Did You Read About easyCruise??

[Clutterlady]

Check out easyCruise on "Cruise Lines " just below Cunard. Talk about having to pay for everything from your food to room service. You pay per day for you cabin! Maybe we shouldn't complain about nickel & diming. I realize this is a very unique experience in crusing....but interesting.:cool:

[sjbdtz]

Check out easyCruise on "Cruise Lines " just below Cunard. Talk about having to pay for everything from your food to room service. You pay per day for you cabin! Maybe we shouldn't complain about nickel & diming. I realize this is a very unique experience in crusing....but interesting.:cool:


This is the Travelodge of cruising. Pay for your towels, etc. Small box to sleep in, pay restaurants everywhere.

$50 - $60 / day.....great inexpensive way to get around....especially if you plan on eating ashore.

[fti]

$50 - $60 / day.....great inexpensive way to get around....especially if you plan on eating ashore.

Actually if you watch for their sales, I have seen prices even much lower than this. They might not offer rock-bottom prices anymore as they become more established. Sounds like a novel idea. I would probably call them the Motel 6 of cruising. Travelodge might be too generous.:)

[pamwinn]

I think I'd give it a shot if I were a little younger...sometimes the rates are too good to pass up and they are per cabin not per person. It would be a really inexpensive way to see a lot of places and i enjoy eating in the local restaurants.

[jcrandle]

Their original target market was for passengers who wanted to travel the med (particularly the riviera) enjoying a day in each port, dining ashore, perhaps partying till late evening, then boarding the ship to sleep as the ship travels to the next port. If you compare the ezcruise price with a hotel room there, along with train or bus transport between port cities, it looks darned attractive, particularly to the 20 to 40 year old folks.

And I just noticed that cruisecritic has started a board to discuss them.

[MaryPoppinz]

If I enjoyed traveling by train and liked orange, I'd try it!

[donna5]

They are changing the colors.

[sceptic]

There is a long thread about easycruise on this board at:
http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=264396

They don't charge for towels or linens, but there is a modest cost if you want them laundered/replaced. Their funky orange color is being muted to shades of light gray and a modest splash of orange (too bad, IMO...:) )

There are many days in the newly announced Caribbean winter schedule that are a bit under $40 per night per cabin. A typical week I've explored for a standard cabin runs about $370 for two. A suite (with balcony - actually a pretty big room) is about $1150 for two.

But yes, you have to pay for food.

Food on board (a good coffee/rolls place and a "sports restaurant") and the food is reasonably priced, like a TGI Friday or Applebee. One meal I had, five courses from local sources, was actually very good and about $22 US.

Liquor is extra, like on just about every ship, but not unreasonable. They don't gouge for anything, which was a nice surprise. Their menus are on the internet, and tipping is strictly voluntary. And only two(!) onboard announcements each day.

They arrive early and leave late. It's for people who want to explore islands and eat island cuisine, and use the ship as an overnighter to reach the next cool port.

We went on it, and had an absolute blast. We would go on it again, absolutely. (We also gladly go on an NCL, Carnival, etc., but with completely different expectations.)

Comparing them to Motel 6 or whatever misses the point. They're intended for a different ship/island experience than a standard cruise ship. To complain about what they don't have is as sensible as complaining about what any other cruise line doesn't have. If you want the service, gambling, midnight buffets, shows, etc. of a mainland cruise you're strongly advised to look elsewhere. If you want to stay late into the evening because you're having such a great time at a local restaurant, you can. (Anyone who went on a Royal Carib cruise ship and moaned about how early they left ports certainly didn't do their homework.)

The key to easycruise this winter are the ports of call - St. Barts, St. Maarten, Nevis, Anguilla, etc. Slightly off the beaten path, like last year's Martinique and Bequia, which you can explore late into the evening. If that doesn't appeal to you, it's simply not for you. If you want the standard cruise experience (no hair salon or aerobics), it's not for you.

pamwinn, don't let age deter you. There are folks I know in their 60s I've recommended it to, and others in their 30s I know who'd hate it.

