Happy Hour times on the Vista and Signature Class ships

[rkacruiser]

I am interested in learning what the current Happy Hour times are for the Zuiderdam, Westerdam, Oosterdam, Eurodam, and Nieuw Amsterdam.

 

On the Noordam this January, Happy Hour was daily from 4:00-5:00 P.M. in the Ocean Bar and Crow's Nest; once in awhile, extended to 6:00 P.M. in the Ocean Bar. In the Northern Lights, the time was 10:00-11:00 P.M.

 

Thanks for your reply to my question.

[POA1]

You probably won't know until you are actually on the ship. We were on the Nieuw Amsterdam from 11/16 - 11/23. We were also on from 11/30 - 12/13. The Happy Hour times changed a little each week.

 

Generally speaking, there's an evening happy hour in several bars and a late night happy hour, often in the disco or sports/casino bar.

[rkacruiser]

You probably won't know until you are actually on the ship. We were on the Nieuw Amsterdam from 11/16 - 11/23. We were also on from 11/30 - 12/13. The Happy Hour times changed a little each week.

 

Generally speaking, there's an evening happy hour in several bars and a late night happy hour, often in the disco or sports/casino bar.

 

Thank you for your reply.

 

So, who determines the times of the Happy Hour? The vessel's Hotel Director, the vessel's Bar Manager, or the Seattle executive in charge of such functions? On the Noordam, I got different answers from different bartenders. And, :(, never was able to meet with the Bar Manager in order to get this question answered.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I really don't know who makes the decision about when Happy Hour will be.

I do know that on our cruises the last couple of years, Happy Hour was from 4 - 5. And they were all Vista and Signature ships. A couple of times on one ship there was a Happy Hour in the Casino from 11 - midnight.

All you can do is just check the On Location each day to see the time and place of the Happy Hours.

[rkacruiser]

Thank you for your reply.

 

So, who determines the times of the Happy Hour? The vessel's Hotel Director, the vessel's Bar Manager, or the Seattle executive in charge of such functions? On the Noordam, I got different answers from different bartenders. And, :(, never was able to meet with the Bar Manager in order to get this question answered.

 

I really would like an answer to this question, if at all possible.

 

I tried to determine this when I was aboard the Noordam and ended up being, in my opinion, insulted by the Assistant Bar Manager because I asked the question.

 

Before I contact Mr. Ashford and the Mariner Society Director, I would like to have my facts straight.

[billbunger]

For heavens sake!

[AlFrank]

I really would like an answer to this question, if at all possible.

 

I tried to determine this when I was aboard the Noordam and ended up being, in my opinion, insulted by the Assistant Bar Manager because I asked the question.

 

Before I contact Mr. Ashford and the Mariner Society Director, I would like to have my facts straight.

It's usually posted somewhere on the daily activity sheet you get the night before in your cabin. Check that

[boards]

[quote=) For heavens sake - why ??? you can find it out in the daily programme -For heavens sake

[rkacruiser]

I guess I have not been direct enough, clear enough in trying to learn the specific information that I am trying to obtain.

 

My question: Who determines the Happy Hour times aboard a HAL vessel? Is it someone on the vessel? If so, who? Is it someone in Corporate Office in Seattle? If so, who?(Name not needed; position is sufficient.)

 

I am well aware that the ship's Happy Hour times are posted in the "On Location" pamphlet. I can read and I do read such information. (This is where I felt insulted by my conversation with the Assistant Bar Manager on the Noordam; she assumed that I had not read the "On Location" pamphlet and did not know the times. And she assumed this in spite of what I had written on the Comment Card; I had indicated that I knew there were Happy Hour times.)

 

If you are able to answer my question, I would appreciate it and thank you very much.

[POA1]

I guess I have not been direct enough, clear enough in trying to learn the specific information that I am trying to obtain.

 

My question: Who determines the Happy Hour times aboard a HAL vessel? Is it someone on the vessel? If so, who? Is it someone in Corporate Office in Seattle? If so, who?(Name not needed; position is sufficient.)

