RynoWally

3 hours ago, VMax1700 said:

Is it not on the TV?  Is the 'Sport 24' channel still listed?  They will be showing the Masters.

Guess I will find out next Thursday Morning, either way, I always like streaming straight from The Masters App, just because it allows for so many options like following certain groups or just watching certain holes which is pretty cool. I have been able to watch some of last year's highlights on the ship right now, so chances are good.

4 minutes ago, RynoWally said:

 Currently on Rotterdam in the Caribbean, and for the next 20+days and we have the premium package, so far I have had no trouble streaming Netflix, Peacock, nor video calls, or anything that I have needed to do for that matter, so you should be fine, I would guess.

Scratch that, Netflix is not working, only Peacock and Paramount......Sorry, the Netflix that I was watching was already downloaded series/shows. Was surprised that Peacock and Paramount worked though. I'm hoping I don't run into a problem streaming The Masters....Should be fine.

6 hours ago, graceinga said:

Hi Everyone - Trying to decide between these 2 packages and would love your input.   If all I want to do is email, Facebook, Instagram would Premium be ok?   What about YouTube?  Would I need the Stream package for that?   Thanks so much for your help. 

 Currently on Rotterdam in the Caribbean, and for the next 20+days and we have the premium package, so far I have had no trouble streaming Netflix, Peacock, nor video calls, or anything that I have needed to do for that matter, so you should be fine, I would guess.

18 minutes ago, HappyInVan said:

 

I think that he's making a good point. People who are paid well enough don't expect gratuities; only gratitude.

 

The use of tipping will inevitably be fraught with complications and misunderstanding in a multicultural context. This is the choice made by HAL.

 

The problem from the pax POV is that the company is pointing the finger at pax. "They have the responsibility for topping up your pay!!!"

 

So, it is inevitable that the staff expects more compensation from the pax when the company squeezes them.

 

Actually, it is the company (not the pax) demanding that they do more work. So, the company should make them whole. Not a surprise that the more experienced and better crew will migrate away from CCL.

 

The company will have to rehire new recruits and train them. Or, retain substandard employees. No freebies here. Impossible to hide the deficiencies.

 

Why are companies reluctant to offer a suitable wage? HR has the propensity to try to under-rate a job. Offering minimal wage, when a skilled rate is needed. It looks better on the pro forma. The bosses can boast that costs are under control. 

 

The promises do suck in a lot of recruits from poor countries. Then, they discover what the job really means. Heck! If the company won't pay them enough, they'll try to squeeze more out of pax. I think that many of us have experienced this situation.

 

The moral of the story is that you get what you paid for. Some pax are comfortable with McDonalds. Its within their budget. But, HAL could be a lot better.

 

By the way, have you noticed that CCL is still trading at $15 while stock indices are at records.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is very well said and thought out, I avoid spending much time in responses for the fear of someone adding no value with a "I would hate to be stuck with you at a party" or "I don't want you at my dining table" but I commend you with the educated response.

4 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

You and I have had very different conversations with crew. I know crew members who have been with HAL for over 20 years and I mean bartenders, stewards and waiters and they all seemed intelligent and sane,  I don’t think they would be there for that long of service if they were being abused. 

Abused? Such a harsh and misguided word for the circumstances. Taken advantage of is how I would word it, and it was only about 6 out of the 40 + stewards that we have encountered, but still, enough to warrant concern.

6 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

It appears that Wally thinks that ship's crew and surgeons work on the same pay scale, so if crew gets tips, surgeons should too. 🙄

Thanks, that was the whole point of the analogy. Apparently receiving your gin and tonic or having turn down service is more important than having your kidney removed for gratuities, where does it end? Just because someone went to college for 8 years and gets paid more than a server at a lounge with no schooling, I'm supposed to feel guilty when they return with a receipt for my cocktail that already has 18% added to it when I don't write $1 in the tip amount? HAL needs to pay their employees what they are worth (and let them know when interviewing and hiring), plain and simple and pass it on to the consumer in their cruise fare right off the bat, stop passing it off under the guise of gratuities and the hope that they don't get taken off by the passenger. I spoke candidly with a couple of stewards as I gave them each $50 for a 7 day cruise(on top of the imposed gratuities) and honestly I felt bad for them. I felt they are being taken advantage of. Frankly, I don't even trust that HAL is forthright with their employees with the gratuities.

14 minutes ago, DCThunder said:

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot!  I have no clue what point you are trying to make.

Iykyk, not meant for everyone, savvy?

