CruiserN1

Thanks for the tip. I love breakfast sandwiches. Are the bagels NY style or more like the kind you'd get at the supermarket?

Wasn't intending to, though I think identifying possible solutions (other than people being more considerate of others) is worthwhile.

Does the Dutch Cafe have coffee flavorings to add? Like vanilla syrup for a vanilla latte? Husband is an early riser and brings a vanilla latte and pastry back to the cabin for me to enjoy when I wake up (he's a keeper).

Seems like the logical alternate to paying to reserve a chair is for the cruise lines to pay an attendent to monitor the situation and remove belongings from chairs with no occupants for an hour. On Celebrity, there is a pool attendant who will do so if asked. It would be better if they monitored the situation and did it automatically.

Have never sailed Carnival and never would.

Are there water bottle filling stations around the ship or do I have to fill my bottle with glasses of water from the Lido?

Yes, it was a huge problem on our past Princess and Celebrity cruises (except Alaska of course). I guess I was hoping maybe the HAL crowd was better behaved. I do think paying to reserve a lounger is an idea worth considering---more than just the HAL cabanas/retreat area.

Thanks for the comment, not sure it was endemic since cruising began. I cruised with my parents from NYC to Bermuda in the 1980s when I was in high school. I don't recall the line we sailed but pretty sure it no longer exists. Back then, if you so desired you paid a fee and reserved a specific lounge chair for the cruise (they were all numbered). You could pick shade or sun and proximity to the pool. I don't recall the cost but my dad was a frugal man and he paid it for me and my mom without complaint. I'm not sure why the modern cruise lines haven't figured out that this is a money making opportunity. I'd pay $10/day for a guaranteed lounger in the shade.

New to HAL, sailing on Rotterdam in March, a few questions: At Tamarind, can I order several appetizers instead of an app and main without additional charge? Are discounts offered on specialty restaurants once onboard if they aren't fully booked? Are there loungers in the shade by the Sea View pool? I like to be outdoors but can't take full sun. Related question, is lounger-hogging a big problem on Rotterdam? (by this I mean putting a hat or book and towel on a lounger early in the morning and not showing up until many hours later. Thanks!

I am so sorry that your lake house was destroyed. What a terrible way to end a vacation. Thanks for this thread, it was so helpful.

Red wine makes me feel awful also. It took years, but I finally found out why. I'm allergic to sulfites. They are also present to a lesser extent in white wine and in most hard ciders and beer (used as a preservative). Just FYI in case it helps.

I'm moreso wondering if there are discounts/benefits to purchasing on board, especially for the thermal suite and specialty restaurants.

First time HAL cruiser, going mid-March, 11 nights on Rotterdam. We're wondering which of the following are cheaper/better to purchase before the cruise vs. onboard: Thermal suite pass Internet package Specialty restaurant reservations

Coming up on our first HAL cruise in March and wondering if they provide a medical sharps container for disposal of insulin needles. We have mostly sailed Celebrity in the past and was able to email the special needs department to request one for our stateroom. I'm wondering if anyone knows if I can do the same for this cruise?

Maybe I already have 1 star and didn't realize it. When I login to HAL this is what it shows. Is the star below 0 credits the 1 star indicator?

Thanks for your review. Sailing on our first HAL cruise in March on Rotterdam.

I didn't know this. We've cruised on Princess a few times. How do I go about requesting the 1 star status on HAL?

i went to the Galapagos on Celebrity a year ago. It was so incredible, we're saving up for another trip. If you are interested in wildlife at all, you will love it. It's like snorkeling in an aquarium, there are so many fish. Everything is pristine because of the environmental regulations.

I noticed that the HIA package is "Available for most fare types" according to the HAL website. But the T&C's don't specify which fare types are exclued. Anyone know?

Ship: Summit (revolutionized) CABIN #: 8095 DECK #: 8 CLASS: Concierge AREA: Midship Port BED NEAR: Bathroom QUIET?: Yes, very BALCONY VIEW: Not obstructed BALCONY SIZE: Standard WIND A PROBLEM?: No SOOT A PROBLEM?: No PROBLEMS/COMMENTS: Location was great, easy to get up to Oceanview on 10 and down to Cafe on 5. Sorry I didn't get a photo of the balcony. There wasn't anything special about it compared to standard Concierge Class balconies.

Ship: Summit Length of Cruise: 7 days Cruise Sail Date: July 3, 2022 Date email offer received: April 19, 2022 Captain’s Club Tier: Classic Booked through Celebrity Direct OR via TA: TA Current Cabin: OV Bid? Yes/No: Yes If YES - Bidding Details: Cabin Category: Concierge Bid Offer: $450pp Notification Date: June 24, 2022 Accepted / Rejected Accepted

Not with United. I booked with my FF number and it didn't work. It used to work, but I guess United is getting money grubby.

No, it has not always been the case. I've booked through channels other than United multiple times in years past and also have booked through United and used other credit cards in the past and always got a free checked bag. It used to be linked to the FF number, like Delta and American does. United is getting worse and worse. I'm going to tell Chase to cancel my card as it's useless to pay $99/year and only be able to book through United.

It just says "when purchased with your United card" not "directly through United."

I booked through FBC using my United Mileage Plus card thinking that I would get the usual free checked bag for myself and spouse. I just checked on my flight (which is in 2 weeks) and it's showing we have to pay $30/each for the first checked bag. I messaged UA on Twitter and was told that FBC bought the tickets and I paid Celebrity, not UA, using my MP Visa, so no free bags. It seems that they are now saying you only get a free checked bag if you book directly with United. I thought I'd post this to warn others.