Beachdude

For years Crystal has offered a volunteer tour where people help but that is quite difference then what you are asking about.

 

I don't see this one happening.

 

Cruise Lines are helping in other ways.

 

Now someone on their own could try to help while in port.

 

Keith

This is where I was going with the discussion. I was wondering if anyone had ever volunteered on their own time.

Burt

Your not looking at this correctly. Prices won't be your concern, its the changes to hold the prices down that will change how you shop for cruises.

The cruise lines have been cutting in the crew and food services since 9/11. They have made a conscious change to move away from elegant high end cruises to more family style vacation cruises with less high end amenities.

I believe we will see the MDR style meal services change to a more buffet style. Buffets require less crew for servicing tables and a less regimented seating schedule. Passengers can come and go at their leisure and dress however they want. It will start with a salad bar, then a dessert bar and eventually a drink bar. Cruise lines are already doing this in the MDR for breakfast and lunch.

For the passengers who desire a more personal elegant meal with personal services will have the choice of paying extra at specialty restaurants. Between the added charges of specially restaurants and the lower cost of a servicing buffet MDRs, the cruise lines will bring in more profit.

We will also see a decline of cabin services. Most of us remember the little extras like soaps, shampoos, slippers and robes that are disappearing from the rooms. But also evening visits from the room stewards will also decline. Some ships will even offer a room cleaning service every 3 days.

Not the kind of cruising we are used to, is it. But then the cruising we experience now isn't the kind of cruising we experienced 20 years ago.

The challenge won't be which cruise cost less, it will be which cruise line provides the most for meeting your personal desires.

Burt

Probably. Unless the crew turned their back for a few moments while I smuggled some booze on board, then definitely yes.

Oh I have the drink package, I just like living on the edge now and then.

Burt

Anybody heard of volunteering to the local relief effort on a port stop? I've never heard of anyone doing it, and I'm not sure the Cruise line would consider it a risk to passenger safety. I'm talking about ports with planned cruise stops on islands that still need aid.

Burt

Germophobia is killing our immunity systems, IMO.

I've been concerned about this as well, so I extended our five second dropped food rule in our kitchen to 15 seconds.

Burt

Good thread, we have not cruised with Celebrity in a couple of years, so we haven't paid attention.

So the tone of the discussion got me wondering if how a passenger could smuggle booze into this program?

Burt

Think a bout it. If the answser is yes................ be aware the passport costs less. Which is more important and a better investtment?

The frustration is that some folks like to base their decisions from facts, not emotional personal opinions.

Some poster's pride get hurt when other posters don't agree with their opinion, so they respond condescendingly. And I don't get that.

Burt

I don't even think people are that picky or upset, they are just over expressive to point of ridiculous. Probably a way to get attention on a forum of a thousand posters.

One poster in another discussion said the passenger who left a business card in the drawer of the cabin nightstand should be thrown off the ship. I would guess that poster has also eaten a few horrible inedible meals.

My advice for people like this is step away from the computer and take Fluffy for a walk.

Burt

As a matter of interest what ports did they replace and now going to. Unfortunately with 2 months of Hurricane season more may be eliminated any week. Thanks!

I don't have the changes in front of me, Sally is keeping closer track than I am. Two of the ports were St. Thomas and St. Martin. I believe at least four of the six original ports were changed. Of course things are still changing.

Personally I'm pushing for Hawaii, but Sally says that is unlikely. You never know.:confused:

Burt

I have my Celebrity cruise on Reflection in February. This cruise goes to Caymans, Cartagena, Aruba, Curucao and Bonaire. All fine and should remain that way. Celebrity also does a cruise I was on and liked going to Cartegena, Panama, Costa Rica, Belize and Mexico. I would cancel and rebook on either of these two. My Feb 2019 does a 12 day of eastern and southern Carribean so I have lots of time to evaluate my Celebrity Cruise for reconstruction. No way I would go to that area in 3-4 months and pay thousands. I am not a huge fan of sea days.

We are cruising the Eastern Caribbean on Celebrity in mid October and they are rerouting with the same number of stops. We enjoy sea days, so the changes don't matter to us. But it looks like there are enough ports in the Caribbean to reroute ships without cancelling port days.

Burt

We have not travel to Europe yet, but while planning for our trip next Spring, we were advised by many experienced travelers that April/May and September/October are best months for weather and crowds.

Burt

After watching this second storm, I believe the Caribbean style cruising that we have become accustomed to will no longer exist for the next few of years, if not longer.

These were 3rd world economies with 3rd world resources that also depended largely on 1st world government subsidies along with the tourist dollars inflow. Add that the main attractions for tourist were taken out to sea. The main attraction to St. Martin are shopping and white sandy beaches. Neither exist on St. Martin now. There is barely any infrastructure. Ironically the least damaged dock in the country are the cruise ship docks. The resources just to get the population back to a livable safe conditions are immense, almost unconceivable.

I'm just guessing, but I wouldn't be surprised if we start hearing a serious discussion in the media about distributing refugees across the nations.

Cruising as we know it has changed. It will be interesting to see where it goes.

Burt

Since someone threw out the "S" word (science), lets hear a one sentence explanation of the science that hasn't been corrupted by the "P" word (politics). Just a hint, there isn't any.

