helby

Thanks for starting this thread, 1 of 4. As a past Scenic passenger with fond memories of my Budapest to Amsterdam cruise I'll be following you along your journey.

1989 Sky Princess -first cruise

You will also meet people onboard and can arrange to eat with them in the dining room. I've also eaten in the speciality restaurants with people I've met. There are usually a few solo lunches offered in the dining room on sea days on all the cruises I've taken. Going on shore excursions is also a good way to meet others for meals and socializing.

Princess also gives double points and has done so for years.

I booked onboard in early December and my TA for that cruise received the booking info for the future cruise in about 6 weeks.

Here's a photo from 1995 of my first tile from the days when each ship had its own. I stayed in a suite with three other family members, my one and only time in a suite. I remember it being a large room with no added features like what is expected today.

I got a survey on January 12th asking for my opinion about a number of areas on onboard services. I took the opportunity to express my displeasure about the outrageous solo prices in what seems to me to be an attempt to book only double occupancy with an assumed revenue increase, and the policy of sale fares not applying for solo passengers. Like others I haven't booked anything on Celebrity and have been deleting most emails other than the PUP ones. Last year I was on HAL and Princess cruises where sale prices were available and I paid less than double, and where onboard I felt welcome. I will start looking again and thank everyone for their posts.

On my recent K'dam cruise I had included gratuities as a promo and this showed up daily as "Marketing Promo". Perhaps this was an included promo with your booking and did not show as an extra charge to you.

I am quite amazed by the number of replies to my initial informational posting and note that others also have TAs who also passed on the same information. I neglected to say initially that the information was sent by HAL to my TA. Yes, the increase is small and I agree that an increase in crew compensation is a positive thing. I would like to see gratuities included in the fare on the small luxury lines and on many river cruise lines. My experience there is that a high level of service is maintained and crew don't get less because some remove the crew appreciation.

Yes, these charges usually appear after leaving the ship. The last time it happened I sent the photo to HAL(can't remember to whom I sent it) .The charge was reversed. Last month when someone else's drink charges appeared on my account I was able to take care of it right away.

I also do have the mini fridge emptied and then take a photoon the first day after several times when charges were added after I left the ship. As many have said, check your account daily so that the issue can be resolved onboard.

This was included in an email received today from my TA IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM HOLLAND AMERICA LINE Beginning on February 01, 2024, the daily Crew Appreciation fee will be $17 for Inside, Oceanview and Verandah staterooms and $19 for suites. The existing 18% service charge on optional purchases such as dining and drinks will remain unchanged.

Koningsdam also has the library. .

On the Koningsdam Nov 25th cruise there was no classical music.

I can log in and see and do everything except the cruise that ended recently doesn't show in my history and my new booking isn't recognized . On Navigator all the information shows and I wonder when it will appear on my account on the website. The issue is the same on Safari and Chrome.

Got a 150th anniversary tile a few days ago on the Koningsdam Nov 25 to December 5th cruise.

Same on Majestic with part of Concerto being Reserve Class dining. We booked a table for two in the regular area of Concerto, got a great location and waiter the first night and reserved to sit in the same section every day, cancelling on the nights we ate elsewhere.

Last month I bought the internet package onboard Majestic at 50% off. The discounted price was charged at $7.50/day and the other half did not appear on my account at all- so no full amount charged with half as an onboard credit. Other ships may do it differently.

This morning I got one too for a cruise that ended September 26th!!!

Recently on Majestic and saw very few people dining there. In the past we've eaten there a few times each cruise and even though it's the only place for pizza on the ship we won't pay extra for pizza on a cruise and many said they would do without it. Seeing the low use of the restaurant I wonder how many people with packages even ate there.

I also agree. Just off Majestic two days ago and enjoyed the extended midship "obstructed" balcony and convenience of deck 8.

On Majestic right now, and as others have said, it is very easy to change or cancel reservations if your plans change.

Thanks RuthC. We will board in San Diego in November. We'll be on Princess next week with no assigned boarding times, just a time range to board, and I was wondering if the assigned times were enforced on HAL.

I noticed the same thing on an obstructed Balcony on Majestic booked in May for September. The late July "sale" price had more than doubled.

Sailing in 25 days and just got another bid offer which is much lower than previously. We like our balcony location and don't want to risk getting moved. With a past experience to a noisy location we will stay put.