rsmdude

I've cruised from San Diego previously as a resident and now from out-of-state.  I've also flown out of San Diego airport frequently and dealt with the traffic around both areas.  I can honestly say unless you have lots of time and energy and are agile and vigilant, etc., I would NOT recommend trying to walk from the airport to the cruise port.  Traffic is very heavy along Harbor Blvd in front of the airport and the pedestrian access to cross over to the bay front side (necessary) is dangerous.  With luggage (even wheeled luggage) take a taxi, uber or a shuttle/transfer service between the airport and cruise port and avoid being an accident statistic and ruining your trip.  Accessing downtown from the cruise port is much easier and "doable" however.  Enjoy!

Anyone else booked for this cruise?

I booked this one awhile ago and got a great price.  Will be my first time in two new ports.  Hopefully we’ll have a nice sized LGBTQ group!

Anyone on this cruise?  Would be cool to have a group onboard for excursions, drinks, dinner, shows, etc.  Will be my first time cruising from Tampa and second cruise on the Dawn so I'm looking forward to it.  

Chris

Anyone else on this cruise?  Would be nice to have people to hang out with especially on the 7 sea days.  Looking forward to the cruise, just day away now.

Chris

On 3/2/2022 at 1:15 PM, Denman said:

Hey Chris (or other solo cruisers!)...Does anyone interested in access to the "Enclave" thermal suite area?  If you do, we can get a better deal under a couples pass.  And, I think the price will be better onboard as they lowered it for me when I was walking away from it on the Majestic in December.  It's a great area for a quiet escape.  Let me know and I'll post my email here so we can chat off the site.  

Hey there,

I haven't done the thermal spa on Princess but did on NCL Breakaway last fall and enjoyed it.  I sadly didn't take enough advantage of it but I think with so many sea days this trip it might be a good deal.  Let me know what the cost is and we can try to figure it out if you're still interested.  You can try to reach me via email at ctnrsm at aol (hopefully you can make that out ok).  Looking forward to this!

Chris

Sadly I booked my return flight for the day of our arrival.  I have been to Barcelona three times already but I LOVE the city, it is amazing and very accessible.  If you need recommendations on what is a must see please let me know or I will be glad to tell you everything when we're on the cruise.

I have never driven in Spain but several years ago I had intended to fly into Madrid, rent a car and tour southern Spain, so hopefully I'll be able to see some of what I was unable to see back then (I had to cancel that trip and never rebooked it).

This will be my 5th cruise on Princess and Regal will be my 3rd Princess ship.  I also have a T/A booked on Emerald that departs April 16th from Ft Lauderdale headed to Southhampton.  After that I booked the Baltic cruise r/t Copenhagen that departs May 4th but with the Russia situation I likely will cancel that even though I know they'll be dropping the St Petersburg stop soon and replacing that with some other Baltic port.

Feel free to DM me if you like and we'll chat further, otherwise I look forward to meeting on Regal.  I plan to be at all the LGBTQ+ gatherings so hopefully we'll have a nice crowd to hang with like my last cruise.

Chris

Yes we had quite a good turnout at the meet ups, definitely over 20 guys, mostly couples.

Tentatively scheduled for this one as well but not 100% sure.  Nice to hear there will be some friendly faces for all those sea days!

In the last few months Princess has had quite a few cruises with little to no supplement, I was on a Mexican Riviera cruise last week and paid zero supplement.  I also have booked a transatlantic cruise next month where there was no supplement.  NCL does a really good job for courting solo cruisers always as well.

Every cruise I have been on has had a daily lgbtq+ meeting, some have been a ghost town and others were a sizable group.  I’ve heard of some with 40-50 people.  They’ll announce that in the ship’s daily printed activities sheet.

I hope to join you for this cruise as well.  Great solo deals and cool itinerary.  Will be my first ever transatlantic cruise so I’m eager to go.

I went solo on a Princess cruise earlier this month and had a nice time.  We did have a small LGBT group that met most nights to chat, 2 couples and 2 single guys.  There were other LGBT couples on the cruise but they never came to the meetups that I know of.  There were only 960 passengers on my sailing compared to standard capacity of 3560 and over 1100 crew so we never encountered crowds that I noticed.  In the piazza the low passenger count was probably most noticeable.  I have several upcoming solo trips on Princess and NCL so I'll have to see how those compare.  Princess especially has some seriously cheap deals for solos right now so if you're itching to cruise now could be the best time for awhile with the low passenger counts.

My husband and I have never cruised on Hal and we are looking to cruise to the Caribbean jan 2016. We are active ages 56 and 64 and love nightlife such. As shows and dancing. We picked this cruise because we liked the itinerary. On that note we have heard that passengers on this line are early to bed. My concern is that there would be no nightlife. Please give us some info so that we can make a decision if we want to take this cruise, thanks

You will find something you like on every cruise. True, HAL does attract a more mature crowd but honestly the liveliness can vary widely from one cruise date to another and same with one ship/itinerary versus another. And this variation is not just limited to HAL, it happens on all the cruise lines.

