KitKatK

On 7/21/2023 at 6:58 AM, Georgia_Peaches said:

Appreciate your review!  Bermuda is on my bucket list but have put it off bc it seems more like a destination than an actual cruise. Were venues like the casino open in the evening or did everything stay shut down for the time you were in port?

The casino opened at 9pm. The shops remained closed. We had bingo on the first and second sea day, Deal Or No Deal on the third.

On 7/29/2023 at 1:18 PM, CulverCityCruisers said:

I know that you guys cruise on X a lot, but have you been on an S class ship of late and maybe know about the MDR diner food.  Off Summit recently and we were very dissapointed in the major decline in the quality of food and the offerings.  Any fed back?

We were just on the Summit a couple of weeks ago and thought the food in the MDR and Tuscan Grille were absolutely delicious. We found food in OVC to be hit or miss. Skipped the Mast Grill.

On 4/11/2023 at 9:31 PM, gailellen12 said:

I would appreciate hearing from anyone who was booked in this ocean view sub category. Pro and con opinions welcome. Did the location in the Main deck bow make for a rougher than usual sailing?  Thanks in advance

I just stayed in a single cabin on the NS and loved it. Yes, it's a bit of a walk to anything aft on the ship, but I was pleasantly surprised at how spacious my cabin was! 

There was a bit of noise one night during some rough seas. Something must have been loose and knocking about outside, but otherwise it was very quiet and extremely comfortable, especially the full sized bed.

On 8/27/2022 at 3:05 PM, crystalspin said:

Dial the 800 number for PCC but instead of entering the current PCC's extention, listen to the menu until the option to speak to someone else. Ask that person to be connected to a manager. Pursue from there.

 

ETA: 800-355-3017

Thanks so much. Here's to hoping my next PCC is a good one!

1 minute ago, WriterOnDeck said:

Get a good travel agent.

I prefer using a HAL PCC, so this doesn't answer my question.

On 8/8/2022 at 5:33 PM, richwmn said:

shouldn't they know? that answer is yes. but even in the ranks of the PCC there is a varying amount of knowledge and to some extent caring. all too often a CSR takes the quick answer rather than verifying. As I also mentioned, your PCC mentioned the newest four ships, which cover two classes of ship.

I was actually the one who mentioned the four new ships to her.  And she told me I must be thinking of another cruise line, like NCL. I told her I don't sail those other lines. I honestly think she was lying to me and trying to get me to spend more money, when I specifically told her I was trying to do this as cheaply as possible.

So my next question is, how do I go about changing PCCs?

6 hours ago, NCTribeFan said:

There are still two cabins available on the Rotterdam TA for next April. 

 

I thought about booking one, but I opted to go with my usual interior.  I don't need a window and didn't want something that far forward on a N Atlantic crossing in the spring.  Just in case it isn't smooth sailing. 

 

The PCC may have been confused about which ships.  It's the Pinnacle class only.

I wish I could say she was confused, but she said "Holland America has no single cabins. You must be thinking of NCL." So she means not on the entire line. 

39 minutes ago, richwmn said:

The solo cabins are all the way forward and are category 'OO', not 'AO'.

As I said in my initial post, I know the single cabin category is 'OO' and even mentioned that to her, yet she denied it outright. "I must be thinking of another cruise line."  If you're uncertain about something, you should at least offer to look into it further. Don't just outright lie to me. I guess I won't be using her in the future...

39 minutes ago, richwmn said:

Not all people manning the phones at any large organization are 'up to speed' on everything. As far as I know the solo cabins on the 3 newest ships (Koningsdam, Nieuw Statendam, and Rotterdam) still exist. I am in one in two months. The next oldest ship is a signature class and never had a solo cabin.

This is not just some random person manning the phones. This is my personal cruise consultant. Shouldn't they know all there is to know about HAL's ships?

I was just told by my PCC that the 4 newest HAL ships don't have single cabins.  I even referenced them by their category OO. I mean, I know they're in high demand, but why would she lie to me? Told me I must be thinking of NCL or some other line. 😒

Have they been re-categorized since the pandemic or something? 

My friend and I booked directly with Cunard for the August 8th WB TA in September, but I've been keeping an eye on the price each week. Luckily, we were able to get a $369 pp reduction in fare last month. Had to cancel and rebook. Took about 20 minutes on the phone to make sure all of our previous selections had been properly transferred and to get a manager's approval on the transfer of our deposits to the new booking. But I think it was totally worth it and I'd do it again if there are any further reductions (which I doubt will happen).

Please come back to let us know if you called and how you made out.

Thanks,

KK

I have heard numerous reports of people having their hair fall out when using Wen

 

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/cosmetics/wen.html

 

http://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/lawsuit-news/36648-class-action-lawsuit-wen-cleansing-conditioner-causes-hair-loss/

I feel really bad for the people who've had these problems with Wen. It's got to be awful to lose large amounts of hair from a hair cleansing product! But I can tell you from my own personal experience in using Wen for about 3 years now, I find that it's actually reduced my hair loss. My hair is thicker than it's ever been, and I think that's due to the good conditioning it's getting from the product. I find I lose much less hair on weekdays using Wen than I do on the weekends when I rotate between the store-bought and salon shampoos & conditioners I try out on a whim. The comb goes through my hair so much easier afterward and I don't get clumps of lost hair.

Believe me, considering Wen's high cost, I'd jump at any excuse of poor performance to stop using it. But for me at least, I've found it's worth the price. I love how my hair looks and feels now. And when traveling (of which I do a lot), you can't beat its convenience.

