Hlitner

In NYC (where we visit on a very regular basis), Uber is quite common. That being said, debarking in the morning will likely have folks in the latter part of rush hour. Uber uses "surge pricing" In fact, looking at Uber at this minute (afternoon rush hour) it costs about $107 from the cruise terminal to JFK. The Manhattan cruise terminal does allow anyone (including Uber) to drive up to the terminal, but it can be very crowded/congested if there are 1 or more ships. In the past, DW and I have sometimes walked a few blocks from the terminal (rolling our luggage) before summoning an Uber. Hank

I guess we are less surprised, about the onboard dress described by the OP, than the OP? Why? Because we cruise a lot (over 100 days this year) on multiple cruise lines. Dress codes have mostly disappeared (even Seabourn has finally relented and now allows nice jeans in The Restaurant). I am starting to pack for EJ1, and will leave my tux in the closet. I get it! Don't always like it, but I do get it. You cannot rate a cruise line based on how the paying folks decide to dress. Just watched TV today and saw the President of Ukraine, sitting in the oval office dressed like a truck driver. The Majority Leader of the US Senate recently dropped the dress code (which had been very strict) to accommodate one Senator who prefers to wear a sweat shirt and shorts! Even in Wall Street and many bank offices, the traditional dress code (suit and tie) has gone the way of the horse and buggy. Times do change standards (when I was a boy my father would not go out of the house unless he was wearing a suit and dressy hat). Perhaps the pendulum will eventually swing back to "dressy," but for now, smart casual seems to be the new dressy. As to T-shirts and jeans, many of those items now cost more than my tux :). The issue with entertainment (a pet peeve of mine) is disturbing. We are fine with a cruise line relying on lounge acts and a few musicians, but we expect them to be good. This is an easy thing to correct so we hope that things are better next week :). As to the shore excursion folks (we seldom take cruise line excursions) we have found most (on any cruise line) clueless. They are simply selling products provided by shore-based contractors. Expecting them to have a clue, especially when EJ is making its first visit to every port, is a pipe dream. I assume all they can do is read the "script" that is on their screens and provided by the shore-based contractor. I have more respect for folks that admit "we don't know" rather than pretend to have expertise. Hank

A few years ago I worked with a woman (also a good friend) that was an obsessive travel planner. She also used Excel, and planned out everyday, minute by minute! When she took her family to Disney World she even allowed for various waiting times at each attraction. While her family (DH, DD, and DS) went along with the obsession, it drove them completely nutz. Finally, after one cruise vacation where she even scheduled wake-up and sleep times, her husband decided to have an "Intervention" involving a confrontation with the entire family. Our friend did take the hint and now goes along with the crowd, but I am sure she is still trying to internally deal with her obsession. DW and I have been very independent travelers for much of our lives. We travel and cruise all over the world, and generally do our own thing in most ports and on independent land trips (often with a rental car). Our technique is to do our pre-trip homework and focus on various options for most days. But we do not often commit to our actual plans until that same day! Why? We adjust our plans to deal with the weather, our moods, whether we are up for a long walk or would prefer using public transit or a rental car, etc. We have preached this "know your options" technique for years. While it certainly does not work for everyone, it can really make a difference on trips. There are even some days when we might say, "we are tired and do not want to do anything," and would simply stay on the ship (if on a cruise) or perhaps spend much of the day just sitting in a well-placed outdoor cafe (and people watching). On our many cruisers, I cannot even count the number of times folks will say to us (often at one of the bars) "we have this long excursion tomorrow and really do not want to spend the day on a bus." But, of course, they have already paid for the excursion and feel obligated to follow through. Hank

Speaking of Corner Brook, we have visited that town one time (I think it was on a VOV cruise). As is our usual practice, we DID not book an excursion and did not notice any private tours that got our interest. Instead, we walked off the ship, explored the town and than hiked a few miles though the nearby forrest/park where they had some well-marked (and maintained) trails. Of course, hiking (or long walks) is not for everyone (especially cruisers who use elevators to go one deck). If we ever return to that port, and the weather is good, we will be off for more hiking/exploration. Hank

No need to be concerned about doing Quaqatorq on your own (we have actually been to that port 3 times). Language is also not an issue because you will likely not interact with the locals (most our Inuits) since they tend to avoid cruisers/tourists. When you walk around the harbor and get to the small local "museum," that is the only real attraction. Our norm for this post is to go ashore around 10, walk around for a 1-2 hours, and be back on the ship for lunch. The situation is similar in Nanortalik except this "town" only has a population of about 1000. But they do have an interesting Open Air Museum worth visiting (a couple of locals will be collecting a small entrance fee in Euros or Dollars). I sometimes pinch myself to believe that we have been to these Greenland ports (3 times) and have already booked another cruise that will bring us back! By the way, one of our fellow passengers on the recent Seabourn Quest cruise has a "thing" about having a beer in a local pub, at every port! He was finally beaten at Nanortalik, since there is only one bar and it was not open until the evening. Hank

