regnig

Bill and Mary Ann many thanks again for taking us along on your adventure. Your posts are one of the highlights of my day! :D

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It's all about courtesy and consideration - something that's usually in short supply on a cruise.

Well perhaps just a tad bit of an exaggeration as most folks I've had the pleasure to sail with were very courteous and considerate. But, yes we do run into those few who still feel "it is all about me". As pointed out by OleSalt the few that sit in the Lido all day long playing cards annoy me to death particular when it is just two people playing cards at a six top table :eek: while others are frantically looking for a place to sit and eat their meal.

Since there is usually a Table Captain (or whatever HAL calls them) in attendance it should be part of their job to direct those "card players" elsewhere during busy meal time.

Reporting in that we did not smell or see anyone smoking anywhere on the Westerdam on our recent cruise. I only went in the Casino one time for just a few minutes.

Good news, perhaps with that information the outcry of "ashtray of the seas" will abate somewhat.

Although none of us have sailed on the Koningsdam yet it is my opinion (:eek:) that all HAL ships have a more refined "intimate" feeling than the Princess ships we have sailed on. Okay that is with the exception perhaps of the old, no longer in the fleet (not the current ones), Princess Crown, Regal or Star. We have never felt like there were crowds on any HAL ship and never have we experienced one that has not been sparkling clean.

I'd wager a bet that you will find no similarities between the two at all.

..............If you read through this thread there is a lot of anecdotal information that smokers are migrating to HAL in large numbers.

How true! I've yet to see personal evidence of that migration although admittedly I don't sail as frequently as many others. Most of the examples of smoke bothering non-smokers seems to be examples of "times passed" and I'm not remembering anyone saying that it has gotten worse in recent times.

I have mixed feelings about this having sailed with Princess quite a bit. I am onboard with the idea as long as it is primarily "under the stars" and doesn't turn into "movies and concerts all day long" as has happened on some Princess cruises....

I feel the same way. The "day time" noise level would wake the dead.

I'm not sure I totally understand some who feel the necessity to be entertained all day/night long. Please don't take that wrong, I'm not being critical, I just don't understand it. :confused:

So if someone is keeping score (Sail ;) ) count me against please.

YEA! :D YEA! :D YEA! :D

Guess I don't have to stock pile tea bags for our next cruise!

Many thanks to HAL for listening.

.....HAL doesn't have belly-flop contests or Quest anymore.

......Neither HAL or Princess has crazy pool games......

Must disagree just a bit. HAL does still have "pool games" held at the Sea View pool. While they don't do belly-flop competition there are several rather humorous (some might call them crazy) competitions between two teams of people. Additionally, also at the Sea View Pool, there will be a music trivia game kind of like "Name that Tune", or Name that Artist or year song was recorded. While some HAL passengers may "be old" :eek: most do not have one foot in the grave. :D

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We are getting a meal at the Pinnacle Grill as a perk, so that will be nice.

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Can you reserve the Pinnacle Grill beforehand? Also, somewhere else I read that you can reserve it near the buffet the first day and that might be faster. We might just try dinner in our room some night--what a great option.

If your dinner in the Pinnacle was a result of Explore4 or the Anniversary Promo you can not make an advanced reservation. HAL will pick that for you and when you first arrive in your stateroom there will be a card with the reservation time awaiting you. If those arrangements are not to your liking you can either call the Pinnacle or drop by their desk and see if you can change the reservation. Several have noted in the past that they were successful in making changes.

Seeing the BB King show at least once is a must!

On HAL, as opposed to most other lines, you get to remain in your stateroom on disembarkation morning until your color/number is called. Additionally you can order room service for that morning.... sure is better than fighting the crowds in the Lido.

If you are in a stateroom other than a suite make certain you locate all the available drawers. There are large ones at the end of each bed and then two under the love seat. Additionally if you have a cube shaped stool at the dressing table the seat comes off offering even more storage space.

The table in front of the love seat raises and lowers by use of the bar under the top.

HAL's laundry service is superb! The "by the bag" ($20-$25) or the "unlimited" at $7 a day is a wonderful way to cut down on packing and allowing you to return home with clean and pressed clothes.

For Pete's sake I wish they would just add it into the cost of the cruise. Heck we the customer is going to pay it one way or the other. I just wish it was up front.

I for one (and am probably alone on this) would really rather that it isn't literally added to the "cruise fare". As someone else pointed out it would then occur taxes... minor as they might be. As it is now we just figuratively add it to our cruise cost and let it be. Guess that means that we put it "up front" all by ourselves.

