Don Kehote

Not for nothin', but our cabana experience on the Nieuw Amsterdam (December '22), was so incredibly bad that I actively dissuade my clients from booking it, with an explanation of how poorly the whole debacle went.  I had high hopes that my Daughter's cruise (with retreat cabana) would go better, but THEY had problems too.

It's bad.  Bad-bad.  I do not trust their ability, or even desire, to properly administer the cabanas.  Premium price should equate to premium service, and ours was just...no.  Never again.

All I can say for sure is that halfway through my last cruise, the Weng Weng turned into a Long Island Iced Tea on the receipt, along with the higher price.

Oh goodness, I've restarted so many times it isn't even funny.  

The irony of my phone being too old for HAL is not lost on me. 

I'm in ATL on my way down to FLL. I decided I'd fire up the Navigator app and look for any new info. 

What I found was a loading screen that wouldn't quit spinning.  So I figured, why not, and Uninstaller it to re-install. Except, now i can't.  "This app won't work for your device."  Just like THAT. 

So. Cant download, sure can't install.  I am in a pretty foul mood right now.  I am already looking forward to telling staff OVER and OVER again that no, I cant give them feedback through the app, because they broke it.  

Whatever.  I'm just annoyed. 

In the last few months, I have noticed a sharp decline in the ability of almost every HAL rep I have spoken to.  Whether that ability is to assist with a booking question, or to help fix a problem, it's not a pleasure to call there now.

On 11/18/2023 at 11:19 PM, Haljo1935 said:

I know this response is a bit late, but I just saw this thread. 

Since you have a TA, they would have sent you the email, not HAL. HAL sends TA the email and they forward to you. Perhaps that's how your TA learned of the cancelation and called you instead of sending you the email.

Also late to the game.  I think this is right; sometimes I get confused because not only am I the cruiser, I'm my TA as well.  It's easier with other people, I swear.

7 hours ago, Sir PMP said:

There's a good chance they'll be there:

I prefer Itchy & Scratchy!  🙂

I have some first-hand on this.  The 7 day version on the 19th got cancelled back on October 20th.  At the same time, they cancelled the 9 and 16 day sailing on the 10th.  I think that when I was digging into it, I smell a charter and a change of itinerary to the current 9 day sailing so that they don't have to interrupt the charter on the 26th for the Blues Cruise.

See: 

51 minutes ago, iflyrc5 said:

Where did you hear this?  From what I have heard from the engineering staff that the drinking water either comes from the ship RO system or a distillation process and then a little chlorine add per government regulations and minerals for taste.  It should not have any more sodium than your drinking water at home.

I tend to lean in this direction.  I'm now thinking about bringing a small bottle of it home to run through tests.  I gots some connections.

Who can I write to to complain about the weather?  That seems to be just as much in the realm of responsibility as we're talking here.  Do they have a department for "Taxes are too high" and "My boss thinks I'm dum"?

1 hour ago, Langoustine said:

No one serves High Tea. You are confusing High Tea with Afternoon Tea,

High tea, Afternoon tea, I'd rather have a Long Island Iced Tea.

Nope.

Unless you are perfectly okay with missing out on either the room you want, or the cruise you want.  Book now, get your cruise secure, and then call back if there's a price drop.  Or don't, whatever works for you.

Wall St. Pizza, add anchovy, and we're in heaven.  Good God, I loves them little fishies.

Just checking in:  Still using tap water, still not dead.  At least I don't think so.  Kinda smell like it, but the verdict is not in.

I am curious now - I do not have Club Orange, and I am only a wee one-star mariner, but I *DO* have priority boarding.  Wonder how that will pan out!

So, there's a bunch of ways that this can be addressed, which is fortunate!

First:  There's the Special Needs Form.  Login, and go to Respiratory Needs, and let them know that you are bringing your CPAP.  That will alert them to set you up with an extension cord if needed.  Below that, you can tell them that you need to order distilled water.

Second:  You can just order it onboard if you like.

Third:  I use tap water exclusively, and am not yet dead.  I am not a doctor, so that's just based on my observation, but I'm pretty sure I am still around.  I just give the reservoir a good old vinegar soak once I get home, and don't ever let it run empty.

On 10/29/2023 at 1:54 AM, Mary229 said:

Tv streaming is comparable to zoom and that is not a huge number.  

I'd like ANY sort of source on that claim.  Even a bad one.  

Please oh please change Rotterdam on December 13 to anything but Jamaica.  I would take a day at sea, or a keelhauling, or being fired into the sun in lieu.

On 10/27/2023 at 4:42 PM, thesmiths said:

If i had been walking by I would had simalar words to say to you.

Look, a hero.

I haven't seen that anywhere.  Thank you for your concern for my gustatory delights.

2 minutes ago, Thetideishigh2021 said:

The Travel Agent copy of your conf will show their commission so it’s not for the client’s viewing .  It’s not much different from the  passenger copy in terms of OBC

This is correct.  There's not an incredible amount of detail there.

Mark me down for a very negative retreat experience.  It was bad enough that we were refunded the cost, allowed to go for free (and still wouldn't), and still insisted in running it up the chain to *try* and fix the problem.

To be clear:  We were not looking for any sort of "Compensation".  There was a massive problem with the package, and nobody should have to go through the trash experience we did.  Our goal was to make it clear to senior staff JUST HOW BAD IT WAS.

3 hours ago, KAKcruiser said:

I am guessing that it is a 7 day charter.  They must have decided to add 2 days to the 7 day Eastern Caribbean itinerary and start it on January 17.  

Passes the sniff test.  It's chartered again on Jan 26, that much I am certain on.

18 minutes ago, KAKcruiser said:

A travel agency is showing the Rotterdam sailing a 9 day Eastern Caribbean itinerary on January 17, 2025. What was the itinerary for the 16 day sailing on January 10?

Caribbean Eastern/Southern from my old screenshots.  There WAS a 9 day Southern on Jan 10, and a 7 day Eastern on Jan 19.  )That was from mid September.)  I see the 9 day on Jan 17 in the booking system now. Closest previous is a 21 day on December 20 that I can find in the system.  That gets in on January 10.  

So, extrapolating from that:  Ship gets in to FLL on Jan 10, and is not available until Jan 17.  Someone chartered it for a week is my best guess.  I can't imagine just taking a week off for the hell of it, and that seems way short for maintenance/drydock.

Looks like they're offering a rebook on a march 2025 itinerary with up to $100 per person OBC ($200 max per room), rebook any other Fall 2024-Spring 2025 Rotterdam Caribbean Collector at same per diem rate, or cancel for full refund.  

I don't have detail yet as to WHY it was cancelled, but smells like charter, I guess.