Right Marc, and I hope RSSC never starts this charging for getting on early, having only the privilege of eating up in the Verandah and walking around the public areas of the ship. I have been on air with Radisson where they bus everyone in at precisely the 3 p.m. hour, having had a room of some sort at a hotel in the embarkation city upon arrival (in Europe). I just prefer to do it myself. Get in the day before, get over the jet lag, and board early not expecting anything other than to board.

I do not like Silversea's policy of charging such an exhorbitant rate to do what RSSC offers for free. Ridiculous.

Cindyr, did you pay this on the advice of your travel agent, or was it the fact that you wanted to get into your room so early and told them so?

If they eliminate the current policy of, essentially, board when you like after noon but don't expect your cabin until 2:30 for an early boarding premium and everybody else waits until 3:00, it will really alienate a lot of folks. The first (and therefore lasting) impression we had on Radisson was when after a Holland America cruise where we were sorted into groups and sat on plastic chairs for an hour or more before we could board (and this was at the stated time) we showed up early (about 1:00 as I recall) to the Mariner. No waiting, "welcome aboard", "have some champagne", "lunch is being served", "enjoy exploring the ship" and "your suite will be ready by 2:30". That was our first impression of a six-star cruise line. Imagine the zoo if everyone (except those who'd pay the surcharge) show up in a narrow window. Huge mistake! I hope someone from Radisson is paying attention.

The early boarding (around noon) was also one of the key positive memories I had from my first Radisson cruise. The seemlessness and convenience of the Radisson embarkation/disembarkation process is just so distinctive.

I believe Lawrwnce [LChoi98] has made a key point:

I suspect they do know, that's perhaps why they are careful about changes. After all, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" is a well-know proverb of good management.

By the way, the moniker is count Florida, with a small "c". No pretense to royalty, it calls to mind a weakness here in Florida - our (in)ability to count! During that infamous period, we were on our FIRST Radisson cruise, the Diamond fall 2000 repositioning from Rome to San Juan. Out of contact for 9 days immediately after the election, upon arrival in Puerto Rico, we found nothing had changed!
We also learned that 9 days in a row at sea was a bit much, at least for us!
As a result, it's "count Florida".

No our travel agent,LInda on this one never even mentioned it. We found it in the literature. it was sort of amazing though, i mean there were probably 25 that embarked early (it is a free privilidge with a certain number of days i think)several of us paid the $100. We were the only ones on board until nearly 3. i guess they must stick to that like glue. i agree the early boarding policy with Radisson is wonderful. We did it with them in France and loved it. you really do feel special and don't feel like you are cheating. i'm not sure WHAT would have happened on SS if you tried it. How embarrasing would it be to try and be turned away. awful.

Cindy, Do you mean Linda of B&K?? Understand the need for sleep! Had you tried to get a late check out at your hotel?

It sounds like we're all spoiled and in the habit of boarding anytime after noon even though we know our cabins won't be ready for a couple more hours. On all our LCT group cruises(, this has been so nice because we all meet up around the pool grill. Each time there have been LCT people we're meeting for the first time! I sure hope this doesn't change!

Did you all receive the Seven Seas Society letter today about the 4 tier programs? Mine didn't really go into much detail, more of a heads up that this program will be rolled out this Fall and some of the things that it will include. Also included was a list of all the cruises in 2006 with additional 5-10% savings and a list of 3 exclusive events for 2006.

No mention of free booze in any bar onboard! It did mention the free internet and free laundry, also one category upgrade. Curious if we all received the same letters?

I had to laugh as it mentioned that these benefits are in addition to the Seven Seas Society Inspiration magazine.....I just assumed they discontinued that magazine as I haven't received one in at least a year or two.

Not in my box today.

One thing I did get was two vouchers from USAirways for my upcoming trip to Bermuda in September (land trip). Noticed on their site that Bermuda is "on sale", and I was paying too much, so I called. They will not credit your card for these price reductions. They give you a "voucher" that you can take to the airport to get credited for a future flight. Really inconvenient, as I do all of my independent booking online.

Marcie, I am on the road. What are the three exclusive events?

I didn't get anything from them today, either, but our Zip Code is a rural one so we usually get mail a few days after city addresses.

