danielsumner

Room Service is served on Rosenthal china and with nice silverware.   Cream and Sugar served in Rosenthal little pitchers and bowels.  Cloth napkins.   Room Service on Holland is awesome.

Buy one or two large bottles of water, then refill with filtered water from the lido deck.  Just fill a glass and pour in bottle till filled.  Takes just a couple minutes a day.

11 hours ago, rhgold53 said:

How did you watch available cabins while waiting for your cruise?  I don't see anywhere on the HAL website where you can monitor the progress of bookings or see which cabins are still available.

HA site will not show all available cabins.  Most TA sites don't either, only about 6 to 10 to chose from.  I found one TA site (I don't book with them, but they show all the specials) that show most if not all available cabins in the categories.  I do a lot of research ( I really enjoy getting the best deal).  To bad cruise critic doesn't have a private message function,  I would send you the information.  My TA is great.  I use several TA sites for research and just one to book.

?? Why only pre 1999?

We leaving on the Nieuw Amsterdam next Sunday.  I've been watch the cam this month.  We are packed except for the hanging clothes and bathroom stuff.  I snagged one of the four cabin on the ship (on upper promenade) that has the 15 foot deep balconies.  So what if some can see part of our balcony from above, I''ll just strut my stuff.  

We booked during Hollands Sale at Thanksgiving for a cruise leaving next week.  We got Tips, Beverage cards and OBC from Hal.  Also a bunch of OBC from our TA.   I had picked a cabin on the spa deck.  I have been watching the available cabins just fun, waiting for our cruise.  A lower cabin came available with a humongous balcony.  I called my TA and asked about the possibility of moving, but not if I was going to lose any of my perks.  Holland was good to us, they kept our perks, moved us to the cabin with the humongous balcony, and wait, wait wait.  They gave us a refund of the difference between the price of the spa cabin and the new location.

I like disposable.  I fold my tags.  Lay them out on the counter and put a strip of packing tape over the top with tape extending over the ends by about 6 or so inches.  Loop around  luggage handles and tape the ends together.  Cut off and trash.

zip ties

Order me a Straight Jacket from Amazon when you order yours.  We leave on the Niew Amsterdam in 13 days.  We never do anything to draw attention to us, we are very reserved.  Some how I am the owner of a couple strings of battery powered Christmas lights, with command strips to hang them.  There are some things that "might be used" to decorate a door that have found their way into the outside pocket of the big suitcase.  Someone please medicate us.

2 minutes ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

She's going to dry-dock in Freeport, Bahamas

That you, Now I now I not losing it.

I'm checking the Porteverglades webcam.  The Koningsdam just left, isn't it a bit early?

I used an Online TA that I always use.  I got to pick a Spa Balcony, Free gratuities, $50 beverage credit and $200 OBC.  I couldn't believe how little I paid.

I booked today.  Goat prepaid gratuities and a bunch of obc

We haven't carried bottled water on board in years. We do take two or three of the sport bottles in our carry on. We bought a five cup brita pitcher. Every night I fill the pitcher and in the morning fill up the sport bottles. Fill the pitcher and bottles as needed. The pitcher was less than 20 bucks, and we have used it for several years.

Check around on the Cruise only agencys online. I looking for November also. There are some Great DEALS to be had. Some are offing a bunch of OBC along with free travel insurance. The base price is also low, not jacked up.

It's not in the wash and fold bag, but for the last few cruises, I bring my dress shirts just folded in my luggage and asked my Room Stewart to have them washed and pressed, they always come back the next morning on hangers, nice and starched just like I requested. It cost no more than the Dry Cleaners at home.

Do you remember the name of the woman at Izumi? When we were there just 2 months prior to you, the Chinese woman who was always there was possibly one of the single best cruise ship employees we had every met. She always recognized us everywhere and would go out of her way to be helpful. Just interesting how 2 months later, your experience in general is so much different than ours.

The woman at the desk was not Asian.

I was on Oasis in Oct of 2016 and I had no issue getting drinks at all. The bars always had bartenders available everywhere I went and at most I waited for 1 or 2 other customers though usually the bartenders were readily available. I don't recall anyone telling bartenders "I have a DRINK PLAN!!!" - as you just hand them your card... Seems maybe you are fluffing up your story a bit?

FYI, I've been on Cruise Critic since 2001. I HAVE NEVER FLUFFED ANYTHING.

Sorry you had the bad experience, I hope it did not ruin the trip as a whole.

 

Oh no, we had a good time, we were on the ocean. We just had to adjust to some things. Example I wanted some sushi rolls to have on the balcony. I walk up/down (don't remember) to lzumi restaurant. I said to the young lady at the desk, I would like to Order Some Sushi to take back to my cabin. She was looking down at her phone, I made my request again. She then looked up, sighed and said "It's easier for me if you just call Room Service" She then look back down at her phone. So from then on out, I just called room service when I wanted something. Need extra towels, just snatch them from a cart in the hallway. Several times we just skipped the MDR. I saved a room service tray. I would walk up the the Lido, fixed us a nice dinner and bring it back to the room. That was good dining on the balcony.

