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Was Sun Princess Worth The Wait? | Cruise Cast Ep.4 - Audio Version

• Linzi & Mark - Suite Natured • Season 1 • Episode 4

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In episode 4 of the Suite Natured Cruise Cast, we talk about whether the new Sphere Class ship, Sun Princess from Princess Cruises was worth the wait, and years of wait and the hype building up around her.

From the whisper of anticipation that preceded its launch to the spellbinding 'Spellbound' dinner show, this episode will transport you through a sea of stories that'll make you yearn for the ocean breeze. We'll even let you in on a secret or two about the future of cruising with the Sphere class ships, and if you're feeling creative, you might just become the composer of our new theme song ;)

Navigating the tides of cruise news, we've caught wind of some unexpected changes that are sure to stir the waters. Join us as we examine Norwegian Cruise Line's decision to cancel 20 sailings, and speculate on the cascading effect this may have on those looking for their next cruise adventure. We'll also weigh anchor and set sights on the extravagant world cruise by Regent Seven Seas, musing over what makes a 140-night journey at sea a dream—or a drift—for curious travellers like you.

Lastly, as we chart a course through the evolving landscape of all-inclusive cruises, we tackle the big questions that could sway your cruising compass. Are the shifts towards an inclusive model by lines like Hertigruten Expeditions signaling a new tide in travel, or are they merely ripples in the vast ocean of vacation choices? We'll share our candid thoughts on cabin selections, the allure of sheltered balconies, and the nuances of what 'all-inclusive' truly includes. So join us for insights that might just redefine your next escape to the seven seas.

Sorry for all the cheesy cruise puns. 

Have a lovely day, and thanks for listening,
Linzi & Mark 

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Cheers, and have a lovely day
Linzi & Mark

Linzi:

Welcome to episode 4 of the Suite Nature Cruise Cast. Hi, I'm Linz. As always, I'm joined by Marky, Hello, Hello. And today we're talking about Sun Princess and whether she was worth the wait. But first a little mood music.

Mark:

Okay, you can't blame me for that one, because I did let you listen to that one first.

Linzi:

Yes, well, I was busy and I should have taken the time.

Mark:

So what you're saying is that you need to pay more attention to when we're choosing the intro music.

Linzi:

Yes.

Mark:

I mean, eventually we will come up with a.

Linzi:

Eventually we'll find one, or maybe we just commission someone to write something for us.

Mark:

If you would like to commission a tune, please go in. Commission, yeah, compose, compose, even yeah. If you'd like to compose a tune for us, let us know. Well, let's do a little cheers before we get started, because I'm really thirsty.

Linzi:

Cheers darling.

Mark:

Cheers, Cheers.

Linzi:

Everyone really thirsty cheers, darling, cheers everyone um and we'll.

Mark:

We'll also take theme songs so today's topic and then we'll go into the news as usual. You don't know what new stories I've picked, no, but the topic is obviously because we've just come back from some princess talking about whether she was worth the wait, both to us and with the general. Yeah, because she was first announced or first started working on Princess in 2017.

Linzi:

Wow.

Mark:

Then commissioned to Fincantieri in 2018. In the before times, in the before times, and then construction started in 2021, proper Mm-hmm. So she's been around without the name because before that point, 2017, the old Sun Princess still existed.

Linzi:

The old Sun Princess. Okay, yeah, yeah.

Mark:

The name's obviously much more recent. So there's been talk of this new class of ship, which we now know as the Sphere class, for a long time, but in the run-up to her, to the inaugural, which never happened, then the second inaugural, which never happened, and then the third one, which did happen, and obviously she's sailing normally now, there wasn't a lot of coverage in terms of what's on there.

Linzi:

No.

Mark:

But the hype around her because she was Princess's biggest ever ship has just been building, and building, and building. I'd say probably since 2021, when the keel cutting started, yeah, but certainly since you were first announced.

Linzi:

Yeah, but not hype in the Icon of the Seas sense.

