Hlitner

This begs the question of bagels. A few weeks ago I was involved in a thread (elsehwere on CC) about bagels and made the simple statement that in 50 years of extensive cruising with 17 cruise lines we have yet to have a decent bagel on any ship! Ever! We had high hopes about the bagels on Explora Journeys (where they make all their own bread products) and it was just another lousy bagel (essentially normal roll dough in the shape of a bagel). You would think that a HAL venue called "New York" would have New York quality bagels (this means they must be boiled before they are given a slight baking. I should add, for our CAnadian friends, that Montreal bagels are similar in that they are boiled. What say you? Hank

I do think that "O" has managed to give themselves millions of dollars in very negative publicity. Just today, there is an article in USA Today, about the "O" itinerary situation and it does not put the line into a good light! In fact, I suspect many who read USA Today would not ever consider booking "O." I will add that the wishy/washy O policy changes are nothing new.. We experienced the same thing on a Marina booking during the COVID years. After refusing to refend our money (for some major itinerary changes) "O" than relented after requests from both our cruise agency (a member of a very large consortium) and ourself. Since O did ultimately great our request (for a full refund) we subsequently booked an even longer (and much more expensive) O cruise. Screwing (for lack of a better term) one's customers is not a good long term strategy for survival. Hank

We agree with much of what you say, except the "quiet table" with the same waiters. You are aware that EJ1 has 4 normal sit-down restaurants (each with their own menus) plus the Emporium....not to mention the ambitions Anthology. If you limit yourself to a single dining venue you would be missing what makes this line somewhat different than other lines....namely the interesting and very good cuisine. Yes, one could go to Fil Rouge or the Med Yacht Club (every night) and eat the same items. Not sure you would even get the same waiter in the same venue as we did notice there was substantial moving around of staff (on our 2 cruises). That being said, we thought all the wait staff was excellent and would fall over themselves trying to please we diners. In fact, DW reminds me that our favorite waiter/crew member waited on us in Sakura, and than a few days later he was working in Marble and Co. Since you mention enjoying some of our posts, here is another with a very friendly suggestion. Although I understand (from your prior posts) that you are not always looking for lots of food variety, the best part of EJ1 is (in our opinion) the entire cuisine "thing." We found things to like (and not like) on every menu. There were some menus that "appeared" (at first glance) to be better than others, but that usually turned out not to be the case once we tried the actual food. Just consider that DW, who has never eaten sushi in her life, actually discovered that some of the sushi in Sakura was very good. Even a basic item like steak, is offered in multiple venues and may involve different cuts prepared differently. Hank

Terry, Enjoying your financial-related posts. NCLH is the only major cruise stock NOT in our portfolio and we have been thinking about bottom fishing (even though it might be like catching a falling knife) since we would get a fast 18% return because of an upcoming O cruise. That being said, we have previously posted (going back about 2 years) that NCLH is our highest cruise company candidate for bankruptcy. Our major concern about the company is "O"s inventory of 4 old "R" ships. None of these vessels is up to the standards one would expect of "Premium" line ships, because of the cabin/bath designs. These days, folks on cruises (even on mass market lines) expect larger bathrooms (especially showers). While "O" can keep upgrading those 4 aging vessels, there is little they can do to improve the cabin bathrooms. At some point "O" will need to sell those ships and they are certainly not going to get top dollar. And to add to the perfect storm working against NCLH (inflation, soaring fuel costs, increased competition) we now have the middle east situation which is already causing lots of grief (and money) to NCLH. Just following the posts on the "O" board, it is obvious that "O" has put their own financial situation far above customer service/relations for those booked on a few middle eastern itineraries. Bad customer service is never a good thing in an industry where many customers have long memories. Hank

You can generally find "plain cuisine" in the Emporium. There is usually rotisserie chicken (which they can carve to order) and a selection of pasta which you can even get without any sauce, and the burger cook was actually willing to make some adjustments (a real shocker after trying to get the pizza chef to put some pepperoni on a slice...to no avail). You can also get plain scoops of their ice cream/gelator although if you are not happy with the flavors you will be out of luck. Plain food is not what EJ is about. Not a hot dog in sight. Hank

And just think, you will be getting exactly the same food, booze, and entertainment of the folks paying less than half that amount. But you will have a spacious suite.