4 minutes ago, DCThunder said:

You are absolutely correct.  Compensation for crew is already calculated into the fare charged by a cruise line.  So is the depreciation on the ship, the insurance, the fuel, the wholesale cost of the liquor, wine, food, electronic charts, and the pension for the captain and officers.  The staff are being paid an agreed to amount for their labor. This is no different from any other employee of any business.

 

Thinking that staff compensation isn't something passengers pay for is crazy.

Can't wait until I have my rotator cuff surgery next fall and along with paying my deductible there is a separate line for tipping the surgeon and staff for services rendered.

4 minutes ago, HappyInVan said:

 

Sorry! From the management POV, the company is responsible for hiring, training, motivating and retaining. Employees should look to the company with which they have a contract.

 

Companies need funds from customers. Its management's responsibility to offer the right services and build the right capacity/quality that makes the company profitable. As a pax, I expect HAL to make things work. I don't go after some 18-year old from Jakarta.

 

Nor am I personally responsible for topping up his wages. I do give extra when I am pleased; and give some when nothing has gone wrong.

Well said

10 minutes ago, HappyInVan said:

 

Quite so. Customers are made responsible for employee compensation. Actually, its a contract between company and staff.

 

The problem is that companies aren't able to raise the cruise fare. The industry had been over-enthusiastic before covid. Now, there's still over-capacity. Prices at many brands are low after adjustment for inflation.

 

The obvious solution is for the industry to retire/sell older ships, strengthen cruise prices, and rebuild quality. For HAL, that means better wages and/or fewer hours for the hotel staff.

 

 

Completely agree. This add on here and add on there just creates more research for the consumer to see if "the juice is worth the squeeze" in comparison to other lines, it's a huge headache, but I will do the research. 

45 minutes ago, chill6x6 said:

I will say that with the ever increasing "auto gratuities" regardless of cruise line and in some cases with a decreasing amount and quality of service received has given me pause in giving extra.  To date I have always given extra sometimes because I felt like it was the right thing to do even for service that was very average. I'll continue to give extra but only for those going beyond "adequate." 

Here in Minnesota, alot of restaurants are adding an Employee Wellness fee to your bill. Can't wait for HAL to look to us to start pitching in for their employees health insurance.  I'm all for the 15-20% tipping for service, and have never taken gratuities off and always tip room stewards and alot of the Lido employees regardless of mediocre to great, but tipping for services has reached a maximum for me, and quite honestly getting fed up with the whole concept. I would like for the places I utilize to encompass everything into the price I am paying for the services and just pay the employees what they pay them. It's getting quite ridiculous.

49 minutes ago, CHOPPERTESTER said:

• Sugar free "Maple" syrup in the Lido for pancakes/french toast etc. You just have to ask for it.

Plenty of Michelob Ultra low carb beer on board.

Yes, we have done this as well, they have run oit on a couple of cruises, but yes mostly readily available.

37 minutes ago, Laminator said:

Being a diabetic myself I can assure there is always a sugar free offering at the dessert bar in the lido. And there is usually a sugar free ice cream offered at the ice cream bar in the lido also. 

And it is not from the lack of asking either,  we have on multiple occasions asked the Lido chefs about sugar free, they always come back with there is some naturally occurring sugar, but no added sugar.

29 minutes ago, Laminator said:

Being a diabetic myself I can assure there is always a sugar free offering at the dessert bar in the lido. And there is usually a sugar free ice cream offered at the ice cream bar in the lido also. 

Been on 20 cruises with HAL, never seen a Sugar Free dessert, or a sugar free ice cream, if there is such a thing. Always see no added sugar, huge difference.

6 minutes ago, TinaLee said:

Yes indeed - I’m honestly usually more tempted by bread - but I do know anything marked “sugar free” that contains fruit… isn’t 🙂 

I will say this though, my wife being a lifelong vegetarian, and having type 1 for 27 years, will tell you there is no shortage of options for her when dining at MDR (she will ask for the vegetarian Indian menu) or in the Lido service. She much prefers HAL over Viking and Celebrity of which we have sailed a couple of times.

Not to be the bearer of bad news, but having cruised many times on HAL with a type 1 diabetic, I have seen some posts about ice cream and desserts being sugar free, we have never seen this. We have seen no sugar added Ice Creams and desserts, which I'm sure you know is a little bit different. 

12 minutes ago, crystalspin said:

It appears they are using "Streaming" as the name for the new level, even though video-audio streaming was already included in the "Premium" level. Hulu/PrimeVideo/Netflix were NOT included in either Surf or Premium, and I'm assuming that is what you get for the new Streaming level.

