REOVA

Same on Rotterdam in Fall with both restaurants. Booked them pre board and told managers and Neptune concierge need 100% refund. Never got it so emailed back and forth with Seattle. Finally was told they would be willing to rebate 50% to credit card. When I emailed why it wouldn't be 100% for 5 *, the emails stopped. Fortunately I already had disputed with credit card and the card rebated 100% of the charge. HAL never followed up. So the "system problem" is extensive. More likely a directive to "minimize" payments out.

Did you already take your tour? What did you think?

Because most passengers are 4 and 5 star, the "priority" boarding line is usually longer than the general boarding line. 🤪 Also tender priority goes to Neptune/Pinnacle Suite passengers so all Mariners (except above) have to get in line for tender tickets. There may be a 2nd line e for 4/5 * but, again longer. I remember one year for Easter Island the line up started before 5am. Fortunately we got off.

Was it "All good things"?

You should get 5% discount when you book.

Probably too early to respond with being less than 1/4 in and many sea days. Might need to do segment reviews. 🤔 The GWC usually has more activities and speakers than in general but towards the later part there should be a special "surprise" event planned in one of the ports. Also later on as you spend more time on the cruise you can get a feel of whether it's same routine/different day or great to be on the ship. We knew some people ready to get off while others sail annually, no matter where. I would also be interested in a first time World cruisers perspective.

Yes don't wait to book excursions as with passenger count up, tours will sell out (with a slight chance they may add more or so.eone drop out). It's been an issue (HAL knows) to use credits on wait listed excursions but I'm sure the "fix" will not get through Corp for years. It should not be an issue once onboard to have EXC desk rebook the tour using credits but you have to let them do it otherwise you will lose the booking. I've had to visit EXC a few times to "rearrange" the account to use the credits. Another passenger on FB group tried canceling and rebooking themselves onboard which the system removed their booking and it was full again.

Not actually a better menu but just one added entree available. If your table mate elects not to choose that entree, you can order it. Usually if the number of "special" entree matches the number of Club Orange members at the table, the patrols will not be summoned to the table. But yes there are many who have commented on other posts that paying for a special service/line/perk diminishes our Mariner status value, which is not as much of an issue as the decline in service that may come to those that haven't paid into Club Orange.

So true and glad we had them make copies of the recipes for us when they still had them.

Yep DW has her priorities 😉 For some reason "free" laundry is better than paying "out of pocket" per bag on another line. But who am I to argue with her.😇 And she likes having things folded or hung up instead of returned in paper bag like some lines. She's moved up from washing them in the tub (or when on board washer/ dryers existed) but seeing that laundry statement charge might make her regress.

It might depend on the ship.

I suggest continuing to pursue 4*. HAL'S laundry service is tops in the industry and if you are on longer voyages (which was what HAL was doing prior to shutdown), the laundry helps. Being 5* has diminished in regards to perks (especially with the introduction of Club Orange). And on Grand Voyages, "everyone" is 4 and 5* so not much delta in perks. (Except again laundry). HAL used to sail long itineraries in Asia. Africa, South America, Pacific, etc and they usually booked up years in advance (or shortly after being announced). B2B became more popular when the longer cruises shortened. (Or cruisers would sail one ship and pick up another if not R/T). I expect the "new" longer cruises to help entice HALs regular cruisers. Generally the longer cruises (which also have segments available) have better entertainment, enrichment and activities (especially the Grand Voyages). However since cruise entertainers are down "40%" now (for HAL with tighter purse strings) we won't see much difference in the short term. We always enjoy longer itineraries to new places and crusing for us is the "Sampler platter" of traveling where we get to visit (taste) a region/Country (and unpack once) and if you like a place, you may cruise there again and explore more (or fly for more in depth experience). We have booked World Cruises even if they stop in Sydney, Singapore, Auckland, etc over and over and we always find something to do. But if the route goes through Suez or Europe, we value the time and money doing a specific European cruise with time spent before or after traveling on land. (Many World cruisers do similar itineraries every year and some don't get off the ship - different strokes for d'folks). So for the price point and itinerary, I don't see 15 month (which is probably every line's reorg period) lost in obtaining 4*. Of course they may change benefits but hopefully not take away laundry or I'll have to cruise without DW. 😉

The young man (Polynesian Ambassador) on 2020 told us he and others were from MD as they have a large population and training group there. Who knew. We love the food trucks. Didn't we overnight in 2018 as some folks did an overnight in Bora Bora bungalows. For some reason we didn't go to food trucks in 2020, did we leave port earlier?

