Just wanted to say hello after completing another contract with Harding Brothers.
After Australia, it was time to visit Caribbean and Europe. I was sent to the ship “Independence of the Seas” – Royal Caribbean.
Right at the beginning, I have to say that the difference in between ships, comparing the P&O Pacific Pearl and the Indy, is enormous.
Indy is muuuuch much better and nicer than PP (Pacific Pearl). The ship is twice higher than the PP, it has consequently almost twice as many passengers and a lot more crew.
Comparing Royal Caribbean and P&O, Royal is well above P&O.
Royal crew is being treated much better and it is visible that a company takes care of its crew.
For example, Royal Caribbean is known to organize crew party with free food and drinks, at least once, if not twice a month.
Then organize crew excursions to ports, of course, you have to pay for trips, but that is more than the P&O is willing to offer.
They knew organize BBQ in port in Norway sometime in early May, which is something we Balkan crew appreciate, for missing May holidays at home. Barbecue on the grass around you, the mountains and the sea which is calm as a river, sunny and warm day … it works like a charm. Also, Royal always invest in crew recreational activities.
A few months ago they invested in 10 Sony Playstations 4, and 10 LCD screens. The crew has access to two billiard table, one table tennis table, pinball machine and so on.
The crew bar was recently renovated with a 4-5 completely new tables (as booths, one designed for 10 persons).
Crew bar is much larger than the Pacific Pearl, it is in the open space, so that smoking is allowed in one part of the bar.
Every evening something happens ,you can get out every evening, and always have some type of fun, while on the PP that‘s not the case.
Bar on the PP is much smaller and during the cruise you can see every evening maybe 10 people, mainly retailers and spa girls. Only when there was organized party, the bar was full.
As for those small parties, though the bar was smaller, those organized parties were a lot nicer on PP, perhaps it was precisely because the ship was smaller and people were closer.