Conde Nast Traveler Awards - If You Didn't Believe They Were A Joke Before, You Will Now!

For years I have noted, complained and even ranted that the Conde Naste awards were worthless "awards" which were nothing more than the result of the explicit stuffing of the ballot boxes with the knowing consent of Conde Nast Traveler Magazine. This year it makes the elections in Iran and Afghanistan seem legitimate.

The results for the for Best Small Ship Cruise Line:

1. Sea Cloud 2. Yachts of Seabourn 3. Regent Seven Seas

I pause and ask, "How many of you have even heard of Sea Cloud?" and then I ask, "How many of you know that this very small line has two sailing ships and two river boats?" I am not saying Sea Cloud is not a good product, but if the votes are from those that have actually sailed on the line, one must wonder...seriously wonder. Each ship carries no more than 64 passengers.

So, I must ask, "Who voted and how many times?"

But then I got to wondering, "Where the heck is SeaDream Yacht Club?" "Where is Silversea?"

And then I pondered, "How does Regent Seven Seas qualify as a 'Small Ship Cruise Line'?"

I could go on...but why should the facts get in the way of a sham. What a shame. Heck, aren't the three best hotels in Hawaii all Four Seasons?????????????????

Regent Seven Seas Dress Code Downgrade - Relying on Cruise Critic: A Mere Ploy. But What Is the Value Of It All?

When Regent Seven Seas Cruises posted a poll on Cruise Critic seeking out preferences as to dress code I smirked.  I "knew" the decision has already been made to go casual.  That poll was, to be sure, more like a lawyer looking for support for a position than a scientist looking for data.  And, alas, any good lawyer knows to never ask a question if you don't already know the answer.

Let me explain:  Cruise Critic may be the largest community for cruisers in the world, but it represents far less than one (1%) of the cruising population.  Just take a look at the poll itself.  As of today there were only 443 votes...less than the number of guests found on the Voyager or Mariner at any time (even including if occupancy is little more then half full)...and about what you might find on the Navigator.  So there can be 1,850+ guests (plus 3rd and 4ths) on three ships at any time. Then consider that the poll was conducted and the decision decided in little over a month; so figure conservatively 3 voyages x 1,850 guests = 5,550 guests stays in the month.  The poll represents less than 1% of the sailing guests over that brief period.

But it is actually less relevant than that.  Why?  First, because there is no way to know that everyone that voted has (a) actually sailed on Regent; and, (b) actually has any intention of sailing on Regent in the relevant future.  And I am sure there are those with multiple sign-ins.

Of course the biggest reason to question the 66% in favor of a "causal only" dress code is because the demographics of who even knows about Cruise Critic vs. those that only lurk vs. those that actually post vs. those that actually cruise on Regent essentially renders the statistical validity of the query worthless.  (Of course it also seeks to justify offending 34% of the CC voters who want formal nights...and in this market offending such a large population is generally avoided at all costs.)

And then, of course, is the announcement on Cruise Critic by Mark Conroy, President of Regent.  He states, in part, "Most importantly, the recent poll on Cruise Critic showed that the majority of current guests and those that are considering sailing with us support a slightly less formal dress code – two thirds of those who voted are in favor of an Elegant Casual evening dress code."  Wait a minute, 293 people voting on Cruise Critic are the "most important" factor in making the decision.  Sorry, I am not drinking that Kool-aid.

By now you must be wondering, why all the statistical mumbo-jumbo.  Because the "justification" comments are just silly.  If Regent really wanted to know what its guests thought, they already knew what to do:  Have some focus groups onboard and in local events (like they did when designing the now abandoned new ship) or have a brief telephone poll.

Please understand that I am not protesting the Regent decision.  I think it is part of a plan that is long over due...and, for what it is worth, I support it.  I think Regent is quickly becoming an inclusive Oceania-type product and that result will be many more happy guests, less frustrations for management and guests, and a much easier time marketing an actually achievable product to an audience that is very receptive to "free" being a better thing than "value".

