FlaMariner

I'd certainly enjoy cruising on a more upscale line but for us, HAL fits our retirement budget and allows us the opportunity to knock off our bucket list efficiently. (Interpret that as "upscale lines are too expensive for us") When I do the business case on the higher end lines and then add up my HAL fare plus my tours and tips and onboard expenses, etc. I am always better off financially w/HAL (or other "mass market" mid tier lines....or whatever category you call it) I agree there are more upscale lines than HAL that offer much better experiences but the value of HAL fits us nicely (Interpret: we can afford it) Food & Entertainment are excellent on HAL....IMO (Interpret: We love HAL for what we get for our $$$) Savor the journey........no matter how much $$$$ or what cruise line you sail (Interpret: Glad we all have choices)

On the Westerdam last month, the Ocean Bar had a small band playing every evening and a few folks were dancing. (We did not partake but we would see that when departing first sitting dinner and walking past)

Is that promo still around? We dis-embarked in mid October and seems like I'd have the email by now offering some OBC if I booked in the next 90 days. Nothing so far.

Yes...step one.

Not sure what you are looking for w/entertainment but we sailed 13 nights on the Oosterdam last month and I can pass along the following: the Main Stage was busy every evening.... 3 different production shows comedian 2 nights instrumentalist 2 or 3 nights vocalist 2 nights local performers HAL Origin Story (first night) ....and the captains toast and other stuff I cannot recall..... Main Stage was busy during the day with a guest lecture, EXC talks, movies, future cruise presentations The schedule was packed with all kinds of stuff.....towel critter making, wine tastings, trivia, work out classes, ping pong and on and on.... Also, mariners lunch, mariner cocktail party welcome......and art auction if you are so inclined....lol. Also, in the evening....Rolling Stones band and Billboard Onboard were playing... Small band in the Ocean Bar (and folks were dancing) Westerdam Ball....the Captain and officers danced with the guests..... and the casino was busy..... We love the entertainment on HAL (Billboard Onboard is our favorite). Just rattling off from what I recall.....What's missing?

We were on the Oosterdam last month (10/1 thru 10/15) and yes, the "new" library was there. It was great. Grabbed a Grisholm novel and Her Majesty found a few books also.

As far as "cruise days sailed" recognition....... We'd be fine with an email thanking us for our business and include a $25 OBC credit for our next cruise (We do not need/want medals, pins or public acknowledgment ceremonies)......Thinking that was very important to folks from another generation/era...but for us, not so much. Moving up in Mariner rankings are what is important to us as they translate to free/discounted stuff we want $$$ (laundry, wine etc) and "head of the line" benefits which we enjoy (embarkation/tenders). .......But we do enjoy our tiles though.....We have a serious personality flaw in that we want to collect as many of those as possible before we are done......We think "he who has the most tiles wins".

Wow. No plastic bottle confiscation bin when we boarded the Oosterdam in South America in March or when we boarded the Westerdam in Seattle in October (or at least I did not see such a thing). Wonder if my single use plastic prescription bottles, single use plastic mouthwash bottle, single use plastic hand sanitizer bottles and the numerous other single use plastic bottles I carry onboard qualify for this definition of "single use bottles are not allowed"? LOL. I bring on many single use plastic bottles but I must surrender the one that has my water? Not sure this makes sense......Even the bin for confiscated plastic is made of plastic. LOL. Gotta love cruise critic....just when you think you know how things work, you find out you do not......LOL.

Water in a plastic bottle was not illegal (or prohibited) on our October 2023 cruise. (HAL may not sell you a plastic bottle with your water purchase but plastic bottles are not prohibited onboard.....I saw lots of them and drank out of lots of them)

I am not familiar with the platinum level....Please enlighten me on what benefit that gets me? (I thought Mariner went to 5 stars and that was it. And then there is the President's Club for the very top of the food chain...but not familiar with Platinum benefits)

Zero charge on my onboard statement for laundry was all the recognition we needed when we just hit the big 4*...... ....we've decided that moving up in the HAL Mariner stars is much more fulfilling than any of the previous awards during our work years...... gotta have a goal....and becoming 5* someday is at the top of our goal list.

yep...and same for the "special" check in for CO in the MDR (Westerdam, October 2023). When no-one "special/Orange" was there, the maitre de took us folks in the "steerage/regular" line.

Her Majesty and I just had a conversation about that.....When we began cruising, (90's) big band music was the thing....even on Carnival & NCL....Now, we hear Billy Joel, Elton John, Beattles, Rolling Stones and we realize time has moved on.....And the Beatles seems to be as far back as it goes these days. Time is moving on........

Forgot about that one....we enjoyed the FREE wine tasting also on our October cruise...Another nice benefit....

