ExpatCruise

The market is a wonderful thing. Really doesn't matter if you are talking about cruise cabins, apples, or service fees. The market if left along will always adjust and find the true value. Simple fact is Disney's final payment and cancellation policy was costing them bookings or income per cabin so after looking at this they have adjusted the policy. Only Disney really knows which ones, but they believe that by changing the policy they we make more profit. Time will tell if they made the right call here.

Andi Have a great trip and enjoy your week on the river. Looking forward to the details when you return.

I see these kind of reports and the red flags go off, another start up cruise line. But this one does have several cruise professionals on the management time. They report "Blue World Voyages' initial departure is scheduled for May 2019 in the Mediterranean, visiting locales such as Italy, Greece, Spain, France, Portugal, Corsica and Croatia. Next up will be England, Scotland and Ireland." But what they do not tell you is they do not even have a ship or the funding for a ship. They have a option for a ship that will require much rebuilding to make into the glossy photos shown here. They do not even have the money for completing of the option on the ship. So who really thinks they can get the funding, the ship, rebuild the ship and set up a cruise for only 10 months from now? Many try to start cruise lines and most fail.

I'm sure some fellow members like me are interested in cruise history and cruise lines of the past. Came across a very nice slideshow using old photos about the RMS Titanic and her loss, about 35 photos with same interesting history. Here is a link to the slide show RMS Titanic Information Slide Show

Sounds like you have had a nice profitable but short trip. Happy you had mostly good weather. I have spent time in the past on the waters you're on and at this time of the it can be bad. So very happy you had a good trip. But like most trips it seems to take forever to start and then is over in a flash.

I look forward to trying the Royal Class ships, while in general I do not like bigger ships from what I hear Princess Royal class have the feel of a smaller ship and do not appear to be as crowded as many other lines in this size ship.

It is a smart move to allow tipping to go back to what it should be, a optional payment made directly to those the guests want to tip. Cruise lines have been using these daily discretionary charges to pay people behind the scene that really should not be tipped positions. When guest check into a hotel they may tip people they have direct contact with, they do not tip the laundry room staff, security, dishwashers and management. Guest are becoming much smarter and the cruise industry really needs to update how they do business. Stopping these fees is a great first step in the right direction.

Great looking pictures Jan. The picture in Boston Harbor with the Airport off the port side brings backs lots of memories. Hope you have a wonderful trip.

I put very little stock in these type of awards, Virtuoso Travel is a for profit travel service pushes its own agents and the agenda of Virtuoso Travel. If you want a true grading of luxury cruise lines you really need to use independent judgement. If someone owned the best luxury property in the World and did not allow bookings through Virtuoso Travel do you think they would even be considered for a award? No chance ever.... No independent travel award service would ever put Crystal as number one. Even if they were the best they would be disqualified being own by Genting Corporations which has very questionable business practices . Just read the statement quoted above “On behalf of everyone at the company, I want to thank our partners at the Virtuoso Travel Network and the travel advisor community as a whole for their support and dedication to Crystal,” Translation thank you Travel Advisor for selling our products and giving us this award so we can get more guests. Another meaningless award design to fool people who do not know any better.

Looks like a great river cruise. I'm sure you will have a wonderful time. Very different from a large cruise ship but that is part of what I think makes river cruises nice. More laid back, personal, and free flowing vs. a big cruise ship.

Miranda have a wonderful cruise, and enjoy your vacation to the fullest. Looking forward to seeing your comments and some photos when you re back. Have a wonderful trip.

Jan, Enjoy your cruise. It is a wonderful time of the year to cruise from New England. You will have a great trip. I miss seeing Boston and August being on the water and boating. From Boston the ship can go through the Cape Cod Canal or around the trip of Providence Town. Both ways will have some great views. It would be nice to go through the canal but I do not believe the Captain will want to deal with the small boat traffic. Have a wonderful trip. Todd

I do believe it is a good move on Royal's part but they seem to only go part of the way here. If Emotional Support Animals are not allowed that is the choice of Royal. But to say this "If passengers made reservations to sail with emotional support animals before July 30, they will still be allowed on board....." is not in the best overall interest of the passengers. Passengers will be dealing with these animals on ships until 2020. It is just to long of a period. Royal should honor sailings within 90 days of the policy start. But tell guests sailing more then 90 days away they can sail without these pets, or take a full refund. While it may cost Royal a small amount of money to refund, the good will overall from guest will far out weight the guests would are displaced. I already can foresee what will happen here, a guest will sail a year from now, another will have one of these pets and it will become a issue. For a smart corporation I think Royal should have thought this through a lot better.

