Just for Us/Renewal of Vows My Experience

[scopewest]

Since this was the year of our 20th wedding anniversary, I decided to "surprise" my husband with the ROV ceremony. We also decided to get the Just for Us package as it guaranteed us a table for 2. I did this on our Oosterdam 12/26 cruise:

 

We arrived at our cabin to find a dozen roses and Mumm champagne in a cooler, along with a letter telling us what to expect in terms of goodies. What the letter didn't say is that you get little gift card vouchers which you turn in to the Pinnacle, photographers, etc. who apply the credit to their charges so your bill balances out. At the end of all this, our bill did balance out and there were no problems with the money end. But those damn vouchers were a PITA, esp. the Pinnacle ones, as they said dinner for ONE and spelled it "dinning." We had to get the front office to change it both times.

 

Also on our bed was a silver frame that said "dam memories" on the top. Very nice.

 

That night at dinner, the headwaiter (?) came by and asked when we wanted the high tea and chocolate extravaganza in our stateroom. Being idiots we said both on the same day. The high tea was very elegant and I'm sure it's the same tea the suites get. The problem is the chocolate extravaganza was the exact same items as the high tea minus sandwiches. What chocolate are they talking about?? This was disappointing but both arrived from room service at the appointed time. The chocolates also came with another bottle of champage.

 

I've already mentioned the massage part of the package in my other review. Not worth the money.

 

On formal night we got a box of chocolates, the same kind they sell for $7 in the shop. Brought it home unopened, we had enough to eat as it was.

 

We used the photo credit and had no trouble. In fact the photographers were extremely nice as you'll see by my ROV comments.

 

Ate at the Pinnacle (also discussed in other review) and found out they'd give you a cake and a glass of champagne if you said it was your birthday or anniversary. They gave us the cake but no champagne.

 

The two bathrobes were neatly packaged so we could throw them in our suitcase and take them home. We were given robes to use throughout the cruise so we didn't open the new ones.

 

Now the major problem with this package IMO and that's the guaranteed table. We got to our room and found our table number. We snuck into the dining room and found our table...for four. Luckily they had just started the see the maitre 'd if you have table problems, and we went and saw him. He switched us from 5:45 p.m.to 6:15 p.m. and gave us that great table in the rear. My husband was annoyed that we even had to ask for this since this was guaranteed. He also got the impression the m'd didn't care that we had the package, he just gave us the table because we asked early enough to switch.

 

We did get our table, we did get everything in the package, but why did we feel like we were pulling teeth to get it??

 

As for the ROV package, the ceremony with the captain was just as everyone said. I almost cried when repeating the vows. I almost cried too because we almost missed the ceremony due to HAL.

 

We also had in our stateroom another bottle of champage from the ROV package, plus a photo frame for the picture, and a letter saying we'd be told when the ROV was. Our ROV voucher said this was a gift from the girls who wanted us to remember Haiti. Say WHAT?? This was a gift from me to my husband! I didn't bother to point this out to HAL. Perhaps I should have said something to the other couples at the ceremony.

 

We never got a letter saying when the ceremony was. I asked the photographer who told me. The night before I asked the front desk and they told me but stupid me, I didn't remind them I was to be a part of it.

 

We arrived at the ceremony only to find there was no certificate for us and they didn't have us listed as even belonging there. I guess they figured anyone who showed up for this must have bought it because they let us in and the captain did the honors. The asst. cruise director (one of many) talked to us and apologized and said she'd tell the ROV person (who never got back to us).

 

We were told our photo/certificate album would show up the next night. When we didn't receive anything by 8 p.m. (we're leaving the next day) I asked the front desk who claimed the ROV people were working on it. At 10 p.m. the same asst. cd showed up with our album. I glanced through it very fast and didn't see our photo. At that point I went crazy and ran downstairs to the photo people who told us the photos had all been delivered but there were some "extra" photos over there. The extra photos turned out to be the second photo the guy took of us. I found ours, told the guy I wanted to buy it, and he insisted that I just take it as "it should be a part of the package."

 

I went back upstairs to put it in the album...and found the captain photo. In my haste I jumped right over it. But I'm glad I did because I wouldn't have known to look for the second photo.

 

Meanwhile we now had two bottles of champagne left over (we drank one of the three we got) which I really didn't want. I brought them down to the front desk and they credited my account for them. It was interesting to see that one of the bottles was the same champagne they used for NYEve.

 

Did we get everything that was a part of the package? Yes we did. But again, why did we have to fight for it?