While there are less and less people that compare Seabourn and Regent (due to the change in product), a July 10, 2010 11 night cruise on the 700 passenger Mariner departing from Rome starts at $8,060 per person (or $732 per day) per person.  A July 3, 2010 14 night cruise on the 200 guest Seabourn Legend departing from Rome in a French balcony suite starts at $8,549 (or $610 per day) per person. So for the 11 days a guest is paying $1,342 more for the Regent cruise (11 days x $122 per day higher rate).  Right now the airfare for those cruises, booked privately, is under $1,000.  Throw in a couple of "free" tours and you are essentially paying the same price for the Regent cruise as you are the Seabourn cruise.

Remember, though, on Seabourn you are on small ship with higher level of personalized service, a finer level of cuisine, a more refined cruise experience (of course, with formal nights), no lines and access to smaller ports and/or locations in town rather than being bussed to it.

Now does that mean that you should book Seabourn over Regent?  No!  It means that you now have two decidedly different products to choose from. Just don't think because Regent says things are "Free, Free, Free, Free" there is actually any "value" in excess of what, for example, Seabourn offers.

As a travel agent I am thrilled that there is now a defined difference.  I feel far more comfortable selling Regent because it is making it known what it really is all about.  Please, though, do us all one last favor (and I promise I won't ask for much more):  Try to just be straight with us.  Say, "Regent has decided to modify its product (and target market)...and don't do silly things like say 293 Cruise Critic posters (whether they have ever sailed on Regent or not) decided it.

Now, there are "values" out there.  Folks, now is a great time to relearn the differences between the cruise lines,  decide which flavor you prefer and book!

Costa Atlantica - Thoughts After a Ship Inspection and Why Itineraries Can Matter

I preface this post by noting that Costa makes no claim that it is a luxury cruise line.  In fact, Costa makes no claim that it is a "North American" cruise line.  Rather it is, by history and design, a European cruise line...whatever that means. (For example, all Costa ships use the Euro as onboard currency except when cruising the Caribbean, where the dollar rules.  And North Americans will be in a significant minority on any Costa cruise....which can be a very interesting and enjoyable thing.)

The 2,000+ passenger Costa Atlantica has been in New York for a few days and I took the opportunity to, for the first time, set foot on a Costa ship.  This nine year old vessel is fairly well maintained, but to me it just had the feel of visiting someone's grandmother's house:  Dated styling, a bit darker, a little worn and just a bit uncomfortable.  However, I quickly note that there are many people that like that sort of stuff.  Just not me and no when I am cruising.  (Compare, for example, the Seabourn triplets - which are much older.  They have a more modern, brighter, style.)

Little touches like sparing use of Euro-style cocktail napkins (about 30% of the size and half the quality of the American type),  plastic coffee mugs and dishes in the buffet (like child-type plastic; not melamine), spartan cabin amenities, etc. are either of no moment or, for me, things that would grate on me as my cruise went on.

The main dining room was ordinary and, in fact, lacked even proper linens on the tables, with short rose colored table cloths reminiscent of an informal European café instead.  Large bottles of balsamic vinegar were permanently stationed on the tables.  Strangely, we were not given lunch, so I can't really comment on service or food quality (thought I do have some observations about same in other areas). 

The casual dining/buffet area was actually far more attractive with many nooks and booths to have a more private dining experience in .  The buffets, mirrored on port and starboard, were not large.  (As it was a turnaround day and very few guests were onboard, the offerings were minimal...but what was there was very ordinary.)  I think I would actually enjoy dining in this area rather than the main dining room in the evenings - though its food offerings might change that.  (Costa is known of lively themes and entertainment during dinner...another miss for me.)

