crusinbanjo

Last year on Zuiderdam we waited until the third round of upsells...we had a Signature Suite reserved.

 

First offer was $499 each to a Neptune. Declined.

Second offer came the following week, $399 each to a Neptune. Declined.

Third offer came a few days later, 12 days before sailing, $299 each to a Neptune. We accepted and were able to choose a suite right across the hall from the Neptune Lounge.

 

I knew I was rolling the dice waiting for it to hit my target of $299...but in my case it paid off.

We did the same roll of the dice on a Prinsedam cruise. We ended up in the panicle suite for very short money..... on the third call! So my advice is to always make them a counter offer when they call, sometimes you get lucky!

I always bring my banjo and my travel crutches, for the days when walking is painfull. These two are must brings

We considered booking onboard our last cruise, but when we got to the Explorations Lounge, the Future Cruise Consultant’s area was like a doctors office, (sorry, I’ve seen way to many Drs lately)........ One leaves, “Mrs Banjo, please step in”...... I couldn’t take it!

I agree completely, Mrs Banjo and I are just off the Zuiderdam, and we were very disappointed that there was no library, not even a book swap area. We both bring books with us, but always enjoy the library. HAL, I hope you are listening!

BTW, I think this last cruise on Zuiderdam, was the most uninspiring cruise we have been on. I’ll relate that in a separate review, but if mgt is reading, you all need to do some of that management stuff to win us back.

I think the only reason to stop at Glouster is to visit Rockport, a small

, quaint artist colony very close to Glouster. If they are offering a tour to Rockport, I suggest you take it.

https://www.google.com/search?q=rockport+ma&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari#dest_bgc=2F5375&dest_mid=/m/01wvyj&fpstate=trfpi&trifp=t%3De

We never bother with these.

 

Is this supposed to be a perk for Mariners or does everyone get an invite now?

 

If it is a perk, really it is really a stretch to consider it as one. Seems like more of an annoyance to us just to have a piece of cheese with some olive on top and stale bread under, and a thimble full of fizzy sweet plonk.

That is exactly how Mrs Banjo & I feel.

All the lifeboats are designed to hold more passengers than are assigned to them. Do not worry about it.

 

In the event you have to evacuate the vessel, report to your assigned muster station (under the lifeboat number on the Promenade/Boat Deck) and the staff will direct you to another lifeboat.

 

I know it's distressing, but really, everything is under control. It really is not an issue. Sorry, but you're making an issue out of nothing, which is why the staff are giving you little more than what you consider lip service. There are plans in place in the event a lifeboat is unusable for whatever reason. Several staff have told it's not a problem, and you don't believe them? So you are going to bother officers with this? You are going too get the same answer from the officers.

I know what you are saying, and I know the chances are small that any incident will happen, and I know the senior staff must have some plans......... But, I have been in situations before that required moving people from place to place when they don't expect it, and still in an orderly fashion. That is when problems start. If the crew knew the boat would be gone, it seems to me that, at th very least, the muster drill would include a briefing on what the process would be. That didn't happen, and they would not have even mentioned it if I didn't bring it up.

In any case, they reassigned Mrs Banjo and myself to an alternate station. For us case closed. We are enjoying the cruise with a better piece of mind.

I try not to be an alarmist, or complainer, but this has me a bit uneasy.

Mrs Bnjo & I boarded the Ryndam yesterday. We were pleased about the extra cleaning to get the Noro Virus under control and hopefully, with plenty of hand washing, all will be ok. What has me rattled was when we attended the mandatory life boat drill.

After assembling at the designated area, ii looked up to see an empty space where a lifeboat should be. There was no mention of this by the crew, no additional crew members present and seeming no changes from a standard drill, so I piped up before the group was released and asked, "where is the lifeboat"?. Other passengers thought I was joking around, so I said, it's no joke, look up!

The response from a very young crew member was not to worry, because in an actuall emergency, if necessary, we would be divided into smaller groups and reassigned to other lifeboats.

Well, with all do respect, that's a poor answer. In an actual emergency, tensions are high, people are nervous and confused and with no additional crew or drill to manage the issue this is a recipe for panic and disaster.

I brought this up to crew members but was given little more than lip service by customer relations. I will be speaking with officers today about this and will report back, but right now this is Russian Roulette with the lifeboats.

Oh boy! Mrs Banjo & I leave for the Ryndam tomorrow. I hope they get this under control, or offer us a full refund before we board. If we get that offer we will take it and spend two weeks on an unplanned IT in the British Isles.

I looked on the HAL site for Tampa and the winter 2016 schedules were not there.....began to wonder if HAL was going to leave Tampa.

Have sailed the Ryndam out of Tampa a few years back....nice trip; sailed the Veendam before she was screwed with....wont sail her again. If the Osterdam does come to Tampa, I'll sail her in Dec 2016...easy drive from home.

This is great news.

Thanks for the info!

Mrs Banjo & I have sailed the Ryndam out of Tampa a number of times over the past few years and love how convenient and easy the Tampa cruise port is. We can only hope that HAL recognizes the value of Tampa and increases its itineraries from this port.

Since I am an artist, I always look for examples of local handicrafts: molas in Panama, fabrics, and decorated gourds from the casba ? tree. The gourds are beautifully decorated, light weight and virtually indestructible. I purchased small one from an elderly gentleman at an outdoor shop at an archaeological ruin outside Lima, Peru. I paid around $30 for it. He gave me a brochure to go with it. It is very intricately decorated and as I studied the name on the bottom and the brochure (and googled the name) I realized that this gentleman and his family are famous for their art work and his work is in museums! It is a very special memento of a great day. :)

 

Karen

That's a great story. I always try to buy something that is local art. I have brought home watercolors from street artists and from local artists who have opened their home studios to show us their art, Icons from a famous a artist in Romania, carvings from Inuit artists in the arctic. Lots of diverse items, but always quality art and only from local artists. One thing we always try to do is to photograph the artist, holding the item and keep it with item we bring home, (you never know, a street artist today might be famous tomorrow).