BUT most importantly to us is that we, and so it seems many others, get a chunk of OBC and that more than takes care of our HSC. If it were added into the fare we'd have all this OBC that we'd either have to spend on something we didn't need/want or just lose it.

Guess there's just no way to make all of us happy all the time. :)

Got my vote!!

Isn't it wonderful when Seattle is wrong!?! :rolleyes:

Been on both.... I would recommend a balcony stateroom on the Noordam, Deck 4. The balcony is 7.5 ft in depth, mostly covered, which will make it larger than the mini-suite balconies on the Coral. Plus the cabin sizes are almost identical since on the Noordam the regular balcony staterooms have a love seat and the bathrooms have a bathtub. No need to pay extra for those things as you would for a Coral mini-suite. The HAL mattresses are the best ever!

One other thing HAL has going for it is the ability to order a room-service breakfast on disembarkation day and then to stay in your stateroom until your color/number is called. A really civil way to end a wonderful cruise.

While I liked the Coral very much I'd choose the Noordam in a heart beat!

Every time we have "cruised Soufriere Bay" there has been someone providing information over the loud speaker system giving geographic information about the Pitons and some history about the inhabitants of the area along with pointing out the very expensive resort on the hillside.

Wonderful, non-biased review. Those of us who have followed your previous posts expected nothing less. Looking forward to more.

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. AND yes I iron -- a calming and fulfilling chore that brings me secret pleasure and allows my grown daughters a reason to roll their eyes and shake their heads:p

OMG!!! Barbara please send me your address and I'll see to it that you are mailed weeks and weeks of "secret pleasure"! :p:D;)

Barb (formally of St. Marys Co, MD)

We always purchase the unlimited laundry and never the ironing/pressing service. We always mark our sheets for items to be hung. When returned there are some items, underwear or pjs, that come back folded, wrapped in tissue and placed in a basket while everything else comes back on hangers and they are pressed or ironed. In some cases better than I would have done so at home. Even my husband's printed T-shirts are returned ironed.... trust me I don't do that at home. :o

I really think too many in Seattle just don't have a clue. Either that or it varies ship to ship.

I would suggest you do not buy the "pressing" in advance and if once on board you are not happy with the returned items then go ahead and order the service.

Same problem here. I get at least one, sometimes two Oceania brochures each week. I have never cruised with them and likely never will. Once I stepped foot on a HAL ship I stopped getting brochures (and I have checked to make sure I did not ask for "no mailings".:confused:

DITTO!!! :mad:

Are your answers the same for the Westerdam? Same layout?

The Signature Ships are a bit different from the Vista Class, mainly on Deck 5.

The Port and Starboard standard Veranda/Balcony on the Vista Class (of which the Westerdam is) ships are mostly the same size 6 ft. deep by 9 ft. wide. The aft/stern verandas are deeper and vary depending on deck.

The exceptions to the 6 ft. depth are as follows:

Port and Starboard Veranda staterooms on Deck 4, Upper Promenade, are 7.5 ft. in depth.

Port Staterooms on Deck 5, Veranda, 5056 through 5138 and Starboard Staterooms 5053 through 5135 are only 4.5 ft. deep.

The Port and Starboard standard Veranda/Balcony are mostly the same size 6 ft. deep by 9 ft. wide. The aft/stern verandas are deeper and vary depending on deck.

The exceptions to the 6 ft. depth are as follows:

Port and Starboard Veranda staterooms on Deck 4, Upper Promenade, are 7.5 ft. in depth.

Forward Port Veranda Staterooms on Deck 5, 5004 through 5052 and Starboard 5003 through 5049 along with Aft Port Veranda Staterooms 5142 through 5182 and Starboard 5137 through 5183 are only 4.5 ft. deep.

These depths and widths only apply to standard Veranda/Balcony staterooms .... NOT suites.

See post #11

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2243213&highlight=anniversary+sale

And on HAL you can order room service for the morning of disembarkation. Since you don't have to vacate you cabin until your color/number is called it makes for such a pleasant way to start a sad day.

Sure sounds like your TA's contact person has never been on a HAL ship. :eek::eek:

Shouldn't that be a job requirement?????

The Port and Starboard standard Veranda/Balcony on the Vista Class ships are mostly the same size 6 ft. deep by 9 ft. wide. The aft/stern verandas are deeper and vary depending on deck.

The exceptions to the 6 ft. depth are as follows:

Port and Starboard Veranda staterooms on Deck 4, Upper Promenade, are 7.5 ft. in depth.

Port Staterooms on Deck 5, Veranda, 5056 through 5138 and Starboard Staterooms 5053 through 5135 are only 4.5 ft. deep.

I do believe the same holds true on the Signature ships.