We were on the Oasis in December 2016. We have been to the Caribbean so many time we really don't care what the ports are, Many times we don't even get off the ship. The Oasis, kinda just made me tired. Wait for this, and Wait for that. Things were opened and closed at odd times. You would have for example: Workers in Johnny Rockets uniforms working at the pizza place. It was all a bit strange to us. Trying to get a drink at some of the venues was like pulling teeth. They walk right by you, you have to get up and go to the bar yourself, and then if you are lucky you might get served. I did talk to my Cabin steward about this. He told me that it had a lot to due with the Drink Packages. The servers do get that much of a tip per drink, thus ignore people that a lot of the passengers are very demanding in regards to the packages. Thinking back there was a lot of drinking going on, you couldn't' even get up to the bar sometimes. During the safety drill we were seated at the champagne bar. Some passengers were upset that they couldn't be served drinks during the drill, you could not hear about the drills for them arguing with the bartender, it was like a sea gull feeding frieze. We are people watchers, we sat there and watched as they all Jockeyed for position to get their drinks. I felt sorry for the bar staff. I think I can still close my eyes and hear (I have the DRINK PLAN, I have the DRINK PLAN).

We used to Live in Miami (32 years). Port of Miami was 20 miles and Port Everglades was 40. We cruised a lot. Many times booked on a Wednesday and cruised on Saturday. We now live in South Georgia. We would still drive to Port Everglades, it takes about 8 hours. Then we discovered Port Canaveral. We had cruised most major lines, except for Royal. We went on the Freedom of the seas 3 times. Had a blast. In December we went on Oasis. Had a good time, but not that "We had an Awesome Time) moment. The darn ship is so big, Tons of Passengers, but the not crew to support it. On the Freedom someone was always cleaning something. Never saw anyone doing anything on the Oasis. It started to show during the week. And the dining room. My Time dining was just terrible. There was always a long waits even with reservations. Most times they would walk us to one of the other dining rooms and put us somewhere. Always between First and 2nd seatings. It was awkward, they would be cleaning up, changing table cloths ect while we were trying to eat. We can (reluctantly) drive to Ft. Lauderdale. Question. Is the Allure the same as the Oasis? I know the ships are identical, I'm asking about how things work on-board, Crowds Crew ect) any better or the same. I need a get away.

I never book a cruise more that three months out. I wait till after final payment is due on the cruise. We have been away from Holland for awhile now, tried Royal. Now that there is a ban on smoking on the balcony were are coming back to HAL. For 30 something years we lived in Miami and now South Georgia. Living so close to the ports it is easy to book last minute and get a great Deal (no airfare needed). I still wait to book till close to the sailing date. It's to a point that a Balcony Cabin anywhere on the ship is fine with us. I'm not cheap, I'm frugal. You have to weight the perks against the bottom price for a sailing. Free Drinks, tips ect are nice, but is it worth 500pp more for me to get them? NO. The math doesn't add up. Occasionally it does happen and I get a bargain with the added perks, but not often. Last cruise "Oasis" was a real steal. I find prices all over the place for the same cabin. I have several Web Site TA that I use to search cruises. Two that I will actually book on. One gives me the Occasional perks and the other always free travel insurance. We are going to do an eastern Carr. in November. I have found the same cabin from $699 to $1399 on the sites. The time I want to book there are several cruises (different lines) available. If the one I want isn't good, another one will be.

I like convenience. I like to have a drink on my Balcony. I'm not going to leave my cabin, run up to a bar, get my drink, return to the cabin, sit back down in my Chair on my Balcony only to have a watered down ice melted drink. And what if I want another? I've always taken a couple of small bottles for the room. Only time I've had a issue was when the DW tossed four miniatures into the luggage for me without telling me first. I bet those bottles shined like a flashlight on the x ray. The guy in the naughty room laughed and gave me my bag with the bottles inside and told me to have a nice cruise. I drink good booze. It's a couple of Pint Plastic Bottles with Plastic Caps. Most of the time I bring one unopened back home. If I could purchase a bottle for the room from the cruise ship I wouldn't bring my own.

I am A smuggler, Yes I am, but to be more specific I'm a Cabin/Balcony Smuggler. I buy my drinks whenever I'm out and about anywhere else on the ship, but when I'm in my cabin or on my balcony what is a dude to do. Take a walk to a bar on a different deck anytime I want a drink, call room service and wait and wait and wait, or bring my my own and fix what I want when I want, sit back and relax.

Yes, we pack several hours before we leave.:)

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