Doubly disappointed - Letters

Cruise Travel, Sept-Oct, 2002 by Michael P. Burwen

I must say I was disappointed in the articles on Radisson Seven Seas Cruises' Seven Seas Mariner and on podded propulsion systems in the June 2002 Cruise Travel. I thought they were both poorly researched and misleading.

Although the review of the Seven Seas Mariner might be excused by allowing for an author's subjective evaluation, the benefits of a podded propulsion systems are many and meaningful to passengers. The system permits a large vessel to "turn on a dime," thus allowing a large vessel to enter a narrow waterway and rotate in place on its yaw axis. Thus the Seven Seas Mariner, a 50K-grt ship, can maneuver in Alaska's Tracy Arm, while comparably sized brethren are relegated to more expansive waters. Podded systems are also much quieter than conventional propulsion systems. Indeed, the benefits to passengers are substantial.

The Seven Seas Mariner review must have been written by a 30-something. This is a ship for grownups. Most of the partying is done in the suites in small groups of 8-12 people or in the restaurants. The patrons are people who have been there, done that, and the raucous atmosphere of the big cruise ships is thankfully (to those people) absent. While your article implies a lackluster social life, it is in fact exactly the opposite--a great venue to meet and get to know new people who are likely to share similar interests.

Those who resent the nickel-and-dime treatment offered by the discount cruise lines will love the Radisson "attitude." On our Alaskan cruise, the ship's kitchens were happy to prepare the salmon or halibut that a passenger caught earlier in the day. No charge. If you hold a cocktail party in your suite, the ship will supply platters of hors d'oeuvres. No charge. A supply of wine (and/ or booze) is provided to each cabin. No charge. Excellent wine selections are provided with every meal. No charge. There is a no-tipping policy. We tried to tip our cabin stewards a little extra and were politely refused.

Having been on more than a dozen cruises from the least to the most expensive, the Seven Seas Mariner offered the best cruise experience I've encountered. And, although the ship might seem expensive, so much is included that the bottom-line cost is very little more than the low-end cruises.

Michael P. Burwen, Rancho Mirage, CA The article about podded propulsion systems, "A to Z of Azipods," notes the same benefits as listed above, but the author points out that most cruise passengers will not notice the difference--a fact borne out by our experience; for example, NCL's 50,000-grt Norwegian Wind successfully navigates Tracy Arm with her conventional propulsion system. And the author of the Seven Seas Mariner Ship of the Month is no young cruise novice, but rather a well-credentialed veteran of hundreds of cruises on scores of ships dating back more than 30-something years.