BON VOYAGE ..World Cruise 2011 Dawn Princess

[NSWP]

The prices I quoted for next years Sun Princess WC were from a large West Australian on line T/A.

 

I am a Princess fan, but I would doing a double think on a WC on either Sun Princess or Dawn Princess. Even if I could afford it !

 

Again DP WC Cruisers, try and stay positive. I think Princess could do a little better then $100 to $200 OBC. How about 20% off a future Princess cruise. We got that after issues on Regal Princess in 2007, enroute LA to Sydney for rebirth as Pacific Dawn. Carpenters were working on the ship, from NZ on, changing the Princess theatre into a kids centre, changing the casino, the pools, etc..retro fitting extra bunks, to increase pax capacity, Ugh Like a construction site on the seas, 40 foot seas at that.

 

Everybody on board got a 20% discount letter for next cruise. So they should have and so should these folk on DP currently.

[Gold Coast Cruisers]

Jo mentioned this in her blog and it's true this is apparently how it is done:-

If the generator/engine needs to be removed altogether from the ship and be replaced, this could involve major shipyard repairs. The only way is to cut a hole in the side of the ship to extract the generator/engine.

Those generator/engines don't fit in the elevators...:D:D

Jilly:)

[megsie]

In comparison, the online agent's specials on the Oriana look good. Southampton to Sydney 50 nights $4825-inside, $5799-outside, $9649-balcony. Sydney to Southampton 49 nights $4599-inside, $5499-outside, $9079-balcony. These are probably "from" prices and airfares to be added for one way travel, but still seem to be good prices to me. Booked on the Radiance for Jan/Feb 2012 but hope there may be some of these good deals around in 2013.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

In comparison, the online agent's specials on the Oriana look good.

 

Now you are talking ....she is a ship designed for long voyages.

[megsie]

Although she (Oriana) has just had a tussle a couple of days ago with a wharf in Norway. Hefty dent to side but must be a tough ship as she finished that cruise and has started another.

[Australian family]

Another example of how Princess Cruises are not very good in their public relations dept.

 

Personally I wouldn't do their world cruise. Offering people $200 OBC is disgusting.:eek::eek:

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Although she (Oriana) has just had a tussle a couple of days ago with a wharf in Norway. Hefty dent to side but must be a tough ship as she finished that cruise and has started another.

Link to some pics of it

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=29336441#post29336441

[Australian family]

I can tell you Stu - we are booked on the 2012 world cruise and are now having second thoughts. I think it would be very disappointing to spend all that money and look forward to the ports only to have them changed or cancelled altogether.

 

If I was you I would ask for the deposit back, given their track record now with world cruises.

[CassCruise]

Any engingeers out there want to guess why Dover is the next main destination for a potential problem ship?

whilst I'm not an engineer my guess would be having appropriate facilities for the repairs together with the timing and logistics of getting the appropriate parts/personnel needed for these repairs to be completed in the shortest time with least disruption??

 

Jane

[EdnBev]

We are joining the Dawn Princess (again) in Dover for the trip back to Oz...we wer on board last year when we had engine problems through the Middle East....

 

Hi, Can I suggest you post on the Dawn Princess World Cruise 2011 roll call. There are now quite a number of us who will be joining the ship in Dover and once you are on the roll call you will be included in meet and greets etc after we sail.

 

Ed and Bev

[G.M.T.]

whilst I'm not an engineer my guess would be having appropriate facilities for the repairs together with the timing and logistics of getting the appropriate parts/personnel needed for these repairs to be completed in the shortest time with least disruption??

 

Jane

I started to follow this thread before the cruise started, looking at the webcam shots and the great blogs and looking foreward to my own world cruise from the comfort :( of my armchair.

 

Then the sad news about the machinery problems. I must say if this had happened in another country (no names) then there would be mutinous meetings to get 100% compensation etc. etc. But "you from down under" take it in your stride and making the most of it. My respects.

 

Princess's attitude to informing it's passengers about the situation is in the words of John Heald Senior CD for Carnival is "a load of bollocks".:mad:

I find the not knowing the worst part of such a situation.

 

I think the problems are much worse than is being said by Princess. The Dawn has or will be calling at two of the largest ship reairs harbours (OK mostly cargo ships) in Singapore and Dubai. The Dawn will be be calling at 3 Italian ports, Italy the home of one the biggest cruise ship buiilders in the world "Fincantieri" who has built most of Carnical Corps ships. A hell of alot of expertise there.

 

But no the Dawn has to travel (hopefully not limp) another 42 days into Dover. Dover with absolutely no dry dock or any ships repair capabilities.

 

I assume the malfunctioning machinery is dead and cannot be repaired and a new one has to be ordered as they are not normally available off the shelf. So I think after Dover the Dawn will probably head to one of the German ship repair yards specialising in cruise ships, i.e Blohm & Voss Hamburg or Lloyds Werft Bremenhaven.

 

I sincerely hope the passengers can complete their journey of a life time.

 

Ron

[bazzaw]

I note that DP will be leaving Kuala Lumpur 2 hours early - this will possibly spoil that visit, because the port of KL , Port Klang, is quite a drive from KL. We had a wonderful visit to KL (in fact , Malaysia is one of the few countries that we would like to return to, of all the countries we visited on P&O WC) - but would not have liked to reduce the time available by 2 hours.