Another bears in the wild and people being in a places they do not belong. While it is not clear this video is a cruise ship passenger a few things are clear. 1) It was shot in Alaska earlier this summer. 2) The area it was shot in was closed to all people because of the time of year and the brown bears feeding. 3) It shows a man going very close to these bears trying to take pictures. 4) What the person was doing was criminal and the state is looking into pressing charges. The person is being in a area that they should not be and very close to very large wild brown bears. Any one of these bears could have attacked and kill the man in the video within a few seconds. Would anyone seeing this blame the bears? The bears are not out hunting people here just getting their natural food, as they have done for hundreds of years. The bears were here before people. Tourist need to understand some things should not be part of a outing or tour.... the bears should be left alone. Video Showing Man very close to the bears https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/wildlife/2018/08/10/unprecedented-man-wades-into-katmai-bear-feeding-zone-takes-a-selfie/ Statement From National Parks Service https://www.nps.gov/katm/learn/news/charges-pending-for-visitors-who-approached-bears-in-closed-area.htm

Well you found CruiseCrazies, Really doesn't matter how you found us, maybe it is your first cruise, or your 100th plus cruise. We are simply a community of people that love to cruise. Everyone can add something or learn something here. All opinions are welcome, post your questions, or tell us about your cruises, ports or other things that will interest the members here. You will find many cruise sites on the web, I believe this is the most friendly of them all. Welcome to the only cruise travel site that you will need. Please start posting

Well you found CruiseCrazies, Really doesn't matter how you found us, maybe it is your first cruise, or your 100th plus cruise. We are simply a community of people that love to cruise. Everyone can add something or learn something here. All opinions are welcome, post your questions, or tell us about your cruises, ports or other things that will interest the members here. You will find many cruise sites on the web, I believe this is the most friendly of them all. Welcome to the only cruise travel site that you will need. Please start posting

Well you found CruiseCrazies, Really doesn't matter how you found us, maybe it is your first cruise, or your 100th plus cruise. We are simply a community of people that love to cruise. Everyone can add something or learn something here. All opinions are welcome, post your questions, or tell us about your cruises, ports or other things that will interest the members here. You will find many cruise sites on the web, I believe this is the most friendly of them all. Welcome to the only cruise travel site that you will need. Please start posting

Well you found CruiseCrazies, Really doesn't matter how you found us, maybe it is your first cruise, or your 100th plus cruise. We are simply a community of people that love to cruise. Everyone can add something or learn something here. All opinions are welcome, post your questions, or tell us about your cruises, ports or other things that will interest the members here. You will find many cruise sites on the web, I believe this is the most friendly of them all. Welcome to the only cruise travel site that you will need. Please start posting

Well you found CruiseCrazies, Really doesn't matter how you found us, maybe it is your first cruise, or your 100th plus cruise. We are simply a community of people that love to cruise. Everyone can add something or learn something here. All opinions are welcome, post your questions, or tell us about your cruises, ports or other things that will interest the members here. You will find many cruise sites on the web, I believe this is the most friendly of them all. Welcome to the only cruise travel site that you will need. Please start posting

Well you found CruiseCrazies, Really doesn't matter how you found us, maybe it is your first cruise, or your 100th plus cruise. We are simply a community of people that love to cruise. Everyone can add something or learn something here. All opinions are welcome, post your questions, or tell us about your cruises, ports or other things that will interest the members here. You will find many cruise sites on the web, I believe this is the most friendly of them all. Welcome to the only cruise travel site that you will need. Please start posting

Well you found CruiseCrazies, Really doesn't matter how you found us, maybe it is your first cruise, or your 100th plus cruise. We are simply a community of people that love to cruise. Everyone can add something or learn something here. All opinions are welcome, post your questions, or tell us about your cruises, ports or other things that will interest the members here. You will find many cruise sites on the web, I believe this is the most friendly of them all. Welcome to the only cruise travel site that you will need. Please start posting

Well you found CruiseCrazies, Really doesn't matter how you found us, maybe it is your first cruise, or your 100th plus cruise. We are simply a community of people that love to cruise. Everyone can add something or learn something here. All opinions are welcome, post your questions, or tell us about your cruises, ports or other things that will interest the members here. You will find many cruise sites on the web, I believe this is the most friendly of them all. Welcome to the only cruise travel site that you will need. Please start posting

Well you found CruiseCrazies, Really doesn't matter how you found us, maybe it is your first cruise, or your 100th plus cruise. We are simply a community of people that love to cruise. Everyone can add something or learn something here. All opinions are welcome, post your questions, or tell us about your cruises, ports or other things that will interest the members here. You will find many cruise sites on the web, I believe this is the most friendly of them all. Welcome to the only cruise travel site that you will need. Please start posting

Yes it is very interesting how ships are built today. Really more like a kids Lego Set than classic ship building. The ship yard puts together the ship from what seems more like a kit than building a ship. Modules are built from suppliers around the world and then this big kit of modules is fitted together. It is a much faster way to build than to have one yard make everything in house. In the past only select items came from outside suppliers, now it seems the ship yard builds the basic hull and buys everything else in modules.

Came across this news clip about the shooting. Has some interesting views. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/aug/05/will-giant-cruise-ships-destroy-wonders-passengers-claim-to-love