Not too many years ago, we flew Delta One (on a brand new A350) from Tokyo to Detroit. When we met the chief steward (who we knew from a previous flight) I asked him "how is the food in Delta One?" He just laughed and said something along the lines of "just typical Delta airline food" which is to say eatable but nothing memorable. If you do have some kind of special diet preference you can certainly check your options a few days before the flight and perhaps choose a special meal. That being said, we assume you will be taking an evening/overnight flight to Europe. My best advice is have something to eat in the airport lounge (you will get lounge access with your Business Class ticket) before the flight and eat lightly (if at all) on the flight. For whatever reason, many experienced flyers will say that eating less (onboard) helps deal with jet lag. The irony about flying to Europe is that the flight is not long enough to get a decent night;s sleep if one stays up for the entire dinner service and asks to be woken up for breakfast. As to your flight, the EZAIR info does show your Delta flight locator code. You should be able to go into Delta's web site, and pull up your reservation using your name and that code. You may not have complete access until the cruise line has actually made the payment to Delta (sometimes only about 4 weeks prior to the flight). You can go into EZAIR and request immediate ticketing, but once done it has negative impact on your ability to cancel without penalty. Hank

Just so you hear another point of view, some of us really enjoy the socialization that comes with "dining" as compared to fast food. When we have a good table (we love to share with others) we are often delighted to be among the last tables to finish dinner :). Given the state of later night entertainment (we prefer to dine at 8 or later) the best entertainment is often a fun table. Hank

As you are aware, although not fully proven, the conclusion of the UK Marine investigation was written as follows: "The fire started on an external stateroom balcony sited on deck 10 in the centre of main vertical zone 3, on the vessel’s port side. It was probably caused by a discarded cigarette end heating combustible materials on a balcony, which smouldered for about 20 minutes before flames developed." Having spent a few years as an active volunteer firefighter, I saw enough post fire investigations to understand that many fire causes are best guesses by experts (based on years of experience). As a direct result of this disaster (there was loss of life and extensive damage to the vessel), Princess refitted all of their vessels with outdoor fire detectors on the balconies. The unfortunate thing about these detectors is that they are only triggered by excessive heat, not cigarette or other smoke, Hank

There are times when folks need to make "adjustments" to their own schedules if they want to avoid queues. On some cruises (especially with many from North America) where there is a big MDR demand around the opening time (usually 5:30). So, if you show-up at 6-6:30, the MDRs can be near capacity due to all the early diners. You either need to go around opening time, or wait to around 7-7:30 when some of the initial diners finish. I also wonder if you were waiting for a 2 top (dine alone). When we are on Princess we always mention the hosts (at the desk) that we are happy to share larger tables. We seldom have more than a 5 minute wait....with or without reservations. Hank

