Hlitner

Agree with CruiserBruce. We just came off a long HAL cruise that had a few comedians, and they never repeated a show on different nights. Hank

HAL is going through a period of change with their entertainment. Those violins had been replaced (several years ago) by the Lincoln Center Stage which provided classical entertainment via a contract with the Lincoln Center. They recently discontinued that program (on a shipwide basis) and are reportable working on some kind of classical music replacement option. They recently replaced their BB King Groups with what they call the Rolling Stone Lounge Band. On our recent HAL cruise, all the live entertainment ended by 11. Hank

As others have posted, the best advice is to fly-in 2 or more days early. The Ft Lauderdale area (and south Florida) offers many options to enjoy a few pre-cruise days. As to the cost, think of it as a good investment for the purpose of minimizing the risk of missing your cruise, having luggage delayed (and missing the cruise) etc. Hank

You are not alone. Simply go on a longer HAL cruise and you will discover a large majority of passengers are up by 7 and in their cabins by 9. HAL is a more subdued line that tends to attract an older more sedate crowd. Hank

The fact that you would be coming from a non-Schengen and non-EU country may (I emphasize "may") cause a slight delay at Le Havre. I have no clue as to the current practice in such cases, since much has changed in recent years. In theory, whenever you enter the EU (i.e. Le Havre) your Passport needs to be viewed and updated with an entry stamp. Perhaps somebody, reading this, has more recent info. These days, we have learned to be a bit over cautious with our advice since much has changed when it comes to European procedures. There is also the new ETIAS (which has now been delayed until 2024) which just adds to the confusion. There is also the EU rule that limits non-Visa visits to no more than 90 out of 180 days (this is driving many Brits to drink a few extra pints). You got Princess approval (for early disembarkation) which is great news. But we have found, from experience, that Princess does not always notify the ship's purser so we would suggest one more "play it safe" procedure. Once you have boarded (wait a few days to avoid the early cruise lines at Guest Relations) you should pay a visit to the Guest Relations folks and remind them of your intent to disembark early. We also tell our cabin steward (a day or two before we leave) that we will be debarking early. Perhaps this all sounds a bit obsessive, but we have found that the left hand does not always communicate with the other hand :). We are actually looking at doing another early disembarkation (at LeHavre) next year, so would appreciate if you later post your experience and updated advice. With all the changes that have happened since COVID, we are all amateurs 🙂 Hank

I guess you would need to ask the Captain of the Westerdam. Only know what we were told.

I thing you are looking at least 2 hours (if using the toll road). Otherwise a good 2 1/2. (Each way) Hank

Good Morning, Our final day has us on the outside moving towards our final destination of Seattle. Today involves some controversy, and anger/disappointment for many. This cruise segment was advertised as an Inside Passage Voyage which was always a lie. Some folks actually booked this cruise for that reason. But it turns out that doing the inside passage, in May, was never possible because of the schedule and spring tides. Seattle did not bother to notify we passengers of the “operational change” until way after the time folks could have cancelled. In fact, most had no clue about the change until they were already in Japan. This can only have happened due to deliberate disinformation from Seattle or to complete incompetence in Seattle. Either way. HAL sold an Inside Passage cruise that was never going to happen. As Paul Harvey used to say, “and now you know the rest of the story.” Hank

