Melissa's Crazy Adventure on a Backward Cruise!

[melissa@cruisecritic]

Papenburg is more than just the shipyard; a shot from the sweet town.

 

Equinox's last day at Meyer Werft.

 

Carpeting is down almost everywhere, but protective plastic still covers it. It made popping sounds when we walked over it, like lots of bubble wrap!

 

A view of the what will be the library (note the empty bookshelves).

 

Lots of lawn (just put down in the last few days).

[melissa@cruisecritic]

You've been waiting for it -- the X on the funnel is back in action!

 

During our tour, we spotted lots of workers. This guy was working on installations in the Sky Lounge, which is similar in style to Solstice's. We're told, though, that the decor is slightly different and the sound system improved.

 

The indoor solarium: Don't worry, the covered loungers are being installed soon!

 

This mosaic is in Silk Harvest, and an example of the color palette changes that were made between the two ships. There's more teal here than pink, as found on Solstice. Interestingly, this restaurant was otherwise unfinished and is currently being used as office space for the yard. Directly across from this were makeshift desks with computers.

 

Boxes to be unpacked in Bistro on 5...if you can't tell (and as Carolyn posted for me) the cooking area in the restaurant has been expanded so they can do more in-house crepe making and really make it a meal with a show.

[hellosailer]

Thank you Melissa - much more 'finished' than I expected!!

 

Looking forward to your detailed descriptions - so fascinating!!

 

You must be totally exhausted, but have a wonderful time in Amsterdam!! You can sleep on the place

going home.

[uktog]

oh this all sounds so wonderful - cannot wait for 29th July :)

[Glendakayself]

Thanks Melissa. I have been enjoying your blog and all the wonderful news about Equinox. The pictures are great. 4 months from today we leave for our time on Equinox!

[TenerifeSharon]

Thanks, Melissa! Since we weren't able to get to Papenburg yesterday, we were grateful to "be there" with you! Gee, you could have come to our home for coffee:D -- we weren't very far from you.

[SheilaNC]

Thanks, Phil, that video is really interesting...somewhat strange to see 'our' ship moving backwards in such tight quarters...but daylight and I think I saw Melissa waving from the top deck ;)

[portofrome]

Thanks Melissa! You did a great job! I can't wait for 18th August.

[FinelyCruising]

Melissa Thank You. This is very exciting!!!:):):)

[mtnevis]

Thanks Melissa for all the wonderful info. We can hardly wait until August 18. Still lots of final work to be completed. Look forward to more information.

[melissa@cruisecritic]

Maybe next time :D Thanks so much for following along!

 

Thanks, Melissa! Since we weren't able to get to Papenburg yesterday, we were grateful to "be there" with you! Gee, you could have come to our home for coffee:D -- we weren't very far from you.

[melissa@cruisecritic]

Wow. Amsterdam is totally overwhelming -- sensory overload. Neon and noserings on one street, cyclists along the canal on the next. I took a very unguided walk, strolling down streets that looked interesting to me and hoping I'd be able to find my way back to the Marriott (I did, quite easily, once it started raining!). Along my travels, I saw a man strip down to a G string and perform aerial acrobatics near a crowded square packed with tables from neighboring cafes and pubs.

 

Seeing as I didn't head out until after 8 p.m., I was pretty darn hungry. There are restaurants for just about every cuisine you could possibly want -- Italian, Argentine steakhouse, sushi, Thai, Indonesian, pancakes. But I really wanted to try something traditionally Dutch. I came across De Blauwe Hollander, which means (based on my loose translation and limited knowledge of Dutch) the Blue Dutchman. The menu outside advertised stamppot, which is basically a Dutch specialty of mashed potatoes mixed with vegetables served with some sort of meat. Sold!

 

It's a tiny place, with long tables to encourage communal dining, and a small bar at the very back with Heineken on tap. For something different, try Wieckse Witte, a Netherlands-brewed white beer similar to Blue Moon or Hoegaarden. And my stamppot -- mashed potatoes with carrots and onions, and a big hunk of tender beef in brown gravy -- was the perfect comfort food after days on the road. It tasted just like my mom's pot roast. Who knew she could cook Dutch?