Mark:

What do you mean?

Linzi:

Well, that had mega hype. You had Mr Beast featuring Icon of the Seas. Sense, what do you mean? Well, that had mega hype. You had Mr Beast featuring Icon of the Seas. It did Absolutely.

Mark:

So, yeah, not in that same way, and I don't hype can come across in a negative way. I don't mean it negatively. I mean that people were talking about it increasingly. So, yes, to the point where she's out now and people are on her and they're really talking about it now. But obviously I said we've just come back. Yes, do you think that she's lived up to that hype and with the bits that you liked, that you didn't expect to like, with the bits that you didn't like?

Linzi:

uh, yes, but I, the thing that I liked, that I didn't expect to like, was spellbound no, I expected to like I know you expected to like so it's worth explaining to people what spellbound is, in case they don't know um magic stuff bar.

Mark:

Shall I explain it? Mark Dinner, yeah, it's a dinner show. Yes, so you go for a dinner first in a chef's table type thing? Yes, in the main dining room which is in an offshoot of the main dining area, private area which includes the meal and alcohol. Then they escort you from there through this secret black door which you can't possibly not.

Linzi:

Well, you're led through by a top-hatted gentleman, a magician.

Mark:

Yeah, not just some random guy.

Linzi:

No, no, no, somebody who's? It's all themed throughout.

Mark:

And then they take you through into a scaled-down replica of the Magic Castle in California, yes, which is a long-established sort of magic, and it's very well-themed. And it's themed better than anything I've ever seen on a cruise ship.

Linzi:

It was great.

Mark:

I honestly couldn't say that I was in a cruise ship when I went through that black door.

Linzi:

No, it didn't feel like it From the piano that played itself which had a ghost which had a ghost.

Mark:

Everything had a story, didn't it.

Linzi:

Yeah, the lady was talking to. I sat down in front in a nice little nook and then discovered behind me there was a straitjacket and handcuffs.

Mark:

There was yeah, I don't know why I was drawn to that which was meant to be Houdini's, and they said it's guaranteed that Houdini never wore this.

Linzi:

So it's all very themed and that.

Mark:

Houdini never wore this, so it's all very themed. A lot of the stuff in there, just to be clear, is genuine. It's come from their stores.

Linzi:

Yes, yeah.

Mark:

But they're incredibly well themed.

Linzi:

Yeah, and I didn't think I was going to like it because, like magic and that kind of thing, I'm like ugh. Whereas I love that You're like Neil Patrick Harris Without the talent.

Mark:

Without the talent.

Linzi:

Without the talent and the glow.

Mark:

Oh, I think I've got the glow.

Linzi:

I haven't met him. He's got a glow.

Mark:

Okay.

Linzi:

He loves all that. You love all that. I don't love that, but I loved it.

Mark:

Yeah, I mean, it had some amazing cocktails in there. It has its own dedicated cocktail menu, all the cocktails. You can drink as much as you want within there.

Linzi:

That's maybe where places where magic shows have gone wrong before.

Mark:

That they didn't have enough cocktails for you.

Linzi:

Probably.

Mark:

yes, I'm fairly sure that Magic Castle, as a venue, probably has cocktails.

Linzi:

Well, we need to go we do.

Mark:

Do you think that that is a reason why people would want to go on there, in the same way that world caribbean in the past has sort of put new things on like ice skating rinks or um the skydiving or ncl with go-karts and bits like, do you think that spellbound is a reason enough that people would want to try that shit and bucket? I think if it can sway me.

Linzi:

I think people would want to try that ship and book it.

Mark:

I think, if it can sway me, I think people would really but you were swayed once you were on there yes, I wasn't, I wasn't that fussed I think it would sway someone like me if you've got a lot of remote interest in sort of that vegas magic type show. Then if I had an option of going on a ship that had that or didn't, you would still book it and the money was similar, yes, then I would definitely pick that one. So for me I think it's one thing I mean we've gone off on a very specific piece there when we're talking about whether it hit, because if we go back to the wider ship now yes.

