Leading By Example

 James Deering aboard Crown Princess in 2007.

Photo © Aaron Saunders

While the news this past weekend has focused mainly on Cunard's forthcoming Queen Elizabeth, it was refreshing to see a good friend of mine also made the headlines.

The Japan Times recently ran an in-depth article on James Deering, one of the most capable and skilled Hotel Managers in the cruise industry.  For the past sixteen years, James has worked in an astonishing array of roles aboard thirty ships and has literally visited almost every corner of the world.  How he got to this point - managing cruise ships with enormous passenger counts - is equally fascinating.

I first met James when he was Hotel Manager aboard Holland America Line's Oosterdam.  While there are many hard-working, eternally capable individuals employed on today's cruise ships, James takes things one step further: you'll never find him hiding in his office.  Instead, he's out and about, checking on his passengers and crew and ensuring things run smoothly.  With 3,000-plus passengers, it's no easy task.  Yet, James does it in a way that looks effortless.

He's also a wealth of knowledge on just about any subject you can put to him.  Really. It's just impossible to stump the man. 

Since that first meeting aboard the Oosterdam I've had the privilege (and, frankly, good luck) to have sailed twice with James during his stint at Princess aboard Crown Princess.  This October, Holland America fans have reason to rejoice as he returns to the line, this time as Hotel Manager aboard Noordam after a well-deserved year off in Tokyo, where he and his wife call home.

Personally, I admire his calm demeanor and the way he leads by example.  More than once, I've seen him multitask in ways many simply couldn't be bothered to do.  While leading us on a small tour once, another employee was struggling to lift a heavy pallet over a fire door jamb.  Without missing a beat, James picked up the other end and helped the crew member with his work.  In a world where so many  seem content to do the bare minimum, it's refreshing - and inspiring.

If you've had the good fortune to sail with James Deering, chances are you already know this.  If you haven't, you're missing out.

Holland America and its passengers alike certainly have reason to look forward to his return to the venerable line.

FTDC Will Return Tomorrow

We've just returned from a twelve-hour road trip to visit family, and while the trip was a success, we're taking the day off in an effort to rid our minds of weaving mountain passes and endless miles of asphalt.

From the Deck Chair will return tomorrow, Wednesday October 13th, with an all-new series of articles.  Stay tuned!

Port Profile: Southampton, England

The beautiful streets of Southampton, England.
Photo © Aaron Saunders

Located alongside the River Test, just a ninety-minute drive from London's Heathrow Airport lies the beautiful port city of Southampton, England.  Famous as the embarkation port of the RMS Titanic, Southampton has a long tradition of seafaring that continues to this day.  Each year, Southampton plays host to the most cruise ship calls in the United Kingdom and offers cruises year-round onboard Cunard, P&O and even Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas.

P&O's Artemis sailing down the River Test.

Photo © Aaron Saunders

Tomorrow, the city will play host to ship lovers, dignitaries and royal watchers around the world as Her Majesty the Queen journeys to the city to christen Cunard's newest liner, Queen Elizabeth. 

The Medieval Merchant's House, built in 1290.

Photo © Aaron Saunders

While much of historic Southampton was bombed during the second world war, many examples of the city's historic splendor remain.  The city's historic Bargate, some of which dates back to 1180AD, still stands - ironically not far from the very new, very modern West Quay Shopping Centre. Other notable landmarks include a Medieval Merchant's House built in 1290 that remains in a remarkable state of preservation, and a large section of the medieval wall that used to encircle the city.

Southampton's Medieval wall.  West Quay Shopping in the distance.

Photo © Aaron Saunders

In fact, old and new Southampton seem to blend seamlessly together, a city that manages to retain its historic past while remaining modern and vibrant.

This unique combination makes Southampton one of our favorite European ports of embarkation.

Currency and Language: The Pound Sterling (£) is the official currency throughout Great Britain.  The Euro (€) may be accepted at more touristy locations, but it is always better to pay in pounds. 

How to Get There: from Heathrow, the two easiest options for transportation to the city are via the National Express coach service or by hiring a private car service.  In the past, we've used Woodford Chauffeur Cars and have found them to be worth every penny, particularly after a long transatlantic flight.  The trip takes roughly 90 minutes, depending on traffic.

Where to Stay: While there are many hotels in the outlying areas around the city, two hotels are particularly well suited to the city's historic district and its cruise terminals.  The DeVere Grand Harbour is located on West Quay Road directly across from the waterfront, and within sight of the city's multiple cruise terminals.  The hotel is one of the most distinctive buildings on the waterfront, thanks to its triangular glass "atrium" overtop of the hotel's main bar and restaurant.  Located just around the corner from the DeVere is the Holiday Inn Southampton.  Slightly more economically priced than the DeVere, the Holiday Inn Southampton is still within easy walking distance of the city's main attractions.

