Mary229

I have bought expensive things while cruising but strictly collectibles where I already have a great deal of knowledge. It makes no difference if I find it at home or while traveling. Like your scarf I will also buy things I like wherever I find them, it doesn’t make any difference if someone lied to me

I don’t think it is to besmirch the people it is that some groups do take over venues and other guests are prohibited. There is no way of foretelling which group is just a gathering and which is a full blown convention

Yes, and they could fly to Houston and save money by fewer nights on the road and lower airfare. I am well aware of this road trip, did it for over 30 years. And am well aware of airfares, Houston is generally cheaper if not much cheaper

I have met both kinds - those who know it all and those are live a moderate life and don’t tell others how to think. I have always sought out experienced travelers for their insights

I think much of the issue with cruise line food is customer expectations and tastes. Let’s face it many people are not “adventurous “ diners and enjoy a simple spice palate of sugar and salt. Meat and potatoes describe what I see most people enjoying

I would try to get a slate of free specialty dining as compensation

If he has a good agent I would be on the phone having them transferring the booking. He indicated earlier that the other logistics would be the issue - flights, hotels and time off from work.

I agree, it would take a bit of sleuthing to find out. Those groups do advertise their charter and you can gain some info from their own marketing. With a 1000 that this person is facing that should trigger a compensation package. That is overwhelming on a ship this size

My last cruise was Koningsdam in end of March

Many ships have made a recent change to 6 and 8. I am not a fan of the new schedule and hope we soon go back to 7 and 9

You will hear noise from the theater. The latest show is over by 9 ish but occasionally there is a movie night until 10. Afternoon rehearsal may disturb you if you are a napper. They also hold lectures in the afternoon but those usually are not loud enough to disturb you. It is not continuous noise nor early morning noise

I have a few this year. Much, much better than in the past. Nice menu, excellent high quality food. Lots of sparkling wine.

Staying away from 7 day cruises solves a lot of problems. The only 7 days I go on is with my sister who has limited time off

We rent a car to go to the airport! It is sometimes cheaper than Uber. It is a good plan if you can get a reasonable rate . heads up on NOLA - I go there frequently since it is where my family is. Drop your rental at the airport and plan for an Uber van to take you to the port. another thought is to look at flights to other cities. Houston is a 5 hour drive and sometimes their prices are much cheaper.

The shows have recently changed to 6 and 8 on many ships. Go to the 6. the other option I did was to set up a reservation for a very specific time for anytime dining. What is your preferred time? See the dining room manager at your first opportunity and set that up. Mine was for 6:30

My guest booking confirmation aka the HAL invoice showed very specific details. Scroll through that document

Daytime for sure but I have not seen “running shoes” in the evening. I can imagine there might be people with stability or foot issues who might as @albingirl mentioned

Often the group picks the cruise after it is announced publicly, some are in fact withdrawn from the public. I agree however and I think they should have a guarantee, with a compensatory package, in place to handle situations like this.

If the group is that big I would reconsider rebooking to another date

You can use them to book Denali shore excursions once your cruise tour begins. You should be able to see those excursions on your manage my cruise page.

Only caveat is you must have a US address

You will have to handle this in person at the restaurant. Best practice is to book onboard when it seems to be automatically credited. I never have a hard time booking onboard and often simply walk up without a reservation.

Some excursions, but very few, do incur a penalty and all have a penalty if you don’t cancel at least 48 hours in advance.

Agree 100% - get fixed late dining. Nobody minds if you miss it a few times, just notify in advance if you can