Royal Caribbean Crown and Anchor benifits changes

Tom K wrote:


I haven't been on Celebrity since they gave up the Bermuda run. The Bermuda
run was the thing that also generated interest in other Celebrity ships
doing other itineraries. Without that continuation hook, I became more
interested in Cunard.

Without Celebrity doing Bermuda, RCI that became an acceptable alternative
since we got the Diamond access privileges. The itinerary stinks (2 days as
the wharf), but the Diamond lounge became a social gathering place... a
place to make friends. It kind of softened the blow of Zenith being gone.
And like I previously said, the concierge could book tee times at the local
golf courses.

With HAL coming to Bermuda, and losing the Diamond Lounge privileges, we
might find ourselves moving away from RCI and going with HAL more.

I've already moved away from Celebrity (not that I dislike them, I just
never seem to book them anymore). Now RCI could be next. Not sure if the
Royal Champion team will be too happy to hear that?

Tom, the Celebrity Summit will also be doing a 7 day Bermuda cruise
starting in 2010.

sue

"Sue Mullen" wrote in message
...

So much of the pros and cons of different ships vary from sailing to
sailing. Our one HAL cruise was very nice, but we had the worst dining
room service on any of our now 21 cruises. It was so bad that most of our
table reported the staff to the pursers desk and we were close to removing
all dining room tips from our bill. From everything I have heard this was
just one of those things and it will not keep me from cruising HAL again.

Interesting... we'll see how the Vikings do on HAL.

Now you love RCL and we have for many years sworn off them because the
quality of the food was not good.

I don't love RCI... I love their Voyager class ships. I don't love their
food or their service. I love Cunard and Celebrity food and service. I
have zero interest in any other RCI ships other than Voyager class (and
Oasis). I didn't like the Jewel at all (Radiance class). On NON-Voyager
ships, RCI has to make do with their food and service, they don't have the
special things like ice rink, promenade, Johnny Rockets, 24 hour
sandwich/pizza place, Diamond Lounge (now gone), etc., to make for a better
experience. And without those special things, RCI isn't going to get by on
their food and service. But on Voyager class, the other things far make up
for the lack of food and service.

What I'm starting to wonder... since we were on the Ocean Princess when it
was brand new, maybe they had their best people on her. And when Cunard was
bought, they put a lot of Princess people on Cunard (to straighten them out,
we were told)... I wonder if their best people were the ones they moved to
Cunard??? And maybe you had the current best Princess people on Crown? But
they were gone by the time we went on it a few months later?

We are now trying them again on the Granduer of the Seas and on the Oasis.

I think you'll love Oasis, but be rather disappointed in Grandeur. I
wouldn't go on Grandeur again. I was disappointed with Grandeur back in the
late 90's. There's nothing interesting about that class of ship. Dated.
And it's doubtful you'll get a Pacific Princess type crew to make up for a
dated ship.

--Tom

sue

"Sue Mullen" wrote in message
...


Tom K wrote:


I haven't been on Celebrity since they gave up the Bermuda run. The
Bermuda run was the thing that also generated interest in other Celebrity
ships doing other itineraries. Without that continuation hook, I became
more interested in Cunard.

Without Celebrity doing Bermuda, RCI that became an acceptable
alternative since we got the Diamond access privileges. The itinerary
stinks (2 days as the wharf), but the Diamond lounge became a social
gathering place... a place to make friends. It kind of softened the blow
of Zenith being gone. And like I previously said, the concierge could
book tee times at the local golf courses.

With HAL coming to Bermuda, and losing the Diamond Lounge privileges, we
might find ourselves moving away from RCI and going with HAL more.

I've already moved away from Celebrity (not that I dislike them, I just
never seem to book them anymore). Now RCI could be next. Not sure if
the Royal Champion team will be too happy to hear that?

Tom, the Celebrity Summit will also be doing a 7 day Bermuda cruise
starting in 2010.

sue

Sucky itinerary though... 3 days in King's Wharf, 3 days at sea. HAL will
do the good itinerary, with Hamilton and St. Georges IIRC.