 

Did it ruin our cruise? No. Just made us think twice about buying another package. And yes I did mention it on the comment card.

[ekerr19]

Boy, it sounds like HAL dropped the ball in your case. :(

 

It is nice to see that it didn't affect your joy of the special occassion, but it sounds like they couldn't have done things much worse.

 

I'm glad all was ok in the end.

[AirGorilla]

Congrats!! That is a wonderful milestone. Wishing you many more!

 

We have done the ROV twice:

(a) On HAL for our 5th,

(b) On Crystal for our 10th.

 

If you get a chance, try it on Crystal sometime. It is YOUR ROV, not a group exercise. It was hosted by the Captain and Cruise Director. We had a string combo playing music, and invited a few new Crystal Buddies, and had cake and a couple bottles or champagne. It was truly a festive occasion.

 

We're planning to do the ROV for our 15th this summer on the Crystal Symphony.

 

Happy sailing!

[Whiskeyman]

Thanks for taking the time to post your review.

I have a ROV ceremony for the wife and I set for our cruise and am looking forward to it. I haven't read alot about the ROV ceremony on here and yours helped.

Hopefully we won't have to jump thru the hoops like you did. What a bummer.

Heres wishing you and yours many funfilled years together....:)

[bepsf]

Congrats on your ROV!

 

 

I agree - you shouldn't have had to work so hard for it, and some of the niceties (suite tea and chocolate) should have been better explained to you so you could have made better informed choices.

[dakrewser]

Sadly, this just seems to be more evidence of the declining level of service on HAL ships. Glad you could "roll with it" and enjoy the cruise anyway.

 

 

Not that this wil lhelp you, but perhaps for others reading - just because your table is a "4-top" doesn't mean you'll be seated with 2 other people. The table is used for two seatings and may be for 4 at one and for 2 at the other. This is how our table was on the Volendam in Oct. '03 - a 4-top, but set for 2. It was very nice having the extra room on the table!

[LAFFNVEGAS]

As for the ROV package, the ceremony with the captain was just as everyone said. I almost cried when repeating the vows. I almost cried too because we almost missed the ceremony due to HAL.

scopewest, first off congratulations on your 20th wedding anniversery. That is too bad that it did not go as well as you had wanted. There definitely does sound like HAL needs some improvement in this area.

 

You mentioned that you almost cried when repeating the vows. This is probably the number one reason I have not done this yet. I would love to do this but I am sure even my DH might even have a tear in his eye for joy. This coming March we will be married 28 years and I had thought about doing this for our Westerdam cruise but maybe I will wait till our 30th. I just fear I would be a blubbering idiot.

[scopewest]

LAFFNVEGAS: The captain had a box of tissues next to him in case someone cried. I must admit I was taking it lightly, ha ha, we're renewing our vows, but when I saw DH looking at me and repeating the vows that's when I choked up! It was truly a special moment and I want to do it again for our 25th.

 

Dakrewser: We asked the m'd if we were alone at the table for four, and he said no, another couple was with us. Otherwise we would have happily stayed at the larger table.

 

Everyone: I'd love to do this again on my 25th. If you can do it, go for it!

[scopewest]

Whiskeyman: Forgot to tell you that there's some snacks and champagne before and after the ceremony, and the captain spent some time with everyone chatting.

 

Now here's the wild part: On HMC I went to a bar to buy a water bottle, and the server behind the counter asked me if I did the ROV ceremony the night before. I said yes and he said he was the waiter that night!! I commend HAL for the way the staff really tries to remember who you are.

[LindaKE]

What is the Just for Us package?

[Ziggy7]

scopewest,

So sorry HAL dropped the ball on you on this one, I know how special this event was to you as we did it on our 28th. We did feel as though we had to pull some teeth then to get what we paid for, I hope HAL reads these boards and see that this is an area they need to improve on, especially because its a paid for package! Ans a very emotional one at that! Congratulations on your 20 years and here's to many more! :)

[scopewest]

LindaKE: Just for Us is the romance package that gives you a guaranteed table for two, a high tea, chocolate extravaganze, two bathrobes for you to keep, roses and champagne on boarding, champagne with the chocolate ex, a box of chocolates in your cabin one night, and two 25-minute massages. We did this primarily for the table for two as we've never been able to get one and wanted to make sure we got it. As I said, we finally got it.

Ziggy7: Thank you for saying you also had to jump through hoops to make it happen. I agree, it's not like there's 200 people doing it on every cruise so oops we got lost in the shuffle!! But hey, maybe I'll try again for our 25th!