*Miss G*

In Kotor, they have a HOHO bus picking up right at the tender dock, but the tickets were all sold out by the time we got there.  We wandered the walled city instead.  I have a feeling the bus tickets were all purchased by the cruise lines, but that’s just a guess on my part.  Kotor was quite busy with two small HAL ships and the Wind Surf in port.  Anyway, that was a long way of saying that if you want to do the bus tour then it’s probably best to purchase it from the ship.  The sail-in and out was gorgeous.

Trieste is a vibrant city full of architectural beauty.  It was clean and uncongested.  I would love to stay a few days here.  

The Piazza Unità d’Italia is an open square of government buildings and monuments looking out over the Adriatic seafront.  It was a stone’s throw from where we docked.

Literally…. A stone’s throw:

Walk towards the red-roofed building with the green clock tower and keep left.  See if this fountain is working as you go by:

After exiting the piazza (passing the fountain and keeping left), you enter the shopping district with more great architecture and even a pretty carousel!

Any idea why there would have been an LRAD on a TransAtlantic?

On 3/15/2024 at 7:21 AM, Ladyshopper23 said:

On the last day, can you stay on the boat until your transfer to the airport comes? We've booked a package including airport transfers and flights. Our flight isn't until nearly 7pm on the last day, so hoping we can make use of the boat until transfer time.

If Avalon has given you a later transfer time to the airport then the ship will be available to you until then.  Here was our embarkation (disembarkation for those leaving the ship) lunch menu.  If you can read the fine print, “d” marks the items which have gluten in them.  You will see those symbols for each dish so you can make informed choices.

The observant will notice the sign.  The others won’t notice or won’t care.

There hasn’t been a Mariner’s lunch on any of the cruises I have been on since the restart.  I did receive a medallion (well, it was left on my sister’s bed back in 2022) but there was no ceremony then, either.  Hopefully I will get to experience one in the future.  If I live that long.

@Blackduck59, yes, I guess I did miss your point!

I can’t say I have noticed that anyone is quoting mariner status to be lofty.  Well, with the exception of one poster, but I stopped reading those.  I think, where warranted, quoting status can be helpful to clarify a point.

I do see what you are saying with regard to embarkation day lunch, though.

Editing to add:  I wasn’t even aware the MDR was open on embarkation day until I happened to read it on CC a year or so ago.  That’s why I think it’s more to do with HAL not letting on than it has to do with tier status.

1 minute ago, Blackduck59 said:

I think that the MDR should be open on embarkation day...or not. The idea of it being a "Mariner's" lunch is just off. I understand there is a "Mariner's Lunch" later in the voyage. As many people who have read my posts know, I don't get the whole quote my "status" mindset. There are many people who post on these boards (on all lines) who clearly have many sea days and they don't feel the need to mention status. Their opinions hold value to me. On that point my wife and I are 2* mariners, we have been on one 11 day cruise with HAL. Do I get into the "Mariner's Lunch"? Probably not. Will we go when we reach the lofty status required for an invite? Probably not. We will however happily take the free laundry if we ever get to 4*.

I do get that that brand loyalty, to the exclusion of some, might cause offense, even if it’s not something you will make use of.  What I don’t get is that it drops into the “not offensive” category when it’s something you desire (free laundry).

I participate in a number of rewards programs.  Some I make use of more than others.  I don’t begrudge someone who enjoys the benefits that I don’t, as they have spent more than I to get there.  If I want it, I can do the same.  It’s just not that important to me to be in a state of envy against those who have what I can’t.  Would I like it?  Sure.  Do I need it?  No.  I am just happy to be on a cruise.

I actually like the idea of making the MDR exclusive to whichever Mariner tier the ship feels they can accommodate on the day of embarkation.  It would be a nice way to say “thank you for your loyalty” with little-to-no impact on cost or staff.  

I still think HAL offers value and quality at a great price-point.  It will be a sad day if they depreciate themselves into an inferior product.  I don’t think that is their intent, though.  All businesses must look at ways to cut costs to maintain quality.  Some changes work, while others don’t.  The only way to know for sure is to test the waters.

Just now, SilvertoGold said:

As Canadians we are a bit surprised to see at least for Alaska the pricing on our account in CND is much the same as the USD standby pricing plus the exchange rate. Can't imagine going standby and not saving a bundle, let alone coming out more or less even!

I saw my sailing on the standby list.  It’s currently sold out for all categories except the Insides.  It’s $27 cheaper to book an Inside than to go through the torture of wondering whether you’ll make the sailing or not.  I suppose you could roll the dice and wait to see whether someone in a better category room will cancel last-minute.  But if you’ve already accepted that you’ll get an Inside, then it’s a no-brainer.

