Qcruise

We're HAL newbies so guessing which nights might be our "formal nights".....aboard the Rotterdam in April for a seven night Caribbean sailing.  Am I correct in assuming it might be our first sea day and last sea day.....?  It sails Sunday to Sunday,  Monday is Half Moon Cay,  sea day,  then 2 port days, sea day, Key West then debarkation in Ft. Lauderdale.   Thinking formal would be Tuesday and Friday.....?  We don't want to book our specialty dining on a formal night,  thinking menu best in main dining on those nights.....?  Thanks

We're HAL newbies,  gonna be on the Rotterdam in April with first time cruising friends.  As to our included specialty dining choice,  what would you experienced HAL folks recommend.....?  Pinnacle steak house or Rudi's....?  Thanks in advance......

At the risk of getting flamed.....we've never sailed HAL before and will be aboard Rotterdam in April.  Princess has smoking lounges,  does HAL allow cigars on open decks with the cigarette people...?  I enjoy one or two during our cruise.  Thanks

I've not been on these boards since the covid took away our favorite way to vacation....now we're supposed to finally try HAL aboard the Rotterdam in 

April after two cancellations.  I read in a recent review that tips and taxes are not included in the beverage package.  In the description it says "service charges included"....so what does that mean...?  We're used to Princess and they don't charge anything if you buy the package.  Thanks for any clarification....

Sailing out of Seattle is fine by us.  However,  unless things change fast cities like Seattle, Portland, New York and Chicago are off our list for any tourist stops.  Would go directly from airport to cruise port so no more getting there early to spend time exploring the city.  It's really a shame.

Please.....let's think about it logically.   The Spanish flu has been around for over one hundred years and they give a vaccine every year .....only about 30% of the population takes it us being two,  we think it helps.  But so many people are already anti vaccine and honestly we have no intentions of taking any vaccine for covid until at least six months or a year after it's proven safe and effective.  Covid is not going away any more than the flu did.  The key is better and proven treatments that make these things less deadly.

While we had received the FCC a while ago....and incidental charges back re: beverage pkg and spa charges....the port charges finally credited our card yesterday.  Now all we need to do is try to book something before December 2022.  It's a shame really,  this was our first time "trying out" HAL.......one day.

17 minutes ago, davekathy said:

It should be in really good shape as it was Revolutionized in 2019. What's your sail date? We also have the Millennium booked for 9 September 2021. We were also on the Infinity for a Pacific Coastal Cruise 17 thru 24 September 2017. 

 

I'll have to ask the wife re: the date in September......we so enjoyed our Infinity sailing being overnight in SF was amazing.  We did aqua class then but the deal for that we missed so doing a regular balcony this time.  

Hi guys.....we've only sailed Celebrity one time in 2017 aboard the Infinity for a California coastal,  we just booked what we think is a pretty good deal aboard the Millenium for Sept. 2021 another California coastal in a balcony cabin.  Now we know it's the same class vessel as the Infinity was but would like to ask you regulars as to it's shape these days.  Hoping by next September things get more normal in our world.......thanks.

Logic would tell you that cruise ships should be welcomed at the same point they're willing to accept flights from all over the world into their paradise.  If they think it's safe for planes to dump throngs of people into their environment then why are cruise ships stopped....?   

I will assume then that they will keep the islands closed entirely to all air traffic incoming otherwise what's the point....?   We know the islands are one big soup bowl for the entire world to go into so understand their concerns,  but can't understand how they can survive 1.5 years shut down.

2 hours ago, mafig said:

I'd love to book a Jan. cruise on Enchanted.

DH not so much.

In looking at this weekend's films of partiers he wondered if people would "behave" and follow the rules, regardless what measures the cruise line puts in place.

Well that right there is happening all over the country and the results of it will determine what happens going forward.  Here in California things are opening slowly according to what county your in.  We drove up to the central valley over memorial weekend to visit our son and masks were optional in grocery stores and we were able to eat inside a resteraunt.....wow.  People are over it.

There are some fantastic prices right now if your comfortable with a January cruise.  We're looking at the Royal out of LA to Mexico as we're on the West coast....but saw Enchanted deals out of Ft. Lauderdale in Jan as well......I think we're going to use a deposit to book one of them.  Have to figure they should have it together by then.

21 minutes ago, oaktreerb said:

Have you received written confirmation from HAL of the FCC amount that will be available through your mariner account for a future cruise?

Yes we have

2 minutes ago, Shmoo here said:

When did you ask for the refund?  How long ago?

Cruise cancelled mid March was April 28 sail date.......waiting since then.

News flash......my wife just texted me that our refund for related purchases to the cruise we lost have hit our credit card.  It was approx $600 bucks maybe more with taxes/port fees but we took the FCC and we have a year to book and until Dec. 2022 to sail.......we're happy.

Won't allow myself to even think about it.....was supposed to retire in April,  not now.  Two son's weddings this year,  postponed until...?   Wanted to sell house and move/downsize.....not now.  Not a single trip on the calendar until May 2021.  They just moved California "stay at home" another three months.......can't think past today.

Now don't get me wrong we are avid cruisers and have cruised many lines.  We had booked HAL to try it out when this happened,  and have waited patiently for our FCC and refund of add ons which we just received the FCC but no refund of around $600 bucks....we'll see if that ever happens.  What is concerning though is watching all the many promos coming to entice us into paying for more cruising including many incentives freebies and of course the dreaded "non refundable" deposit with more incentives to do this.  Are they frantically trying to raise cash maybe so to pay off past cancelled guests....?   Bad idea......no ticky no washy as they say.   We have one year to book our FCC and up to December 2022 to sail.  Patience is a virtue.

We just receive our email about our FCC being available to book within one year and cruise by December 2022 which is great.  We have yet to receive a refund of our $600 dollars paid for beverage packages and spa ......hope that happens.......

Our Alaska cruise was the last one of the season....the next week they were going to Hawaii from Vancouver so everything on board the ship that was for Alaska they marked way cheap so they could make room for Hawaii gear.  We also were able to see the Northern lights off our balcony at our Northern most point at midnight.......it wasn't entense  but it was sure there.

37 minutes ago, rhinomike said:

where was the wedding to be and did you cancel it or the venue?

We live on the West coast......the venue cancelled the May date......they have given the couple until May 31 to make a choice to keep the August date and chance it or take a May date 2021.  I am hopeful August will work.  Another son wedding in October this year......so much stress.

We would have embarked yesterday out of San Diego to reposition up to Vancouver......by by Alaska season.....I was to retire April 17th....by by retirement......we have two weddings supposed to happen this year......lesson...."we plan, God laughs"........

Very doubtful.......our son's Memorial weekend wedding is moved now to August 30th.....now this is 100 person guest list and we're not sure about that.  I'd be more confident in cruising for 2021........but hoping we can this year.

Well said Fredric.......I agree with your entire statement and hopeful at some point all society and economic sectors will return to "business as usual".   The problem I see with vaccinations,  what percentage of our society won't vaccinate now for the flu...?   It's like 30% , and the people I know that were hospitalized this year for what we thought was flu still won't get a shot.  Here in California I really think the earlier timeframe might be true and we've got some herd immunity going on.   As you say it's the treatments and routine proticols to treat this along with a vaccine that will change things.

Your RCI ships have more stuff aboard to appeal to families.....rock walls, wave rides, ice rinks etc.....that's why they are great for families with kids.  Princess won't have all that stuff so if you need that sort of thing be aware.