The cabins, as I mentioned, are very basic, though some travel agents who specialize in Carnival thought they were very nice.  Lots of light rose color (flesh-tone) with virtually no artwork and old televisions, a small desk and small sofa.  There was nice storage, both hanging and drawer space.  The standard bathrooms were tough, with that sort of bluish fiberglass feel and ugly fluorescent lighting with a shower that was really part of the room (separated by a curtain and a water dam on the floor).  There were a few "suites", though I really don't think any of them were worthy of that moniker...and some just had a very strange layout (as if someone wanted to create a suite atmosphere out of a large cabin...so 20% of the space was lost to otherwise unnecessary walls.) 

The main and secondary show lounges both had very low ceilings which cut off views of the stage.  It was very uncomfortable for me to sit in those areas.  The feeling was one of "it functions", not grandeur or even being special.

After our ship's tour we were taken to the secondary show lounge on Deck 1.  There we were met by waiters holding large rectangular trays with virgin versions of various umbrella drinks.  This was followed by waiters passing a variety of four different canapés.  Unfortunately they were as cold as the drinks and at least half the time no cocktail napkins were offered.  As time went on waiters would come around and take away the glasses, but never removed any of the other items (used toothpicks, orange rinds, cocktail napkins, etc.)  So over the course of the hour we sat there - with no lunch - some people had nice little stacks of garbage...which the waiters would shuffle glasses around.

Remembering that I was just on the Celebrity Equinox for 13 days, I could not help but make comparisons.  But before doing so, it would only be fair to compare the prices.  Costa works pretty much on 7 day cruises while Celebrity European cruises tend to be longer.  I took an August 2010 cruise out of Civitavecchia for comparison.  Seven days on Costa in a balcony runs about $1,929 per person ($275 per day) and ten days on Celebrity runs about $2,549 per person ($255 per day).  That is what really hit me.

Celebrity Equinox is a state of the art ship that has five or more dining venues with very good food and service, great cabins and bathrooms, true suites if you want them, open soaring spaces, and lots of innovations.  While Costa's newer ships do have a number of improvements that make up some of the differences, the Celebrity Millennium class ships are the same age as the Costa Atlantica and they also have so many advantages, from cabins to public spaces, from cuisine to service.

So why would you cruise on Costa:  Itineraries.  Costa has some of the most interesting and unique itineraries out there.  Costa sails pretty much anywhere.  Mauritius, Africa, Middle East, Libya, etc.  Many places that other cruise lines simply do to go to.  Would I take a Costa cruise if the itinerary was perfect?  I am not sure.  Would others?  With over 60% of the Italian market and about 40% of the European market, the answer is a resounding, "Yes".

 

Regent Seven Seas - Upscale But Not Luxury...Its In The New Dress Code

Like its sister brand, Regent Seven Seas is going casual.  Gone are formal nights for any cruise less than 16 days.  In other words, other than World Cruise and World Cruise Segments, formal nights will be a rarity.

This is the language used by Regent when making the announcement.  Read it carefully:

Effective with the 2009/2010 New Year's cruises, guests are respectfully requested to adhere to the following guidelines:


Daytime Dress Code (until 6 p.m.) - During the day, resort style clothing (including shorts, warm-up suits, jeans and sneakers) is acceptable in all public areas. Bare feet are acceptable only on the Pool Deck. Note: Bathing suits, while acceptable at the Pool Bar and Grill, are not considered appropriate in any indoor venue.

Evening Dress Code (after 6 p.m.) - Two types of dress code have been established for evenings in public areas: Elegant Casual and Formal Optional. The number of Formal Optional nights is dependent upon the length of the cruise, as follows:


• Cruises of fifteen nights or less will be Elegant Casual for the duration
• Cruises of sixteen nights or more will have two Formal Optional nights


Elegant Casual: Skirt, or slacks (no jeans) with blouse or sweater, pant suit or dress for ladies; slacks (no jeans) and collared shirt for gentlemen. Sport jackets are optional. Note: Jeans, T-shirts, baseball caps, shorts, sneakers and bathrobes are not considered appropriate in any public area after 6 p.m.


