Any suggestions how to improve the World Cruise?

[rkacruiser]

6 hours ago, Horizon chaser 1957 said:

I’ve been on a cruise to Cambodia, and it’s a far different scene than Australia. In fact, a number of passengers refused to even get off the shuttle bus when we reached the market and just stayed on to return to the ship.

 

Sad to read this because my visit to Cambodia was a highlight of my Asia Pacific cruise.  Failing to get off the bus was certainly their loss in not being able to experience the culture and the people of Cambodia.  Given the recent history of these people, they restore one's faith in the resiliency of the human spirit.   

[rkacruiser]

17 hours ago, USN59-79 said:

One thing that wasn't mentioned was the amount of help provided the stranded Westerdam passengers by the U.S. Embassy personnel in Cambodia.  They set up a desk in the hotel lobby and were there every day to provide assistance.  For example, there was a major incident at the airport where we and a large number of people went thru customs and immigration prior to boarding our plane to Malaysia.  We had a single entry Cambodian visa and our passports were stamped as having left Cambodia.  Of course the plane never showed up and we were now in kind of a limbo; in the country with no valid visa.  Our Embassy staff worked it out with the Cambodian officials so we could leave the airport and go back to our hotel with no valid visa and no hassle.  They wore ball caps with the U.S. flag and U.S. Embassy Phnom Penh on them so they could be easily recognized.  One of them was kind enough to give me her hat as a souvenir when I thanked her for her help as we left.

 

I appreciate reading your post!  Your experience is an example of what our Government is expected to do for us citizens.  It's an example of the best of our Government.

 

I hope that you shared your experience with your State's Senators as well as the Representative in your House District.  Some special recognition needs to be given to those staff members of the U. S. Embassy.  

[Horizon chaser 1957]

5 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Sad to read this because my visit to Cambodia was a highlight of my Asia Pacific cruise.  Failing to get off the bus was certainly their loss in not being able to experience the culture and the people of Cambodia.  Given the recent history of these people, they restore one's faith in the resiliency of the human spirit.   

We really enjoyed the market, and yes, the resiliency of the people is remarkable. However, they are definitely struggling with extreme poverty and third world conditions. We were dropped off in a fenced parking lot, and told anyone taking a taxi was to get their picture taken with the driver before leaving the lot to ensure they were returned safely. The people who were unable to deal with that on a short outing would definitely not have coped well with being put ashore there for good in a global emergency.

Edited September 20, 2020 by Horizon chaser 1957

[USN59-79]

I also really enjoyed Phnom Penh.  It reminded me of being in Asia in the early 60's.  You can use U.S. currency almost everywhere.  We paid a quarter to take a ferry across the river from the hotel to downtown.  Found a mall with a nice German pub with cold beer.  Caught a tuk tuk to a shopping center and the DW found a hairdresser to cut her hair.  Next time I changed $20. in the hotel for local currency.  The rate was 4000 Rials to one dollar.  Smallest bill was 100 Rials, but that would be 800 of them for $20.  Also had 500 and 1000 Rial bills, but it was a pocket full.  The people were friendly and it was easy to get around.  Second time we took the ferry found that the fare was supposed to be 500 Rials, or two for a quarter.  I am not sure about Sihanoukville, but we stopped there a couple of years ago on a cruise.  Wasn't much to see, so we stopped at a hotel bar for a cold beer.  Beer was $1., but there was a sign saying "Hotel Room $5.  With Air Conditioning $10."   I would be happy to spend a week or two in Phnom Penh followed by a stop in Angkor Wat.  Anyway, I apologize that we are getting off the subject of improving the WC.  I wouldn't expect the WC to stop in Sihanoukville, and it wouldn't be practical to fly to that port to Phnom Penh.  

[DeeDee Groff]

On 9/18/2020 at 8:12 PM, rkacruiser said:

 

I think your observation is significant.  If the President of HAL could not "shake some trees" to assist his wife and son to improve their situation, what "power/influence" did Mr. Ashford really have in the operation of HAL?  With his family being aboard Amsterdam, why could they as well as the rest of the guests of the Amsterdam not received the same assistance that the guests of the Westerdam did?  

 

This is another example, as far as I am concerned, of another "back story" that has yet to be told if anyone would ever choose to do so.  

 

As I have stated elsewhere on the HAL forum, there were six of us at the airport in Phnom Penh who chose not to be herded onto the coaches destined for the four- and five-star hotels.   Two of us approached one of the two HAL "corporate guest services managers" who, in seemingly record time, arranged flights leaving that day that would take all six of us home to Canada and the U.S.  I have written letters praising this woman's efforts to Orlando Ashford and Gus Antorcha.

 

The "back story" you are referring to may be nothing more than Mr. Ashford or his wife not choosing, for any number of reasons, to "shake some trees."

[USN59-79]

I think the "back story" that should come from this is whether or not HAL is collecting the data and studying it to better handle the next "situation".  About the coaches taking us to the hotels from the airport.  There was only one hotel; we took the last coach after picking up our luggage, and it dropped us off at the wrong hotel and left us there.  We sat in the lobby until about 11 at night before someone figured out that about 30 of us were missing and they sent a coach to retrieve us.  We had no idea of what the correct hotel was or how to contact HAL that we were lost.  No one panicked and there was a convenient bar just off the lobby area.  We expected that HAL would take care of us and they did.

[Hawaiidan]

On 9/4/2020 at 6:14 PM, Charleston Lady said:

Totally agree. Very good suggestion, but right now I'd be thrilled to get on a ship and go ANYWHERE!

I  seriously doubt the  Carnival and its ships will be doing any world cruises..... they will focus on the short 7 day and 10 day to fill ships and offer cheap prices..... The market that can afford 100+ day cruises is getting much smaller and  is being dominated by the Prem and lux market.....   Carnival made its mark with 3-5-7 day cruises thats where they made $$$$$$$$$$$

[rkacruiser]

7 hours ago, USN59-79 said:

I think the "back story" that should come from this is whether or not HAL is collecting the data and studying it to better handle the next "situation". 

 

One would hope.  Given the experience that HAL has in their Corporate Office from decades of long cruises and when, I am sure, not "all" worked to expectations, I would have expected a better response for you and your cruise mates. Or has all of that "expertise" been replaced due to retirement or whatever?   

 

The difference in the treatment of the Westerdam and the Amsterdam guests has yet to be explained.  (And, it is an explanation that none of us--personally involved or not--will never receive, I expect.)  

 

17 hours ago, DeeDee Groff said:

The "back story" you are referring to may be nothing more than Mr. Ashford or his wife not choosing, for any number of reasons, to "shake some trees."

 

That is to their credit, I think.  That attitude is a quality that is rarely seen in our society today.  

[rkacruiser]

18 hours ago, USN59-79 said:

I also really enjoyed Phnom Penh

 

I did as well.  The places I visited, the interaction with the citizens tempered by sights of those who had been severely injured by the military conflicts that this country has endured:  in it's own way, it is a unique country and city to visit.  

 

A stand-out memory for me was the bus trip from Phnom Penh returning to the ship at Sinhaoukville.  It was after sunset.  Yet, even in this very poor country, I could see lights from TV screens periodically visible in the distance from our road.