We really enjoy mussels and PEI mussels are among the best..anywhere. But there is a reality about mussels. You can get these, almost anywhere, where they have been kept alive. A mussel served on PEI, is going to be "fresh" and alive until they are steamed/cooked for your meal. I can also buy PEI mussels here in PA, and they are also alive which makes them just as "fresh." As to frozen mussels, no thanks! By the way, DW reminds me that the best tasting mussels we have ever enjoyed was surprisingly not on PEI, but in Honfleur, France. Go figure. That being said, we will soon be back in Charlottetown and you can take a wild guess what we will have for lunch :). Hank

As one who will be on the effected cruise, my attitude has no changed to "we will wait and see." Why? The one constant with EJ has been their propensity to change their minds/policies on a near weekly basis, with little notice or communication to the paying customers. Why should this Oct 12 situation be any different? It occurs to me that all that we hear now (and we have still heard nothing official) will more than likely change (several times) between now and Oct 12. We recently booked a 2025 Seabourn cruise. There is little question in my mind that the cruise will happen as scheduled and the quality will be as expected, and we can make pre-cruise plans (in Europe) based on the scheduled sailing date. Could we ever have that faith in EJ? Doubtful. As one who is in his 70s, I doubt we will live long enough to see our faith in this line return to the expected norm. Whatever your opinion of EJ, it is hard to argue that this is a line that "puts its paying passengers last and views them as mere sheep." Hank

This "best price guarantee" is a bit of a "con." Why? In many (not all) ports, the cruise lines (not just HAL) contract with a local tour provider to staff and operate the excursions. These companies are obligated (by contract) not to directly sell the same tours directly to cruisers. The result is that it is often impossible to find the "same tour" at a lower price. And by the way, the folks who staff/operate the onboard excursion desk are not even HAL employees (they work for a third-party contractor). One issue we noticed on our spring Westerdam cruise (6 weeks in Asia and Alaska) was that the cost of shore excursions (sold onboard) had increased in a very bad way. For example, simple walking tours (within site of the ship) that used to cost about $50, were now being sold for $90-$120. Many of the all-day excursions had increased in price by $100 (per person) or more! On Seabourn (we took a month-long Seabourn Quest cruise shortly after we debarked from the Westerdam) prices for the excursions had often become ridiculous. A couple could easily spend $500 - $700 for a few hour excursion! There was push back from many passengers who managed to find other alternatives such as directly booking local tours or simply joining those of us who routinely do our own thing at most ports. There has long been a "divide" between cruisers who rely on cruise ship sold excursions, and those of us who avoid the cruise ship excursions like the plague! No question, that doing your own thing does require pre-cruise homework, and spending time working out the best options. The CC Roll Call boards have long been a good place to join with a few others in planning port days (and often hiring private guides). I think the recent price increases, for excursions, is causing many cruisers to rethink whether they want to make their own port arrangements. The grumbling we heard during a recent visit to Quaqatorq, Iceland, which is a small town (pop less than 3000) visited by HAL (and other cruise lines). This town essentially has two streets (with a few tiny side streets) with everything walkable (it is the only way to visit Quaqatorq). One can see everything in about 2 hours as there is little to see. But when our cruise line charged $105 per person for a local "walking tour" even the most hardened excursion fans were heard saying, "enough!." We had friends who took that excursion and were disgusted when their guide stopped their group to point out a small building as the local "fish store." That small building actually had a hard written sign which said "Fish Store." The excursion did not even bother letting anyone go inside. Speaking of that fish store, other friends (on their own) did venture inside and asked the owner about some of the displayed fresh fish. The owner's response was that he would only answer questions if they paid him 10 Euros! That sums up the attitude of the locals in Quaqortoq where they view visitors as interlopers :). Hank

I am confused. The OP said the Hotel "Edison" and now you say the Hotel "Edition." The Edition is certainly a better property than the Edison, but the Edition is nowhere near Times Square. So, what are we talking about?

I also wonder if this situation would fall under the rules to request a credit card "chargeback," Chargebacks are generally appropriate for services paid-for and not received. After all, folks paid for a cruise of a certain length. The cruise line cuts the length of the cruise for no good reason, other than their own vanity and convenience. Chargebacks can be used for purchases that do not live up to the standards that are reasonably expected. Hank

The issue seems pretty clear cut. We paid for an 18 day cruise, not a 17 day cruise! If what you have heard is accurate, their alternative offering does not come close to compensating for a missed day on a luxury cruise. Hank

One thought is that we would never recommend EJ to anyone, anytime! Why? A company that has so little consideration for their paying customers is not worthy of paying customers. Hank

Not sure it is worth wasting your breath or time. At the very least, they owe all the passengers, at a minimum, the pro-rated amount they paid (for the cruise day) and should also provide a "luxury" hotel with all luxury meals and unlimited drinks! Hank

We have yet to hear anything and are embarking next Monday. NYC is a place with which we are very familiar and staying at the Edison is not acceptable. And a Future Cruise Credit is absurd, since EJ has so poisoned the well to such an extent that it is unlikely, we would ever want anything to do with this company in the future. It is also interesting that we have all paid for that day (Oct 12) which should be a port day. Sticking folks in a 3* hotel (at best) with no food or drinks is not a reasonable trade-off. Also consider that are offering a FCC that is just a small fraction of how much we have all been charged for that day! Hank I am starting to think that EJ is being run by a group of clowns!