I don't believe I've ever gotten that Inspirations magazine, even one copy.

Marcie,

Yes, I received it a couple of days ago. One thing I had not heard before was the "referral program" where they'll "reward" you if you refer friends to Radisson.

It also talks about "priority access to itineraries" ( what does that mean? Priority booking?), "priority early embarkation" and "priority restaurant and spa reservations".

I didn't get it - wonder if I can get credit for the 4 couples and one single going on Mush in 2006?

Marc, the special events are:
MARINER January 10,2006 (Barbados High Tea at the Sunbury Plantation)

NAVIGATOR June 3,2006 Greenwich Cocktails on the London Eye

VOYAGER October 26, 2006 (Sorrento Musical at the Teatro Tasso)

Ironically, we will be on the Mariner on January 10, 2006.

Marc, if you have access to a fax machine, I'm happy to fax this letter to you.

Marcie, thanks, but no need to fax. I'm sure I'll see my letter when I get home. Alas, we won't be able to enjoy those events, but they do sound fun.

Joanna, I, too, would like to get credit for the 5 couples I have roped in (solicted) for this cruise on MUSH

Another thing that will be interesting is to see how they break down these tier levels?? I know from meeting people on the WC that there are people with THOUSANDS of nights on RSSC! Maybe most of us are just little fish in a big pond!

Marcie:

Seabourn gives free cruise at 140 days. I think SilverSea is free laundry at 100 days. I think Radisson will be competitive but hopefully simpler than Crystal program. I just hope that all past days count.

We will hit 90 days in October. I hope we qualify for something on our 2006 cruises. ;)

Congrats on hitting 90 days Marc. I sure do hope they structure it like Seabourn's and count all the past days! :banana:

Marcie, anyone with THOUSANDS of miles deserves only the best! Those of us here with many of them are talking in the 90 plus range, but of course you have more. I THINK I have more than 100, but haven't counted lately. Joanna has to do that for me. I never win the award for most days, I know that much....

I certainly see the ability to go on board around 12 noon a perk that I don't want to pay for...I've come to expect it...how early were they talking about?

I think charging people $$ for boarding is not the right thing to do.

Havent' seen a thing...and I have yet to get the magazine as well!!

I felt and still feel the same way about this...the first time I experienced it, I thought that I was in for something special...I loved the fact that RSSC was egalitarian in its approach...no obvious "castes" here. I was treat nicely on my first cruise, as if I had been cruising with them forever. Do they have my loyalty? You bet!!

Well, apparently the early boarding will now be a "perk".

Hi again,
Ok, sorry, but I have yet more questions?

I don't understand what the "tier" thing is. If someone could please explain?

From what I read, I was told I should go early (around noon) to get on board early to make the "spa appts" and check on the "pre-request" reservations and the dinner res for the 2 that require it? Is this no longer true. I was not going to rush on the ship and going to wait till 2pm having a late check-out anyway at the Pan-Pacific guaranteed (I booked directly with them).

Next question, when I reserved, I asked them if I should take a more expensive cabin, if I will be treated differently depending on the cabin I book. They said no, hubby really didn't want a butler so I didn't reserve in those catagories (maybe I made a mistake?)

I thought that past cruisers got discounts for their cruises and now don't get upset with me for saying this, I can see getting "perks" for being a repeat cruiser with the same line, but the one thing that I would not consider fair is "shore excursions/spa/resto". Early booking, shipboard credit, free/partial free cruise, private parties, but if they give priority for say shore excursions this is not encouraging.I'm sorry to all of you as ya'll deserve all the perks from going so much, and I don't even care so much about the resto thing, or even the spa thing, I will be in NYC 3 weeks after the cruise and will be at my usual spa and my fav restos anyway and I will get into one of the restos, but for the excurisions, that seems a bit unreasonable since some can't be booked independently. My hubby really wants the Tracy Arm one, I pre-requested via the Net as soon as I was allowed, it would be impossible to not have been one of the first to book that not to mention that I took the time and trouble to do it to be on the front of the line and if they tell me now, sorry full up because of "priority" that's not fair. How can I be encouraged to cruise more with them if that happens. I can see the early boarding, all the other stuff, but a shore excursion? I could see it if it mattered by what cabin you buy because money talks, but you got to be a "first timer" sometime, you can't start with "past cruises" under your belt.I'm sorry if this comes across badly but if that will be the case, then they should at least tell us "newbies" that it works that way.

