We're Going to Seatrade -- Want to come along??

[LauraS]

If you could ask any cruise line president any question at all about the future of cruise travel, what would it be?

Seatrade, the cruise industry's biggest gathering of top executives, begins on March 10 and we will of course be there. We'll definitely be reporting, many times daily, on interesting behind-the-scenes developments on what's new in cruising. Got a question for us? Ask it here -- and we'll answer as many as possible.

Laura

[mii]

Hi Laura: I am a Princess fan and I truly want to know if Princess has plans or have thought about bringing or building ships of the 2000 passenger size such as the Coral and the Island. Their most recent ships the Caribbean, Crown, Emerald and now the Ruby are very large. I know the reasons why they are built that size is due to the popularity of cruising but there are a lot of us who just do not want to sail those behemouths. The Pacific Princess II, Royal and the Tahitian are just too small and they do have a following but just want one in the middle.

Thank you

Marilyn

[JanineM]

We enjoy cruising, and are willing to pay more for an upscale experience. While we could sail on one of the luxury cruiselines, we enjoy RCCL and X and prefer to continue to use/gain loyalty credits. So my question is, would any of the major cruiselines be willing to take a gamble and have an "old style" cruise where there are special touches such as meals prepared at the table (caesar salads, Steak Diane, crepes for dessert), high tea some afternoons, better quality entertainment, and dress codes are enforced?

Maybe we see a very small minority of cruisers here, but I suspect there may be enough interest to have a once or twice-a-year sailing of this type on one of the mainstream lines.

Thanks!

[kingmankruiser]

Will we continue to see rises in the fuel surcharges or has that maxed out for the time being. As a senior on the fixed income, cruising will be out of the question if costs go higher.

[stan1]

We have noticed, over the past 20 years, that cruise line-based shore excursions have changed for the better (unique excurisons using zip lines, ATV vehicles, SCUBA, etc.) and also for the worse: unintelligible guides, buses that do not offer the promised amenities such as air conditioning, working sound amplification, too little time at meaningful touristic areas and excessive time at tourist ware shops (where guides get a % of whatever his bus passsengers purchase). We do not mind overpaying, for the convenience, for the shore excursions if they deliver what is promised, but they do not. On our recent Princess Austrtalia-NZ cruise we experieced all of the above "worse"conditions. When will the cruise line shore excursion departments (both at Cruise Line offices where the shore operators are chosen, and on the ships where they can be continually evaluated)demand that shore operators provide air conditioned and sound amplified buses, competent tour guides, meaningful itineraries for the passengers (and not the tour guide interested in his tips and percentages). Long ago(Royal Viking Line, Orient Line-before it changed hands, Princess Cruise lines when it was part of P&O)shore excursions met all of these criteria, and the ship staff at the shore excursion desks were familiar with the offerings, which we now find they are not. The Cruise Lines could increase their income substantially by improving their service, and many would not seek private tour operators, or get off and ' do it on our own'.

[Astron]

As the cruise line go for seemingly ever larger ships, what efforts are being made to reduce the carbon footprint of these huge oil users? Have any of the lines looked into alternative sources of power for the mega ships such as kite sails or other advanced systems to employ the wind?

[rharvey999]

I am curious if those at the top ever feel that the cruise industry will reach a saturation point, especially in the Caribbean.

Secondly, as we are located in the direct middle of the country, access to the ports of departure are often the most difficult aspect of our cruising. The airfare costs routinely run at 30% of our total cruise expense. We find that the sea-air packages offered by the cruise lines are often far in excess of what we can book for ourselves. Is there any plan to work more closely with the airline industry to make cruising easier for those who don't live within driving distance of the departure ports?

[GORDONCHICK]

Ask why the loyalty program on Celebrity is so worthless. It's not making me feel like a celebrity, that's for sure!

Also ask about when they (all of the major lines) are going to improve internet speed. It's terrible on the three lines I've been on.

[Clutterlady]

Hi Laura:
Love Princess, would they consider a NY to Bermuda run, 5 or 7 days???

Thank you

[KL&KR]

With the baby boomer population aging, will the cruise lines upgrade to offer disabled folks improved accessibility onboard (cabin availability, theater seating, participation in those wonderful silly games, etc.), on tender transportation, and on shore (excursion transportation and sites)?
Thanks!

[ComputerDad]

Do the cruise lines have any plans for improving the environment for solo cruisers. Especially single rooms or lowering the solo traveler penalties for early reservations, close to sailing reservations, or standby.

[jimjamxx]

Question: When will Carnival bring back to New Orleans port a seven day cruise?

