Come Sail a Way with us LIVE as the Westerdam meets the Sail a Way Gang

[cruz chic]

Correct.

After no invites for a couple of cruises to the VIP and no invite for a suite luncheon, we came home and cancelled a couple of HAL cruises.

Even our TA could not find out what was going on.

 

This is the thing. If you do not feel appreciated you will go elsewhere. My PCC said as much to me. I did not say that myself.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We didn't get invited to the Mariner lunch. We turned to 2 star on this trip, so I just figured that since probably half of the passengers on the ship this time are 3 or 4 star customers, there wasn't room? Not a problem for us because DH wouldn't be excited about going to it anyway

 

 

The last several years we have only gone to 1 Mariner Brunch -- we really don't miss them.

[Lizzie68]

Re the customs declaration, I changed the date to today and attached a note to say i cannot sign a post dated declaration and will be happy to do another one when we reach Victoria.

[sail7seas]

The flowers are beautiful..... what an amazing price for such a lovely arrangement.

 

[Vict0riann]

Re the customs declaration, I changed the date to today and attached a note to say i cannot sign a post dated declaration and will be happy to do another one when we reach Victoria.

 

 

That's a good idea. Maybe we'll do the same - it'll be a popular uprising! Actually, I had just given the letter to DH, my social secretary, and he detached the form and filed the letter in the round file without reading it..... Figured we were to hand in the form when we disembark in Victoria. This is beginning to sound like the Indian bureaucracy!

[kazu]

This sounds like the most stupidest thing I have ever heard.

Can't wait to see how this will be resolved.

 

thanks - glad it isn't just us. Sometimes I can be overly paranoid, but you don't play around with Canada Customs - especially if you do any kind of travelling. I don't want to be red flagged every time I go through.

 

That's a good idea. Maybe we'll do the same - it'll be a popular uprising! Actually, I had just given the letter to DH, my social secretary, and he detached the form and filed the letter in the round file without reading it..... Figured we were to hand in the form when we disembark in Victoria. This is beginning to sound like the Indian bureaucracy!

 

I like that - going to check and if it is not illegal to write on the bottom of the form - I am going to put completed on April 23rd at ship's request.

 

I suspect the idea is to save time at disembarkation in Victoria? do't know but it is far too early to do this. It could have been done in San Diego or Cabo at the very least IMO.

 

Hard to believe that it takes 7 days to collate information.

[sapper1]

thanks - glad it isn't just us. Sometimes I can be overly paranoid, but you don't play around with Canada Customs - especially if you do any kind of travelling. I don't want to be red flagged every time I go through.

 

 

 

I like that - going to check and if it is not illegal to write on the bottom of the form - I am going to put completed on April 23rd at ship's request.

 

I suspect the idea is to save time at disembarkation in Victoria? do't know but it is far too early to do this. It could have been done in San Diego or Cabo at the very least IMO.

 

Hard to believe that it takes 7 days to collate information.

Last year everybody just handed in their own form in Victoria as they left the ship. It seemed to go smoothly.

We just paid our duty on our purchases and were given a form to show in Vancouver when we passed the customs inspector again.

[Folk Singer]

Have fun.

[kazu]

Backtracking a bit - and back to Puerto Caldera. Here are some pics from our "butterfly garden" tour

 

Here is our Cleopatra CC member (permission to post pic received ;))

 

 

 

 

and yes, that is a baby boa constrictor wrapped around her wrist and on her hat!

 

here is the infamous frog of Costa Rica. It's colours are fabulous

 

 

 

I hadn't seen a green one of these before. The pics are hard to make out because it blends in with the foliage, but I couldn't resist.

[Lizzie68]

For those of you following my hot water trials and tribulations..... I am now up a big flower arrangement, a plate of treats (in addition to the previous offerings) and a suggestion of compensation. But most important of all - and all I ever wanted - things seem to be fixed and we have had 2 hot showers in a row!!! It doesn't take much to make this old gal happy!! Now please everyone keep your fingers crossed that this lasts for the remainder of the cruise.

[kazu]

Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica continued...

 

This is the owl butterfly - the one that looks like a viper's head when they mate for 33 hours.

 

 

the mandatory iguanas - they had lots.

 

 

can you believe how small this frog is?

 

 

A very pretty spot.

 

I did hear from the people that did the river cruise and it appears to have been a success. Sambamama told me that someone she was talking to on a HAL tour came just to see crocodiles and they saw none! We used a different company than HAL uses and Sambamama says they saw plenty of crocodiles and many other wildlife and yes, they tempted the crocs out of the water with chicken for good sightings and photos.

