Joanandjoe

I think the idea is to upgrade the ships, so that they live up to the standard of the ultra-classy Regent hotel chain. As you say, time will tell. The product (i.e., RSSC) is already outstanding.

Radisson Seven Seas Cruises, in a move that has been rumored for years, has finally announced it will change the name of the cruise line to Regent Seven Seas Cruises (nicely, the RSSC abbreviation still works as does the www.RSSC.com website). In a "fleet christening" ceremony held today at New York's Asia Society, Marilyn Carlson Nelson, the chairman and CEO of Carlson, RSSC's parent company, made the announcement and then waved a bejeweled wand and pronounced the cruise line's name change. It doesn't actually go into effect onboard until Wednesday, March 8 and ships' smokestacks will get the new logo this spring. Carlson, which launched RSSC in 1992 by combining Seven Seas Cruises' Song of Flower with Radisson's Diamond (both ships have since retired from the fleet), picked up the luxury-oriented Regent Hotels five years later. The crux for the company has long been that the cruise line, which pioneered many of today's most significant luxury accouterments, from all-outside staterooms to all-balcony suites to butler and concierge services, is upscale while Carlson's Radisson Hotels, which share the name, are resolutely mass market. The small-but-growing Regent chain of hotels, with properties in places like Shanghai, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Taipei, Berlin, Zagreb and Beverly Hills (and with nine new builds on the way) seemed a better fit. The name change itself won't mean much to passengers once they get used to it. But more significant evolutionary features were announced today as well. For one, the fleet of four ships will, throughout the next 18 months, receive significant upgrades that include wireless capabilities (and improved computer connections), new bedding that will feature down comforters and Egyptian cotton linens, and Regent-branded bathroom amenities. Staterooms will all get flat screen televisions, DVD players and new clocks. Higher end suites receive as well iPod music systems (with Bose speakers). And cell phone access will be available even at sea. What was intriguing even more than the upgrades which, let's face it, all luxury lines (and even most mass market ones) have to offer to compete was the fact that the company is hoping to wrap around this new name a new philosophy onboard. The aim of course is to distinguish it from competitors such as Seabourn, SeaDream and Silversea. "Our intent is to go far beyond simply renaming the ships," Nelson said. "We are redefining luxury and what it means in today's world." In her new definition, based on focus group-style research with RSSC passengers, Nelson described today's luxury using four keywords: "choice," "exclusive access," "intimate ambience," and "personalized experiences". This, she noted, "is this generation's definition of luxury." "It's not about where you've been," Nelson said, "but about what you've experienced there." Beyond that she addressed the issue of RSSC's goal to provide the highest level of service, describing the Regent philosophy as it applied to its service staffers as "to hear without being told, to see without being shown, and to know without being asked. That's the Tao of Regent." Which is a bit interesting because, at the food-stingy lunch-hour reception following the presentation, several of us who requested diet Cokes were told "sorry, you can only have wine, champagne, Perrier" or some kind of exotic juice. The most interesting part of the new philosophy, part of which is already in place with cruising's first dedicated travel concierges onboard each ship, is the line's commitment not only to its Circles of Interest enrichment programs but also its efforts to provide customized sightseeing while in port, no matter how small the group. While soft furnishings additions will take place over an 18-month period onboard RSSC's four ships -- Mariner, Navigator, Voyager and Paul Gauguin -- physical adaptations will begin with Seven Seas Mariner on April 18 (and then occur as vessels go into regularly scheduled drydock sessions). _________________________ Now if only we can find the right cruise on Regent. We loved the Seven Seas Navigator, and would sail again on Regent in an eyeblink if we find the right date, price, and itinerary. Joe

Have a great crusie! Smooth seas!