KK

The bamboo/green tea and the tea tree are the best for me. My hair dresser raves about the condition of my hair since I have been using Wen. There is a bit of a learning curve to determine how much cleanser to use. At first I had issues with my hair feeling greasy and heavy, so I used less and DID NOT use any as a leave in conditioner which, at the time, was recommended. I spent a little more time rinsing very thoroughly. Problem solved. Wen is one of those products people either love or hate.

I like the bamboo green tea variety as well. It works well for me and has a really nice scent.

When I first bought Wen, I got a sampler of the 5 year-round varieties to decide which I liked best. They all worked equally well on my hair, but I disliked all of the scents except for the sweet almond mint.

Since my hair is naturally oily, I've never used it as a leave-in conditioner. And it's never left my hair greasy-feeling when used as directed otherwise.

KK

Absolutely stunning gown, Sherilyn! :D

I'm very happy to hear that your surgery went so well! Sending quick-healing thoughts and good wishes your way.

Take care,

KK

I've been using Wen for about 3 years now. I really like the job it does and especially like to take it on vacation since it saves time in the shower and space in my toiletry bag not having to bring conditioner. The travel packets are very convenient as well. I can get 3 uses from each packet, but only take them on longer trips when I'll be in one place for more than 2-3 nights since they'd leak in my luggage once opened.

At home, I tend to use it during the week and then switch off to less expensive shampoos and conditioners during the weekends since it's so darned expensive. My favorite year-round scent is the Sweet Almond Mint, but I like to treat myself from time to time to some of the seasonal scents offered. Last fall's Tuscan Pear smelled great and I just ordered the Gardenia Green Tea and Honey Lilac for the spring. This is the second year they're offering the Gardenia scent. It's my all-time favorite, so I'm splurging on a few bottles this time around.

I just wish it wasn't so expensive!

KK

I'm pretty sure this stuff is long since out of manufacture, but should you ever come across a blue aerosol bottle called "Wrinkle Free" that is my absolute favorite and my last bottle of it is treated like liquid gold. Otherwise yes, Downy or your own mix do work very well :)

For a while, it was hard to find in stores, but I believe that's because they were in the process of re-packaging and renaming it. So no, it's not out of manufacture. Here's a link to their new product:

http://www.downywrinklereleaserplus.com/

KK

Don't know if you're a fan, but Crosby, Stills and Nash will be onboard this sailing to perform.

I am on the 27 August - 4 September Westbound TA and am disappointed I will miss them. I missed James Taylor performing onboard by one sailing as well in 2013. Always a bridesmaid...

KK

That was a great review/comparison of the two lines! I enjoyed reading your blog articles and seeing your pictures as well. Thanks so much, Mrs. Jones!

KK

Completely OT, but I remember seeing a British documentary short on TV years ago about a woman nicknamed Left-Turn Louise due to the fact that she would only make left turns when driving. She'd been in a car accident years before while making a right turn and was afraid of them ever since. Consequently, she would go totally out of her way to get wherever she needed to go by only making left turns. If she was going somewhere she'd never been before, she'd get out a map to figure out the left turn-only route.

KK

I have been on both ships and greatly prefer the QE, and Cunard in general, over the Rotterdam due to (IMO):

 

• Nicer decor
  
• Free laundry

This is true on both cruise lines, depending on which cabin category you book. On HAL, you get free laundry if you book a Neptune Suite or above.

KK

First hand review here. This is for a 'Renewal'. Himself surprised me on our recent crossing. We did not need the legal bits done, but had never formally 'exchanged vows'. So for us it was the first time we had a ceremony.

 

SNIPPED

 

Beautifully done and the photos will remind us always of that special day!

Very sweet story. Thanks for sharing it with us!

KK

Thanks, one and all. I'm leaving on the 28-day Amazon Explorer in late November. My party of five has confirmed fixed seating, table for six. That was what I had booked on the P-dam's Holiday cruise, and I was traveling solo and placed at a table for eight (although I requested six), and open seating PAX were occasionally placed with us. I have no objection to that on a shorter cruise, but it's curious that that has never happened on other HAL ships I've been on. (And I'm close to having spent 500 days aboard HAL ships.)

It was a first for us as well, but we had such a fun, agreeable table of people, it only added to the convivial atmosphere.

KK

A question for anyone who has been on the Prinsendam very recently: Is open seating still on the periphery, along the windows, in the main section of the Master Dining Room? It was that way over the holidays, and I found that to be curious. Those of us in fixed seating were crowded together in the very center. (I would imagine that the forward dining room on starboard side is still entirely fixing dining.)

We were in fixed seating during our May Baltics cruise on the Prinsendam, though not at a table in the very center. Our table for 8 was in the row between the window tables and the center, and we didn't find it crowded except for the two seats that were against the pony wall separating us from the window tables. We simply took turns sitting in those seats.

What we did find interesting was that there were actually only six of us at the table with fixed seating. The remaining 2 seats were occupied by various open seating passengers throughout the cruise. Some nights those seats remained empty. But the nights they were filled, we had very enjoyable dining companions, a few with whom we'd already made friends earlier in the trip.

KK

Our family was on the Dream and we were not overly impressed with the food. Our previous cruising experiences were on HAL, where the majority of the time the food was excellent.

I've had excellent meals on all four of my HAL cruises as well. I only commented here because I found it interesting that Sarah has cruised the same 3 lines I have and thought DCL's food was the best, while I thought just the opposite. So glad there are so many lines to choose from so each can find their favorites!

KK

I hope the hotel manager on the ship and shoreside were informed?

Lloyd would be so upset at this variation in quality and taste, unless it was just a personal taste difference.

 

ex techie

I was traveling with friends and we all agreed about the so-so food, as well as the ship being way too crowded, especially the dining rooms, for our tastes.

IIRC, we made special note of the things we loved as well as our specific disappointments on our cruise surveys.

KK