Mark:

They've opened it up more. I mean, Princess has always been for families, but not as obvious for families like NCL or Royal Caribbean or MSC. Do you think that the family areas that they've put on are a good thing, bad thing?

Linzi:

I think. I mean we're in a different stage in our lives now.

Mark:

Yeah, we have a grown-up child.

Linzi:

But I think people will seek it out now. They might have if in the UK you'd have probably been going to lean towards Iona or Avia for the very same reason, in that it feels that it's more geared, it's more family friendly Family family because it's got a family deck Rather than just a little arcade and club area.

Mark:

It's got a genuine outside play area, which the sphere class does.

Linzi:

Yeah, so I think they'd probably lean towards that.

Mark:

I mean they are saying it's for kids of all ages. Yes, but it is definitely gearing towards that. Now, is there any chance that that then takes away from that princess experience as it is now? Did it still feel like a princess ship?

Linzi:

In the traditional princess areas? Yes, I would say it did, but shinier, more elevated, more elevated Like the sanctuary is a dream.

Mark:

It is Now. They charge more for the sanctuary on the ship and I've noticed a few things that that's been the case of. It's more expensive on this class of ship than the other princess classes yes, but I've heard people talking about this and going is it right that they're doing that? But Celebrity does exactly the same. Oh, they do. It is more expensive on the edge class for certain things than it is on the other classes, like the solstice class. Yes, so that didn't surprise me that there were new pricing. No, and the sanctuary was more expensive than it was.

Linzi:

It was, but it had more. Nearly double yes, but it had more things.

Mark:

But no afternoon tea.

Linzi:

But no afternoon tea. But the bento boxes were better, they were fantastic.

Mark:

The service was phenomenal.

Linzi:

Yeah.

Mark:

It's the best service that we've had on those type of areas. Yes, on any ship. On any ship, it was fabulous. I mean, it was not even close, is it? No, it's leagues ahead of anything else.

Linzi:

Yeah, leagues ahead of anything else. Yeah, it had two hot tubs.

Mark:

a pool a bar.

Linzi:

Yeah, it had what else did it have Restrooms?

Mark:

Yeah, direct elevator access via the glass elevators yes, yeah, there were so many places on their sanctuary included that were just wild moments.

Linzi:

Once you went in there, you didn't have to go anywhere else. You were settled.

Mark:

No, you could get changed in there. You didn't have to go anywhere else, you were settled. No, you could get changed in there, no issues whatsoever. But going back to those one-woman things, I don't think that this sounds like I'm dissing the older princess shoes, which I'm not.

Linzi:

We love an oldie. The next ship we're going on is Ruby.

Mark:

Yes, but I don't think I've ever got on them and thought, wow, I've got on them and thought, wow, I've got on them and thought, oh, this is really pretty, oh, this is lovely, I'm really looking forward to the cruise and we've enjoyed them all. Yeah, but Royal Caribbean have always been the wow shit, yes. And then Celebrity with Edge Class, edge Class yes. I think the Sphere Class has captured that wow factor for Princess. I think that's the first time that, certainly in the whole time we've cruised on it yeah, I mean it's.

Linzi:

It's um, we've been costing it. We've costed it while we were on there. It's just with the day yeah because we absolutely loved it.

Mark:

Loved it and I mean you're going back to what we're talking about with you know, was it worth the wait? Was it worth hype? Seven years is a long time to wait for anything. Yeah, but I have to admit personally, I only became really aware of it post-pandemic. Yes, I knew that they were building a new ship, but not really much about it and we didn't become princess bunnies until post-pandemic no because then that's when we had the opportunity to try it.

Mark:

Yeah after we didn't go on our first princess ship until 2021 yeah, when it off, when it started to open up the very first time.

Linzi:

Yeah, opening back up again.

Mark:

Yeah so I think we became much more aware of what they were doing since then but Mm-hmm. But a lot of people have sort of been really excited about this show. Yes, what about sort of food service layout, all those sort of things?

