Hlitner

Ahhh, so now I now I finally know my problem :).

Your friend sounds like a person we know who once asked, "is it OK if I bring my trampoline and use it on the balcony?

Because many folks are not about me, me, me, but simply polite. It would likely bother me (if were on a nearby balcony) but because we are polite (certainly too polite to use a speaker on a cruise ship) we would likely just quietly suffer or go inside. The mistake you make is to assume that just because folks do not say anything, all is OK. Hank

That truly depends on the specific agent. As a general rule we agree that most agents exist to carry out the requests/instructions of their clients. But there are also some excellent cruise/travel agents who can help in decision making and provide some suggestions. This is especially true for those of us who cruise all over the world with many different cruise lines/ships. So, for example, if I were to ask my cruise agent to compare a transatlantic cruise in a Celebrity Retreat Suite vs on Seabourn she might suggest that Seabourn is a far better value and several recent clients were pleased with their cruise. or. She might caution me that some of her favorite clients have not been happy with a certain ship or line. Hank

Let's divide the discussion between domestic and foreign travel/flights. Taking Sched 2 drugs on a domestic trip is generally not an issue although it is always advised to have them in their original container which is labeled with the prescription-related info. But on foreign trips (especially when flying) just having possession of many Sched 2 drugs can get you in big trouble (including prison). In fact, there are many countries that simply prohibit Sched 2 drugs (and even some drugs that are not Sched 2) The best advice for those using these products is to carefully check-out the rules for each country that you will visit.

We would be happy with either vessel (and have been on both). But, the balconies are somewhat larger on the Emerald which is a big plus. Everytime we cruise on the Royal Class ships my thoughts wander to, "whatever were they thinking?" when they made the normal balconies so darn small. Hank

Yes, the Butlers will go above and beyond if you ask. On the other hand, you could not pay DW and Me to sit in the front row (of even in the first 10 rows) of any theater, The old different strokes kind of thing applies. Hank

Just today, I thought of this thread since I started to look at some TA options for the spring of 2024. My thinking started with the idea that DW and I would like to spend a few weeks in Europe and what options did we have for TAs. As a very simple example, I quickly noticed a 25 day HAL cruise (Ft Lauderdale to Athens) that actually costs less than one-way Business Class air fare. I also know that if we book HAL, we can take advantage of their Flight discounts and snag a decent return air fare. So than my next through was, "if we do this cruise what will we do when we disembark in Athens?" That immediately opens up the idea of some island hopping among some of the Greek Islands (we love this part of the Med). Also noticed a Regal Princess TA around the same time from Ft Lauderdale to Southampton. But this gets our interest because the last port (one day before the end of the cruise) is in Le Havre and we have often used this kind of cruise to get to France (a favorite country for DIY). In this case we would simply request an early debarkation, use the ship as the way to get to France, and stay in that part of Europe. If we wanted to return on another cruise we could eventually make our way to Hamburg and take the QM2 back to the USA in May. I posted this to stimulate some ideas in those who have been thinking along similar lines but have never gone through the exercise of actually looking. One key is to find a decent cruise data base that lists all cruises and can be easily searched by dates, routes, etc. A few cruise agencies have such sites and once you find a web site that meets your own likes, you can be like a kid in a candy store :). Hank

When we have entered the YC reserved section (on two different MSC ships) nobody has ever asked to see any proof that we were in the YC. However, there were usually one or two Butlers quietly lurking in the area and seemingly keeping an eye on who was entering the roped-off reserved area. We have always found the YC staff, fantastic, and they seem to be very good a recognizing those who are in the YC and also spotting "interlopers" ( the term used by a couple of staff). On our cruises, our Butler always wanted to escort us to the theater the first time we went to a show. After that first time, we would tell our Butler we no longer needed an escort (and thank them for offering). I will emphasize that on our cruises there has never been specific reserved seats, but rather an entire small section (usually 3 or 4 rows in one section) that were roped off for the YC. One could sit anywhere in that section. My understanding is that once it gets near show time, the empty seats are available for anyone. Hank

The two new Seabourn ships (one already delivered) are smaller Luxury Expedition ships. Like you, I would love to see a small ship replacement for the Prinsendam but I do not see the Seabourn ships as likely candidates. They are all built to luxury standards with all suites and very high space ratios. I used to think that HAL might be able to pick up one of the old Renaissance Ships, which are now becoming somewhat old. I could see a scenario where Oceania might be willing to sell one or more of their "R" ships since they do not really fit into their image of a "Premium" cruise line. But those old "R" ships have one big fault which is the small size of their bathrooms. Hank

I am trying to find 12 HAL ships as I only count 11. Since a few sources only talk about scheduled new builds through 2028, I was using that date. As of 2028, 7 or HAL's 11 ships will be 20 or more years old with no replacements in the pipeline.

