Impressions from Connie's Return Voyage

[marieps]

Having had 8 cruises cancelled we were anxious just to get on the water again, so we decided on Connie’s first cruise back.  Tampa is an easily drivable port for us and the five day itinerary fit our schedule well.

          Thanks to input from our roll call, we parked at Park4Cruise’s orange lot.  Prepaying, it was less than half the cost of the port lot, and right across from the ship.   We took the shuttle but could have walked, bags and all.

           Embarkation was relatively smooth.  We have luggage tags mailed to us and a porter was available quickly to take our bags.    There were well marked ques for each embarkation time.  As this was Connie’s first sailing those with noon embarkation slots got on before noon, not having to wait for debarking passengers.  That also meant the room was ready immediately.

              All passengers we saw had paper COVID results.  I saw no one using a phone to verify a negative test.  Most people did use their phones to display their Sea Passes.  The vax and testing docs must have been checked three times during the process.   We’d uploaded our pics on the app so check in was quick and painless.

                We were met by applause from the staff upon entering.  It was sincere and joyous.  I found the ship to be in very good condition overall.  There was lost of new carpet in public areas, and I saw no tattered furniture.   

I’d read Connie had received a new exterior paint job, but it was evident that they’d missed this one spot on the forward funnel. 

              Besides that, Connie looked as good as she did the last time we were on her in 2012.

Of course, the ship needs updating.  There is woefully little AC power in the room considering we’re all charging phones and tablets.  We brought an adapter with 4 USB slots and a power battery that charges two devices at once.  The app worked well, although even the streaming WIFI was slow at times.  We each got 240 minutes free as Elite Plus.  We were to switch to basic WIFI once those minutes were up, but we conserved them and never sampled the basic service.

                 Our biggest issue concerned the water in our sink.  It ran brown.  A face cloth showed a brown dot where the faucet water hit, and a brown circle where it filtered into the drain. 

 

This was a problem reported throughout the ship, even in crew quarters.  They were never able to fully fix it.  We were offered $100 FCC, which we learned later is not applicable to our Equinox holiday sailing.  Since that’s the only sailing on which we owe a balance, it’s not worth much to us.

                The staff was masked nearly all the time but very few passengers bothered.  We sailed with 1800 guests, 10 of whom were children.  We tried to get an upgrade but were told none was available. 

               Despite 2/3rds capacity, the bars on sea days were very crowded, and as is typical it could be several minutes of standing around before getting an order in.  Not unusual in our experience.

                We sail AQ almost exclusively, but on this voyage we did not.   It was our first experience in the MDR in nearly 10 years.  We ate in Select, which was very crowded the first night as few passengers had bothered to make reservations.  I found the MDR to be a very pleasant surprise.  The service was outstanding, so much so we ate earlier than normal after night one to insure we got the same waiter (Norman) and sommelier (Maxwell).    The escargot was hot, the proteins cooked to proper temperature, and the garnishes were not after-thoughts.  The one thing that puzzled us, as it usually does with =X=, is why dessert and coffee can’t come in close proximity.  Either we’re done dessert when the coffee shows, or the coffee’s gone when dessert comes.    Happens in Blu too.  Not a deal breaker.

              We did not attend any shows but did visit several venues where the cover bands were playing.  There are two on board.  The musicians are very talented.  The lead singers are not.   One of them is so off key she’s hard to listen to. 

                  I can’t say anything about the ports because we didn’t leave the ship.  The waters off Belize are so shallow the ship parks 4 miles offshore.  The tender ride is 45 minutes.  We passed.  We’ve been to Cozumel many times so decided to pass on that too.  The ship still had activities and the bars were blissfully quiet.  We did use our free port-day trip to the Persian Garden.  Why anyone would pay for a day pass is a mystery.   

                 We found the gym well equipped.  There is an entire Peleton suite but I’m not sure if it’s an upcharge to use one.  The issue with the gym is the locker room.  The M Class locker room and sauna (when not Revolutionized) are very roomy.  But there was no hot water in the showers.  It was annoying, considering I used them each day of the cruise.

