cruz chic

I agree. While I do like traditional fixed, when we are on a cruise that we feel we will not be able to make the fixed time more than once (like for specialty dining, late port nights, dining in our cabin, etc.), we book Open seating. We do this to be fair to the others at the fixed time table. Maybe we are too sensitive, but its how we would like to be treated if others at our table were absent alot.

I'm like that too. I'd rather be sensitive then a me me person :). Part if the reason I went from traditional to open is that many of the tablemates I had treating the dining time as a suggestion and showed up whenever they felt like it.

We took a boat ride through the Canal all the way to the Pacific. We then boarded a bus and were brought back to the ship. It was a long, hot day but we loved it! We actually transitted the entire canal, our boat was small enough that we were able to touch the walls of the canal as we were being lowered and we saw everything between the Atlantic in the Pacific! Wouldn't have missed it for the world!

I think the ferry through the canal to the Pacific is the excursion not to be missed. DH and I did the partial transit on the Coral Princess last February and he still talks about how that excursion was the best we have ever been on.

 

The partial transit is a wonderful itinerary and after doing it, we look forward to making a full transit one day.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

 

:D

This is the shorex that appeals to me the most.

I hope you have a wonderful cruise.

Your On Location (post #193) lists a Superbowl VIP pass with unlimited drinks package for $100. The cost was $34.95 on our Hawaii cruise last year.

 

Thanks for your Live From thread, I am enjoying cruising along with you.

I think there was a post to say unlimited drinks are $34.95 during the game. This is likely something else.

Please don't do this. Would you enjoy me sitting at your table when you wanted to use it? I did traditional for many years. I made sure I was back on time or I ate elsewhere. It's busy enough in open as it is without people using it as a alternative. Why not consider moving to open?

Thx for checking in. Glad you enjoyed yourself

Lizzie - I said what I did because each time someone brings up making one side of the ship non smoking, everyone responds with a statement that 80% of the people cruising would not want to have a cabin on the smoking side. While the number that wouldn't mind, for whatever reason, is unknown they do exist.

 

Only HAL and Carnival Corp know the actual numbers of their passengers that smoke, it could be higher or lower than the general population. As others have said, when it becomes financially appropriate, they will change the policy one way or another.

 

I never said 80% enjoy the smell. Over the population of non smokers there are some that can't stand the smell. Others, to varying degrees, don't mind the smell. Either they have family members/friends that smoke and they wish to get along, or the smell just isn't enough to bother them. Again, there is a wide spectrum of responses.

I'm going out on a limb here. I highly doubt (not saying for sure) that you could find a majority that don't find the smell offensive. If it's as easy as you believe why hasn't Hal tried this? I'm sure one poster did report its been tried on other lines and it didn't work.

So not likely to have embarkation lunch for Mariners on our Eurodam Med cruise in May?

 

Chris

 

 

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That's the question. While they did have one in October more and more posters are reporting the MDR is closed at embarkation.

Several posters constantly try to say that the issue is black and white. They have mentioned on several occasions that since only 20% of the population smokes then 80% is opposed to all smoking. This is not true. Many people, while not smokers, are not bothered by smoking.

 

As you said, this is a very long thread but it has been mentioned several times and each time the same small group of posters dismiss any attempt to talk about that group.

Would love to see said posts. Would also like to see the posts that say that same 80 enjoy the smell. If that was the case why would we have this thread?

If you're a 3* now, and book now, you'll get the 3* discount. There won't be a rebate once you get the fourth star. Wait until that is achieved before booking.

I'm interested to hear how you got the discount upon booking. Clearly all of us have been doing it wrong ;).

I wish they still had an embarkation lunch. Seems to have been done away with on a lot of ships.

What I think Hal should do is eliminate smoking on balconies and make part of the lower promenade the smoking area. I'd be interested to see if that would change the minds of those that are not bothered by smoke. I won't be bothered by smoke on my next cruise because I am taking an oceanview as I'm sick of being smoked out.

Not every non-smoker is vehemently opposed to HAL's current policy. Some may have relatives or friends they travel with who are smokers. Some may just not be bothered by it significantly.