 

So yeah -- it's wild. But I love it! I mean, how could I not love a town that has a Museum of Bags and Purses? I have to come back just to see that :D I also want to get into the Anne Frank House and do a canal tour when I have more time.

[Andy]

Andy and Lois' date='

I missed the last ceremony that you have been referring to. What happened? ? ? ? :confused:[/quote']

 

Hi Ann !

 

I was honored to be invited to Solstice's naming/christening Cermony last November, in Ft Lauderdale. We enjoyed 2 wonderful nights onboard Solstice. The naming ceremony was entitled "A Beautiful Day". The Guest of Honor, was Solstice's Godmother, Professor Sharon Smith. When Ms. Smith made her speech, and shared some of her many life's accomplishments, I highly doubt there was a dry eye in the theater. I will never forget the experience. Indeed, it was "A Beautiful Day".

 

If you would like to read all about Solstice's naming ceremony, here is a link to Cruise Critic's article by Melissa : http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=2939

[melissa@cruisecritic]

Here are a few pics of Amsterdam. In the last one, you can see darkness finally creeping in (after 10 p.m.!) and the cables that run trams throughout. The city felt magical when it started to light up -- it must be amazing at Christmastime.

[melissa@cruisecritic]

When covering cruise events as a journalist, there are almost always press conferences or Q&A sessions with cruise line executives that we are required -- and glad, of course! -- to attend. It's the perfect opportunity to dig for information, ask questions and get some face time with the men and women behind the business.

 

Each writer has his or her own agenda. Some work for publications that are geared toward travel agents, and will ask very targeted questions about pricing and marketing. Others write for a more general public, via newspapers for example, and need just the big picture -- when does x itinerary go on sale and where is y ship going?

 

Then, there's an outlet like Cruise Critic with the most curious readers and most avid cruisers in the industry. What this means is that I go into a Q&A session with you, the consumer, in mind, and an ear out for the nitty gritty details that make these boards buzz. Things like the fact that the safe was moved out of the closet (President Dan Hanrahan confessed it was his idea to put them in there in the first place.)

 

When it came to discussion on Equinox, today's session was not earth shatteringly interesting. Let me qualify that, though, by saying that's mostly because there was nothing "new" to announce about this ship. Aside from a few decor changes (and the removal of the safe from the closet, as we've written about here already), the ship is exactly the same. And that's a good thing because passenger response has been so positive! You'll find the exact same eateries and bars. There will be three new production shows, but even those are similar (one acrobatic act, one Broadway-style revue, and one non-Broadway music-heavy show).

 

Whether there's breaking news coming out of these panels or not, I take good notes -- you never know when you are going to catch something interesting. And beyond Equinox, there WERE some great nuggets of information about Celebrity Cruises and its sister brands to boot. To recap:

 

*Celebrity Select dining is coming in September. It's not just for Solstice and Equinox, but for the whole fleet (know somebody asked). In fact, a good point was raised that this option may be in greater demand on ships other than Solstice and Equinox, which already boast a wide variety of dining options other than set main seating. As we've posted earlier, you'll be able to request dining times in advance or once onboard, and can eat at varying times each night, or the same time if you prefer. It's anticipated that participation will be about 50/50, with half of the passengers sticking with the traditional style dinner option of early or late seating.

 

*Changes are coming to the Captain's Club, Celebrity's past-passenger program. There aren't many details just yet, but an announcement is expected toward the end of June. The updated program will roll out in the beginning of July. Stay tuned to Cruise Critic for more....

 

*Hanrahan did say that there are no immediate plans for new-builds for the Azamara fleet. He points out that it is a "challenging time to get capital," and that the line is instead focusing on producing great itineraries and experiences, and doing a better job marketing the product, saying "we've kept it too much of a secret." However -- if you look very carefully at this, he in no way said there was no chance of expansion. Just no chance of new-builds. Either way, it doesn't sound like it's happening in the near future. There are also no plans right now to transfer more ships to Tui, the German cruise arm.