Formal Optional: While guests are welcome to dress each evening as per the Elegant Casual dress code, during Formal Optional evenings, guests may opt for a more formal choice of clothing including gowns and cocktail dresses for ladies; tuxedos, dinner jackets or dark suit with tie for gentlemen.

The first thing I did when I read this was pause at the instructions regarding bare feet.  Are there really that many people that cruise Regent that need to be instructed that bare feet are not acceptable other than at the pool?

Then I read the repeated use of the term "jeans".  Once again, I paused and wondered from where did the issue of wearing jeans become an issue on a luxury line?

It was then time to read about bathrobes not being acceptable in the public areas in the evenings, but only bathing suits are not acceptable at indoor venues at any time.  So I pondered, where would one where a appropriately wear a bathrobe when inside the ship?

All of this leads me to be wonder who it is these rules are focused on addressing.  The rules themselves are fair enough and I know there are many that will applaud the "no formal nights" policy, but I do wonder about the need and focus on rather questionable practices...questionable on most all cruise lines. 

BTW, I am aware there are already disputes and discussion about whether a tennis or polo shirt qualifies as a collared shirt.  And, as I have written and cautioned about before, the "slippery slope" has now been stepped onto. 

So with FREE air,  FREE drinks, FREE gratuities, FREE tours and an explicit NO JEANS and NO FORMAL NIGHTS policy, I have to ask myself what the heck happened to the philosophy that luxury travelers seek value and style?  I believe the answer is that Regent is abandoning its desire to focus on luxury, but rather is focusing on providing an upscale experience.  You know, like it sister Oceania does.

And if you think I am being negative, I am not. I believe that is exactly the market Regent should be focused on.  It is a market they can exceed the expectations of...and Regent can stop spinning its wheels trying to be that which it is not. 

Now, if Regent would only bring its pricing down a bit. 

We Love to Cruise. We Love Fish. Shark Free Marinas May Help Protect Both

Many of you may not know that I have an honor's degree in Biology with a focus on Marine Biology.  Born on the Jersey Shore (the oceanfront in New Jersey) and as a former biological aid for the National Marine Fisheries Service, I have lived my life loving the oceans and its marine life.

During the recent Goldring Travel Food & Wine Cruise I was blessed with the opportunity to visit the Fonda aquaculture farm in Slovenia and was thrilled to see it being done right.  It was clean, high quality and run by people that cared.

But the real highlight was seeing a small sea turtle...something not even the owners had ever seen at their farm.  Sea turtles used to be fairly common, but overfishing, habitat destruction and pollution have decimated their populations.  What was once a common sight has become a very rare opportunity...and an occurrence which is as sad as it is happy.

Yesterday I was made aware of an organization called Shark Free Marinas (http://www.sharkfreemarinas.com/) which encourages marinas to prohibit the landing of sharks in an effort to have shark fisherman engage in a "catch and release" program similar to what is now mandated for billfish, such as marlin and sailfish.  Check out their short video:

You can read more about the horrific over- and wasteful, shark fishing, and lend additional support, at the Cousteau Society's Shark and Ray Project.

We love to cruise and enjoy exotic foods, but the next time you are in Asia (or an Asian restaurant) and say, "You know I have never tried (or I Love) shark fin soup or a shark steak", please ask yourself if your few moments of individual pleasure is really worth it. 

And, without being too preachy, remember that the excuses that "Well it is already dead" and "It is only one" only encourage the the shark fisherman to kill another one...It is only one more, right?

Seabourn Cancels 2010-2011 Africa Cruises: Pirates and the Caribbean

Unfortunately, Seabourn has cancelled the Seabourn Legend's late 2010 and 2011 cruises in the Indian Ocean due to continued concerns over piracy.  While the ports are safe, it is the travel from port to port that is the issue.  Seabourn has restated its commitment to providing luxury cruising opportunities in Africa and the surrounding areas, but until the piracy situation is brought under better control it simply is not viable.

