General Immersion Thread (merged)

[alphakitty]

I learned a few things when on Indy recently....

 

a jumper is a jacket...here in the US a jumper is a dress

 

And playing trivia was tough!....definitely biased toward the Brits...

What's the tallest mountain in England? :)

 

An older gentleman in the elevator heard my husband and I chatting and said

"Speak slowly, their from the colonies"

I wasn't sure if I should be insulted or not! (I wasn't) ;)

[TTown Traveler]

An older gentleman in the elevator heard my husband and I chatting and said

"Speak slowly, their from the colonies"

I wasn't sure if I should be insulted or not! (I wasn't) ;)

 

Too funny :D - I would have burst out laughing!! :D :D

[alwayshappytocruise]

I learned a few things when on Indy recently....

 

a jumper is a jacket...here in the US a jumper is a dress

 

Actually, a jumper is a sweater.

[CruzinCruzan]

To Nautique Belle:

 

 

Very well stated...My sentiments exactly!

Thank you for voicing what I believe are most people's concerns with immersion.

 

However, it seems that this has been an economic decision, as it seems that the number of Americans traveling to Asia is now much lower than in the past.

 

We just returned from a Celebrity cruise to France and Spain where about 40% of the ship was Asian...looks like their purchase power is now stronger than ours.

 

We are still thinking about actually going on the immersion cruise to southeast Asia...

 

But I would certainly feel more comfortable on an American style cruise ship...my DH is looking at this as an adventure!

 

If we do go, I'll write a review...

[uktraveller]

This is not just a problem for Americans being "immersed" and not getting what they thought they paid for.

 

If we wanted a "British" experience on our cruises we would choose P&O, Ocean Village and others. We choose RCCL because we like it's American feel.

 

We live only a short distance from Southampton, but it looks like we will have to continue to fly to get the RCCL experience we know, love and want!

[halos]

I've learned to never say never, so I voted maybe.

 

I'd like an Italian immersion...or a Spanish one for sure. :)

Brittish Immerson?? That's not too different from American. I think I'd enjoy that too.

Asian, I'm not too sure, but I don't have an interest in visiting Asia (at this time anyway) so I wouldn't have booked an Asian cruise in th efirst place. I think if I was interested enough in Asia, the Asian immersion could be nice as well. (as long as somebody on the ship spoke English ;) )

[prc]

1991...I'm outside of Bordon, spending a week at our U.K. office...we walk into a pub...the place looks old, REALLY OLD...I'm only 6'1" but had to duck to get in the door.

 

We are looking around, and the gruff, grumpy old man tending to the place says nothing as he serves us. Finally one of my co-workers speaks up..."how old IS this place?" speaking in his typical Texas drawl. Without looking up from what he was doing, the old man replied "1691...when your people were still wearing feathers". We all busted out laughing, and he still never looked up or even cracked a smile!

 

btw, what is this whole "baked beans and roasted tomatoes" think at breakfast?

[alwayshappytocruise]

 

...they go really great with fried eggs, bacon and sausage, the baked beans are a milder type than American one's, more like a vegetarian baked bean taste. Try it...you'll like it!!!

[iheartbda]

Oh yes i'd love one now lol lol

 

 

What about some spotted dick for afters lol

 

jj....

 

Explain please.:eek:

 

British BIL always asks me why I want to take a bath when I say I need to use the bathroom...it's the loo.

 

Ladies, do you have a ladder in your pantyhose?

 

Ahhh...mushy peas. I was so enamoured with them...NOT...that DS and BIL sent me a can.

 

Don't drink so much on the cruise that you get p*ssed.:p

 

Even the animals have some different food. I brought back a can of Friskies rabbit cat food...my cats didn't like it.:D

 

Any of you Brits familiar with the village Teigh?

[alwayshappytocruise]

Spotted Dick is a desert...it has raisins, currants in it, it's usually eaten warm with custard sauce.

[rubrrick]

I think one could say that we were on a British immersion cruise in '05 on the Legend of the Seas.

 

She had just come out of drydock in Portugal, where they had changed out everything that had anything to do with US dollars and replaced them with GBP. The casino only took GBP. The drink of the day was 5.95 GBP which equated to almost $11.00 US YIKES!!:eek:

 

We were one of 60 American couples, everyone else being from Ireland, Scotland and England.

 

Was that not an immersion cruise???