[dannish]

Can you ask Princess why it changed April 2009 cruise on the Grand???? And why they did not let folks know....they changed cruise Jan 21.....we all just found out Feb.28????? Would just like to know.

[ancldaca]

What are their plans, if any, to create better cross-brand past cruiser benefits (i.e. standard discounts/benefits that actually mean something to try their different brands, member level syncronization, etc.). Obviously, this would be mainly for Carnival Corp and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

With the fall of the dollar and economic slowdown in the U.S., which still accounts for the vast majority of the lines' passengers, are there more plans by the mass lines to station more ships year-round in this hemisphere in 2009/10?

Fountain soda drinks should be included! (I know, not phrased in the form of a question...)

Many people don't like cruising when there are large groups on board as those groups have a tendency to "take over the ship". While I agree in principle that no company should be required to disclose who is booking perhaps they could consider indicating/hinting when truly large groups of a particular type/interest are booked for a particular itinerrary?

I'd like to second the question about the smaller "mass" ships.

Question for Princess: Any chance of offering more 3 and 4 night cruises (like the upcoming Caribbean Princess ones only due to the cancelling of dry-dock)?

[SeattleCruiselover]

While all of the above are important issues, I am far more concerned about what the cruise lines (other than NCL, don't want to know what they are thinking right now) are thinking that they will do if the changes to the PVSA are implemented at anything near the proposed levels. ( I wonder not only because of my planned cruise from a homeland home port this year, but because my home city is one of those home ports that will be adversely affected if they are.)

[dakwriter]

Originally Posted by KL&KR

With the baby boomer population aging, will the cruise lines upgrade to offer disabled folks improved accessibility onboard (cabin availability, theater seating, participation in those wonderful silly games, etc.), on tender transportation, and on shore (excursion transportation and sites)?
Thanks!

I second this motion as well as want to know why able-bodied passengers are often booked into handicap-accessible rooms, leaving handicapped people out in the cold? There are SO few accessible rooms on ships as it is and it really hurts not to be able to book a cruise because these few rooms are assigned inappropriately. Thank you for listening.

[rodeoamber]

ditto on the catering to solos piece.

also a baby boomer. I can walk as well as you, but my feet hurt all the time. can I get a wheelchair to use onboard? would it be more trouble than it is worth? how about a sitting down shuttle to take folks from their room to dining room? my foot pain really puts a limit on how much I can do.

[Azure Moon]

Hello, and thank you for asking the thoughts of Cruise Critic members.

I'm wondering if the cruiselines, particularly Carnival owned lines and Norwegian's line, have ever given any thought to:

1. Allowing smoking only on the open air decks, rather than in certain indoor areas and in cabins. This would help eliminate worries about smoke smells in cabins also used by non-smoking guests staying in rooms previously used by smokers and cut down on the need for heavy cleaning to remove the residues from burning tobacco.

2. Enclosing common smoking areas, such as smoking rooms in airports, some laundromats, and other businesses. These rooms have air filtration systems to remove the smoke from the room. By having the rooms closed off, it would help tremendously with smoke drifting into non-smoking areas near the smoking rooms.

3. Changing the layouts of ships so open areas that allow smoking are located away from common areas utilized by non-smoking as well as smoking guests, such as gift shops, shore excursion desk, purser's office, main restaurants. For instance, placing lounges and bars that allow smoking on the same floor as the casino which allows smoking, then having non-smoking venues (lounges, bars, maybe even a small non-smoking casino) on another floor, or floors, so drifting smoke wouldn't be a problem.

I understand that smokers and non-smokers need to be able to share the same ship, Hubby and I are former smokers who cruise with family members who smoke, but I think there should be more done to make the ship as nice and healthful an environment as possible for all concerned -crew, staff, and guests.

Thank you for reading my thoughts about this issue and thank you for any consideration on this subject.

Azure Moon

[cruzegirl]

Hi Laura,
I wish I could be a fly on the wall as you are there at this convention. So many questions I would love answers too. Here are my 2 since my others have been asked.

1. This isn't meant to bring up the smoker versus the non smoker but would they consider going to smokeless ships again? With such a rise on being environmently friendly and for the health of others, would the major lines consider that?

2. Princess is exempt as they have them but can you ask the other lines about putting bridgecams on all the ships? It's so much fun to see where you are going, to follow a friend on their itinerary.

Thanks so much and have fun.....

[clcurry]

Question: What are the chances of ships sailing out of Savannah, Georgia? The area has had some ships come in to port there in the past so it is possible (perhaps not with megaships but still, many cruise ships could fit).