Bon Voyage Magazine just published their list of 6 "Epic Fails" in cruising: http://cruiseline.com/bonvoyage/cruising-101/all-about-cruising/6-epic-fails-in-cruising
There are some interesting points, but I have to take them to task on a couple of the items:
First up is #6, the Virtual Portholes on Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy. From everything I've read, most cruisers in an inside stateroom on these ships are thrilled to have a "window" outside and the surprise "visits" from Disney characters delight the kids. Not a failure by any standard.
I also take issue with #1, Hawaii Year-Round. The concept of year-round 7 night inter-island cruises is a sound one. The reason Norwegian's Hawaii business initially faltered is that 3 new ships in 3 years was just too much capacity being added too rapidly. Seven night cruises were a new product in Hawaii and while there was strong initial interest, the market couldn't support over 10,000 berths a week. Once the excess capacity was removed, the Pride of America has been doing extremely well as reflected in cruise fares and financial results.
At least one item is missing from this list, and ironically, it truly is an "Epic Fail" -- the bathroom design on the "New Wave" balcony cabins on the Norwegian Epic. While the concept looks strong on paper, it's a bit of a mixed bag in reality, and though it might work for singles or couples traveling together, the split bathroom design just doesn't offer quite enough privacy for most cruisers. Thankfully, Norwegian abandoned the concept for the Breakaway class and returned to a traditional bathroom design.
What do you think should be added (or removed) from the list of epic fails?