                  Overall, we had a very enjoyable voyage and envy those who are sailing B2B, of which there are a fair number.  It’s just so nice to be back at sea again even brown water can’t tarnish the blue water which surrounds us.    

    

 

 

 

Edited November 11, 2021 by marieps

[MikeMary4449]

13 minutes ago, marieps said:

Having had 8 cruises cancelled we were anxious just to get on the water again, so we decided on Connie’s first cruise back.  Tampa is an easily drivable port for us and the five day itinerary fit our schedule well.

          Thanks to input from our roll call, we parked at Park4Cruise’s orange lot.  Prepaying, it was less than half the cost of the port lot, and right across from the ship.   We took the shuttle but could have walked, bags and all.

           Embarkation was relatively smooth.  We have luggage tags mailed to us and a porter was available quickly to take our bags.    There were well marked ques for each embarkation time.  As this was Connie’s first sailing those with noon embarkation slots got on before noon, not having to wait for debarking passengers.  That also meant the room was ready immediately.

              All passengers we saw had paper COVID results.  I saw no one using a phone to verify a negative test.  Most people did use their phones to display their Sea Passes.  The vax and testing docs must have been checked three times during the process.   We’d uploaded our pics on the app so check in was quick and painless.

                We were met by applause from the staff upon entering.  It was sincere and joyous.  I found the ship to be in very good condition overall.  There was lost of new carpet in public areas, and I saw no tattered furniture.   

I’d read Connie had received a new exterior paint job, but it was evident that they’d missed this one spot on the forward funnel. 

              Besides that, Connie looked as good as she did the last time we were on her in 2012.

Of course, the ship needs updating.  There is woefully little AC power in the room considering we’re all charging phones and tablets.  We brought an adapter with 4 USB slots and a power battery that charges two devices at once.  The app worked well, although even the streaming WIFI was slow at times.  We each got 240 minutes free as Elite Plus.  We were to switch to basic WIFI once those minutes were up, but we conserved them and never sampled the basic service.

                 Our biggest issue concerned the water in our sink.  It ran brown.  A face cloth showed a brown dot where the faucet water hit, and a brown circle where it filtered into the drain. 

 

This was a problem reported throughout the ship, even in crew quarters.  They were never able to fully fix it.  We were offered $100 FCC, which we learned later is not applicable to our Equinox holiday sailing.  Since that’s the only sailing on which we owe a balance, it’s not worth much to us.

                The staff was masked nearly all the time but very few passengers bothered.  We sailed with 1800 guests, 10 of whom were children.  We tried to get an upgrade but were told none was available. 

               Despite 2/3rds capacity, the bars on sea days were very crowded, and as is typical it could be several minutes of standing around before getting an order in.  Not unusual in our experience.

                We sail AQ almost exclusively, but on this voyage we did not.   It was our first experience in the MDR in nearly 10 years.  We ate in Select, which was very crowded the first night as few passengers had bothered to make reservations.  I found the MDR to be a very pleasant surprise.  The service was outstanding, so much so we ate earlier than normal after night one to insure we got the same waiter (Norman) and sommelier (Maxwell).    The escargot was hot, the proteins cooked to proper temperature, and the garnishes were not after-thoughts.  The one thing that puzzled us, as it usually does with =X=, is why dessert and coffee can’t come in close proximity.  Either we’re done dessert when the coffee shows, or the coffee’s gone when dessert comes.    Happens in Blu too.  Not a deal breaker.

              We did not attend any shows but did visit several venues where the cover bands were playing.  There are two on board.  The musicians are very talented.  The lead singers are not.   One of them is so off key she’s hard to listen to. 

                  I can’t say anything about the ports because we didn’t leave the ship.  The waters off Belize are so shallow the ship parks 4 miles offshore.  The tender ride is 45 minutes.  We passed.  We’ve been to Cozumel many times so decided to pass on that too.  The ship still had activities and the bars were blissfully quiet.  We did use our free port-day trip to the Persian Garden.  Why anyone would pay for a day pass is a mystery.   

