adrift@sea

Next cruise coming up is Panama Canal 3 Jan. Will the Zuiderdam still have decorations up? Just wondering. If they do, what is the scope of their decoration? Thanks.

I am assuming that you are speaking about Holiday decorations? Sorry, the answer is no, all decorations will be removed prior to the Zuiderdam docking on the morning of Jan. 3rd. They will start coming down the evening of Jan. 1st and throughout Jan. 2nd.

I don't think you can retrieve that number from HAL. I know the feeling of panic when I couldn't find mine a year or so ago. They did turn up in my bank vault. Good luck with finding it. When you do find it, or if you need to get a new one, make a photo copy or two. Keep one and give one to a family member.

I am also fairly certain that you cannot pull up this info in your HAL account.

Another suggestion---scan a copy of each passport and email it to yourself (then save in a folder) and perhaps a trusted family member. We have been doing this for years and while we have never needed to access passport information, we know we just have to go into the email and we can pull it up.

I didn't feel any great differences between the two myself. I just got off Westerdam, and took Eurodam in 2011. Eurodam had a few design changes - I will agree that the Tamarind restaurant, and just the entire use of that deck space above ClubHAL with the Silk Den bar, which Westerdam has no equivalent of, was a little better...but otherwise, not a big difference at all for me. Very happy with both. I do have to say I prefer one thing on Westerdam too - that they retained the lovely seating areas just outside Crow's Nest, which on Eurodam are occupied by the Retreat, which is a pay option only section. I love those long wooden tables, big wood chairs and benches covered by the canopies on the Vista class ships. I wish the library was still down on the lower decks and the Crows Nest got that entire space with the cigar bar off to starboard, as in the original Vista designs...but Eurodam has that same design issue for me with the library taking up 1/3 of Crows Nest and the cigar bar missing - so nothing to differentiate the two in that regard either for me.

Eurodam and Westerdam are our two favorite ships but would give a slight edge to Eurodam. Tamarind and Silk Den are great additions to HAL ships; however, we do miss that seating area outside the Crow's Nest on Westerdam.

IMO what this means is that they have reached their quota and don't want any more VH bookings. :)

I believe that you are correct. They are trying to encourage people to book higher level verandahs as it is a better value.

This is a very common practice with HAL.

Thank you, Judy. One more question. Can you also ask that the dryer not be put on hot?

Yes, you can.

We mark the slip -- WASH - COLD WATER, DRY - LOW HEAT

Never had a problem.

That is why they ask for special requests to be made a day ahead, so they have a day to do it. It never hurts to ask, if it is too much they will say so.

Yes, special requests require 24 hr. advance notice. It really is not that unusual---there is a form that is filled out by the DR steward or Supervisor and submitted to the chefs for special requests. I agree, if it is too much or not possible they will inform you.

Many of our "special meals" were sent by chefs that we have gotten to know, without any request on our part. Sometimes a chef will visit our table and ask what he can prepare for us. We usually tell them to surprise us and they have.

On the other hand, if they are really busy and are unable to fulfill a request, we do not make a big deal about it and order off the menu.

Well, for me. the (daily) HSC, (tips), put in place by HAL works for me without having to "generously tip on top of that" & "add extra tips" works for me! :) But then again, I'm not one to look for bragging rights! ;)

Really?......:confused:

Those that you quoted are generous people. Some are, some aren't. :rolleyes:

I agree, they are generous people and I don't think they are bragging! Since this thread is about gratuities, I believe their responses are totally appropriate and are on topic.

All ships have a list of guests who remove gratuities...:D

 

 

 

 

A photo of this was posted not too long ago on CC.

 

It's usually in the kitchens or breakrooms...

 

 

Believe me when I tell you, THEY KNOW!:eek:;)

Lists are maintained by Dept. Heads (Chief Housekeeper), DRM, etc. and are posted so crew has access to this continously updated information. Yes, they absolutely do know!

There have been instances where passengers have removed the HSC telling the Front Office that they prefer to tip the staff directly--that info is recorded--but didn't. Situations like this put staff in a very difficult position with their supervisors. This was shared with us by several different Dept. Heads.

The shipboard community is a very small community and there are few, if any secrets, so passengers that think they no one is aware are mistaken.

And, BTW, after you've left on the service charge AND added extra cash to those people who have given stellar service, PUT IT IN WRITING!