Linzi:

Food I found fabulous. Yeah, I really love the food, Dario. I didn't love as much as Much as Block. Yeah.

Mark:

Yeah, which is one of their new food experiences. I said food experience rather than a restaurant.

Linzi:

Yeah, because you're all served at the same time. It's family-style dining, so you're all on one big table.

Mark:

The shows that happen. Yeah, there's, and people get up and start filming.

Linzi:

Yeah, like a meat display.

Mark:

But not a meat display. Ever. There's um, but not a meat display, like when you go into something like chops or veranda or anything.

Linzi:

No, like like a cutting yeah, a cutting display, yeah I still don't know what they did with the big bones, because we like, look at the bones, um. So yeah, I, I was. That one is the one. You see it's, it's the same old, same old. You, you get overexcited about one thing and it never meets the hype, and then something that you're about and and that really really love it.

Mark:

Dario, we'd seen his stuff on youtube with people. Yeah, we'd seen the netflix. Yeah, sure, we were genuinely pop-up excited for that.

Linzi:

And then on the day.

Mark:

Maybe we overhyped that, as opposed to them overhyping it. We'd looked at so many other stuff, so our expectations were that it delivered in terms of great quality food, but it wasn't what necessarily we expected. No, that's not to say I definitely liked it more than you did.

Linzi:

Yeah.

Mark:

But other ones, as you said, like Spellbound, were amazing.

Linzi:

Yeah.

Mark:

Now one of the other bits, sort of food aside, because they have also put in things like the Umai Tapanyaki. Yeah, so, princess, sort of finally getting around to having a Tapanyaki, which other cruise lines have had for a long time. Oh they've been doing that for ages. Yeah, but by all accounts, everyone who went in there, that were amazing. Yes, they also put a hot pot in that area as well.

Linzi:

Yeah, I mean I would have preferred to have gone on it as the inaugural for the ten nights, because the five nights that we had was not enough.

Mark:

No, we don't normally go on the same ship twice. No, generally we have done.

Linzi:

Within a couple of year window.

Mark:

Yeah, but we have said we probably would like to go on Sun Princess again.

Linzi:

Yes.

Mark:

Or Star, well, star, I definitely want to go on.

Linzi:

Yeah.

Mark:

We don't feel that we really got to see everything. No, and that's probably one of those sort of side shapes If you're on Iona, if you're on Icon, if you're on Icon, you probably need a minute or two a week. Probably to get to feel everything To really feel that you've tried everything in there and you might need a couple of cruises, yeah, but I would definitely want to go on Sun Princess again. Yes, and that's probably the first time that I've felt that about that, about a specific cruise, since we started doing this channel.

Linzi:

Yes, so she was worth the wait. The layout's still a little bit funky in my mind.

Mark:

Well, she's very different to the procession.

Linzi:

She's very different yeah, so you do need….

Mark:

The navigation stuff works well.

Linzi:

Yeah, with the screens and everything.

Mark:

And the app?

Linzi:

Yeah, but you just need to concentrate. I think it's not. That's the key to it.

Mark:

Yeah, All right, there's. We'll concentrate on some other bits in a sec. But I've said something a couple of times, both to you privately when we're on the ship, but publicly, that I feel that to Princess this is their equivalent of Celebrity's Edge Classic. It's that bigger jump. Yeah, Do you think that other people who are getting on there are going to think the same? I?

Linzi:

hope so, because I know that you did. I hope so. I think they will, as long as they've done a Princess ship, if you've done Celebrity Edge Classic you'll go oh, this is very familiar.

Mark:

If you haven't, Do you think, yeah, Do you think that people will compare it directly to the Edge class In respect of the look and feel, the decor, the beige on beige accented. Yeah, it's that very modern design. Yeah, you're not getting on a Cunard.

Linzi:

Or an MSC Jazzy ship.

Mark:

No, that's not to say it's not a pretty ship, jazzy shape.