                 We found the gym well equipped.  There is an entire Peleton suite but I’m not sure if it’s an upcharge to use one.  The issue with the gym is the locker room.  The M Class locker room and sauna (when not Revolutionized) are very roomy.  But there was no hot water in the showers.  It was annoying, considering I used them each day of the cruise.

                  Overall, we had a very enjoyable voyage and envy those who are sailing B2B, of which there are a fair number.  It’s just so nice to be back at sea again even brown water can’t tarnish the blue water which surrounds us.    

Thanks for all the info.  We are anxious to experience the Connie again for ourselves in 32 days (yes, we are counting down the days!)  So glad you enjoyed your cruise!

Mike and Mary

[gotcha3]

Thank you for the report....all good info.

 

[Purplsmurf]

I am in contact with a crew member and he said that it sailed at 70%. I was surprised to hear that since it was the first sailing. Was the pool area crowded? 

[llawrence]

Pool area was crowded the days at see…but still lounges available…

[llawrence]

Sorry…sea

[mahdnc]

Welcome back, Jim, and thanks for the review.  I am glad to read that you had a good time, except for the brown water.  Was this your first cruise out of Tampa?

 

David

[FLCruiser97]

Thanks for the review. We sail on her next Oct on a TA. Maybe the water in the sink will back to normal by then.......... LOL!

Edited November 11, 2021 by FLCruiser97

[marieps]

1 hour ago, Purplsmurf said:

I am in contact with a crew member and he said that it sailed at 70%. I was surprised to hear that since it was the first sailing. Was the pool area crowded? 

I would say the pool area was typically crowded on sea days and quiet for those who stayed aboard while in port.   It didn't really look like a ship with lots of vacancy.  A large block of rooms was reserved in case the need for quarantine arose.  These were apparently balconies.  Hence, no upgrade for us from our cozy cocoon inside. 

[marieps]

1 hour ago, mahdnc said:

Welcome back, Jim, and thanks for the review.  I am glad to read that you had a good time, except for the brown water.  Was this your first cruise out of Tampa?

 

David

Hi Dave.  We'd sailed from Tampa on Royal years ago.  We would have been on Connie in February '21.  Tampa is a very easy embarkation experience.

[KruznKimmie]

There is no upcharge for the use of the Peloton bikes but they do recommend making reservations through the spa.  Thanks for the update.

[BigAl94]

Looks like the long lay up has played havoc with the fresh water system and could potentially fail CDC sanitation tests as has happened on other cruise lines in the past.

[FLCruiser97]

1 hour ago, BigAl94 said:

Looks like the long lay up has played havoc with the fresh water system and could potentially fail CDC sanitation tests as has happened on other cruise lines in the past.

Yes. This could very well happen. That's why I never drink the water on ships or aircraft. Being in aviation for over 30 years, I know what airplane water looks like. Sanitation/sterilization is suppose to be done quite often. I assume marine vessels adhere to the same standards.

[Islandbuoy]

Also just off the Connie.Most of my thoughts similar.

 

Seemed to me however to be a lot of untrained (or undertrained)staff .

 

2 bright spots for me: --Isabela the captains club hostess. Extremely helpful.

 

 &The crew in Al Bacio very friendly (PSP).

 

Actually it seemed everyone was well trained to "welcome back'!

 

Bottom line we booked again for January!

[canderson]

Had no brown water in our cabin.

 

Got my wish as guessed:  there was an entire warehouse full of soft goods waiting for the 'Revolution' that would have occurred ~45 days after the shutdown, and all of it was installed.  New carpet, drapes, upholstery, bed linens .. pristine.  Interior of the ship VERY nice.  So we got the best of the Revolution on the interior without all of Kelly's poor ergonomics!  Perfect!

