Petronillus

I echo the view that for me the thermal spa is for cooler-weather cruises. I enjoyed the warm-water-heated ceramic loungers frequently (and immensely) on an Alaska cruise but hardly at all on the Mexico cruise that followed. 

If, for instance, I suffered from arthritis, I'd appreciate it for its therapeutic utility but as it is it's a guilt-free form of self-pampering.

On our most recent cruise on the Westerdam, we saw dancing in the evening at the BB Kings lounge. I'm not an aficionado of that style of music and can't tell rock from blues, but it was not ballroom dancing of any sort. The basic swing patterns would likely serve, but don't expect foxtrot or waltz.

50 minutes ago, Navybikermom said:

I miss the Adagio… 😢

I enjoyed them too. They were invariably a gracious bunch of young people who played at a craftsmanlike level. But, honestly, they were nowhere near the caliber of the Lincoln Center Stage artists. Now that LCS are no more, would I be happy to hear the Adagio Strings again? Not deliriously so, but happy enough.

On 4/24/2024 at 2:08 AM, SeeSun&Sea said:

Chordial played classical music, for ~30 minutes, on the Rotterdam World Stage on 23 April and will return every 3 days. Good music, well practiced, interesting transcriptions to piano trio. Success!

57 minutes ago, EVNKEEL said:

The classical trio boarded in Ponta Delgada and played twice in the theater before the end of the crossing. On this 7-day segment they will also play twice in the theater (same program). . . . 

Seems like HAL has commissioned 25 pieces of classical music for special trio ensemble performances. Hope it is eventually rolled out simultaneously to all ships.

 

I'm glad to hear positive reviews of the new format purportedly replacing Lincoln Center Stage, but I will remain skeptical until I get to experience it for myself. A 3-piece combo playing classical music (or, more often, transcriptions of pieces originally composed for a larger group) is commonly referred to as a chamber music ensemble. There is  reason chamber music is performed in smaller settings and not in symphony halls.

The World Stage, at least on the Signature- and Pinnacle-class ships, is akin to a symphony hall. It's a matter of scale. The saddest thing, in my estimation, is that HAL made a sizable investment in building out and dedicating a space to share between BB King's and LCS, which it took great pains to design for optimal acoustics, and even equipped with a Steinway grand piano, and then abandoned. As a passenger I'm disappointed. As a shareholder I'm appalled.

2 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

Maybe HAL will realize Tamarind is very popular and they will add it to the older ships (one can live in hope).

From your lips to God's ear.

25 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said:

We didn't have that issue since ours was assigned seating.

Assigning seats seems like the sensible way to avoid the chair hog problem. 

On 4/28/2024 at 8:38 AM, elmac40 said:

Hi. Currently on the Rotterdam with a stop at Lerwick on 1st May. I’m a UK passport holder. 
 

I’m curious-does anyone have any experience of what it’s like to enter the UK at Lerwick? My understanding is that UK Border Force will come onto the ship. Are the queues long? Thanks

Our excellent Rotterdam cruise to Norway last summer included a stop at Lerwick. I don't remember the precise arrangement, just that we queued up in two lines in the World Stage, at each line a delightfully affable UK border control agent checked our passports and sent us on our way, and at the end a colored sticker was affixed to the outside of the passport. Not a big deal. Not much of an inconvenience. As I think back on it, the personalities of the border agents may have made a difference.

By the way, based on our how the character Jimmie Perez on "Shetland" on BritBox talked, I expected that Lerwick would be pronounced "LAIR-ick." Our guide definitely said "LER-wick." When asked she said that the actor portraying Jimmie Perez is from the west of Scotland and has an accent to match.

It was also pointed out to us that the cultural affinity of the Shetlands is closer to Scandinavia than to Scotland. The Shetlands have their own flag, which uses the blue and white of the Scottish saltire (St. Andrew's cross) but reverses the colors (blue on white instead of white on blue) and sets the arms of the cross at right angles -- just like the flags of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland.

6 hours ago, Mary229 said:

The train to Denali is assigned car but sit where you want. 

That being the case, does one experience something comparable to the poolside chair hogs? Do couples split up so as to each claim a window seat and thereby block another DW & DH from sitting together?

