first and last Beyond cruise

[chisoxfan]

On 5/17/2024 at 9:08 AM, RMac713 said:

I've been on Beyond and Ascent with another Beyond this summer.  I have been in suites so I really enjoy the E class.  My suite trip on Equinox was not so special because there is no retreat pool deck.  I've booked Reflection 4 night in a concierge this fall so I will see how that goes.  But if I travel in Retreat again it will have to be E class.

 

Agree Retreat is a decent product on E Class. But a terrible value on X currently and inconsistent service/ ammenities. Am going back to MSC YC next year and will try new Princess Sphere class suites also. It will be interesting how things shake out in the large ship suite world.

[phoenix_dream]

2 hours ago, chisoxfan said:

Agree Retreat is a decent product on E Class. But a terrible value on X currently and inconsistent service/ ammenities. Am going back to MSC YC next year and will try new Princess Sphere class suites also. It will be interesting how things shake out in the large ship suite world.

It will be interesting.  Right now the ships are filled, but future bookings into next year?  Maybe not as much.  Credit card debt is at an all-time high.  But even more important - the delinquency rate on credit card payments is also going up considerably.  So can people keep continuing with the attitude of live now as tomorrow is not guaranteed?  That's fine if you can afford it.  Apparently many people actually can't but are spending wildly anyway.  Sorry folks, but if you're looking for that debt to be eliminated by the government I think you will have a very long wait.  It has to catch up to them sooner or later.  I'm hoping for sooner!  

[NMTraveller]

I am on a river cruise now…. Starting to book more river cruises.

[QuestionEverything]

8 minutes ago, phoenix_dream said:

It will be interesting.  Right now the ships are filled, but future bookings into next year?  Maybe not as much.  Credit card debt is at an all-time high.  But even more important - the delinquency rate on credit card payments is also going up considerably.  So can people keep continuing with the attitude of live now as tomorrow is not guaranteed?  That's fine if you can afford it.  Apparently many people actually can't but are spending wildly anyway.  Sorry folks, but if you're looking for that debt to be eliminated by the government I think you will have a very long wait.  It has to catch up to them sooner or later.  I'm hoping for sooner!  

phoenix_dream, excellent post and accurate assessment.

Much is negatively happening in the world. Time will tell what the fall out is, seen this situation before in the late 1980's.

My household and all our cruising friends have ceased booking cruises due to price, product reduction and port cancellation increases across the NCL cruise family. We can afford to cruise, but we all Choose not too.

Many have purchased high end SUVs and are now doing long road trips to the Rockies, Maritimes, Grand Canyon etc. I am on a Globus 21 day bus trip through all of Great Britain, with a return on the QM2 to NYC. 

That is just us, there are many other stories out there that we do not know about.

I am not convinced what we hear from and see on the cruise web sites are accurate, I have no evidence, but I know that corporations always put on a positive face to minimize reality. Reality hits when customers have to make final payment, will be interesting to see the "sales" in the future.

Time will tell indeed.

Whatever travel you undertake, be safe and happy.

Regards.

 

 

 

[chisoxfan]

2 hours ago, phoenix_dream said:

It will be interesting.  Right now the ships are filled, but future bookings into next year?  Maybe not as much.  Credit card debt is at an all-time high.  But even more important - the delinquency rate on credit card payments is also going up considerably.  So can people keep continuing with the attitude of live now as tomorrow is not guaranteed?  That's fine if you can afford it.  Apparently many people actually can't but are spending wildly anyway.  Sorry folks, but if you're looking for that debt to be eliminated by the government I think you will have a very long wait.  It has to catch up to them sooner or later.  I'm hoping for sooner!  

Agree totally with your assessment and share your thoughts on a debt driven economy but..... some of us oldsters (a significant cruise segment) who have saved for a lifetime and have provided for our grown children look to travel in our retirement.  Don't really need a new Rolex or more jewelry for the wife but the chance to travel is as they say 'priceless'.  Interesting thought also is that higher current interest rates (no thanks to the central planners just a return to historical norms) are generating some returns for savers with cash. So I can see a continuing demand from cruisers who are older and have some funds and want to fill their retirement with travel. I would agree that mainstream cruising will see a downturn soon based on the economy, disposable income, and debt.