There is my personal issue of weight. A 26" lightweight Travelpro is about 7 pounds but a 26 inch Briggs and Stratton Expander is over 12 pounds. Multiply that by 2 bags and we would lose 10 pounds of clothes vs the Travelpro Max bags. No doubt in my mind that the Briggs and Stratton are very high quality, but we would miss those 10 pounds of "stuff" on a trip. Sad to admit that I (emphasis on "I") have never learned to fine art of packing light! I am already dreading an upcoming 8 week trip where we need to pack for two climates (normal spring and cold) and somehow make it work with 2 checked pieces. We can pack them to 70 pounds (each) but I have to be able to handle that stuff so still try to keep it to 50 pounds. I admire those who can go away for months with a single bag or backpack. My goodness, at our age just our drugs and electronics) weigh down our carry-ons. I have finally decided that there is no need to pack formal clothes (there is a HAL cruise that is part of this trip) and imagine just a wife beater shirt and backwards facing ball cap would work for some, but we still have some standards :). Hank

We do not view cruises like football games. Like most folks we pay our money and expect decent value for money spent. The road to bankruptcy and failure is paved with excuses and we no longer accept the BS being floated around by some cruise lines (and posters). So perhaps a better saying than (not kicking them when down) is if they can't stand the heat than its time for them to get out of the kitchen (business). Many of HAL's problems are of their own making and started well before the COVID shutdown. We had posted, more than 5 years ago, that HAL seemed like a ship without a rudder...in that they had no clue where they wanted to take the company. That seems to continue. After years of promoting and establishing their BB King concept they simply abandon it, change the name, and apparently cut-back on the size of the groups (this is still a question). Many old HAL fans loved the Lincoln Center concept, so lets shut that down except for an occasional visit by a guest group (roll the dice if this will even happen on your cruise). Enjoy lobster night? No problem, you can still have lobster but now need to pay an add-on. Are you used to the great HAL cabin service (twice a day with the best cabin staff on the seas)? Well, I guess you can still request the twice a day service and watch the understaffed cabin staff struggle to do an adequate job in the less allotted time. HAL lovers might want to look ahead at the future of HAL. About half their fleet will soon be over 20 years old (with even older technology) and, sadly, there are no plans (at least through 2028) to add any new vessels. Instead, we think it is likely that HAL will jettison more of their fleet. CCL continues to invest in new ships for some of their other lines (Princess, Seabourn, etc) but nothing for HAL. Perhaps HAL will be like the old soldier that simply fades away or becomes a very small cruise line specializing in longer more exotic itineraries (which would be fine for me). But for now, the "ship without a rudder" still applies. Hank

I guess that is one advantage to living in the Bay area (we will not talk about the taxes). We live in Podunk, USA, where luggage repair is not usually a viable option. I have long thought luggage should be made for easy wheel replacement (by the owner) but that is not the case (good pun). Briggs and Riley is too rich for my blood and might be tempting to a thief looking for a decent bag :). One of their bags probably costs more than all my rags inside :). Hank

I cannot help but wonder which is more difficult: Convincing some Americans not to tip or convincing some Japanese to forgive us for our sin of tipping :). Back in 1970 (when I lived in Japan) I still recall going to Expo 70 (the Worlds Fair in Osaka) and watching an American man get into a heated argument with a hotel bell man who was refusing a tip. The American could not accept the different culture, and in the good ole American tradition he thought that by raising the volume of his voice (i.e. shouting) and speaking slower..the poor Japanese Bellman would understand! The reason I recall this more than half a century later is because I did the nice thing and intervened although I suspect the UGLY American tourist still disagrees. I assume that now, the Japanese are more used to dealing with "rude" Americans and simply smile, take the money, and think "what barbarians." By the way, I think the original translation of the Japanese word "gaijin" is "Barbarian" although the modern translation is "foreigner." Hank