Mrs. Moose, I agree with you, but it won't ever happen that way. As someone posted elsewhere, they may put on special excursions for higher-tier passengers, but I doubt if they would ever give preference to those passengers for "normal" excursions.

Hi Wandra, I hope you are correct.
I booked directly with Radisson, and when I booked, I was upfront with them. My mom sailed on the QE1 (yes 1 she is 90) and she told me, make sure you go 1st class. I asked them to be upfront with me about service etc. I was probably one of the first to book as they said, the ship was wide open to choice (all levels available) and pretty much all staterooms available. I asked them to be honest and upfront, they assured me that I would only get a bigger room, (obvious), butler service, the free pressing for the first night and the premium liquor. Since I can buy the preimum liquor, pay for the pressing and hubby didn't want the butler I didn't take that catagory.

I specifically asked about shore excursions, and restaurants and they said, no it's on a first come basis.

I'm not ashamed to say that if I don't get the Tracy Arm excursion I will raise bloody hell. I have an e-mail showing that I pre-requested as soon as I was allowed (date and time). I will probably give them a call today and discuss it with them.

While I think everyone who is a loyal/repeat customer deserves extras, or as someone said, you can take your business elsewhere, they also need to encourage new business. But those extras should be in terms of "money" or perks that do not affect a newbie. As for the restos, I personally don't care, as there is an alternative and have in the past and can eat in the top french restos in NYC or elsewhere. Spa treatments, well just to be busy on sea days to be occupied, and can and do go to spas "on land" my fav being in NYC on land, but shore excursions? I can't do a Tracy Arm in NYC or Maine or europe or anywhere else.
That honestly doesn't seem right. I can see giving a free shore excursion or more than one free, but to jump to the head of the line?

While I travel a lot (I've done 4 trips this year already and have 2 more after the cruise)they are all land except for this one, I paid for 1st class air, if someone who flies alot and gets "free first class" that's fine, they deserve it no problem, but at the airport, I expect them to wait in the first class check in line the same as me and not jump to the head of the line because they flew more than I do now.

If this is the case then Radisson will lose 2 customers up front. I was thinking if this cruise goes well, we would do Tahiti and Europe ones and maybe Antartica, and even a WC when hubby retires, and all on Radisson but from what I read, if that's what happens then this will be my first and last cruise.

I don't blame y'all for this, it's just bad business on the cruise line.

I just think you need to be a bit more positive--this is going to be a wonderful cruise, celebrating your health, and I'm sure the excursion thing will work out just fine. Radisson treats all of its passengers beautifully, always.

Jean, I think you are worrying too much about this one. I would almost bet that you will get your Tracey Arm excursion, you booked it early and I can honestly say I have NEVER been denied an excursion because it was too full. I have had my excursion cancelled for lack of interest, ie, not enough participants.

Don't forget, you are not on a mega ship with thousands of passengers.

Hi Wandra and Karen,

I made the mistake of telling my husband what was written and he freaked. I'll explain a bit. I personally am just happy to go to Alaska, and step foot on Alaskan soil. I'm celebrating my health and the fact that I lived to do it.
My husband is very good to me. He gives me NYC 2x a year for the last 4 years and believe me when I say I could do a cruise instead for each trip to NYC easily, for what each of those trips cost, I'm not jokeing, due to the cost of the broadway shows, restos that I go to and the hotel/parking itself. Plus the "extras" that I won't even go into.
This is his one trip where he can take a lot of pictures and the Tracy Arm from all he read means a lot to him. For me, I don't care as much as I'll be happy with what I see as I've booked the couple of excursions I wanted privately.
In the last 5 years, he has given me carte blanche of where I want to go and what I want to do.I always do all the planning, booking etc. Especially NYC since I grew up in the City and still keep up with everything there even though I have no family there anymore. His clients come to him (to ask me) for advice on NYC.
He allowed me the same freedom for Alaska, with two conditions, he gets his "photo ops" and no formal dinner attire, otherwise I had carte blanche. He personally didn't want a cruise, preferring to fly into Alaska and take 3 weeks to tour. I didn't want to go for 3 weeks at a time (I worry about my mom, who will take her grocery shopping), so I said (not implicating my mom as she would feel guilty)that I didn't want the extra "flight" and that my dream trip was a cruise and that's why I'm stressing.
So there you have it, he's a good hubby, and it's very important to me that he will be happy on this trip. I've put over 18 months of work into this trip (since x-mas of 2003)with research, phone calls to Alaska, etc. trying not to leave anything to chance.