[kazu]

For those of you following my hot water trials and tribulations..... I am now up a big flower arrangement, a plate of treats (in addition to the previous offerings) and a suggestion of compensation. But most important of all - and all I ever wanted - things seem to be fixed and we have had 2 hot showers in a row!!! It doesn't take much to make this old gal happy!! Now please everyone keep your fingers crossed that this lasts for the remainder of the cruise.

 

 

YAY LIZZIE!!! (yes, I am shouting) so good to hear.

 

I hope the hot water stays with you for the rest of the cruise (1/3 of the cruise approximately) ! all good news :) :) :)

[kazu]

Back to yesterday's port - Hualtulco

 

I already reported on it, but here are a few pics if you would like to see.

 

the lovely Westerdam docked in Santa Cruz

 

 

Santa Cruz port - it's a naval base as well so lots of protection and safety for the ship.

 

the church where a mural has painted depicting the story of the arrival of the cross to Santa Cruz

 

 

Togalunda Bay (where the rich hotels are)

 

 

farewell to our lovely port. (you can see the naval vessel that was docked right beside us)

 

Edited April 23, 2015 by kazu

[DeeniEncinitas]

Jacqui,

So love your pictures!

Enjoy everyday reading your journeys !!!!

Thankyou

Denise

[ski ww]

Love reading about your cruise & looking at the pictures. That thing with Canada customs having to fill out the forms early is the first I've heard of that, good luck. Love getting off in Canada & going through Canadian Customs at the port, makes life so much easier at the airport.

Allan & Marlane

[PathfinderEss]

Backtracking a bit - and back to Puerto Caldera.

 

<snip>

 

here is the infamous frog of Costa Rica. It's colours are fabulous

 

 

 

They call that a 'red eyed tree frog'. They are so cool, I had one once.

[Krazy Kruizers]

For those of you following my hot water trials and tribulations..... I am now up a big flower arrangement, a plate of treats (in addition to the previous offerings) and a suggestion of compensation. But most important of all - and all I ever wanted - things seem to be fixed and we have had 2 hot showers in a row!!! It doesn't take much to make this old gal happy!! Now please everyone keep your fingers crossed that this lasts for the remainder of the cruise.

 

 

I have my fingers crossed that all be well with the hot water situation for the remainder of your cruise.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Jacqui

Your pictures are fantastic.

Having unlimited Internet certainly makes a difference in Live reports.

[CowPrincess]

Thanks to all who are "sharing" their cruise with us :D This is a very enjoyable thread.

[sail7seas]

The photos are wonderful.

Nature is so beautiful........ the parrots, the frogs. So colorful.

Thanks for sharing.

[Lizzie68]

Great cabin crawl. Now back to our own cabin with 2 plumbers and no hot water again. Big sigh. These plumbers might as well move in, they are here often enough.

[zelker]

Great cabin crawl. Now back to our own cabin with 2 plumbers and no hot water again. Big sigh. These plumbers might as well move in, they are here often enough.

 

Oh, you're kidding!!! Ughhhhh!!! :mad: There's a point where one can be patient and there's a point where enough is enough. I believe there was mention of compensation earlier? I would SO be talking to the Hotel Director about that. It's unexcusable for that to go on this long.

[taxmantoo]

Great cabin crawl. Now back to our own cabin with 2 plumbers and no hot water again. Big sigh. These plumbers might as well move in, they are here often enough.

 

Holy S...Enough is enough :eek: No more time for niceties. Time for you to be forceful and increase the seriousness of you situation with the proper authorities. While the concierge might be nice and understanding (?), they cannot do anything but report the problem. I would definitely request a meeting with the Hotel Director or the Guest Services Manager. Do not take no for an answer. Do not leave the desk until a time and place for the meeting has been given to you. Good luck !

[qsuzi]

Great cabin crawl. Now back to our own cabin with 2 plumbers and no hot water again. Big sigh. These plumbers might as well move in, they are here often enough.

 

Sorry to hear this news. For you and those in the cabin to come I hope it is a permanent fix this time. Double big sigh.

[1of4]

Cabin crawl and poker run was a huge success! Thanks to Rich, Deb and Jacqui for organizing and figuring out the logistics. A great variety of cabins...DH better get his wallet out as some were looking mighty fine!:eek: :D we bought 4 FCC today so let the planning begin!

 

Our customs forms were all messed up because DH is leaving in San Diego and us 3 are staying on to Vancouver. So we got a new card and I filled it out. IF we buy anything more then I will have to tell them in Victoria and put it on DS'S allowance as I only claimed a very minimal amount under his name.

 

I really can't see how this is going to work or speed things up in Victoria. If anything it will make things slower and more complicated. I also kept the letter from HAL to show if I encounter any issues.