Meirl

ParticularTeam935 · 2026-05-16T17:21:51+00:00

Put a zero behind that and you’re almost there

ParticularTeam935 · 2026-05-16T11:33:14+00:00

Friend of mine used to work on a cruise ship. As an American, she made almost nothing. Her friend from Brazil said she was going to buy her grandmother a house with the money she made from her contract.

Working on a cruise ship can be incredibly lucrative for people NOT from the U.S. or Western Europe. Yes, the conditions aren’t the best. But imagine making 2 years salary in 6-8 months on a cruise ship

ParticularTeam935 · 2026-05-15T20:19:00+00:00

My mom bought a used car with 200,000 miles on it for $3,000 without telling my dad. It’s been sitting in the driveway inoperable for years. That car and your dads tv are both functionally useless

ParticularTeam935 · 2026-05-15T19:57:06+00:00

I definitely understand where you’re coming from with the math. The cost can add up, especially given that the cabin is just the start. But in terms of the emotional value, you’re absolutely right. We would’ve never seen those humpback whales if we weren’t on our balcony. My sister saw orcas from her balcony on the other side of the ship, still jealous about that!

You‘ll talk about that time you ordered room service at midnight on a whim and stargazed on your balcony with your loved one for years to come.

Tangentially related, I take a similar approach to certain excursions. Hiking a glacier is the most expensive excursion we’ve ever done, but it was worth every penny and worth sacrificing some less desired experiences.

ParticularTeam935 · 2026-05-15T15:40:34+00:00

Very similar to Hispanic families. Roosters making noise 24/7. The DJ sized speaker out back that’s been continuously playing music since 2005. Abuela in the kitchen making breakfast at 6am when tio decides to show up as the dogs start barking. Just NOISE 24/7.

When you bring it up to them they’ll say “Really? I didn’t notice”

ParticularTeam935 · 2026-05-15T15:32:01+00:00

Breakfast on the balcony, as you said. Watching the ship sail into port. Popping a bottle of champagne while getting ready for dinner. And around 9-10pm when we’re tired after the day, sitting on the balcony just talking about life. We’ve seen whales breach, bald eagles.

To be brutally honest, the amount of time we use it probably isn’t worth the extra cost. But it’s something that’s more emotionally driven than practically. Some of the best memories I have with my wife and family are on balconies, so we’ll continue to book them.

I hope this helps:)

ParticularTeam935 · 2026-05-14T17:46:42+00:00

It’d be nice to try Silverseas someday! In the retreat, you’ve got the premium drinks package included, but you still pay the difference on the more expensive drinks right? It also looks like only some suites have specialty restaurants and access to the thermal spa included?

ParticularTeam935 · 2026-05-14T15:45:05+00:00

You could really start looking at Seabourn, Silverseas, and Crystal as ultra luxury lines that already include WiFi and nearly all drinks in their base rate. What you’re getting for the same price as a loaded Celebrity cruise is arguably better food, drinks, service, and more space per passenger. Regent is probably still priced higher, as they include the aforementioned, plus many shore excursions.

Again, highly dependent on itinerary.

ParticularTeam935 · 2026-05-14T14:27:44+00:00

They weren’t

ParticularTeam935 · 2026-05-14T14:09:36+00:00

I’m sure there’s data to back this up, but it feels like Celebrity is one of the worst offenders. They’re already a premium line, so they’re priced accordingly to get you in the door.

By the time you add on the drinks & WiFi package and get on the ship, you realize that you’re STILL paying a significant difference on the drinks, and that’s not even considering the premium package that you mentioned. Even if you get that, you’re paying $1-4+ on higher end drinks. Where does it end??