38 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

I think that for those including us who opt for the HIA fare one Pinnacle grill dinner is included, so it isn't "extra cost". We enjoy that dinner on that basis. The pinnacle lunch is a cut above the regular MDR lunch and well worth the reasonable upcharge. We have a 6 week voyage coming next year and I suspect we will enjoy lunch in Pinnacle several times over that time. I'm not sure we would go for dinner there more than those times included in our HIA fare. I do hope we will have an opportunity to enjoy a Tamarind pop up (Westerdam doesn't have Tamarind) on that cruise.

Best wishes for your 2025 6-week cruise. I am green with envy.

We recently experienced a Tamarind pop-up on the Westerdam. It was in the Canaletto space and was not equipped with the full range of Tamarind offerings (no sushi) or level of service (no saki vessels). It was more like Tamarind Lite.

11 hours ago, Toofarfromthesea said:

 

To get exceptional you have to order something exceptional, not your same old same old.  There are exceptional things on the menu, you just chose . . . differently.

9 hours ago, kelliebiz said:

I’m scratching my head why you ordered this, received what you ordered, then seem to complain about your choice not being fine dining? So many other sides you could have requested! 

I think OP was hoping that in a joint billed as "fine dining," his/her comfort food would be raised to a new level. Getting the same old same old was a letdown. I get it.

21 hours ago, POA1 said:

Some advice on the bacon - you want it to be candied & crispy. I'm not even sure how to order it. (Hard caramelized?) We had some come out a little like syrup-dipped bacon. It was not great. The coating needs a bit of a crunch.

I tried it once. My impression (no doubt representing a small minority): the presentation was weird, and the taste was disgusting. Perhaps it just wasn't optimally "candied & crispy." 

On 1/2/2023 at 3:32 PM, kathynorth said:

We have a private "Free Walking Tour of Montevideo" scheduled with this group. I emailed them and they arranged to have 2 groups from our cruise ship, one at 11 and the 2nd at 11:15. They are very easy to work with and are pretty good with communication.

 

https://freewalkingtour.com.uy/

 

I just clicked on this site and received the message that FWT has suspended operations and is no longer accepting reservations or scheduling tours on any regular basis.

We've used Viator twice. The first time was an excursion from Montreal to Quebec City. Mediocre in every respect. What soured me the most was that the Montmorency Falls was billed as one of the major attractions. At that point the bus stopped and we all trooped out, only to find that the falls was across the river at a far distance.

We recently were part of group that booked a tour with Viator in Manila. There was confusion about the pickup point, as a result of which our start was delayed by tour hours while we shuffled back and forth outside the cruiseport. The Viator contact number was not much use and the guide, once the connection was made, was thoroughly nonchalant and insouciant.

My experience so far leaves me less than impressed and less than eager to book with Viator in the future when/where a suitable alternative is available.

14 minutes ago, mcrcruiser said:

 One very negative thing I always remembered   is what if the cruise line goes bankrupt  how do you collect on a insurance policy you buy from them ? 

 

 nothing in this world is 1000% guaranteed except death & taxes . Research is very very important to get the right coverages & expect that company to be in business . Wonder if any one ever checks the financials of the insurance company they buy from ? 

Lots of people paid big $$$$ for long-term care insurance and ended up empty-handed when the carriers went belly up thanks to lousy underwriting. That's what's behind a certain prominent insurance company's use of the Rock of Gibraltar as its logo/symbol.

2 hours ago, TAW1963 said:

We use both the HAL protection and an annual private medical plan.  We have an annual plan with GeoBlue, which has much more medical coverage than that from HAL.  We also purchase the HAL protection plan for the cancel for any reason part, which protects our investment in the cruise.   Everyone is in a different position and have differing needs for travel insurance.  For private insurance, the medical part is relatively inexpensive.  Adding travel protection (cancellation protection, trip interruption, and etc.) significantly increase the cost of a private insurance travel insurance policy.  

Thank you for this. I was wondering if the best course for DW and me would be to get an annual policy (I was thinking Allianz but I'm glad to hear about GeoBlue) for the medical care/evacuation/repatriation coverage and HAL's lower-level offering for CFAR. HAL certainly emphasizes the cancellation part of its coverage and medical seems of lesser concern.

You and your dad are in our thoughts and prayers. May he rest in peace, and may the loved ones he leaves behind find comfort and solace.

My understanding of the ADA is sketchy at best, but the little I know includes that the law requires the judge/decision-making authority to balance competing interests and burdens. What are the rights of the person who suffers from a deathly phobia of dogs and seeks out cruising as an environment where dogs will not be encountered? What are the rights of the person who suffers an incapacitating allergy to pet dander? I struggle to believe that the equities always fall in favor of the service dog's owner, no matter what.

