The most frustrating and unnecessary thing about cruising?

I love cruising and once again I have the pleasure and privilege of planning another cruise. But once again I feel like I am researching information about the ports we visit that I think the cruise company really should provide. For example the port address is not volunteered until we get on the ship and have the patter (newsletter) in our hands. Surely this could be provided in the cruise personaliser earlier so I can safely plan what to do. The most frustrating thing is being taken to an isolated port i.e. Laem Chabang the port for Bangkok where the ship is not even putting on a shuttle to the nearest town. My only option is to take a 5 hour tour there, cutting my day in half and not doing the things I'd like to do. I can only hope there is taxi's and/or tours at the port when I arrive but I would rather get a ships shuttle or at least have the option. Why can cruise companies dock hours from anywhere without putting reasonable transport on for passengers even if we do have to pay for it? It seems they are being intentionally vague so I will feel compelled to purchase a tour. I have purchased two ships tours for other ports I just don't fancy the others they are offering. I am travelling alone with a child so want to plan ahead. It seems to be more than one cruise line that does this too! Vent over.

Does anyone else find this frustrating or do I just need to up skill my planning skills. What's the most frustrating thing you have experienced with cruising?

I love cruising and once again I have the pleasure and privilege of planning another cruise. But once again I feel like I am researching information about the ports we visit that I think the cruise company really should provide. For example the port address is not volunteered until we get on the ship and have the patter (newsletter) in our hands. Surely this could be provided in the cruise personaliser earlier so I can safely plan what to do. The most frustrating thing is being taken to an isolated port i.e. Laem Chabang the port for Bangkok where the ship is not even putting on a shuttle to the nearest town. My only option is to take a 5 hour tour there, cutting my day in half and not doing the things I'd like to do. I can only hope there is taxi's and/or tours at the port when I arrive but I would rather get a ships shuttle or at least have the option. Why can cruise companies dock hours from anywhere without putting reasonable transport on for passengers even if we do have to pay for it? It seems they are being intentionally vague so I will feel compelled to purchase a tour. I have purchased two ships tours for other ports I just don't fancy the others they are offering. I am travelling alone with a child so want to plan ahead. It seems to be more than one cruise line that does this too! Vent over.

 

Does anyone else find this frustrating or do I just need to up skill my planning skills. What's the most frustrating thing you have experienced with cruising?

I agree with you, also simple things like if it is a tender port or docked. As you say, these things influence our decisions of what to do and how to do it. But an address of the port would be a good start.:D

As you said yourself, I think they probably are being deliberately vague to encourage you to purchase their shore tours. There is nothing in it for them to tell you how to organise your own tours :P

I wish they would say which nights are the formal nights on the itineraries. Surely they don't make last minute snap decisions on that sort of thing.:eek:

I agree with you, also simple things like if it is a tender port or docked. As you say, these things influence our decisions of what to do and how to do it. But an address of the port would be a good start.:D

Oddly Princess shows whether it is a tender port in the itinerary in the Cruise Personalizer, but that info isn't shown on the itinerary that comes up when you are booking the cruise. Even when you click on the port name to get further info it just gives a sales pitch for that port.

I agree with you, also simple things like if it is a tender port or docked. As you say, these things influence our decisions of what to do and how to do it. But an address of the port would be a good start.:D

I know on RCI the Itineraries always state whether it is docked or a tender Port - I must check whether the other lines do.:)

Cheers

Di

I wish they would say which nights are the formal nights on the itineraries. Surely they don't make last minute snap decisions on that sort of thing.:eek:

with your 13 night cruise at xmas the formal nights should be the 2nd night, half way thru the cruise and the 2nd last night for a total of 3 formals

While I agree with you to an extent, from their side it's not something that a lot of cruisers will want to know, unless you're trying to plan your own tours. And they're not going to go out of their way to try to cater to them.

So it's not something I expect from them - even though it would be helpful to those of us trying to do that.

As far as I know though, they will always put on a shuttle when the ship is remote. At least I've never been to a port where they haven't - usually it's overkill where there are shuttles even 10 minutes walk away.

with your 13 night cruise at xmas the formal nights should be the 2nd night, half way thru the cruise and the 2nd last night for a total of 3 formals

According to the Princess website there are only two formal nights on a 13 night cruise. Since the cruise is over Christmas I'm hoping one of the formal nights will be Christmas Day, or maybe Christmas Eve.

Oddly Princess shows whether it is a tender port in the itinerary in the Cruise Personalizer, but that info isn't shown on the itinerary that comes up when you are booking the cruise. Even when you click on the port name to get further info it just gives a sales pitch for that port.

I know on RCI the Itineraries always state whether it is docked or a tender Port - I must check whether the other lines do.:)

 

Cheers

Di

Some do and some don't and with some websites not working as well as they should, even when they do you cannot always find out.:D

While I agree with you to an extent, from their side it's not something that a lot of cruisers will want to know, unless you're trying to plan your own tours. And they're not going to go out of their way to try to cater to them.

 

So it's not something I expect from them - even though it would be helpful to those of us trying to do that.

 

As far as I know though, they will always put on a shuttle when the ship is remote. At least I've never been to a port where they haven't - usually it's overkill where there are shuttles even 10 minutes walk away.

I suppose it may depend on the cruise company and the port. Some ports just do not have the facilities that can handle such a huge influx of passengers. Especially when most of the resources are tied up with the cruise tours.