This evening, DW and I enjoyed our usual pre dinner cocktails in the Ocean Bar, enjoyed the company of some new friends, and than went to Canoletto to use our last HIA credit. Starters were fine, but then came the mains. DW had her usual lamb chops (nothing Italian about that) and they were wonderful. I decided to try the Friday special which was cannolini stuffed with a veal mixture and topped with spinach and cheese. The serving had 2 small cannolini which crunched when cut. The filling was fine, but the pasta awful. Our waitress offered to bring me another entree and this offer was soon repeated by the manager. I politely refused since I was not overly hungry. Our server than brought me two paper bills… each for $8.15 and told me the meal was free and covered by the HIA package and the charge was just for accounting. I did not sign the mysterious bills and could not figure where $8.15 pp came from. As we were leaving, I stopped to talk to the manager who said the $8.15 was just the accounting system and he had no clue why. But not to worry because we would be charged zero despite the bill. We later noticed that we had been charged $14.16 for a drink (Ocean Bar) that should be charged. $1.18. I think this is our 10th drink overcharge of the cruise. As I write this, the Guest Relations folks have already deleted the overcharge (after I sent them a written complaint. I will mention that nearly everyone with whom we have spoken (over 6 weeks) has been overcharged at least once. This evening some friends said they found out this morning that their tour (today) had been cancelled and they had automatically been put on a different excursion. They had about 1 hours notice. Since this was their last port and they were using their HIA credit, it was either take the unwanted tour or lose the credit. They took the tour which they said was awful. The excursion that had been booked was cancelled because the catamaran was broken. The show tonight was the 2nd offering of a decent guitar player and his singing/dancing fiancé. Their show was fine, but the 9:30 audience was only about 120. After the show we went to Rolling Stone to catch the last set of the always excellent group. The room had a great crowd, the dance floor packed, and everyone having a great time when the music abruptly ended at 11! On this ship 11 is the entertainment curfew. Ridiculous!!!! As we near the end of this 6 week cruise I would like to hug each of the 7 members of the Rolling Stone Lounge group. Without them, I might have jumped overboard for lack of decent nightly entertainment. Hank PA. Your assignment, if you choose to accept, is to figure out the $8.15 per person bill

I believe there still two separate ferry lines between Molo Beverello and Capri (someone else can confirm or correct me). Tickets are only for one particular line and not accepted by the other. We have always just walked over to the Molo Beverello ferry port and bought tickets in the next high speed ferry. As soon as we arrive on Capri see stop at the ticket office, check the return schedule and buy our return tickets. We have no experience in buying in advance since we prefer to keep our options open until we see the weather. I am sure others here disagree :). Hank

I will echo Euro Cruisers caution about cruise line excursions to Positano. Tour buses are not allowed into the town. Unless the excursion is in a much smaller vehicle, they would need to drop folks along the Amalfi Drive which overlooks Positano. It is a long walk down to the lower part of town, although there is a public bus line that is permitted into the village. The posted tour description leaves me confused as to what they provide. For tours that get you in to Positano, we have long suggested finding a very small group tour (try you CV roll call) where a few folks share a car/driver or small van. Hank

We have been cruising, so it’s a bit difficult to post. Regarding St Paul de Vence, we think it pairs well with Antibes if one has a rental car or car/driver. The train station in MC is not in the most convenient location for walkers, so either do a little homework on the local bus system or consider a taxi (especially if you heading to the palace). In Cannes, most will need a good 20 min to walk to the train station from the tender pier but much of the route is enjoyable (through the heart of Cannes). Hank

We dated to go off the ship (in Ketchikan) only to discover that a 4th ship (Nieuw Amsterdam) had docked directly astern of our ship. This effectively meant that the ships more than doubled the local population. Town is even tackier than we remembered, so after a few minutes of browsing we returned to the Westy. We had thought of having lunch in town, the the queues and prices changed our minds.

Good news and some bad. The Captain got us into our last port, Ketchikan a little early. The bad news is that the Discovery Princess and Celebrity Soltice are also here. And, of course, it is chilly and raining. For those who have never been to Ketchikan it is an ideal cruise ship port because the ships dock right in town. One can walk off the pier and immediately be into their shopping, eating and drinking. It is also symbolic of the tacky stuff that surrounds cruise ships such as the “Lumberjack Show”, Diamonds International, etc. Ketchikan was really hit hard, during COVID, since a big portion of their economy is based on cruise ship tourism. Last evening, the excellent Step One dancers finally got to perform before an enthusiastic audience. I again ended the evening in the Rolling Stone Lounge (where the music stopped at 11. When I finally decided to call it a night (12:15 am) the ship was like a ghost ship. The casino was empty (accept for bored dealers), the Gallery Bar was still open with the sole bar tender the only patron, and there was not another passenger in sight. Speaking of supply issues, I did try to order Cognac, but the only remaining product was Remy XO at about twice the price of the drink package max. HAL should change its rules to allow passengers to bring aboard out of stock alcohol products. If the company is not willing to supply their ships, than let passengers do the deed and HAL could pay passengers for using their own booze :). Hank

