midcanada

We were on the same cruise as AZNative2000. We were also travelling with another couple and had adjoining balconies that we could share.

Our rooms were just fine, staff was quick and efficient, and the food was absolutely wonderful in all the restaurants. The weather was unbelievably good. We had no issues with anyone's dress on Gala Nights.

Our only issue of note was a very unpleasant dining experience in the Pinnacle Grill....this was a wait-staff issue and it was reported to the front office. We will still hesitate to retry the Pinnacle Grill.

This was our third HAL cruise and our second to Alaska and it was the best yet!

I had a real problem for many years with rough, cracked, dry heels .

I found the foot files from Microplane are almost magical.....I order a new one every year and my feet remain soft and smooth.

These files are very close in appearance to a lemon-zester grater.

An amazing product!

You can save a bit by ordering the miscoloured handle sets.

http://us.microplane.com/microplanexl-profootfile-colorblind.aspx

I find the quality of the food and the civilized behavior of my tablemates effect my dining experience.

What other diners chose to wear has nothing to do with my enjoyment of the meal.

Sometimes we just want the MDR food without the formal night drama and eat on our veranda.

It would be nice to have the choice to dress-up or not and still enjoy the service in the MDR.

Especially when travelling three days to get to the port, with four adults in a medium SUV, therefore limited luggage room. DH's dress shoes, suit and tie require an extra suitcase.

I recently read a post somewhere on this site saying that we should be sure to lock our bags when we place them in the hallways outside our room the night before disembarkation. Someone could easily add something to your bag otherwise.

I am not an alarmist....but a package of small cable ties is very cheap.

We elected to do just what you are planning: we ordered from the MDR menu and ate on our balcony for formal nights.

Room service will deliver a menu to your room if you call them. The food arrived on time, hot, and beautifully presented. We very much enjoyed the experience.

We do travel with our formal clothes but sometimes don't want to deal with the drama in the MDR on formal nights. We just want the food.

I suppose that is a remote possibility.

The fact that I saw the group enter the Lido doors and then seat themselves with no food or drink in hand made me think otherwise. They all dispersed to get food and drink after they sat down.

Seemed like a reservation situation to me.

I missed the part about "reservations". It sounds like he was just trying to find these women a table so they could eat together.

 

Btw, my DH agrees with you and does not think staff should be asking passengers to move, but that it should be between the passengers.

 

If the group was four young women would you have allowed them to join you? The fact that you keep mentioning "young" women makes one question if your response would have been different if it was an elderly group of 6 and HC with scooters, etc (and needed space to store their scooters and wheelchairs away from the buffet line).

 

We would have moved to the 2 top so we could eat alone.

Our problem was with the reservation of a table---the group was not even in the Lido when all the moving went on. The staff member was clearly trying to hold a table for a group that was not even there yet.

That was my only objection.

We love to have company for meals and we would have moved if the group had asked us themselves.

It was strictly the reservation thing that was a problem.

No, No, No. No resentment from this gentleman to attractive young females.

 

What is objectionable is the action of the crew member.

 

If I am seated in a restaurant and asked to move to a different table because of whatever, that is the issue. Why should I have to surrender my place just because someone(s) wants it? The money I paid for that "spot" is equal to whatever they paid. (And, if the group were indeed crew/cast members, they would put an entirely different, and negative, spin on the situation. At least, in my opinion.)

 

I am still awaiting to learn if the person who made "the complaint" received a response and what the response was.

I spoke to the Lido Manager(not sure if that is the correct title) and explained what had occurred. He was appalled by the staff members actions and assured me the matter would be dealt with. He stated that there are never any reservations given for tables in the Lido.

I did see the group of young women searching for a table on other mornings, just like the rest of us.

I am perfectly willing to share a six top if anyone wants that but I do not want to be moved to a less desirable location for a special group.

First come, first choice of location and table.

Interesting Lido event on our recent NA Caribbean cruise.

Very crowded breakfast time with lots of people looking for an empty chair or table. We (DH and I) sat at a six top and were asked to move to the other side of the barrier to a small two top by the serving line. We refused. The attendant then asked an elderly couple at another six-top table to move and they did. The attendant then put six water glasses around the six top.

In waltzed a group of six young ladies who sat themselves down at the large table, chatting and thanking the attendant for saving "their" table.

So bad! I lodged a complaint,

I really want to do the helicopter/Mendenhall Glacier/Dog sledding excursion in Juneau. And in Ketchikan, they have a fish camp excursion where you fish and then go to the camp and the cook your fish (rated very highly by Food & Wine for the meal). These are on my "wish" list for 2016...... Anyone done either of these?

 

Tanya

On our June 2014 cruise my DH did the fish camp excursion and LOVED it....he still raves about the experience. Worth every penny.

A large zip-lock bag to use in the safe.....it's so much easier to just remove the bag and fish around for passports or whatever, rather than trying to find things in the dark recesses of the safe.

A small highlighter to mark interesting things on the daily schedules.

Eagle Creek soft sided rolling duffels for us....with our use of packing cubes it just makes packing a breeze.

Laura

I use a couple of swivel clips( the kind that are hard to open) and a sturdy length of ribbon. A minute with the sewing machine and I have a very tiny leash-like setup. The Pacsafe bags have interior metal rings to clip things to.

The clips and ribbons are readily available where jewellery fittings are sold...Hobby Lobby or JoAnn's.

You can order the same thing online from here:

http://www.daymakers.com/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=108&cat=Optional+Wrist+Straps%2C+Strap+Extensions%2C+and+Extra+Long+Straps

I love the fact I can't accidently leave my wallet behind in a shop or have my keys drop out of the bag. Plus the pickpocket thing!

cruise.25

I have a well used and loved Pacsafe Citysafe CS75 that is my perfect travel bag for a city shopping trip or a hike in the woods.

Just the right size for small camera and wallet...light enough that my shoulder doesn't get sore.

The added benefit is all the built in security features of the bag. I even have a cord lock ribbon to secure my wallet and keys in the purse.

Thanks sail7seas.

I will use these links.

Thanks for that link Krazy Kruizers.

These are so useful.

What a great website....I just checked all our port stops to see how many other ships will be visiting with us.

So far we are the only ship at HMK for the two days we visit.

This really helps with port planning.

http://ports.cruisett.com/

I am an Eagle Creek Packing Cube fan...but I haven't tried the folders yet. I love the packing cubes as all my clothing stays organized and tidy, both in the suitcase and at my destination.

Enjoy!

I used IE 11 on my Surface tablet. (and I usually have lots of issues with this browser --no other browser is available for the Surface)

I completed both parts of the survey.

No problems opening the links.

It is a VERY long survey!

Shrimp cocktail, cheese plate, and wine on our balcony in the afternoon.

Bliss.

"Make a new friend, take the pat down. " I do this every time I fly.

I worked as a Medical Radiological Technologist for 40 years and have had far more than my share of exposure, especially skin exposure to soft radiation, which is the kind used in airport X Ray scanners.

At my workplace, all of the Radiologists (doctors) and the people who monitor the X Ray equipment for the Canadian Government advise against going through the X Ray scanners.

We all have different life experiences and adjust our behavior accordingly. I am merely trying to prevent further skin cancers for myself.

I am happy to hear that the Holland American scanners are the Metal Detector type.

OK. Metal detectors are fine.

Millions of travellers fly and have to go through the airport terminal X Ray scanners.

Does anyone know if the scanners use X-Ray technology?

If so...that's a LOT of exposure with all the coming and going for excursions and shopping when visiting ports.

I am concerned.