SeaMatesNYC

@POA1 @happyglobetrotter I have the following response from Special Advisor, Office of the President: “We are disheartened to hear that your discount was not applied correctly to your Pinnacle Grill dinner. The Mariner Society Rewards Program is intended to offer our repeat travelers a variety of incentives and perks, such as discounts on cruises and merchandise, complimentary gifts and services, and special onboard amenities. We feel a deep appreciation for our valued Mariners, and utilized input from our guests in designing our rewards program to provide unique, useful benefits. We appreciate the time you took to share your thoughts and your comments will be forwarded to our Mariner Society for their consideration. In light of your experience, we have issued you $50 Future Cruise Credit. This credit is associated with your Mainer Account for future use.” (Emphasis added, 7/15/24) The savings I was entitled to was about $17, so I feel this is fair, so long as they allow me to apply it to an upcoming already deposited cruise (refundable, outside final payment). In follow up to the Special Advisor, I have inquired what steps they have or intend to take to see that Food and Beverage and Guest Services managers are made aware of the proper handling of Mariner Discount for surcharge purchases in the relevant specialty restaurants. I will advise when I hear back. Michael San Diego, CA

Recent report from onboard includes the following (see quote below). Anyone else have any experience bumping up against this new limit (which is not difficult for coffee/water/booze drinkers)? Website still shows unlimited non-alcoholic policy for Elite. “New policy. Elite is now 15 drinks total. Up to $15 and you pay just any overage. Alcoholic AND all non-alcoholic drinks count including canned water. (posting from the Crow’s Nest)”

Counts with Signature. does not count with Elite.

Precisely.

Thank you for this insight! I was a Yankee transplant. Never heard of Deviled crab cakes, but I do now recognize the thing. I tend to avoid all crab cakes now lest I be disappointed. But years ago in the late 2000s, the Pinnacle was doing Baltimore style. My favorite crab cakes were at the Blue Moon in Rehoboth Beach, if memory serves. In fact anywhere on the Eastern Shore was great! Those were some great times!

To Q1: Generally you will arrive afternoon of the first day. You can choose a tour through HAL that will coordinate time wise with your arrival. One example would be a horse drawn wagon ride with a meal at a back-country camp. The next morning (first full day) you would do the tundra wilderness tour on NPS bus. This is a half day tour. Usually included with Denali stays of at least two nights. That afternoon, again you can choose a HAL tour or something independent. The next morning you generally would leave via train for the port. 2) I have no experience with riding the shuttles but when we were there in June, they seemed to run frequently. I assume you mean the shuttles around the resort. My preference was for the upper level buildings near the main lodge. That said, if you want to visit the Denali Square venues, perhaps below is better, although some of those buildings were far enough from the center to perhaps require the shuttle in your wife’s situation. 3) If you start in Fairbanks and have interest, touring The Museum of the North at the U of A campus is well worth a visit. Or the Morris Thompson Cultural Center. No experience here with Anchorage or Whittier tours. We did choose the optional Kenai Peninsula tour on the day of transfer to port several years ago (bus to boat) from Anchorage (to Seward) and it was amazing. Not sure if this is offered with the Whittier departures.

I believe the point @CruiserBruce was seeking to make was that as an appetizer/starter, the crab cake is not subject to a surcharge for “extra” choice (beyond 1). But for a period of time post restart, HAL was charging for additional starters (beyond 1). No longer. Personally I would not order 1, let alone 27. Ten years ago they were lump crab - now some manner of ground up crab meat with majority of filler. As a former resident of Baltimore, I’m very picky about crab. Lastly, while I don’t doubt that they charge extra for an extra entree, it is curious they have not footnoted this on the recent Pinnacle menus, as they have for Canneletto.

You should have hotel info on the boarding pass’s detailed itinerary from online check in. It will list all names and addresses of accommodations. Sometimes it’s also detailed in booking confirmation at time of booking, but that should be treated as subject to change. Once we had McKinley Chalet early on for Denali but ended up at the Denali Princess lodge once boarding pass itinerary was ready. The airport transfer is simple - look for the HAL signage by baggage claim and all will be taken care of. They have the luggage tags etc for transfer to hotel. Bring your ship luggage tags with you. You eventually will need these for both “meet me onboard” bags and any remain bags on day of transfer to ship.

Can call it whatever they want, but if they call it a Meet and Greet, per the common understanding of that cruise term, it ought to be open to all who seek to join, right? I don’t think that would be an ethical approach. Call it what it is and ask the cruise ship event coordinator if they can allocate meeting room space. Best time with be later in the evening. My husband has used the rooms for Zoom work calls when empty after dinner and no one has ever interrupted him. Perhaps poking a head in but moving on when they see it is occupied. Assume someone with an actual reservation would make that known.