I was once on line behind Jim Henson, while waiting for a plane from London to NYC. Our jazz cruise last September was loaded with jazz greats, most notably Bucky Pizzarelli, whom we kept running into off the ship. As people from the New York area, we've learned to be blase about celebrity sightings. Years ago, Joan was next to Dave Winfield while waiting on line at the bank. A real Mutt and Jeff scenario: 6' 5" Winfield and 5' 0" Joan. No big deal: Dave lived in town and was a founder of the bank. Lots of pro athletes live in our town, and have done so since Elston Howard moved in 45 years ago. Running into them happens quite a few times each year. Our kids learned long ago not to ask for autographs from Bob McGrath (from Sesame St.), another town resident. Similarly, the New York thing to do about celebrities encountered on the street, whether Jackie Mason, Peter Jennings (both of whom I've seen), or famous athletes, actors and actresses, is to ignore them and give them their privacy. After all, they work here too!

We've been checking CDC scores since our first cruise in 1998. However, you don't want to poke into this too much, since even ships with a 95 or higher rating have a few things wrong. (Read the reports on a ship with a high rating, and you'll see what we mean.) Basically, what the scores demonstrate is that the ship is at least making a stong effort to comply with sanitation laws.

Bon voyage (or the Italian equivalent). Since most of us sail on U.S. cruise ships, it will be interesting to see how much you enjoy sailing on an Italian ship.

Soory, Joey, but that last sentence doesn't make sense. We may want to have cell phone capacity in case of emergencies; but it's not compatable with rest and relaxation.

FEMA's motto must be "semper imparatis" (always unready) or "semper infidelis" (always unfaithful, in contrast to the Marine motto of semper fidelis, always faithful). It's no surprise that the six month contract with Carnival has run out, and there are only a few hundred people involved. FEMA should have found these workers alternative lodging by now.

There is problably no state politician about whom we are more skeptical than Jeb Bush. Nonetheless, I'd be surprised if he has done anything wrong, under current ethical standards. ALL politicians push projects that are most favorable to their state and their donors, with especialy big pushes for business that are in state and donors. Should this be OK? Probably not; but if big donors didn't get some favors, why would they donate? There obviously is a thin line between proper politics and bribery.

Welcome to Cruise Crazies, Colorado Sweetheart. All of the suggestions have been good, but they don't really get into WHY it's usually worth extra money (if necessary) to use a Travel Agent (TA) for your first cruise. Once you have a general idea of dates and places for the cruise, you need to choose a cruise line. Here there are many variables, such as: size of ship, size of cabins, flexibilty of dining (some people like fixed times and places, others like to be able to choose times and places each meal), degree of luxury, age group of fellow passengers, activity level onboard (ranges from "party" to "dignified", with everything in between), etc. It sounds complicated, but it isn't. If you have a TA who knows you, he or she can steer you in the right direction. Example. W're both around sixty, spend more time in our cabins than most people, are not night owls, hate glitz, don't like crowds, and prefer a genteel atmosphere. For us, Holland America and Celebrity are the most appropraite mainstream cruise lines, and we'll go upscale to that when we get a good price. If our 31 year old son tried a cruise (which he hasn't yet done), he'd want a high activity level, lots of late night activities, and an active atmosphere. He probably wouldn't spend much time in his cabin, so cabin size would be less important to him than to us. He might enjoy Carnival or Royal Caribbean, with Princess also possible.

Wilkommen! Bienvenue! Welcome! We were glad to see your first posts on how to get started cruising, and hope you'll be an active member of our boards.

We were on the Horizon in 11/03. We assumed that improvement was still needed because of postings on another CC board on which we both participate to the effect that rooms were being upgraded, and needed it. Other Celebrity posters cite the HAL beds as one area in which HAL is better than Celebrity. We'll see on on 5/13 Zenith cruise.

We've sailed on three of the five lines mentioned in the article: HAL, Windstar, and Radisson. We haven't sailed on HAL since the new mattresses were introduced (although we'll be on the Noordam in November); but we've heard great things about the mattresses. As for Windstar and Radisson, there's some truth to the comments that "we're so tired we hardly notice"; but the mattresses did need improvement. The worst mattresses we've encountered, however, were on Celebrity. We understand they're being upgraded. Let's hope so!