Linzi:

No, that's not to say it's not a pretty shape. It's absolutely beautiful. Yeah, um, but yeah, it's all very muted tones. It feels it looks like it's got a kelly hoppin feel. Even though kelly hoppin's not done it, she does the edge class it did have a bit of a kelly hoppin I could see some of those pieces that were on there on QVC, on QVC McKellie Hopper.

Mark:

That's not a bad thing, no, no, we're not slurring that. No, I know what you mean. It's got that sort of modern Palette. Modern palette, that's correct. And yeah, I do think if you've only ever been on celebrities edge class ships, yes Then you would quite happily go on that and I think you wouldn't feel that it was a downgrade no, not at all. Whereas if you went on some of the older princess ones straight from doing Edge, you might think it's a bit dated.

Linzi:

I was going to say twee, a bit twee.

Mark:

It doesn't have the shine of those modern ones Now. Sky Princess, enchanted Princess, regal Princess, ruby Princess, have all still got a place in the market as far as I'm concerned.

Mark:

Shine of those modern ones now, sky princess, enchanted princess, regal princess, ruby princess, have all still got a place in the market as far as I'm concerned they've all got a little place in my heart yeah, and I'm genuinely really excited for ruby, yes, because going on that to alaska it feels like the right type of ship to do that inside passage cruise on and after having to navigate um some princess, navigating ruby will be much easier. We'll be like oh, when someone says there's wheels on the starboard side and we've got to figure out how we get across there quickly. Yes, or to a certain day I feel confident.

Linzi:

That's it.

Mark:

If they said that you can see it at whatever deck, and it's if you go to this part of the ship, whereas on um some princess. We'd have then got the app out and gone right. How do we know we want to get there?

Linzi:

Yeah, no, that's a very good point.

Mark:

So they've definitely still got a place in the market for a long time to come. Yes, but I genuinely don't believe that princess will end their sphere class at Star.

Linzi:

I think that will probably be their class. Bring a family of them out, like, like well, we've got.

Mark:

How many will we have in the edge class five with excel?

Linzi:

I sent apex edge beyond and excel, yeah, so not five.

Mark:

I. I would imagine that, if it's as successful as we expect, it will be, yes, that that will be the the new standard of some princess ships. Yeah, going forward, probably the next decade.

Linzi:

Yeah, yeah, um, yeah yeah, so yes, worth it. Can't wait to get back on a sphere class but you think so.

Mark:

In summary, I've just worth the wait. Yes, yes, shall we do some of the news stories? Okay, you, you tell me our news. Do you want to have a quick drink? Or I just bring them up Because I can't remember the name. You can't remember the news. I remember it. Now, don't say you can't remember the news, I don't remember what I've got. Let's go with that excuse.

Mark:

So, news story number one Okay, norwegian Cruise line has recently, yes, announced it's cancelling 20 sailings in 2025 wow which they've said that replacement cruises are going to be announced soon, but they've announced what they're cancelling um, and given a huge number of reasons for it, from a couple of ships having to go in dry dock but now there's only a couple of them to ships being charted out that old chestnut. Yeah, lots of different stuff. Now, whilst it's a long way in advance, this does seem to be a growing trend.

Linzi:

It does seem to be quite a bit.

Mark:

And I don't mean just to know, Adrian.

Linzi:

No, I know, I know what you're saying. No, I know what you're saying. I know you're saying that does seem to happen quite a bit, um, because when it's the other way around, the cruise line is never as sympathetic if you want to cancel it's hope you've got insurance.

Linzi:

Um, so yeah, I I could. It's a great. Like you say, it's a growing trend I I make. It makes me wonder whether you can get good pricing on NCL if they've got any offers at the minute to counter any negativity around all these cancellations. Is there some good deals that they've got, so maybe that comes out.

Mark:

But I just find it when you book a year out, you think that that's pretty locked in.

Linzi:

Yeah, but the world changes, it does Right.

Mark:

I completely get those ones through the Red Sea and stuff where there's no choice, they've got to change them.

