Each year we ask the thousands of members of the World Ocean & Cruise Liner Society to complete report cards for each cruise that they take during the calendar year so that we may see how they feel that particular cruise line performed on that specific cruise. Like all businesses cruise lines, at times, have an ‘off week.” Since it would be unfair to judge a product on a report that reflects only one bad voyage our survey is designed to avoid this problem by looking at a full year’s worth of reports on that ship to judge how it performed over a whole year. The judges in this survey are the members of the World Ocean & Cruise Liner Society. Their report cards and the votes they cast are the only factors used to determine the scores and the ultimate winner. These votes are on voyages they have actually taken which differentiates our “Ship of the Year” award from many other annual cruise line and ship awards, which do not actually require the voters to have sailed on the line they have voted for. This past year, our members traveled on, and reported on, the most diverse range of cruise ships in our thirty-second year history. Experiencing everything from small barges, riverboats and exploration vessels to the largest mass-market ships (and everything in between) our members provided us with the largest sampling of information in our history. While this year’s report cards fell short of the record number received overall last year, it did represent the largest group of ships ever. We thank all the members who participated and made this survey a huge success, once again. When reading this year’s survey, please do not assume that if your favorite ship is not listed, that it did not make the grade. In order to fairly balance the survey, we are forced to limit the ships included in our survey to those with a minimum number of reports. This number varies year to year based on the overall number of reports and ships. Please remember that although some vessels may not be included in our final tallies, all report cards give us a valuable insight into the performance of each of the ships and are invaluable in answering our members’ questions about which ship might be best for them. The majority of our members are very experienced cruise passengers. Our survey asks our members their total number of past cruises (lifetime) and average number of cruises taken in a year. The result is that our average member has taken more than 35 cruises in total, with some reporting as many as 150 cruises in a lifetime on over 55 different ships. Based on this year’s report cards our average member purchases an average of 2.6 cruises a year. Our members, the “judges”, are asked to list their name, ship and sailing date and then report on the level of the satisfaction they received, or did not receive during this cruise experience. Only cards indicating a 2012 cruise departure date are included in this year’s survey. Our survey includes 14 key areas or categories of the cruise product. We ask our members to score each category on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 indicating the least satisfaction and 5 indicting the greatest satisfaction. Their SHIP OF THE YEAR: REGENT SEVEN SEAS CRUISES’ SEVEN SEAS VOYAGER Vol. 32, Issue 4 - February 15, 2013 “Our 32th Year of Continuous Publication” Single issue price $2.50 PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE WORLD OCEAN & CRUISE LINER SOCIETY (Continued on page 6)
Transcript
Each year we ask the thousands ofmembers of the World Ocean & Cruise LinerSociety to complete report cards for eachcruise that they take during the calendar yearso that we may see how they feel that particularcruise line performed on that specific cruise.Like all businesses cruise lines, at times, havean ‘off week.” Since it would be unfair to judgea product on a report that reflects only one badvoyage our survey is designed to avoid thisproblem by looking at a full year’s worth ofreports on that ship to judge how it performedover a whole year.
The judges in this survey are the membersof the World Ocean & Cruise Liner Society.Their report cards and the votes they cast arethe only factors used to determine the scoresand the ultimate winner. These votes are onvoyages they have actually taken whichdifferentiates our “Ship of the Year” awardfrom many other annual cruise line and shipawards, which do not actually require thevoters to have sailed on the line they havevoted for.
This past year, our members traveled on,and reported on, the most diverse range ofcruise ships in our thirty-second year history.Experiencing everything from small barges,riverboats and exploration vessels to the largestmass-market ships (and everything in between)our members provided us with the largestsampling of information in our history. Whilethis year’s report cards fell short of the recordnumber received overall last year, it didrepresent the largest group of ships ever. Wethank all the members who participated andmade this survey a huge success, once again.
When reading this year’s survey, please donot assume that if your favorite ship is notlisted, that it did not make the grade. In orderto fairly balance the survey, we are forced tolimit the ships included in our survey to thosewith a minimum number of reports. Thisnumber varies year to year based on the overallnumber of reports and ships. Please rememberthat although some vessels may not beincluded in our final tallies, all report cardsgive us a valuable insight into the performanceof each of the ships and are invaluable inanswering our members’ questions aboutwhich ship might be best for them.
The majority of our members are veryexperienced cruise passengers. Our survey asksour members their total number of past cruises(lifetime) and average number of cruises takenin a year. The result is that our average memberhas taken more than 35 cruises in total, withsome reporting as many as 150 cruises in alifetime on over 55 different ships. Based onthis year’s report cards our average memberpurchases an average of 2.6 cruises a year.
Our members, the “judges”, are asked to listtheir name, ship and sailing date and thenreport on the level of the satisfaction theyreceived, or did not receive during this cruiseexperience. Only cards indicating a 2012 cruisedeparture date are included in this year’ssurvey. Our survey includes 14 key areas orcategories of the cruise product. We ask ourmembers to score each category on a scale of1 to 5, with 1 indicating the least satisfactionand 5 indicting the greatest satisfaction. Their
SHIP OF THE YEAR:REGENT SEVEN SEAS CRUISES’
SEVEN SEAS VOYAGER
Vol. 32, Issue 4 - February 15, 2013 “Our 32th Year of Continuous Publication” Single issue price $2.50
PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE WORLD OCEAN & CRUISE LINER SOCIETY
(Continued on page 6)
EDITORIALCongratulation to Regent Seven Seas
Cruises and the officers and crew of the SevenSeas Voyager for winning our prestigious Shipof The Year Award!
This marks the fourth time that the SevenSeas Voyager has won this prestigious awardand the fifth time a Regent Seven Seas ship haswon in the 20 year history of the line. This is agreat achievement for Regent Seven SeasCruises and to their exiting President MarkConroy who stepped down last month. Markhas always been a leader within the cruiseindustry and we wish him well in his newposition as an advisor for Prestige CruiseHoldings the parent company of both Regentand Oceania cruises.