You express our own cruise dilemma. Since we are frequent cruisers (100 days a year is not unusual) we are always faced with the economic realities. Accordingly, we have found that doing a mix of mass market lines (often in basic balcony cabins) and luxury lines (generally in the lower category suites) works for us. But, recent price increases (and general inflation) is causing is to reexamine our future options. A very important issue, for us, is value! In cruising, value does not mean inexpensive, but rather bang for the buck. Until recently, we thought that HAL (along with Princess) offered the best bang for the buck. But after our last HAL cruise, DW and I thought HAL's "bang" had mostly fizzled. As long time HAL fans, we can often overlook small issues, but we found negative issues (on the Westerdam) were just too routine. And what was even more disturbing was that HAL seems to have an attitude of "we could care less" about legitimate issues. No question, HAL still has some decent pricing (especially in the basic Veranda and below categories) but once we look at larger cabins (such as Signature Suites) it gets interesting. HAL is a nickel/dime cruise line so we must factor-in things like Internet, tips, drinks, etc. HAL is still less expensive than lines like Seabourn, but on SB (and other luxury lines) one gets a lot more quality (and amazing space-ratios) for the extra money. As a rule, we spend no more than another $100 per day for a lot more quality (in all areas). We recently booked a 14 day Caribbean cruise on Silverseas (we still like to do one Caribbean cruise per year). The itinerary is amazing (even for the Caribbean), the total cost per day is about $330 per person day, and with SS that means all-inclusive with even shore excursions tossed in the mix. It was an amazing deal (one does need to shop around) and a no-brainer booking. Consider that its on a ship with fewer than 400 passengers with high-end cuisine, unlimited drinks/Internet, etc. and in a suite! If we were to book the N. Amsterdam (at the same time) in a SS with the HIA package, our total savings would be about $1000 or about $35 per passenger day! Is Silverseas worth $35 more per passenger day over HAL? Truly a no-brainer! And this is just one example of what one can find (by shopping around with an open mind). And by the way, if one were to add the included shore excursions into the mix, the Silverseas cruise is actually less expensive than that HAL cruise! Go figure. The reason I post all this info is to simply stimulate thinking. Many HAL cruisers are wedded to the line, only deal with their PCC, and really have little clue about the competition. Many just assume that they cannot afford to splurge on a luxury or premium line, but they might be shocked if they truly learn how to shop around and take advantage of some decent high volume cruise agencies. In the past 2 years there has been this wonderful "window" where some deal on high quality luxury lines are much better values than any of the mass market lines in even the lowest cost suites. I do see signs that the "window" is closing as the luxury lines are now imposing some major price increases (whether they are later forced to offer deals is a question). But experience has shown me that when one window closes (in the cruise industry) there are other windows that open. We shall see. Hank

Like you, we are not booking any future HAL cruises (and we are 5*) until, or if, things improve in terms of both entertainment and cuisine. There are plenty of other cruise lines (since our last HAL cruise in May we have been on Seabourn and Explora Journeys and have upcoming bookings with Princess, Oceania, Silverseas and Seabourn). We think that the only ways that HAL continue to be competitive are with price and itineraries. But we no longer are willing to sacrifice the overall quality (with entertainment, service, and cuisine) that are better with other lines. As a reminder (from our past live blog), the only good entertainment on our 42 day cruise was the Lincoln Center Stage group (which ended 2 weeks into our voyage), and the excellent Rolling Stone Lounge Group (formally BB King group). But the latter only performed 2-3 sets (5 days a week) and often ended at either 10:45 or 11. Step 1 dancers cancelled more performances than they performed (they do not work on a moving ship) and their shows were the same-old same-old stuff they have done since HAL abandoned song/dance Production shows. I do sometimes think that many HAL fans have no idea what they are missing on other lines. As a simple example, our recent Explora Journey 1 cruise (which cost us about the same as a suite on HAL) had 5 dining venues with absolutely no price add-ons or fees. One evening we decided to dine in their Lido (something we rarely do) and at the raw seafood bar found fresh oysters on the half shell, cracked crab claws, huge shrimp, and mussels. At the nearby seafood grill we could choose between swordfish, halibut, salmon, lobster tails, lobster, and more...all grilled to order. At the carvery they were carving beautiful lamb saddle, prime rib, etc. And this was just the LIDO! The 4 sit-down restaurants had the kind of food you can only dream of getting on HAL. That cruise cost us about $400 per passenger day (for an all-inclusive suite) although prices have since increased (big time). The one thing we did miss from HAL was the decent salad station (in the lido) as the salad station on EJ1 was obviously designed by a chef who believed in a "minimalist" salad bar. And there was no bread pudding :(. Hank

