Florida_gal_50

Let us know what happens with a meeting with the hotel manager. I’ve asked previously how that would happen on this board. I was told they stroll the ship so it’s no problem contacting them 😂.

When I landed at home from my recent cruise we had to wait for our luggage as usual. I was talking to 3 people from my cruise that had just finished their first cruise on hal. They usually cruise on Viking and said they wouldn’t be sailing on hal because they thought the food was not great. Frankly I thought it was fine but not hot enough. I only ate in the mdr 2 nights though. If hal isn’t impressing new customers I think that’s a bit of a problem.

I don’t recall seeing any of that either for my cruise in November 2022. As long as your “invoice” says that I wouldn’t worry.

Just one more comment, hal or your travel professional “should” be able to see them. I don’t know why we can’t.

If I never had to set foot in the lido it would be a good cruise. Usually I have a salad and sandwich for lunch but on my recent cruise I tried fish one day and quesadillas twice. While they tasted ok they were both soggy. I just feel sitting in trays is not the same as individually plated.

Absolutely the koningsdam was the worst. That said it had improved the last time I was on it which is saying much. All other ships I’ve sailed on have only had issues here and there.

I had to wait a lot of mornings. Iirc one morning it was 40 or 45 minutes. I generally would get there between 8:15 and 8:30 am.

Yup, have that problem all the time. I have to ask. There is a large online cruise retailer that I can see my private fares on. I don’t even sign in there. I guess our fares are too private to show to us 😛.

I remember mentioning on this board all the accounting issues I had on the koningsdam. One person told me it was my fault for not looking at my account 🙄. I bet there is no one on this board that stalks their account like I do. I’m in there a lot. That doesn’t keep it from occurring.

I was surprised at how full it was on my cruise. Frankly I have no interest in it. I spend so much of my life indoors that’s the last place I want to be on a vacation.

I'm really not impressed with the Pinnacle. I had only done lunches on the koningsdam and thought they were so so. I took a reasonable upsell on my last cruise to a neptune suite (not on the westerdam) so I had breakfast in the Pinnacle most mornings. They were running around with their heads cut off most mornings. Some mornings they took my plate away before my last bite. Food was lukewarm at best every day. I heard other people saying the same. Breakfast in club orange on the koningsdam was MUCH better than that experience. I ate a couple meals at night in the Pinnacle. I thought the steaks didn't taste like they used to. They used to have a nice sear on the them but that didn't happen. I did have scallops one night and they were fine but a very small portion but I was looking for something small that night. The other specialty restaurants are head and shoulders above the pinnacle. It not worth the money to me (and mine were mostly free) except for one.

I rarely eat in club orange at night because I do mostly specialty. I do eat there almost every morning. I also get an upgrade out of the deal. It's worth it to me. I get some of the other stuff already because I'm 5 star. Why eat in the MDR if you'd have club orange?

I'm pretty sure it wasn't on the menu on the koningsdam as of Nov 2022. Seems to me they just verbally said what it was.

I meant to say yesterday that your cat is adorable! No wonder he's spoiled.

Perrier is included.

I kind of rolled 2 thoughts into one. There has been some comments on this thread about the ops experience. I’m open to hearing everything, others seem not so much. Many times it seems to be those that sail in suites or the penthouse. Just saying it’s not the same.

I can tell you it is possible to have a cruise without overcharges so there is something fundamentally wrong when this goes on and on. Also if you have to deal with the front desk they don’t seem to care so it makes it worse. If you have a concierge to do your bidding it’s a totally different experience. Seems to me if some that always sail in suites moved down to the “cheap seats” it would give great perspective.

Yes, it available on disembarkation. You can’t bring friends. Just imagine if everyone did that. You are more than welcome to join them in the dining room.

I’m not assuming everyone is American. It says that I’m Canadian right under my user Id. We had it a lot worse than Americans being locked down much more and it was difficult to travel so don’t assume either. I can only speak what I know about but I’m also not going to listen to excuses that make no sense. Just wanted to mention that the quote you quoted is more than a year old. Someone dug up an oldy.

I find that Harbor market has more take away food items but then I might be thinking of the wrong place. Rite aid does the trick and it’s pretty close.

Good to know. I always bring a reusable cup and I never use it because I’ve had no problem getting a disposable one on the ship to date. Thanks for the answer.

So you didn't have any problems bringing the pop bottles on? I assume they are plastic.

I don't know why it takes years and years to train or retrain people. I've worked for years in technical roles and I've worked in a number of companies. It never took me years and years to learn my job and I suspect my job is quite a bit more complicated.

I've subbed in salmon for the fish of the day as well. Had the tuna melt and it was on a normal slice of bread, not a loaf of bread. It was the best special I had.

Well I'm a big, old liar! Mine was sitting in my junk mail.