 The DeVere Grand Harbour, Southampton.

Photo © Aaron Saunders

The Cruise Terminals: Southampton has four main cruise berths: Berth 38/39, Berth 101, Berth 106, and the new Berth 46 Ocean Terminal.  All are located in roughly the same area, and while each terminal lies within walking distance of both the DeVere and the Holiday Inn, we wouldn't recommend it unless you have minimal luggage or are up for a bit of a hike.

To determine which berth your ship will be docking at, have a look at the Port of Southampton's Cruise Ship Schedule.

To learn more about the city of Southampton, be sure to take a trip on over to the Visit Southampton website.

Focus On: Gratuities

Champagne on the high seas.

Photo ©2009 Aaron Saunders 

With the winter cruise season just kicking into high gear, many passengers are looking for that perfect getaway to trade the cold darkness for warm, sandy beaches.  While some will return to their preferred lines, the amount of excellent itineraries and fantastic deals means many cruisers will try a new cruise line this holiday season.  

In keeping with that theme, we decided to dust off the archives and pull out an article we wrote earlier this year on onboard gratuities.  Not only good to know when planning your cruise, the results might be surprising.

From the Deck Chair will return tomorrow with an all new Port Focus article.
 
In the "Old Days" - meaning not that long ago - gratuities were distributed in cash.  You received a series of envelopes on the second last evening, and had to fill each one with the required amount depending on the staff member: your room steward got one amount, your head waiter another, assistant waiter yet another, and so on.

Now, with the advent of gratuities charged directly to your onboard account, a lot of the frustration and confusion is taken out of this process; no longer do you have to worry about hitting up an ATM in your last port to ensure you have enough cash.

Where the frustration comes in now, particularly for cruisers not married to one line, is the myriad of tipping requirements for each cruise line, which can vary wildly, even changing depending on your stateroom category.

Which is why we've come up with this handy list.  You may find some of the results surprising - we know we did.

Azamara Club Cruises
In keeping with Azamara's move into more upscale territory, gratuities are now included in your cruise price.  The only exception to this is gratuities for spa staff, which will be added at 18% to your spa bill.

Carnival Cruises
$10 per guest, per day.

Celebrity Cruises
$11.50 per person, per day, for guests in regular staterooms (inside, outside, most balcony).
$12.00 per person, per day, for guests in Concierge or Aqua-class staterooms.
$15.00 per person, per day for guests in Suites.

Costa Cruises
This was easily the most difficult to find out of all the lines listed here.  So for those interested, I've provided the link here - and you'll need it to decipher the mind-boggling myriad of gratuities onboard.  Costa's gratuities are broken down depending on the geographical region of their ships:

For Caribbean sailings departing from US Ports:
$11.00 per person, per day for cruises 7 nights and under.
$7.50 per person, per day for cruises over 7 nights.
For guests 18 and under, $7.50 per person, per day for cruises 7 nights and under; $3.75 per person, per day for cruises over 7 nights.

For Caribbean sailings departing from Non-US Ports:
Euro 6.00 per person, per day for sailings under 8 nights.
Euro 5.00 per person per day for sailings over 8 nights.
For guests between the ages of 14 and 17, half the above amounts will apply.  Guests under 14 pay no service charge.

For Europe, Dubai, and Costa Marina Sailings:
Euro 6.50 per person, per day for sailings under 8 nights.
Euro 5.00 per person, per day on longer sailings.
For guests between the ages of 14 and 17, half the above amounts will apply.  Guests under 14 pay no service charge.

For Transatlantic Sailings:
Euro 5.00 per person, per day.
For guests between the ages of 14 and 17, half the above amounts will apply. Guests under 14 pay no service charge.

For South America Sailings:
$ 8.00 US per person, per day.
For guests between the ages of 14 and 17, half the above amounts will apply. Guests under 14 pay no service charge.

For Far East and Costa Allegra Sailings:
$6.00 US per person, per day.
For guests between the ages of 14 and 17, half the above amounts will apply. Guests under 14 pay no service charge.

Cunard Line
 In comparison with Costa, Cunard is positively straightforward, and can be found on page 33 of the Cunard Voyage Guide. 

$13.00 per person, per day for guests in Grills staterooms (Categories Q1 to Q7; P1 to P3)
$11.00 per person, per day for guests in Britannia Club staterooms (Category AA)
$11.00 per person, per day for guests in Britannia staterooms (includes most inside, oceanview, and balcony staterooms)

Crystal Cruises
$13.00 per guest, per day.
$18.00 per guest, per day for guests with staterooms featuring butler service.

Disney Cruise Line
$12.00 per person, per day.

Holland America Line
$11.00 per person, per day. 