 

I am well aware that the ship's Happy Hour times are posted in the "On Location" pamphlet. I can read and I do read such information. (This is where I felt insulted by my conversation with the Assistant Bar Manager on the Noordam; she assumed that I had not read the "On Location" pamphlet and did not know the times. And she assumed this in spite of what I had written on the Comment Card; I had indicated that I knew there were Happy Hour times.)

 

If you are able to answer my question, I would appreciate it and thank you very much.

 

We asked on the Nieuw Amsterdam, where we had two cruises at the end of 2014. They ran a "Happy 15 Minutes" some nights and we were curious as to what determined when and where it was being held.

 

We were told that it's between the Cruise Director, Bar Manager, and Hotel Manager. Apparently there's a standard schedule, but it is modified to drive demand. Our source was two of the bartenders on the ship.

 

I don't know if that's authoritative enough for you, or not. We just asked, "So, who makes the Happy Hour schedule?"

[rkacruiser]

We asked on the Nieuw Amsterdam, where we had two cruises at the end of 2014. They ran a "Happy 15 Minutes" some nights and we were curious as to what determined when and where it was being held.

 

We were told that it's between the Cruise Director, Bar Manager, and Hotel Manager. Apparently there's a standard schedule, but it is modified to drive demand. Our source was two of the bartenders on the ship.

 

I don't know if that's authoritative enough for you, or not. We just asked, "So, who makes the Happy Hour schedule?"

 

POA1, many thanks for your reply! A "Happy 15 Minutes"? That is stupid, in my opinion. I am impressed that you were able to get a straight, consistent answer to your question.

 

As I suspected, this Happy Hour schedule is "ship specific". And, at least for me and other 4 Star Mariners, the current Noordam Senior Management team is less than guest friendly, with the Happy Hour offerings just one of other situations that I encountered that differed from what I have enjoyed in the past as well as what other 4 Star Mariners should have received on these two cruises. And, that opinion is based upon my several previous HAL cruise experiences. (A CC review has been written; look for it.)

Edited February 10, 2015 by rkacruiser

[POA1]

POA1, many thanks for your reply! A "Happy 15 Minutes"? That is stupid, in my opinion. I am impressed that you were able to get a straight, consistent answer to your question.

 

As I suspected, this Happy Hour schedule is "ship specific". And, at least for me and other 4 Star Mariners, the current Noordam Senior Management team is less than guest friendly, with the Happy Hour offerings just one of other situations that I encountered that differed from what I have enjoyed in the past as well as what other 4 Star Mariners should have received on these two cruises. And, that opinion is based upon my several previous HAL cruise experiences. (A CC review has been written; look for it.)

 

The "Happy 15 Minutes" is anything but stupid. Here's why it's mutually beneficial - and pretty darn sweet:

 

• They were held during the breaks between sets of B.B. King or at the Piano Bar.
  
• It benefits the ship and the employees because it keeps the guests in place, ordering drinks, at a time when they would normally toddle off to some other place on the ship.
  
• It benefits the guests because we were going to stick around for the next set anyway, and... well... you get $1 drinks. :)
  

DW and I are four star Mariners. In fairness though, we didn't reveal that tidbit of information when we asked the question. We simply relied on the fact that we get long well with the beverage department employees.

 

The answer we got made perfect sense, so I didn't see a need to press it any further. It's possible that the whole schedule is determined by a Magic 8 Ball in Seattle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Which brings me to my question:

 

 

 

And the question is: Why do you want to know? (Sorry of the the Magic 8 Ball seems to have asked the question harshly. It only has limited space for its queries. Also, it doesn't really care about people's feelings.)

Edited February 10, 2015 by POA1
Reply Hazy. Ask Again.

[hrhdhd]

What does being a Four Star Mariner have to do with Happy Hour? :confused:

[sppunk]

What does being a Four Star Mariner have to do with Happy Hour? :confused:

You must be a newbie; it's well-known the more Mariner stars the guests has the happier the hours are than lowly 1-star scrubs.

