AV8rix

On 5/1/2024 at 3:06 PM, kazu said:

Look what arrived today.

 

 

 

Does this mean there has been too much time spent in the casino?  😂 

Y'know, I really like when the casino sends the selection you are showing or sometimes the selection of the after-dinner treats of the PG.  But I HATE the platter of the six chocolate-dipped strawberries.  JMO, but they are too messy to eat.  I always give those to my housekeeping stewards. But that's just me.

I can't stand the tactics of the Steiner group (the folks that run the spa concession on many lines).  After the first massage many years ago I started telling the person AS I ENTERED THE ROOM that I'm there to relax and that I DO NOT intend to purchase any extras.  If they kept their mouths shut I would tip, otherwise no.  But then it just got to be tedious (you shouldn't have to do that routine all the time) so, like Jacqui, I just completely quit patronizing Steiner.

1 hour ago, Archipelago said:

Thanks ..yes I have a table for 8 booked 

 and will consider trivia etc. Thank You 

Also be sure to attend the solo lunches held on 1 or more sea days of every cruise (in my experience).  Watch for it on the daily program, they will always publish it.

Following

Ooops, might have been mistaken with my post #11, @Lovewandering.  The OVs that have been updated all have the glass showers, because I've booked a lot of those.  And I think that goes for the few verandahs also.  But I might be wrong there.  If I were you I'd check with my PCC to make certain if I were thinking about booking one of those.  That is, if your PCC is one of the "old" pre-covid ones (mine is), not one of the new hires.

2 hours ago, Eric from San Diego said:

Sorry to read the email.  Be aware that not only will there be blockages in the dining room, but they will close the theater, crows nest and various bars and lounges for private events.   Plus all the people in the group will only talk to each other and mostly ignore everyone else. 

 

Affinity groups is one of the reasons I prefer cruises 14 days or more because they sually don't have these groups.   

Ya beat me to it, Eric!  That's exactly what I would have posted and it's TRUE!  So I, too, don't book short cruises (unless I can't help it and they're fillers between longer B2B2Bs) and I also follow the excellent thread authored by @VMax1700 that keeps track of most groups/charters/drydocks. 

23 hours ago, crystalspin said:

The asterisk indicates ONLY a shower (i.e. no tub), not that it has a glass door.

Nope, the verandahs before the update have NEVER had showers, only tubs.  The only verandahs on the Vista, R-class and Signature ships that you see with the * symbol are the few forward and aft ones that have been updated, with their tubs removed and the glass showers installed.  Have you ever booked one of those?  I have, so that's how I KNOW!

I believe that you have been given incorrect information by the previous responders.  Some of the verandah staterooms (those stateroom numbers you mentioned are not suites, they are verandah class) have been updated to have showers.  Those that have been updated DEFINITELY have the glass showers, as the standard 60" tubs have been removed and the showers installed in that space.  I know this because I'm only 5' tall, so showers are very important to me, as the old tubs are hard to climb in and out of.  So yes, I have booked some of the updated staterooms and they are undoubtedly the "Pinnacle-ship style" glass showers. 

And you're in luck!!  Check out the deck plans on the HAL site.  Both staterooms that you mentioned have the * symbol, meaning that they are the updated ones with the shower! 

Hope this helps.

On 4/12/2024 at 8:00 AM, Fred321 said:

Not sure what you meant to say in the last sentence but I agree with your overall opinion of the new builds. We have had multiple trips the Koningsdam and the new Rotterdam and will not be going back to any of them, MDR experience is terrible whether you are in anytime or fixed. The dining room is a madhouse with the waiters running back and forth way too much and the room extremely noisy. No chance to have a quiet conversation.

Staterooms seem to have no soundproofing. Have been in a number of Vista suites and can always hear the TV next door and sometimes even the conversations.

Just got off the Volendam in an Ocean View room for 94 days and it was great. Lots of room to sit and read, they haven't ruined the Crows Nest by trying to turn it into a multipurpose room. Just a nice relaxed feeling around the ship. 

Vista class is the largest HAL ship we would consider but would always opt for the R class if available.

1+!  Yes!  (red accenting mine).

And PARTICULARLY agree with the comments about the Pinnacle-class ships.

Sincere condolences, neighbor Bruno.  Hope someday we can sail on the same cruise again.

