Experienced cruisers to design next NCL Ship

[yakcruiser]

After reading all the complaints about the design flaws on the different NCL ships, especially the Prima/Viva I wonder what a ship designed by the experienced cruisers on Cruise Critic would look like compared to their existing ships? Feel free to add any ideas about what you would add/subtract from current designs. 

[kitkat343]

For ships sailing colder weather (Northern Europe, Alaska, leaving NYC in the winter) a retractable roof over the pool or a permanent indoor pool.  

 

 

[RocketMan275]

Any ship designed by 'experience cruisers' would look like a horse designed by a committee.  It would capsize at launch since 'experienced cruisers' have no concept of the trade-offs involved in marine engineering.  If it survived the launching, it would be uneconmical to operate and would quickly be removed from service and sent to the ship breakers.

[ChiefMateJRK]

One of my favorite movies of all time is "Mr. Blandings builds his dream house."  This clip is a bit over 3 minutes but captures exactly what would happen when the Blandings of the cruising world take over with "if this were my ship....."

 

 

The movie is a "must watch" for anybody thinking about having a house built.

[decrepit old man]

This is the worst idea ever. People on Cruise Critic represent probably like 1% of total passengers

[RocketMan275]

5 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

One of my favorite movies of all time is "Mr. Blandings builds his dream house."  This clip is a bit over 3 minutes but captures exactly what would happen when the Blandings of the cruising world take over with "if this were my ship....."

 

 

The movie is a "must watch" for anybody thinking about having a house built.

Wouldn't designing/building a ship be a bit more complex?

[PhillyTravelBug]

Just ask not to have a gym over the thermal spa. Weights dropping isn’t as relaxing as I thought it would be.

[Two Wheels Only]

 

"Oh, the humanity...."

[Tenderpaw]

What is wrong with input from experienced cruisers?  Not complete design, but input would be good.  I recall listening to a talk from the head of the Disney Wish project bragging about how they had input from people "who never had been on ship"!  She was proud of that fact, which is asinine.  And the Disney Wish is not their best effort either, when it comes to Disney ships.

[ChiefMateJRK]

I would just tell them to dust off the prints for the Encore/Bliss and use those.

 

If that ain't enough "input", I would tell them to ditch the kid crap taking up half of the top deck.

[RocketMan275]

19 minutes ago, Tenderpaw said:

What is wrong with input from experienced cruisers?  Not complete design, but input would be good.  I recall listening to a talk from the head of the Disney Wish project bragging about how they had input from people "who never had been on ship"!  She was proud of that fact, which is asinine.  And the Disney Wish is not their best effort either, when it comes to Disney ships.

Nothing is wrong with input.  Ship designers don't work in a vaccum.  Of course they get input from experienced cruisers.  Then the hard work begins.  What is wrong is the idea that you can just make things like the pour house bigger without making other things smaller.  Another factor is different cruisers have different priorities.  Some may want a larger pour house, others may want a roller coaster.  A ship is only so large so tradeoffs must be made.  Some may not like those tradeoffs. 

 

The idea that a group of 'experience cruisers' can design a better ship is absurd.  Which group of 'experienced cruisers' are you going to get, the ones that want a roller coaster or the ones that want a bigger pool?

[ChiefMateJRK]

4 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

The idea that a group of 'experience cruisers' can design a better ship is absurd.  Which group of 'experienced cruisers' are you going to get, the ones that want a roller coaster or the ones that want a bigger pool?

Bingo!  You'll get all of them.  More closets.  More bathrooms.  More rec room.  More everything.

 

(I'm guessing you didn't watch the Blandings clip to the end)

[RocketMan275]

5 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Bingo!  You'll get all of them.  More closets.  More bathrooms.  More rec room.  More everything.

 

(I'm guessing you didn't watch the Blandings clip to the end)

Oh, I did.    It is a perfect analogy to having a group of experienced cruisers from CC redesigning Prima.

 

What this comes down to is a conflict of priorities. Some want certain things and just can't imagine why NCL did it differently.   Cost? Shouldn't be a factor, just make it bigger.

Edited January 16 by RocketMan275

[graphicguy]

I can see it now…a kids pool as big as 3 football fields, a buffet just as big, 15,000 loungers…all with towels claiming them.  Bars serving only Miller Lite, Jack Daniel’s and sugar drinks with umbrellas!  No stairs because the ship is only one deck!  Theaters doing nothing but trivia, line dancing and Macarena lessons!  