[Morgans]

They have been operating in Europe for a year or two now and it is a brilliant way to see the Mediterranean. Would I do it? - probably not, now that we are used to more "comfortable" cruising. Would my daughter and her friends do it - absolutely ! It's a holiday for youngsters - or the young at heart - who want to travel the Rivieras and spend the evenings in the ports of call. The ship leaves each port approx 3.30am after everyone has been ashore. It is certainly not up there with Celebrity, Cunard, P & O etc but its an excellent way to see part of Europe and now the Cartibbean if you are on a budget.
I gather Stelios is not so well known in the USA as he is here where he is very well known for many of the "orange" businesses he has set up, including the budget airline Easyjet.

[pnhmrk]

Would I do it? - probably not, now that we are used to more "comfortable" cruising. Would my daughter and her friends do it - absolutely ! It's a holiday for youngsters - or the young at heart - who want to travel the Rivieras and spend the evenings in the ports of call.

Would we do it? I think that the answer is possibly. We like Cunard, but we also like independent touring holidays, I think that EC might offer the benefits of that combined with the convenience of not having to keep packing every few days.

Some of the comments in the other thread are very helpful.

[Morgans]

Excellent point! I hope I didn't come over as too stuffy! I'm not really - and I hope I'm young at heart too ( not old at all really for that matter!!!!) It can't be denied that EasyCruise is a very good concept but after watching the Sky series about it I did get the impression that it was a fairly basic (but certainly enjoyable) holiday experience and aimed at the younger members of the holiday market. You never know - I may yet be persuaded.

[pnhmrk]

It can't be denied that EasyCruise is a very good concept but after watching the Sky series about it I did get the impression that it was a fairly basic (but certainly enjoyable) holiday experience and aimed at the younger members of the holiday market.

Watching the Sky series was enough to finish the idea for me! It's only because I suggested it to someone who was looking for a cheap cruise on another thread that I thought I'd have another look at them. Then this forum started and I've started to read it (it doesn't take long:( ). The big put off for me is that you can't smoke in their cabins.

[Pudgesmom]

We're looking at easycruise, too.

We've done a Carnival (not our favorite), two HALs and one Windstar.

The MAIN reason I'm interested is the hop on and off aspect. Inter-island air travel in the Caribbean is expensive and often has spotty service. How great it would be to spend a couple days here and there, and get back on to the next island!

Is it true they have a two-night minimum?

Beth

[pnhmrk]

Is it true they have a two-night minimum?

Yes. Just be aware that the two nights won't get you back to where you started from so you'd have to buy two single flights.

How great it would be to spend a couple days here and there, and get back on to the next island!

You'd need to spend a week, rather than a couple of days, but 3 days of intensive sight seeing in three ports, a week relaxing and then another four days of intensive sightseeing on four more different islands does appeal.

Another big advantage is that they don't have a private island so all your ports will be just that, not some prefabricated idea of what the Caribbean should be.

[jp2001]

I would be interested by the easy cruise concept but the airfare (from Quebec, Canada) is way too high. I would have to pay at least 800$pp to get on a 7-day cruise that cost 175$ pp + meals¸, doesn't make sense. I've heard they are trying to cruise the bahamas from Miami. Then it's something I would consider (usually can get a flight for 350$ or less when planned in advance). Would make a good option for a trip south (winter is so cold here, I would love to go anywhere with warm weather, especially if I can go for roughly 500$ + meals.

[SaylorGirl]

As one that sails Princess and RCI, has a planned QM2 sailing. I had the opportunity to sail on Easy Cruise this summer in the Med and we loved it. We are booking again for next year. It is a fantastic experience.

You don't have to pay for towels, just if you want them switched out, I rehang mine all week long on Princess so its no big deal.

They are re-outfitted the ship so alot of the orange will be gone, but the public rooms are very nice. They have great coffee, and you can buy food on the ship but since you are in port all day and all night long it is easy to buy your food off the ship. I enjoyed not having food around all the time, that is one thing I hate the most on the larger cruise ships, too much food!

We loved the long port times, we didn't have to board the ship at 3:00 in the afternoon but could stay out into the evening.

The prices are great! I hope to be sailing with easy cruise for a long time, hoping for the Greek Islands soon!

[SaylorGirl]

The big put off for me is that you can't smoke in their cabins.

Don't worry soon you won't be able to smoke in cruise ships cabins!

[Bramcruiser]

Would I do it? - probably not, now that we are used to more "comfortable" cruising. Would my daughter and her friends do it - absolutely !

Well the young at heart anyway! Even in my twentys I probably would have turned away from easycruise. Which goes to show some people are just born old. I didn't do the typical twenties things even when I was.