Susette said her district manager called and complained they weren't getting
much booking volume for the Summit, and that the TA's complained that they
wanted a ship in Bermuda and now they're not filling it... and Susette said,
but your itinerary sucks. IMO they'd be better off giving the Zenith a
major spiffing up and moving her back to Bermuda. You want Hamilton and St.
Georges. Not 3 days at the Wharf. I think Celebrity made a strategic
mistake abandoning the Hamilton/St. Georges Bermuda run.

--Tom

Tom K wrote:
"Sue Mullen" wrote in message
...

So much of the pros and cons of different ships vary from sailing to
sailing. Our one HAL cruise was very nice, but we had the worst dining
room service on any of our now 21 cruises. It was so bad that most of our
table reported the staff to the pursers desk and we were close to removing
all dining room tips from our bill. From everything I have heard this was
just one of those things and it will not keep me from cruising HAL again.

Interesting... we'll see how the Vikings do on HAL.

I am sure you know the group I was with and they all said our problem
was just a one time thing. Most of the group have been on HAL a lot and
never had a problem. Based on their trusted input, we will try HAL again
when it fits into our plans.

What I'm starting to wonder... since we were on the Ocean Princess when it
was brand new, maybe they had their best people on her. And when Cunard was
bought, they put a lot of Princess people on Cunard (to straighten them out,
we were told)... I wonder if their best people were the ones they moved to
Cunard??? And maybe you had the current best Princess people on Crown? But
they were gone by the time we went on it a few months later?

I know when we were on the Crown and later the Emerald, they still had
their best people there. These were the people they use to bring out
their new ships and get all the kinks worked out. Our Head Waiter on the
Emerald was the same one from the Crown and he remember us and our
group. Talking to many other high up staff/crew we heard the same thing,
that they were on this ship to get it started. Most of these people were
also saying they would be moving on to the Ruby. I think you may of hit
on something here.

We are now trying them again on the Granduer of the Seas and on the Oasis.

I think you'll love Oasis, but be rather disappointed in Grandeur. I
wouldn't go on Grandeur again. I was disappointed with Grandeur back in the
late 90's. There's nothing interesting about that class of ship. Dated.
And it's doubtful you'll get a Pacific Princess type crew to make up for a
dated ship.

We will not be disappointed with the Granduer, we have been on a couple
of her sister ships, Splendor and Rhapsody, and loved the ships. Nice
size, layout and great solariums. The food and dining room service will
be the only issues for us, but we know it may or may not of improved
since our Rhapsody sailing. I have been reading some reviews of the
Granduer and a lot of people are raving about the staff/service. What
ever the ship turns out to be like, it is just the two of us and will be
very restful and relaxing. We choose this cruise because of the itin.
and because it is out of Tampa which we will combine with a visit to our
friends in The Villages.

Now the Oasis I am not in love with the idea, but Kevin wants to go and
we are going with a great group of people. I know it has a lot of WOW
factors, but there are alot of things I just don't like about the concept.

sue

I sailed the granduer 4 times,and if we could get a good rate for a
cruise near our home i would not hesitate to sail her again.
We liked that ship very much,





cruise lover(~~~~~)






..

Tom K wrote:
"Sue Mullen" wrote in message
...

Tom K wrote:

I haven't been on Celebrity since they gave up the Bermuda run. The
Bermuda run was the thing that also generated interest in other Celebrity
ships doing other itineraries. Without that continuation hook, I became
more interested in Cunard.

Without Celebrity doing Bermuda, RCI that became an acceptable
alternative since we got the Diamond access privileges. The itinerary
stinks (2 days as the wharf), but the Diamond lounge became a social
gathering place... a place to make friends. It kind of softened the blow
of Zenith being gone. And like I previously said, the concierge could
book tee times at the local golf courses.

With HAL coming to Bermuda, and losing the Diamond Lounge privileges, we
might find ourselves moving away from RCI and going with HAL more.

