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cruiseing marly

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Posts posted by cruiseing marly

    HAL has refined the art of Making it near impossible to book a cruise with them.

    in Holland America Line

    Posted

    So, we will again ask the time worn question. Why would anyone even want to book directly with HAL or any other cruise line? We say this having been on far more then 100 cruises including nearly 500 days with HAL. By shopping around among our favorite cruise agencies we are able to save 7-10% on almost every cruise booking. On one particular Prinsendam cruise we saved over $3000 by simply NOT booking directly with HAL.

     

     

     

    But for those that stubbornly cling to ideas like "we want to maintain control," "we love our PCC," etc. we say, thank you for contributing to the bottom line (we are stockholders). But your loyalty to booking direct is not serving you nearly as well as you may think.

     

     

     

    Hank

     

     

    So true I phoned HAL directly one time the price they gave me was crazy high ! I think they must prefer not doing the booking ! Or if they do they want to make a lot more profit. It's hard to understand why it would not be less expensive to book directly.

     

     

    Sent from my iPhone using Forums

    Sell me on a Neptune Suite

    in Holland America Line

    Posted

    We really love the Neptune on HAL ! King size bed almost as good as our bed at home . Dry cleaning ,private front desk, large room ,large balcony ,choice of pillows (the only holiday we don't need to bring our own ). Real nice place to have a cocktail before dinner as i wait for my wife to get ready . Mainly comfort and service !

    :)

    Whats the story about negative Koningsdam Reviews?

    in Holland America Line

    Posted

    You'll have a wonderful Cruise! :) The OP asked a question about "What's the Story with Negative Reviews on this Ship" and those that have sailed her are saying what they found to be negatives for them. In our case, it was the lack of Lounge Music in the early evening hours and the Mixed/Open Seating together which resulted in some issues by adding stress on the Servers, etc.

     

     

     

    We had a wonderful Cruise on her with a very friendly Staff and Crew! There are many Pros about this Ship! HAL knocked it out of the Park with the Specialty Restaurants on this Ship with the addition of Culinary Arts Center Dinner and Sel de Mer. The food was very, very good everywhere! Lido had many choices and much to my delight the BreadBoard had made-to-order sandwiches! YAY! The NY Deli & Pizza also has the Made-to-Order Sandwiches including Reubens, etc.

     

     

     

    The one Pro, too, is they have a Podium outside of Sel de Mer and Ocean Bar where you can make all your Specialty Restaurant reservations. Nicole was wonderful!

     

     

     

    So there is some tweaking to do but, overall, she is a wonderful Ship!

     

     

     

    Just want to mention, too, after seeing some comments on the size of the Balcony Room. We went from an SY on Oosterdam a few weeks earlier to a standard Balcony on Kdam. We found the room to be comfortable and really liked that they have drawers in the desk. The Shower is great but the bathroom felt a little tighter than the other standard balconies on Vista Ships, etc.

     

     

     

    Enjoy your Cruise!

     

     

    Our cruise is going to be very port intensive I doubt we have a lot of time for lot of the early evening entertainment. It will be the first cruise in a long time that every port will be new to us . The most important thing will be the tours so we will mostly be exhausted in the evening . It will be like our first European cruise exciting and I'm sure enlightening ! We always book a SA the balconies are big . HAL has always been are favourite cruise line I know there better ones out there but none in our price range . Open seating for dinner for us this will be our third cruise doing this, we always make sure we are always at the same table with what will be great servers . Hopefully we cross paths with staff that we have sailed with before.

     

     

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    having guests visit the ship during a port call

    in Holland America Line

    Posted

    It can be done you need to ask permission on board . You will have to have all there passport info with you . The captain is the one who gives permission. Hard to do on a short cruise . We did it on a 25 day cruise our last port of call Victoria . They were allowed on board had dinner with in the dinning room as two of our table mates departed the ship there as they lived in Victoria . It not something that is easy but very doable.

     

     

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    This Thread Is To Be Used For All Discussions About HAL's On Board Smoking Policies

    in Holland America Line

    Posted

    I also received this from my big box travel agency yesterday. I'm disappointed, but I'm not going to let it spoil my trip. Funny, one of the reasons I booked HAL was for their (previous) smoking policy. Hubby and I are doing the Rotterdam in March and have already bought our air. Oh well, life goes on!

     

     

    I didn't like the previous policy still

    I remained loyal for lots of other reasons ! Maybe you well find other reasons to continue cruising HAL !

     

     

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    Bringing on wine policy

    in Holland America Line

    Posted

    You can bring on as many bottles as you like. At embarkation, one bottle per adult will be corkage-free and for in-cabin consumption only. All the rest, both at embarkation and at every port, will be subject to the $18 corkage fee and can be consumed anywhere. One exception is that on a HAL excursion that includes a winery stop one bottle per adult may be brought back corkage free, for use in cabin.

     

    Official statement: http://www.hollandamerica.com/cruise-vacation-planning/PlanningAndAdvice.action?tabName=Shipboard+Life&contentMenu=Onboard+Policies&contentSubMenu=Can+I+Bring+Alcoholic+Beverages+Onboard?&WT.ac=PopTop_Alcohol

     

    Is the wine stop bottle new being allowed our last winery tour we were told no ?

