baggal

On 8/22/2022 at 8:44 AM, SunNFunCruzer said:

Heads up for those sailing the Rotterdam soon. Lower your expectations. While the ship and staff are 5 star, the highlight for us, Lincoln Center Stage, is falling flat (figuratively and literally). We just began week 2 of the Best of Norway cruise. For the first week, the quartet was a trio of women, who repeated songs in multiple programs and who frequently sounded off (I'm looking at you violinist).

 

A few days ago, the male cellist returned to the ensemble, and there was appreciable improvement. This afternoon's program, that will be repeated again at 7pm, was another mashup of programs that will be played throughout the week. Many songs we heard sans the cellist last week. The programs last ~30-35 minutes, and at most 3 programs a day a performed, why there is so much repetition is both mind-boggling and disappointing.

 

We book HAL mostly for itinerary and Lincoln Center. Some days last week, I could count the audience members on two hands. That is terrible for anyone in Corporate paying attention. Today's program was improved, and the audience multiplied quite nicely. How that audience will fare as they realize the same songs will be played over and over, should provide incentive to the Entertainment team and the quartet itself that their programs should diversify and grow.

 

We are die-hard LCS fans, but HAL must do better to keep us.

 

For those Covid conscious.... Mask wearing and social distancing are both nearly non-existent. Staff and passengers from last week to this have been diagnosed positive and quarantined. The staff are excellent.... Top to Bottom. The Captain makes multiple daily requests to wear masks indoors and when social distancing is not possible, yet the announcements fall on deaf ears. Sadly, it seems the staff bear the brunt, and that's a real shame.

 

Happy to answer any questions I can. 

Just curious - where would you go if HAL doesn't do better to keep you?  

I guess I'm lucky. My local supermarket here in New Jersey has had 1.25 (approximately, usually higher) pound lobsters on sale for $8.99/pound for the last two weeks.  I've been buying them at least twice a week.  Once for a lobster roll lunch and later in the week for dinner.  And they steam them and crack the shells for you if you ask nicely.  

So eating lobster on a cruise isn't a big deal for me but I understand why people who don't have that option available at home miss the lobster option.

2 hours ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

Here is the menu for the final "dressy night"   Lobster is MIA

 

 

 

14 hours ago, dani negreanu said:

 

Oy, Linda, I'm so very sorry to read that. Since both couples of my friends were refunded, I assumed everyone was refunded and so many refunds were the reason for bankruptcy.

 

I therefore retract my recommendation of SAGA Travel.

I hate to bash a business but I have to add my two cents.  Way back in late 2019 when I was planning a Norway/Iceland cruise on HAL in July 2020 (and we all know what happened to that) I carefully read SAGA travel's fine print.  At that time, even if the ship's captain decided not to risk making a port, SAGA would only agree to a refund of the tour payment (payment in full before the cruise) if THEY determined that the weather, etc. was really that bad.  In the case of a disagreement with the captain's judgement, no refund.  Really?  I immediately booked an excursion with HAL, who issued a full refund when I canceled the cruise in early March 2020.  Buyer beware!

8 hours ago, SUESEABE said:

@baggal We stayed at Hyatt House Dania this past February, had 2 rooms for our annual family cruise.  It is across the street from Hyatt Place Dania. If you read reviews on Hyatt Place, rooms in back are noisy due to highway. We were very pleased with Hyatt House Fort Lauderdale Airport - South & Cruise Port in Dania Beach. Walking distance to Dania Pointe, very large shopping complex with many restaurants. Lunch at Too Jay's Deli and Bakery excellent. We had dinner at Cooper's Hawk which was very good also. Google Dania Pointe to see large selection of restaurants. Rooms at Hyatt are large and clean, it's fairly new. Free breakfast had nice selections. I would recommend Hyatt House, Dania. As a matter of fact, I booked 2 rooms again for March 2023 family cruise (my granddaughter liked the pool).

Thank you!  Your response is very helpful.  

1 hour ago, Ashland said:

Have you tried booking Hyatt Place through ValueTrips?

What is ValueTrips?  

5 hours ago, Ashland said:

Their not across the street from each other. We've stayed at Hyatt Place (just off 17th Street and sitting just behind Embassy Suites)) several times and love the location which is right next to the Harbor Shopping center with a Publix market, shops and restaurants...our favorite Duffy's. 

There's also a Hyatt Place in Dania Beach.  The Hyatt Place off 17th near the Embassy Suites is "not available" for my date every time I try to book it.

Can anyone tell me the difference, if any, between the two hotels which are located across the street from each other in Dania Beach?  The Hyatt website description really doesn't distinguish between the two.  And, are there any restaurants within walking distance?  Full disclosure, we stayed at one of these Hyatts 4 years ago and really can't remember where we stayed!  

Thanks!

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

8/6/2022 -   T-1

 

Saturday morning and I'm up at 7:00 and getting things in order.    Iain of course is still sacked out at 9:00 but about to be kicked out of bed so we can have breakfast.   Embassy Suites has free breakfast until 10:00 which seems like a Civil time.

 

We are still toying with the idea of going into NYC but still haven't made up our minds.   Decisions, Decisions Decision.    It's vacation time which means time to let go of all commitments and just plain relax. 

 

 

 

Cooler suggestions:  Ferry to Statue of Liberty and/or Ellis Island.  Or if you must, take a walk on the High Line in NYC which is almost adjacent to the Hudson River breezes.  

Re shoes and overpacking:

We were on the July 3 - 10 sailing.  It was the first cruise we have ever taken that didn't require a plane to get to the port.  Actually just 35 minutes door-to-door.  I decided that since I didn't have to worry about luggage size and weight requirements I would pack whatever I wanted to take.  And I did.  At least a good 25% came home unworn and untouched.  I took 6 pairs of shoes for a cruise that is only 7 days.  You also should remember that you will encounter only one type of weather - warm to hot.  I also found that while the ship is in port in Bermuda the public areas tend to warm up.  So there was no need for the pashmina and sweaters I brought.  