I would also like to thank the readers ofOcean & Cruise News who took the time toparticipate in this year’s survey by completing
our Cruise Report Cards. I know it is a tedioustask, and I ask you provide your own postage,but it is the tally of these report cards whichdetermines our award and I am always pleasedwith the enormous amount of cards wereceived. Our survey is very unique as it is trulythe opinion of our cruising membership and nottravel writers, or agents or editors or opinionsbased on advertising and word of mouth. It isbased solely on your reported experiencesaboard these ships.
Our surveys this year report you are part ofa very elite group of travelers with a veryimpressive cruise history. The average WOCLSmember has sailed on over 35 cruises in theirlifetime, with a lucky few exceeding 100.The average member sails on 2.6 cruises a yearand prefers a 9 to 14 day cruise. For the sixthyear in a row the majority of you sailed onCunard’s Queen Mary 2. While the massmarket lines plying the waters of the Caribbean,Bermuda, Alaska, Europe and the PanamaCanal are always well represented in our surveythis year’s cards continue to show a stronggrowth in the area of the smaller linesespecially in the growing river cruise market inEurope and the American Queen on our owninland waterways.
Please keep your report cards coming inthrough 2013 as we tally our nest winner asdecided by you our readers and we learn moreabout or members interesting cruising lifestyle.
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I took a cruise recently which pointed out thesaying, “Stuff happens.” This was a fifteen-nightSeabourn Sojourn cruise from Buenos Aires toSantiago/Valparaiso. We were scheduled forseven ports and several days of scenic cruisingin Patagonia.
But, weather and local politics took their toll.
First, the ship left Buenos Aires several hourslate; there was some sort of “work stoppage”delay in getting the necessary tug for ourdeparture escort. Subsequently, we were acouple of hours late getting into the first port ofcall, Montevideo, Uruguay. But, all shoreexcursions were rescheduled as necessary andnothing was amiss.
Then, it was onto Port Stanley in theFalklands. Here, even though the sky was clear,the water was too rough to allow us to tender in.We spent several hours idling about waiting forthe waves to abate and let us go ashore. Not to be.The 84 guests scheduled to do the king penguinshore ex were sorely disappointed.
The day before we were to arrive in Ushuaia,an announcement was made saying we would notbe able to dock due to anticipated demonstrationsthat could cause problems for guests and/or theship. The ongoing dispute between Argentina andthe Falklands over sovereignty and the potentialavailability of huge amounts of oil in theFalklands appears to be the reason. Thedisruptions are aimed at ships that call on theFalklands before or after any Argentine port.
As a result of this, back-to-back ports werecancelled and we spent five days in a row at sea.Ship management did keep us well informed inwriting and via the speaker system; theyimmediately refunded the port charges for themissed stops. But many guests were grumblingabout the missing ports.
From the day after Montevideo all the way tothe end of the cruise, it was mostly cold, rainy
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LOOKING BACKA look at what was making news in Ocean &
Cruise News, Five, Ten, Fifteen and Twentyyears ago.
Five Years Ago – February 2008…Norwegian Cruise Lines announces that it willwithdraw Pride of Aloha from the Hawaiimarket… Reservations for the 2010 inauguralWorld Cruise of the new, ultra luxury cruisevessel Seabourn Odyssey opens… NCLannounces that for the first time in the company’s41-year history, it will deploy a ship year-roundin Europe.
Ten Years Ago – February 2003… RadissonSeven Seas Cruises’ newest ship, Seven SeasVoyager, was handed over in ceremonies at R.Mariotti shipyard in Genoa, Italy… CrownOdyssey emerged from drydock sporting a whitehull in preparation for her move to NorwegianCruise Line in September… Princess Cruisesannounces that the 2003 Mediterraneanitineraries of Grand Princess have beencanceled due to slack bookings… WindstarCruises announces that it will offer its first evercruise in the Baltic in 2003 aboard the 308passenger Wind Surf.
Fifteen Years Ago – February 1998… Theformer American Hawaii Cruises Constitutionsinks while under tow on its way to scrappers inIndia… Carnival Cruise Lines announces that theCarnival Destiny averaged a record 113.3percent occupancy during the course of the pastyear… Norwegian Cruise Line announces that itis building a 76,000-ton, 2,000 passenger shipfrom the uncompleted hull of what was to havebeen the Costa Olympia.
Twenty Years Ago – February 1993…Carnival Cruise Lines makes available a series ofspecially tailored wedding services aboard theirships… Delta Queen Steamboat Company ordersits third steamboat, a 420-passenger vesselscheduled to enter service in late 1994…Renaissance Cruises announces that it will behomeporting one of it ships in the SeychellesIslands for a series of 10 and 11-night cruises.
and windy. Very little of the ship’s wonderfuloutdoor spaces could be used although a fewhearty souls used the pool and whirlpools (theywere the subject of many humorous jibes fromthose who stayed indoors). The outdoorrestaurant was closed most evenings because ofthis and even for lunch many days.
So, while the cruise experience wasabsolutely great (a Seabourn cruise is justwonderful) and the ship’s management was veryflexible in rearranging things, it does point outthat guests need to be somewhat flexible, andstay positive, when things happen.
The American Queen Steamboat Companyannounces hotel-side refurbishment details of the436-passenger paddlewheeler currentlyunderway at the New Orleans’ BollingerShipyards. As part of the American Queen’sscheduled annual layup, an abundance ofenhancements totaling more than one-halfmillion dollars will be evident to past guestsboarding for her first 2013 voyage on February23. A team of one hundred craftsman is currentlydedicated to the American Queen, preparing herfor an even more comfortable and enjoyablesecond season.
For additional information and reservations,contact the American Queen Steamboat Companyat 888-749-5280, visit us online atwww.AQSC.com or call a professional travel agent.
Cunard Line is offering up to $1,000 insavings on airfare per stateroom when flights arebooked via the Cunard® CompleteAir programmefor voyages to Europe of 12 days or more, such asthe popular St. Petersburg & Baltic Explorer,aboard Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth.
Additionally, guests booking a Britannia Clubstateroom on the 26 May 2013 Norwegian Fjords& North Cape Explorer aboard Queen Elizabeth
can save up to $1,200 per stateroom in cruise fare,plus up to an additional $1,000 per stateroom insavings on airfare.
