cruiseing marly

I've been considering a cruise to Alaska for next spring, and am now re-considering. I may just go to Vancouver Island for a week and sign up for a bunch of whale watches ;) I'd be money ahead, and I'd get the important part -- whales :)

Im not sure that you would save much money unless you plan on cooking your own food,or like camping . I now it costs me more money to stay in Vancouver for a week . Think you would not spend near that much unless you book a suite ! At least thats been my experience .

Unfortunately, I too as a Canadian, won't be booking any Holland America cruises anytime soon. Looking for alternatives.

 

So sad to read so many Americans "diss" the exchange rate, and dismiss our concerns as "It will pass", "A buck is a buck" etc. I'd expect that none of you ever had to evaluate and decide against doing something that you love based upon a currency.

 

I only have so much C$ to spend. 40% hurts, and it hurts, it hurts bad. :(

We had some USD in the bank there is still enough there for our next payment at least 90% of final payment . Don't think we be booking another unless our dollar recovers . If i had a crystal ball i would have bought a lot more. We always book in USD glad we had the money set a side if we didn't i would have been contemplating canceling !

I don't necessarily believe that Mr. Kruse has the final say on the smoking issue on the HAL fleet. It is my opinion that CCL looks at the demographic of the typical HAL passenger and has deemed that HAL will have the least restrictive smoking policy in the fleet. CCL does and should look at their entire fleet in their attempt to grow their business. Some lines within the fleet have smoking policies similar to their main competition NCL, Royal Caribbean etc., while others within the fleet most notably HAL, accommodate and arguably attract smoking passengers. Said a different way, if HAL were a stand alone line, it is more likely that they, HAL, would need to modify their policy to grow their business.

 

Just a thought...

It seems odd to me that Costa does not allow smoking on balconys and HAL does . Costa being from Italy were smoking is like in North America at least thirty years ago ! Especially with Holland America's customer base coming from country's were smoking is way less acceptable ! Would it not make more sense for Costa to have the more liberal policies !

I hope change is on the way. While I've booked balcony cabins for the last several years my next two cruises are in oceanview rooms.

We keep hoping it sounds like change is on the horizon ! It is a long slow process or sure why .

I've never complained to smokers who've caused us issues on our balcony. So I'm guessing they think all is well too. I don't like to start problems with my neighbors, or really anyone for that matter.

 

Not saying that your partner has actually negatively impacted anyone - but it's likely you wouldn't know.

 

 

 

Tom

Totally agree with you if someone is smoking a couple a day their is not a reason to complain . If they chain smoke on the balcony it would not its more likely it would not make any difference ! HAL is the only one that can make it go away complaining to a chain smoking stranger will not !

Perhaps the new policy was in reference to "smoke free nights" and not to a new smoke free policy for the casino at large as the poster suggested and the OP just happed in on a smoke free night. My wife is the one who uses the casino, she says she never experienced a "smoke free night" on HAL or Princess before. We just got off Princess and it was clear to her they were experimenting with new rules in the casino, "smoke free nights" and no smoking at all except where designated on particular slot machines not even gaming table smoking is allowed now.

 

 

 

Maybe this is occurring on HAL as well and the OP got mixed up thinking that it was an all around ban on smoking in the Nordam's casino. As often happens, when a staff member is asked a question a lot is lost in the translation.

 

 

 

"The Casino will also have one or more non-smoking nights (6 pm to closing), depending on length of voyage. Show lounges, dining rooms and all food services areas on board all Princess ships are non-smoking."

They have been doing no smoking for years in the casino ! We did a transatlantic years ago lots of people were upset on the b2b part they didn't do any as they had some kind of gambling club board and didn't do any more.

I'd be more happy if they tested it on balconies. I can easily avoid the casino.

I agree even though I use the casino it's much easier to quit gambling if your losing with someone smoking next to you ! I don't like being chased from our balcony !!!

Go back to the earlier posting. It SAVES money on your ticket. What difference does it make to passengers? It has to pay before or after... one way or the other. It is do you with your own accounting methods... paying in advance or paying later.

I personally find if you don't buy my tickets based on perks but on price . No perks seems to be a better deal !

They do have offers that include the tip . Maybe they should let any one that wants to prepay tips at final payment. Would that be better ?

And once again, we have a cruiser's experience that's different from the HAL website. They don't make it easy for us to know what's really going on. If HAL continues to cut back smoking on public decks, I think they'll be less likely to ban it on balconies.

All the changes in effect now are old news maybe two years ago not sure . I think that they should be giving one inside room to smokers . That would be a hard decision for them as I will result in there employees being subject to more second hand smoke . I would like them to give the smoker that when they make the next change taking smoking away from the balconies . Maybe also a second outside smoking area a differs part of the ship . I also would not have a problem with vaping being allowed on outside decks .

HAL says exterior decks are OK for smoking and they place ashtrays there. How is it NOT a smoking area???

 

And, for what it is worth, very few cars come with ashtrays and lighters any longer; a smokers kit is typically a $20-$50 option to provide the lighter and an ashtray insert for a cupholder or coin tray, and smoking in a personal vehicle most certainly is allowed. And I don't recall the last time I have seen an ashtray on a plane, although I do not fly often. The ashtrays were long removed and blanking plates installed.

