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Everything posted by bob brown
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American Queen Ceases Operations
bob brown replied to CruiseCriticAaron's topic in American Queen Voyages
The American Queen is in a class by itself, not just for its steam propulsion, but also for its size. Its size allows it to offer a level of on board entertainment and facilities that a smaller boat cannot. The modern Viking Mississippi probably comes closest in that regard⦠-
American Queen Ceases Operations
bob brown replied to CruiseCriticAaron's topic in American Queen Voyages
The American Countess and Duchess arenβt exactly new, eitherβ¦rebuilt from former Iowa gambling boatsβ¦ -
Another Option for Mississippi River Cruises
bob brown replied to Host Jazzbeau's topic in American Queen Voyages
I am one of those displaced from an AQV booking for their Ocean Voyager Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway cruise this year that chose to try the Pearl Seas, Pearl Mist version of it. Nice that I will be able to use that status on the ACL brand later... I am hoping that Pearl Seas will expand to fill the vacuum, and maybe with a new ship for that market, more like the two that Viking has... -
Another Option for Mississippi River Cruises
bob brown replied to Host Jazzbeau's topic in American Queen Voyages
I too have noticed recent ACL ads. I am not sure if they are running more, to target former AQV customer's, or maybe I am just more aware of them now...π€·ββοΈ -
The same for the two Superbowls I have seen on Oceania cruises. Instead of the often entertaining commercials, they just kept repeating the same boring network "promo's", over and over and over...π₯±
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AQV Extends Layups - Cancels February Cruises
bob brown replied to eroller's topic in American Queen Voyages
I wish they would be more like their rival, ACL, as far as investing in new boats and ships, although I havenβt sailed with that line yet to compare their products. Due to AQV canceling my Great Lakes and St. Lawrence cruise this year, I will try ACLβs subsidiary, Pearl Seas Cruises, Pearl Mist for a similar itinerary. Not sure if that will be a good measure of ACL or not, since the Pearl Mist is not a US registered ship, so a different crew experienceβ¦ -
AQV Extends Layups - Cancels February Cruises
bob brown replied to eroller's topic in American Queen Voyages
Agree that they should not get into the Alaska market. IIRC, they don't even own the expedition ship they use up there, but charter it from another company. I would have liked them to stay on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence market, however... -
AQV Extends Layups - Cancels February Cruises
bob brown replied to eroller's topic in American Queen Voyages
Not sure if they ever restored the Z-drive that they lost on the American Queen, that caused our Red Wing to New Orleans cruise last October to need an escort tug the whole way.... Could be that, or something else? -
AQV Extends Layups - Cancels February Cruises
bob brown replied to eroller's topic in American Queen Voyages
They have already announced that the Ocean Navigator and the Ocean Voyager are up for sale (doubt anyone other than a scrapper will make an offer). -
Ensenada serves round trip cruises, such as Los Angeles to Hawaiian Islands and return as a port of call. It occasional serves as a termination port for a one way Hawaii to Ensenada repo cruise, where the passenger's will then be bussed to San Diego or Los Angeles, or the reverse. In these cases, the ship will sometimes "deadhead" to San Diego or LA...
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HAL reschedules the GWV to avoid the Red Sea
bob brown replied to Wehwalt's topic in Holland America Line
One region's loss, is another's gain. I imagine Capetown, and similar, are having to scramble to accommodate all the extra ship's that want to now call there... -
The exception for San Juan is sort of an enigma, as it is excepted from part of the PVSA rule, prohibiting cruises starting from one US port and ending in another (itself), but it is not considered a "distant foreign port" to serve as an intermediate stop, on say, a Fort Lauderdale to San Diego, Panama Canal cruise. Whether it would be considered "a near foreign port" for a cruise that would say go from say Fort Lauderdale to San Juan and return, without any additional foreign ports, I am not sure..Probably a moot point since.I don't think there would be any cruises that would ever sail that far with only that that on a round trip itinerary, anyway...π€·ββοΈ
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One minor point..."Full capacity" is not always dictated by all berths being occupied, as in some cases that would exceed lifeboat capacity, which cannot be exceeded according to SOLAS regulation. In many cases, when "full" capacity is approached, the cruise line may limit further bookings to no more than two to a cabin, even if third or more berths are available in those cabins...
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MSC's Yacht club Top Sail lounge has sunk to a new low temporarily
bob brown replied to mscdivina2016's topic in MSC Cruises
Interesting topic... I'm trying to think back about other ship's I have sailed, that allow or even encourage passenger's to play a piano...not certain, but I believe the old retired QE2 allowed it in their "Chart Room" lounge. While a crew might allow, or disregard certain "violation's" to any "rule", to make an exception only for certain people, even if well received by some other's, may offend other's that are excluded from the exception...π€·ββοΈ -
MSC's Yacht club Top Sail lounge has sunk to a new low temporarily
bob brown replied to mscdivina2016's topic in MSC Cruises
I was on the Seashore a couple of weeks ago, (not Yacht Club), and I noticed a sign by the dual piano's down in the Times Square lounge that said: For use in performances only", so I guess in the Yacht Club only, passenger's are permitted to play? -
American Queen Voyages takes forever with refunds!
bob brown replied to nray's topic in American Queen Voyages
Actually, it was them that canceled the cruise. After researching the choices, I decided to take refund, rather than risk rescheduling for something else... -
American Queen Voyages takes forever with refunds!
bob brown replied to nray's topic in American Queen Voyages
You would think AQV's parent company would help them out. That is, if they themselves are solvent. I don't have the ambition to dig further, as I am not planning to book with them again... -
Volendam promenade deck stateroom opinion?
bob brown replied to roupa's topic in Holland America Line
Hi RuthC! I haven't been on HAL since 2010, when the Veendam was pulled from the NY homeport, nor have I been a regular on the HAL board, so good to see you still active here.π I am on the Volendam October 5 sailing this year, and scored inside 2619....is that still a good one?π -
Yes, but on a somewhat limited basis...not all of their levels quite match up, only some. Still it is nice when they do. Even though they are the same ownership, you only gain status on the one you sail on, not both simultaneously. The other multiship lines like Carnival Corp. and NCL Holdings, do not offer anything. Royal Caribbean and Celebrity status I believe is still honored on Celebrity "spin-off" Azamara, even though it is now a separate company. Ironic, because Silversea is part of Royal Caribbean now, but they are not included in the cross honoring, although on Silversea, everything is included, anyway pretty much, so the perks would be meaningless...
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Wouldn't it be great if other competing cruise lines also offered this "status match"? If so, once you reached the top level at any one, you could have it at all (who offered it).π Not very likely...π
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Seashore 10-day 12/7-17: attempting a live-from!!
bob brown replied to gotta cruise again's topic in MSC Cruises
Enjoying reading both "Live From" threads. I was wondering if you partake in any of the shipboard activities, more specifically the trivia games? I am a trivia fan, and wonder how popular it is on this ship, and what, if any, sort of prizes they give the winners or participants? -
Essiesmom sails Seashore Dec. 7-17. A Live From from Below the Salt
bob brown replied to Essiesmom's topic in MSC Cruises
Ahhh....I took another look, and I see that you are correct. It was just an optical illusion in one photo where the sofa appeared to be recessed further back then the bed. Thanks for the clarification.π