aa7yy

13 minutes ago, aa7yy said:

Thanks! I will belive you and work on it. But,,, this only happened 1 day and the app was on my phone for months. I use Firefox so another variable.

 

Thanks

Got it! Thanks, don't know when it happened, probably an Android update. (Think there have been 2 or 3 this year) Search history is now tied into App usage. So now my most common searches are gone.

8 minutes ago, POA1 said:

That's an Android thing, not a HAL thing. Your device is searching locally first.. The app is on your phone, so it comes up first.

 

There is a way to turn it off, but you'll have to dig to find it. Alternatively, just use a different search engine. Neither Bing nor DuckDuckGo normally search on device the way Google does.

Thanks! I will belive you and work on it. But,,, this only happened 1 day and the app was on my phone for months. I use Firefox so another variable.

Thanks

27 minutes ago, Siltoneous said:

Yea, same here.  I installed it and opened it for the first time ever today, and it boggles the mind that it could be this bad. I couldn't even type my account name and password, as the app kept closing my keyboard after each letter I typed!  Had to copy/paste them from my password manager.

 

<shakes head> I'd heard the app had issues, but never thought it would be this level of terrible.😱

The latest! As of yesterday ever time I googled Holland America Line everything that came up sent me to the App. I had to delete the App to get it to send me to the web site. I do not want to try cruise planing thru the App.

My Navigator App doesn't work. Getting used to it, just shut it down. Flashes on and off and won't allow you to type anything in.

Just finished fighting the Stockperks Project. Told them I wasn't going to do it. Now have the Credit, you must get an updated statement and I always print it out for the argument at the front desk. The World Cruise Desk can do it in an hour but they think we need a special program. Put it on my phone with Verifly, Navigator, and Cruise Mapper. Remember the line for the first 24 hours of your last cruise? Trying to get wifi to work, Navigator to work ? Throw in Stockperks

🤣🤣

On the Oosterdam last summer, up early. Checked the HAL web site and it was in Dutch. Went down to the front desk to talk to them. They explained it was my phone, then they explained it was my browser. Then I took them over to the free computers and told him to log into my account. He did and it was in Dutch. He went back and sent a message to Seattle. I am convinced the tech staff on board have trained at Verizon, T-Mobile or AT&T stores in phone sales.

Anybody tried Stockperks yet? I refused, told them my vacation was not going to revolve around 4 different phone apps and HAL wifi! Took a look at Navigator today for fun. Still doesn't work. Has in the past, but not now, must of tried to fix something.

There, I vented!

Well I have been shut out from the Crows Nest for CC Meet and Greets, 4/5 Star Receptions and a Private Tour Group Exiting Rotterdam. Art Show/Sales might just drive me over the edge. So far the low spot was the 4/5 Star Reception that we couldn't go to because we weren't invited.

nHow is my first choice. From breakfast you can look in the stern windows.

Also closest to trams for a trip into the train station.

Lots of places to eat across the street.

Old Rotterdam has no AC so is hot and stuffy and you will probably get an inside room.

But a nice outside deck for lunch.(that can be crowded)

Out in nowhere. Cab ride, shuttle wasn't available in 22.

NyNY, well you could say that you have stayed there.

Not bad to terminal. I hate thinking about a cab to a place I can see.

Well I would  say the same for the $500 airfare on the Black Friday Sale. No strings attached when I booked a new cruise and re priced a middle cruise. The strings were attached the following week.

The $1000 airfare is good for $250. Three cruises B/B/B no money can be used for the flight in. No use for a flight on the middle and $250 for the flight out. Nothing in the Black Friday sales when I jumped in. Fine print added the following week.

51 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

If you choose restricted or on a casino promo you pay early.  If you pick flexible you don’t pay until final payment date.  If you pick flexible you can change or cancel the flight as often as you would like up to final payment date

I picked flexible. To pick your seats you had to pay off, that made it early. Once they are paid off you can't cancel. Seats are important to us.

For me, to book early I had to pay off the tickets early. That made the tickets non-refundable so when I canceled the cruise they tried to stick me with the tickets. I turned it around on them as the airline had made a change in my original schedule and I escaped.

Now, trying to deal with the previously undefined $500 Airfare Credit makes it pretty much worthless.

I book direct using my AA or Alaska Credit Card

I spent 7 weeks on the Oo, July thru Sept 1. I just didn't sign the paper. They got used to it and left me alone. When I get off the ship I give my favorites a bunch of euros or pounds or dollars, what ever I have left. I give tips for service or even pleasure not to mention good work.

Who ever thought up the system to sign for drinks in the bars and not in the restaurants probably also works on the web site.

6 hours ago, aa7yy said:

!st, don't try and deal with shipboard tech people. Remember these are the people that make Wine Sommeliers out of waitresses.

2nd Constantly update Express Vpn. They make "fixes" with out telling you.

3rd Try Help and email them, they answer and make fixes without telling you.

