coloradocruisers

Thanks for the "Chat" last night!

R

I thought this article had a bit of a negative slant, on something I saw as a positive. So I looked up the author, who wrote : Scammed: How to Save Your Money and Find Better Service in a World of Schemes, Swindles, and Shady Deals (Wiley), a manifesto for empowering consumers and encouraging corporate responsibility. So, in other words, it's his job to provide the negative side of corporate decisions. What caught my eye in the article was this excerpt: "But here’s what we have: a promise by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) to add a list of “rights” to its ticket contracts, the legal agreement between passengers and the cruise line. These include the right to leave a docked ship if it can’t provide essentials such as food, water, bathroom facilities and medical care; the right to a full refund for a trip canceled because of mechanical failures, or a partial refund if a trip is cut short for the same reason; and the right to timely updates about any changes in a ship’s itinerary caused by a mechanical failure or an emergency. None of these rights are new. Instead, they codify 'many longstanding practices of CLIA,' according to Christine Duffy, the organization’s chief executive." My bolding. So, I still see this as a step in the right direction.

Have fun Ray!

Good for you. Did you need a spoon full of sugar?

Great photos, especially the piazza.

We still take lots of photos and videos. Great way to bring back the memories.

Here's the article I was referring to: http://www.cruisecrazies.com/forums/topic/48902-mediterranean-cruise-market-growing-steadily-whos-cruised-the-med/?hl=mediterranean But I also found another one indicating that Princess was backing down from the Mediterranean: http://www.cruisecrazies.com/index.html/_/cruise-news/princess-cruises-cruise-news/princess-to-send-fewer-ships-to-europe-in-2014-any-guesses-why-r825

John, I thought that there was an article awhile back (this year) that indicated an increase in Med itineraries. Have things changed that quickly, or is it just certain lines that are increasing their focus on the Med, while overall travel is down?

Good thread, Shari. I'll be following the comments as well.

Thanks John. That makes sense. But I would imagine that there are fewer port calls to other Eastern Caribbean islands as well; not just the Virgin Islands.

Good article Jan. It's always nice to have something to look forward too, in addition to the good memories from your last trip.

I'm glad you were able to escape the heat, Dee. I hope the mild weather holds out for your voyage north.

But now I want to know why the cruiselines are making fewer calls to the VI. The article doesn't say, but I'm thinking it has to be either port fees or safety concerns. Does anyone know? We love stopping at St Thomas.