HoneyGV

Being from the north, when cruising I like to fly to Ft Lauderdale a day or two before sailing. When you fly in early, what hotel does everyone stay and why?

 

We usually stay at the Hollywood Hard Rock Hotel and Casino on Stirling Rd.

 

Gets us into the sailing mood.

[quote name='Marianne']I always pack sandals because they flatten down so nicely in the suitcase. I only bring three pair of shoes on most cruises: My runners which I wear when traveling, a loafer type shoe for all-purpose, and dress sandals. Have worn them since Hector was a pup. No one has stopped me in the dining room in all my 19 cruises. Interesting, in that someone felt it was necessary to let you know that "sandals" were not allowed. Certainly there are more interesting subjects to discuss.
Marianne[/QUOTE]

Yup...Black Bass penny loafers for dress, Burgandy Bass penny loafers for casual and all around, and sneaks for walking.

[quote name='dmcfad2']Just to chime in again, I have seen some very nice flip-flops. I live in San Diego and it is just about all I wear. My preferred brand of flip-flops cost $85.00 a pair and I wear them to the MDR all the time! They are definitely not the rubber beach flip-flops of long ago![/QUOTE]

I live on an island in Florida...our idea of "formal" are white jeans instead of blue! :D

[quote name='pris993']I would guess someone used the word "sandles" when they meant "flip flops".... actually I am glad someone cares enough to provide some standards.... smart casual often these days has become something that is not very smart at all.[/QUOTE]

For sure...the word "smart" is relative anyway. ;)

[quote name='iancal']Why bother contacting HAL? It sounds like a bit of a make work project.

The issue is the rude busybody-not HAL.

Just wear what you want on your feet. Does anybody really think HAL will be inspecting feet or footwear?

You don't meet obnoxious people like this very often but the best thing is to slap them down hard when they attempt to mind your business instead of their own or impose their values/standards on you.[/QUOTE]

You get a high five on that!

[quote name='Vict0riann']I agree! I'm planning to wear my sandals, they look much better than my hiking boots![/QUOTE]

Heck...I'd even wear the hiking boots a couple times...just to keep 'em on teir toes! :D

[quote name='dmcfad2']I find it interesting that your tablemates would bring it up. Were they trying to embarass you or make you feel badly about wearing them? I have been on many HAL cruises and would not hesitate to wear nice sandals. As a matter of fact, I wear fancy flip-flops almost every smart casual night. I guess I'm a lawbreaker. :)[/QUOTE]

I think it's uncouth for another passenger (not family) to criticize someone else's dress.

Incidentally, I've seen men dressed in a suit or a tux and wear cowboy boots on formal night. :eek:

[quote name='Nanner']I was a bit, well, given a comeuppance at the Mariners lunch/brunch on our last cruise. I have some rather nice looking sandals. They are flats, but are Naturalizer, nubuck, with straps around the ankle and across the ball of the foot. Well, I showed up for the Mariner brunch in my "dress casual", and one of the tablemates announced that sandals were not acceptable attire.

I wear these sandals to MDR dinner most non-formal nights, when in warmer climes, and nobody has ever questioned it. When I returned to my room, I checked the invitation. Sure enough, it said no shorts or sandals. NOT flip flops, folks. Sandals. This was on a Caribbean cruise, where all I had were my sneakers, sandals and dress low heels.

I'm all for nice capris for women at dinner on casual nights in the MDR, and to me, nicer sandals (not plastic, not Crocs) should suffice as well. This really surprised me, and I'm sure I wasn't the only one who missed it (or ignored it).

The next thing you know, on formal nights they will be like those idiots at Cannes who kicked women off the red carpet for not wearing high heels, regardless of the woman's age or health condition. :rolleyes:[/QUOTE]

You're on a cruise to relax. Did you have a retort ready for her? I've never seen staff turn away anyone who wore shorts and sneakers in the MDR either.

The days of HAL being the top of the line cruise line as far as formality goes is over, IMO.

I take about 4 or 5 cruises a year and through the years cruising has gotten more and more relaxed....especially when cruising the "Islands"

Maybe it was a man in sandals or in crocs.....saw a man in crocs all the time....YUK! Hate those things!! (I don't know the story behind this thread.)

 

Sometimes people are on a cruise after having some kind of foot surgery and can't wear "regular" shoes for a time.