 

The "Ship Life/Wifi Plans" page is not updated yet, although the two boxes for Surf and Premium have been slid left leaving room for the new level!

 

But thanks to this thread, I am reminded that my husband will have to upgrade his Surf (came with HIA) to Premium to join Zoom calls.

Surf was available (we never putchased) when we went to Alaska, but for this cruise there is only Premium and Streaming available for precruise purchase. Given that my wife only uses it for video calls, I'm sure the Premium will be enough. 

2 hours ago, johnnyswitzerland said:

Onboard ms Nieuw Amsterdam and internet is as good as shoreside.  I am impressed.  For those who work remotely maybe it's time to consider permacruise…

Curious, seems like there are different plans now than when we were in Alaska last Summer. My wife does alot of video calls for work, which worked fine on the higher end program they had last summer. Seems from the wording on the package that the lower end would work for this now. Do you have the Premium or Streaming package that you are using, If Premium are you using it for video calls?

Thanks in advance,

Ryan

2 minutes ago, RynoWally said:

Cost was aprox $1200 for port taxes, fees, and whatever else. We get $200 of that back in OBC. We had vouchers for the airfare, but when I went online to check, it would have been around $1000 a piece for RT from MN on Delta. 

About 2 months ago, we had sworn off ever cruising with HAL again after we thought they reneged on their Worry Free Promise from last year's Norway cruise. We had to spend 10 extra days in Amsterdam, until my wife tested negative back in May 2022. Lo and Behold, went out to the mailbox toward the end of April 2023 and sure enough there was a very sizable reimbursement check in the box! 

2 hours ago, Banditswife said:

Do you mind giving a rough estimate of cost?  I did check RT airfare from Kansas to Vancouver-$650 pp.  We have cruises booked for Oct, Nov & Feb, so I just couldn't justify another for this summer.

Cost was aprox $1200 for port taxes, fees, and whatever else. We get $200 of that back in OBC. We had vouchers for the airfare, but when I went online to check, it would have been around $1000 a piece for RT from MN on Delta. 

35 minutes ago, Colorado Klutch said:

It would be impossible to figure out how HAL targets such offers. Likely demographics have a lot to do with it. Their marketing people might want to focus on a certain geographic region and people in a particular age and income bracket. The hope is they will tell all their friends and family which encourages them to book a cruise. From our point of view, there is no rhyme or reason.

 

TV shows are similar. A series with high ratings can easily get the axe because advertisers aren't interested in the rural boomers who watch the show. The network will replace that show with something else intended to pull in young, upscale urbanites. Fans of the show will be dumbfounded as why it got cancelled. 

Could be as simple as an answer to a end of cruise questionnaire! How likely are you to recommend Holland Line to family and friends....10 most likely....What is a little telling is that we will only be on a ship for 7 of the 14 days, with access to the casino. There has to be another facet involved other than casino spending for them to offer up all these land tours, hotels, and interstate flights at no cost...

1 hour ago, Banditswife said:

LOL--I wish these offers were transferable.  And why I get offers is another question.  I seriously doubt the cost of the McKinley explorer, hotels, & air would be included.  If I get another one I will try to get better details.  

 

Just booked the 14 day leaving on July 30th for this exact reason, everything was included. We just had to book RT to Vancouver and they will be taking care of the rest. If I hadn't looked at this post, it would have just passed by, offer expires tonight at 1159. So thank you.

Applied for 5k in covid reimbursement at the beginning of June, after receiving a couple emails (1 a month) from them over the next couple months asking for clarification or some paperwork. Finally got an email last week saying that the disbursement of our check should come in 8-10 weeks. Quite honestly, I'm almost in shock that it's happening, we had almost written HAL off, but are very happy they are making the situation whole. We will most likely be booking with them over the Holidays. That is about a 6 month turnaround for reimbursement though. 

On 7/9/2022 at 10:12 AM, aledomom said:

March?!?  Oh that's frustrating and discouraging.

Hello,

I was wondering if/how this has progressed at all? I sent them another email a couple of weeks ago and finally got a response today saying that they received the email and will be reviewing very soon, the original email was sent June 9th. 

Ryan

Just now, RynoWally said:

Same situation, emailed them all documents about 16 days ago. I did get a read receipt, but probably automated. I am currently on a 1 hr 45 min hold time with guest relations as we speak, I'm not sure they will ever pick up......I'll let you know if they do.

Ha, the call just disconnected or dropped right now. After seeing your post at 5 weeks, I'm a little worried we won't be seeing any reimbursement from HAL. Please let us know if you find out anything.