While we will look for relative value when cruising we will likely do more while we can and like you (without wishing ill to anyone) look forward to more aggressive pricing in the future with additional cruise capacity and need for cruiselines to satisfy debt loads.

[ChucktownSteve]

On 5/17/2024 at 9:29 AM, PTC DAWG said:

Reading this thread, I can see why Celebrity made the E class different...they can't keep catering to an older and older crowd.  

 

Complaints about music etc...younger folks like music...I'm 60 and I like to hear music around the pool etc...at my house, there is music going around my pool when I'm out there...

 

They do have the solarium on these ships if you want tranquility...puts me to sleep.  

 

Choices are good..glad Celebrity made this one.  

Is there not a difference between music which is actually a song or just pulsating techno music for the sake of noise?  It's not like people are going to dance to it. 😁

Perhaps Celebrity should issue those silent disco headsets for people who want to hear that pulsing "music" around the pool or while they're walking the areas en-route to other noisy places?

[Ex-Airbalancer]

4 hours ago, QuestionEverything said:

phoenix_dream, excellent post and accurate assessment.

Much is negatively happening in the world. Time will tell what the fall out is, seen this situation before in the late 1980's.

My household and all our cruising friends have ceased booking cruises due to price, product reduction and port cancellation increases across the NCL cruise family. We can afford to cruise, but we all Choose not too.

Many have purchased high end SUVs and are now doing long road trips to the Rockies, Maritimes, Grand Canyon etc. I am on a Globus 21 day bus trip through all of Great Britain, with a return on the QM2 to NYC. 

That is just us, there are many other stories out there that we do not know about.

I am not convinced what we hear from and see on the cruise web sites are accurate, I have no evidence, but I know that corporations always put on a positive face to minimize reality. Reality hits when customers have to make final payment, will be interesting to see the "sales" in the future.

Time will tell indeed.

Whatever travel you undertake, be safe and happy.

Regards.

 

 

Bus tour 🤣

that would be the last thing in the world we would go 

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[QuestionEverything]

14 hours ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

Bus tour 🤣

that would be the last thing in the world we would go 

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Ex-Airbalancer.

To each their own. Globus and Trafalgar tour lines are booming as people wish to see detailed experiences of specific geography.

I have undertaken many Globus trips to every nook and cranny in Europe, in comfort, ease, no waiting in line, 4* hotels, local eateries, including Mighty Trains everywhere. I have seen Europe. The buses are always kept 1/2 full.

Interesting is that my TA, that specializes in Oceania, has now fully embraced Globus and Trafalgar, and for the 1st time, his advertising how includes bus trips. He told me that so many of his clients are diminishing cruises and looking for more detailed experiences so they are moving their $ to high end bus travel with customized before and after experiences. 

Ex-Airbalancer, he described me and my many rather former cruising friends perfectly. As I posted earlier, we have all moved most of our cruise $ to land trips and very high end SUV's.

I like cruising but not near as much as before given the product cheapening, and the compromise and drama around the ports is the killer for me.

What ever you choose, enjoy, but there seems to be some significant shifting in people's travel $ are spent.

 

 

[C4HCG]

On 5/17/2024 at 3:00 PM, chisoxfan said:

Sorry, don't buy the 'old guy' doesn't get it. Hear this always when tech fails (which it often does) I don't love tech but understand it as well as any user should be expected to (don't get me started).  We aren't fans of the E Class but have booked HAL precisley because of good LOUD live music.....BB Kings /Rolling Stone....bring it on. Just don't need loud bad music as we experienced on two E Class cruises.  JMHO

What’s “bad music”? All very subjective, you like Rolling Stones, not for me at all. We just got off the Edge and a house band there, Essence Quartet, absolutely brilliant, you would probably hate them, your loud bad music.

[hcat]

As cruisers leave for other experiences (been there,done that ),   new ones will join,  and diehards will stay.  Cruising is still a good value and fun! 