Heard an interesting story, while enjoying the Ocean Bar last evening. A lady friend has been having major noise issues in her cabin and asked Guest Relations for help. Apparently they could not or would not repair the loud banging noise. She asked to change cabins (we are not full on this cruise) but they would only allow her to sleep in a different cabin and she has to return to her cabin to shower and dress. When she again complained, the Guest Relations Supervisor just blew her off. So, she walked a few yards to the Hotel General Managers Office, knocked and went inside where the reclusive Hotel Manager thrives. The Hotel Manager quickly blew her off and told her to take the issue to Guest Relations. The lady finally wrote a letter to the Captain, but so far no response. Another unhappy Mariner (3*) who will not likely return to HAL. At dinner DW ordered the Malbec only to learn we have again run out of that wine. She later ordered Baileys only to get a cheaper substitute (out of Baileys). Today we are docked in Sitga (next to the Discovery Princess) on an absolutely perfect day with mostly blue skies and temps in the mid-upper 40s. DW and I took an excursion that started with a couple of hours on a catamaran. We saw otters, sea lions sunning on a buoy, and 4 grey whales. Later went to a bear rehab place and saw a few brown bears. Than finally to the very crowded Raptor Center. DW and I left the tour (after telling the guide) and walked back to town via the Sitga Park route. A perfect day for the hike which is only a little more than a mile. The Sitga area is breathtaking this time of year with plenty of snow in many of the mountains. Hank

It will be consolidated with any other cruise line given Obcs and show on your Navigator App (only once you are aboard) with the words “Promo Credits-Not Valid for casino or cash.” Of course we are talking about HAL so this might change tomorrow, be different on your ship, or change with the phases of the moon You can also go to Guest Relations and ask. Hank

We have followed a simple procedure for decades. Check several online and airline sites for fares and than comlare to the cruise lines air offerings. Sometimes you do a lot better with the cruise lines (especially for international business class) and other times it makes sense to book direct with an airline. There is no magic formula, you simply need to spend a few minutes doing your homework. Hank

Your question is actually somewhat complex. If you want to think in terms tod excursion/tours that our led by professional guides, you will usually need to book as cruise line or private tour well in advance. At some ports you might be able to hire a taxi for the day, but drivers are not professional guides. For those of us who are very independent, and have some spirit of adventure there are usually other options. Consider the port of LeHavre, where one could get a taxi to the local train station and take the train into Paris. For Amsterdam it depends on the actual port (some cruises dock right in Amsterdam). In some ports there might be low cost local transportation or a shuttle bus that can get you into a nearby city. You need to do your homework on each port. A good starting place is here on Cruise Critic under the various Ports of Call blogs where you can search and read old discussions as well as ask your own specific questions. There is also a lot of info to be found on the Internet and in a few decent travel guides (such as the Rick Steves guides previously posted). There are even a few web sites, such as whatsinport.com written by cruisers for cruisers. We are just finishing a 42 Asian cruise that had 26 ports. We went off on our own in about 20, by simply doing our homework. In some cases, $200 excursions could be duplicated for less than $25 by simply using local transit. Hank

Another suggestion relates to food. On this ship ( and the other Vista ships we have cruised) HAL has a buffet taco bar at the pool. You could be on most cruises for a year, and this taco bar will be exactly the same for 365 days. As one who lives in Mexico (part time) we know that tacos can really vary. They could put out small fried shrimp for shrimp tacos, pieces of fried fish for fish tacos, properly prepared pork for Al pastor, etc. But no, HAL has the exact same stuff day in and day out. it is the same at Dive In where the menu never changes. They could add specials like’s cheesesteaks, sausage with peppers n onions, more variations on their chicken sandwiches, etc. Today at the Lido lunch they had a one day Octoberfest station. It was the first time I have seen some decent looking donuts on this cruise. Now that we know they can make a decent donut it would be nice if they did it for breakfast (like you can get any day on Princess). If HAL really intends to promote long cruises they need to think out of their box and provide variety. They used to this when we took Grand Cruises on our beloved Prinsendam, but it has disappeared along with the yum yum man and crew shows. Hank