According to the Princess website there are only two formal nights on a 13 night cruise. Since the cruise is over Christmas I'm hoping one of the formal nights will be Christmas Day, or maybe Christmas Eve.

we are doing a 14 night cruise with princess and our itinerary shows 2 formal nights, before it used to be 3 so they should have one xmas eve but still expect one on the second night plus the second last night

you may not find out until you get onboard and see the princess patter

I love cruising and once again I have the pleasure and privilege of planning another cruise. But once again I feel like I am researching information about the ports we visit that I think the cruise company really should provide. For example the port address is not volunteered until we get on the ship and have the patter (newsletter) in our hands. Surely this could be provided in the cruise personaliser earlier so I can safely plan what to do. The most frustrating thing is being taken to an isolated port i.e. Laem Chabang the port for Bangkok where the ship is not even putting on a shuttle to the nearest town. My only option is to take a 5 hour tour there, cutting my day in half and not doing the things I'd like to do. I can only hope there is taxi's and/or tours at the port when I arrive but I would rather get a ships shuttle or at least have the option. Why can cruise companies dock hours from anywhere without putting reasonable transport on for passengers even if we do have to pay for it? It seems they are being intentionally vague so I will feel compelled to purchase a tour. I have purchased two ships tours for other ports I just don't fancy the others they are offering. I am travelling alone with a child so want to plan ahead. It seems to be more than one cruise line that does this too! Vent over.

 

Does anyone else find this frustrating or do I just need to up skill my planning skills. What's the most frustrating thing you have experienced with cruising?

You may wish to consider visiting Khao Kheow Open Zoo from Laem Chabang.

My daughter and I had a car and driver pick us up from the wharf, take us to the zoo for the day, then return us to the wharf. That day was a highlight of our cruise.

http://www.journeytothejungle.com

For me, the most frustrating thing about cruising, is getting excited about an itinerary, then, on deeper look, seeing that it will be in a certain port for half a day! Deal Breaker!

I agree with Marion. I really like the ports where the ship arrives early and stays overnight or at least departs later then 4pm. I find the extra time allows for much more exploring without the " gotta get back " feeling, cheers, Buzz.

we are doing a 14 night cruise with princess and our itinerary shows 2 formal nights, before it used to be 3 so they should have one xmas eve but still expect one on the second night plus the second last night

 

you may not find out until you get onboard and see the princess patter

Thanks, rkmw. Our itinerary only shows 2 formal nights too. However I'll pack accordingly so if the second formal night isn't Christmas Day I can still dress up a little that night regardless ;)

We all know the cruise companies want you to spend more of your holiday money on their very expensive shore tours. I find half the fun of planning a cruise is researching the ports of call, the cruise terminal, transport and various other interests. By the time we sail DH and I have an intimate knowledge of each port, and no nasty surprises. However I do get angry at the very short ones especially if they are tender ports when most of the time is spent getting off and then back on the ship. Why bother, it would be much better not calling there at all and transfer these hours to one of the other destinations.

It is a business, no matter how well we as consumers are treated, the shipping lines are out to make money on us. Giving us information on how to do our own things at ports means we might just do that and therefore not take a ships tour = less money for the shipping line.

We have never done a ship tour on 13 cruises and I don't foresee us ever really doing one, but that means we have to do mountains and mountains of research. I do find the more I research the more excited I become and I enjoy it all coming together. My sister on the other hand always takes the ships excursions.

We do a mixture of private vs the ship's tours depending on the port and the times spent there. I agree that short port visits are really just a waste of time.:D

I suppose it may depend on the cruise company and the port. Some ports just do not have the facilities that can handle such a huge influx of passengers. Especially when most of the resources are tied up with the cruise tours.

I am yet to see a port that can't handle the ship it's agreed to handle!?!

I agree that short port visits are really just a waste of time.:D

I wouldn't say they're a waste of time. They still give you a taste of that city and place, and let you know if it's worthwhile coming back. :D

And some ports are eminently doable in a short period of time e.g. small places like Akaroa. With more time, people usually spend it on excursions outside e.g in the Harbour, or Christchurch. But that's like anything, the more time you have, the more you'll find something to fill it up with. :D

I am yet to see a port that can't handle the ship it's agreed to handle!?!

They exist, small towns with hardly any infrastructure and not enough private tour companies outside of what is tied up by the cruise company.

I wouldn't say they're a waste of time. They still give you a taste of that city and place, and let you know if it's worthwhile coming back. :D

 

:D

Example of a short visit.

In September 2015, the Caribbean Princess calls in at Hellesylt, Norway, it is a tender port and we arrive at 8am and depart again at 10am.

There is no way they would have time to get everybody off in that time, let alone get them back on again.

I suspect the visit is just to allow a few special people off, waste of time for everyone else.

Oddly Princess shows whether it is a tender port in the itinerary in the Cruise Personalizer, but that info isn't shown on the itinerary that comes up when you are booking the cruise. Even when you click on the port name to get further info it just gives a sales pitch for that port.

The Princess cruise booklet shows which ports are tender ports. There is an anchor symbol beside the name of the port in the itinerary for the particular cruise. The legend (under the dates) shows the anchor symbol "Access by ship's tender, weather permitting".

They exist, small towns with hardly any infrastructure and not enough private tour companies outside of what is tied up by the cruise company.

How can they take the booking if they can't handle the ship?

I'm sure there'd be irate posts here if a port was advertised and then the ship didn't dock there because it wasn't able to be handled.

The cruise line has no concern about private tour companies though. They get you to the port, will try to sell you excursions and make some more money if they can, but it's not their role to co-ordinate or private operators.