 

We did sail with ~1550 pax, so a bit over 70%... not surprising due to a 5 night starting on a weekend and the availability of a W Florida port.  Only one announced suspected C-positive pax on last night.  All crew negative again this week.  No official count announced for 11/12 yet, but bookings around 850.  Crew did exceptionally well, especially given they weren't afforded the low % pax 'soft open' that many other ships have experienced.

 

MDR included a lamb in phyllo that, if you like lamb, is a MUST try.  The lunch burger in Luminae is as good as others have claimed.  

 

Our shout outs to:

Paolo in Michael's, who will solve anything, including personally tracking you down amongst 1549 other pax when you leave you parcel of purchases behind in Blu after the B2B meeting, Russell, the M'd in Luminae who works as hard as the rest of her team all day long, and Anu, our Retreat Host / butler, who can have a bottle of wine from your cabin handed to him and on your table for dinner before you can even make it to the dining room.

[RollWave]

1 hour ago, canderson said:

 

 

Got my wish as guessed:  there was an entire warehouse full of soft goods waiting for the 'Revolution' that would have occurred ~45 days after the shutdown, and all of it was installed.  New carpet, drapes, upholstery, bed linens .. pristine.  Interior of the ship VERY nice.  So we got the best of the Revolution on the interior without all of Kelly's poor ergonomics!  Perfect!

 

 

WOW - your room sounds great! Nothing like our Aqua Class cabin on deck 11.

 

Brown water that left a sludge around the sink bowl. Door lock did not work (was fixed on the afternoon of Day 2). Electrical issue in the cabin - the lights on the nightstands did not work (fixed on the afternoon of  Day 2). In order to get the hot water to work we had to run the sink faucet and shower at the same time for a few minutes (instructions from the room steward). Old - old - old furnishings, linens, pillows, carpet - the burgundy theme. Missing the sheer curtain and the room darkening curtain was missing a few of the tabs so it did not close completely, impossible to use wifi in the room, no interactive TV.... 

 

Oh and we missed the cut off by a few hours for the Captains Club reservations for the wine tasting and when we called to see if we could go to the wine tasting we were told - nope sold out! That was our only experience with The Captains Club.  We are Elite - almost to Elite +. 

 

I am so furious I can not bring myself to complete the survey at this moment and I am considering my options for getting out of our December Millenium sailing. 

 

 

 

 

[goofysmom99]

6 minutes ago, RollWave said:

considering my options for getting out of our December Millenium sailing. 

 

The Millennium has been redone and you might enjoy it.  Cabins were very nice on my recent Summit cruises.

 

[Ken the cruiser]

Thanks for the in-depth reviews. Hopefully, they’ll have all the “bugs” resolved by the time we board on Dec 23rd. We are also in an Aqua cabin on Deck 11.

[marieps]

I should add that we would of course not drink the water from the tap.  We did need it to brush our teeth, however.  They delivered several cans of drinking water for us.  The aluminum cans used instead of plastic bottles (think 16 oz Miller Lite with the screw cap) were not a favorite of DW.  Also, no large Evian bottles, which I would often consume in the gym & sauna back in the day.    We packed Yeti cups and used ice from the Spa Cafe.  Next time I'll bring a reusable plastic water bottle too.

[marieps]

3 hours ago, canderson said:

Had no brown water in our cabin.

 

Got my wish as guessed:  there was an entire warehouse full of soft goods waiting for the 'Revolution' that would have occurred ~45 days after the shutdown, and all of it was installed.  New carpet, drapes, upholstery, bed linens .. pristine.  Interior of the ship VERY nice.  So we got the best of the Revolution on the interior without all of Kelly's poor ergonomics!  Perfect!

 

We did sail with ~1550 pax, so a bit over 70%... not surprising due to a 5 night starting on a weekend and the availability of a W Florida port.  Only one announced suspected C-positive pax on last night.  All crew negative again this week.  No official count announced for 11/12 yet, but bookings around 850.  Crew did exceptionally well, especially given they weren't afforded the low % pax 'soft open' that many other ships have experienced.

 

MDR included a lamb in phyllo that, if you like lamb, is a MUST try.  The lunch burger in Luminae is as good as others have claimed.  

