Ibis

We have also stayed in San Giorgio a couple of times. Easy walk to decent restaurants and a good breakfast.

So very disappointed to hear LCS will no longer be part of the Music Walk. It was definitely one of HAL’s best features and will be greatly missed. We were always so impressed and felt the talent was exceptional . This is another negative change on HAL for us. Sadly, we have seen quite a few on our recent Hal cruises, particularly in the past two years.

Yes, during our time on Oosterdam from September 28 to October 22 wine, beer, other drinks were complimentary in the Neptune Lounge in the evening from approximately 5:00 til 8:00. We thought it was a very nice addition to Suite amenities, particularly since so many have disappeared over the past few years. We will be moving from a Vista to a Neptune suite on Volendam on Saturday November 5 and very eager to see if this new perk will be available.

Of course, we did check the deck plan. Apparently we didn’t do a good job of figuring out just how far our room would be from the stage and most of all, we had no idea how unbelievably loud the band and singer would be. And it isn’t just one room. I meet a couple in a room at least four or five rooms away while we were all moving and they said it was as though the band was in their room. So did a gentleman in an inside room on the same hallway. When we first asked customer service they told us no one else complained but when pressured as I told them I had already met others who had already moved they said there were at least four more rooms waiting to be moved.

Transferred from Oosterdam to Volendam on Saturday, October 22. Spent the afternoon unpacking and noticed music that seemed to be coming into the room through the speaker. Called guest services several times with various different and strange explanations given to us each time we called. We were reassured it would stop once we left port. Eventually, guest services said someone would check while we were out. We enjoyed a good first night dinner and we were pleased with our fixed seating table for two. Returned to the room to discover, to our horror the music was now much louder. After several calls again to guest services someone came to the room. The music was from the Ocean Bar and it continued until after 12:30AM. Long story short, the next day, after much conversation with guest services, we spent the day packing, moving and unpacking in a new room instead of enjoying Split, Croatia, one of our favorite ports. We know at least four other rooms complained. We are now in 7045, same category as 6139 but further from Ocean Bar which is a huge relief. Unfortunately, we do hear chairs or something being moved above us that at times sounds remarkably like an airplane taking off just above us 😞 . Apologies for this being brief, but wanted to alert others.. unless you enjoy having the sound effects of a late night band in the room with you, don’t book 6139 or anything close. In the next few days I hope to be able to post a report on both trips, we have had some great ports with beautiful days as well as a severe storm, but at the moment we are both still trying to recover from Saturday night.

Thanks, Roy and you are right about missing the Crystal enrichment!

Crystal sighting!! Just arrived in Trieste aboard Oosterdam and just as we approached the port we were able to briefly spot one of the smoke stacks with seahorses ❣️ So wonderful to be reassured our two favorite ships are not just a figment of our imagination…or a memory… they do still exist! Makes us all the more eager to book for next summer. Boarding Volendam tomorrow to begin our crossing. If only we were boarding… well maybe soon:-)