:( (


Diamond to leave Radisson fleet in June
26/1/2005
Radisson Seven Seas Cruises will be notifying travel agents and customers today of the sale of Radisson Diamond, Seatrade Insider has confirmed. The ship will be leaving the fleet on June 4, destined for Hong Kong where it will be renamed and operate as a casino vessel.
RSSC had been chartering the twin-hulled Diamond from its Finnish owners.

RSSC will fully refund deposits for canceled sailings. In addition, the line will offer a $700 per person future cruise credit as a gesture of goodwill.

‘The Diamond was our first vessel – a ship that established a new direction for luxury cruising in 1992 – and it’s impossible to say goodbye to her without feeling a sense of loss,’ said RSSC president and ceo Mark Conroy. ‘At the same time, the world of luxury cruising has changed and we greet the future from the helm of our new generation of luxury ships.’

For canceled bookings, RSSC will provide the agency of record with a $100 per booking handling fee and pay full commission on any new booking made for clients in 2005 plus a $100 per guest bonus commission.

Boo Hoo!!!! :( :(

Me too....Booo Hooo

Oh WOW :eek:
I am so glad we are going on the 02/15/05 cruise so we can experience the "Diamond"

03/22/80 Commodore MS Caribe
02/15/03 Radisson Paul Gauguin
02/22/04 Norwegian Dream (ick)
11/12/04 Radisson Mariner "MINT"
02/15/05 Radisson Diamond "ADRIFT"
09/06/06 Radisson Mariner "MUSH"

So sad. I loved the Diamond. Best balconies at sea because of the "true privacy" provided by the actual walls between adjacent balconies.

Too bad. Our very first cruise was on the Diamond last March. I am so glad I had the opportunity to sail on her. Beautiful little jewel next to those giant floating malls and casinos.

Ginny

boy oh boy! I am so glad I had the chance to sail her last week!!!! Wonderful ship...but even more outstanding crew and staff.

I'm boohooing too! We never got to experience the Diamond and her celebrated crew. :mecry:

Sniff...we missed out.

I know it must be disappointing for the people booked in those dates but the $700 PP compensation is very generous. Gee, I wish I kept my 7/2 Venice to Rome booking!

Yeh, I wonder what will happen to the two captains? They were both very nice indeed.

Lovely ship, I'm so glad I got to sail her and enjoy those wonderful balconies, and that great dining room. And being able to stroll onto the bridge any time you liked, that was really keen.

For all you who have crushes on Giuseppe, wonder what's going to happen to him?

I hope Captain Neil shows up on another Radisson ship; he has been my favorite Captain to sail with. As for Giuseppe, I wish he would take over as CD on the Navigator replacing the Raads.

It is not easy for the Captains. They must be Italian on the Navigator and French on the Mariner and Paul Gauguin. Voyager if not Dag I think they must be Italian. Not totally sure about that. I know Dag's staff is mostly Italian. It is to do with the ship yard the ship was built in. So if they are not Italian or French it is a problem. I am sure Giuseppe will move to another ship.

Giuseppe can captain my ship anytime - Joanna

Knute Hansen is Norwegian and he does some of the Voyager cruises. He has been the captain on cruise I have ever taken, including the Voyage last summer. He was the Diamond's captain for several years. I know he is happy he made the move even though he is not the top dog at all times.

Guiseppe has been courted by a number of other cruise lines for some very good positions...bet he's sorry he didn't take one. With his background and personality (not to mention his good looks!) he'll get snatched up quickly. RSSC would be very wise to offer him a management position. I think he and his girlfriend would like to be land-based, although preferably in Europe.

Marc,
I am in agreement with you. I would love to see Guiseppe and his energy on the Navigator. I also think Gerlinda is special. However, I would understand if they would like to look for a land base opportunity. I know I have spoken with several couples on ships that would like to move to land. Certainly our loss if that happens. While I love cruising I know if can't be the best experience for staff couples as they often don't have same contracts, days off, time to be together, a place to call their own.

This is really depressing. I am so thankful that we got on her last summer and little Diamond (tender) went under the big Diamond in the harbor of Portifino. I was hoping to get back on her again in Europe.

I agree that Guiseppe should go to the Navigator, that is what was missing on her in Dec.
Jan

As we have the Song of Flower Lounge on the Voyager, do you think we could have Don Vito's onece a week in La Verandah on Mariner?

Jan, who was the CD on Navigator when you sailed her in December?