 

Our shout outs to:

Paolo in Michael's, who will solve anything, including personally tracking you down amongst 1549 other pax when you leave you parcel of purchases behind in Blu after the B2B meeting, Russell, the M'd in Luminae who works as hard as the rest of her team all day long, and Anu, our Retreat Host / butler, who can have a bottle of wine from your cabin handed to him and on your table for dinner before you can even make it to the dining room.

Earl, were you at Sunset Bar for sail away?  I really missed not meeting you.   Enjoy the second half of your B2B.

[marieps]

1 hour ago, Ken the cruiser said:

Thanks for the in-depth reviews. Hopefully, they’ll have all the “bugs” resolved by the time we board on Dec 23rd. We are also in an Aqua cabin on Deck 11.

We were supposed to be in an aft facing AQ on Summit's deck 11.  Two of our many cancelled cruises.  The back stair case straight to the Sunset Bar is an amazing perk of a deck 11 AQ room.  Enjoy!!!

[marieps]

1 hour ago, RollWave said:

WOW - your room sounds great! Nothing like our Aqua Class cabin on deck 11.

 

Brown water that left a sludge around the sink bowl. Door lock did not work (was fixed on the afternoon of Day 2). Electrical issue in the cabin - the lights on the nightstands did not work (fixed on the afternoon of  Day 2). In order to get the hot water to work we had to run the sink faucet and shower at the same time for a few minutes (instructions from the room steward). Old - old - old furnishings, linens, pillows, carpet - the burgundy theme. Missing the sheer curtain and the room darkening curtain was missing a few of the tabs so it did not close completely, impossible to use wifi in the room, no interactive TV.... 

 

Oh and we missed the cut off by a few hours for the Captains Club reservations for the wine tasting and when we called to see if we could go to the wine tasting we were told - nope sold out! That was our only experience with The Captains Club.  We are Elite - almost to Elite +. 

 

I am so furious I can not bring myself to complete the survey at this moment and I am considering my options for getting out of our December Millenium sailing. 

 

 

 

 

Very sorry for your experience.  Did they do anything for you?  We got a bit of FCC but had to make three trips to Guest Relations before receiving it.

[hcat]

Sounds like our experience on Infinity before the covid Pause.

On our  AQ Class deck our cabin had sewage smells, fans  running down the hall where rooms flooded, mildew in bathroom..a/c failed in our cabin more than once and in the hallway.  Ship was okay for our Pacific Coastal Cruise but M Clas ships are aging... new carpets and decor are not a solution  unless basic systems are replaced or upgraded.

 

We lifted and shifted from Connie to Reflection but are now booked on BEYOND.

We would love to cruise from Tampa but not on a ship that is smelly and has dirty water,

 

[mahdnc]

2 hours ago, RollWave said:

WOW - your room sounds great! Nothing like our Aqua Class cabin on deck 11.

 

Brown water that left a sludge around the sink bowl. Door lock did not work (was fixed on the afternoon of Day 2). Electrical issue in the cabin - the lights on the nightstands did not work (fixed on the afternoon of  Day 2). In order to get the hot water to work we had to run the sink faucet and shower at the same time for a few minutes (instructions from the room steward). Old - old - old furnishings, linens, pillows, carpet - the burgundy theme. Missing the sheer curtain and the room darkening curtain was missing a few of the tabs so it did not close completely, impossible to use wifi in the room, no interactive TV.... 

 

Oh and we missed the cut off by a few hours for the Captains Club reservations for the wine tasting and when we called to see if we could go to the wine tasting we were told - nope sold out! That was our only experience with The Captains Club.  We are Elite - almost to Elite +. 

 

I am so furious I can not bring myself to complete the survey at this moment and I am considering my options for getting out of our December Millenium sailing. 

 

 

 

 

 

I am sorry to read about your experience and disappointment.

[Northern Aurora]

Interesting experiences.  Any other passengers from the "restart" cruise care to comment?