Being that Oosterdam is one of HAL's newer, larger ships and you will be cruising the Caribbean I think it will be a safe bet there will be plenty of nightlife for you. On my previous HAL cruises they've had great comedians, broadway revues and a great Beatles tribute band. One night they even have a show put on by the crew.

Beyond this there is always music in the piano bar and the Crow's Nest (Northern Lights) as well as other activities around the ship. I'm 53 but more likely to be hanging out with 30 year olds at clubs sometimes so I think you'll be fine. Plus typically the crews on HAL ships are incredibly helpful and friendly, moreso than on most other lines.

If you must have an overwhelming amount of activities then I suggest one of the larger Royal Caribbean ships with the ice skating rink and other amenities. However on those you will have to pick and chose activities since you can't possibly partake of them all.

I'm on Oosterdam with a friend in a month cruising Alaska and we will post trip details as we can. We can't wait! :)

Chris

Be sure and come back to Cruise Critic with a follow-up to share if at all possible, it's always good to see how people's experiences were on specific ships, cruises and cruise lines.

Barcelona is one of my favorite cities so I am sure you will have tons of stories from that alone.

What did you think about the cruise experience overall?

Was it easier than you expected?

Inquiring minds! :)

Cheers!

I am looking at going on my first cruise in June/July . I am a bit shy with strangers, hail from west australia, 45yo gay guy. Planning to spend time in Barcelona around the cruise time.

 

Was looking at gay groups but as I'm unable to book until my passport arrives in 2 weeks, it looks like the single rooms are all gone. Unless I pay a fortune.

 

Was looking at Norwegian line or celebrity, as they seem the most gay friendly. My concern is to spend the money only to be socially isolated and alone. Just how easy is it to make friends onboard? Internet chat is great on land but on a ship?

 

Am looking at a 7 day Mediterranean cruise at this point. Any hints or advice?

 

 

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We aren't new to cruising in general. Know all about the port fees, tip charges, insurance, etc. That's not an issue. When I asked what was omitted, I meant more along the lines of what is HAL cutting out to sell cabins for 199? Or is it just deals to fill the ship?

 

I'd anticipate with all the fees and taxes, etc., that $600 in cruise fare for 3 probably adds up to $1300-1500 when all said and done. Still, a lot less than the $2500-$3000 it would take to get 3 people on most other lines ships unless there is a crazy sale.

 

We have been to many of the caribbean ports. We don't really care where the ship goes. The baby is too young for us to take major journeys, but a week getaway at a low cost is appealing. With no airfare needed we are looking to do cruises from Florida or Florida-based trips for the next few years.

 

I don't mind anyones age, or us being the youngest, as long as they are cool and fun people. With the baby we're usually in bed by 10PM or so, which means back to the cabin by 9. As to who would watch the baby; we would. Who else? :confused: I imagine they have a child care center/staff/activities for us to use during the day or am I wrong on that count?

 

I'm just trying to determine if HAL can be a relaxing young family vacation, but still have some activities for us after dinner time.

The old joke is that HAL is the cruise line for 60 year olds and their parents...but...

While there is truth to that the demographic varies from itinerary to ship to the time of year, etc. Those prices were most likely to fill the ship or a great teaser cruise fare. HAL usually keeps pricing higher until they reach about 60 days out and look at their bookings then adjust accordingly. As the cruise gets closer they may upgrade their loyal cruisers and try to fill in the cheaper cabins again.

I can't answer to the questions regarding the baby but I have seen some teenagers and youngsters around depending on the time of year but they are almost always supervised and well behaved.

I have sailed HAL twice and enjoyed both trips. RCCL has much larger ships with much more activities but also many more people to compete with for space, but I still enjoy them very much as well. The HAL ships I have sailed so far devoted a LOT of space to public areas so I never felt crowded. The staff seemed to be very friendly and go out of their way to make you feel welcome.

Other than formal nights you can use the MDR with smart casual clothing such as khakis, nice jeans, polos, and equivalent for women. They often insist on a jacket (maybe a tie also) for the formal nights but may have one to loan you. I usually skip the MDR those nights and eat in the lido which will be less crowded.

HAL offers computer classes partnered with Microsoft on each cruise; they have cooking demonstrations and classes in several other things as well. They also have a screening room for movies, a piano and a sports bar and a scenic top-of-the-ship crow's nest to enjoy the view and relax during the day or play games, etc.

At those prices if you can get a decent room (I suggest avoiding the first and possibly second decks) away from the engine and crew quarters then you should have a great time. Their cabins tend to be more spacious than some other lines even for the cheaper categories and they mostly have tubs which would come in handy for the baby.

Just go and enjoy!

Just booked a cruisetour last week on HAL Oosterdam departing August 30 for 11 days. Can't wait!

How does HAL work for booking and getting a deal. I was just poking around and for 4 people in an inside room for 2016 it can be $350 per person. HAL is showing $1200 per person. A few years ago, I must had see a fire sale for 1 way sailings on HAL and they went very low. But they only had 2 person cabins available and airfare would be super high that close to sailing.