As for the global warming being created by cruise ships, the only way for a person to not contribute to changing the natural environment is to stand naked in their back yard.

I'm not even sure why someone so concerned about the "Science" of our environment would be on a cruise forum.

Burt

Never saw long lines at Promenade. You might have to wait a few minutes at Park during peak hours only because that staff is pretty busy. There is never a line at Starbucks.

Burt

There is a big difference in asking a table mate what they do for a living versus leaving business cards in a cabin in an effort to solicit business.

Ah, so you want to throw them off the ship!:rolleyes:

There is very little difference and you need a walk.

Burt

Tough question because evening meals for Europeans are social events, not a quick stop to kill hunger pains on the way to the show like Americans do. A typical meal is close to two hours and sometimes three hours. And for many Europeans, less casual evening attire is their normal routine. Many Americans these days wear pajamas in public.

Burt

No, and if they left a card or tried to sell on the ship they should be taken off the ship asap--or leaving a card shouldn't be allowed to cruise on that ship again.

OK, this is as far in the discussion I could go. Sometime folks just seem nutty after spending too much time in front of a computer. Taken off the ship because they left a card in the drawer! Please!

Let's go farther: while sitting at the dinner table, one table mate ask another what they do professionally. At what point is the waiter dragging that table mate to be keel hauled?

Folks, discussions like this are a test of your mental health. If you really believe some of this stuff, "Step away from the computer and take a long walk". You can talk to yourself during the walk, but please don't answer yourself.

Burt

Leaders of St. Martin already reported that no tourist at least until first of the year, if then.

And as someone already posted, there is nothing there for tourist to even see.

Burt

Burt

St. Martin has already sent notice that the first of the year will be the soonest, if then. Haven't heard from St. Thomas/St Johns, but they are likely to follow since their damage is extensive. They need the tourist dollars, but they need to provide for the locals first.

All that being said, I can't imagine the Cruise companies aren't going to find new itineraries. May take a take a few weeks to reorganize the itineraries as well as get the florida ports back up to speed. But I believe Sally and I will be relaxing on our mid-October cruise.

Burt

i wouldn't assume anything during September for cruises leaving out of Florida. The rest of us just need to decide if we are willing to accept other ports, at least until the end of the year.

As for us, we are spending a couple nights in South Beach before our mid-October cruise. We are very flexible, so a change there isn't a big deal. But it does show how complicated this storm is for vacationing in Florida.

Burt

Just saw another hurricane heading for islands. We sail the Western in six weeks, and I know this a bit of my self-serving nature that wonders how the cruise will change, it also has given me more focus on the suffering on the islands. I'm a praying man and my thoughts have shifted from the suffering in Houston to the islands.

It's too early to know how those of us out of harms way can provide any kind of relief, but I'm confident we will be given opportunities.

But I must admit that I was disheartened to see other storms following this one. I know it seems crass to want my cruise to go as planned, but I know that tourist dollars are important to these islands and I don't think that I will be able to give even in that effort.

So I'll wait in my warm dry home thinking of the families struggling in the wake of these storms and pray for all to be given direction in providing some kind of relief.

Burt

I

I cannot understand why anyone would seek to impose their belief system/culture/whatever on a gathering of random strangers whose culture you are ignorant (in the proper sense of the word) of? Why would you think it was acceptable?? Not everyone shares your beliefs.

This kind of stuff is so tiresome. When we travel to different countries, the most common advice for smooth enjoyable travel is to NOT stand out by imposing our personal belief system/culture/whatever or rejecting their personal belief system/culture/whatever on the gathering of random strangers.

Because we are all different and different beliefs, we are all imposing on each other everyday. What, do you live in a bubble?

I think what you are really saying is that you are intolerant of religion, or other peoples religion. The other cultural stuff is no big deal because it doesn't offend you. So who is really being snobbish?

As much as many contributors here like to brag about their hypocritical moral highroad style, the irony of this discussion is that 99.9% of us have never experience this implied hideous imposition in our cruise experience. We must be really deprived of feeling good about ourselves, why else would we make such a big deal about a hypothetical horror in this thread. Shesh.

Burt

The temperatures in general this time of year range from a humid 65 in the evening to 90 in mid afternoon. You can get away with shorts the whole trip except for evening dinning in the MDR. While it does rain this time of year, it is not the rainy season, so expect sunshine with only scattered chances of rain. Of course you could get more rain, but it would be unseasonable. Hurricanes are unlikely, but chances and track of one would likely known by the weather service before you leave for the trip.

Burt

My dad moved to Colorado in the 80s to be near the mountains. Ten years later he couldn't move away fast enough because the tourist drove him crazy.

The poster reminded me of how a local Hawaiian explained tourism in his area. He said that a local golf course would charge a Japanize golfer $500 for green fees. A white tourist from the mainland $100. And a local would be charged one rock.

Burt

You specifically quoted my comment in which the declination was phrased as a simple and polite, "No thanks," so I feel like it's you who is missing the point as hard as one possibly can.

I can't find that quote. But I think "no thanks" is somewhat respectful. Not sure what you are saying.

Burt