Just Cruises Plus

Celebrity Cruises is overhauling its Captain’s Club loyalty program, in the hopes of making it easier to earn additional perks and adding two elite levels to give top-tier members more to aspire to.

The roll-out for the changes began on November 25th.  Celebrity will be sending notifications to members of the club, which the cruise line says has about 2 million active participants.

Current Structure vs New Structure

The current structure is based on the number of sailings a member accumulates.  So, for example,  it takes 10 credits to reach Elite status.  Credits can be earned by taking a cruise, by staying in a concierge-level suite or by taking a sailing of 12 nights or more.

With the new structure, the system will change to one based on cabin category, multiplied by cruise nights.  For example, an interior cabin will earn two points per night, while a penthouse suite is worth 18 points, so the difference between these two categories on a a 7-night cruise would be 14 vs. 126 points.

Celebrity is also adding two more tiers, Elite Plus and Zenith, which will require more points and provide more perks.  Some existing Elite members will automatically be enrolled in Elite Plus, however very few will graduate initially to Zenith.  Elite status will require 300 points, Elite Plus 750 points and Zenith level will start at 3000 points.   There are many new perks but the biggest one is a free cruise to Bermuda or the Caribbean for Zenith level.

It is important to note that no one will go backward in status as the points system changes.   There will be no fees in the program and points will never expire.

Ship Size Matters

In January, there will be a limit on the number of ships over 40,000 tons that will be allowed in Venice Lagoon. 

After November 2014, no cruise ships over 90,000 tons will be allowed in the lagoon.  Officials expect that large ships will be rerouted through the Contorta Saint’ Angelo Canal which is further away from the most visited parts of the city.

If Venice is high on your list of places to see while on a cruise, this may be the last year that you will have a wide choice of ships and cruise lines that offer convenient access to the city.

Cruise ships visiting Bermuda can now keep their casinos open at night while in port, Bermudian members of parliament decided earlier this week.

The Cruise Ship (Casino) Act 2013 permits onboard casinos to operate between 9 pm and 5 am, the Royal Gazette reported.  According to Tourism Minister Shawn Crockwell, the move ensures that Bermuda remains a competitive cruise destination.

Cruise ships will need to remain in port for one full night or longer in order to qualify for permission to operate their casinos. Additionally, cruise lines will need to pay a casino licensing fee.

Oasis of the Seas - New Sister Expected

Two of the largest passenger vessels afloat, the Oasis and Allure of the Seas, are now looking forward to a new sister.  Last week, Royal Caribbean International kicked off the building of a new mega-ship with a steel cutting ceremony at the STX France shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France.

At 227,000-gross tons, the ship, which will be the third in the line’s Oasis-class, will be slightly larger than its sister ships, which are 225,282-gross tons.  The as-yet-unnamed ship is scheduled for delivery in mid-2016.  Royal Caribbean has an option with STX France for a fourth Oasis-class ship.

Oceania's Nautica

Oceania Cruises, our most requested deluxe cruiseline, has announced an investment of $50 million to upgrade three of its small cruise ships during a six-week dry dock next year.   The upgrades are expected to transform the suites, staterooms and most public areas by incorporating the best features of Oceania’s newer and larger O-class ships (the Marina and Riviera).

Refurbishments to sister ships Regatta, Insignia and Nautica will include:

– completely new bathrooms in the ships’ Owner’s and Vista suites.

– an overhaul of the casual dining venue, the Terrace cafe, and the addition of the Baristas coffee bar.

– the ships’ only indoor smoking areas will be completely enclosed and an air filtration system added.

– the ships’ restaurants, the Grand Dining Room and Toscana, will be expanded with more tables for two. 

– the Canyon Ranch and Spa Clubs will receive new steam and changing rooms.

The 3 ships are scheduled for dry dock between April 24 and June 6, 2014.  

Oceania Cruises, as well as Azumara Cruises, offer a clear step above the mass market cruise lines with a very moderate extra cost.  In other words, they are a very good value for folks looking for a more upscale experience and who can forego the waterslides and rock climbing walls.

An expose on CNN  showed food being stored in crew staterooms and hallways on board the Silver Shadow while she was  cruising in Alaska.  The media generally accentuates the negatives in any story relating to cruise lines.  However, there are times that the cruise lines are not responsible or forthcoming.  There are times when cruise companies will cut corners to save a buck.  When it doesn’t affect safety or health, it’s no big deal.  For example, we heard that one cruise line stopped putting parsley on potatoes to save money.  This is cheap but no big deal.

However, when food requiring refrigeration is stored in cabins and hallways, a catastrophy is being risked.  Silversea denies that this was a company policy and that it was crew members who were acting inappropriately.

Silversea charges top dollar for their cruises and should be able to afford the refrigertors required to store their food.  The ship will again be inspected but we would not recoomend the Silver Shadow until it has passed several inspections.

We get the Center for Disease Control Vessel Inspection scores and we find that a failure is exceedingly rare.  Most ships score over 95 (out of 100).  Check your ship out at http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/.  You’ll see that both Princess and Royal Caribbean had multiple ships that scored a perfect 100.

Grandeur of the Seas Docked in Baltimore

The Grandeur of the Seas is cruising again after spending 6 weeks in a shipyard undergoing repairs caused by a fire at the stern of the vessel.  We had the opportunity to visit the ship yesterday and we witnessed first-hand the full range of Oasis type enhancements that were incorporated into the Grandeur’s upgrade in 2012.  The enhancements turned a middle aged lady into a young, vibrant athlete.