Eating for us...... Japanese food, chopsticks and of course, the language was a major stress point for us but turned out to be easily navigated...... Most, if not all the restaurants we went to had menus with large pictures and/or plastic molds of the menu item at the counter or out front. Most menus had an English description. The wait staff was super nice, patient and fun in helping us with the language barrier, operating the vending machine at the ramen hole in the wall, helping us w/how to dip, eat the food.....We played the field.....And enjoyed it all Dinner cruise in Tokyo...It was a set menu so a relief to not have to choose but it had a little bit of everything. Great first night introduction for us. Lunch at Ramen noodle "hole in wall" near Shinjuku station/Tokyo had a computer that you ordered and paid but the cook helped us and the ramen was delicious. Lunch at Kyoto was Japan sushi....shoes taken off and put in locker. Low sitting tables. A menu with lots of pictures and we would simply just point and the waiter was patient. Lunch in Chinatown/Yokohoma....similiar to Chinese restaurants in USA but better and fresher. Again, point and English section included. Lunch at Kanazawa.....Tempura restaurant...in a dept store (good food in Japan dept stores...head to the basement for self service or sometimes full service restaurant on top floor).....the best. delicious. they had a "chef's selection" but the waitress had to help us with mixing the sauces and the soup....The chef sent us an "extra" piece and was most gracious. In between, we stopped for green tea and that was a standard everywhere. We could not help it but we did frequent a McDonald's once. They had teriyaki burgers and a green soda....Had to do it. McDonald's employees in ties. Totally professional and attentive and quick. Not what we are used to. Breakfast and Dinner was at the hotel club level....light snacking....and that involved lots of miso soup and some good ole USA food too.... We did our best with chopsticks....At one restaurant, the waitress felt sorry for us and brought us forks. LOL. The food was the highlight and we were clueless when we arrived......Hope that helps.

Agree and we just completed our first cruise w/4 stars on our belly....... We felt very appreciated by HAL..... we got to use the "special" line at check in and were quickly whisked to the early boarding group area in Seattle (Oct 1). We enjoyed the welcome aboard cocktail party and had a great time drinking many glasses of that sparking wine and meeting a great group of folks Her Majesty took advantage of her 50% off coffee purchases (less than 3 bucks for her "special" tea) in the Crow's Nest I enjoyed 50% off wine. I think our average price per bottle (package 1) with tip was around twenty bucks a bottle we sent dirty clothes out daily.....and they came back in that nice basket with tissue wrap and a thank you note.....and FREE we enjoyed the Mariner lunch (we did not have that on recent previous cruises and glad that is back). The dessert is still discussed. And our tile has been added to the collection. At dis-embarkation, we were able to depart whenever we wanted.....In the past, we did early dis-embarkation but this time we were able to not haul our luggage and it was waiting for us after our early breakfast We feel as though our loyalty is recognized and generously rewarded. Also, as HAL's intention, these benefits makes it difficult for us to justify cruising another line.

Agree...after 24 years of HAL cruising.... In my experience, there has never been a "special" line for 4/5 stars at Guest Services. Also, on the list of Mariner benefits, there is no benefit for "priority line" at Guest Services. And I do not recall it ever being on the list of Mariner benefits. The CO people do have the "special" line but it's rarely needed/used (IMO) but hey, it is there if you paid for it and want to step up front on the "special" rug. I'm not sure one can diss HAL for taking away a benefit that never existed. (IMO) (Also, I see no need for the special line....the line moves rather efficiently and when there is a backup I simply come back later. And those folks in Guest Services are so patient. It's fascinating to me what you hear from our fellow passengers when you are at the counter)

Montego Bay is a much better switch out than what we did for Key West....The substitutes were Bimini once and Freeport once. Yuck. Enjoy the journey......

I wear kaki pants and a long sleeve dress shirt and I meet the requirements and am comfortable and love it! (No coat or tie is necessary....but certainly fine if that is the way you want to roll)

Consider yourself lucky.....we've booked two different cruises over the past 4 years w/Key West on the itinerary and then around a month before, Key West was scratched.....I agree with @kazu....they realize the bait and switch was not sitting well....

5:42pm ET and I am able to log in.....Using Safari.

Yokohama seemed as busy as Tokyo but more spread out...more room...if that makes sense. Also, it's only a 28 minute train ride from Tokyo station w/what seemed like a train every 2 minutes. LOL. we did this one.....about half foreign tourists and half locals...or so it seemed. Good way to enjoy Japanese food and see the skyline at night....Had fun. http://www.amitatsu.jp/english/

Her Majesty did not have that problem when in Japan on Verizon. And we were using lots of "directions" w/maps. We actually thought the phone worked better in Japan (very high speed service) than when home.

Yep. Dr. Cam.....he was excellent! full house at every presentation.

Good to know..... Do you recall how Carnival knew they wanted a table for two when assigning tables? Our TA put us down for early sitting but table type (for two) was not listed.