Great Itineraries for summer 2005

[Jacqueline]

Just was looking at next summer Europe itineraries and they are doing a nice job with expanding beyond the usual *milk runs*.

Anyone looking ahead ?

[melissa_bel]

I particularly like the expansion of their Scandinavian itineraries. Feel like going to Spitzbergen, anyone? ;)

[Jacqueline]

Its great that they have taken the itineraries to the next level. I wonder how the pricing will shake out ?

There is an interesting Venice to Rome cruise on the Grand with a stop in Dobrovnik and then a few of the Greek Isles.

Then a few interesting ones in the north that dont repeat the usual Baltic ports.

[ourlol]

Jacqueline,

 

Great minds think alike.... have just today booked the Grand (Venice to Rome) 25th July for hubbie, myself and 4 teens (19, 18 boys 13 & 14 girls)!!

 

I least now I have a 'real' reason to be lurking on these boards :D

 

Laura

[Jacqueline]

Wow Laura- thats a nice group. My kids will be 17,15 and 12 next summer. We did the Grand Princess back in 2000 from Barcelona to Istanbul and just came back from London-Athens.

The nice thing about this cruise is that the ports a a but more unusual. Sure to be a lot of sun. I love the Grand. It is a lovely ship.

What kind of cabins did you get and what deck ?

[ourlol]

Jacqueline,

 

Snap!! (do you say that in the US?) We did Barcelona to Istanbul in 2001 and then Venice to Barcelona in 2003 (both on the Golden).

 

For this cruise, we've opted for midship BA Category on Caribe with two JJ's opposite. There was a special this week meaning we only had to pay $200 deposit per cabin... not that I knew before this before I went to book. Nevertheless a nice surprise :)

 

We've been to Corfu before but none of the other Greek Islands so this makes a welcome change for us.

 

Laura

[Jacqueline]

Exactly !!! So its like coming home !

I think its a great family ship. I have a floating deposit from last summer if I havent lost it.

We also had a balcony with the opposite inside cabins. No sun to wake up the kids. Both times on the Grand i have been aft on Aloha, basically under the Horizon court. Its probably a tad quieter where you are, but it is so nice to just walk out to the aft pool. I always found that to be a lovely spot.

The other nice thing about this cruise is that we could spend a few days in Rome.

A $200 deposit is very good. In the past I have paid high deposits for these longer summer cruises.

[ourlol]

The other nice thing about this cruise is that we could spend a few days in Rome

 

Exactly what we are planning to do... spend a couple of days there before returning home.

 

Laura

[Globaliser]

I particularly like the expansion of their Scandinavian itineraries. Feel like going to Spitzbergen, anyone? ;)

I'm booked!

[Jacqueline]

While I havent called my TA to see what the BEST prices are, those on the internet sites are pretty high, compared to what I just paid on HAL ...

[kdot]

Laura -

 

Am interested in that same cruise. Did you get a good price through your travel agent?

[NEW YORK LADY]

Jacqueline, hubby and I plus a few friends from our TP cruise booked the Grand, Venice to Rome back in May for June 7, 2005. It looks like a great itinerary and we are planning two nights in Venice and 4 nights in Rome. Already have our hotels booked and our tours set up with independent tour guides.

 

Have also booked the Diamond for August, 2005 with a couple of the ladies I work with.

 

And not to be left out, the whole gang that we said with the first and second year on the TP have booked that cruise again for March 10, 2006.

 

I think I am getting a little crazy with all these bookings as now I am thining of what I want to do for 2007.

 

Jackie

[ourlol]

Jacqueline,

 

On a BA category... I made a couple of price comparisons using two well known online agencies and they worked out at $300 and $500 pp more expensive than what my TA quoted. SHE has also allocated $100 onboard credit per cabin as well. It's a considerable saving given that aside from us (6) my mother and father in law are joining us - bringing our total to 8 people.

 

We also compared the cost of this cruise (booked through the same TA) to the one we took in 2003 and for the BA cabin it is approximately $350 cheaper than it was then. We did however in 2003 later get a reduction in the February of almost a $1000. Am ever hopeful it might happen this time, but am not holding my breath.

 

Just grateful I discovered an excellent and very patient American TA. You wouldn't believe some of the prices charged over here. That said, it IS getting better... but not enough to sway me back to making a UK booking.

 

Laura

Contact

[ourlol]

New York Lady... Jackie,

 

I notice you have already booked a hotel in Rome. Would you mind telling me which one and a rough idea of the cost? Is it centrally located? I'm not worried about Venice as I will fly in from London on the day and go direct to the ship from the airport.

 

Many thanks.

Laura

[Globaliser]

Just grateful I discovered an excellent and very patient American TA. You wouldn't believe some of the prices charged over here. That said, it IS getting better... but not enough to sway me back to making a UK booking.