Mrs Banjo & I rarely will buy "stuff". We prefer quality art and supporting the artists with our souvenier dollars.

watching the water pass beneath the ship and that oh so wonderful sound. That does it for me.

As I said, I started in 2009 and haven't noticed that many cutbacks. It I had started cruising in 2000, I might have noticed............:)

Mrs Banjo & I began cruising in 1990. We have seen dramatic changes since then. Some changes are good, the ships are far better today than they were back then, but the service, food, and crew moral have all declined significantly. Over all, I would say cruising is still ok for the price paid, but personally we are willing, and often do, pay more for better quality.

This policy was in full force on our last cruise a few weeks ago, October 2014, on the Masdam. I know they need to make some money off of wine & beer, etc, but wow the prices seemed very high for the products being offered. A glass of wine could easily be $14. on a brand that retails in our area for less than $12. not really complaining just saying wow

what I expect when the say "All Inclusive" is oddly enough ALL INCLUSIVE. This appears to be nothing more than a cruise line double talk gimmick. Kind of like when you get a brochure and it says "Suites from$$$" then you find out that the definition of a "Suite" is different for the brochure than it is when you go to actually book a suite.

Mrs Banjo & I have cruised on a number of "all inclusive" high end lines, and while they all have their own version of "All Inclusive", almost all of them include access to alternate dining, no extra charges for any drinks of any kind, and all gratuities included. If these are not fully included, than it certainly is not All inclusive and is little more than a high priced gimmick.

Prinsendam My favorite HAL ship. thanks for sharing...... and yes I can believe that there was at least one person who should choose a different style of vacation

mrs Banjo & I are booked on a New England Canada departing October 11. we still have no cabin assignment for our SB GTY . I'm hoping for an upgrade or upsell to the Penthouse Suite

BumperII - enjoyed the bit of sarcasm. I too am not a Suite regular, they have their place, and for special occasions or upgrades I enjoy them - but I'm value conscious...... Like other posters have mentioned, once you get into the per-diems commanded for for the NS & PS on HAL you owe it to yourself to evaluate the the all-suite and all-inclusive lines for the value proposition they offer.

 

With all that, I am looking forward to enjoying the perks of a NS on my upcoming Alaska cruise, a special occasion and not an upgrade, LOL.

 

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Thanks for that input. Mrs Banjo & I often book a smaller veranda cabin on higher end lines and most will book a suite on HAL because the per diem are similar. But, I have to admit that the last few years mostly we have booked on HAL vs the high end lines because the quality of the Riff Raff is more to our liking on HAL.;)

I'm not going to mention any names or dates, That might get somebody into trouble, but it was on the Cloud. I remember particularly well because Mrs Banjo & I were unhappy where we were seated one night and the following day pressed for time to meet our shore excursion and had to rush out of lunch. He thought we were really upset, (which we were not), so when he was topside during our departure from his home city, he made it a point to come over and speak to me. We got to talking and the subject of tipping came up. I could be all wrong on my impression, but I don't think so. In any case, I do not and will never "Pre-tip"! Enough from me.

Thanks all I'll keep checking and I'm not worried, just curious because the Guarantee process is new for us.

I know the chances for the PH are really small, but we did end up in the PH on the Prinsandam once when they offered us an up sell that we could not refuse. I sure would like to do that again! :D

When Mrs Banjo & I first sailed on SilverSea, some years ago I might ad, the policy was that no tipping was required or expected and for the most part that was accepted by both the passengers and the crew. I even remember one time in the Main Dinning Restaurant when I asked the Maitre'D for some thing special to celebrate our wedding anniversary he refused the tip I offered. Alas, on our last cruise, while talking to current Maitre'D he told me that he will gladly accept any tips that come his way and I got the distinct impression, (although he did not explicitly say), that tipping him at the beginning of the cruise would insure better service. Oh how things have changed!

Hi All Mrs Banjo & I normally just book a Neptune Suite whenever we cruise on HAL. This time I booked our suite on a guarantee basis and have yet to be assigned a cabin.

Should we be concerned? Neptune suites are rather limited, so what happens if nobody cancels and there is no cabin to assign to us? I would certainly accept an upgrade to the Penthouse suite, but I'm sure that is already sold.

Mrs Banjo & I have sailed twice on Ryndam, both time this IT. This is a good lets get warm cruise for the mid winter blues. We always enjoy Key West. You really don't need an excursion if you are a good walker, just get a walking map and off you go. St Thomas DeCastilo, be sure you take one of the tours. the tourist center is nice and has some interesting items on sale. Going off on your own in this port might be more adventurous then you expect. Never been to the Banana Cost, so cannot comment on this.

Over all we enjoyed the trip.

Welcome to the Suite Life. After booking our first suite, (some years ago now), Mrs Banjo & I never went back to a regular cabin. The one time since, when we booked a regular cabin, HAL gave us a very tempting upsell offer into the penthouse suite that we just could not resist. Now we always are looking for deals to get back into the P/S...... but not booking a Neptune suite? Not happening anymore. Enjoy it, it is great!

While I'll miss the Ryndam, I couldn't be happier about the Statendam leaving. I'm a fan of the newer ships.

Mrs Banjo & I remain fans of the small ships, and are not fans of the new mega ships, so we are saddened to see the smaller ships disappearing. we have sailed on the Ryndam a number of times and will miss her.

That being said, we will continue to sail on the smaller ships and if that means on other lines, so be it. I'm sure HAL is looking at the bottom line...... Hope it works out for them.