You may see something different, but the basic fare (without the HIA) that always shows up for me is the Non-refundable deposit fare. If you see the basic fare with a refundable deposit on the HAL website then you have upfront visibility that I and I believe the OP lack. I.e. the Advantage fare is not shown in the HAL website.

Yes, we have now done guided twice in 6 years. If/when we do Alaska again, it may be time to try something like you describe. I think I’ve had my fill of Westmark! Where did you look for potential routes/itineraries? For the OP, have you considered D0L (delta zero Lima)? Starts in Fairbanks, two nights Denali, then train to port for southbound cruise to Vancouver. Ample time in Denali. TWT on the full day at McKinley. Tour opportunities on eve of Denali arrival and next day after TWT. Worked perfect for us.

Thanks. I appreciate your extensive knowledge here and did not mean to suggest you had missed anything. I was confused about what was meant by self drive and you have clarified that well, so thanks once again!

It would be nice of HAL, but they offer a lower fare with the non-refundable deposit so they can’t really be expected to give everyone a free option on that fare.

Not sure what is meant by self drive: taking the Green bus to stops along the Park Road, or literally self-driving. If the latter in your own rented vehicle, you will not get past mile 15, without campground, backcountry camping or lodging permit reservations. Lacking those, only NPS buses go past mile 15 (Savage River lot).

No, large, tech-driven travel agencies with significant web presences will show you this fare (the one I use very easily labels it “Advantage” - imagine that!) as well as all HIA fares, HIA early booking fares, and other discount fares associated with your Mariner # assuming you log in. Mine even shows me the OBC the cruise line is offering me based upon my Mariner number, including any welcome back OBC that may be available.

When you write “Natural History Tour” I am assuming you are referring to the standard “Tundra Wilderness Tour” TWT which is the 5-6 hour bus tour into the park to Mile 43. I would urge you not to miss this even though it will make for a long day on the buses. It is the highlight of wildlife and majestic scenery viewing for many. You could catnap on the ride to Healy (McKinley lodge) and use earplugs or noise cancelling headphones if you have a chatty bus driver. For me, no amount of hiking or Visitor center time would substitute. We’ve seen grizzly, moose, Dall sheep, fox, wolf, and the most beautiful landscapes, including, if you have good luck, vistas of Denali (“The Great One”) that you may not see any other time. Just my two cents.

I was being hyperbolic! But I do believe you caught on. 😉 But there can be mosquitos.

And they are BIG bugs, too! Remember, you could cut Alaska in half and make Texas the THIRD largest state in the US!

He wants the refundable fares (aka Advantage) disclosed to him up-front and visible on the HAL website (not the ones with HIA, the ones refundable WITHOUT).

I grabbed the "quote" from the "quote" inside your post. Did not notice that it tagged it to you. Apologies.

We saw it done on recent Noordam and on Nieuw Statendam in May/June. They say it is to increase speed. Ask for a “by hand mix” when sitting at a bar and they will do it for you. Don’t accept the pre-mix!! (P.s., I don’t drink alcohol so my Fre wine did not suffer this way. But I did have to send back several flat Bruts. Why some bartenders feel it’s ok to serve flat sparkling wine I so don’t understand. Don’t accept flat champagne, prosecco, or Brut!! Order “Chardonnay” if you will take it flat.)

Non-scientific statement, of course, but over 90% of passengers probably fit your model. We here on CC tend to be “abnormal” in many more ways than one, myself included.

Again, Main dining is fixed 7:30 seating, every night same table, same waiters, in (usually) the 3 deck aft dining room. This is chosen before the embarkation, usually at booking, but can also be requested (space permitting) later on after booking. We’ve even switched to it once on board. It is fixed, traditional dining and Holland calls it MAIN. As opposed to EARLY fixed seating at 5:00pm. This is not so much dining room reservations as it is the selection of a default dining choice. Dining room reservations are what “Anytime” diners can attempt to make upon boarding for the deck 2 dining room (or any reservations one makes for speciality restaurants). This will not (usually) be the same table or same waiters (except possibly if you are requesting table at opening [5:00pm] in which case they may be able to accommodate that).

Are these lecturers or bridge staff? Seriously, I am unaware of what this is, and we are booked on 28 day Greenland/Iceland next June/July.

Or use a travel agent whose website shows it.