 

I'm not seeing a strong connection in your analogy but my original question to you is one I would like to have answered because I've yet to see where it says the promenade is NOT a smoking area:confused:

If your in an older train or plane there may be ashtrays still cant smoke ash trays on the railing are welded in ! an old ash tray does't imply a smoking area .

I was on the Eurodam this past April and, if I remember correctly, there were ashtrays on the promenade deck.

 

Helen

Even if they were there that is not a smoking area. Planes and cars still have ash trays built in still no smoking allowed !

NOT ANOTHER TIPPING THREAD!?!?!

 

I know that's what you're thinking. First let me say that I usually tip above and beyond more than what is charged. Its been a few years since I've cruised last but I've been thinking about giving our steward an international calling card to allow him to get in touch with his family. What I'm wondering is that with technology being how it is these days are the pay phones on shore an obsolete form of communication and are no longer used?

I think that the majority of the crew us a smart phone an on shore internet to keep in touch not many using the traditional phone.

The problem with this is that you are addressing the wrong party. It's not smokers who made the decision for HAL to continue to allow smoking on the balcony, it's HAL.

Yes that is who needs to change the policy ! Maybe on day.

Not sure I agree with all of that I drink and gamble have not smoked for twenty plus year ! When I smoked I could not afford to gamble or travel very much . Smokers in Canada pay a lot of sin tax . As well as drinkers but I only drink on holidays . I'm not sure why Hal is still in the 90's with some of there policy's but they are !

That is the way it should be taking money away from hard working people is rude !

Thank you for being the only person to respond that has not been rude and does not realise the cost of cruising in Aus compared to the US. If I remove the gratuities (that as far as I am concerned the companies should be paying their staff appropriately anyway) I pay the good staff that have given me wonderful service directly and in a very quiet way. My last cruise on Diamond Princess, I wondered why the queues to get to reception where huge for the first 3 days. I was then told that they were passengers lining up to have the gratuites taken off. Given the service on that voyage I can't say I blame them. And just for the record all you Canandians complaining, I just looked up your dollar and it is .75 against the uUSD. Try the AUD under .70 and dropping fast.:D

I believe they may only be removed for bad service it doesn't look good on the staffs record ! I think it would be very rude to do it just to save money . Our dollar is also terrible I think you should just pay it as its a big part of there wages ! If you can't afford it keep your travelling domestic then will not have to tip ! When in Rome will you know what I mean . I think they can be included if booked that way the whole world is just trying to make a living .

If that would work, they (probably many) cruise lines would have done that long ago.

Not enough adult North Americans still smoking. While certainly many nationalities sail the ships but the majority of HAL's guests are from No. America but for when the ship is 'down under'.

On the last three we were on the majority of the passengers were Aussie all cruises were in europe . Between Americans Canadians And Aussies was about 70 percent of the ship. Less than 10 percent i would say didn't speak english as there first language . There were very few smokers on board ! Did not have any issues with smoke on our balcony except only one night in seventy five cruise days . I know that it could happen that on the next cruise we could end up next to a chain smoker thus affecting our balcony in a negative way ! Because of the smoking policy would have no recourse ! That is why it must be changed. There have been less and less smokers on our cruises even with HAL being one of the last cruise lines catering mostly to english first language allowing it. Its time they woke up !!!!

Leaving Kauai we started to leave and had to return to dock for another ambulance to take yet someone else to hospital !

port authorities are investigating something they haven't given any information .

Does any one know what is being investigated ?

Now I am nervous. I'm booked on an October cruise and after reading all these posts I'm not sure if I made the right decision with HAL. It sounds like there will be smoke everywhere on the ship. Are the halls, balconies, public rooms, pool areas full of smoke?

It won't be as bad casino back pool starboard if unlucky on your balconies

I am not saying that no one will smell nor has ever smelled smoke. I just stated that in my case, I didn't. I was scared out of my wits by this thread stating that all smokers were migrating to HAL and I was very worried that I had made a huge and very expensive mistake by booking with HAL. As it turned out, we had an amazing experience and I will definitely book with HAL again. Yes, I may end up getting smoked out of my balcony next time, but I am not going to worry about it until it happens (and hopefully, by then HAL will have implemented a non-smoking policy on the balconies).

Have experienced the same my concern is getting unlucky and having all the rooms around you smoking. Being as they are within there rights I would end up with no rights. Even the most highly addicted smoker must realize this . It's like the rules saying it's ok to infringe on other guests space ! I don't want confrontation on a holiday not the kind of person to tell them they are bothering us ! We end up with no recourse is that fair ! Maybe if they continue to allow smoking HAL should arbitrate if need be . If they were in the middle like a non smoker is the would realize what an uncomfortable place there policy puts there guest in .

PCCs are simply booking agents (like at any other cruise line) who have very little personal power. In fact, a good high volume cruise agency probably has more leverage then a PCC. In your situation we would call the PCC, tell them about the offer from the agency and ask if HAL will match it. And tell the PCC if they cannot match the offer to please transfer the booking to the cruise agency.

 

Personally, we give HAL a lot of credit for the PCC concept. Many HAL cruisers like to feel like that have a special relationship with the cruise line and the PCC concept markets to this mind set. There are some here on CC who are willing to give up thousands of dollars in savings just to book with "their own PCC." Go figure.

 

Hank

Not me I need to feel like received the best deal possible ! I for one don't like it when I throw away my hard earned money !