 

Of course, no one would care if it floats or where you could dock it!

[FLAHAM]

I have cruised on the Prima and Viva and greatly enjoyed them.  I look forward to the Aqua’s maiden voyage in 2025.

[SeaShark]

2 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

 . . . or the ones that want a bigger pool?

 

Ah yes, the "bigger pool" advocates. They are my favorite. Right up there with the "more deck chairs" crowd.

 

What they always gloss over is that the bigger pool means less room for deck chairs, and more deck chairs means less room for a pool.

 

Not to mention that they (apparently) ignore the free surface effect.

[Panhandle Couple]

They could put guest services on deck 3 next to the laundry.  Then no one would complain about atrium noise while at the counter.  They could complain about laundry noise. 

 

Make passenger capacity at 1,700 and crew capacity at 4,000.  That way everyone gets "service" when they want it.

 

Do away with the buffet, and have 27 different specialty restaurants, so everyone will complain they are too small and can't get the reservation when they want it.

 

Have "casino rooms" where the noisy machines are inside the cabin, so those folks can gamble anytime they want.  This would include drinks for room service, and vacuum vents for smoke removal.

 

And why not have a "Pet Cruise"?  Bring those annoying little yap dogs and cats along in those under arm carriers.  At least they won't run around as much as the kids.  Include a doggie day care, where you can drop the little pooch off after you are tired of carrying him around.

 

I would vote for bringing back the "Euro-style" sunbathing on the top deck.

 

Fresh bananas will be delivered by helicopter every other day.  Even in Iceland and Antarctica.   Anyone coughing or sneezing will be removed by the helicopters, to keep the ship as disease free as possible. 

 

Pool lounge chairs will have time meters on them that will be strictly monitored.  

 

Just a few thoughts...

Edited January 16 by Panhandle Couple

[roxette]

Jewel class sized ship with the Waterfront from the Breakaway/+/Prima class. 

[Nola26]

6 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

I would just tell them to dust off the prints for the Encore/Bliss and use those.

 

If that ain't enough "input", I would tell them to ditch the kid crap taking up half of the top deck.

The Bliss is missing a basketball/sports court, fix that.

[KeithJenner]

Why does the Episode of the Simpsons where Homer designs a car spring to mind?

[PATRLR]

I don't understand why stating observations and reactions to something instantly makes us designers.  Or, at least some people here expect us to be designers.  

The buffet on Viva is too small.  Even the people running the buffet know it's too small so they have to prop open the unmarked back door to Food Republic.  Making the statement I did, or taking the action the staff has taken shouldn't require them to come up with a functioning alternative design. 

 

(By the way, propping open a door is a real classy way to run your shiny new high class ship)

FWIW, my stating the buffet is too small does not mean I am saying they need to make it bigger (e.g. a partial solution might be to expand the hours). I don't know nor do I care how they solve the problem.  I'm just stating the observation.

I recently was shopping for a new vehicle.  I'm a tall guy, long legs.  I can't extend my legs in some models, the firewall is too close.  Do I now have a responsibility to redesign those cars?  Of course not, I just look for one that works for me.  Same with cruise ships (we have not ruled out Prima class for future cruises despite a negative observations I might state).

Edited January 16 by PATRLR

[RocketMan275]

22 minutes ago, PATRLR said:

I don't understand why stating observations and reactions to something instantly makes us designers.  Or, at least some people here expect us to be designers.  

Title of this thread includes 'design':  Experienced cruisers to design next NCL Ship

 

 

[PATRLR]

23 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

Title of this thread includes 'design':  Experienced cruisers to design next NCL Ship

 

 

This is not the only thread where you have insisted that commenters must also be designers.  

[RocketMan275]

9 minutes ago, PATRLR said:

This is not the only thread where you have insisted that commenters must also be designers.  

Is there something wrong with insisting there are trade-offs?  

[PATRLR]

3 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

Is there something wrong with insisting there are trade-offs?  

No, if that was all you said.  This quote for example, "We are truly fortunate that CC has so many amateur nautical engineers who can immediately see the solutions overlooked by professional engineers." isn't just insisting there are trade-offs.