From the magnificent Winter Palace to theTroll Wall, to the Stigfossen Waterfall and theBrandenburg Gate, Europe is home to some of theworld’s most celebrated landmarks anddestinations. Guests can take advantage of QueenElizabeth’s fly-cruise Mediterranean programmeby opting to extend their stay in Athens, Rome orVenice up to two days before or after their voyagecalls there, allowing for added discovery andadventure in port at one’s leisure.
Fares are available on a space-available basisat time of reservation. Fares for other categoriesnot shown and for other voyages may vary. Faresare per person, do not include air travel, arevoyage only, are based on double occupancy andapply to the first two guests in a stateroom. Airfaresavings are based on double occupancy. Offerexpires 31 March 2013.
For more information about Queen Victoria orQueen Elizabeth, or to book a voyage, consultyour Travel Agent, call Cunard toll-free at 1-800-728-6273 or go to www.cunard.com.
Today, Oceania Cruises announced thesuccessful completion of an extensive new menurollout featuring 85 new dishes for its GrandDining Room on the line’s newest ship, Riviera.The remainder of the Oceania Cruises fleet willincorporate the new menus over the next threemonths. Oceania Cruises devotes extraordinaryresources to cuisine. While most cruise linesemploy a single corporate chef, Oceania Cruiseshas an entire team at the helm of its culinaryprogram, including its executive culinary director,renowned master chef Jacques Pépin.
Fleet Corporate Chef Franck Garanger, whotravels the world sampling international cuisinesto inspire his creation of dishes, led the team inconceiving the new menus. The Oceania Cruisesculinary team has spent the past eight monthsdesigning and rigorously testing the new menuitems. As the menus in the Grand Dining Roomchange daily, the rollout features a total of 85 newdishes, including three new lobster dishes and 10new pastas and risottos.
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For more information, contact a travelprofessional, visit www.OceaniaCruises.com orcall 800-531-5658.
Seabourn’s Signature Savings Event offerstravelers substantial savings and value-addedextras on a selection of 100 voyages throughout2013 and 2014. The Signature Savings selectionincludes cruises of seven to 21 days on all sixSeabourn ships, with cruise departures from April,2013 into March, 2014. Complete listings of thecruises and savings can be viewed onwww.seabourn.com.
Signature Savings Fares are up to 50 percentbelow published brochure fares. In addition, anumber of Combination Cruises offer additionalsavings up to 15 percent for combining two ormore cruises, and some even offercomplimentary Veranda Suite upgrades.Bookings in Penthouse or premium categorysuites earn an additional $1,000 per suiteshipboard credit. It is recommended guests booksoon for the best selection.
For more details about the award-winningSeabourn fleet, or to explore the worldwideSeabourn cruising options, contact a professionaltravel agent, call Seabourn at 1-800-929-9391 orvisit www.seabourn.com.
Award-winning Half Moon Cay, HollandAmerica Line’s private Bahamian island,celebrated its 15th anniversary this Caribbeancruise season, and to commemorate themilestone the cruise line has enhanced islandofferings and features.
Guests to the island will notice five new,colorful, two-story Beach Villas available for rentduring each call. The luxury hideaways boastexclusive hot tubs on the second floor and provideprivate accommodations for guests while they
relax and experience the island’s highlights. Otherbeach cabanas were refreshed, and the GrandCabana received new décor and a slide from thecabana deck straight into the ocean.
A new glass-bottom boat that carries 290guests also was introduced for tours and featuresunderwater viewing of the island’s colorful reefsand sea life. The horseback riding tour is one of theisland’s most popular, and six horses were recentlyadded to the herd so more can enjoy the ride.
Travelers who want a Caribbean vacation of alifetime that includes Half Moon Cay can takeadvantage of current Sail & Save savings. Forexample, guests sailing aboard the March 16 msEurodam cruise enjoy 50 percent savings on faresand starting at $499 per person, double occupancy.Taxes are additional. Families also see greatvalues with free or reduced third and fourth faresfor persons in the same stateroom on selectsailings. For more information on HollandAmerica Line, consult a professional travel agent,call 1-877-SAIL HAL (877-724-5425) or visitwww.hollandamerica.com.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises announces its newblog, “Luxury Goes Exploring”. The blog, whichlaunches today, celebrates the tastes and traditionsof the places that the all-inclusive luxury linevisits along with valuable insider tips anddestination information guests can use whenplanning their cruise vacation.
As part of this effort, the line announced theappointment of Mara Papatheodorou as its specialcontributing editor. Papatheodorou, a taste andtraditions expert, will provide a regular blogfeature called Sail, Sip & Savor. A former editor atBon Appétit magazine who oversaw themagazine’s international and entertaining stories,Papatheodorou will explore the history of cuisineand culture in popular ports of call and will alsoprovide suggestions on where to dine locally andshop for special ingredients and other productsunique to the region.
To receive a brochure or for more information,see a travel professional, visit www.RSSC.com orcall 800-285-1835.
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responses are then tabulated into our “Ship ofthe Year” award.
In determining the Grand Winner category,all categories except for three, are given equalweight. Because of their much greaterimportance and because they have the mostinfluence on passenger satisfaction, thecategories of FOOD, DINING SERVICE andOVERALL are given additional weighting.Our “Ship of the Year” is determined by theship receiving the highest score in the GrandWinner category. It is quite possible for aparticular ship to place well in a number ofcategories, but fail to place as well in theGrand Winner category. This can result whenthe ship has markedly lower scores in one ortwo categories which, in turn, lower the overallscore when all are averaged.
It is important to keep in mind whenreading this survey that the survey is not acomparison of ships. Even though membersmay submit cards on all their 2012 cruises, theyare never asked to compare these experiences.Each report card is an independent evaluationof one cruise without comparison to others.Because this is a measure of passengersatisfaction, it means any cruise ship, at anyprice level, is capable of achieving a highscore, since every ship has the inherent abilityto earn a high level of satisfaction from thepeople traveling on it. Keep in mind that it isfar more important for a person to select thetype of cruise that has the best chance ofmeeting his own needs and personal tastesrather than choosing a ship simply because it israted highly on a qualitative basis by guidebooks or in the opinions of others.
