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Guess I'm a new-bee as our 1st cruise was in 1991

Just now I was attempting to check fares for cruises to Panama Canal and Caribbean for March 2025. All of the cruises show UNAVAILABLE. Anyone else encountered this?

Kathi myself, my best friend and my daughter will be on this cruise too. I'll actually be on the Rotterdam for 28 days doing a B2B2B.  I'm hoping at some point to get to meet you as I have always enjoyed your thoughtful and knowledgeable posts here on CC. So far the weather in FLL looks wonderful.

Agree with what @mgtravelsalot said about the main dining room as you should not have any  problem being seated at a shared table. If you do CO or one of the specialty restaurants probably not so much so.

1 hour ago, HappyInVan said:

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The other concern is motivation. The ship can censure and terminate unsatisfactory performance. It also needs to positively motivate hotel staff to be at their best. 

HAL already does that. I know from experience on my last cruise that when praise for an employee is provided management that employee with be provided with a monetary award.

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We do praise employees in our post-cruise survey. Do they receive a monetary award from HAL? Or, would our service heroes prefer something more tangible from their clients?

I'm pretty sure a monetary award is more than satisfactory with employees. Additionally, good customer reviews lead to promotions. What else do you think "service heroes prefer"???

 

Were you under the impression that those of us who gave additional tips did not also provide praise for the wonderful service we were provided? If so, not true!

11 minutes ago, HappyInVan said:

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How many here will add an additional tip to deserving staff on top of the automatic service charge? ................................ 

 

 

@HappyInVan if you are going to keep score, count me as one!  I have in the past and will continue in the future to leave the auto tips in place and then tip extra to the deserving.

Along with what @Haljo1935 stated you can always take advantage of price reductions afterwards. We almost always book close to a year in advance and have never regretted it. 

Oh Kathi your news is just WONDERFUL!  It takes a bit of time to regain one's strength after all you have been through. Keep following doctor's orders and given time you will feel better and better and a cruise is just the right medicine for you.

 @kwhear435 Any new information? We'd love this story to have a happy ending.

Anyone know if the Rotterdam doors are magnetic? You'd think I'd know since I spend 21 days on her last year but at that time I didn't care.

Two more questions then:

1-What happens if one doesn't have a have a smart phone with them? 

2-Does this mean one has to take their phone on tour with them?

Is HAL still providing paper Tour Tickets that are delivered to one's stateroom?

TIA

Really miss the Snickers cake! 😕

Hey Mary Ann & Bill if you would be so kind as to face north and blow real hard those of us landlocked in the states would appreciate some of the warm weather you are experiencing, 🤭

I surely do not want to seem rude or insult anyone, but folks we are talking about $1 a day here. Okay if there are two people in a stateroom it is $2 a day. Neither amount is going to make or break anyone with enough resources to take a cruise. I consider the situation similar to Port Charges. If they go up after booking one pays the additional cost and if they go down HAL refunds the difference.  I'm certainly not going to spend my time, worth far more than $1 a day, worrying about this. 

Well darn it all folks, I thought I was the only one who applied the "everything that goes up will come back down" theory.  😲

@Tom O. I'm delighted to hear you really enjoyed your cruise. 

4 hours ago, Crew News said:

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BEWARE:  Every item of returned laundry on hangers will have a very stiff and scratchy piece of laundry tape.  Find and pull the tape off before placing clothing in your closet.  Take note of the locations of the tags as they should be found in the same spot on future returned items.  Failure to remove the laundry tags might put you in an irritated skin condition and perhaps not in a convenient setting to remove the offending tag.

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But if I remove all those tags while on the ship I would no longer have the opportunity months later to be reminded of my wonderful cruise.  😵

Oh yes! Last year on the Rotterdam there were a couple of folks from Texas who started their day with "morning" cocktails and continued all day long. On fellow normally started ordering doubles shortly after noon. The bar servers kept him advised of his free drink numbers but when that reached 15 he just told them to bill him. This was an 11 day cruise and I don't believe he ever got off the ship. When he wasn't in the casino he was at the Sea View pool, no he didn't smoke but his wife did. Two days before we got back to Ft Lauderdale he went down to the CR desk to check his account. When he came back he announced to all within hearing distance that his balance was $6000. YIKES

The results from a bit of research indicate that the current hair dryer is a Jerdon ProVersa 1600 Watt Hand Held Turbo Hair Dryer.

If you look at the deck plan for the Nieuw Statendam you will see on Deck 2 opposite the forward most elevators you will see an unlabeled room just past the Rolling Stone Rock Room. That is the new, and wonderful library. 

1 hour ago, broberts said:

 

Perhaps they have to clear CBP separately. Hopefully the owners have the appropriate documentation and the animals do not need quarantine.

 

Well in my opinion it would serve those ladies right if the dogs were put into quarantine and it cost the owner(s) lots of money to get them out. To dup HAL into allowing those animals aboard is a crime. The dogs did nothing wrong (most untrained dogs will bark at times) but the owner(s) were less than truthful about their "service" qualifications.  If one chooses not to find care for their pet or cannot afford it then they should find some other type of vacation to take.  Off my soap box now.....

10 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said:

Where are the dogs this morning? They are not in the bag, at least it didn't look like they were.

Maybe they were forced to disembark in Ensenada. 😁

Agree with Real NHDOC! A simple refund wouldn't make me a happy cruiser. 😕

1 hour ago, Ka Honu said:

I don't think I want to know how you found that out.

 

Jus' sayin'...

It is a fact and common knowledge. That is why those folks that cut away each and every bit to the fat can find their steak lacks all of it's flavor. 

So many thanks for taking us along with you on your adventures. The pictures have been wonderful. Only question I have is "when do you sleep"??? 

Anxious to read the last "dog chapters"?

Safe trip home.