 

But LOTS of things can happen on a WC - the time allocated by P&O to travel the long distance between Mumbai and Sharm-el-Sheikh, combined with an unexpected strong head wind when sailing up the Red Sea , meant that all shore tours into the Sinai had to be cancelled- then leaving Sharm-el-Sheikh, we fouled the anchor (caught it on a big cable), causing further delay which, meant the Pyramid tours starting from Port Suez had to be cancelled. A BIG storm in the Atlantic caused us to miss the port stop in the Azores (mid-Atlantic).

 

This thread is starting to sound like a "Princess knocking" exercise - something which has traditionally been the exclusive domain of P&O AUS!! :) My advice to the DP cruisers is to "take it as it comes - you can't do anything about it , so don't let it spoil the things that you do have"

 

Barry

[Kiwi Kruzer]

I also note they are leaving Mumbai at 8.30pm.. When we were there the tours from the Taj did not return till about 10pm, so they may be a bit rushed.

 

loved this note from Socrams blog...

 

A lady was so excited about passing the equator that she was parked on the deck an hour early. Three hours later, she complained to the front desk that the Captain must have given them wrong information as she hadn’t seen it...

[Kinkacruiser]

It's upsetting to hear about the DP engine problems and passengers missing ports etc.

How old is the DP and why is she still used for world cruises?

You can see why one needs to fly out of Australia to join a cruise.:o Not only do we have a limited itineraries but Princess gives us hand-me-downs.

 

To the current WC passengers...hope the distruptions aren't causing too much angst for you.

[Sandielle]

DAWN PRINCESS at ShipWatcher

 

DAWN PRINCESS at ShipWatcher

 

DAWN PRINCESS at ShipWatcher

[Kiwi_cruiser]

Super Star Virgo docked next to the Dawn Princess in Singapore Yesterday

 

 

[Kiwi_cruiser]

Dawn Princess leaving Singapore last night:

 

 

 

 

[Kiwi_cruiser]

 

 

 

 

 

[Shiprobbo]

Folks,

 

Agree that the situation is most unfortunate, however Dawn Princess will miss a couple of ports and some other have been added in replacement. If the ports, all the ports, are the reason for taking a world cruise, then perhaps a world cruise is not the right option for you as a passenger, as someone has pointed out things can change during the course of 104 days. If a particular port is the only reason that you are taking a world cruise, then perhaps you should save your money and take a cruise that specifically calls at that destination, otherwise perhaps enjoy the experience of the cruise for what it is.

 

With regards the age of Dawn Princess and her suitability to complete a world cruise, well she is 15-years old, that is not old for a well maintained ship which she is. She is designed with a service life of 25-30 years, so she is basically just 'run in', she is actually newer than Oriana by the way. Other ships have problems on world or long cruises. Aurora had to cancel a whole world cruise some years ago after about three false starts, and then had very serious engine problems in Auckland that delayed her almost a week either last year or the year before. Other ships such as Saga Rose and QM2 have both had problems that seriously disrupted world voyages.

 

Why Dover for the repairs - well perhaps the parts are not yet available. Could be a damaged piston in which case the part may be made available in Dover for fitting to the ship - not something that necessarily needs to be done in a ship yard. There are many other things that do not necessarily need shipyard intervention, could just be a case of having the part available and this may not be possible before Dover.

 

For those who might not book a world cruise because of this....well of course you could book a world cruise on another ship, but not staring in Australia, that ship might break down, then again it might not....actually your 30-year old Boeing 747 might break down or run short of fuel on your way to the ship, or any one of a 1000 things.....is that what life is all about, enjoy the experience and don't worry about the detail.

 

BTW I was aboard Dawn Princess when she arrived in Sydney immediately before the world cruise, she was in fantastic shape with lots or regular maintenance going on. She had just finished a problem free cruise to Hawaii and back and our cruise went off with no issue. When in the engine control room she was in fact only running on three engines, the Chief engineer at the time indicated that it was rarely necessary to bring the fourth on line and that it was generally only needed for very fast passages or when there was a large demand for hotel needs such as air conditioning. In the end I think all will be well.

[Kiwi_cruiser]

 

[Kiwi_cruiser]

A couple more captures of the Dawn Princess Approaching Port Kelang:

 

 

[Kiwi_cruiser]

[Raison]

Lovely shots, a lovely sunrise by the looks, despite the clouds. Thanks.

[Gold Coast Cruisers]

Another example of how Princess Cruises are not very good in their public relations dept.

 

Personally I wouldn't do their world cruise. Offering people $200 OBC is disgusting.:eek::eek:

 

 

If my memory serves me well, they got around $600 last year when they missed Safaga due to Mechanical problems.

 

Maybe there's more news to come.....with more dollars to offer...:rolleyes:

 

Jilly:)

[CassCruise]

Another example of how Princess Cruises are not very good in their public relations dept.

 

Personally I wouldn't do their world cruise. Offering people $200 OBC is disgusting.:eek::eek:

Each to their own I would do a world cruise with Princess (or any other line!) in a heartbeat - certainly on my bucket list (this year we almost made the Sydney/Dover leg!) - with any travel you have to "roll" a little to ensure you have a great time - invariably if something goes not quite to plan a wonderful alternate experience is had - I think more so with cruising - I think Helen in her blog http://helenshalfworldcruise2011.blogspot.com/ sums up how I would hope I would react

 

"No complaints from us as to the changes, thing happen so you just accept them, besides any day on a cruise is great and the ports are just a wonderful bonus"

 

I am really enjoying all their blogs - only problem is my continually hitting the refresh button to see if there are any updates!!!!!!!!!

 

Jane