We hope that you will find our results ofinterest and of use in planning your futurecruises. The results of our “Ship of the Year”survey are as follows:
ITINERARY – People choose cruises for avariety of reasons. Some members rarely travelthe same ship twice, choosing to venture away
from a familiar, yet safe, ship to see whatanother line has to offer. Others prefer to staywithin a comfort zone and remain pretty loyalto a particular line and/or class of ship. Tosome, the ship is the destination and the portsvisited become a secondary point of interest,while others view the ship as their floatinghotel and place great emphasis on the ports. Tothese people their choice of a cruise is basedvery strongly on the itinerary. Whether it is alengthy cruise, or a standard 7-day Caribbeancruise, their cruise purchase is decided by theports visited, the day and time of arrival anddeparture, actual place the ship docks, numberof hours, or even overnights in port. This yearHolland America Line’s Prinsendam,the”Elegant Explorer” once again placed firstin this category narrowly edging out SevenSeas Voyager. Scores for the 20 top shipsranged from 4.83 to 3.76. The top 20 ships inthis category are:
1. Prinsendam2. Seven Seas Voyager3. American Queen4. Oceania Marina5. Crystal Serenity6. Seven Seas Mariner7. Amsterdam8. Oceania Riviera9. Queen Elizabeth10. Crystal Symphony11. Wind Surf12. Rotterdam13. Paul Gauguin14. Seabourn Quest15. Pride of America16. Azamara Quest 17. Massdam18. Seven Seas Navigator19. Seabourn Legend20. Queen Victoria
FOOD – It seems that the category of “Food” isthe most reviewed and discussed of ourcategories. The reason for this is quite simple,everyone likes to eat and most cruise lines but alot of their promotional effort in on thewonderful food that the passengers will beoffered on their cruise. Because of the added
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(Ship of the Year… continued from page 1)
importance of this category it carries twice theimportance of most of the categories. Food is acategory that is particularly hard to judgebecause what tastes good to one person, cantaste terrible to another. Food taste, quality andpresentation are always subject to one’spersonal tastes. In addition to each one’spersonal tastes, other points that reflect onoverall satisfaction of the food include varietyof foods offered; care in presentation;presentation (especially important is that itemsare served at the proper temperature); and thenumber choices that you had for each course.Other factors that influencing people’s scoringof the food category include the capability ofthe ship’s staff to provide alternative foods suchas vegetarian and low-fat, and its willingness tooffer substitutes if there is nothing to one’sliking on the menu. When scoring this categoryit is important that you keep in mind that it isbased upon what you like and not what othersmight be saying about the food. This year tophonors in this category once again go to RegentSeven Seas Cruises Seven Seas Voyager. Scoresof the top 20 ships ranged from 4.95 to 4.26.The top 20 ships in this category are:
1. Seven Seas Voyager2. Oceania Marina3. Seabourn Quest4. Oceania Riviera5. Crystal Serenity6. Crystal Symphony7. Nieuw Amsterdam8. Seven Seas Mariner9. Celebrity Equinox10. Eurodam11. Queen Elizabeth12. Seven Seas Navigator13. American Queen14. Seabourn Sojourn15. Celebrity Solstice16. Amsterdam17. Queen Mary 218. Crown Princess19. Wind Surf20. Rotterdam
ALTERNATIVE DINING (Breakfast &Lunch) – Alternative dining area on cruise
ships have grown in importance andavailability. Key area that influence thescoring in this category include the facilitiesfor offering these meals and whether items areprepared to order or whether they are preparedsomewhere else on the ship and only keptwarm in the serving area. Are there ampleserving lines? Are the selections as extensiveas in the dining room? Is there ample seating?Does the alternative area suggest a sense ofquality or style, or does it instill more of afeeling of a cafeteria or fast food restaurant?This year’s winner in this category, for thesecond year in a row is Oceania CruisesMarina. Scores of the top 20 ships rangedfrom 4.95 to 4.22. The top 20 ships in thiscategory are:
ALTERNATE DINING (Dinner) –Alternatedining is one of the most beloved aspects ofcruises today. Cruise lines have spent hugesums of money designing and tweaking theseofferings to enhance the evening meal for thelast decade. It can generally take twodirections; it can either be in a casual setting ora more upscale setting from the main diningroom. If the casual, did it meet yourexpectations as to selection of items and thetype of service, buffet style or waiter service?