Linzi:

Yeah.

Mark:

But 20 cruises just seemed like. When I read the story I was like wow, that seems a lot.

Linzi:

It is a lot.

Mark:

Now, having said that, you flip it the other way. Would I, as a passenger, rather wait until two, three weeks out to find out that they're doing that, yeah or would I rather know now and be able to do something else?

Linzi:

From experience, I would rather have the two years notice than the two days notice.

Mark:

Well, it's only a year's notice.

Linzi:

Is it? Oh, yeah, 24.

Mark:

No, I'd rather 24,000. I would rather 24,000.

Linzi:

I would rather have yeah, no, you're right, you're right.

Mark:

But yeah, I was surprised to hear it with that many. So it'll be very interesting to see what they do for replacement cruises, yes, because. And itineraries, they've only got so many ships. Yeah, and if some are going to dry dock and some you've chartered, well, I don't see how you replace them. No, it's not like they can hire a ship nearby.

Linzi:

No.

Mark:

And put that on. No, they've not got enough new ones coming out. No, acquired you out next year March, march 25th Next year, isn't it? Yeah, yeah, so that'll come in, but presumably lots of people have already booked on that.

Linzi:

So it's not like it has a no, no, no.

Mark:

It's a new thing.

Linzi:

It just makes you think. You know, we have looked at it. It makes me think, whether you book it and pays you money, takes your chance on the off chance. You might get a good amount of cruise credit back if they cancel it. But what some of them do is just say refund the amount that you've paid already, isn't it?

Mark:

Yeah, normally give you a token amount of onboard credit, like $100 or something like that, which is not to be sniffed at at any amount. It's nice. No, but as I say, when it's this far out, I have less of it. Yeah, but throw in an interesting story, the second story I think you're going to like. Okay, so Regent Seven Seas has just announced its 2027 world cruise. Wow, but get this. So it's sailing from January the 11th on 7 Seasplendour, 140 nights, wow, 71 ports. Wow 480 different excursions.

Linzi:

Then clean it.

Mark:

What else is there? 14 different overnight stays in there. Yeah, how much do you think it starts at? So let's go with a balcony.

Linzi:

Okay, I'm going to say 70. For a balcony, 75. Are we doing pounds or dollars?

Mark:

Dollars Just halfway down dollars.

Linzi:

Okay, $75,000 per person.

Mark:

Okay, it's 91,500 per person. So it's 91,500 per person. So you only have about 16,500. Well, only Trivial. How much do you think their top three is?

Linzi:

Oh, it's going to be a house. It's going to be a house.

Mark:

I can tell you this it's going to be a house in London.

Linzi:

No, like 250,000, 300,000 pounds 840,000 per person Dollars. Yeah, it's a house, it's a big house.

Mark:

That's what I said. It's a house in London, which, yeah, that's a lot of money.

Linzi:

I mean more power to you if you can afford a house cruise.

Mark:

You can afford a house cruise.

Linzi:

I don't know what else I could call it.

Mark:

No, I mean, that's expensive, the 91 and a half thousand when you work it out on, sort of divide it down over the 140 nights yeah it's like staying in a five-star hotel each night, which is what you're staying in. Yeah, so you know when you look at it that way. But what I'm interested in from from the story and also from your point of view, is don't get, do not take this from the wrong way. Would you like to do this? I'm not saying we're doing it, we are definitely not doing it.

Linzi:

We're not doing it would you fancy?

Mark:

149, 71 different ports, so that's a new port every other night.

Linzi:

I would like to do a world cruise, but I would like to do a world cruise on QNAT, like QM2 can handle the water they, they can handle the water not like QM2 and and at least there's space on QM2 as well, because you're going to be with the same people all this time and you just know that there's going to be like the other world crews the Royal Caribbean they're all kicking off Now. I know it's a different demographic.

Mark:

Yeah, I would say it's a very different demographic.