 

We will still cruise,  but will consider a return to S Class...E ships are great but a bit too loud  for us right now!

[C4HCG]

1 hour ago, QuestionEverything said:

What ever you choose, enjoy, but there seems to be some significant shifting in people's travel $ are spent.

 

 

There is a shift with many people discovering cruising for the first time and loving it. Like us, first ever 2019, on our 7th in August and that’s with the Covid intervention. And the Edge that we got off last week was fully booked, the Beyond we are on 24th August looks to be heading that way, all good 👍 

[PTC DAWG]

16 hours ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

Bus tour 🤣

that would be the last thing in the world we would go 

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Imagine combining that with a river cruise..talk about a snore fest. 

[catgirl411]

On 5/13/2024 at 7:35 PM, Lena11033 said:

 

Agreed I found out on here, by then too late. Then on board found a second large group, they however were more quieter - you wouldn't have known they were there

Totally agree…wish there was a way to know ahead of time.  Just got off Regal Princess British Isles. There were 312 Red Hat Society ladies on board…they were everywhere. Always dressed in their red hats and purple outfits.  I think the worst thing is that you feel like you are attending someone else’s party. Years ago, we had a similar experience with the Philadelphia Phillies fan club. In that case HAL closed off several venues at certain times for their exclusive use.

[QuestionEverything]

50 minutes ago, catgirl411 said:

Totally agree…wish there was a way to know ahead of time.  Just got off Regal Princess British Isles. There were 312 Red Hat Society ladies on board…they were everywhere. Always dressed in their red hats and purple outfits.  I think the worst thing is that you feel like you are attending someone else’s party. Years ago, we had a similar experience with the Philadelphia Phillies fan club. In that case HAL closed off several venues at certain times for their exclusive use.

catgirl411 - that is Another big issue with cruising - group bookings, Oh My. I have not been subjected to that. The premium and luxury lines generally are not into that. I would be disgusted. Blessings for your patience.

[QuestionEverything]

1 hour ago, PTC DAWG said:

Imagine combining that with a river cruise..talk about a snore fest. 

Different strokes for different folks.

[QuestionEverything]

1 hour ago, C4HCG said:

There is a shift with many people discovering cruising for the first time and loving it. Like us, first ever 2019, on our 7th in August and that’s with the Covid intervention. And the Edge that we got off last week was fully booked, the Beyond we are on 24th August looks to be heading that way, all good 👍 

So wonderful indeed!!! 👋 Depends on your trajectory in life it seems. I have been cruising since 1989 and seen it all. Now moving away from cruising as ports do not seem as important as they used to be. 

Enjoy all your voyages in the future and be well, happy and enjoy. 

We all have our passions indeed.

[Lena11033]

1 hour ago, catgirl411 said:

Totally agree…wish there was a way to know ahead of time.  Just got off Regal Princess British Isles. There were 312 Red Hat Society ladies on board…they were everywhere. Always dressed in their red hats and purple outfits.  I think the worst thing is that you feel like you are attending someone else’s party. Years ago, we had a similar experience with the Philadelphia Phillies fan club. In that case HAL closed off several venues at certain times for their exclusive use.

 

I had closed off areas too on Celebrity, with no signs only found out when trying to walk through a public space only to be shouted at by the group 😐

But yes with higher ranking staff being 'all about the charter' it makes you feel like you've crashed a party you weren't invited to - which for the money you are paying you should feel like

[PTC DAWG]

24 minutes ago, QuestionEverything said:

Different strokes for different folks.

No issue with that attitude, that said, you won’t find me posting on River cruising boards saying how bored I would be,  

Edited May 19 by PTC DAWG

[keesar]

9 minutes ago, Lena11033 said:

 

I had closed off areas too on Celebrity, with no signs only found out when trying to walk through a public space only to be shouted at by the group 😐

But yes with higher ranking staff being 'all about the charter' it makes you feel like you've crashed a party you weren't invited to - which for the money you are paying you should feel like

On an Alaska cruise, this group booked all of the Specialty Restaurants on one night and a few of the excursions.  On the sea days, the  Sky Lounge was closed for this group to conduct seminars.  

