esimon

Great to hear all of this -- We will definitely be using it this cruise if only for coffee and juice before breakfast. Exciting!!!!!!!!!!1

Info please on breakfast room service

My last HAL cruise I found the breakfast room service to be not really reliable - out of 7 days maybe 3 days we got coffee or breakfast when requested -- Once not at all before our excursion

Currently what have you all found to be the case

can't imagine cruising without a balcony but that is personal preference. Our first cruise was inside with window and we did fine but after the first balcony don't think I'd go with out one.

Same here - far too weak, no taste. In fact, we call it StarMucks. The people who drink it are generally not true coffee drinkers:cool:

Or maybe the people that are not true coffee snobs

love the perfectionists on these board -- you have to be able to stand on the coffee for it to be good and the dinner is never served fast enough and the wine must cost 50 bucks a bottle to be drinkable

so glad I have low standards -- makes my cruise that much more enjoyable - bring coffee to my door every morning and I'm pretty sure I'm gonna like it.

:eek::D just sayin

It is never $50 a day. Explore4 offers either a $50 beverage card for the entire cruise (Caribbean itineraries) or the Signature Beverage Package (Europe, Alaska itineraries) that would otherwise cost $50 per day and allows for a maximum of 15 drinks per day as long as each drink is $7 or less. Bottled water can be purchased under either program.

Well -- we are cruising Alaska in a month. We have an 'explore 4' package which gives us a drink card that bases on the above info gives us a SBP of 50 a day or 15 drinks - seems like lots but also seems nice --

thanks for the info

clarification please I know this has been asked and answered but.....

50 per person --- total? or per day

water included???

thanks

so this is an onboard adventure -- we get to view the glaciers from the ship -- is that correct

Regent Seven Seas was absolutely amazing - ALL inclusive and completely service oriented - We did the Mediterainian 10 with them and it was a fairly tail --

We love HAL also but this was a notch above. Have never done a suite on HAL so can't speak to that

cruised on HAL twice and third to come -- 2nd cruise did an excursion with a newly married couple - 20 something and had a great time -- we were mid 50's at the time and they didn't seem to mind LOL Have never seen a walker and I'm not just saying that. 1st cruise a great friend we made had a motorized wheel chair - and party till well after our 11 oclock meeting for pizza - I wouldn't worry too much.

"Perhaps the real problem is that the cruise lines are trying to stay one step ahead of the passengers and the reality is that for every rule they come up with, we can all come up with a way to get around it."

Isn't it sad that people think they do not need to follow rules -- speaks to the world we live in today

sounds like a great idea but I don't get a tax refund LOL

I'm actually at the end of booking activities for my 14 day Alaska cruise with 8 days of port time. Since it will be my second time in Alaska, I am more knowledgeable now compared to my first visit and knew which tours are great to book like the PWS cruises, Glacier Point Wilderness Safari, Takshanuk Mountain 4X4 Trail, Misty Fjords explorer..booking many top rated tours esp for 8 days of shore time is not cheap. So some places like Mendenhall and Mt Roberts are better on my own so I have more free time to explore the various trails like the Nugget falls trail, might also opt to do Icy Strait on my own for a scenic leisurely walk to Hoonah.

 

What's left for me is the 2nd stop at Ketchikan which is the last stop for my B2B cruise, one option for me is just to do on my own walking tour to creek street, salmon ladder, married man's trail, the Fernicular, Dolly's and possibly take the bus to the Totem park.. or spend more and book another tour.

 

But what intrigues me is why is the Bering Sea Crab is so popular that it can demand a very high price? I chose Wilderness Exploration and Crab feast over this on my last Ketchikan visit and I knew I chose wisely because it is not only cheaper but it includes all you can eat crabs.

 

And now that I have done the crab feast, I am wondering how come this Bearing Crab tour commands a high price and yet they don't have a crab feast included with the show.

 

Sure, it has premium if you are a deadliest catch fan... but what if you are not?

 

They have good reviews at Tripadvisor but I can filter to see only the bad reviews.. seems like everything is staged, the crabs are already trapped in the pods waiting to be pulled out, and the bald eagles are just waiting to be fed that's why they are there.

 

So how come they charge high? It is ok at that price if they include a crab feast after the show.. or lower the price to be at par with other shows like the Alaskan Lumberjack..

 

Can someone convince me if it is really worthwhile to take this tour if I'm not a deadliest catch fan even at that high price?

 

As I still can't figure out why this tour is so popular and sells out fast even if they charge high.

sorry -- seems a little like a winny whiner to me - you don't have to go on it if it bothers you so much

so upgrade offers come from Holland? thru a TA? or directly to the passenger?

We leave on the Oosterdam on 5/25 and got our express docs yesterday !!!!!:)

but.... you don't pay for room service so I guess I'm confused???

room service brings hot water -

thanks for all the input -- do you need a car or is public trans available?

we end our trip in Fairbanks and the airlines have messed with our timing big time. We have to check out and spend the day in Fairbanks before an evening flight. Would love to know how to spend our time since we have no where to go. Hotel will hold our bags but we will be 'homeless' for the day.

anyone used this package yet? would love to know what you liked or didn't like about it -- we have it for an inside passage in May

I don't see lots of references to this ship - Just curious about insights from those of you who have sailed on her. We are doing Alaska in May and would like any input about the ship itself

travel insurance -- yes or no

what does solo have to do with it?

room service is part of what I pay and go on a cruise for

Love starting my day with juice and coffee before heading out to breakfast

What do you all like to do in Fairbanks on last day before flying out at night - We need to keep busy for about 5 or 6 hours

HAL is running too many programs with features and limits.

Thus confusing people.

maybe people should look at what is offered on their cruise and there won't be so much confusion

I agree with most of what was said.

We had no 'floaters' on our ride but the guide said to stay apart from the other

horses as the 'nip' of course my horse moved right over in between two horses. made me very nervous but had no issues. I found it was exciting and scary at the same time. I would do it again.