Linzi:

I know it's a different demographic. Yeah, I would say it's a very different demographic. But you know it's going to be that one day you'll be shutting the lift and try to open it for someone and there'll be an awkward situation where you'll leave them and the lift will go without them, and then that's the person you will see every time You'll enter every single day, every time.

Mark:

And that, of course, would have been an accident.

Linzi:

Of course it would have been an accident. Of course it would have been an accident, but I could just no, I'd rather do QNAD. But thank you for the offer, darling.

Mark:

Well, just to make it clear again, I won't offer him to that.

Linzi:

Okay.

Mark:

But the 149th for me just seems like just a fantastic. Obviously you're going to have to be retired, or all right. If the insight's good enough, maybe you can work remote on that. I know that I've done some work when we've been on cruise ships, but I haven't been on a cruise ship for 140 nights to try and do that.

Linzi:

No no.

Mark:

But it just seems like. Personally, I think I'd rather do more cruises on different cruise ships, I can't say different places because, that would go to more places.

Linzi:

I'd still want to do a world cruise, and does that go to Easter Island? That's my question.

Mark:

I honestly cannot say that, because I'll stop all that and Peru.

Linzi:

I'd like to go to Peru and Easter Island.

Mark:

On a world cruise or just a dedicated cruise. Either or.

Linzi:

Thank you In summary you would like to do a world cruise or just a dedicated cruise.

Mark:

Either or Thank you. So, in summary, you would like to do a world cruise on QNAP.

Linzi:

In summary yes.

Mark:

On Queen Mary 2 or any QNAP.

Linzi:

Queen Mary 2.

Mark:

Is she still doing world cruises? I thought she wasn't. She wasn't anymore now.

Linzi:

There's definitely some QNAP. I'm going to look after. We've done this. I'm going to look after. We've done this. I'm going to cost it again. We're not going on it because it's just too many days I mean, I'd even take a shelter balcony because, um, you know, I don't have to go crazy would you take an inside cabin if so, but if someone said to you you can have a world cruise for free, but it's an inside cabin?

Linzi:

no, no that's a long time to me, no so don yeah, if anybody's out there who are thinking of treating me.

Mark:

No, thank you, but thanks for the thoughts, but you would take a sheltered balcony.

Linzi:

Are we going, or am I going with the person who's paying?

Mark:

Not with me. But yeah, I don't know which cruise line I'd want to go on if not Cunard. I mean, I think doing a world cruise on one of the ultra luxury ones, you know, silver seas would just be an amazing. Yeah, I'm not sure I would have wanted to do it on the royal one.

Linzi:

Having now is it explored? I can't remember.

Mark:

Yeah, like I said, maybe it'll be interesting. It'll be fascinating to listen to people when they finish that and hear all the stuff, as opposed to just the sort of tick-tock.

Linzi:

Yeah, because they had influencers on there, didn't they who are not?

Mark:

I don't think they're on for the full journey.

Linzi:

No, but not specifically into cruising and I know that increases. You know your coverage and word of mouth and everything.

Mark:

But it all tends to be dramatised a little bit more, doesn't it?

Linzi:

Yeah.

Mark:

And it'll be really interesting to hear from some people when they get off for anyone who's done all of it, in terms of how that actually works out. Yeah, yeah, Okay, on to the final story. Okay.

Linzi:

So H works, yeah, yeah, okay, on to the final story. Okay, so hertigruten, okay, hx as it's more commonly known. I don't think I've ever heard it called hx before. Is that hertigruten expeditions?

Mark:

yeah, okay, so they have announced that from october this year they're changing to all inclusive so all inclusive, to deliver somebody else's post I don't think they do that on all of them, but what they're meaning by that. They've said specifically that the us market, which is a big market for them, has really sort of come to want the all-inclusive packages which we've seen more on. Yeah, princess with premier, celebrity with all-inclusive world caribbean, where you can get all these bits in there.