1 hour ago, Moriah said:

On the last day of my recent cruise, I received an offer (paper card/letter) in my cabin stating that if I book another cruise within 30 days of disembarking that one, I would get some free play in the casino, and I believe free drinks in the casino - to be honest I didn't pay much attention because at the time I was "sure" I would not be booking another cruise in the coming month, but... actually I did - and of course, I didn't save that card with the offer.  Does anyone know how I can find out the info to give to my PCC?  He says I need some kind of offer number for the offer for him to add it to my booking.  I have tried emailing the Players Club and so far no response (it's only been 24 hours), but thought I'd come here to see if anyone's had a similar predicament or has an idea how I can redeem that offer having thrown away the paper trail (it wasn't an email, as said, it was something I received in my cabin on the last day of sailing, presumably because I'd spent a bit of time in the casino on that cruise!).  Thanks in advance if anyone has any idea.

That's called a "bounceback" offer.  And I believe that it is automatically linked to your account, just like the email casino offers are.  But probably not immediately after your cruise, knowing HALs/Ocean Players Club IT folks.  Just like it takes a while to update your Mariner status after a cruise.  Give it a week or two, then check back with your PCC.  I know that I NEVER have to tell my PCC about my casino offers when I'm booking.  When he tells me my fare he always says "that's with your casino free offer/discount". 

1 hour ago, singleflyer said:

I would also recommend you cash out most of your money at least two days before the end of the sailing.  I spoke to a passenger that didn't do that on a previous cruise; only to have the casino not open the final night and her money was "stuck" in the casino.  She had to fill out a bunch of paperwork online and is still waiting 6 months later to get a check.  

Hi neighbor.  No, that's on her.  They ALWAYS make announcements of the absolute deadline when you must cash in your chips or whatever it is the slot players have to do to redeem their cash.  No excuse for missing the announced cutoff time.

1 hour ago, kelliebiz said:

Hi Av8rix

 

yes, I’ve been following his 134 Days thread for quite a while now. I have not met him yet but I really hope I will. My best bet is to hang out at the daily trivia events I believe.

 

Yeah, look for him at Trivia.  Glasses, full gray-white beard.  You can't miss him.  😊😊😊.

Hi @kelliebiz, I'm also a solo cruiser, always on HAL, now approaching 5⭐.  Everyone has different preferences but I've always loved the small ships, now only two R-class left, of which Volendam is one. 

Depends on your age group, I suppose, but after 5 or so cruises on the humungoudams (Pinnacle-class ships), I've sworn off of those.  If I were asked to characterize them using only one word it would be:

        ****LOUD****

The "Music Walk" on the Pinnacle ships is deafening -- constantly, every evening.  And there is some acoustic design flaw in their MDRs, so that you can't converse with your tablemates at dinner due to the ambient noise.

So the music choices you describe on Volendam have always suited me just fine, particularly now that there is no more classical music available on the big ones.  

Wish I had noticed your post sooner.  I would have told you to watch the Daily for the singles and solos sea-day lunch in the MDR.  As @sambamama has noted, the solo meetup early in the cruise is generally poorly attended. So like @oakridger and @sambamama, I don't bother with those.  However, I have ALWAYS experienced a good turnout of pleasant folks at the single/solo lunches.  Some voyages have only one of those, but you have a lot of sea days on your itinerary, so on your cruise they may have more than one of those scheduled.

BTW, Rich @richwmn (originator of the awesome "Daily" thread on our HAL board) is currently on your ship, last leg of his world cruise, so keep an eye out for him.

21 minutes ago, LocoLoco1 said:

. In my opinion, they tipped their impoverished hand when they sacked the Librarian and the ‘Yum-Yum’ boy. 

And the dedicated computer dude in the library, and the crew show, and the classical music, and I could go on and on.

10 hours ago, StLouisCruisers said:

From this view you can see how freaky the two ships so close together look. 

 

 

ay too big”

 

 

 

Made me giggle.  A few years ago a friend drove me down to Pier 91 here in Seattle so I could board.  In addition to Volendam there happened also to be a Princess ship in port.  As we approached, he asked me, "Which one is yours?".  I replied, "It's easy 'cause there are only two ships in port today.  However, it wouldn't matter if there were 10 ships in port. My answer would still be the same:  Mine is the SMALL one with the blue hull".