 

Oh, and we almost had a mutiny onboard. The captain was Nik Antalis...a super guy, and along with the hotel director had a meeting with a group of Brits to get things sorted out.

 

You see........the Brits were never told that everything onboard was to be in GBP. They all had already exchanged their pounds for US dollars.......as always in the past that is how RCCL operated in the UK. Now they were losing money by having to exchange it back to Pounds Sterling.

 

By day 4, the Brits had received a discount and an apology from the line. We dumb Americans were given nothing.

 

Immersion cruising..........I may have to rethink this, knowing how we were treated by RCCL.........the UK way.

 

BTW......shortly thereafter, they changed everything back to US dollars. Their little experiment had really backfired on them.

 

Rick

[sr4mjc]

I wrote it down word for word from their in house 'help' system as the CSR read it to me:

 

On these particular sailings, there are a high percentage of guests who are sourced from outside of North America. They have been sold almost exclusively to guests from specific regions of the world, and many of the services and products onboard have been tailored to meet the needs of those guests. These include onboard programming, food & beverage, retail items onboard, and entertainment. Additionally, the primary language used onboard will, in some cases, be the local language.

 

Cruises affected:

Legend - Asian immersion

Enchantment, Vision and Splendour - Latin American immersion

Jewel and Vison - Scandanavian immersion

Independence - British immersion

 

I hope that's not the case for Splendour's med cruises :confused: :o

[sailawayjack]

:cool: If you guys want to get some idea what it is like, read the past seasons (Asia) reviews of the Rhapsody and its new Asia Journeys. The people in Texas would get sick if they would read what happened to their beloved boat. Asian crew, Asian passengers who push and shove getting on and off (maybe their way of life)???. Read the reviews yourself and see. Frankly, since I'm heading to Alaska on this ship, I;m a little nervous for the first time ever with RCCL. Hope their is a complete turnover, and I'm cannot understand how RCCL, based on their history with me, ever let this Asian itinerary happen as reported in the Rhapsody reviews:cool:

[tally10]

This must have just happened or I missed it somewhere, but does this affect Celebrity, too? My next cruise is a TA on the Equinox. Thanks.

[AllieInMD]

The really sad part is - even tho a lot of these people got notice in time to cancel their cruises before they were in penalty phase - many of them already had flights booked - they'll lose that money.

 

I have to wonder also what RCCL was thinking - sure does nothing to foster 'good will'.

 

 

You know, you are right insofar as getting the real story. You can talk to four reps and get four different answers. I'll be interested to hear what other board members hear from RCL. It's just so disappointing for some cruisers to have their dream vacation ruined like this.

 

And I know that some cruisers are thrilled by the decision to "immerse", but frankly, I would not be. I don't think the British immersion will cause that much disappointment, I could be wrong, but, say, an Asian or Greek one? Yes, it would absolutely ruin my plans and I would cancel.

 

RCL - what were you thinking??????

[isujim]

Ok I may have missed this...........how do you know if a cruise you have booked is an "immersion" cruise??

[babyher]

*LOL*

 

I am enjoying this thread so much.

 

I have been a huge "Brit Com" fan for many years. So many times a joke will be told or a remark will be made about someone (obviously well known in the UK) and will get a very big laugh from the studio audience but of course as a Yank I would be totally lost *LOL*

 

One line I remember from a Benny Hill sketch.

 

He was a sailor who was away at sea for a very long time.

 

He said there was only one thought that kept him from going insane

 

"My wife's left Bristol.............and moved to Manchester , so I know she is safe at night."

[dathy]

dear spirite: apology accepted. :)

 

one question to everyone: if this was not going to be that big of a change, then would someone please explain to me why rccl called at least 800 people from my ship alone? and who knows how many other people they've called. i was told there would be significant changes easily recognizable. but then again, it's which person you speak to.

 

the problem here is that i don't really think rccl knows what is really going on. this is a very new thing. so who knows what in the world they are going to do.

 

if the shipline wants to do immersion experiments, then discount my cruise. i gave these people my money over a year ago. i am very disappointed in rccl.

 

on the surface, the british immersion seems like no big deal. but once again, this is not the cruise i bargained for. if i wanted an immersion cruise, i would have booked one. remember, i am already a booked passenger. there's a big difference if i was considering this type of cruise. my airline is already paid from los angeles to london. i've already reserved a tour in rome that is non cancellable.