My advice to those with upcoming HAL cruises, and having drink packages, it to use a stash strategy. Ask your cabin steward to empty your mini-bar (protects you being charged for items not used) and than gradually stock your fridge with your favorite beers, waters, and soft drinks. If you are a tea drinker, also stash enough tea bags fir your voyage. Later, when they start to run out of your favorite items, you can utilize your personal supply 😋. While this seems a bit drastic, it is a valid/reasonable strategy. Of course this does not work for booze, such as the Cognac that seems to be missing from multiple HAL vessels. What I found interesting was that the very remote Kodiak liquor store had shelves full of all the items we have noticed was missing from our ship. Apparently the supply problems encountered by HAL are not an issue on remote Alaskan islands. Come to think of it, maybe some heads should roll in Seattle and they should hire that liquor store manager from Kodiak

A big part of the entertainment schedule on this cruise are the performances of the Step One Dancers. But they have not worked in over 2 weeks because of sea conditions. This also does not bode well for longer voyages when the main entertainment depends on calm seas. Today we finally have a relatively calm sea day and they have scheduled a couple of guitar players Hank

Some of you might recall me mentioning that our ship ran out of Rose’s Lime juice. Not only is that the oldest commercially produced drink mixer, but it also a key ingredient in a vodka gimlet which happens to be one of my favorite pre dinner cocktails. Tonight I arrived at the Ocean Bar at 6 to find a drinking buddy waiting at the bar with two bottles of Roses that he purchased ashore…for me. Yes, on HAL when you need a staple like Rose’s, you either bring it aboard or go without. I thanked my friend and turned the 2 bottles over to my favorite bar tender. Consider that a new drinking buddy did something that would have been done by the old HAL. We have also noticed a big reduction in the varieties of beer. Now, whenwe order beer or wine we ask “what do u have left? The sail away from Kodiak was spectacular. The wonderful cruise moment was celebrated by nothing. Such is the life on this vessel. Many missed opportunities to make this voyage special. Hank

A few comments about meeting with our Hotel Manager. She has managed to mostly be out of sight for the past 5 weeks. On many ships you can see the Hotel Manager everywhere.. but not here. At this point, meeting with her would accomplish nothing. She must be well aware they have an accounting problem (we have heard similar complaints From quite a few folks). One change, from early in our cruise, is that errors are quickly fixed (with no comment) once a passenger notifies guest relations. Another complication is that there is nothing on the drink receipts (which you usually must sign) that indicates whether a drink is covered by a package. We never know if we will be overcharged until it actually appears on the onboard account (which we now check every day) Hank

In the past, our ships were cleared within a half hour and we could simply walk off with no customs or immigration. On Princess, we always stopped at Guest Relations (a few days prior to Le Havre) to remind them of our plans for debarking. They would give us luggage tags and pick up our luggage, during the night, which was than waiting in the terminal. If your prior port was not an EU/Schengen port, it might be more complicated. We usually just got a taxi to the train station except when we were picking up a rental car. Hank

Greetings from Kodiak, After a week of rocky seas, we are finally docked. The morning started out with 40 degrees, cloudy with some showers, but it soon started to clear. It is my first time in Kodiak, and the setting is gorgeous with numerous small mountains…many still snow covered. This is a major fishing port which seems to be the only industry. The Pier is about 1 mile from town, and the locals provided some limited free shuttle service on two school buses (which must go back to moving school kids around 1:30. Everyone on board (passengers and crew) must be seen by US Immigration and this process is still continuing at 1:50 pm. DW and I got cleared at 10:45 and walked into town, explored, and were back on the ship by 1pm. We would have bought lunch at a local restaurant, but it was crowded with HAL folks and we practice active queue avoidance….so back to the ship. We had thought about some hiking in the nearby park, but chickened out (just too darn lazy). And recent rain would have made any off-trail hiking a bit messy. Hank