Viking Vesta and blue skies in November. Photo / Tiana Templeman
Viking Vesta and blue skies in November. Photo / Tiana Templeman
For cruise lovers, an inaugural cruise is a front-row seat to history, but these voyages aren’t always smooth sailing, writes Tiana Templeman.
There’s no denying a ship’s “maiden” voyage is exciting. Getting onboard and breathing in that “new ship smell” is intoxicating. So is knowing you’re one of the firstto sleep in your cabin’s bed, try out the restaurants, ride the rollercoaster and see the shows.
However, sometimes not everything goes to plan on maiden voyages. Here’s what to weigh up before you shout, “Anchors aweigh!” and sign up for a ship’s debut journey.
New ships don’t have a great track record when it comes to launching on time, so there’s a better than average chance your voyage will be delayed. Possibly at the last minute, as was the case with Sun Princess.
This ship’s launch date was pushed back by 10 days, just two weeks before it was due to sail. Delayed inaugural voyages can be an expensive disaster as cruise lines’ compensation offers vary and don’t cover rearranging your entire trip at short notice.
If your ship does sail on time, it might not be finished
Even if some things aren’t ready, the inaugural voyage might still go ahead. When I sailed on P&O Cruises’ Pacific Adventure, the specialty restaurants weren’t quite complete. Sometimes attractions or activities may not be ready for guests to experience them, or there could still be tradespeople on board the ship finishing things off.
But if you’re lucky, your sailing could be extra flash
On Holland America’s Nieuw Statendam’s inaugural voyage, not only was the ship ready on time, but the cruise line’s VIPs were also on board, so everything had to be spot on. Crew were extra attentive and there were special guest entertainers around the ship. At the restaurant Rudi’s Sel de Mer, chef Rudi Sodamin was in the kitchen, making sure each dish we ate was executed to perfection.
Your opinion is important
Douglas Mawson at Sea. Photo / Tiana Templeman
Provided you don’t overstep the mark, cruise line executives on inaugural sailings generally welcome constructive feedback. On my recent voyage on Aurora Expeditions’ new ship, Douglas Mawson, passengers were encouraged to point out anything that wasn’t working perfectly and make suggestions for onboard improvements. Whether you’re a regular cruiser or it’s your first sailing, it’s nice to feel like your opinion counts.
When a new ship launches, the line’s most experienced and best crew who’ve sailed on similar vessels in the fleet often join the inaugural sailing and remain for a ship’s first season. I wasn’t on the inaugural sailing when I sailed on Viking Vesta at the end of last year, but the ship was still so new that these expert crew were on my cruise. There’s a lot of pride attached to working on a new ship, and their service throughout the voyage was exceptional.
Systems are new, so be patient
Encounter Hotel on Pacific Encounter. Photo / Tiana Templeman
New ships are the ideal opportunity for cruise lines to update onboard technology or introduce new systems. However, even experienced crew members aren’t immune from the technical glitches that can come with this. On a new ship packed with thirsty Aussies and Kiwis, the queues at Pacific Encounter’s bars caused by glitchy software were enough to drive anyone to drink. No cruise lines are spared on inaugural voyages when IT issues like these are common and sometimes things simply don’t work.
Maiden voyages can be expensive
Given all their potential downfalls, maiden voyages are often surprisingly pricey. It all comes down to where the ship is sailing. A Mediterranean debut has the potential to be very expensive as it’s a destination with huge international appeal and can be added to a land-based European trip.
Or they can be ridiculously cheap
Nieuw Statendam. Photo / Holland America Line
On the flipside, if an inaugural sailing is a repositioning cruise, you could get lucky and pick up a bargain. Our 14-night maiden cruise on Nieuw Statendam was a transatlantic voyage that only stopped at three ports, none of which were particularly exciting. As the cruise got closer, we spotted fares as low as $90 per person per day for that 2018 sailing on the line’s new flagship. During the voyage, passengers told us the fares had dropped even lower closer to departure.
You could get a money-can’t-buy-it souvenir
It’s always lovely getting a present, especially when it’s a money-can’t-buy-it one. On an inaugural sailing, it’s not unusual for every passenger to receive a commemorative gift. On one of mine, everyone received a commemorative plate decorated with a painting of the ship and the date of our sailing. Some people said they were displaying theirs in a cabin, others were putting it on the wall. I used mine as a cheese plate for years. It was a great conversation starter at dinner parties with my cruise-loving friends.