 

i will say this again, if there were only going to be small changes, there is no way that rccl would have called me and at least 800 non uk passport holders.

[David4]

Hummmm, good thing my wife is from Plymouth.

[PaulandSueUK]

I've been following this whole "British Immersion" thing on another thread and here is my two penn'arth (that'll confuse the yanks lol)..

 

Personally I'm fine with the food options (well I would be I'm English). That doesn't worry me much at all.

 

Where I am slightly put out is on the need for a "British Immersion" cruise in the first place.

 

British Cruisers who want to cruise from Southampton and experience a "British ship/ambience" can already do so on P&O and Cunard as another poster pointed out.

 

We choose RCCI precisely because they are NOT a british line. I love the idea of meeting and cruising with other nationalities ,especially the yanks. As a (very very general) generalisation I find Europeans and Americans to be (broadly) more friendly than my fellow Brits (especially the English!!)

and that is the main reason we choose RCCI over other lines. The idea of sailing for 2 weeks with 95% fellow Brits doesn't exactly thrill me although before I get flamed by the south coast massive I'm still sure it would be a fantastic cruise (aren't they always).

 

I cannot help thinking though that this will all turn out to be a storm in a tea cup as I don't see how RCCI can change thier spots completely overnight. Hope not anyway..

 

If so next time it might be back to sailing from Barcelona / Venice etc where the passenger make up and ship's entertainment was much more cosmopolitan..

[Mydnite]

HMmm

 

 

Spotted dick is a sticky suet pudding that has currents in in, and is served with cusard, good for those cold nights.

 

We don't have ladders in our pantyhose as we do not wear pantyhose, we were tights, and I would hope is someone snags them and gets a ladder that they will change them!

 

Haggis would be a real eye oipeners, as some fo the stuff out in a trditional haggis is not allowed to be out in the wee timerous beastie in the US, so the real thing has to be eaten outside fo the country (with tatties and neeps of course)!

[brianep1968]

Well, after reading all of those i have pieced together what my buddy in Irchester has been talking about. He said he loves Chip Buddys, so basically that is a French Fry sandwich.?????..Ughhh...I love absolutely love England and have some close friends who live there but a French fry Sandwich!

[cruisePRN]

I have to agree with your assessment of the Brits. They are a more reserved and formal group and their sense of humor is dry compared to Americans. I personally wouldn't go on any immersion sailing because i prefer a mixture of people and cultures and dining experiences. I love the Brits though :D

[I LOVE SUITES]

Dear All,

 

I have read many Immersion posts on the 2 or 3 threads that have started up,those that have booked and are now reconsidering taking your cruise, I do hope you can recover the majority of your money back, Myself I would have been one of the first at 9am March 14th 2007 to book up my cruise for the 9th August 2008 and to have paid for it in full, I have also booked up airplane tickets in advance to fly into Gatwick with my family, and also have a Chauffeur to drive us down to Southampton Docks.

 

"IMMERSION CRUISE" for me whats the big deal? My family and I will still cruise to THE destination ports that Independence will go to, the food restaurants will be open, as well as Johnny rockets, Chops and Portifino and Sorrentos serving what they serve best, (if not upon my return I will start a thread to see which charity you all suggest would be best suited for my $1000 donation.

 

I have spoken to various people who have already sailed on the Independence and all have stated that all the restaurants are open, serving pizzas, burgers and fries and onion rings and pasta etc etc.

 

I have a daughter who needs to eat certain foods, I usually find a quiet word in the shell like of our waiters at the dining table whether breakfast, lunch or dinner will produce always with a smile, what she requires, and every day thereafter, my daughter is happy and the waiters I have befriended are also very happy especially on our last night.:)

[jzerocsk]

Isn't that what international travel is all about is to experience the different cultures??

Sure but on a cruise, the extent of your "immersion" consists whatever can be found close enough to the pier that you can get there and back before the ship leaves. Pretty much by definition, if you are cruising somewhere, "immersion" is probably not one of your main objectives.

 

On my last day in Berlin last year I said to my wife "Next trip is a cruise." For me cruising is a break from the physical and mental rigors of travelling abroad and way to basically "check off" the countries in which I'm not really interested in being fully immersed. An "immersion" cruise would basically defeat the whole purpose of taking a cruise. As others said, if you wanted a cruise PLUS immersion, you'd have booked a different cruise.