Oh, forgot to say -- that was about 10+ years ago.  Before the advent of the humungoudams (Pinnacle class).

9 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

I do not like her as much as I do like her sister the Zaandam. She is tired in someways but I would not hesitate to book her for a short cruise.  I would not book her for a long cruise again.  

deleted.  Wrong thread.

In addition to EVERYTHING @RuthC said (with which I wholly agree), yet another thing I like about the two remaining R-class ships is that the Explorations Cafe is centrally-located on the Upper Prom deck (deck 4) rather than way up there in the Crow's Nest.  If I am hankering for a mid-morning or -afternoon chai latte all I do is go up or down a couple of staircases from wherever else I am rather than make the trek all the way up to the top of the ship.  But that's just me. May not be important to you. 

1 hour ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

I'll hit 100 days on day 26 of a 28-day cruise.  Do you think the system will respond fast enough for me to get my Bronze Medalion before we leave the ship?

<sigh>  See my post #37 on this thread.  Again, MAKE CERTAIN that you'll qualify by checking your "My Cruise History" page on the website (subtract your spend points from your total points or just add up your "cruise and tour days" points), then contact the Mariner Society rep on your ship.

9 hours ago, Quartzsite Cruiser said:

Yesterday was a sunny, pleasant day.  When we took our golf cart ride, we stopped so I could get pictures of the bluebonnets on the other side of our neighbor hood.

 

 

 

Thank you so much for the bluebonnet pictures, Lenda!  I miss Texas so much, and PARTICULARLY miss bluebonnet (and buttercup and Indian paintbrush) season. 

Y'know, during my first two contracts here in Washington state ('80s and '90s) I kept a stem of silk bluebonnets taped to the antenna of my car.  Really helped me to find it in the acres-wide Boeing parking lots🙂.

On 4/2/2024 at 1:31 PM, crystalspin said:

The last day of our last cruise (January 2024) was our 100th day. No mention on cruise or since about the Bronze Medallion. Plan to ask on next cruise, but that keeps being put off!

1 hour ago, *Miss G* said:

This topic made me go back to my cruise summary to count the physical sailing days I actually have.  I had never paid attention before!  It looks like they gave me my medallion two cruises after I attained the required # of days.

It shouldn't have to be this way but, after hearing so many stories on this board, I decided to be proactive. 

On the cruise on which I KNEW that I would qualify for silver, I contacted the Mariner Society rep (there's one aboard every cruise, you just have to ask at Guest Services) and told her that I expected to receive that medallion.  She said that she'd check the records and get back to me.  She then confirmed that I had qualified and would receive it.  I received mine at the reception on that cruise.

So for those of you who are approaching the milestone, make certain that you've figured it correctly and don't fail to contact the Mariner Society rep on your qualifying cruise.

Just an aside, it was important for me because so many friends on that cruise to congratulate me at the reception -- including Jacqui @kazu and John and Maria @Copper10-8, to name just a few 😀😀😀.

Some of the old R-class and S-class ships were themed.  Ryndam was the "nautical" ship. Being a sailor myself (racing and crewing on boats with actual sails), I loved her! The atrium centerpiece was a bowsprit figurehead from an old sailing vessel.  The featured artifacts (the stuff in the glass cases throughout the R-class and S-class ships) were all nautical -- old sextants, compasses, AWESOME ship models, etc!

Please tell me if some (or any) of this remains.

TIA

@Boatdrill, I didn't complain last July when a few messages went off-topic.  Didn't last too long, and comments posted this year returned to the subject of the thread.  But IMO your comment should probably have been posted to a new thread, rather resurrecting the thread-drift of about 8 months ago.  Again, JMO.

Have a great pain-free, trouble-free cruise, @kazu.

11 minutes ago, ShipWalker said:

I did. The only that showed up was this thread.  😂

OK, some links:

https://www.computerworld.com/article/3152896/facing-layoff-at-carnival-it-employee-makes-bold-counteroffer.html

https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/carnival-outsourcing-plans-a-hard-blow-to-take/

https://finance.yahoo.com/video/outsourced-carnival-cruise-line-workers-133941113.html

https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/news-headlines/carnival-corp-outsourcing-200-it-jobs

Actually, there are more.  Don't know what search engine you are using.

Bottom line is that CCL has DEFINITELY outsourced IT and since then IMO the product has noticeably degraded.