    Signature Beverage Package? 15 drinks a day? Yikes

    in Holland America Line

    Posted

    I am doing the math and I guess I cannot figure out how anybody could save money? 15 glasses of wine or 15 beers? I guess if you add specialty coffees and drink everyday maybe you would come out ahead? Since the limit is $8.00 per drink it seems impossible to me to drink up that much each day? Plus somedays I would just choose soda so even if I decided to really "bottoms up" the next day I could no way get near my money's worth. I know younger folks can pack away the beers and maybe this is meant for somebody who starts the day with mimosas and continues to drink? So if they say 15 drinks per day plus 15% tip if you drank 15 drinks at $8.00 plus $1.20 that would be 15 times $9.20 = $138.00 on a daily basis. (Big Savings) As hardly anything is priced at $8.00 mostley at around 7 dollars. So if you buy a Miller Lite beer it would cost you $6.84 you would have to drink aprox 6 of them to break even and of course more to save money? Same for glass of wine....I am just curious here some of my family would save money on this ha but if you choose to not drink or drink a lesser amount say on Shore days or your? hum then the package has cost you a pretty penney? If anybody has some figures or thoughts on this I would love to here them. To me I would love to sign up but only with the thought in mind I could splurge on the more expensive drinks when I felt like it? As an example order a really nice bottle of wine way above what I normally would....but you cannot do that. So seriously I do not see how too many folks would benefit. OR I AM MISSING SOMETHING????I am not what you call a lite drinker I love wine and Rum but something about the structure here is benefiting the ship not me...thanks!

    I only book a drink package if it is part of a package sale . On one cruise i had it added when a cruise went on sale . Paid less the the original amount including the explorer 4 package tips and a large on board room credit . I do like not having bar and other beverages on the room bill it makes it a lot easier to verify . Now after having the beverage package a few times our travel agent has been able to have it added at a discount. No way we would pay full price as we don't drink for sport !

    :o

    A change to Neptune & Pinnacle Suite Amenities???

    in Holland America Line

    Posted

    HAL has posted a reply to my FB post but they addressed a comment and not the question. They replied to my comment that it would be nice if there were a happy hour in the Neptune Lounge.

     

    They replied that there is a Happy Hour every day, usually 5-6 pm. Since they are replying to my comment, this makes it sound like there is a Happy Hour in the N.S. If there is, this is news to me:eek: I have never been aware there is one. I think they are referring to the regular Happy Hour so another thing That is getting confusing ;) I did ask for clarification back.

     

    And, of course we went back to the question and requested they address if the wine is for embarkation day or the duration of the cruise. I'll post if they answer.

     

    There was a happy hour in the Neptune on our last cruise . To bad you are not allowed to use your beverage package for the self serve bar . That was our first cruise that they had a bar setup in the Neptune.:o

    This Thread Is To Be Used For All Discussions About HAL's On Board Smoking Policies

    in Holland America Line

    Posted

    Going on 16 years on the non smoker wagon. A health scare does wonders to convince a person. Glad I.done it wish I had done it years earlier. The money saved, as I was a three pack a day smoker has helped pay for some nice trips. The one thing I will miss on our balcony during a cruise is the occasional whiff of smoke. Hate to say it but after all these years abit of a smell of fresh smoke still smells good. So if you are ever up on the deck where smoking is allowed and you notice someone just standing not to far away don't worry not a stalker just getting a whiff.:D

     

    20 years smoke free for me . I didn't realize it smelled bad tell i stopped . Now i have to leave the area if someone is smoking. Crazy thing is i remember the airlines stopping smoking and me thinking what a horrible thing that was . Had no idea that i effected anyone in a detrimental manner !

    This Thread Is To Be Used For All Discussions About HAL's On Board Smoking Policies

    in Holland America Line

    Posted

    Vapes do stink. Nasty chemical smell. Fruity and perfumy stench. I know smokers can't smell it. They think it is ok.

     

    I just sorry for the poor addicted sods who trade one oral fixation for another.

     

    I don't want to smell either, anywhere.

     

    I am so happy HAL changed the policy for verandah smoking. Fresh air. Yay!

     

    Personally i have no issues with vaping outside the smells are not any were close to that of smoking ! One of our employees who had a real hard time with her smoking addiction had success with it . Now no longer smokes or vapes it can be useful for some . Its not possible for it to be as bad for you as smoking !!

    This Thread Is To Be Used For All Discussions About HAL's On Board Smoking Policies

    in Holland America Line

    Posted

    There is no smoking allowed at all in the Casino on those two ships because they have been reconstructed in that area. The Sports Bar, Piano Lounge, and Northern Lights have all been opened up to make one huge area with the Casino in the center.

    Smoke would carry over too large an area, so it was banned there entirely.

     

    Going on the Koningsdam Mid May love the new policy ! They are saving me money if they still allow smoking in the casino . YAY:o:o PS love Holland America and still would have used them !!

    Actual Gambling Experience in Monte Carlo?

    in Holland America Line

    Posted

    There is one casino the famous one requires suit with tie . I thought it was twenty Euros and doubt there are any tables less than twenty Euro min. There are other casinos no charge and casual. My wife won Nine hundred Euros on her second spin on the slots . The other casino is very stuffy not a place that is enjoyable for us comoners to gamble . At least thats the way they make you feel .

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