Damcruiser

22 hours ago, Northern Aurora said:

 

A big "thank you" to those who posted their letter regarding the reinstatement of Zeniths.  This Zenith hasn't received a copy -- and no -- it didn't appear in the junk folder.  Are we the only pair of Zeniths on this thread who didn't receive a copy?  Given our time zone difference with the rest of the US I'll be on the phone tomorrow asking why.

Waiting for hours.  This news comes just as we are  preparing to sail again.  For us the lounge for embarking and disembarking were a welcome quiet zone on stressful days.

On 9/23/2023 at 5:23 PM, phoenix_dream said:

Don't give them ideas! I think initially Michael's Club access was only upper level suites

Originally ( after the cigar days) Michal's club was for elites and above.  When MC became crowded breakfast moved to other locations such as Tuscan.  Suites were an afterthought and all h*** broke out when access was opened up to sky suites.

We cruised for 10 weeks on N Statendam between September and January.  We were very impressed with the buffet as well as other options: the Dutch Cafe, NY Deli and Dive in.  We found the choice better than on our Celebrity cruises but those "menu options" are pre covid..

Good morning to HAL cruisers.  The HAL website is wonky now.  Much of my personal info is missing and I have no cruise history.  Someone in the IT department is not having a good day.

3 hours ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

I may never go back to Celebrity.  The Rotterdam is a beautiful new ship and all of the crew are very friendly.  I’ll probably try to stick with the new Pinnacle class ships.

Nice to see your handle on this site.  We found our experience on the N Statendam similar to yours.  As  long time Celebrity cruisers, we have the same issues with their over the edge design.  Over the last six months we have enjoyed HAL's approach for over 10 weeks.  Life on board has issues on both lines but the irritants with Celebrity are worse.

We found the passenger mix on N Statendam more diverse and no older than X.

Back to the topic:

Is HAL looking to disappoint Have it All Passengers

My conclusion is yes.

All the criticism of cruisers who do not book excursions and dining times in advance does not take into account that HAL knows when restaurants are fully booked and excursions are sold out while they continue to offer the HIA option.  Some of us do not book years or months in advance but make decisions based on health or time off at work.  When we booked NS for our September 2022 cruise in July, our HIA program showed desirable times and availability for both restaurants and excursions were not available.  Stop blaming new cruisers for not being aware of limited space when they purchase HIA.  Blame HAL for trying to sell HIA while dining times and excursions are already sold out.

We started cruising with HAL in 1989 but after reaching 3 stars, were enticed by good deal on another cruise line.  In September of 2022 we tried HAL again for the first time in 14 years and were impressed by the N. Statendam.  We liked it so much we booked again for 7 weeks starting in mid November.  The day before we were set to disembark we extended our stay for another week.

Life onboard is not perfect but every ship and competing product in this price category has similar problems in trying to please everyone.

We started our extended stay in Club Orange but used the MDR the remaining 6 weeks.  We are early diners and never had a problem with service.  We found the service of waiters in the MDR every bit as good as in Club Orange.  There are a couple of menus that we did not care for and found alternatives in either the specialty choices or the Lido.

We loved the music walk (except for the noisy one designed for different ears than ours).

However we loved the Billboard September duo and found the November pair lacked variety and talent.

The problem with Lincoln Centre performances is that some of their music choices are boring and moving them to the main theatre is a good move.

We are now 4 star Mariners and the wine selection and pricing is very attractive.

The HIA program is wasted when one just lives onboard and has seen all the islands w/o the need for more excursions.  

The amazing take away from our cruises is the fact that there are so many back to back cruisers.  Every week from 200 to 665 pax stayed for the next cruise.  We have never seen that before.

The Christmas cruise:  The person who designed the music program should be locked in a closet and forced to listen to his/her choice 24/7.

The same song would be repeated for 8 to 10 times in a row but varied by artist, then the next song, same pattern. There are so many good songs that would have made a varied pattern.  Never again for this time period.

We love trivia and the presenters were fantastic, with very few repeats over the 8 weeks.

The ship is our winter condo and we treat it like our home.  

Shows are meaningless when on B2Bs  (and even the first time around they are mediocre)

What we loved:

Dutch Cafe: for the food, not the dessert.

Crow's Nest: Electric outlets for laptops, charging ports for iPhones etc.  drinks, coffees, wonderful view

MDR menu 5/7 days,

Deli at lunch on sea days

Friendly crew, great service (but the officers are an unsmiling bunch with few exceptions.)

There are things missing from our experience in the 90's but we were very happy with HAL

(except for the smoke in the casino which drifted down into the Billboard)

"A smoking section in an open setting is like a peeing section in a swimming pool"

3 hours ago, REOVA said:

What specific info are you looking for? 

Trying to find an OV or Inside cabin that has not suffered from excessive noise or A/C problems.

Any update for this thread?  We are looking for info for three potential itineraries including Iceland

We were on NS in September and loved the Billboard and BB Kings.  Rolling Stones produce a volume my hearing can't handle.  We're on board now and we avoid the Billboard because of the poor quality and repetitive play list.  We expected better for our 7 week stay.  There is a blizzard warning for our home location this week so the warm weather keeps me from regretting this booking.  Still the experience is not as great as our two weeks+ in September.

We used CO on our recent NS sailing.  I liked the bag, great for carrying my laptop.