 

*Again, Equinox is nearly identical to Solstice, and part of the reason for that is the launches were scheduled very close together, so the line saw no reason to tinker with a product that was already performing so well. However, there are a few tweaks in mind for Eclipse, the third ship in the series, which will debut out of Southampton. Expect more dramatic decor changes and a new restaurant concept (no juicy hints, sadly; maybe they will take my upscale burger/brewery idea!).

 

*Speaking of Southampton, there will be tweaks onboard Eclipse for a mainly U.K.-sourced audience, such as kidney pie in the lido buffet, entertainment geared toward Brits and high tea onboard.

 

*The bottom line on fuel surcharges: "We reserve the right to reinstate them but have no plans at this point [to do so]."

 

*Future itineraries? Hanrahan says there are no plans to head to Asia, an untapped region for Celebrity. He does, however, see a possible return to Australia/New Zealand as the economy picks up. But nothing is set in stone.

 

*And about the fourth and fifth Solstice-class ships? They'll more than likely sail summers in Europe and winters in the Caribbean. Eclipse (or at least one of the five) will remain dedicated to the U.K.

 

*A new main dining room menu will launch fleetwide with the debut of Solstice at the end of July; it's already rolled out on Millennium, which was just renovated.

[melissa@cruisecritic]

Thanks for all the info on the measurements! Though I think you meant to type 122,000 as the gross tonnage for Solstice et all. 220,000 is Oasis -- another exciting project! :D

 

It's not true, according to my brilliant husband (Teijo Niemela is editor of Cruise Business News, cruisebusiness.com, a business to business magazine and he's really smart about shipbuilding). He actually took us to task last week for still having the 117,000 ton figure on our website! We've changed it :)

 

I believe that 117,000 was the figure initially given then it changed as the ship went through design and building processes. It's the same as Solstice at 220,000. Same pax count.

 

Also, a heads up -- if you ever read that a ship weighs however many tons, that's an error right there. Ships don't weigh tons, they measure tons. So in this case the fact that Equinox measures 220,000 tons. Tons are a measurement of space. It's a calculation of volume.

 

Carolyn

[melissa@cruisecritic]

I didn't fall asleep until 3:30! Most of the crowd dispersed at around 1, just after we got through the gate. It was dark and very cold! As was noted on this thread earlier, conveyances are often done during the day -- but, in this case, the perfect conditions (tide, wind, etc.) happened to be late at night. The general consensus is that more locals turned out to view Solstice from the banks because it was during the day. But there were still plenty of people shivering in the night to see Equinox, including all of those RV's. I've never seen anything like it....

 

 

 

LOL re Melissa partying. Ordinarily I'd totally be in agreement -- it would be fun to see her and the others hanging out in the Oeaanside, letting the proverbial heads of hair down. But when I talked to her last night (7 p.m. Eastern, so...doing the math...where's the calculator....1 a.m. hers) she sounded EXHAUSTED.

 

Exhilerated, yes, but I think the combo of jet lag and well, jet lag's enough....

 

Looking forward to hearing her reports from Q&A.

 

Carolyn

[melissa@cruisecritic]

Hi Kelly!

The glass blowers aren't onboard yet (think they are called gaffers). It's a great show, I loved it on Solstice also.

Most of my photos last night came out too blurry as it was evening, and you certainly can't make out the people on the banks. But I attached a picture of the crowd that gathered at the set of locks we transited this morning before arriving in Emden. Cows and horses came too! :)

Melissa

 

Hey Melissa,

 

I hope you are having a great time!

 

I loved the glass blowing show when I was on Solstice. Are any of the guys working onboard yet? When I watched the show, one of the glass blowers (not sure what you call them?!) was saying that it takes a while to get used to working at sea, and the first time new staff join the ship, the always end up smashing glass!

 

Looking forward to seeing your photos - take some of the gathering crowds on the banks of the river if you can!