The most recent info (yesterday) we received from HAL indicate that those over 18 must have completed the "primary vaccination series" plus a least one booster ("total of 3 vaccination doses"). This certainly does not resolve the issue for those who got that single shot J&J thing. But I am just quoting from the HAL protocol which is supposed to be based on the Japanese authority's policy. And, unfortunately, the policy today may not be the policy tomorrow. Argh! Hank

Absolutely yes, assuming you can find a reasonable way to carry the device. Our beach umbrellas do not fit in our luggage and are not eligible for carry-on these days :). I once thought about flying to Florida, buying a couple of beach umbrellas (such as Tommy Bahama) and carrying them onto a cruise. But it is just more trouble than it's worth. We also know plenty of beaches (all over the Caribbean) where we can get Palapas or Umbrellas along with the beach loungers, without paying that much extra for the palapa/umbrella. The reality is folks on cruises often overpay (in a big way) for a cruise line beach excursion rather than just going to a beach on their own. The money we save by avoiding excursions usually is more than enough to cover the cost of renting stuff on the beaches And is some ports, there are places where you can get loungers/umbrellas for nothing if you simply buy drinks/lunch. I can look from my Puerto Vallarta condo balcony down on the beach and see such places :). Hank

Yes, and PanAm also used to be great. You need to keep up with the times. Booking Norwegian for transatlantic is as likely as booking Sitmar or Renaissance for a cruise :). The cruise, air and travel industries are all very dynamic and constantly in motion. You either keep up or get left behind :). Finding good deals on air these days is somewhat different than it was just a year ago. We actually added a 2 week HAL cruise (Tokyo to Seattle) when we realized that Business Class air (from Tokyo) had become so expensive that it really made sense to pay for a 14 day cruise rather than the air back from Japan :). What we saved by NOT booking that air actually subsidized most of the cost of the cruise (not to mention 14 days on HAL is better than 14 hours on a plane). We have always had a lot of fun dealing with the challenge of finding the best value (note I said value...not cheap). This often means being somewhat contrarian or taking some risk (like booking the new Explora Journeys cruise line when pricing was good). I would expect, that for the next year there are again going to be some amazing last minute deals on various cruise lines partially due to overpricing on too many ships. Hard to believe that Celebrity is sometimes getting nearly $1000 per passenger day (with packages making it all-inclusive) for a relatively small Retreat Suite. At the same time, one can book some cruises on lines like Seabourn, MSCs Yacht Club, etc. for far less. A Realtor might use the term that some cruise pricing is truly "upside down." Hank

We are big fans of lightweight and relatively inexpensive luggage. Why? Even the best luggage will eventually get damaged. And luggage thieves (more common than folks want to believe) will generally target the best most expensive luggage for the simple reason that they assume it contains the most expensive contents. For us, the ideal bag is a compromise between quality and weight. Over the years we have had pretty good luck with the various lightweight lines from Travelpro. Even a huge 26" bag only weighs about 7 pounds. A large lightweight bag can be 5 pounds (or more) lighter than heavy duty stuff, and those extra pounds of allowance are meaningful on a long trip. DW and I travel all the world and usually take two large lightweight bags which gives us the ability to add an extra 10-12 pounds of items vs many other pieces of luggage. As to lifetime guarantees, as they say in Brooklyn, "Forget about it." We travel too often to deal with the time involved in getting luggage repaired. The guarantees are legit, but the process and time necessary to get repairs simply does not work for folks that are constantly on the move. Our lightweight Travelpro does have a limited lifetime warranty but since the bags cost less than $200 it is just easier to buy another bag rather than deal with the aggravation of constantly filing warranty claims. When an airline badly damaged one of our bags (on a flight to Anchorage) their luggage person simply gave us another bag (they had a large supply of extra bags for such a purpose). With a really expensive bag it is unlikely we would have agreed to the swap, and would have been stuck with a badly damaged bag for a two-month trip (how can you get luggage repaired when you are constantly traveling?) Hank

In the USA, simply go the pharmacy counter and ask if they sell generic meclizine. The answer is usually yes, and the cost is a fraction of the cost of Bonine for the same active ingredient. We used to pay nearly 50 cents per Bonine or Dramamine Non-Drowsy tablet until we discovered we could buy a 100 meclizine tablets for about $6. Hank