I've already moved away from Celebrity (not that I dislike them, I just
never seem to book them anymore). Now RCI could be next. Not sure if
the Royal Champion team will be too happy to hear that?
Tom, the Celebrity Summit will also be doing a 7 day Bermuda cruise
starting in 2010.

sue

Sucky itinerary though... 3 days in King's Wharf, 3 days at sea. HAL will
do the good itinerary, with Hamilton and St. Georges IIRC.

Susette said her district manager called and complained they weren't getting
much booking volume for the Summit, and that the TA's complained that they
wanted a ship in Bermuda and now they're not filling it... and Susette said,
but your itinerary sucks. IMO they'd be better off giving the Zenith a
major spiffing up and moving her back to Bermuda. You want Hamilton and St.
Georges. Not 3 days at the Wharf. I think Celebrity made a strategic
mistake abandoning the Hamilton/St. Georges Bermuda run.

As much as I like King's Wharf, I also don't like the idea of that being
the only port in Bermuda. The Summit is also a much bigger ship then the
Zenith, so that may be another part of the reason they aren't filling it.

If we are able to do another Bermuda cruise before moving, I guess we
will have to see what the pricing is on HAL vs. Celebrity. As much as I
would prefer the HAL itin., I could do the Summit if the price is right.

Hasn't the Zenith been transfered or sold already?

sue

On Mar 29, 10:45*am, Sue Mullen wrote:

I do not think Princess is declining, just for some reason there were
problems on the Crown Princess sailings out of San Juan.

And to flip that coin, four of us did Crown Princess from Brooklyn one
way to San Juan in 2007, and then I stayed aboard for her first SJ r/
t.

On Mar 29, 12:41*pm, "Tom K" wrote:

I think you'll love Oasis, but be rather disappointed in Grandeur. *I
wouldn't go on Grandeur again.

As much as I liked Explorer and Adventure of the Seas, I actually like
Legend of the Seas much more (eldest sister in the same class as
Grandeur). Yeah, the ice show is spectacular. And it's fun to sit in
Johnny Rockets (since I take advantage of the freebie C/A coupon). But
there's a JR around the corner from my office and a couple of subway
stops from home so it's not a novelty. If I didn't have the C/A coupon
I probably wouldn't bother.

What I like about the Vision class ships is that when you are inside
the ship there's glass everywhere that lets you see the ocean and
horizon. You can watch a sunset from a bar stool inside the ship. If
there's one complaint I have about the Voyager class is that when you
are inside you're pretty much insulated from the ocean from most
lounges along the Royal Promenade. You have to make a point of going
outside to feel like it's a ship. I also felt that it was easier to
meet people on Legend and then keep bumping in to them again
throughout the ship. On the Voyager class you might never see someone
you meet again due to the numbers of passengers and the vastness of
the ships. Finally the solariums on the Vision class are far superior
to the Voyager class since they have the magrodomes.

The Vision class ships still feel like "ships." The Voyager class feel
more like a resort that happens to take you somewhere new each day.

Warren

On Sun, 29 Mar 2009 12:49:28 -0400, "Tom K"
wrote:

IMO they'd be better off giving the Zenith a
major spiffing up and moving her back to Bermuda.

Hi Tom,

FWIW, Celebrity's Zenith was swapped to Pulmantur for the Azamara
Journey a few years ago.

Best regards,
Ray
LIGHTHOUSE TRAVEL
800-719-9917 or 805-566-3905
http://www.lighthousetravel.com
--

In article
,
Warren wrote:

Johnny Rockets (since I take advantage of the freebie C/A coupon). But
there's a JR around the corner from my office and a couple of subway
stops from home so it's not a novelty. If I didn't have the C/A coupon
I probably wouldn't bother.

The JR's I have access to at home, don't have the employees doing the
floor show to the YMCA, etc. That makes it a different deal, especially
free.

--
When I split an infinitive, God damn it, I split it so it will stay split.
‹Raymond Chandler