Now in my forties? Yes, I like independent touring but I must admit that I prefer my creature comforts and if I can get someone to spoil me during my few precious hard-earned vacation days each year then I'll go the full service route. I want fresh bedding and fresh towels all the time. I want big meals in a dining room. I can see where there would be a market for easycruise - mainly the types who stays in hostels while travelling - but nothing of interest for me.

Good luck to easycruise but I doubt I'll be a passenger. I know people however who probably would love it.

[Michele Noel]

We are booked for April, 2007 for Easy Cruise Two which seems like a barge which goes up and down the canals of the Netherlands and Belgium. The price is incredible and we will have saved enough to really have some nice meals ashore. We are Diamond level on Celebrity and Royal Caribbean, been on the Tahitian Princess and one Carnival cruise in Europe. We are not kids but this sounds like an adventure. We like an adventure. We are the only people I know who left Burbank, CA, drove to San Diego, took the Tijuana Trolley to the border of Mexico, crossed the border on foot and took a bus to downtown Ensenada, then a cab to our Celebrity ship which was going to Honolulu. We had a fun adventure that day and it was all so easy to do. We have been to Holland before many times and we know how easy it is to rent a bike for a day and see the countryside.

[mailbroad]

hmmm... I might book one for the Amsterdam stretch...

[Thamsey]

Think I will look into this for the spring of 2008

[rbfcruise]

A) please clarify that only EC1 has airconditioning in the rooms?
b) I saw that there was a hot tub, but no one has indidcated a pool or pool deck ....
c) do most people book directly through the ec.com website or do most book through another portal?

[sceptic]

If it matters, EC2 is no more. The company they leased it from had problems and easycruise stopped EC2 after this last week. If you want to see how a company can treat people it inconvenienced by the cancellation go to easycruise dot com or bigorangeboat dot com and see how they absolutely bent over backwards. Other companies could learn a thing or two (like a complete refund, a complimentary cruise on EC1, reimbursement for expenses due to 'non-refundable' airfare tickets... good grief, that's reasonable.)

EC1 does indeed have air conditioning.

EC1 has a hot tub. No pool (and hence no pool deck.)

Although you can go through a travel agent, I've booked through their website. Here's a hint: look around the internet for promotional codes (that bigorangeboat dot com website often has great ones, as does travelzoo.) Punch the promo code into the easycruise website and man oh man you can get some sweet deals. Example: Last spring. Two cabins - one with window, the other a quad. 4 people, one week. Total cost for both cabins, with tax: $570.

Also, easycruise spokespersons have talked about new ship(s) and itineraries being announced shortly. I hope so, because as of now they're solely in the Greek Isles for the forseeable future.

[SaylorGirl]

Sceptic - It definatly matters to me that Easycruise 2 is no more. We were scheduled on the September 10th sailing and then booked on the September 20th sailing of Easycruise 1 in Greece. We are scrambling to make changes to our reservations and get hotel rooms now as we have this huge hole in our schedule.

Easycruise is standing by their passengers and taking responsibility for the changes and airfare. They are really stepping up to the plate.

I am very excited about the cruise in Greece next month I will let you know how it goes.

[curiousx]

I have sailed both Seabourn and Easy Cruise. Obviously they are at different ends of the price and 'luxury' spectrum. But what both share is a commitment to giving value to their passengers. I loved both (very different) experiences and will be sailing EC again if it ever comes back to the Southern Caribbean.

I have also sailed with Princess, a so-called premium line...absolutely loathed it and will never go back.

When I sailed EC, there was a good mix of all ages...and people were definitely there more for the great port opportunities than for partying

[sceptic]

Seabourn and Easy Cruise! Let me guess - your two cars are a Rolls and a Yugo, right?

That's not fair to EC. It's more than a yugo.

Still hoping to see a Caribbean itinerary, maybe 08-09.

[curiousx]

the low end car is a Tercel, a very old, very reliable Tercel. I won't tell you the others!

[dharmapath]

So sad easycruise 2 is gone. I did a 2 nighter from Amsterdam to Antwerp and loved it. The cruise cost less than a train ticket and as a solo traveler I don't get burned by the single supplement. Easycruise quotes cabin rates not per person. Solo travelers should flock to easy. I do hope they get another ship in the Amsterdam market. It is a wonderful way to see Holland and Belgium.