Lets talk about the smoke issue. When you look at a deck plan, on Deck 5 you will see that the Crema Cafe is located amidships on the Starboard (right) side. Outside the Crema Cafe, there is a promanade area (also near the usual gangway when in port) which is lined with small tables and chairs. This area is a smoking area and all those small tables (and there are quite a few) have ashtrays to make this clear. Folks can sit there to smoke, enjoy coffee/treats from the Crema Cafe, etc. During our 18 day voyage (NYC to NYC) this smoking area was not overly popular, but you should consider we had fewer than 300 passengers and had days where the weather was not conducive to using this area. In a warm climate with a larger passenger load, one might suspect that this area will be popular with smokers (especially during the opening hours of the Crema Cafe which is 7am to about 7pm). Smoke from those smokers will impact quite a few suites (above) depending on the wind conditions. Personally, we would avoid any Starboard suite located above or quite a few feet to the rear of the Crema Cafe. That being said, these are desirable suites because many folks want amidships. Our suite was pretty far aft (Deck 8 ) which we found a terrific location. No smoke, very little noise, and relatively close to the aft elevator bank (these elevators only go down as far as Deck 5). Hank

WOW!

One alternative, for those who have already experienced Dubrovnik, is to take the regional bus or boat (there are regularly scheduled boats) from Dubrovnik to the small town of Cavtat! It is a picturesque charming village with plenty of restaurants for lunch. While it does get some cruise excursions, it is not overrun like one experiences inside the walls of Dubrovnik. Hank

Luggage Direct is a good option (if possible) but will not solve the issue of what to do with your carry-on stuff. One possible solution (which we have used) is to simply rent a car for the day and lock your luggage in the trunk :). Another possibility is that some cruise lines will have disembarkation excursions which include various tours and later drop folks at the airport. Hank

Looking at 2024, there are plenty of 4 and 5 night cruises out of NYC or Bayonne. The Carnival Venezia does a series of 4 night that include one day in Kings Wharf, Bermuda. Kings Wharf has a small beach (within waking distance) as well as some shops, cafe, and eating venues. If one prefers, they could just use that docked day as a faux sea day and stay on the ship. Just keep in mind that such a short cruise during the summer school holiday will likely attract a lot of families as well as a party crowd. It sure would not be my cruise of choice :). Hank

The last time we were in Hamburg we noted that there were actually 3 different port facilities and that does not include the Altona pier which is sometimes used by cruise ships. But we agree with you that travel/cruise agents would not have a clue nor would the telephone reservation/customer service folks who answer the phone at the MSC number. Those phone folks would only know what is on their computer "scripts" which would not generally show the exact docking location. As an aside, we recently were involved in a similar situation with the new Explora 1 (Explora Journeys) which came to NYC in September, There was confusion, online, about where the ship would dock (Manhattan or Port Liberty). Folks onboard (on the way to NYC) asked the question and even the onboard staff did not have the answer! Go figure. Obviously, the Captain knew where he was going, but apparently did not share that info with the entire crew. I mention this since Explora Journeys is owned by MSC. Hank

Agree with Euro Cruiser and will take it one further step. If the luggage is not tagged, everyone on your group would need to wait at the bus until all your luggage was unloaded, identify your pieces, and wait until you can find somebody to write up tags for each piece. That process, for 50 folks, could take a very long time. And once your luggage was finally tagged, you would then go inside the terminal or tent (depending on the pier) to begin the check-in process. The reality is that folks only need to download their luggage tags and take care of their own bags. We would suggest putting the tags on the luggage just before you board the bus (do not tag them before your flight). You might want to look online (ebay or Amazon) for some luggage tag holders (there are various sites that sell them for cruisers) which make it easier to tag your luggage (rather than using a stapler or tape). Since I gather this might take a lot of effort (just like tagging your own bags) here is a link to some tag ideas: Amazon.com : cruise ship luggage tags holder Hank

No, and I cannot think of any reason why they should. This kind of change is certainly justified and within the scope of "Os" Terms and Conditions. As a long time (50 year) extensive cruiser we view this kind of change as pretty routine and just part of cruising. When a cruise line does something we think is wrong we will quickly call them out, but in this case we actually wondered how long it would take them to eliminate Turkey. I will add that DW and I really enjoy Turkey (and its people) and have been to both Istanbul and Kusadasi (the ports removed from the Vista itinerary) many times. It is sad that Turkey is being cancelled, but that is something brought on by their own government! Hank