Linzi:

Yeah, and that people, when they're sort of doing these expedition ones, oh, so it's on the expedition one, it's not on the post one no, the talk about the hx, which is okay so that's quite a fancy fancy yeah, yeah, I mean we've watched plenty of videos on them.

Mark:

We have, we have. They look amazing.

Linzi:

And I've never costed it, because I mean, for example, to do Norwegian fjords and Norway. I think you have to. They used to do it out of Southampton. They don't do that anymore, but it's like £3,000 per person for us to do that.

Mark:

So it's comparable to some of the fancier cruise lines.

Linzi:

Yeah, but it's not as fully laden ship.

Mark:

No, they're a very different thing. I think if I were doing HX then I would be wanting to do that to Antarctica.

Linzi:

I'd have to look at them. Yes, see what?

Mark:

they're like I'd do like a Northern Lights type one on those ships. Yeah, which, again, but what they've said? Just coming back to the all-inclusive one, yeah. So it includes daily expeditions and activities. Full board dining, as you would expect, but also now house wine, beer and cocktails across the full duration. All your coffees, teas, soft drinks now, yeah, Wi-Fi.

Linzi:

Okay.

Mark:

And gratuities obviously yeah, that wasn't the. And yeah, wi-fi Okay and gratuities obviously yeah, that wasn't the. And.

Linzi:

No.

Mark:

I forgot to mention gratuities and that lovely HG Gruton outfits that they give people that we've seen. You know the red ones, yeah, which we've always gone oh, they look great. They do Help you get some of them as well.

Linzi:

Nice, nice.

Mark:

I thought it was just a nice I think they're Helle Hansen or something.

Linzi:

They're quite a heavy duty all weather.

Mark:

Yeah, they love really great outfits. So it was interesting to see sort of a cruise line like that going down that all inclusive one, because, whilst they're saying that's what the American market won, I always assumed that people wanted to go on that particular cruise because of the expedition element yes, it won. Us going on Princess or somewhere for of the expedition element yes, it wasn't. You know, like us going on Princess or somewhere for enjoying all the cocktails. You're going on it. You're going to be off a lot.

Linzi:

Yeah.

Mark:

I wouldn't have said that was as important for me.

Linzi:

No.

Mark:

But now they're offering it.

Linzi:

Yeah, I mean they will have looked at the numbers. I mean, for example, if you've been on a little zodiac boat and you've been bobbling about in the water, you're not really going to be wanting a cocktail as you get back on the ship, as we normally do when we've had an excursion. So they've obviously thought it is cost effective for us to do this, because people aren't going to go because they've got the excursions, because it's quite a up at you know dawn and and sort of getting sleepy for dusk and eating and stuff. It's not that. So they've obviously thought, yeah, this works for us, yeah now.

Mark:

I've not seen any prices. We haven't seen any information on sort of price changes, so we will definitely have a look some curious as to not to it, but just to look it. No, but I would imagine at some point we will do a HX cruise, because it is one that we've kept looking at and saying, yeah, if we're going to do that sort they're probably the one that we'd want to do it on.

Linzi:

Rather than a more cost-effective one.

Mark:

More than a mainstream cruise line. We'll have a look. It's always seemed that they're properly geared up for doing it, both in terms of sort of the ships and the outfits that they give you and to wear.

Linzi:

But also the expeditions, the expertise that they have the the um experts that they have on there.

Mark:

Yeah, that's what I mean by the expertise yeah, so it'll be really interesting to see how that pans out and whether it boosts another.

Linzi:

Yeah, lovely.

Mark:

Well, that's my last news story.

Linzi:

Okay, well, thank you, darling.

Mark:

You're very welcome. It brings us to the end of the episode.

Linzi:

Well, thank you for listening.

Mark:

Or watching, or both.

Linzi:

Or well, I mean.

Mark:

Well, I'm guessing, if you're watching, you're probably listening as well, maybe, maybe you've got some, you uh, thanks, thanks however, you enjoy this.

Linzi:

Cheers, cheers, linds, cheers, and have a lovely day and we'll see you on the next episode.