Norwegian Cruise Line
$12.00 per person, per day.

Oceania Cruises
$12.50 per person, per day for guests in standard inside, oceanview, or balcony stateroom.
$16.50 per person, per day for guests in suites with butler service.

Princess Cruises
$10.50 per person, per day for guests in standard inside, oceanview, or balcony staterooms.
$11.00 per person, per day for guests in mini-suites or suites.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Gratuities are included in the cruise fare for guests sailing with Regent.

Royal Caribbean
$9.75 per person, per day for guests in standard inside, oceanview, or balcony staterooms.
$15.50 per person, per day for guests staying in suites.

The Yachts of Seabourn
Gratuities are included in the cruise fare for guests sailing with The Yachts of Seabourn.

Silversea Cruises
Gratuities are included in the cruise fare for guests sailing with Silversea.


Surprised by some of the results?  We know we were.  Royal Caribbean, for instance, has one of the least expensive daily gratuity rate for standard staterooms, but this comes on the backs of one of the highest daily rates for suites - even more than Cunard.  NCL also outdoes most of the competition by $1 per day - despite the fact many 'premium' lines like Holland America still have theirs set at $11 per guest per day. 

In short - the staff onboard each and every ship work incredibly hard to ensure you have the experience of a lifetime - but forewarned is forearmed. 

Stay tuned for more insightful articles in our new "Focus On..." series - only on From the Deck Chair.

Focus On...The Bridge

The Navigation Bridge aboard Crown Princess.

Photo © Aaron Saunders

It's the one unmistakable feature found on every cruise ship.  All the way forward rests a glass-enclosed structure that is the navigational command centre of every ship: the navigation bridge, or "the bridge" for short.  From here, every aspect of the ship is controlled, manned by a combination of officers and deckhands twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week - even when tied up in port.

But why is the bridge called "the bridge"?

In the early days of steam, ships were powered not by propellers, but by large outboard paddle wheels on either side of the ship.  These usually sat amidships, and were topped with large metal housings.  

On sailing ships, navigation usually took place at the stern for the obvious reason that it was located immediately above the rudder, and was the easiest place to install a wheel suitable for steering the ship.  But with the advent of paddle wheel technology, the large metal housings became difficult for officers to see past, not to mention the maze of rigging and masts that still cluttered deck space thanks to an inherent mistrust of steam technology.

In order to inspect the wheels - which were notorious for breaking up in even moderately heavy seas - and to allow the officers a better, unobstructed vantage point, a walkway between the two wheel casings was built on top of them: the bridge.  When screw propellers eventually replaced paddle wheels, the concept of the bridge remained, and maritime navigation was forever changed.

Cunard's RMS Campania in 1893.

Note the exposed navigation bridge 

forward of the first funnel.

Photo courtesy of the United States Library of Congress

 

On the earliest screw steamships, the bridge was a harsh environment: the area was totally exposed to the elements, and only protected by a waist-high railing meant to shield equipment more than humans.  Gradually, a small house was built around the large ship's wheel and became known as 'the wheelhouse.'

By the turn of the last century, bridges had evolved to the point where a second enclosed navigation space surrounded the telegraphs used to direct the engine room, with a separate enclosed structure for the wheelhouse.  Bridge wings extending over the port and starboard sides of the ship were still generally exposed to the elements, though the RMS Olympic and Titanic notably had sheltered partitions at the end of each wing to better protect the Officers during inclement weather.

 A view of the enclosed Starboard-side 

bridge wing aboard Mariner of the Seas.

Photo © 2010 Aaron Saunders

Today, the bridge of a modern cruise ship offers comforts sailors could only have dreamed about.  Many are fully-enclosed, meaning no part of the bridge, including its wings, is exposed to the elements.  A full set of navigation controls on each wing, coupled with a glass floor, allow officers to dock their ships with absolute precision - all with the touch of a small joystick-like control.  

The open-air starboard side bridge wing 

of Fred. Olsen's 1988-built Balmoral.

Note the officer standing next to the docking controls.

Photo © Aaron Saunders

While the vast majority of cruise ships built after the year 2000 feature fully-enclosed navigation bridges, many built before this period still feature the exposed, open-air bridge wings.  Some Officers are known to prefer this arrangement to the fully enclosed bridge, but presumably on a cool Alaska day or a sweltering Panama Canal transit, the fully enclosed bridge ensures comfort at any time or condition.  

Many ultra-luxury lines still build their ships with open wings, as it allows guests on upper decks to view the docking and undocking procedures with more 'interactivity' than a closed-bridge environment.  

The open-air bridge wing aboard Silversea's 

Silver Shadow.  Note the docking controls (covered).

