Noted Changes

[euro cruiser]

We just got off a one week cruise, round trip from San Diego to three ports in Mexico.  It's one of the shortest cruises I've ever done and only the second from San Diego, so I don't know if the differences I noted are due to the length of the cruise or the destinations/timing, or if these are line-wide alterations that I just need to get used to.

 

I really miss the Adagio classical music.  The Lincoln Center series is wonderful but I missed the intimate nature of the two musicians playing every night of the cruise, we came to know them a bit along the way.

 

The other changes I noted are all really small, nearly insignificant things but I missed them, like someone bringing a tray of pastries to the table at breakfast.  It's still on the menu but you had to ask for them and they'd come back with two or three of their choosing.

 

I miss the larger staff at dinner, with each server having a dedicated assistant.  It didn't impact the enjoyment of the meal but I'd rather not sit so long with a dirty plate in front of me, I miss the days when it was whisked away almost immediately.

 

The relaxation of the dress rules for the gala night … I welcome that change but I wish they had been more up front about it.  My brother didn't want to carry a jacket with him or wear a tie so he didn't come to dinner those two nights.  I missed the first one but went to the second where I saw that pretty much anything was acceptable, I saw men in blue jeans, in polo shirts, Hawaiian shirts, golf shirts, etc.  and a woman in shorts.  Now I know that it's now just a suggestion but I wish we had known ahead of time, he missed a great meal.  To their credit, the staff offered to call his room and let my brother know it was fine for him to attend dinner in just a button down shirt and slacks.

 

Maybe I'm just becoming an old so-and-so and none of these changes would prevent me from taking another cruise but I'm going back to the longer itineraries.  I think the atmosphere suits me better, and just one week feels like I'm getting off right after I got on.  (Not to mention that I've never been on a HAL cruise, even one in July, with that many kids.)

[cruzin4us]

I miss the "small" things as well.   I'm sure the pastries not being readily available are part of HAL's way for saving money even though I'm sure some will tell you it's about food waste.

 

I'm heading out in 7 days to do the same trip as you did.  Only going because it was cheap and leaves from my home port.  I also like longer cruises....and as far as kids go....I'm getting to be an old so-and-so too 

[kazu]

26 minutes ago, euro cruiser said:

The relaxation of the dress rules for the gala night … I welcome that change but I wish they had been more up front about it.  My brother didn't want to carry a jacket with him or wear a tie so he didn't come to dinner those two nights.  I missed the first one but went to the second where I saw that pretty much anything was acceptable, I saw men in blue jeans, in polo shirts, Hawaiian shirts, golf shirts, etc.  and a woman in shorts.  Now I know that it's now just a suggestion but I wish we had known ahead of time, he missed a great meal.  To their credit, the staff offered to call his room and let my brother know it was fine for him to attend dinner in just a button down shirt and slacks.

 

The Gala night standard of a collared shirt and pants for men has in place for a couple of years.  

 

I’m not sure how much more up front they can be about it?  It’s in the “know before you go”  info which describes the dress code and there are dozens of threads on these boards discussing it.  

 

Granted some (especially on longer cruises) may still choose to wear a jacket, etc. But as long as you are wearing what the minimum dress code standard is there is no reason you can’t enjoy Gala Night whether it be a 7 night cruise or a 115 night cruise 😉 

[slidergirl]

I'm not sure how much more up front HAL could be with the dress suggestions for "gala" night.  It's been in the HAL website and such ever since the change.  Pants and a collared shirt are all that are needed for a man.  

[canadianbear]

OP mentioned a woman in shorts-in the dining room?  Men can’t but women can?  

 

I also especially miss the larger amount of staff at dinners like the OP.  Seems lots of cut backs which new cruisers probably wouldn’t notice as much as those that have sailed on HAL for years.  

 

Thanks for your thoughts OP.  Times are changing-some good, some not so good.

[kazu]

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7 minutes ago, canadianbear said:

OP mentioned a woman in shorts-in the dining room?  Men can’t but women can?  

 

I also especially miss the larger amount of staff at dinners like the OP.  Seems lots of cut backs which new cruisers probably wouldn’t notice as much as those that have sailed on HAL for years.  

 

Thanks for your thoughts OP.  Times are changing-some good, some not so good.

 

Have to confess that so far we haven’t suffered from lack of staff at dinners, but we have been on the smaller ships for the last 3 years so it is probably not as obvious. 😉 

 

I remember the service on the N Amsterdam a few years ago.  I wasn’t impressed at all in the MDR service and haven’t been back on that ship since.

[canadianbear]

11 minutes ago, kazu said:

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Have to confess that so far we haven’t suffered from lack of staff at dinners, but we have been on the smaller ships for the last 3 years so it is probably not as obvious. 😉 

 

I remember the service on the N Amsterdam a few years ago.  I wasn’t impressed at all in the MDR service and haven’t been back on that ship since.

I was on the Koningsdam January & February and noticed.  We didn’t suffer but certainly noticed more of a delay clearing dirty dishes, the crowded stations where the staff seem to be tripping over each other etc.  I feel for the staff-was a day when they could actually breath!

My observation though was that when we went later (after 7:30) it was not as chaotic. 

[euro cruiser]

To be honest, I relied on my brother telling me he had read that either a jacket or a tie was required for gala nights, but not both.  Perhaps he didn't read carefully enough.

[euro cruiser]

1 hour ago, cruzin4us said:

I'm heading out in 7 days to do the same trip as you did.  Only going because it was cheap and leaves from my home port.  I also like longer cruises....and as far as kids go....I'm getting to be an old so-and-so too 

 

Yeah, we took it because it was so cheap and it gave us an excuse to visit our oldest, who is stationed at San Diego, both before and after the cruise.  He lives so close that we walked to the ship and walked back this morning.

[DaveOKC]

12 hours ago, canadianbear said:

OP mentioned a woman in shorts-in the dining room?  Men can’t but women can?  

 

Thanks for your thoughts OP.  Times are changing-some good, some not so good.

Perhaps if they shaved their legs they would let them wear shorts?  Just kidding of course.