[POA1]

What does being a Four Star Mariner have to do with Happy Hour? :confused:

Nothing that I know of. The original poster mentioned it, which is why I addressed it. I think it's because the OP was looking for an answer from the bar manager & didn’t receive it.

 

To answer your question - and I'm completely prepared to be wrong - Happy Hour is a function of time and location.

 

 

Hope that helps! :)

[Oceanwench]

As I am a lowly 3-star Mariner, though working feverish to acquire that fourth star, will I have a happier hour than a 2-star Mariner, but not quite as happy as those on the higher echelons of Marinerhood?

[POA1]

As I am a lowly 3-star Mariner, though working feverish to acquire that fourth star, will I have a happier hour than a 2-star Mariner, but not quite as happy as those on the higher echelons of Marinerhood?

For sure!

 

When we first started cruising, we had no stars. There were no happy hours. This is not a coincidence.

 

By the time we hit three stars, happy hours were part of the regular schedule. Once we hit four stars, they began the Happy 15 Minutes thing.

 

I have to imagine that the 5 star people have full blown Happy Days - with Potsie, Ralph Malph, and the Fonz.

[dpeeps87]

You must be a newbie; it's well-known the more Mariner stars the guests has the happier the hours are than lowly 1-star scrubs.

 

hahaha!!!!! wait til Mr Ashford and the Mariner Society director hear about these board shenanighans!

[cruise_bunnies]

One cruise we didn't have a Happy Hour at all. Wasn't mentioned in the on location, so I asked a bartender offhandedly about it, because I thought I'd missed it! Apparently, on our 14 day cruise, no happy hour was necessary.

 

Well, at least not for us that was true, as we had 3 drink cards worth $50 each and didn't manage to empty them before the end of the cruise with 3 people. :rolleyes: Not sure about the other pax.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We are 5 star Mariners and tried Happy Hour a couple of times.

Waiting 15 minutes or more for someone to take our drink and then waiting nearly 1/2 hour for a drink -- ridiculous.

[Krazy Kruizers]

One cruise we didn't have a Happy Hour at all. Wasn't mentioned in the on location, so I asked a bartender offhandedly about it, because I thought I'd missed it! Apparently, on our 14 day cruise, no happy hour was necessary.

 

Well, at least not for us that was true, as we had 3 drink cards worth $50 each and didn't manage to empty them before the end of the cruise with 3 people. :rolleyes: Not sure about the other pax.

 

 

Which ship was that and when?

[FLACRUISER99]

On the Zuderdam repo they also had $4 Martinis from 5 To 6 every night.

[galensgrl]

As I am a lowly 3-star Mariner, though working feverish to acquire that fourth star, will I have a happier hour than a 2-star Mariner, but not quite as happy as those on the higher echelons of Marinerhood?

 

It's our first HAL cruise, so we are working our way to being lowly, 1 star mariner scrubs...lol Yes we are no-star mariners for this first cruise with HAL.

 

How many stars do we need before they start offering us an upgrade to the Pinnacle suite? :D jk

 

Okay, back to reality now. :)

 

Lorie

Edited April 12, 2015 by galensgrl

[galensgrl]

For sure!

 

When we first started cruising, we had no stars. There were no happy hours. This is not a coincidence.

 

By the time we hit three stars, happy hours were part of the regular schedule. Once we hit four stars, they began the Happy 15 Minutes thing.

 

I have to imagine that the 5 star people have full blown Happy Days - with Potsie, Ralph Malph, and the Fonz.

 

LOL!!! :D

 

Lorie

[mysweetness]

on the nieuw amsterdam in the middle of March, happy hour was every day from 4 to 5 at the upstairs bar (Ocean Bar ?)next to the Explorer's Lounge...it was crowded and lively,but not too crowded to get drinks and we even opted to go the little cafe to get a snack to go with the drinks.

 

my only complaint was not having music up there....but a fantastic view with great comfy chairs and delicious mojitos!!:)