In support/defense of the Step One Dance Company, I think their shows should be looked at as choreographed performances, ballets in other words. I suppose that if we had subscription tickets to a season of the New York Philharmonic and all they performed all season were the Beethoven symphonies, I'd complain about the lack of variety. But on the 28 days of our last cruise Step One performed each of their four shows twice. We saw all four once and a couple of them twice, and enjoyed them all. We had seen them previously in the ultra-high-tech setting of the pinnacle class World Stages, and were intrigued to see how effectively the shows worked in the smaller, proscenium space of the Westerdam. I don't see myself getting tired of them or their performances anytime soon. 

It also helped that the six dancers were all of a top-notch caliber. Previously, one couple has stood out as technically and artistically superior to the other two and the consistency of their skill levels and artistry this time did make a difference.

16 hours ago, TRLD said:

There are only so many cabins for entertainers. They did away with production shows when they increased the musicians for music walk  They cutback on some of the music walk positions (Lincoln Center and went from 2 piano to one). Not sure how many slots the new production shows will use compared to 1 step. might be other changes as they go away from the branded acts on the music walk.

On our last cruise the six dancers of Step One Dance Company, in a chat session, said that HAL is exceptional in giving the performers single cabins -- which they liked a lot. Maybe that's one of the reasons other cruise lines have a fuller/wider range of entertainment. 

20 hours ago, RuthC said:

That's good to hear. However, I am willing to bet that the revamped Billboard Onboard is still doing only sets, with breaks the length of sets in Rolling Stone Rock Room, and that those sets are mainly comprised of songs approved by Seattle. 
That's still not a Piano Bar. 

I would love for HAL to return to those intimate rooms of yore, where the musician took his cues from the passengers who were there all night, every night. 

 

On our most recent cruise, 28 days on the Westerdam, I wasn't every night for every set but I certainly did become one of the regulars.

There is no "Music Walk" per se on Westerdam, and so Billboard Onboard and Rolling Stone are not in direct competition as on the pinnacle class ships. Our pianist at Billboard Onboard (BO???) was the marvelous Krista Meadows. She played three sets per night. The first two were programmed (a cycle of music of the 50s/60s/70s/80s/90s, Beatles, Country & Western, British Invasion, etc.) but it seemed that Krista herself selected the pieces and the order in which she played them.

The third set was all requests. Right after the second set Krista distributed request slips and golf pencils, which she collected and formed a playlist out of on the spot. (Amazingly, Krista did not take the time between sets for any me-time; I found her diligence edifying.) Pieces she was unfamiliar with or she felt were not yet ready for prime time she would take back and prepare in anticipation of the next day's requests. I blithely kept requesting MacArthur Park not appreciating how difficult a piece it is. She didn't disappoint (although it took several days of work before she was satisfied with her arrangement). 

I can only hope that Krista sets the HAL standard for the new one-piano format at Billboard Onboard.

On 4/11/2024 at 4:15 PM, mcrcruiser said:

One thing that HAL could do as it was very popular in days gone by are the Hirse Racing , People actually win a oprize for the best costumed wooden horse . They did these races on the main stage & got good attendances 

To each his/her own.

On 4/9/2024 at 10:45 AM, chengkp75 said:

Yes, it is a question of "law or not law".  Your state has a law about getting a doctor's letter for a handicap placard.  That is the law.  The law that governs service animals, the ADA, a federal law, specifically states that establishment owners can only ask two questions regarding service dogs;  one, "is that a service animal", and two "what service is the dog trained to provide for the owner".  That's it.  That is the law, and asking any other questions is against the law.  Now, SCOTUS has ruled, in Spector v NCL, that foreign flag cruise ships do not fall entirely under the ADA.  Specifically, the cruise ship's "internal policies and procedures" are not subject to the ADA.  So, while the ADA requires the cruise line to have accessible cabins, and to not charge more for accessible cabins, the policy of requiring documentation to obtain an accessible cabin is up to the cruise line.  Their determination as to whether or not to allow you to book an accessible cabin (their internal policy) is different than their ability to not allow you onboard due to your disability (ADA requirement).  Asking whether or not a person needs a service animal onboard is to question and possibly deny that person accommodation on the ship (illegal under the ADA, and not an "internal policy")

14 hours ago, Kay S said:

For my friend who asks about the ADA and cruise ships, I refer you to this post which I have gone back to find for you.  (Emphasis is mine.)  So as I see it, the answer is not strictly yes or strictly no but it "depends" on whether the issue is the ship's "internal policies and procedures" or not.