 

I wonder if people get upset when they see guys coming into the dining room and don't take off their ball caps?

 

I've seen that more than twice.

If HAL is No. 1 :) who's your number 2 cruise line?

 

And I should have asked - why?

.....

 

Celebrity.

Hate to burst your bubble, but you can't just vape anywhere you please on a HAL ship. The current smoking policy from HAL's website, including vaping.

 

Yes...I can vape ANYWHERE I please...including my suite. As a matter of fact...it's permitted in even more areas than I even go into.

Based on your post previous to this one and your attitude toward non smokers in that post, I think you know why knocking on their door is a bad idea.

 

I have no derogatory attitude toward MOST nonsmokers...it's the radicals that offend me with their waving of their hands and fake coughing, but CHOOSE to hang around in smoking areas.

 

I DO introduce myself to my cabin neighbors and the Neptune Lounge is a very good place to do so...I've been meeting my neighbors for years.

 

People tend to be very nice when we meet in person and are conscientious to one another.

 

BUT...since I've been vaping for a few years now and have totally given up tobacco....smoke on the ship isn't an issue. ;)

It can't be just water vapor or you could just stick your head over a pot of boiling water and get the same effect. Smoke is particularly bothersome for my asthma because of the tiny particles of soot, but tobacco smoke is worse than say, wood smoke, which is worse than candle smoke (like when you blow one out). But some things which are entirely vapors, such as some perfumes, noxious chemicals (chlorine in the air like at a swimming pool will do it), or hell, even just very hot (upper 90's+) air will do it with long enough exposure. Water vapor by itself is good, I've stood in a hot shower on a few occasions to breathe in the steam. If the vaping liquid is just purified nicotine in water, it probably wouldn't be a problem, but I wouldn't want to say that definitively until I'd experienced it. Nicotine is a stimulant and some people react to it badly. If it's more than just nicotine, well, all bets are off.

 

*******************

 

The ONLY thing that gets expelled from an E-cig is water vapor. The E-liquid I use is vegetable based...100%. The vapor that leaves my mouth ONLY stays IN MY DIRECT AREA dissipates within 3 seconds and causes no harm to anyone. It's no more harmful and is based on the same principle as most "fog" machines in theaters or concerts.

 

I make my own E-liquid and 99% of it is water.

I'm sure nicotine is addictive...to the person vaping. Nicotine has about as much effect on a vaping person as caffeine has on a person who swills coffee all day long. :)

Anyone who claims that vapers exhale only water vapor is definitely blowing smoke.

 

 

 

Nicotine addiction runs deep.

>>>

 

It is water vapor and dissipates quickly. Nothing in it that causes anyone else to have health problems from my vapes.

 

I don't use nicotine in my vapes and even if I did...it has no effect on non-smokers. It only affects me. Nice try though.;)

Well done on quitting smoking! I know very well how hard it is. I understand that HAL applies the same rules to electronic cigarettes as to the real thing. Many public places here have begun to do the same.

 

HAL allows E-cigarettes in staterooms and where tobacco is permitted.

Add us to those who are conflicted about booking with Holland America. We have sailed only on the Nieuw Amsterdam and Oosterdam. Enjoyed both but hated the smoke. Thought the staff was wonderful.

 

We love Celebrity for the smoking policy, and the S class ships.

 

We are intrigued by the Koningsdam and the 21 day Iceland/Fiords cruise, BUT...there's that smoking issue...and I think it will keep us away again. We like throwing our money away in a smoke-free environment :rolleyes:; and if we put money into a balcony or suite we want the assurance that it will be smoke free.

 

There is always going to be an issue with this for people...and we all vote with our dollars and how we choose to spend them. It is apparently financially feasible for HA to continue to get enough bookings regardless of the smoking issue....this astonishes me, but there it is! Enough non-smokers are apparently willing to roll the dice on the issue, and those who smoke are on board due to the policy.

 

Seems to me that they could designate sides of the ship as smoking or non and it would resolve the issue. But I've yet to see a way to make a room (casino) that allows smoking to make smoking a non-issue for those of us who hate cigarette smoke. Maybe the Koningsdam will have some space-age ventilation system? I think not...

 

Have you ever knocked on your neighbor's door and explained your concerns to them? Sometimes some smokers don't realize their cigar/cigarette smoke is bothersome.