Here is a quick summary of the Oasis style changes:

The Grandeur’s Centrum has been designed with an Alice-in-Wonderland type theme.  The Centrum, in addition to being the focal point for passenger services, is used as a unique entertainment hub which includes aerialist performances.

A 220 square foot movie screen provides pool-side entertainment.

The Grandeur’s rugs, bedding and bathrooms are new and modern.

The Grandeur has a Royal Family suite which can accommodate up to 8 guests.

The Grandeur has three specialty restaurants in addition to Chops Grille:

Giovanni's Table - Decorative Wall

Izumi, an Oasis-class Sushi and Asian-fusion cuisine restaurant

Giovanni’s Table, a classic Italian trattoria. We had a wonderful meal here and, because the appetizers were served family-style, we had the opportunity to try delicious dishes that we might not have ordered on our own.

Chef’s Table, an intimate, exclusive gourmet dining experience for a very limited number of guests.

Centrally located panoramic staterooms with over-sized windows were added to Decks 7 and 8. When first introduced, these staterooms were the same price as standard ocean view staterooms, however Royal Caribbean has since discovered the appeal of these staterooms (both in terms of window size and location) and has now moved them to a higher priced category.

The Grandeur hosts a jogging track, rock climbing wall and a state of the art fitness center.

Looking for a cruise on a mid-sized ship that does notrequire air travel?  For those who live on the east coast, Baltimore is a wonderful alternative to (and addition to) Bayonne, Boston New York and the Grandeur of the Seas is a terrific modernized option!

Grandeur's Modern Sink Design

The Grandeur’s Baltimore sailings include a variety of itineraries including 6 and 7-night Bermuda, 7 and 8-night Bahamas and 10-night Eastern and Western Caribbean.

Chops Grille

Chefs Table

Centrum’s Alice in Wonderland Theme

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) today announced that its Board of Directors approved the adoption of a “Cruise Industry Passenger Bill of Rights” detailing CLIA members’ commitment to the safety, comfort and care of guests in a number of important areas.  This was very likely in response to the last couple of highly publicized cruise ship incidents.  This bill has been accepted by most of the major cruiselines.

INTERNATIONAL CRUISE LINE PASSENGER BILL OF RIGHTS

The Members of the Cruise Lines International Association are dedicated to the comfort and care of all passengers on oceangoing cruises throughout the world.  To fulfill this commitment, our Members have agreed to adopt the following set of passenger rights:

1.      The right to disembark a docked ship if essential provisions such as food, water, restroom facilities and access to medical care cannot adequately be provided onboard, subject only to the Master’s concern for passenger safety and security and customs and immigration requirements of the port.

2.      The right to a full refund for a trip that is canceled due to mechanical failures, or a partial refund for voyages that are terminated early due to those failures.

3.      The right to have available on board ships operating beyond rivers or coastal waters full-time, professional emergency medical attention, as needed until shore side medical care becomes available.

4.      The right to timely information updates as to any adjustments in the itinerary of the ship in the event of a mechanical failure or emergency, as well as timely updates of the status of efforts to address mechanical failures.

5.      The right to a ship crew that is properly trained in emergency and evacuation procedures.

6.      The right to an emergency power source in the case of a main generator failure.

7.      The right to transportation to the ship’s scheduled port of disembarkation or the passenger’s home city in the event a cruise is terminated early due to mechanical failures.

8.      The right to lodging if disembarkation and an overnight stay in an unscheduled port are required when a cruise is terminated early due to mechanical failures.

9.      The right to have included on each cruise line’s website a toll-free phone line that can be used for questions or information concerning any aspect of shipboard operations.

10.  The right to have this Cruise Line Passenger Bill of Rights published on each line’s website.

Grandeur of the Seas

Royal Caribbean cancelled the next 6 cruises of the Grandeur of the Seas while she undergoes repairs caused by a fire in the mooring area at the stern of the vessel.  She is currently scheduled to resume cruises from Baltimore July 12th.

Options if you are Booked on a Cancelled Sailing

1. Do Nothing – All payments will be refunded to you via the method that you paid.  For example, if you paid by credit card, your refund will be made to the credit card.  If you paid by check, you will receive a check.  You will also receive a voucher for a future cruise valued at 25% of the price of your original cruise (not including taxes).

2. Re-book – If you want to cruise soon and you re-book a Royal Caribbean cruise before June 12th, Royal Caribbean will move the money that you paid on the original sailing to the new sailing.  They will also apply the voucher to the new cruise.  Any monies owed to you will be refunded.

Crew Lauded

The vast majority of passengers heaped praise on the crew of the Grandeur of the Seas for their professionalism and good humor.   Passengers spent about 4 hours at their muster stations awaiting the news that the fire was put out.  Fortunately, there were no injuries to passengers or crew although there was some medical treatment rendered for symptoms related to anxiety.

Power was Never Lost

There was a vast difference in the experiences of the Grandeur passengers and the passengers who spent many days drifting on the Carnival Triumph.  The difference was power.  The Royal Caribbean ship never lost power and therefore her passenger amenities were not affected.  The Carnival ship’s fire resulted in a near total power loss and therefore passenger comfort suffered greatly.

Galapagos Turtle

The Galapagos National Park has cited Celebrity Xpedition for transportation and storage of 12 kilograms of frozen lobster tails in the Galapagos while out of season. Because of this, Celebrity Xpedition’s license that is necessary to enter the Galapagos National Park has been temporarily suspended by the local authority. As a result, Celebrity has cancelled the June 2 sailing of Celebrity Xpedition whille the licensing issue is resolved.

Update 6/14/13: The June 16th sailing has been cancelled as well