I am going to post a gentle warning about the San Giorgio. That hotel has previously generated some complaints that they sometimes will cancel confirmed bookings and/or move folks to different facilities. It is believed that the hotel has some kind of internal "pecking order" and individuals sometimes take a back seat to various group bookings. For what it's worth, DW and I would not consider booking that particular hotel because of these reported "over booking issues." Hank

No. Lets, again, talk about how it all works in that port. Those on some cruise ship excursions will be tendered into the small ferry port of Athinios (about 8 km from Fira). That port does have road access so folks can meet buses or other excursion transportation. However, to the best of our knowledge, no cruise line allows independent cruisers (i.e. those not on the cruise line excursions) to go to that port. That means, for private tours, you must tender into the small port located just below Fira, where there is no direct access to a road. From that port the only way out is by boat, by cable car, by donkey, or by walking up a steep hill with lots of steps (and donkey poo). If you can arrange for your guide to meet you with a boat, you have it made :). Otherwise, I guess a guide could come down to that small port and escort you up on the cable cars, donkeys, or by foot. Also keep in mind that it is difficult to know exactly when you would get ashore. Each cruise line has their own tender policies and, if you are on a large ship, you will possibly be subjected to some delay. Small ships have fewer problems with long tender queues. All the tenders in Sanorini are shore-based and operated. The good news is that they are larger then the ship's own tenders. Hank

I will comment as a frequent cruiser whose resume includes having been on 17 cruise lines with our O Vista booking (March 2024) being our 18th line. Why so many lines? We like to joke that we are "equal opportunity cruisers" but the truth is we do like variety and also routinely shop around (among several favored high volume cruise agencies) for the best value (not price....but value!). We booked the Vista because our 35 day cruise offered a decent "value" and we wanted to try one of "O's" new vessels (we are not fans of the R ships). Yes, prices have increased for cruises and most air! Princes have also increased for just about everything else so this is not a surprise. But there are still some good deals out there for folks who shop around, take advantage or promotions, use decent agencies that offer extra incentives such as generous OBCs, etc. For folks that are wedded to 1 or 2 cruise lines, certain category cabins, etc. they are limiting their own ability to seek out better value for their money. One reason we had never previously booked O was that we thought O offered a very poor value when compared to some of their competition (we even explained this to one O rep). What is happening with cruise pricing is enough to drive me to drink (hopefully with a drink package). Consider that we recently cruised on the brand new Explora Journey 1 (an amazing product) for less than $400 per person day. If we were to now book a future cruise on that line the cost would likely be about $700+ per person day or a 75% increase! Truly nutz (especially considering their itineraries) although the cuisine on that line is, by far, the finest we have ever experienced in 50 years at sea. As a comparison, we have a 2025 Seabourn booking for $437 per person/day. At the moment, Seabourn remains our favorite overall cruise line (although we do have future bookings with O, Princess, and Silverseas). Keep in mind that Seabourn is truly an all-inclusive line (does not include excursions) and one can spend a month on SB, drink and eat all you please, and walk off with an onboard account of zero. We have long suggested that cruisers and travelers shop around and keep an open mind about different brands, itineraries, timing, etc. It is those of us who are flexible with our planning and thoughts that have the best chance of snagging the best deals. Hank

We received notice, today, from "O" that they have revamped the last April itinerary of the Vista to cancel both ports in Turkey (Istanbul and Kusadasi) and replace them with several Greek ports. I would assume that Erdogen's recent threat to declare was on Israel played into "O's" decision. It will be interesting to see if the other major lines also decide to avoid Turkey. Hank

Hirosaki Park is a large place where one can walk for miles. Buses are not permitted in the park, so any tour would need to involve a lot of walking inside (or around) the park. Hank