and coffee was on hand.

Contrast all this with Barbados where a the bus met us from the aircraft and whisked us to the ship…

So – overall a positive cruise experience on a comfortable and well turned out ship marred by what was, after all, beyond Fred Olsen’s control.

[bcscot]

Thank you for your interesting review. I agree that the US immigration officials are not good ambassadors for their country. With a few exceptions, I have found them to be the most aggressive, surly & unpleasant government officials of any country I have visited in the world. What a shame that is.

 

Graham.

[Angie1961]

Thanks for your review, I can't wait to try her out in June.

 

I also know exactly what you mean re Miami, we went through the same thing when on a RCCL fly cruise last year. My OH said never again to the US.:(

 

Angie

x

[MrsTW]

Thank you for the review...looking forward to trying Balmoral in August.

 

Miami......ugh......:( You reminded me of my own experience there........all US airports since 9/11 have got far, far slower at Immigration but Miami has been my worse experience :mad: Slow, miserable officials and very few of them....definitely not the sort of welcome you want after a long flight. :eek:

[EMSOMICH]

I think that Miami Airport puts a number of people off America! On the first cruise on Balmoral, we went through imigration on the ship as we were there two days. However, we were six hours at the airport - two queueing for check in. It does spoil a holiday. I have to go through imigration in New York in two weeks. There I pick up the QE2 and the cabin on that is going to seem small compared with Balmoral. I think that the Balmoral could be a good replacement for the QE2 as the other two Cunarders are too big.

 

Maureen

[Guest SarahMichael]

Apologies if this seems a silly question....... if we are flying into Newark first & then on to Miami.... will we escape immigration in Miami & clear it in Newark instead??????

 

A bit disappointed about the wind tunnel note, I was so looking forward to sitting on the balcony for long periods of time. Was there a CD player in the cabin?

 

Great review ..... thanks

[Guest Anorak33]

Apologies if this seems a silly question....... if we are flying into Newark first & then on to Miami.... will we escape immigration in Miami & clear it in Newark instead??????

 

A bit disappointed about the wind tunnel note, I was so looking forward to sitting on the balcony for long periods of time. Was there a CD player in the cabin?

 

Great review ..... thanks

 

You will always do immigration and customs in the US at the first airport you land at.

You will have to take your bags through customs at Newark and then re-check them in for the domestic sector of your flight.

 

You will not have to do immigration again at Miami on your inbound flight from Newark.

 

Personally I have not found it particularly bad anywhere in the US but I think I am used to as we do it 10 times a year or more.

 

I have not found them any more unpleasant than in UK. If you are nice to them, they will be nice to you as long as you

 

just remember to be polite, answer what they ask you and nothing else, no smart comments, and have the forms filled in correctly before you get to the officer.

 

You are a tourist, they have no real interest in you, you are not who they are looking for to deny entry.

[Angie1961]

The most problems we had were actually checking in for our cruise on Brilliance at the port. Massive queues and then even more queues for finger printing etc.

I have never had this problem flying into New York :(

 

Angie

x

[covkid]

I have read with interest your comments on U.S. Immigration and have been through it several times myself, however please remember 9-11 The Immigration officials are under agreat deal of pressure since that incident.