What will be a great disappointment for the luxury traveler looking for exotic destinations will be a boon for those looking for a convenient luxury experience in the Caribbean.  The Seabourn Legend will be hosting a number of cruises out of Ft. Lauderdale and St. Thomas; some with extended itineraries.

For those looking for exotic alternatives, in November 2010 the Seabourn Spirit will reposition from the Mediterranean to Asia transiting the Suez Canal and making port calls in Egypt, Oman and Dubai.   Thereafter she will head to India, Thailand and Malaysia and base in Singapore to begin a season of cruises visiting Bali, Borneo and the islands of the Java, Flores and Savu seas with a few cruises reaching as far south as Darwin and Cairns, Australia. 

Seabourn Pride's focus on Asia year-round will not change and the Seabourn Odyssey will make a maiden circumnavigation of South America in early 2011.

Seabourn Spirit 2009 Food & Wine Cruise - Some Final Thoughts

The Goldring Travel 2009 Food & Wine Cruise had a number of moments that made this cruise something truly special, even as compared to the normal, excellent experience, one has on Seabourn. Each suite was provided with a host of no-cost extras:


1. A travel book on the cruise area;

2. A culinary book focused on the cruise area;

3. An exceptional walking wine and food tour in Venice, Italy before the cruise;

4. A private galley tour with a special wine and caviar;

5. A private trip to the Fonda aquaculture farm in Slovenia;

6. A high quality wine tasting (5 wines and a grappa) at Santomas winery in Slovenia; and,

7. My being available to deal with whatever issues come up along the way whether it be how to cost-effectively get from the ship to the airport in Venice or making last minute arrangements for an extended stay in Venice when the city was effectively “sold out” to, say, finding a little place to enjoy an espresso or a couple of bottles of wine.

I am pleased that each of these provided my group with some real added value, both economically and experientially.

One thing that really stood out for me was that, unlike what I am reading more about on other cruise lines (such as Regent Seven Seas), there was absolutely no sense of a particular waiter or bartender being “the best”, but rather there was a desire to enjoy the styles and personalities of every waiter and bartender, purser and stewardess. Each person mentioned they loved Arnold or Hein, David or Heidi, Leigh or Jeremy, but there was never a concern that there would be a drop in service…It simply never happened. And from Captain to Hotel Manager to Chef, the Seabourn senior officers were omnipresent.

Another thing I appreciated was the cuisine was consistently excellent. There was almost nothing that was just OK. In reality, “excellent” was the norm and “very good” was the exception. I did notice a significant difference in variety between the Seabourn Spirit and the Seabourn Odyssey in the casual dining area. While I always found something to my liking, there is no question that from presentation to methods of cooking, the smaller yachts have their limitations…but Seabourn has a way of working with them so that the culinary product is merely different, not of lesser quality.

I started the cruise with a designed and concentrated effort to utilize Seabourn’s tours. The concept, for me, failed miserably. The first tour was a struggle (especially having to be compared with our Venetian Wine Walk the day before), the second tour was cancelled due to Shopping With The Chef, the third was cancelled due to a lack of interest, the fourth was a wonderful wine tasting overshadowed by a overwhelming guide and local music and, by then, I just couldn’t be bothered with the fifth, so I did my own thing…and found a little bit of heaven.

While I enjoy learning more about the history of a port and seeing more of its countryside than can usually be accomplished without a tour or guide, for me, personally, focusing on wandering the town and finding that special restaurant or shop or scene or person is just more of what I prefer my travel to be. Such an approach is unnerving and/or unfulfilling for some, but alas that is why they make chocolate and vanilla ice cream. And I do enjoy both, but definitely have more vanilla than chocolate. In other words, I am not “anti-tour” I just think I need to be very selective in what they are.

All in all, the 2009 Goldring Travel Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Spirit was a great success. We enjoyed many different wines and while the foods were not nearly as varied as in the past, they were very much enjoyed…especially the fish. Most importantly, as we explored four countries in seven days, we had fun. We had lots of fun.

It was “The Best”!