 

Thanks you chenkpg75 for the clear explanation.

In further defense of "It depends . . ."

The Spector case is an interesting and relevant precedent, but it does not settle the issue of whether foreign-flag vessels are subject to the Americans With Disabilities Act with respect to service animals.

First, the Spector decision was a 6-3 opinion with a confusing welter of splintered plurality opinions and a characteristically penetrating dissent from Justice Scalia that the Chief Justice and Justice O'Connor joined and Justice Thomas joined in part.

Second, the case presented the questions of whether, how, and to what degree do the barrier-removal and structural accessibility requirements of the ADA apply to foreign-flag vessels.

Third, the bottom line (which is kind of thin and wavering, given the splintered rationales of 5/6 justices and the solid dissent of 3/4 justices) is (1) that the ADA applies to foreign-flag vessels while operating in U.S. territorial waters and (2) that the ADA does not address the "internal order" of a foreign-flag vessel (i.e., the vessel's operational policies, procedures, and practices) except to the extent the internal order impinges directly upon the health and welfare of Americans while in US territorial waters.

Assuming (for the sake of argument) that under Spector the ADA requirements concerning service animals are also covered, it is conceivable that a cruise line could require that once the ship has entered into international waters (and the casino is opened!), all service animals be confined to quarters or kenneled (if kennels there be) at the passenger's expense. It would also be permissible that once the ship is in international waters those claiming to need a service animal could be required to prove their bona fides with evidence satisfactory to the captain or her/his designated officer.

The cruise lines should not claim, "Our hands are tied by Spector." 

Given Justice Scalia's dissent, who knows if today's US Supreme Court would be inclined to extend Spector to service animals?

5 minutes ago, highscar said:

If my cat was allowed I would be the one wearing the support vest.  I support him grooming, feeding, stroking, etc etc etc.  

I've heard that dogs have owners and cats have staffs.

7 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

The cruise lines are well aware of the ADA requirements.  They are also well aware of the bad PR they can get from disallowing someone who claims to have a service animal that really isn't.

Is it lawful for the United States to claim jurisdiction over a foreign-flagged ship? How is it that HAL, whose ships are flagged in the Netherlands, must comply with the ADA (AMERICANS with Disabilities Act)? Is this a point of admiralty law?

Is it that Holland America Line and its parent, Carnival Cruise Lines, are headquartered in the US and that CCL is listed on the NYSE?

11 hours ago, Nang said:

I thought I would offer my experience with Scenic ...

 

We did Amsterdam-Budapest in 2015. It was mostly a great experience with a few, not insignificant issues for me (but not my DW).

 

Scenic restock their drinks only in Nuremburg, 9 days from Amsterdam. When we boarded in Amsterdam they were out of Stella, 2 days later no Heineken, one day later my next beer of choice was done. Given beer is a big part of my holiday experience I was less than impressed.

Each afternoon everybody meets for pre-dinner drinks, a briefing for the next day and sometimes for some entertainment. Unsurprisingly most people want a drink or two. The wait was AT LEAST 20 minutes, all due to a severe lack of wait and bar staff. They tried hard but were very much overwhelmed. OK, so just walk up to the bar. Nope, told only service is via one of the wait staff (no great surprise there given the situation). After the daily briefing we are invited to move to the dining room for dinner. Exactly the same situation repeated itself regarding drinks. This occurred every day. 

 

Entertainment was severely lacking compared to an ocean cruise. Some late afternoons an act would board the ship and perform, often with a focus on local culture/traditional performances. There were quite good, but short. During and after dinner is was a solo piano player/singer who played chamber/elevator music, every night, except on the rare occasion we attended an off ship, high quality night of entertainment.

 

The above negatives were much outweighed by the quality of the itinerary/destinations, the ship itself and the food. Staff were efficient and polite, but not in the same league as HAL's friendly staff in enhancing my holiday.

HAL ocean cruises and Scenic river cruising are different products, but both have delivered me a pleasurable experience with Scenic a mix of high highs and disappointing lows.

Thanks for providing a balancing viewpoint. It reaffirms the old adage, that if sounds too good to be true, it likely isn't. I'm the guy who likens HAL to a good solid Buick. What you've described makes me think more of a Cadillac than a Beemer or a Merc.