I hope no one here thinks badly of me for what I wrote. I think y'all deserve a lot of perks for all those cruises, I think y'all deserve the perks (freebies), personally I must add though, that if I had all those cruises under my belt, "money" rewards would be what I would like to see. But of course that would cut into their "bottom line". If they give free excursions, bigger discounts, etc, that cuts into their bottom line. Giving priority doesn't cost them anything, just perhaps the loss of a customer which can and most likely will be replaced by someone else.
I hope y'all understand what I'm saying and don't think badly of me for voicing my opinion.

Jean, maybe someone can correct me if I am wrong but I don't even think the new past passenger perks are in effect as of yet. You might be worrying about somthing that isn't even applicable for you sailing.

So I'm curious about what the tier break-points are going to be? I'm sure they are out of our league, but it would be nice to know how far we have to go to break through the first tier! ;)

thank you Karen, I hope you are right. I hope Island Girl is right. What's done is done, and I will move heaven and earth to get him that Tracy Arm excursion. Money talks, and I'm not above "tipping" to make sure I get it. I'm a very determined person.

I play by the rules, I wait my turn, I play fair and I play nice but as I said, if I feel I was treated unfairly and that takes a lot for me to feel that way, then I will move heaven and earth.

I had an a/c that used a remote control. The remote broke, The company I used said they'll get me another one for $600. I said fine, after a week, no news and summer was approaching and the a/c could not be turned on without it. I called them, they said we are waiting, not good enough, after a lot of long distance calls, I got the secretary of the President of Carrier USA (the parent company). I told her, I expect to have that remote in 24 hours, if not, I will go to whomever I have to and make it known that I am a cancer survivor, I survived chemo and radiation, only to get sick and possibly die if I don't have my a/c only because you can't supply me with a new remote that I'm willing to pay full price for. Pictures of my bald head will be all over, think of all the cancer surivors out there, their family and friends, who may be considering one of your thermo pumps. You do the math. Now I'm a very private person, and it would have taken a lot for me to do it, but I would have.

The remote arrived in 18 hours.

Jean, you forgot to worry about the #1 demise of shore excursions....the weather! Let's hope it doesn't pour down rain or I fear you might go after Mother Nature ;)

Alasn weather is the one thing I'm not worried about.

Alasn weather is the one thing I'm not worried about.

Jean, you and I are total opposites, the weather is the ONLY thing I worry about! Every thing else can be controlled and remedied.

Lol, sounds like it, since I know I can't control the weather, that it will be what it will be I have no worries over that.

I hate having to fight for things, to be treated unfairly etc etc, I've had enough sickness to last many lifetimes, so what I have control over I worry about.

I'm basically easy going and give everyone the benefit of the doubt.

I just spoke to hubby, and assured him he will have his Tracy Arm if it's not cancelled by the ship. As I said, I'll move heaven and earth if I have to (but should be easy as money always talks). I do have a question, if you know, is Radisson a french company? I know they are out of Ft. Laurderdale, but since I've been told most of the crew is french speaking are they french owned?

Marcie,
sorry this took so long, too much time on the road..... Yes, it was Linda at B&K, they have booked 4 now i think, as we JUST booked the Paul Gaugin from Brisbane trip. 22 days. we are a little concerned about the rough ride, but think we will coctail our way through it!!

No, they are owned by Carlson Companies, a privately held American company.

You will find that most crew on cruise ships are European or Asian.

Please calm down! I requested our excursions 2 days after the opening day as we were out of town. All tickets, including Tracy Arm, were in the suite when we arrived, as well as bar setup. We were on the 7/20 sailing which was sold out.