We got on early in Port Everglades but don't need early disembark nor tender..

Our first waiter was not up to HAL standards, the second absolutely wonderful.

However, the overall service was no better than our September experience in the MDR.

We will not book club orange again.

That was our experience; yours may differ.

By the way, I did get a mimosa spilled across my back and front as the server lost control of her tray.

14 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

For us, Celebrity is an interesting case study.  We first started cruising with them in the 80s and they rapidly became one of our favorite cruise lines.  Then, in 2005, Celebrity named Lisa Lutoff-Perlo their new CEO (she came from RCI) and she quickly increased prices and started what I called "death by a thousand cut-backs."  The cut-backs were gradual, but consistent, and were often small things that were more annoying than a major issue. 

 

Hank

Hank, I appreciate your insights more than anyone else on Cruise Critic.

Perhaps it's because you always state so eloquently what I have also experienced (except for the luxury lines).  

As a long time Celebrity cruiser, the most loyal cruisers were given a lounge from which they have now been exiled. On Celebrity, if you are not in a suite, one's loyalty means very little, and we have moved on.

3 hours ago, albingirl said:

 But, no matter where you live, there are always weather related issues.

We must live in the most boring city in N America.

No tornados, no hurricanes, no earthquakes, no forest fires, no sinkholes, no landslides and the worst weather always seem to go around us.  Summer drought is a bit of an issue this year.

As the say, "if you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen" (or Florida)

We sailed on the NS in September for a back-to-back cruise out of Quebec.  This was our first HAL cruise in 14 years, and we were impressed.  For the last decade we had been sailing on Celebrity and Royal.

We liked the cruise so much we are going back for 7 weeks starting this weekend.

The main theatre was a disappointment, but the live music entertainment was outstanding.

We enjoyed the food and the layout of the ship.

However, be prepared for some serious crowding issues over the holidays.

The crew is friendly and willing to please.

I'm driving down from Ontario to Florida.  I-75 is the great escape route for Canadians seeking to escape winter.  If we travel through Atlanta at the right time of day, I can report that this is a route without any problems.  If I travel at rush hour, I could have an hour longs delay.  If there is an accident or rain, I will experience (and have) serious delays.  We could be on the same ship at the same time but events that determine our experience can greatly vary from one cruiser to the next.  Before you judge another person's experience, walk in their shoes (analogy).

2 hours ago, albingirl said:

To all the complainers, I could use a cruise right about now. Any future cruises planned, just toss them my way. I live in the part of Florida that looks like a war zone, so I  would be most appreciative.

That’s the tradeoff for those outside of the hurricane zone requiring at least $1,000 to get to each cruise.  We might be cold but we do feel safer.

 I’m not complaining but I do feel sorry for those living in the path of nature’s wrath.

As a long time celebrity cruiser, we were very happy with the food on Nieuw Statendam.

48 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Yes.

And yes, small FM on kid's menu still.

I admit it, I love carbs and especially carbs from bread. 

 

 

I loved the bread in Tuscan, dipped in olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

One of the perks of being a Celebrity Zenith is getting one free gelato per cruise.

At first one could order the gelato in a freshly made waffle cone.

Eventually company policy allowed that free gelato could only be served in a small plastic cup.

I like the waffle cone better than the gelato.

On Nieuw Statendam we were able to get ice cream in a waffle cone and I was happy.

Every cruiseline does something special and is unique to that line.

Every cruiseline has also cut back on services that frequent cruisers notice and make their feeling known on sites such as cruise critic.

3 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

And for those who will insist on examples, here are a few things where Celebrity excels:

-- shrimp cocktail available every night without an up-charge

-- steak available every night (also an 'always available' fish and chicken, and oddly, escargot,French onion soup, and caesar salad)

-- lobster on Celebrity's equivalent of gala night (no problem asking for two, or for a 'surf n' turf')

-- an abundance of other proteins including beef, lamb, duck, and veal, and good fish options

-- a separate, smaller dessert menu presented after dining

-- breadbasket on table every night with at least 3 types of bread and breadsticks plus 3 different butters

 

 

Is filet mignon still on the MDR menu?

I loved the children's menu.  Small Filet and a very tasty tomato soup.

We normally declined the bread and butter.

4 hours ago, puppycanducruise said:

A pleasant day in the forecast for us, a high of 18°C (64°F), not bad for November.🙂  I'm happy to see the earlier sunrise now that Daylight Saving Time is over, so is Bertie.

 

Mother Nature will bring an end to that pleasant weather starting this weekend.  I used to tell my students that the first snowfall in our area south of you will arrive on the four days either side of the 15th of November.  For that same reason we normally book cruises for that time of year.  We'll be heading south just as the temperature plunges.

I believe the policy just changed.

22 hours ago, iflyrc5 said:

Here was our experience Nov 6 in terminal 19 when boarding the NA.

 

 The process was perfectly smooth.  Hope it is that was again in January when we board the Rotterdam. 

Thank you.  That information was very helpful.

17 hours ago, KroozNut said:

Either the glass is half full , or it's half empty..

No, most glasses are refillable, at least 15 times a day with have it all.

30 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

I just wish there was consistency.   One cruise everything is just perfect and the next there are failures.  

Consistent inconsistency is perhaps consistency.