 

They give you cards for comments during the cruise in addition to asking for comments at the end. If someone has made your cruise memorable, let the front desk know - it DOES get passed on, or so I'm assured!

 

It NEVER hurts to be grateful and nice......

 

Pollyanna

By all means, put it in writing, it is important and most appreciated when stellar service is acknowledged. It is passed on to all Dept. Heads and shared with the individual employees, and becomes part of their file. These surveys are reviewed and studied in depth and are taken quite seriously.

Passengers that have complaints (legitimate or not) usually do not hesitate to put this on their survey and staff/crew do not have the opportunity to address these issues until well after the fact. We always feel that commenting on outstanding service can help to balance those less than stellar comments.

I went back to my old documents, and each "Know Before You Go" since 2004 has had the statement prohibiting any alcohol except wine and champagne.

 

A scan of the 2004 Booklet can be found at

http://halfacts.com/kbyg/KBYG-04.jpg

and the 2007 Booklet can be found at

http://halfacts.com/kbyg/KBYG-07.jpg

 

Rich

I was pretty sure that I remembered this being in effect in the spring of 2004. We cruised in January 2004 and bought a bottle of alcohol in the gift shop to take home. No problem, bought it, took it back to our cabin and put it in the suitcase. We sailed again over Easter (March/April 2004) and when we purchased another bottle in the gift shop, they informed us that we could not take it with us and it would be sent to our cabin on the last evening as there had been a change in policy. Not a big deal to us.

So they allow your one beer to be brought on board, because its just one. The person behind you sees this and decides at the next port they will bring just one beer on board. So on and so forth for all the next ports and the next cruises. Before you know it on my Oosterdam cruise in October 1,900 bottles of beer will be brought on board. :D After all it is just one bottle per passenger, not much for the staff to turn a blind eye to.

 

On a more serious note, in this day and age with tighter security and more staff accountability, staff are far less 'tolerant' and will enforce the rules more strictly, it is their job on the line after all and I personally don't expect anyone to put their job on the line because I wish to 'bend the rules'.

 

To the OP, I am not flaming you but I think we are all going to have to adjust our expectations. We can no longer get away with what we used to in the less monitored society of the past.

Unfortunately, people have a tendency to view a situation from their perspective and are less likely to look at the bigger picture. The policy regarding beer is not a new one.

I agree with you, as security gets tighter, rules will be enforced and they will no longer be looking the other way nor should they.

We have been sailing with HAL since the mid 1970's and many new rules have been introduced and implemented over the years. Times have changed and will continue to do so.

we are taking the same cruise 2 weeks in a row but in different category cabins. We have done collectors cruises and keep the same cabin and cruise card. What do they do with us for the second week for check in and cruise cards? Do the stewards move us to the new (upgrade) cabin?

You will receive all necessary information the day before your return to Pt. Everglades. The Front Office will arrange for stewards to either assist you or will move all of your things for you to the new cabin--it is your choice. It is very easy. You will be told in the information that you receive when to pick up your new cruise cards at the Front Office or they will be sent to you. You will scan off with old card and scan on with new card.

We have moved ourselves, and one time we asked the Front Office to have our things moved for us as we had made plans in Ft. Lauderdale. Everything was placed in the new cabin exactly as it was in the old cabin--things hanging in closets were mirrored exactly. I was impressed.

We spent several weeks in cabin 371 (next door to OP's cabin 373) last fall on Maasdam and heard no noises from above either. Perhaps what the OP experienced was an isolated incident and not representative of what passengers encounter on a regular basis in these particular cabins.

We were booked into Cabin 373. Never again will I book a cabin that is under the kitchen. :( I didn't realize the cabin was located under the kitchen area, until we went to bed. I take partial responsibility for this error, but do think our TA should have mentioned it to us. If noises like moving furniture across wooden floors, a herd of galloping elephants, or a bowling alley don't bother you, then you will be happy with a cabin under the kitchen area!!

 

The cabin itself was great as was the service and everything else about the cruise. Ear plugs saved the day!!:)

We spent several weeks last Fall in Cabin 371 on the Maasdam and do not remember hearing noises indicating that we were under a galley. I don't think we even considered what was on the deck above us.

Initially, I was not thrilled about our location on Lower Prom but we wanted to get on this particular sailing and had limited options. As it turned out we really liked this location and cabin.

We sailed prior to the Maasdam's Dry Dock so perhaps changes were made in the galley areas during that time resulting in excessive noise from the deck above.