Marc,
They actually have a new item on the Navigator call the Taste of Italy. It is patterned after Don Vito's and I actually thought much better. They had several nites with a set menu and singing crew and several nites with a menu you could make selections from plus an Italian guitarist. The decor was excellent, the singing fun, and the food far better than the Diamond. It was by reservation but we were able to get in three times on a 10 day cruise and noticed that a number of us went more than once. So Don Vito's is living on the Navigator. By the way, the Raads were on in January.

Marc,
It was the husband and wife- Raad.
Jan

Weeeelll, it looks like we are going on the Silver Whisper after all. Sure glad we went ahead and double booked the Med cruise while waiting on the outcome. Now what to use that $700 cruise credit for? Maybe the PG, but airfare. Whew? The Navigator to Bermuda or perhaps the Voyager Caribbean. So many choices, so much fun.

Don

Boo-hoo here. I missed out sailing on the Diamond too.

agree with Susan, Navigator's taste of italy
was a blast, good wine & food too...we did it
twice..r/wes

Don,

Do you need to use the $700 credit this year or can you carry it into the future?

$700 future cruise certificate must be used in 2005.

After boo-hooing about the departure of the Diamond, my husband and I booked today on the Voyager Oct. 22 Monte Carlo to Athens, 8 days. It's a nice itinerary and now I'm excited again. Things have a way of working out. Question: For a Monte Carlo embarkation, is it best to fly into Nice?

Priscilla, I think the closest airport is Nice. That is what we are flying out of for 007.

Priscilla: we flew into Nice for 2 cruises leaving from MC - Joanna

Only airport serving that area is Nice. It is only about 20 minutes to Monte Carlo.

Thanks, Karen and Joanna. Karen, since you and the rest of the 007 group are disembarking the day we are embarking, maybe we can make some plans to ensure that our paths cross, depending on airport schedules, etc. That would be great fun! At least one other LCTer, Betty, will be on our cruise too. We found out earlier today that we had booked the same one -- great minds!

Priscilla, we were discussing this very thing on another post (I forget which one) I would LOVE to be able to meet you and Betty!

Great news, Priscilla. Sounds like you will have a wonderful itinerary and a great time cruising with Betty.

Let your planning begin!

Hi Priscilla,

That's great that you and Betty were able to find a cruise that you like. It looks like a great itinerary!

Now the hunt for affordable hotels in the Monte Carlo/Nice region begins.
We couldn't believe we booked the same cruise without talking to each other. I had first looked at the Dover to Monte Carlo on Aug 31st. Cheapest cabin available was a Penthouse B. No way. Then I find a perfect cruise from Monte Carlo to Istanbul that also stopped in Venice. I'm ready to book when much to my embarrassment Ngaire tells me I am looking at the 2004 brochure. So choice # 3 turns out to have Priscilla & John booked this morning. Now what could be better than that. Of yes, seeing all the 007 people as they stumble off the ship. Anyone for Brunch???? <img border="0" alt="[drinker]" title="" src="graemlins/all_coholic.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[drinker]" title="" src="graemlins/all_coholic.gif" />

Friends of our from CA were booked on the Diamond now swtiching to Voyager - Betty I think they are with you - Mike and Carol Carroll - great people - guess not everyone is mad at Radisson!!

Following from them:
Thanks to you, we got a head start on the cruise problem. Radisson offered
us two other cruises, both on the Voyager. Although neither one is
exactly what we wanted, we decided to take the offer, at substantial
savings. Our new cruise, on the Voyager, is in October and starts in
Monte Carlo (ugh) and ends up in Athens. We really wanted to get back
to Istanbul, so we will just take a side trip there at the end.

I really can not thank you enough for all the info. Those people are really
on top of things.

Joanna

This is our cruise. Tell them Priscilla, John and I will try to arrange a place to meet them at the Sail Away Party. I love this stuff. Planning parties onboard 9 motnhs in advance. Only on LCT and with Ngaire's NZ maybe tour in 2007 and Denise's Budapest/Prague plans for 2006 before I know it I will have my plans down for the next 5 years. Life can be truly grand at times!!!

Joanna, thanks for posting. We'll look forward to meeting Mike and Carol!

We met Mike and Carol years ago on St Barts we all stayed at the same place and would try and plan our vacations together - you will enjoy them! I had been raving about Radisson and they did a trip on the Diamond last year and loved it. Joanna

I am so sorry to hear about the Diamond. After reading all about this ship I had to try it.

It was only for a 3 day sampler cruise and just wonderful.

I thought something was going on when all the crew was in the gift shop buying all.

So sorry to hear about this. Sailing so smooth, Crew great and suites so nice.


JPar