HAL is my least favorite cruise line. However, they are the only cruise line to still allow smoking on the balconies, which I enjoy immensely. Therefore, I will continue to sail with them, just for that privilege. If they ever institute a smoking ban on balconies, bye bye Hal.

 

I quit smoking a year ago and since then I've taken up vaping. I smoked from age 14 until my 66th birthday.

 

I can and do vape just about ANYWHERE I choose. I get even more enjoyment out of vaping.

I have no problem with the folks who smoke, but on my last HAL cruise, my vaping caught on with a lot of current smokers. I even became the "hit" of the casino!

 

No tar, carbon monoxide or any of the hundreds of other gasses and harmful chemicals did I release in the air. Anyone who claims water vapor in the air bothers them as tobacco smoke does is just "blowing smoke"....IMO.

 

I always check with any establishment to find out their vaping policy. So far, with the exception of the airlines, I've never been told I can't vape. I was even told by a flight attendant that I could vape in the lab and it would be ok. The only reason they have the "no vaping" permitted on the flight is because there would be too many complaints by radical nonsmokers who would have to be educated on the matter and there are some folks who just want to be "pitas" and there's just nothing that can change their little minds.

While I understand some passengers may have issues with the drill outside by the actual lifeboat, I think that is an important part of the drill. The other lines that do it inside don't even know if passengers can find their lifeboat, to me that is a problem. The drill needs to resemble what will actually occur as best it can. I don't have a solution for those with limited mobility, maybe they have a separate drill or have some limited seating at each lifeboat but I am not a fan of inside lifeboat drills at all.

 

I agree with you. There have been some issues lately with ship situations and coming from a seafaring family, I believe the drills are very important and is especially important for the pax to pay more attention since so many of the crew don't speak English very well and after seeing and reading about some problems it seems the pax can't count 100% on the crew to help.

 

When a problem arises...I think it's important we, the pax, have to know what to do and keep our wits about us. Most of us have a habit of being complacent and when danger arises, many folks just blank out and scatter around not knowing the first thing of what to do.

 

I say...stick with the captain and be close to HIS launch! <JK> :)

HAL is aware of my medical issues and I do get a letter in the stateroom indicating that they know about my problems.

Don't know what or if anything they could do to help should there be a real emergency.

 

A few years ago there was a real emergency at Port Canaveral when a huge ship stopped there. I BELIEVE it was the Oasis, but not sure, anyway the auto pilot had a problem and the ship listed severely and the crew was next to useless when it happened. All of the crew, including bartenders, stewards and most everyone else who was supposed to help during this situation couldn't speak English well enough to be of help and several pax got injured.

 

I was on a cruise once where I heard a crew member insulting a pax who was disabled and needed special equipment and the jerk told the pax that he shouldn't be on a cruise if he couldn't take care of himself during an emergency. I laid into the crew member and reminded him that ALL pax are supporting his job and he should never talk to a pax that way.

 

I'd never cruise that line again. They were a bunch of uncaring jerks for the most part and it wasn't just in the ship emergency department.

 

I'm leaving in an hour from the Hard Rock Hotel in Hollywood for the Port in about an hour to board the Noordam for a wonderful 10 days of relaxation on my favorite line...HAL. :)

There is one of the channels on the TV's that give that information.

 

....yes, there is...all day long...over and over and over!

...and I watch it over and over and over!:)

I know John, I thought of those things before I posted:) But I can get it started and keep it updated as people send the stuff in. I can post the goods and the bads for those cabins, such as ok here is Westerdam Stateroom/Cabin #A-123, as you can see, it is a great room with an obstructed view, but ... and so on and so on.

 

 

As people do their cruises, they can send me the photos and I can update the site with new stuff. That would take care of after retrofitting, refurbishments etc...

 

 

Hey, look at it this way, as long as I am doing it, I will be able to continue to live vicariously through the eyes of other cruisers more fortunate than I for taking all the ships I wanna take, but cannot:D And at the same time, I can help other CC'rs:)

 

I think it's a nice idea and if you enjoy the project...go for it. I'm sure many people will appreciate it.

You have a great attitude. I sometimes start projects just to keep me busy with a goal in mind and I know you'll feel the satisfaction as you're doing it.

Enjoy, and have fun!

BTW, did you happen to get to cabin 7060 on the Westerdam?? :o