 

Safe travels! :)

[melissa@cruisecritic]

Ohhh I am so sorry I missed the ice cream with cherry brandy! Thank you for the tip, filed away for next time!

 

I grew up very close to Dusseldorf and they have wonderful sidewalk restaurants on the main street. May I recommend an ice cream dish which is made with vanilla ice cream, cherry brandy and liquor infused cherries, topped of course with plenty of whipped cream. (it's absolutely wonderful).

 

Have fun on your adventure...

[melissa@cruisecritic]

FYI, found out today that some but not all of the crew is there -- and since so many are coming from Solstice, there isn't a huge learning curve re: training. That should help make the launch go very smoothly. The interior are definitely coming along. There are more wall sconces in the Tuscan Grill on this ship and they are gorgeous. They're also bringing in Italian ceramics to supplement the Murano glass in there.

 

MelissaB

 

I have just read your posts and all I can say is keep them coming... it's very exciting that you are going on a backwards cruise and a bus trip with unknown companions, it's a shame we won't get to read whether you end up with someone you like or not... wouldn't that be awful; having a pleasant chat with someone and then reading on their blog later that you thought they were boring and smelt or something!!!!! :p

 

It would be interesting to find out if they are still finishing the interior as they are moving... will the ship be fully staffed? I wonder what training they will have to go through.

 

We have "German markets" in England too at Christmas but visiting the real thing is definitely on my list.

[melissa@cruisecritic]

Sweetpea, in case you didn't see it -- the only change that was made based on customer feedback was the removal of the safe from the closet. It's now in a cabinet under the TV :)

 

Oh, I have a question that I forgot to ask in my earlier post....

 

I know you will already be listing any differences between the Equinox and the Solstice but I want to know whether they identified any problems themselves and made the changes or if they simply listened to complaints or read reviews made online to determine any problems.

 

It just interests me to know whether Celebrity are a "listening" kinda company or if they get there without the voice of their passengers.

 

Thanks Melissa, enjoy your early breakfast and your snooze on the bus! :)

[melissa@cruisecritic]

Thanks for sharing the info and link with all of us. We were let off in Emden, Germany, but the ship will continue on the Ems to Eemshaven, the Netherlands, where the final outfitting will take place (more furniture comes onboard, etc.)

 

P.S. Morris is adorable!

 

If you check out Meyerwerft's website at www.meyerwerft.de, there is an article that explains what will be happening and a map depicting the route. Click on the British flag in the top right corner of the webpage to be able to read in english.

[melissa@cruisecritic]

Carolyn and Andy: The "ant" room on Equinox is completely empty down to the bare walls. Only thing in there right now is dust and some computer equipment. The artist is boarding sometime between now and launch to design the room. It's a big secret, not a hint was given. I'm intrigued!

 

In a stairwell, however, I did see this interesting bit of artwork (picture attached) -- little cat ballerina figurines that appear to be admiring themselves in the mirror.

 

Me too! (re standing in that room, can't remember name, just enjoying). I don't think there's ever been another public room on a cruise ship that's had that effect on me. Curious: on any ship, is there a room that is so beautiful you'd find yourself going out of your way to see it? If so, spill! Tell us the ship and the room....

 

I do remember on Jewel of the Seas there was one stairwell that had these haunting photos (Netherlands countryside) and I used to make a point to use the stairs there. Actually wrote down photogs name but now can't remember.

 

Carolyn

[melissa@cruisecritic]

Hi Erica! It took us 12 hours to do the 26 miles. Not a speedy effort by any means :)

 

Having never been on a conveyance, I have more questions about this cruise ship rite of passage:

 

Why do they do it at night, in the dark? Wouldn't it be easier in the daylight when they can see where they're going?

 

How long exactly does the backwards trip take? Is it a couple of hours or all night long?

 

I, too, am eager for ship photos!

[melissa@cruisecritic]

Didn't notice it. The traditional X is back on the funnel, though, which I know many of you are excited about!

 

This may have been asked and answered already, but was the x put on the side of the balconies like on soltice? Want to know because it would be across my royal suite and would not make me very happy. Thanks.