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If the ship offers a more elegant and formalalternative; was it easy to book a table? Howextensive was the selection? Did the restaurantoffer an atmosphere that was quiet andunrushed? How was the quality of the food andthe preparation? Was there an extra fee to dinethere and if so was it justified? This year’swinner in this category, for the second year in arow is Oceania Cruises Marina. Scores of thetop 20 ships ranged from 4.95 to 4.22. The top20 ships in this category are:
1. Oceania Marina2. Seven Seas Voyager3. Oceania Riviera4. Crystal Serenity5. Celebrity Silhouette6. Queen Elizabeth7. Nieuw Amsterdam.8. Seabourn Quest.9. Crystal Symphony10. Seven Seas Mariner11. Oasis of the Seas12. Seven Seas Navigator13. Eurodam14. Celebrity Solstice15. Allure of the Seas16. Queen Mary 217. Carnival Magic18. Crown Princess19. Amsterdam20. Queen Victoria
ENTERTAINMENT – Entertainment aboarda cruise ship continues to be one of the moredifficult undertakings for a cruise line. Whilethey can easily win over those new to cruisingwith fancy Broadway-style shows, for thosemore experienced cruisers such shows becomestale very quickly. To succeed in this categorya cruise line must strike a balance between thetwo types of passengers. Another factor is therange and quality other than the primary showsthat it presents to its passengers. With thebuilding of larger ships, more choices can nowbe offered to passengers. An additionaldifficulty that confronts the cruise lines isfinding a style of entertainment those appealsto a wide range of passenger ages andlifestyles. The main criteria for scoring this
category is still “Did you enjoy theentertainment?” Winning once again in thiscategory is Royal Caribbean International’sOasis of the Seas. Scores of the top 20 shipsranged from 9.55 to 8.53. The top 20 ships inthis category are:
1. Oasis of the Seas2. Allure of the Seas3. Carnival Magic4. Queen Mary 25. Independence of the Seas6. Celebrity Silhouette7. Caribbean Princess8. Carnival Conquest9. Nieuw Amsterdam10. Crystal Serenity11. Carnival Dream12. Queen Victoria13. Sovereign of the Seas14. Crown Princess15. Eurodam16. Carnival Pride17. Seven Seas Voyager18. Amsterdam19. Pride of America20. American Queen
STATEROOM COMFORT – Standardstaterooms on most of today’s new ships havebecome fairly uniform in overall size withmany now having a veranda. Your overallsatisfaction with your stateroom is dependenton many factors. The following are importantfactors that should be considered: the layoutof the room, the amenities that are presented,and the amount of storage space, the décor ofthe room, the general upkeep, and thesoundproofing of outside noises. Even suchbasic things as the quality and size of thetowels in the bathroom can influence yourthinking. A room should also have a properbalance of furniture to floor space to allow forease of moving about the room. Alsoamenities such as televisions, refrigerators,verandas or large windows can have aninfluence on your opinion of stateroomcomfort. Once again this year’s winner in thiscategory is Regent Seven Seas Cruises SevenSeas Voyager. Scores of the top 20 ships
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ranged from 4.95 to 4.29. The top 20 ships inthis category are:
1. Seven Seas Voyager2. Seven Seas Mariner3. Seabourn Quest4. Queen Mary 25. Oceania Marina6. Seabourn Sojourn7. Oceania Riviera 8. Silver Shadow9. Seven Seas Navigator 10. Nieuw Amsterdam11. Crystal Serenity 12. Crystal Symphony13. Celebrity Silhouette14. Silver Whisper15. Celebrity Equinox16. Wind Surf17. Eurodam 18. Prinsendam.19. Oasis of the Seas20. Caribbean Princess
APPEARANCE - We have always liked thiscategory, because being purely subjective, it asksfor an opinion on the overall style and ambianceof the ship. It is influenced by a number offactors, such as the physical “eye-appeal” of theship, the décor, and the arrangement of the publicrooms and spaces, and whether the facilities ofthe ship are adequate in size for the number ofpassengers carried (no feeling of overcrowding)and perhaps most important, whether the shiphas all the features that you believe contribute tothe overall enjoyment of a cruise. A great deal ofdiscussion over the past years has asked if shipsare getting “too big”. Again, this is subjective,but many of these large ships are not only someof the most popular, but also ones thatappearance-wise are scoring the highest.Maintenance of the ship is another importantaspect that can influence our opinion onappearance. Once again this year’s winner in thiscategory is Cunard Lines Queen Mary 2. Scoresof the top 20 ships ranged from 4.87 to 4.35. Thetop 20 ships in this category are:
1. Queen Mary 22. Oceania Marina
3. Allure of the Seas4. Seven Seas Voyager5. Nieuw Amsterdam6. Seabourn Quest7. Queen Elizabeth8. Seabourn Odyssey9. Crystal Serenity10. Oasis of the Seas11. Crystal Symphony12. Oceania Riviera13. Seven Seas Mariner14. Eurodam15. Wind Surf16. Seven Seas Navigator17. Paul Gauguin18. Amsterdam19. Queen Victoria20. Carnival Dream
HOUSEKEEPING SERVICES – If there isone demand from all passengers it is that a shipmust be sparkling clean at all times. This is onearea we want all ships to have high scores in. Ifa ship is presented to passengers as extremelyclean then chances are that behind the sceneswill also have the same degree of cleanlinessThe category of housekeeping covers two basicareas of the ship; the staterooms and the publicareas. One key to excelling in this area seemsto having ample crew to quickly ‘tidy”everything up and to not let the “mess” sit forhours before tending to it. The real mark,which is noticeable on some ships, is the abilityto for some ships to always look clean andproper even though you rarely see people doingthe cleaning. Once again this year’s winner inthis category is Holland America Line’s NieuwAmsterdam. Scores of the top 20 ships rangedfrom 4.95 to 4.33. The top 20 ships in thiscategory are:
1. Nieuw Amsterdam2. Seven Seas Voyager3. Eurodam4. Oceania Marina5. Seabourn Quest6. Oceania Riviera7. Seven Seas Mariner8. Crystal Serenity9. Queen Mary 2
DINING ROOM SERVICE – This categoryis the second of our “key” categories thatcarries a higher degree of importance when wecompute the average of all categories for ouroverall winner position. Along with the fooditself, the cruise lines place a great deal ofemphasis in their marketing and promotionalefforts towards the total dining experience ontheir ships. The category of Dining RoomService is not a judgment that ranks the shipaccording to overall elegance and style, butrather how well a ship is able to deliver thebasics according to the expectations ofpassengers of passengers for the shipsparticular classification. Throughout allclassifications of cruise ships, the basicsremain: (1) ample staff to ensure that there areno long delays in serving, (2) how quickly theyrespond to any requests you may have, (3)ability of the staff to communicate and toexplain the different foods, (4) their ability toremember your preferences, (5) properness inserving items i.e., to serve ladies first andreplacing utensils as needed, and (6) thegeneral attitude and the friendliness of thepeople serving you. In addition to the overallperformance of a waiter and busboy is theoverall opinion or experience with other diningroom personnel, such as the head waiter, winesteward and maitre’d. Once again this year’swinner in this category is Regent Seven SeasCruises Seven Seas Voyager. Scores of the top20 ships ranged from 4.98 to 4.15. The top 20ships in this category are:
1. Seven Seas Voyager2. Oceania Marina3. Oceania Riviera
BAR – The category of “Bar” is yourassessment of the satisfaction that you felt youreceived regarding the service, quality andvalue from the ship’s bars and personnel thatserved you any beverages. The categoryincludes any beverage that is served at theships bars or in the lounges and pool and deckareas, not just alcoholic drinks. Some of thebasics that result in a high level of satisfactioninclude prompt and efficient service, overallquality, proper presentation and thefriendliness of the staff who serve you. Anadditional consideration is value. With barprices continually increasing it is veryimportant that with the added cost you receivea sense of value for that drink. Once again thisyear’s winner in this category is CarnivalCruise Line’s Carnival Magic. Scores of thetop 20 ships ranged from 4.88 to 4.25. The top20 ships in this category are:
1. Carnival Magic2. Oasis of the Seas3. Carnival Dream4. Allure of the Seas5. Celebrity Silhouette6. Carnival Dream7. Oceania Marina8. Nieuw Amsterdam9. Seven Seas Voyager10. Oceania Riviera11. Crystal Serenity
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12. Queen Mary 213. Independence of the Seas14. Eurodam15. Seabourn Quest 16. Crystal Symphony17. Queen Victoria18. Celebrity Solstice19. Caribbean Princess20. Oceania Regatta
SHIP ACTIVITIES – Along with the usual listof activities that are presented in a ship’s dailyprogram there are alternative forms ofentertainment such as movie theatres, in-stateroom television and in cabin programmingas well as jogging tracks, rock climbing walls,zip lines and water parks and many other typesof sport activities. The key to the shipdelivering a high degree of satisfaction in thiscategory is to present a well-balanced programof activities that appeal to the ship’s differentpassenger ages and tastes. In order to do this,the range of activities must be varied andwould include activities such as organized“fun” activities, lectures, bridge tournaments,port talks, and if offered, any ship tours. Alsoto be considered is whether any features andactivities offered are the type that reallyappeals to you, or whether they are justactivities that tempt you to spend more moneyon the ship. A simple way to determine that isto ask yourself if you were not on a cruise ship,would the activity be a type that you wouldparticipate in at home. This year’s winner inthis category is again this year if RoyalCaribbean International’s Allure of the Seas.Scores of the top 20 ships ranged from 4.76 to4.09. The top 20 ships in this category are:
1. Allure of the Seas 2. Carnival Magic3. Oasis of the Seas 4. Caribbean Princess5. Independence of the Seas7. Queen Mary 28. Celebrity Silhouette9. Carnival Splendor10. Nieuw Amsterdam11. Seven Seas Voyager12. Oceania Marina
SPA & GYM FACILITIES –Many peopleconsider these facilities a necessity on a ship sothat they may continue the exercise programsthat they regularly do while home. Most cruiselines have made the effort to create the type offacilities that most passengers are looking for.Some things to consider include the physicallayout of the area, the type and age of theequipment, the quality of supervision ortraining, state of the arts equipment and theavailability of the equipment at the time youwant to use it. Spas are very popular with manynew ships devoting major space to creatinglavish spa facilities. A key point in judging aship’s spa treatments is whether you wereallowed to completely enjoy the treatment, ordid it become more of a session to sell youhigh-priced products, in other words, did youpay for a treatment or just a sales pitch? Thisyear’s winner in this category is CelebrityCruise Line’s Celebrity Silhouette. Scores ofthe top 20 ships ranged from 4.91 to 4.15. Thetop 20 ships in this category are:
1. Celebrity Silhouette2. Oasis of the Seas 3. Queen Mary 24. Allure of the Seas5. Carnival Magic6. Oceania Marina7. Celebrity Solstice8. Seven Seas Voyager9. Nieuw Amsterdam10. Seabourn Quest11. Crystal Serenity12. Oceania Riviera13. Eurodam14. Queen Elizabeth 15. Seabourn Odyssey16. Crystal Symphony17. Caribbean Princess
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18. Carnival Dream19. Crown Princess20. Seven Seas Mariner
SHORE EXCURSIONS – Shore excursionsare one of the most difficult tasks for a cruiseline to control, because the tours are conductedby independent contractors with the cruise lineacting as an agent to sell the tickets. Theimportance of the shore excursion depends onthe areas that you are visiting. If you aretraveling to a distant area and one that will, inall likelihood, be a once in lifetime visit; yourexpectations for the tours will be very high.But if you are in an area that you have visitedbefore and it is one you are likely to return to,such as the Caribbean, your expectationsprobably will not be as high. An importantaspect of the Shore Excursion office is thatthey are knowledgeable about the area and thetours they are selling, and that they are upfrontabout the quality of the tours. Some of thepoints influencing your satisfaction include;did you spend most of your time riding in avehicle getting to or from the main part of thetour? Was there enough time to see the mainpoints that sold you on the tour, or were youhurried through the main parts so that there wasmore time for shopping (which you could havedone on your own)? Additional considerationsto take into account include the service aspectsof the ship’s Shore Excursion office – how easywas it to book the tours, and how easy was it tocancel a tour and get a refund? This year’swinner in this category is American QueenSteamboat Company’s American Queen.Scores of the top 25 ships ranged from 4.94 to4.62. The top 20 ships in this category are:
1. American Queen2. Seven Seas Voyager3. Prinsendam4. Seven Seas Mariner5. Crystal Serenity6. Nieuw Amsterdam.7. Caribbean Princess8. Oceania Marina9. Crystal Symphony10. Paul Gauguin11. Queen Elizabeth
12. Eurodam13. Windsurf14. Seven Seas Navigator15. Seabourn Quest16. Queen Mary 217. Pride of America18. Silver Whisper19. Oceania Riviera20. Celebrity Solstice