After you book your cruise keep an eye out for sales and promotions that are introduced afterward. I have done that for several cruises and either received price drops or improved cabins at the same price by calling the cruise line and telling them about the price difference. It can't hurt!

Thanks for the post Zuki!

 

Do you mean that one doesn't drink much on the Alaska cruises, so a beverage package isn't worth it?

 

I've never done a large cruise ship before, so this may sound like a silly question, but are cups of water, juice at breakfast, iced teas, etc, included or do you have to buy each of those separately? Ideally I'd love to not be "nickel and dimed" on a cruise for each beverage, but I know I'm pretty spoiled having mostly sailed on seabourn.

 

Thanks!

Iced tea, coffee, milk and juices are included with meals and available in the Lido Buffet most hours on HAL ships. NON-bottled water is free all over the ship but bottled water as with anywhere will cost you.

Soft drinks like Coke, Pepsi, etc. are extra cost on all the cruise lines. Of course any wines, beer, champagne, liquors or other mixed drinks will be charged for and availability varies throughout the ship.

I usually drink a good bit of soft drinks especially when I'm in a hot, humid climate but of the two times I purchased a soft drink package on a cruise I really didn't get my money's worth in the end.

If you tend to hit the pool and piano bars often then a drink package may be right for you. The prices and features of those vary for each cruise line.

I have only sailed on HAL, Celebrity and Royal Caribbean lines so I can't vouch for NCL. I have heard that while they have more restaurants to choose from many have a surcharge. On HAL only Canaletto and Pinnacle grill are surcharge restaurants.

You are much less likely to have a bunch of rowdy children roaming around on HAL ships as well since their demographic leans older. Also HAL ships are not nearly as big and overwhelming as many of the newer ships from the other cruise lines, I'm always able to find a quiet spot to relax and read or just watch the sea.

Just completed last week's Maasdam cruise. Really enjoyed the staff....very friendly. Food was good especially Pinnacle/La Cirque. Ship is in good shape. Fantastic weather.

 

Any questions let me know.

I was on this cruise as well and agree with Longhorn on most points, overall it was a great cruise.

Ship condition:

The ship is older but overall in great shape. It has typical battlescars such as the cracked window in the MDR and we had a minor plumbing issue that was fixed quickly and without incident. The ship is updated in the MIX area as well as in the Crow's Nest and all the public areas were in excellent shape. The cabin carpet was new and all over the ship things were being kept in good condition. The tub/shower was a bit of a step-up which could be an issue for older persons or anyone with limited mobility so keep that in mind.

Weather:

We only had a little rain in Halifax but at least it was light and not too hot there. All during the cruise the weather was very warm, a good bit hotter than I had actually expected given how far north we were but it was mid July after all.

Food:

I was very pleased with the taste and quality of the food in the Lido, MDR and most other areas. In fact I was extremely pleased with the overall quality and tastiness of the desserts, something that usually is overlooked on most cruises these days.

The food in the Pinnacle was good but not enough to justify the upcharge especially with the poor service and lack of attention we received there.

The service and pace of serving in the MDR was slow and inattentive which I heard from several other cruisers as well (we had open seating).

The best service we received the entire cruise was at the Embarkation Luncheon for Mariners on the very first day, everything after that was downhill.

The Lido suffers the same layout and congestion issues I found on the Zaandam, not enough servers and not enough stations to support the crowds especially at breakfast. They need quite a few more toasters, omelet stations and waffle/pancake makers as they were usually backed up 8 to 10 deep waiting on a single machine and blocking the walkway.

Entertainment:

Overall I thought the entertainment was very good. The comedian and magician especially were great. The ship has a small group of entertainers but they were good and some were exceptional. The cruise director was just average and not as friendly or engaging as the one on my previous cruise on the Zaandam, he was very approachable and eager to help out, always greeting us by name once we had met.

Cabin stewards:

Hard-working and eager to please, always kept our room in top shape and always ready to assist with any issue.

We did have some less than helpful experience with the front desk which was a bit troublesome but otherwise it was great.

The Boston cruise terminal/embarkation process went fairly smoothly and quickly. The only issue was how incredibly hot it was standing in line but again it was 96F outside!

Our cabin was ready as soon as we boarded and so we dropped off our things and headed to the MDR for the Mariner Embarkation Lunch which was actually the best food and service we had for the entire cruise...

The Montreal cruise terminal/debarkation process went smoothly as well. I was surprised at how little checking they did when we exited the ship actually. The Montreal terminal is old and they seemed to have a rather cumbersome setup for getting people into taxis so there was a huge line waiting when we exited. Luckily we had small roll-aboards so we walked to our hotel.

HOWEVER, there is no elevator to the ground level and you must walk through taxi traffic to get to the steep stairs so anyone with more luggage would have been in real trouble getting down to street level.

Ports:

We enjoyed most of the ports although Halifax and Sydney were probably the least enjoyable since we didn't book excursions and there was not so much to do within walking distance.

Any questions let me know as well!