 

We do not have access to the comments HAL receives on its surveys, so in the end we really don't know what the "majority" of HAL passengers think.

Yes, the thoughts could be different then every other business. I think that's wishful thinking. Why has Hal done anything to decrease smoking on their ships? On the eurodam and Noordam they have eliminated smoking in the casino. If it's the wish of most pax to live in a smokepit why change anything?

I think Hal's portions in the MDR can be on the small side depending on what you order. ... QUOTE]

 

Yeah, I know. The portion size for the mussels starter has been 6 mussels for several years now, which is why I order more. It's just that I like the mussels ... and whining. :D

 

Dave

 

You can have my share but I want chocolate in return :D;). Have a great day!

I think it's 7 for me, 6 full and one partial. Headed there again in April.

Officeofthepresident@hollandamerica.com

 

Trust me, I had an issue last year that was taken very seriously following my email to this address. And with a satisfactory result.

Thanks.

Canadians can obtain a no fee Amazon Visa card.

 

The card is in Canadian dollars. It has one significant difference over other Canadian bank Visa cards. It does NOT charge the hidden 2.5 percent admin charge on foreign currency transactions.

 

We use this card extensively for all foreign purchases. We load it up with cash and also use it for ATM withdrawals in foreign countries.

 

Why give the bank money when you do not have to? 2.5 percent is a very high fee.

I have a scotiabank mc momentum, formerly Sears MasterCard that doesn't charge the admin fee. That said, it doesn't solve Hal issues with Hal holding money for no good reason.

Does anyone have the email address for mr. Ashford? I would like to send him an email about that Facebook message. Thx.

Understand that.. Many of our Canadian Friends are doing just that.. I'm talking about the ones who spend time here every year..They all seem to use Canadian Credit Cards only in Canada & U.S.$$ Credit cards here..

 

If you pay with your Canadian Card, will you be able to get all the Canadian $$ back or do you have to pay an admin. fee if you cancel?

 

BTW when I was very young & needed special shoes, I spent my summers up on the St. Lawrence river on the N.Y. side.. I needed special shoes in those days.. My Mother used to come up during her vacations & take me over to Canada on the Ferry to buy me the special shoes..Then when I was first married in the 60's & lived with my Husband in Detroit, money was scarce & I was still job hunting...I would cross over to Windsor every week to buy our groceries. as our USD went further then..Our USD those times went farther in Canada..

 

BTW I would never bash Canadians.. My Father was a Canadian, so I guess I'm 50% Canadian..

Perhaps your friends are in a better financial position then some Canadians since they spend part of the year in the USA. Most people I know can't even afford to visit for two weeks. The usa credit cards I've seen come with a hefty yearly fee. That's just adding insult to injury. While that may work for some folks it shouldn't be expected that is a remedy for everyone. Hal should not be holding onto money from Canadians for two weeks for a dinner they know they don't do any more. There is no way to put a positive spin on that.

So HAL just posted on their Facebook site that their smoking policy is aligned with their guests wishes and it's for the comfort of their guests. I guess we'll be cancelling as their heads are stuck in 1975. What a freaking shame.

I hope if you do cancel you let them know why. That comment is so insulting.

Don't you just love their response...

 

"The smoking policy is implemented in the interest of comfort to all guests and is in keeping with the majority preference of our guests today as expressed both onboard the ships and in our guest satisfaction surveys."

 

Interest of comfort to all guests??!! Majority preference???!!! Are you freakn' kidding me? Wow. HAL would have been better off not responding at all than to post that load of BS.

Exactly. Maybe the person that is replying is a smoker. After all you never smell more then a whiff of smoke even if the person is chain smoking :rolleyes:.

The FB post was about how the cruise line promotes Walking for the cure. Someone immediately pointed out the hypocrisy of the HAL smoking policy. The HAL reply about the policy being aligning to the comfort of their guests is laughable.

No kidding. Good thing Pinocchio doesn't work for them :D.

I think Hal's portions in the MDR can be on the small side depending on what you order. I hope the Norwalk list goes down.

I got booted out after about 8 minutes. Seemed like there was a focus on international traveling which I dint really do.

I don't remember ever getting mints on Hal. It's chocolate.

Thx for the update.