Welcome to Cruise Crazies, HollyGoheavy. We assume you're a fan of "Breakfast at Tiffany's". Nice play on the name of the heroine, Holly Golightly! LOL.

Several of our members (but not us) will be sailing on the new Freedom of the Seas. Here is an article from another board about the woman chosen as "godmother" for the ship. February 21, 2006 Royal Caribbean Selects "Freedom" Godmother <] Royal Caribbean, which has, in conjunction with NBC-TV's "The Today Show," been conducting a contest for best "real" godmother, has selected Portland's Katherine Louise Calder. Actually, Calder, a foster mother to some 400 children over the years, was chosen by popular vote -- 171,000 viewers of "Today" weighed in as Royal Caribbean sought a godmother who was an extraordinary "ordinary" woman. As godmother, Calder will participate in the ship's christening ceremony in New York on May 12 (which will be aired live on "Today"). Over the last 27 years, Calder has been a foster care provider for hundreds of special needs children, as well as an adoption advocate in the Portland area. Calder was one of three finalists in the competition. All three received a gift of $25,000 to their favorite charity from Royal Caribbean. The winner received the news this morning when a "Today" correspondent showed up at her home at about 5:30 a.m. (8:30 a.m. Eastern) to surprise Calder -- who opened the door with a foster baby in her arms -- with the news.

We've considered river barge tours, but the price has always been too high, and we've been unable to come up with a group of the right size. We would comment on the "very interesting offer", but we can't find it on the web site. We note that this is your first posting on Cruise Crazies. Welcome to our friendly boards!

May you and this crazy board make beautiful music together!

Welcome, Stur. We've had mini-suites on the Rotterdam, Horizon suites on the Horizon, and a suite (all rooms are called suites on Radisson) on the Radisson Seven Seas Navigator. We have an SA suite booked on the Noordam in November, and Concierge Class booked on the Zenith in May. We're not sure what you mean by a "true" suite", but we've certainly enjoyed the extra space on service in the suites we've had.

Welcome to this crazy board. Feel free to contibute often!

I'll be sailing on the new HAL Noordam in November, but I wasn't a sufficiently "elite" HAL Mariner to merit a tour of the ship or a meal while the ship is in port in NYC. The ship leaves on its maiden voyage on Wednesday, 2/22. I decided to view the ship from across the river in NJ, so I drove to a spot on top of the cliffs, directly opposite the docks. I then drove to two spots right on the water, the ferry dock and a codo development. I took a whole roll of pictures. What impressed me was the difference between the sleek, ocean liner lines of the old Noordam (on which we took our first cruise in 1998) and the blocky lines of the new Noordam. The old ship looked like a ship, the new one like a floating hotel. The reason, of course, is all the balcony rooms. They make for lovely sailing, but not a lovely appearance. Has anyone else either seen the Noordam or (lucky you) been onboard? If so, please share your impressions. Joe

13 right. Could have been worse.

We know how you feel about your honeymoon spot. We've sent an email to our honeymoon hotel, The Reefs, but haven't heard back from them. How much does Elbow Beach charge for letting you use their beach?

This isn't surprisong, but it's certainly a bad trend. Once RCCL ordered one 2,885 PAX monster, with an option for a second, those of us who enjoy Celebrity knew that the days of the medium size ship were fading. A pity, in our opinion, and not good news.

Sounds like fun, especially if the hints are buried in pink sand or at the Swizzle Inn. LOL. :cool:

Based on a posting from Hamster, we've just found out that your cruise is to Bermuda. We'll be sailing to Bermuda on the Zenith on 5/13. In addition to posting your impressions of the new ship, don't forget to give us suggestions regarding what to do in Bermuda. Thanks.