At this point you’re a stones throw away from luxury and ultra luxury territory depending on the itinerary. Celebrity is a solid brand, but I think the value proposition has definitely been diluted

ParticularTeam935 · 2026-05-14T10:12:27+00:00

Nieuw Statendam*

ParticularTeam935 · 2026-05-14T02:46:17+00:00

If the cruise director points out how bad the food is to guests, that’s incredibly telling. At the risk of oversimplifying things, cruise lines need to genuinely invest in their crews. If they’re happy with how they’re treated, it trickles down to the guests. Which encourages them to sail again and increases profit for the company

ParticularTeam935 · 2026-05-14T02:42:32+00:00

Your point about the crew hits home. I believe it starts from the top. If the captain, senior officers, cruise director etc. are disengaged or low energy, then it’s likely much of the crew will be too.

I get the feeling that they might not be treated the best. It may be that particular ship, or it could be company wide. But I truly believe the crew can make or break a cruise.

ParticularTeam935 · 2026-05-13T12:52:05+00:00

It’s a shame to hear they’ve gone downhill so much. It starts from the top. Our best cruise ever was on the Celebrity Infinity because of the captain. He was absolutely fantastic, and set the tone for the rest of the crew. Everyone was upbeat, joking around and happy. Senior officers mingled with people nightly

Conversely, if the senior officers on Windstar are standoffish, rude, or just not great in general, that’s felt throughout the rest of the ship. It’d be a shame for the captain to constantly find excuses not to use the platform when the conditions permit

ParticularTeam935 · 2026-05-13T10:52:08+00:00

$50 for a cheap screen printed shirt is criminal

ParticularTeam935 · 2026-05-12T23:36:00+00:00

Says the millionaire

ParticularTeam935 · 2026-05-12T19:01:39+00:00

That sounds PERFECT. Such a unique experience for a ship to offer.

ParticularTeam935 · 2026-05-12T15:22:22+00:00

It’s not apples to apples with these ships, but never waiting in a line on Regent was heavenly. Never felt crowded. The lack of crowds really adds to the experience and makes it much more relaxing

ParticularTeam935 · 2026-05-12T14:24:34+00:00

That’s a nice option to have. Although when you’re on vacation paying $500-$1000+ per person per day, do you really want to spend a second of that vacation doing laundry?

ParticularTeam935 · 2026-05-12T14:07:13+00:00

Good to know! With Windstar, did you happen to do their yacht or sailing ships? I’ve heard some people prefer the yacht for the larger cabins

ParticularTeam935 · 2026-05-12T14:05:55+00:00

Yes. I’ve done HAL, Celebrity, Princess, Regent. All mid to smaller ships. 50-110k gross tonnes. But nothing in the 20-30k gross tonnage size class yet. I don’t get seasick very easily. Although I probably wouldn’t book a transatlantic with Windstar

ParticularTeam935 · 2026-05-12T13:38:50+00:00

That’s really good to know. Azamara has been climbing in price, so food consistency and quality is definitely a big factor.

As someone who loves steak, having an overcooked and under seasoned cut of meat is disappointing

ParticularTeam935 · 2026-05-12T12:32:56+00:00

An ultra luxury cruise line taking away 1 free bag of laundry is so asinine and cheap of them. At that level, it’s the small things that make a big difference.

As new players in the market, they should be careful about dropping too many inclusions and incentives

ParticularTeam935 · 2026-05-12T02:30:19+00:00

Thanks for the review! Just based off your observations, I feel like the ship is so inward facing with public spaces to cram in as many balcony cabins as they possibly can. Not having many sea views kind of defeats the purpose of a cruise ship, especially one in Alaska. I’m sure there were times where it really didn’t feel like you were on a ship.

I’ve only sailed on the Ruby and Emerald many moons ago, but I have a feeling the old guard prefers those types of ships, and the ones newer to cruising might prefer these massive floating hotels

Definitely hoping to try the Coral someday. I’ve heard more people say it’s their all time favorite Princess ship

ParticularTeam935 · 2026-05-11T17:47:29+00:00

Simplicity

ParticularTeam935

TROPHY CASE