OVERALL – This category is a generalsummation of what you felt about the cruiseand not an averaging of the 12 previouslygraded categories. The purpose of this categoryis to give balance to those particular categoriesthat are more important to you against thosethat are of less importance. In other words,while it’s possible that you didn’t enjoy someaspects of the cruise, the ones you didn’t enjoymight not have been so important to you that ittook away from your overall enjoyment of thecruise. For example, if your personalrequirements place more emphasis on, say, the“Food” and less on “Entertainment”, then thecategory of ‘Overall” reflects how well the shipperformed in the areas that you felt are moreimportant. If the important category did notperform according to your expectations, thenthe “Overall” score you assign would probablybe lower than the statistical averaging of them.Likewise, if you gave low scores to categoriesthat were not really important to your overallenjoyment in a cruise, you would probablyindicate a higher “Overall” score than thestatistical averaging. Because this category isreally a summation of how well you enjoyedthe cruise all told, it carries a triple weightingin our “Grand Winner” averaging of all thirteencategories we asked you to judge. This year’stop ship in the category of “Overall” is RegentSeven Seas Cruise’s Seven Seas Voyager.Scores of the top 20 ships ranged from 4.93 to4.17. The top 20 ships in this category are:
1. Seven Seas Voyager2. Oceania Marina3. Crystal Serenity4. Nieuw Amsterdam5. Queen Mary 26. Allure of the Seas
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7. Seven Seas Mariner8. Celebrity Silhouette9. Oasis of the Seas10. Eurodam11. Crystal Symphony12. Seabourn Quest13. Oceania Riviera14. Queen Elizabeth15. Celebrity Solstice16. Seven Seas Navigator17. Caribbean Princess18. Prinsendam19. Amsterdam20. Oceania Regatta
GRAND WINNER – This category is not onthe report card but is the statistical averaging ofall fourteen categories that our members gradedon the Cruise Report Card forms, taking intoaccount the extra weighting given to threecategories, Food, Dining Service and Overall.The ship receiving the highest average score forall thirteen categories is awarded our “Ship ofthe Year” honor. In order for a ship to becomeour “Ship of the Year” it takes an exceptionalconsistency of high marks in each of thecategories, because very often the differencebetween the “top” and the “middle of the pack”is decided by mere fractions of a point. A shipneed not place first in each category, but usuallymust place within the top ten, in at least most ofthe categories. It is important to keep in mindthat our “Ship of the Year” award is based onpassenger satisfaction and is not the type ofqualitative judgment which is often the basis forother surveys or guidebooks. Because it is ameasure of satisfaction rather than acooperative or qualitative judgment, any ship inany category has an equal chance to place highin our Survey. Each cruise line promotes itsships in its own way and to a particular segmentof the population. Passenger’s satisfaction is thepure assessment of what an individual expectedagainst what he received. Other surveys andguides that judge ships on a qualitative basis donot break down the individual aspects of thecruises that are so important to overallpassenger satisfaction. There is little meaningto you if others rate a ship as “best” if it doesn’tfit your personal style of a cruise. Our “Grand
Winner” and our “Ship of the Year” honor goesto Regent Seven Seas Cruise’s Seven SeasVoyager voted as “Ship of the Year” by ourmembers for delivering the highest degree ofoverall satisfaction to them during the past year.Our congratulations go to Regent Seven SeasCruises’ and to the crew of the Seven SeasNavigator for delivering the highest degree ofpassenger satisfaction to our members. This isthe fourth time in the past 8 years that the SevenSeas Voyager has won this award.
For our “Grand Winner” category, here arethe top 20 ships that our readers judged as theones that gave them the highest degree ofpassenger satisfaction in 2012. They are listedin order along with the scores that eachachieved. You will note that many times theseparation between ships is by mere fractionsof a point. Here are the top 20 in our “GrandWinner” Category:
1. Seven Seas Voyager ......................4.88502. Oceania Marina............................4.86953. Nieuw Amsterdam .........................4.80554. Crystal Serenity ............................4.75355. Celebrity Silhouette ......................4.70016. Queen Mary 2...............................4.68557. Seven Seas Mariner ......................4.67998. Oceania Riviera............................4.55759. Crystal Symphony .........................4.500310. Seabourn Quest ............................4.456111. Allure of the Seas..........................4.415012. Oasis of the Seas ..........................4.398813. Seven Seas Navigator ...................4.312514. Eurodam .......................................4.276515. Queen Elizabeth ...........................4.227616. Sebourn Odyssey ..........................4.219717. Celebrity Solstice..........................4.210518. Wind Surf ......................................4.199819. Carnival Magic.............................4.176320. Prinsendam...................................4.1555
This year 157 ships both big and small madeour survey. Although your first reaction mightbe to place the most emphasis on the ships withthe highest scores, the fact is that our surveyclearly shows that there are a number of shipsthat are delivering an exceptionally high levelof overall passenger satisfaction. When looking
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through this year’s results, keep in mind thatour scoring system is based on a scale of from 1to 5. We believe that a score of 3 to 4 could beregarded as “good”, but some areas could beimproved; a score between 4 and 5 “excellent,”with almost all people traveling on the shipbelieving they receive a high level of personalsatisfaction; and a score of 4 or higher indicatesthe ship is a clear leader in its category. Whenyou begin to plan which ship to sail on next,keep in mind that all ships have their strongpoints and weak points, and what is important isthat you find those which best match your ownpersonal preferences.
We want to thank all of our members that tookthe time to fill out their Cruise Report Cards. Inaddition to scores that they recorded, themajority of the cards contained additional writtencomments about their cruise experience. We notonly read each of the comments with greatinterest, but we also use them to spot any trends,good or bad, that might be developing during theyear. We would also like to thank those members
who took the time to fill out the forms on thoseships that are out of the “mainstream” of thewidely promoted and heavily traveled ships.Even a single report on one of these ships allowsus to pass along some information to others whoask about them. When you set out to plan yournext cruise, please be sure to begin your selectionprocess by focusing on the “type” of ship that iscapable of delivering those aspects that are mostimportant to you in a cruise, rather than merelylooking at names first. Regardless of how wella particular ship might be rated, if it is too farremoved from being able to deliver your style ofcruise, you will not receive the high level ofsatisfaction that you expect.
Please remember that there are other shipsfor you to consider, aside from those thatmade our list. It is our hope that theinformation you gain from our publication, thenew ships about to enter service and from yourown exploratory nature, that we will be addingmany new ships to our survey in 2013. Pleasekeep those report cards coming in!