4th Where are you trying to Connect. I used Milan, then Miami

5th Options, Settings, Go to VPN Protocol and try all the choices. Probably end up on automatic.

6th Look for strongest signal, Try Crows Nest opposite the Exec tours desk. She has a router in her office.

Regarding #2 You should have version 11.10  Tap Help and down to the bottom

8 hours ago, Wayfarer65 said:

I’m on Oosterdam now and not able to get ExpressVPN to work over WiFi here. Any pointers? Never had any issue with ExpressVPN on Princess boats. 

!st, don't try and deal with shipboard tech people. Remember these are the people that make Wine Sommeliers out of waitresses.

2nd Constantly update Express Vpn. They make "fixes" with out telling you.

3rd Try Help and email them, they answer and make fixes without telling you.

4th Where are you trying to Connect. I used Milan, then Miami

5th Options, Settings, Go to VPN Protocol and try all the choices. Probably end up on automatic.

6th Look for strongest signal, Try Crows Nest opposite the Exec tours desk. She has a router in her office.

They installed Starlink on the Oosterdam during August. Midship, both sides, outboard on a platform. Five posts with hardware as pictured above in #67. Did most of the work while in port. Download significantly faster, upload about the same as old.

I just spent 7 weeks on the Oosterdam and was able to use Express Vpn with both the old and the new. Did take me about a week emailing back and forth with Express Vpn but they got it working. No intelligent life onboard.

The standards are way down there! Last month in the Pinnacle, jeans and golf shirt. Seems to me that when you are giving them away they are no longer "specialty" restaurants. Canaletto, guys wearing hats, can't take off my John Deere hat! Guy in shorts.

After my last 3 wine tasting invites I have decided to skip them in the future. Rotterdam last September one of the girls pouring drank more then I. A month later she was a Sommelier.😁 Same cruise there was a Sommelier pouring that had been waiting tables 6 months earlier on the Konnsingdam. The Round the World tasting seems to be the place where non sellers go to die. I am not a wine snob but I have not been to a tasting yet that was informative or good wines.

Spent 50 days on the Rotterdam last fall. Managed to avoid the MDR for the total. Twice in the Pinnacle and will never return, especially on the Pinnacle class ships. Will give it another try on the Vista Class ships this summer.

Tamarind I liked, the wife didn't. I lost out after three tries. Probably ate in the Canaletto 3 times a week. Had to cut back at the end as the staff were becoming "to friendly". Food and service were great. My "go to" was the New York Deli. Might grab something there for dinner or bring it up from the Lido. Usually empty and quite with a bar to ourselves.

17 hours ago, CH_ca said:

I'm trying to persuade a young couple to try HAL. They are not very into party cruises and love ballroom dancing. What other interesting things can they do onboard HAL?

A young couple can have lots of fun on a HAL cruise because most of us are so worldly and fun.

Pickle ball as mentioned is gaining popularity. There seems to be at least 4 versions of Trivia daily. We read and we people watch. Lots of people do gym time. The music scene can range from good to interesting. Better chance of line dancing then ballroom. A lot depends on the ship and the cruise. So many choices.

Reality, people cruise for any of 3 reasons. 1) Relax, 2) See new places and 3) Eat.

Include your friends in the discussion and be honest. A lot we are, but exciting is not at the top of the list.

Just spent 50 days on the Rotterdam and managed to avoid the MDR for every night. My experiences on the NS and the Konsingdam confirmed that it is just to much noise. I am for dark wood, drapes and brass.

Never felt crowded on any of them but then I avoid the "special time" cruises and / or 7 day cruises.

Vista class is now my first choice.

Livorno, Civitavecchia and Naples are all 3 ports where we tend to over tour. Maybe some conservative tours so that you don't burn out. (leave a reason to return.) If you hit all 3 hard it will start to feel like you need a vacation.

The Points Guy

January 07 2023

Some of the positives can not really be "penciled out". If you don't drink it is almost always not worth it, but I wouldn't order a beer with my lunch if I had to pay $7-$8 for it. Now I often have a second one. Maybe an extra glass of wine at dinner and I would never order an after dinner drink if I had to pay. I have done the option where I buy the wine packages but that doesn't work well if you want a glass in maybe 4 different bars besides with dinner. My wife love her Chi Tea, not sure we would pay for it when you add on the gratuities. Specialty restaurants are a plus. Spent 7 weeks on the Rotterdam last summer and never ate in the MDR. Credit for Shore Excursions is little or no use as I avoid them. Wifi is a leading cause of frustration onboard.

1 hour ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

Open the closet.  Leave things hanging.  Toss everything else in a suitcase on the bed.

Last time we changed cabins the procedure took less time that the 15 minutes to read this thread.

Have never had to leave the cruise terminal.  Usually stayed on board.  Just checked out with our old sea pass, walked to customs and immigration (if required) and then either went into town or immediately checked back in with our new seapass

Our swap was a lot like this except we hung around to accompany everything to our new room then got out of the way. Left the ship with a Transit pass and when we re boarded our new card was at the new room.