Photo © 2010 Aaron Saunders

Ships and navigation may have come a long way since the first transatlantic liners plied the oceans over one hundred years ago, but the basic principles behind seafaring haven't.  The next time you look at the glass-enclosed marvel that is the navigation bridge, you can do so with the knowledge of its very humble and practical beginnings.

Alaska 2010 Debrief

 Royal Caribbean's Rhapsody of the Seas

docked at Canada Place in Vancouver, BC.

Photo © Aaron Saunders

The numbers are in for the Port of Vancouver's 2010 Alaska cruise season - and they're not encouraging.

The Vancouver Sun reports overall cruise traffic fell by a third, with only 27 ships performing 177 voyages.  In 2009, those numbers were markedly different: 35 ships completing a total of 256 voyages.  The article goes on to pin the blame squarely on the financial crisis that has gripped much of the world.

Contrary to the article, however, the recession has very little to do with the drop in vessel and passenger traffic.

The introduction of the Passenger Head Tax by the State of Alaska in 2006 sealed the fate of the 2009-10 cruise ship season long before it began. At $46 per passenger, cruise lines found the new tax tough to stomach.  That it was accompanied by almost cripplingly expensive environmental regulations didn't help matters, and the major players in Alaska started to seriously revisit their summer fleet deployment plans.

Holland America Line CEO Stein Kruse tried to succinctly describe the situation to Alaska State Governor Sean Parnell.  Under the new regulations, Holland America isn't even able to take on potable (drinking) water in some Alaskan ports because the copper content in the water - even before it reaches the ship - is more than what the line is legally allowed to discharge.

"That's how crazy it's gotten", Kruse stated in March of this year.

While the tax was substantially reduced earlier this year, other factors have been at play.  The European cruise market has seen unprecedented expansion in the last three years and continues to command top dollar fares on both Baltic and Mediterranean itineraries.  Passenger interest has also remained exceptionally high, even during the peak summer months when prices are traditionally much higher for airfare and hotels. 

The Caribbean, which had seen a marked decline in summer voyages, has also experienced something of a rebound as passengers look for warm destination options closer to home, even during the notoriously fickle hurricane season which runs from June to November.  Other Atlantic-based destinations have also seen an increase in demand, and include Bermuda and Canada & New England voyages, the majority of which are served from New York ports.

The cruise lines responded the way any fiscally responsible company would: they moved their product accordingly.

As we wrote last month, the 2011 Alaska cruise season is looking up.  Disney Cruise Line and Oceania Cruises are slated to visit the region for the very first time, and upscale line Crystal Cruises will operate their first Alaska voyages since the line left after the 2005 season.  Carnival, Celebrity, Holland America, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess, Regent, Royal Caribbean, and Silversea Cruises all return for another season, and are poised to provide the most unique combination of itineraries since 2005.

The 2010 Alaska season may have been a wake-up call, but next year's deployment suggests it might not be too late for the State to turn things around.

Seven Seas Voyager Suffers Propulsion Problem

Seven Seas Voyager.

Photo courtesy of Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Guests aboard Regent's Seven Seas Voyager got a nasty surprise as they were about to leave Athens, Greece at the start of their Mediterranean cruise.

Their cruise was over before it even started.

A problem with the ships propulsion system - specifically one of the azimuthing "pods" that propels and steers the ship - has resulted in that voyage being cancelled outright as Regent tries to secure drydock space to fully assess the problem.

As of this writing, it has emerged that Voyager's October 17th cruise has also been canceled.

In the case of the current voyage, passengers were initially told they could use the ship until today, at which time they would have to be off.  Regent is securing return air transportation for all affected guests, but posts on CruiseCritic indicate the process has been anything but smooth, and is still on-going.  Guests have since been told they may remain onboard until Thursday, October 7th. 

Another poster currently onboard Seven Seas Voyager, has stated tugs had to be used to move the ship from one berth to the next when another cruise vessel needed their original berth.  This would indicate propulsion is non-existent at this time and further complicates the issue of repairing the ship: a tow to a drydock in Venice or Genoa would be extraordinarily expensive and time-consuming.

The fix itself is likely to be tricky; while some issues with propulsion can be solved with little or no downtime, major issues can take much longer due to the specialized nature of the equipment: this isn't something you waltz into a hardware store to fix.  In many cases, replacement parts have to be specially machined from their original manufacturers, and is far from speedy.

What can you do if you're booked on an upcoming Seven Seas Voyager cruise?  Until you hear otherwise from Regent, do nothing.  Have your travel agent get in touch with them and see what they recommend.  Until Regent can fully assess the scope of the problem and the logistics of fixing it, it's very possible they have no idea how many voyages this may affect.

Passengers booked on an upcoming cruise may want to keep their eyes tuned to CruiseCritic's News Page; they've been following the situation closely and are likely to break news of affected voyages first.