CruiserN1

14 hours ago, Crew News said:

I had the fried eggs breakfast and no line two weeks ago at the NY Deli & Pizza.  It is still a secret from most passengers.  Here is the NY Deli & Pizza breakfast menu that i photographed on the Rotterdam showing breakfast at 7:30 AM: 

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

2 hours ago, terrydtx said:

Can we please not turn this long and informative thread on HAL into another 20+ page discussion on Chair Hogs?  There are plenty of those threads in CC already along with dress codes in the dining rooms.😁

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).

7 hours ago, ski ww said:

If only people followed the rules & had some consideration for their fellow cruisers, but chair hogs will always be with us. But paying for a chair will only make a bad situation worse.

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.

1 hour ago, islandwoman said:

Have you noticed the chair hogging on a Carnival Caribbean cruise 🤪

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?

2 hours ago, KroozNut said:

 

Okay, admittedly, the 'endemic since cruising began' reference was a bit hyperbolic. But I do believe that most long term cruisers will agree that the chair/lounger hogging problem has been around for a long time, and unfortunately, the cruise lines have not managed to find a workable solution to solve it yet.

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.

21 minutes ago, KroozNut said:

 

I'll comment only on the lounger hogging question, as it's ALWAYS a hot button topic here on the HAL boards. Chair hogging on cruise ships is endemic, and has been since cruising began. I don't believe the problem varies much from ship to ship, or even from cruise line to cruise line.

But as I mentioned, this is a hot topic, and I'm sure you will hear a variety of opinions on the subject.

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.

1 hour ago, Charlene1985 said:

 I had baby back ribs for dinner and a glass of the Pinot Noir.  I’m not a red wine drinker and after half a glass, I remembered why.  It makes me feel awful.  

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.

1 hour ago, CruiserBruce said:

No discount on any of those items purchased in advance, EXCEPT the Premium WiFi package.

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?

49 minutes ago, Cruise Suzy said:

If you use a TA or PCC, give her/him you Princess number or the dates of at least one cruise.  If you book directly, you probably need to contact the Mariner Society.

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.

19 hours ago, Cruise Suzy said:

HAL will give her 1-star status before her first cruise - this is true for anyone who has taken at least one cruise on any CCL line. Normally one must cruise first to achieve this status. However, she will not be awarded any Mariner days prior to the cruise.

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. 

13 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

Rules/processes might be different for the UK, but in the US,  if you don't book HIA when you book the cruise, HAL will send offers via email, probably more than once. I book through a TA and the offer for HIA was sent directly to me. The going rate is $50 per person per day. 

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

2 minutes ago, jwlane said:

Probably not.

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.

7 hours ago, jagoffee said:

I agree with Jim.  You did not purchase your flights with your United Card.  (I am sure that Celebrity did not use your card to actually purchase the flights). This as always been the case.  

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.