Have a great time.

P.S. It wasn't only me.  My husband brought his golf clubs.

We were there in February when Holland America substituted Bimini for Key West (ships were forbidden from porting in Key West at the time).  We had OBC to use so we took a ship's excursion to a lovely beach that had a very decent snack bar with seating in the shade and clean, well maintained bathrooms.  Our excursion included beach chairs and an umbrella.  I would definitely go back again.

Couple #3 may or may not have expectations of having dinner with you every night.  I would speak to them ASAP about the logistics of the different cabin classes and their respective dining rooms.  Better to be honest and upfront now.  Explain that both you and couple #2 are having meals in different venues based on your cabin category.  I definitely would want to know in advance.

We were on the Insignia - once.  I actually don't remember the type of cabin we had but it definitely wasn't a suite and the bathroom was the smallest bathroom I have ever encountered on any cruise ship.  I actually met some people who chose to shower in the health club area instead of using their cabin's shower.

As far as food, the Insignia had two specialty restaurants (a steakhouse and Italian) which were excellent.  The MDR was less so.  I had requested low sodium meals and I had trouble getting that request fulfilled in the MDR until I met someone on board, a repeat customer,  who interceded with a Maitre D' on my behalf.

We are just regular verandah cabin cruisers.  Celebrity more than meets our needs and expectations and we are happy to continue sailing with them.

1 hour ago, Don Kehote said:

On our last 5 cruises, which were all CCL, we did book through our PVP (same thing I guess), But realistically, I e-mailed him sailing and a couple of cabins in order of preference, and would just wait on a call to remit.  In our case, I didn't really need him, but I booked with him because I like the guy.

 

It sounded like OP was just done with HAL altogether, and that's what I super don't understand.

Perhaps you didn't thoroughly read my original post - there has been no response to phone calls or emails.  In the past, pre-COVID, we found our PCC very helpful in securing cabins that seemed to be unavailable on the main HAL website, etc.  But that was then and this is now.  I'm willing to adjust my expectations on a lot of things but this just doesn't make sense.

33 minutes ago, *Miss G* said:

 

Did you try the Mariner Society number & email?  They’re super responsive.

No. Thanks but I'm done chasing after HAL.

OP here.  The end result is none of our phone calls and emails have gotten a response.  Today my husband tried to call the PCC number provided in an earlier post on this thread.  He said there was no opportunity to ask to speak to a supervisor.  I didn't believe him so I just tried calling myself.  You only have two options.  You can dial your PCC directly if you know the extension or you can access the PCC directory.  That's it.  No way to leave a message, or horrors, speak to a living, breathing person.

I'm done.  Unless HAL comes up with an offer we can't refuse in the next month or so, we're going elsewhere.  What a shame.

Thanks for all your advice.  Its now Wednesday, a full week since I emailed her and over a week since my husband called.  I'm making my calls today.

12 minutes ago, DaveOKC said:

Have you tried calling the PCC line - 800-355-3017?  Ask for supervisor and ask to be reassigned.

 

No I haven't.  Thanks for the information!

We want to book a cruise.  My husband called our HAL PCC last Monday.  There's a voice mail response from her that she's very busy and to send an email.  So I waited 2 days and sent an email.  No response.  Not even an automatic response.  Its now a full week since my husband's first call.  However, in the past she would randomly call,  especially during peak periods of COVID, inquiring if we wanted to book a cruise.

And yes, I would much prefer to use a TA, but the one we used pre-COVID is no longer working as a TA and I haven't been able to find a good replacement.  But I definitely want to replace this PCC as soon as possible.  How do I go about getting a different, and hopefully more efficient one?

The cabins are small enough without cluttering them with an appliance not everyone wants or uses.  I would ask the cabin attendant to remove it so I can have more space for my own stuff.

NO ONE can predict what the COVID situation will be at the end of August.  That's a very popular itinerary.  Otherwise, I would recommend you cancel now and then rebook a few weeks out from the cruise if you're anxious about COVID.

Stay away from the buffet.  Much better portion control in the dining room.

If you're planning to be in New Jersey the night before the cruise, I recommend you go to one of the Portuguese or Spanish restaurants in the Ironbound section of Newark and have a real lobster dinner instead of waiting for the tiny lobster tails on the ship.  It won't be cheap but it will be significantly better than what's offered on the ship.

Its about a 1.5 - 2 hour drive from Allentown, PA to Bayonne (Cape Liberty).  Its a very straight ride on Rt. 78.  Parking is $25/day.   I can't imagine a less expensive alternative.

For example, we live about 25 - 30 minutes away from Bayonne, depending on traffic.  For our upcoming cruise, we've already investigated car services and potential Uber prices.  They range from $60 (Uber depending on surge pricing) and a local car service at $140 one way!  We'll be driving our own car, pay for the parking and be on our own schedule.

As an aside, it always amuses me that people pay up to thousands of dollars for their cruise, but then want to find the cheapest, if not totally free way to to get to the port.  You need to build those costs into the total price of your vacation.  There are no free rides.  

18 minutes ago, Essiesmom said:

Panera has scones, but I don’t know how authentic they are.  EM

Costco also has scones.  They're so overloaded with sugar that I couldn't imagine putting jam on them.  However, I did smear just a small pat of Kerry Gold Irish Butter (also purchased at Costco) to tone down the sweetness.  I probably committed some culinary sin (like ordering a corned beef sandwich and a glass of milk in a NY Deli) but I'm a total novice.