And that will be another issue people will (do) complain about. When all of us old cruisers stick around and new 5 star cruisers come up, the dilution of loyalty programs will need to change. Already is causing problems with MSC matching. Probably why we only had 1 child. 🤪 Say hello to Orlando. Yes. Let's hope the cruiselines succeed, new variety expands and "vive la difference"

You can ask them to hold it and return upon disembarkment from ship if you don't want to pay corkage fee.

No doubt all cruise lines are faced with today's economic issues so we shouldn't expect too much change before 2025 (I call this the new "baseline"). The quick turn around money now is coming from new cruisers and short itineraries (Caribbean, Alaska, Quebec etc). HAL (CCL) has had management changes, staff/talent reduction and supply issues (as have others). It will take time to train crew and work out their new promises (planned itineraries) and then we can see what they look like. If they can make strides to focus on their history and roots and diversify the brands, that will help to become the "new improved" old HAL. If they just have excuses, that becomes a problem for maintaining loyal cruisers (if they even want them). I've watched people not like 1 or 2 things about HAL and switch to another line and, while they may be better on those 2 things, there are 3 other things about the others they hate. It's like really getting annoyed by that one thing your spouse does and you split up and the new spouse have more annoying things and you miss the old things of the prior. (Not from experience 🤫). We all cruise for 3 or 4 reasons so trying to find a cruiseline that hits those points, at a price point we can afford, is what is realistic. And getting CC feedback helps, however opinions are subjective and each cruise (even on same ship) can vary depending on who (passengers, crew, entertainers) is on it.

It depends on the port and the itinerary. COVID is still big in some areas and those Countries require testing (for some reason). Verifly worked great in the chaos at Boston port but wasn't necessary in Port Everglades (smoother embarkation). I use it just in case. Also copy everything digitally and paper in case one or the other is needed. There is no consistency with boarding.

And we used to climb a pole to connect to operator as long as no one else was on the line. And we used to have 4 letters for our phone number. And we used to not hear what was happening with relatives until the pony delivered their letters....🤷‍♂️ The app is great if you want to check something onboard (show time, dinner, etc) while sitting around the ship. Also, since HAL is paperless, you won't get excursion tickets, be able to contact your cabin mates easily, ask a question or resolve an issue (unless you like standing in lines)....it's not required but does make cruising alot easier and you don't have to be tied to it. It's just a tool.

Good luck with that. 🤪

Correct. Used to be 1 bottle was allowed but now any (reasonable) number of bottles you bring is $20 each corkage. Worth it if you drink expensive wine that HAL doesn't offer (or dont want to pay 2 times markup on bottles they offer).

Because of the Pinnacle Ships MDR, we enjoyed Club Orange on Rotterdam in November. However family members just got off NS and thought the club orange restaurant was slow and unorganized. "Like the staff was in training". Possibly HAL is selling too many packages and not training or staffing enough for demand(?). So be aware. Not sure if others are seeing any differences over the past few months.

We did this cruise in November. 4 excursions had changed starting times before we even boarded. I'm sure they will add some but many. Cruising today is dynamic and tour operators are changing (as are ports). We did the beach express and then had lunch back on shop and walked in town after lunch.

Agree, Canaletto is much better than it was but the profiteroles they used to serve were horrid. Hopefully not the same recipe they are now serving at Rudy's.

The on demand is for movies whoch has a good variety. There is 1 TV channel for sports and a couple for special programs. Other than that TV is MSNBC, FOX News, BBC and reruns of HGTV. There will be a movie or 2 at night at the LIDO pool. Sea days there may be a showing of BBC animal in the World Stage. Some may say it might not be appropriate for younger kids (if it's the animals attacking/eating others). There are games and puzzles in the crows nest. Amber Cover HAL excursion to Ocean World may be enjoyable for the kids.

"There are two lecturers onboard. One is astronomer Andy Fletcher, who has talked about the universe, special relativity, space, time and finally….weirdness. Then a historian Mike West has shared interesting facts about the wonder of ships and their place in history. Neither speaker has their talks repeated on the room TV’s, which is too bad for those of us that choose not to sit in a crowded lounge." Both have been around HAL for years. Andy was also on the ill-fated 2020 GWC. Funny thing is he isn't an astronomer but majored in history, math and philosophy and does many lectures on physics to students in a "fun" (yes weird) interpretation. Its good to see his series 1 time. The only time we've seen HAL broadcast lectures or shows was for everyone that was quarantined during the VoV in July.