[Ex-Airbalancer]

1 hour ago, PTC DAWG said:

Imagine combining that with a river cruise..talk about a snore fest. 

I could see doing a river cruise, you only up pack once 😁

 

 

[QuestionEverything]

6 minutes ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

I could see doing a river cruise, you only up pack once 😁

 

 

Ex-Airbalancer - like many posters say, try something different. Many options out there and you may be Surprised at what your experiences are. I have done cruises, Mighty Trains, Globus, customized land and driving trips, driving trips all over North America. All are Wonderful, just wonderful.

I am BLESSED to be able to do these dear trips. Totally BLESSED.

The River Cruises are the next phase of cruising. Have been pretty much everywhere in Europe on bus trips, very detailed, a gazillion photos of everywhere.

But would love to do a River Cruise, never done one. More detail but more relaxed.

I say to everyone, keep an open mind and go Explore indeed.

No one travel venue has the entire platform.

Ex-Airblancer, some thought.

 

[catgirl411]

26 minutes ago, Lena11033 said:

 

I had closed off areas too on Celebrity, with no signs only found out when trying to walk through a public space only to be shouted at by the group 😐

But yes with higher ranking staff being 'all about the charter' it makes you feel like you've crashed a party you weren't invited to - which for the money you are paying you should feel like

Exactly the feeling we felt.  Sometimes it happens with large family reunions too. On a recent Christmas and New Year’s cruise a multigenerational family of 26 ( who were very nice) took over the piano bar (Crooners) every night, making it difficult to get a seat and driving the music selection. It is difficult for large groups to see that there are other passengers on board.

[Gracie115]

4 hours ago, QuestionEverything said:

Ex-Airbalancer.

To each their own. Globus and Trafalgar tour lines are booming as people wish to see detailed experiences of specific geography.

I have undertaken many Globus trips to every nook and cranny in Europe, in comfort, ease, no waiting in line, 4* hotels, local eateries, including Mighty Trains everywhere. I have seen Europe. The buses are always kept 1/2 full.

Interesting is that my TA, that specializes in Oceania, has now fully embraced Globus and Trafalgar, and for the 1st time, his advertising how includes bus trips. He told me that so many of his clients are diminishing cruises and looking for more detailed experiences so they are moving their $ to high end bus travel with customized before and after experiences. 

Ex-Airbalancer, he described me and my many rather former cruising friends perfectly. As I posted earlier, we have all moved most of our cruise $ to land trips and very high end SUV's.

I like cruising but not near as much as before given the product cheapening, and the compromise and drama around the ports is the killer for me.

What ever you choose, enjoy, but there seems to be some significant shifting in people's travel $ are spent.

 

 

 

You mention Trafalgar, who we are using for a Yellowstone and other National Parks trip later this summer.  Have you heard of "Insight,"  it is supposed to be one step up from Trafalgar and offers small group tours.  We are looking at one that covers Switzerland, Bavaria and Austria next year but don't know much about Insight at this point.  

 

We did a land tour of Peru which still stands as one of the best trips we've ever done.  Scoffing at bus tours/land tours has to be coming from those who have never done them.  JMHO

[ldubs]

33 minutes ago, catgirl411 said:

Exactly the feeling we felt.  Sometimes it happens with large family reunions too. On a recent Christmas and New Year’s cruise a multigenerational family of 26 ( who were very nice) took over the piano bar (Crooners) every night, making it difficult to get a seat and driving the music selection. It is difficult for large groups to see that there are other passengers on board.

 

I think a family group is entirely different than venues being closed off to everyone because of a charter group. I understand the disappointment in not getting a seat, but don't know what the family should be expected to do instead.   I don't think anyone is obligated to stay away from Crooners because someone else might want to enjoy it?  That family group should be allowed to enjoy Crooners like anyone else.  

 

My two cents.  

[RICCruisers]

20 hours ago, chisoxfan said:

Don't really need a new Rolex or more jewelry for the wife but the chance to travel is as they say 'priceless'. 

Maybe not, but you do need more starting pitchers and a better defense. Go Cubs!  LOL.