So true. When we use actual statistics in a post, we generally cite the source (for better or worse). Ironically, there are times when the Mods do not want real statistics (such as when we were in the heat of the COVID crisis). Getting back to the actual topic (LOL), if one prefers to apply the term "discrimination" to pricing strategy and yield management, then one needs to accept that not all discrimination is bad and certainly not illegal. Imagine a 6000 passenger ship that charged the same price, per person, for a single in a cabin/suite as a couple. In theory, they might sail with only 3000 passengers (and 3000 empty berths), generate half the usual onboard revenue, and likely be filing for bankruptcy in the near future. And some here would than point out that by going out of business they are "discriminating" against all cruisers :). There are also some interesting economics at play on a ship (or in a hotel). The most expensive part of a cabin or a hotel room is generally the bathroom. It simply costs a lot of money for the bathroom fixtures, plumbing, etc. Most cabin bathrooms have a single toilet and a shower or tub. You need that for a single (or single cabin) but it is also adequate for a double, triple, etc. So the cost per person of building that cabin costs less, per person, for doubles and the most (per person) for a single. Folks in Cost Accounting will actually look at that level of detail when building a business plan and setting a basic price structure. Here is a thought. Is manufacturing and selling a Corvette, discriminating against familes? Hank

As many (including me) have said, there is just no way to predict rough seas. That can happen any time of the year, any day, etc. A major storm, 1000 miles distant, can result in long swells that will rock any ship. However, if doing an early spring or late winter crossing, the odds do favor a more southern route where you will get the longest days (in terms of sun) and the warmest temperatures. Since Gran Canaria is in a southern location, the route between the USA and that island would normally give you a nicer southern route. Keep in mind that most cruise lines prefer the most direct route (there are actually two direct routes because of the Great Circle) although they do sometimes vary that route because of forecasted weather, currents, and sea conditions. But you are talking winter, and having to head a bit North towards Bermuda is going to get you colder temps than a cruise that might go from Florida to Dakar (we once took this route on a Princess cruise). Hank

You are going to spend an awful lot of money just getting to Japan. Why not fly-in several days (or even weeks) in advance and spend some time enjoying the country? In our case, with an upcoming cruise out of Yokohama, we are ONLY flying-in 11 days in advance because we other obligations. Otherwise, it would have been at least two weeks. But, if you have no interest (or time) to spend on land, pre-cruise, we think planning on at least a 2 day pre-cruise stay makes sense, just to give you some time to recover from jet lag. And if your luggage were to somehow get lost/diverted during your journey, the extra time vastly increases the odds that your luggage will catch-up prior to the cruise. Also pay attention to your flight schedule. There are flights (from the USA) that can get you into Tokyo in the morning, and there are also flights that would get you in later in the afternoon. Arriving fairly early in the day gives you time to check-in to a hotel and still have as much as a half-day to enjoy/explore the area. Hank

I am curious as to what "Princess excursions" has to do with anything related to tips. Like other cruise lines, Princess simply contracts with local tour providers who generally handle the tours for multiple cruise lines and even local tourists. When Princess ships come here to Puerto Vallarta, most, if not all the tours are provided by Vallarta Adventures. They also sell similar tours to anyone not on cruise ships, sometimes at a much lower cost. Nothing wrong with tipping the tour guides, but buying on Princess means nothing other than Princess gets a nice cut. Hank

It is a relatively long ride from the Marina/Cruise port. While it can be done on the public buses, you would need to take a bus into town to the Romantic Zone/Old Town and probably need to walk a few blocks before catching a 2nd bus that would get you out to the entrance road of the Botanical Gardens. We DO NOT recommend cruisers use this bus route because it is very time consuming and you can find yourself waiting for a good half hour just to catch that 2nd bus from the Romantic Zone. Your best bet is to walk outside of the port area and either negotiate a deal with one of the regular local taxis (different from the so-called federal taxis inside the port) or use Uber (for this you do need the app, a working phone, and account). As to the price, from outside the port you will likely pay about $600 Pesos (one-way). Uber now uses very aggressive surge pricing so the cost can really vary (from less to a taxi to a lot more). Also be advised that, lately, I have noticed that many Uber rides get cancelled by the driver...which is annoying when you are in a hurry. An Uber driver may not want to go all the way out to the Botanical Gardens out of fear that they will not get a return customer. You can try to arrange for the driver later return and pick you up, or simply ask the folks at the garden to call you a taxi (it will not be a problem). Most here would say the Botanical Gardens are worth it, for those that like that kind of thing. Hank