Although funnily enough, I looked at prices on both sides of the Atlantic for the Spitsbergen cruise and found that I could get a UK booking for almost 10% less than the US price, which is not to be sneezed at. So rather to my surprise I have booked here instead of there. I think it may have been a quirk to do with the cabin grade I wanted, but I was being very particular about that - so it may just have been a price ladder anomaly this time.

[ourlol]

I could get a UK booking for almost 10% less than the US price

That's brilliant!

 

I tell you brain hurts from not only looking at prices in the US (sitting here with my currency converter) but also comparing those prices with what's on offer over here.

 

This cruise worked about about £300-£350 dearer per person booked via the UK (even though I have to book my own flights and transfers) - booking as I have via the USA.

 

Even had my savings been less, I think I would have still used my US TA as there's always the chance the fare might go down and of course a British Travel Agent won't discount the price retrospectively. It's a gamble, but one that has paid off in the past.

 

Price ladder anomaly or not... I wouldn't knock it. Well done you.

[Globaliser]

Even had my savings been less, I think I would have still used my US TA as there's always the chance the fare might go down and of course a British Travel Agent won't discount the price retrospectively. It's a gamble, but one that has paid off in the past.

Oh yes, all these things went into the pot: What are the chances that I will have to cancel and lose my 10% UK deposit (vs getting all of the 20% US deposit back)? What reasons might make me cancel? What about a cut in the price? Would my US TA manage to get some onboard credit for me? What if something goes wrong and I have to complain - will it be less hassle to operate the UK complaints machinery? Blah, blah. Fair made my head hurt, too! :)

[ourlol]

Globalizer,

 

I read your review. It must have taken you ages. You definitely have a way with words... it reads very well. I can't wait to read your next one.

 

Laura

KM - you have problems with your mailbox

[Jacqueline]

Well, lets see of we can keep this thread going for the year ! Once a group of us had it up to like 20 pages (it was called *Brilliance Enthusiasts*).

For those of you who dont know it NewYork Lady- the other Jackie is really a genius. We will all just copy all her plans like we did for Tahiti. I just follow in her footsteps !

And Globalizer. curious minds want to know- what is your cabin of choice?

[Globaliser]

Laura - Thank you for the kind words. I very much enjoyed writing the review and getting all my thoughts down on "paper" for others to read; I was always worried, though, that it might have been just too verbose! Thank you for taking the time to read it.

 

Jacqueline - I decided to go for one of the outside cabins that are next to the balcony cabins. This is the Sea Princess, so basically the size of the outside cabin is the same as the total size of the balcony cabin and its balcony. I concluded that as we are going to within 600 miles of the North Pole, with two consecutive sea days on the way up to Spitsbergen, the chances of getting lots of use out of the balcony were slim - it will be cold, and very possibly wet.

 

So we've gone for the extra space - and said "no upgrades please". We did also think about the outside cabins on D deck with the huge windows, but the floor area of those is much smaller because of the inward slope of the hull. We don't spend huge amounts of time in our cabin anyway on cruises, and we reckon that if we do see something interesting enough that can't just be watched through our window, we can either get out to the forward observation deck on our deck or the deck above, or we can go down to the promenade deck.

[suzieque]

Hi all,

I'm in the price shopping phase for next summer's cruise. Would really appreciate your recommendations of agents who provide the best rates. I have a quote from Cruisequick for the July 26th 16 night Beijing to Bankok trip on the Pacific Princess. Cat.BC, $6588 total for the balcony cabin. Would love to find a better price!!I can be privately reached at sprovo@apr.com., in case it is not OK to tout travel agents here!

Suzie

[aclay]

I'm booked!

 

hope you're still planning to be on the Sea Princess on June 18th, my wife and I reserved two weeks back. I have a lonely Roll call over here:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=2489716#post2489716

would be great to get some dialogue going!

I see you've been to Norway before on a cruise so I'm sure you are well qualified to advise.

CU over there!

cheers

Alex

[Cruisin'40]

Wow Laura- thats a nice group. My kids will be 17,15 and 12 next summer. We did the Grand Princess back in 2000 from Barcelona to Istanbul and just came back from London-Athens.

The nice thing about this cruise is that the ports a a but more unusual. Sure to be a lot of sun. I love the Grand. It is a lovely ship.

What kind of cabins did you get and what deck ?

How did your kids like the European cruise? We have been contemplating booking one but we weren't certain we could find excursions that would appeal to them other than "shopping" (girls). I think they are concerned it could be too educational .

[Druke I]

Yes, the '05 itineraries appear to be one step up from those previously offered.

 

I had hoped they would put Pacific Princess or another (not yet acquired) R class ship in Europe, so they could access the Kiel Canal, a very pretty part of Germany.

 

Oceania is putting their Regatta (a sister to Tahitian/Pacific Princess) in Europe, and do offer a Kiel Canal transit. We have booked it for 8-30-05.

[NEW YORK LADY]

Just re-read this thread and realized I forgot to answer a question on where we are staying in Rome. The hotel is the Residenzia Cellini, a small property which gets good reviews on Trip Advisor.

 

Jackie