Seven Seas Voyager Photo Courtesy of Regent Seven Seas Cruises
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PREVIOUS“SHIP OF THE YEAR”
WINNERSOceania Marina.................................2012Nieuw Amsterdam ..............................2011Celebrity Solstice ...............................2010Seven Seas Voyager ...........................2009Crystal Serenity ................................2008Seven Seas Voyager ..........................2007Rotterdam VI .....................................2006Seven Seas Voyager ..........................2005Crystal Symphony ..............................2004Seven Seas Mariner ...........................2003Amsterdam .........................................2002Crystal Symphony .............................2001Rotterdam VI .....................................2000Rotterdam VI......................................1999Veendam.............................................1998Crystal Harmony ...............................1997Ryndam ..............................................1996Statendam ..........................................1995Rotterdam V .......................................1994Noordam ............................................1993Song of America.................................1992Song of America.................................1991Song of Norway .................................1990Sagafjord............................................1989Nordic Prince.....................................1988Royal Viking Sky ................................1987Song of Norway .................................1986Song of America.................................1985Sagafjord............................................1984Sagafjord............................................1983Sun Viking ..........................................1982
NEW AMERICAN QUEENENHANCEMENTS
The Super Bowl wasn’t the only big thinggoing on in New Orleans this winter. TheAmerican Queen is docked just across theriver from the site of the Big Gameundergoing some show-stopping touch-ups.On your next voyage, you will noticeshimmering gold, pearl and platinum-tonedwallpapers now grace her interior publicareas, including the majestic J.M. WhiteDining Room.
The Dining Room will also feature anelegant marble and granite entryway. NewVictorian-patterned carpeting and wallpaperprovide a luxurious setting. Seating will beupgraded to empire-style dining chairs foradded comfort and ambiance during each meal.
For those who prefer a less formal setting,you will find the Front Porch of America hasbeen upgraded with the addition of alternatedining at the Front Porch Café. Improvingservice efficiency is another focus of therenovations, so the galley is being refittedwith state-of-the-art appliances.
A new collection of artwork depictingriver scenes by Michael Blaser can be foundthroughout the halls, companionways andlobbies. Fresh paint is also being applied totrim work to complement the exquisite newwallpaper. In outside staterooms and suites,guests will find elegant mahogany plantationshutters have been added to the French doorsto maximize privacy when needed but allowa full view of the scenery as desired. Bathswill feature a new amenity collectionformulated exclusively for the AmericanQueen including shampoo, conditioner,shower gel and body lotion.
Returning and new friends of the AmericanQueen in 2013 will be overwhelmed with theimproved look and function of every aspect oflife onboard. We look forward to making morememories with you this season.
Princess Cruises has announced two previewcruises aboard the new Royal Princess, givingpassengers a unique opportunity to get a taste ofthe new ship before its official inauguralvoyage. The June 9 and June 14 cruises will sailroundtrip from Southampton on a two-nightitinerary featuring a call in St. Peter Port, on theisland of Guernsey.
Windstar Cruises announced that they willreturn to the South Pacific in the summer of 2014.Beginning May 2, 2014, Wind Spirit, the line’srecently renovated 148-passenger sailing yacht,will sail seven-day voyages from Papeete, Tahiti.Wind Spirit will sail 28 voyages in Tahiti, with thelast voyage on November 7, 2014, beforereturning to Panama and Costa Rica for the winterseason. The line’s return to the French PolynesiaIslands marks the first time Windstar has had aship sailing in Tahiti since 2002.
Disney Cruise Line hosted local port officialsand community leaders onboard the 2,700passenger Disney Wonder for a plaque exchangeceremony on January 10th. This is the first time aDisney ship will have a regional homeport insouthern Florida. Disney Cruise Line will sailfrom Miami on a variety of four- and five-nightitineraries to the Bahamas and Western Caribbean.
Holland America Line recently completed theaddition of the line’s casual Italian restaurantCanaletto and transformed the Lido Terrace intoan enclosed Wintergarden aboard ms Prinsendam.In addition to Canaletto, the 835-guestPrinsendam’s aft Lido terrace was enclosed andremodeled into a covered Wintergarden. The newarea increased the dining capacity of the Lido andprovides the venue for Canaletto.
Paul Gauguin Cruises christened its newestship, the m/v Tere Moana, in an official ceremonyheld dockside on December 29 in Marigot, St.Martin. Cruise guests, local dignitaries, and mediawere in attendance.
Princess Cruises has added several newExotics cruise options in spring 2014, givingpassengers additional vacation choices in the
popular destinations of South America and theSouth Pacific. Options include a new SouthAmerica grand adventure aboard Crown Princess,the first such voyage for the vessel and in addition,Pacific Princess will add new departures of theline’s signature Tahiti & French Polynesia cruisesplus additional Hawaii and South Pacific voyages.
Carnival Cruise Lines has revamped itsshipboard outdoor movie-viewing experience tofeature theme nights, custom-made movie trailers,branded popcorn boxes and more. Dubbed Dive-In Movies, the open-air theater experience is partof the line’s extensive “Fun Ship 2.0” productenhancement initiative that is being rolled outacross the fleet.
In August 2013, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises will beoffering a Northwest Passage itinerary on the only5-star expedition vessel in the world, theHanseatic. The cruise will be guaranteedbilingual, departing Kangerlussuaq, Greenland onAugust 16, 2013 for a 24-days voyage starting inGreenland and cruising north of the Arctic Circleand ending in Nome, Alaska on September 9.
Celebrity Cruises announced this week thatthey have joined forces with the music companyBillboard to launch a series of innovative, modernluxury musical programs onboard. Based onBillboard’s exclusive charts that track today’shottest songs and artists, a trivia series, newmusically focused game shows and themed partieswill offer guests fun and exciting entertainmentexperiences across the fleet, with a chance to winBillboard prizes.
Carnival Sunshine has been selected as thevenue for the seventh annual “John HealdBloggers Cruise,” which brings together fans ofthe senior cruise director’s popular blog(www.johnhealdsblog.com) for a week’s worth offun activities, exclusive giveaways andunforgettable memories. Bloggers Cruise 7 onCarnival Sunshine sails round-trip from NewOrleans February 16-23, 2014, visiting thestunning Caribbean destinations of Montego Bay,Jamaica; Mahogany Bay, Isla Roatan; Belize City,Belize; and Cozumel, Mexico.
