sevenseasnomad Posted September 29, 2019 #26 Share Posted September 29, 2019 21 minutes ago, MaisonRose said: NO to using my iPad on board with paid internet: I’ve read too many bad reports on connection to spend money on an internet package. I usually spend an hour reading the NYT on the computers in the library/Explorations Cafe. And as for bringing my own Crosswords, the print version of the NYT crosswords is as heavy as a dictionary 😅..don’t you all weigh these little things to keep your luggage under the limit wt (assume you are flying to the port)? i was on Lufthansa last week and was given a candy bar for breakfast and a packaged pound cake on the connecting flight. What will cruise lines think up? Perhaps next we’ll be bringing on our own sandwiches for our first cruise lunch. LOL There are other crossword puzzle books, thin versions, available at $ Store, amazon or Barnes & Noble. I was referring to one of those. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaisonRose Posted September 29, 2019 #27 Share Posted September 29, 2019 It’s complicated. I live in France on this side so the puzzle books are not available in English. The other thing is that the NYT puzzles have a cult following and are the Gold Standard of puzzles [Saturday is the most difficult] Naturally I’m not going to perish without the choice, but it does seem that travel companies overall are losing their classy touches. For myself the Times is the most reliable American paper: just like the BBC has a solid reputation for television and radio reporting. But this isn’t about which media source is “best” but rather a personal take on what makes HAL special to this OP. I miss the library, the self service laundry and the daily Tea, too. I’m on the Rotterdam TA in November, will report back. ALSO I’ve never sailed on a HAL ship that hasn’t been a lovely experience, puzzles or no! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimnKaren Posted September 29, 2019 #28 Share Posted September 29, 2019 I am wondering...how many of you naysayers subscribe (print or online) to a daily newspaper? Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SFO Peter Posted September 29, 2019 #29 Share Posted September 29, 2019 We think it is useful. We are from Northern California... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobcat Posted September 29, 2019 #30 Share Posted September 29, 2019 1 hour ago, JimnKaren said: I am wondering...how many of you naysayers subscribe (print or online) to a daily newspaper? Jim I'll jump in here for my DH, who dislikes the NYT digest. We don't subscribe to a daily because my DH enjoys going to the nearby "quick mart" for his daily sort-of-local newspaper & a coffee. I have suggested we just have it delivered but he likes his morning routine. So we are not completely uninformed bumpkins because we don't subscribe to a daily newspaper. 😲 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilvertoGold Posted September 29, 2019 #31 Share Posted September 29, 2019 As a Canadian I like having a Canadian edition of the news. I hope HAL will keep that. Also like the NYT in general, reliable news coverage. The actual reporting seems mature and balanced. Columnists are opinion and of course that varies. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare *Miss G* Posted September 29, 2019 #32 Share Posted September 29, 2019 I like that we can get a condensed version of the news in a US, Canadian, and British edition. I think that’s a nice touch. It’s also a nice touch that they will deliver. It will be interesting to see if there is a replacement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IslandThyme Posted September 30, 2019 Author #33 Share Posted September 30, 2019 Actually, we are missing Milford Sound entirely, because we lost 240 miles returning to shore to medevac a passenger, which couldn't be done via helicopter due to rough seas. I have a digital subscription to the NYT, so I can, and do, read it on my laptop, but have always enjoyed having the print version to read with breakfast. The new substitute has two pages of sports, for you sports fans, and very little news, for us news fans. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diver2014 Posted September 30, 2019 #34 Share Posted September 30, 2019 We were on Oosterdam last week and the NYT Digest was available everyday. Not that I would read it.....I'm on vacation! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dockman Posted September 30, 2019 #35 Share Posted September 30, 2019 Different strokes for different folks I guess but i for one enjoy the NYT and it seems so do many others. The New York Times newspaper has set an absolute record: it has won 117 Pulitzer Prizes, more than any other news organization in history! The New York Times has been published since the 18th of September, 1851. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare erewhon Posted September 30, 2019 #36 Share Posted September 30, 2019 5 hours ago, IslandThyme said: Actually, we are missing Milford Sound entirely, because we lost 240 miles returning to shore to medevac a passenger, which couldn't be done via helicopter due to rough seas. I have a digital subscription to the NYT, so I can, and do, read it on my laptop, but have always enjoyed having the print version to read with breakfast. The new substitute has two pages of sports, for you sports fans, and very little news, for us news fans. Thank you for your message, we were wondering why Maasdam missed Fiordland today, have been watching her progress on the Marine tracking website. Did you return to Eden? Weather forecast for rain tomorrow (Tuesday) maybe some sunshine afternoon, only 11 degrees C. Rain is also forecast for Wednesday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinook Wind Posted September 30, 2019 #37 Share Posted September 30, 2019 If this is true then I will be really upset at the loss of that daily crossword 😠 (regardless of what newspaper it's in) and will miss "racing" to see who can finish it first! Does this substitute "newspaper" have a crossword puzzle? That's all I would care about as I can catch up on the news on my cabin tv. (...and folks can choose BBC, MSNBC or FOX. 😘) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IslandThyme Posted September 30, 2019 Author #38 Share Posted September 30, 2019 Yes, we did have to take someone back to Eden, not that I can imagine they have much of a hospital there. And no, no crossword puzzle in the new rag (and I use that term advisedly). The weather does look really sub-optimal for the next few days, alas. I'm blogging our trip at http://frenchletters.wordpress.com if anyone's interested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare erewhon Posted September 30, 2019 #39 Share Posted September 30, 2019 (edited) 27 minutes ago, IslandThyme said: Yes, we did have to take someone back to Eden, not that I can imagine they have much of a hospital there. And no, no crossword puzzle in the new rag (and I use that term advisedly). The weather does look really sub-optimal for the next few days, alas. I'm blogging our trip at http://frenchletters.wordpress.com if anyone's interested. Thank you for the link to your blog. Probably the person would have been transported to the nearest larger hospital. Edited September 30, 2019 by erewhon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilvertoGold Posted September 30, 2019 #40 Share Posted September 30, 2019 Does HAL still have a contract with the NYT? It used to provide a lot of the old Explorations Cafe area. I am thinking of the crossword tables and all the books that used to be the Library area (R and S class ships were wonderful!). Wasn't this a joint effort, like the Microsoft Workshops and ATK, BBKings, Lincoln Center? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthC Posted September 30, 2019 #41 Share Posted September 30, 2019 9 minutes ago, SilvertoGold said: Does HAL still have a contract with the NYT? It used to provide a lot of the old Explorations Cafe area. I am thinking of the crossword tables and all the books that used to be the Library area (R and S class ships were wonderful!). Wasn't this a joint effort, like the Microsoft Workshops and ATK, BBKings, Lincoln Center? That's what I was wondering, too. Will the Explorations Cafe area still have the "Powered by the New York Times" sign the next time I enter it? I always thought the sign should say "Sponsored by ... ", but that's something else again. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daisy-mae Posted September 30, 2019 #42 Share Posted September 30, 2019 54 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said: And as someone else posted, it did seem that the new paper had more space devoted to sports than the NYT had. That is one of my beefs with the TV channels on a number of cruise ships (not just HAL). We could be blissfully oblivious to chaos erupting somewhere in the world, but heaven forbid we should miss some sports event... 🙂 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare 3rdGenCunarder Posted September 30, 2019 #43 Share Posted September 30, 2019 5 minutes ago, daisy-mae said: That is one of my beefs with the TV channels on a number of cruise ships (not just HAL). We could be blissfully oblivious to chaos erupting somewhere in the world, but heaven forbid we should miss some sports event... 🙂 Yes, there did seem to be a lot of sports channels. I ignored them on the ship just as I do at home. I didn't watch the TV channels very much. I did like the on demand movies, though. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primus Posted September 30, 2019 #44 Share Posted September 30, 2019 I just got off the Oosterdam on 9/29. For our cruise, the newspaper was called either the USA News or USA Times. One change I noticed was more sports coverage than the NY Times. A small crossword puzzle with answers was included daily. In addition to this paper was something called Today's Games from The New York Times. It included the regular daily crossword puzzle with answers along with a Sudoku. The crossword puzzle took up more space on the page so numbers and questions were much easier to read for me. We usually picked both up in the morning before breakfast from near the front desk and enjoyed reading at breakfast. I know the newspaper was available in other locations but am unsure about the puzzles. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avian777 Posted October 1, 2019 #45 Share Posted October 1, 2019 16 hours ago, Primus said: I just got off the Oosterdam on 9/29. For our cruise, the newspaper was called either the USA News or USA Times. One change I noticed was more sports coverage than the NY Times. A small crossword puzzle with answers was included daily. In addition to this paper was something called Today's Games from The New York Times. It included the regular daily crossword puzzle with answers along with a Sudoku. The crossword puzzle took up more space on the page so numbers and questions were much easier to read for me. We usually picked both up in the morning before breakfast from near the front desk and enjoyed reading at breakfast. I know the newspaper was available in other locations but am unsure about the puzzles. The "Today's Games" paper would be a more than adequate substitute for NYT for me. However, since I am more than competent to not only read "articles written at an advanced reading level" but also to analyze them for myself, I don't need NYT. While I have no need for the NYT, I do recognize that for many it is a source for news and fun word puzzles. And since I can obtain news from many different sources (whether I am at home or traveling), I am wildly indifferent as to whether or not HAL provides NYT on its cruises. It would be nice if HAL could also provide another non-NYT paper for those of us who are not fans of NYT. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naismith Posted October 1, 2019 #46 Share Posted October 1, 2019 On 9/29/2019 at 8:36 PM, Diver2014 said: We were on Oosterdam last week and the NYT Digest was available everyday. Not that I would read it.....I'm on vacation! Sorry to ask a stupid question, but WHERE is the newspaper/digest available? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthC Posted October 1, 2019 #47 Share Posted October 1, 2019 15 minutes ago, Naismith said: Sorry to ask a stupid question, but WHERE is the newspaper/digest available? The Front Desk has copies, or can print one up for you. Usually they are on a stand nearby. There also should be a stand at the entrance to the Lido, and another supply in the Library (assuming the ship still has something resembling a library). I don't know if the dining room has a supply, but I wouldn't be surprised if they do, too. I presume the Neptune Suite has them for those who have access. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diver2014 Posted October 2, 2019 #48 Share Posted October 2, 2019 47 minutes ago, Naismith said: Sorry to ask a stupid question, but WHERE is the newspaper/digest available? As RuthC said, there was a stack of them at the aft entrance to the Lido everyday as well as at Guest Services and in the Crows Nest (now called EXC). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcummin Posted October 2, 2019 #49 Share Posted October 2, 2019 On 9/30/2019 at 12:23 AM, IslandThyme said: . . . I'm blogging our trip at http://frenchletters.wordpress.com if anyone's interested. Thank you for blogging this Maasdam voyage. Four of our friends are sailing with you. Although you have had a rough start, I hope that it turns into a wonderful positive and memorable experience. Last Dec and Jan we delighted in many Australian ports while on ms Maasdam. New Zealand should also be exquisite. Enjoy! Barbara Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare kazu Posted October 2, 2019 #50 Share Posted October 2, 2019 The one thing I liked about the NYT is that it had a bit of weather and news from our country. I hope the publication does the same. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts