The Journey

[dickensthedog]

I am anxious to hear feedback on the Journey. We just booked a cruise on this new ship to Bermuda in June. Thanks in advance.

[richsea]

Journey has not joined the Celebrity fleet yet; her first Celebrity cruises start with the Bemuda season in May. At this point your best bet is to go the the Celebrity site & see what they offer, but you won't get any reviews yet.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[dickensthedog]

A travel agent gave us this feedback:

 

"As a matter of fact, I HAVE experienced Journey while the ship still belonged to the Renaissance cruise line! It's an absolutely beautiful ship, very classic looking, gorgeous woods everywhere, really very elegant yet understated at the same time, as if you were on someone's private yacht. I cannot recommend it highly enough, truly! "

 

They are reportedly spending $3 million refurbishing the ship prior to sailing in May. Hope they don't lose the elegant ambiance and make it glitzy instead...

[Melady]

Hi,

 

My husband & I are booked on the 6/16 sailing of the Journey to Bermuda. If Journey was a former member of the Renaissance cruise line, what was the name of the ship in that cruise line? Are there any old pictures of the ship anywhere online?

Thanks for any info anyone can provide!

[szdiver]

I think it was the R5 or R6. They were all called R1 thru R8 - never got actual names. Hope this helpls......

[Jancruz]

Hi,

Oceania Cruises has purchased 3 of Rens ships that are identical to the Journey with the exception of deck 8..in fact if you go to Oceania cruise lines web site you can get almost the same info as Celebrity will have as Celebrity is copying them..I have been on Oceania 14 times..15 coming up 35 days Hong Kong to Athens 3/29..and I will be happy to answer any questions about the ships..

Jan

*****

[Druke I]

If you want to see how deck 8 is laid out, go to Princess and look up Royal Princess (which is currently sailing as Minerva 2 for Swan Hellenic).

 

We've been on three of the former Renaissance ships (Pacific Princess, Nautica, and Regatta), and they are very nice indeed!

[tom_uk]

Ever since I learned that Celebrity had got a couple of R ships I've been all over the Oceania website to learn as much as possible about these ships, and what I've learned has left me very interested. I think this sounds much more like my sort of cruising than what's likely to be on offer on the Solstice class.

 

And like many others I'm waiting to find out just how Celebrity are going to organise things, and what passengers think of them.

[JORAY]

I have been on Oceania 14 times..15 coming up 35 days Hong Kong to Athens 3/29..and I will be happy to answer any questions about the ships..

Jan

Jancruz1 And Druke I

 

Since you both have been on these ships I hope you can answer two questions

 

The AFT staterooms which deck offers the best views and are the verandas on each deck the same size.

 

Right now we have our pick of decks and want the best views & deck space for the Antarctic cruise for this once in a life time cruise.

 

Ray

[Jancruz]

The aft staterooms meaning between the big suites or the big suites themselves..

Jan

*****

[Druke I]

Sorry, can't help - haven't been in an aft cabin, only midships on decks 4 & 6.

[JORAY]

The aft staterooms meaning between the big suites or the big suites themselves..

Jan

*****

 

Looking at the stateroom between the big suites -- however my loving wife is pushing the big suites as we have never had one.

 

Because of the ports/area she might win. -- Antarctic cruise Feb. 9, '08 and after 55 years she gets her way many times. ;) :rolleyes:

 

Ray

[chessbriar]

Your TA having sailed on her as an R ship will have little bearing as an X ship. The ship will have been through 2 refits and service and the product offered will be different. An example would be the Oceania and ship and Princesses ships. All the same ships, but Princess and Oceania have different products on the ship in what they offer. You do not get the Oceania experience on the Princess ships even thought they are the same ships. What X is proposing they will be offering is close to the Oceania product. Go and read those threads for and idea.

[swigso]

As stated here you can go to Oceania or Princess for reviews etc, if you go to the Pullmantur web site it has Videos of the ships , I understand that X is spending a lot of money refurbishing these ships and the Quest has some great Itineries.

All the cabins will be CC class I wonder if we will get double credits?

 

We have booked for the Feb 08 sailing and you can more or less have the pick of the ship also I understand that if my TA can get a reduction when the Group cabins are released X will honour any price drop.

 

My only slight concern will be motion but I am sure this will be fine.

[JkyLovesRuss]

Hi,

 

My husband & I are booked on the 6/16 sailing of the Journey to Bermuda. If Journey was a former member of the Renaissance cruise line, what was the name of the ship in that cruise line? Are there any old pictures of the ship anywhere online?

 

Thanks for any info anyone can provide!

 

we're booked on the journey for our honeymoon.... a cruisecritic member posted this website.. try it.. you'll see the ship, it's so beautiful, I hope they don't change it too much. it's the blue moon i believe, www.pullmanturcruises.com

[Jancruz]

Your TA having sailed on her as an R ship will have little bearing as an X ship. The ship will have been through 2 refits and service and the product offered will be different. An example would be the Oceania and ship and Princesses ships. All the same ships, but Princess and Oceania have different products on the ship in what they offer. You do not get the Oceania experience on the Princess ships even thought they are the same ships. What X is proposing they will be offering is close to the Oceania product. Go and read those threads for and idea.

 

That not exactly true..the biggest refit is to deck 8..the rest of the ship is basically staying the same with some fabric and maybe furniture changes..no construction..I have been told several times that X will run these ships as a copy of Oceania..So the service should be close..Princess shipd still have set seatings and X will not..Princess still has formal nights and X will not..

I think you when you try the product you will be very happy..

Jan

*****

[JORAY]

We have booked for the Feb 08 sailing and you can more or less have the pick of the ship also I understand that if my TA can get a reduction when the Group cabins are released X will honour any price drop.

 

My only slight concern will be motion but I am sure this will be fine.

 

If you have booked the Feb 9, 2008 -- Antarctic 18 day Cruise come over to the roll call and visit. :)

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=459579

 

Ray

[editor@cruisecritic]

While I adore Jan -- she's brilliantly informed and very fun to travel with, by the way -- I think it would be impossible for Celebrity to match Oceania's service ethic. Hey, I hope Celebrity fools me, really. But Oceania's service is just about unparalleled, IMHO, and I'm including the luxury lines in that comment.

Meanwhile, at Cruise Critic we're also very intrigued about Celebrity Journey and have heard nothing about anything from the usual sources (in fact our request for details has been met with a "gosh we don't know yet" response which I think is ridiculous). Of course they know. There are plans. There is budget. Etc.

But I learned something quite interesting this evening and plan to follow up tomorrow in our news page (stay tuned). CruCon is advertising some Bermuda specials on Journey and gives all sorts of delicious tidbits: two alternative restaurants, etc.

It looks like Journey will be a very different type of Celebrity experience. More like Xpedition and yet distinctive, too, as no other ship that I know of offers universal butler service (still not sure how that will change things but I'll keep an open mind). And Jan's mention of "open seating" dining ON CELEBRITY (emphasis mine) has my mind boggling. In a good way.

So, as I said, stay tuned -- and if you've learned something we haven't, please let me know :) -- I do check the threads but also appreciate "direct mail" at editor@cruisecritic.com.

Carolyn

 

PS And I just want to say...the R-series ships, whether experienced as Oceania, Princess, Celebrity, are absolutely (to borrow from Joanna Lumley) fabulous. They are my favorite ships in the world. But I will also say, as a caveat emptor, that they don't handle rough water well (neither do I); so if you're sensitive to, ah, seasickness, bring your remedies. If the waters are calm you'll notice nothing....

 

That not exactly true..the biggest refit is to deck 8..the rest of the ship is basically staying the same with some fabric and maybe furniture changes..no construction..I have been told several times that X will run these ships as a copy of Oceania..So the service should be close..Princess shipd still have set seatings and X will not..Princess still has formal nights and X will not..

I think you when you try the product you will be very happy..

Jan

*****

[Melady]

...for your input! I went onto www.pullmanturcruises.com and since the site is not in English, I didn't know where to find photos of the actual cabins. I did come across a picture of a woman having a "facial" done to her breasts, but that wasn't exactly what I was looking for!

 

If anyone knows exactly where I can find photos of the ship (in English), please let me know - I'd appreciate it!!

 

Take care all,

Melady

P.S. On the roll call board, it seems that me & my husband are the only people sailing on the 6/16/07 Journey to Bermuda sailing!!

[Jancruz]

Try http://www.Oceaniacruises.com you can see all the pictures you like..

Jan

*****

[lewjoy7711]

Try this link. We are booked on the 9/8/07 from NJ to Bermuda.

 

http://www.pullmanturcruises.com/crucerobritt/index.htm

[swigso]

Hi,

If you go to the homepage there is a union Jack (FLAg) at the bottom left, click and the site is in englishm, the video of the ship is in Spanish though,

Cheers

Steve

[swigso]

Hi,

If you go to the homepage there is a union Jack (FLAg) at the bottom left, click and the site is in englishm, the video of the ship is in Spanish though,

Cheers

Steve

[swigso]

Hi

The homepage has an English link, click the union jack (flag) and it should redirect you, the video though is in Spanish

[Melady]

:) thank you!