WOW is right. We will be on that cruise and the ship is scheduled to overnight in NYC on Oct 12 with disembarkation on the 13th. As of this minute we have received nothing from EJ or our cruise agent about a change. Any such change would need to come with a nice cash refund, and the Hotel Edison is certainly not up to anything close to luxury standards nor would we ever want to stay in that Times Square neighborhood. I cannot help but wonder when EJ is going to tell us? And why would they need to disembark passengers because they want to have a "secret" christening ceremony. All very strange.

Another feature of the Google Translate app is the ability to point the camera at a sign or menu and get an instant translation. This was recently helpful to us while we were in Japan and ate in some venues that had no English menus. It has also been useful in various European countries. Hank

"Fresh Dover Sole" in Alaska? Something smells fishy 🙂

Two points. 1. That letter seems to confirm that EJ1 will definitely be docking at the Manhattan Cruise Terminal (12th Ave). and 2. Since this will be EJ1s initial visit to a US Port, they will likely be subject to a thorough USCG Inspection. We are hoping that an inspection does not delay embarkation, but we have seen that happen in Florida ports. Hank

I guess it depends on how one travels. We are very independent travelers and routinely use cruises as part of a much longer trip (in Europe, Asia, etc). Internet on the ship allows us to make last minute arrangements for rental cars (even in ports), check on public transportation in ports and for our land trips (after a cruise), and most important of all Zoom or Facetime with our very young grandsons. We certainly do not need unlimited Internet, but simply an adequate amount. By the way, being very independent in ports makes Internet access very helpful. We will often check the weather forecasts (for upcoming ports) and make last minute plans that best deals with the weather. So, for example, perhaps we would be thinking of taking a fast ferry to Capri, Ischia or Procida (from the port of Naples) but the forecast is for a rainy/windy day. We might get on the Internet and research/book a nice local restaurant for lunch and then research the best way to get to that location (walking, local bus, etc). Just today, I booked a rental car for an upcoming port stop in St Johns (Bay of Fundy). But, if the weather forecast looks bleak, we will likely cancel that reservation (easily done using the app on my phone) and book lunch at a restaurant that is close to the port. Bottom line for us, is that our phones have become an integral part of our worldwide travel. Hank

The Internet Cafe has computers that can be used by anyone, but you must have a WiFi account to get on the Internet. It is really not much different than using your own device to get on the Internet. We think the main advantage of using a PC in the Internet Cafe is the ability to print-out a hard copy if you need an airline boarding pass or some other doc. But since these days, boarding passes can simply be accessed on a phone, there is less need for hard copies. Hank

We generally book the lowest category mini-suite because we appreciate a little extra space and 2 chairs :). As to the old Club Class, we never thought it was worth the extra money to simply have a separate part of the MDR with little difference in the menus. Since we tend to dine later (after 7:30) we seldom have an issue with queues (with or without reservations) and will normally just walk up to the host/hostess and mention that we enjoy sharing tables. This gets us quickly seated and we have the benefit of meeting lots of other terrific cruisers and enjoying the socializaton that only comes with being around other folks. Hank

That is not quite true as it depends where in Mexico. For example, we live in Puerto Vallarta (during the winter months) and the normal temperature from Jan - Mar is 78-85 during the day. During those months, rain is very rare and it is not unusual to go from Dec - March with only a couple of rainy days. Hank

In London it would have been British Pounds. They do not use Euros in London (or the UK). Hank

Perhaps they have a car that floats :). In order to get to Trieste you would first need to get back to the mainland or the P. Roma (in Venice). That means dragging your luggage on a Vaporetto, the Alilaguna, or an expensive water taxi in order to get to a place where you can access roads or the train. Hank

We are somewhat contrarian in that we like to pack somewhat "heavy" so we have a nice selection of clean clothes. On most trips, DW and I will have two large suitcases (each weighing close to 50 pounds) as well as two backpacks (we prefer them since it keeps our two hands free). When possible, we try to have enough clothes to avoid or minimize needing to use a laundry. One problem for us is that we tend to take longer cruises trips (two months is common) and our trips can involve differing climates. A recent trip started in Lisbon (pretty hot) and eventually moved to Greenland (pretty cold). Another recent trip started in Japan (warm to hot) and eventually took us to Alaska! This means having lots of layers so we can handle the cold along with the hot. Hank