24 minutes ago, Sea Hag said:

Plastic palm tree? Beach umbrella? Umbrella would be totally unneeded, since you're under the overhang. But if you have the inflatable cube, cooler, and plastic palm tree then you'd need the beach umbrella to complete the look. 😂

And maybe a pink flamingo.  🦩

I like their little hats!

On 3/14/2024 at 8:32 AM, The-Inside-Cabin said:

 

 

 

Ooooh, shiny!  How can you not have a smile on your face when there’s a guy in glitter by your side?  I love this!!

2 hours ago, Gail & Marty sailing away said:

Rudi Sel de mar

Third try lucky?

I have to agree about the coffee.  It has become so difficult to get the good coffee (hours, crowds) that I very rarely buy it now.  I even gave the Lido coffee another try!  It’s way better than it used to be.

9 hours ago, Haljo1935 said:

We were 4 days short when we moved from 3 to 4* and I was bummed b/c we always pay for laundry and I really wanted that perk. We were quite surprised when we were not charged for laundry. We did not ask, it just happened and we were very appreciative. 

I've read posts by cruisers who say to notify GS or talk to the Mariners Desk and ask them to change your status, but I believe policy is policy and we knew going in we were short. But we said a big "thank you" when it was gifted to us.

My experience was the exact opposite.  I needed four credits to move to 4* and called the Mariner Society to check on the process.  They told me I would move to 4* during the voyage but I would not receive any benefits until the next voyage.  I paid for laundry.  😒

7 minutes ago, POA1 said:

Did they just credit the $X you pad for CO toward the upgrade cost?  In other words, if the uprade cost $500, you only paid $500-$X?

Yes, that is correct.

Always read the fine print:

2 minutes ago, POA1 said:

The only time I've seen anything that impacts CO is an upsell to a Neptune. The NS category includes CO. Someone reported that their CO fee was refunded on a Neptune upgrade. I kinda think it was @DaveOKC 

Yes, I have been able to have my CO purchase applied to the offer a couple of times. 

Found my screenshots!  Also my notes on notifications.  These observations are from 2022 and I never made note of them in 2023.  Will remember to make note of them next month.

Navigator App

The Navigator app now notifies you if there is a chat message, a new charge has been applied to your account, or it’s time for dinner or an excursion.  It is not perfect, by any means, but it’s a good start.  It’s not specific in its notifications, as yet, so you have to figure that one out for yourself.  For example, if there’s a new chat message you will be able to see it in your inbox on the top right-hand side of the screen.  But if it’s for something else you will have to use intuition, like noticing an additional charge on your statement.  I appreciate progress, even if it’s slow.

These are the two types of notifications I can see on the iPad (and iPhone).  The first pic is from the Notification Center on Lock Screen and the second is on the Navigator icon in the Dock with an unlocked screen.

And then here, of course, is the notification within Navigator itself:

1 minute ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

I use iPhones - I get notifications for events, dinners, and appointments.   But I don't get a notification for a new chat message.   I have turned on every notification possible - but I don't get a notification for new chat messages.   

Weird.  I get them on mine.  I think I have some screenshots somewhere.  I’ll take a look.

Welcome back, @Scrapnana!  It’s so lovely to see you.  🥰

@The-Inside-Cabin, I get notifications on my iPhone and iPad.  Do you use an android?

Editing to add:  Notifications need to be turned on in settings.  These are mine:

51 minutes ago, HermmyGranger said:

Does this mean that the only option for getting food at lunch on embarkation day is the Lido?

Depends which ship you’re on.  If it’s Pinnacle-class you also have the Grand Dutch Cafe, Dive-In, and New York Deli & Pizza.

I’ve been doing a lot of research and it seems that Brest was razed to the ground by the allies, during WW2, to capture it from the Germans.  Sadly, that means that almost everything of architectural significance is gone.

There is a city tour bus but it doesn’t look appealing (to me).  The map can be found HERE.

The cruise port appears to be in an industrial area.  I may opt to take the shuttle into town if the weather is nice.

Kind of hard to be well-attended when your entire staff sends you to the Lido Market.

1 hour ago, Grandmaanne7 said:

Thank you so much! Obviously my TA doesn't deal with HAL very often. 

 

P.S. I love your signature! 😊

I re-read my response and I don’t want you to think I was telling you off.  My comment was a poke at your TA who couldn’t be bothered to look things up and then doubled-down by making stuff up!  Just admit you don’t know!  One of my pet peeves.  Sorry.  😞