New "Have It All" Promotion

[DaveOKC]

12 hours ago, strickerj said:

Awesome, I wasn't sure if you could still buy the WiFi plan once on board or it had to be reserved in advance. Thanks!

When we have a port intensive cruise, we just skip getting the wifi package, as our phone plan (Google Fi) makes getting access so easy and inexpensive.  Plus, I can normally get access right from our verandah, so no need to wait until we go onshore.

[strickerj]

1 minute ago, DaveOKC said:

When we have a port intensive cruise, we just skip getting the wifi package, as our phone plan (Google Fi) makes getting access so easy and inexpensive.  Plus, I can normally get access right from our verandah, so no need to wait until we go onshore.

I recently switched carriers so I'm not sure how well it'll work internationally, but we'll be able to find out in Cancun later this year. If you've been on an Alaska cruise lately, have you found there's cell service along the coast of BC and the AK panhandle? I was expecting there wouldn't be.

 

Might still go for WiFi next year anyway to use the OBC. I like the idea of waiting til we need it, but we're cruising northbound from Vancouver, so the first day is a sea day.

[Mary229]

My wifi (MVNO on the TMobile system) has worked in every single port I have been in except Greenland.  Sometimes I have to step down off the ship but usually can find a comfy spot on the port side promenade and read email.  I rather not take electronic devices onshore, it is just too much hassle.  

[DaveOKC]

1 hour ago, strickerj said:

I recently switched carriers so I'm not sure how well it'll work internationally, but we'll be able to find out in Cancun later this year. If you've been on an Alaska cruise lately, have you found there's cell service along the coast of BC and the AK panhandle? I was expecting there wouldn't be.

 

Might still go for WiFi next year anyway to use the OBC. I like the idea of waiting til we need it, but we're cruising northbound from Vancouver, so the first day is a sea day.

We did the 2 week AK cruise so experienced the panhandle.  I THINK we got mobile access, but only while in port.  Same for coast of BC.

 

[Crazy For Cats]

1 hour ago, Mary229 said:

My wifi (MVNO on the TMobile system) has worked in every single port I have been in except Greenland.  Sometimes I have to step down off the ship but usually can find a comfy spot on the port side promenade and read email.  I rather not take electronic devices onshore, it is just too much hassle.  

We use TMobile too.  We get free data in all ports.  It certainly helps reduce the need for WiFi onboard.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

1 hour ago, DaveOKC said:

When we have a port intensive cruise, we just skip getting the wifi package, as our phone plan (Google Fi) makes getting access so easy and inexpensive.  Plus, I can normally get access right from our verandah, so no need to wait until we go onshore.

We have Google Fi as well works great at home and out side the U.S.

[jimgev]

I guess I'm weird. One of the things I enjoy most about cruising is getting away from things. The first thing I do when getting to my cabin is locking my cell phone in the safe where it remains thoughout the cruise. I tell people not to bother trying to contact me as there are no cell towers out in the ocean.

[Mary229]

1 hour ago, jimgev said:

I guess I'm weird. One of the things I enjoy most about cruising is getting away from things. The first thing I do when getting to my cabin is locking my cell phone in the safe where it remains thoughout the cruise. I tell people not to bother trying to contact me as there are no cell towers out in the ocean.

No, you are not weird but I am not retired yet either!.  Next cruise, I will be retired and I will be using my electronics for my entertainment only.

[Crazy For Cats]

2 hours ago, jimgev said:

I guess I'm weird. One of the things I enjoy most about cruising is getting away from things. The first thing I do when getting to my cabin is locking my cell phone in the safe where it remains thoughout the cruise. I tell people not to bother trying to contact me as there are no cell towers out in the ocean.

Definitely not weird.  I like to stay in touch with the pet sitter.  With seven cats, two having ongoing medical issues, it’s good to check in.  

[golfer439]

On 4/15/2021 at 7:05 PM, KAKcruiser said:

Solos used to be charged double for promos like View & Verandah but recently they have only issued a single charge for the promo portion.  I was very happy to see this change.

Can you give me an example of how solos are only issued a single charge for the promo portion.  I complained about paying the same amount for my cabin as a solo but two people getting double the benefits of the promo.  Sent an e-mail to the President of HAL but got a call from someone saying I had to take that up with my TA.

[OVgirl]

1 hour ago, golfer439 said:

Can you give me an example of how solos are only issued a single charge for the promo portion.  I complained about paying the same amount for my cabin as a solo but two people getting double the benefits of the promo.  Sent an e-mail to the President of HAL but got a call from someone saying I had to take that up with my TA.

I did a quick check for a cruise on Rotterdam, sailing from Amsterdam, 7 days, May 29-Jun 5, 2022

These fares are in CAD $, so don't know how much in US $.

For 2 passengers, with 'Have it All', $4949 (includes $292 taxes and fees).

For 1 passenger, with 'Have it All', $4431 (includes $146 taxes and fees).

Single fare is saving $518.

 

[golfer439]

Thank you for your response.  I will check out some cruises I am thinking of taking in the future.  I started out cruising with HAL and found they gave some better discounts for solos.  This doesn't seem to be the case going forward. Because I chose to travel as a single, I am prepared to pay the up cost for that as it happens in all different travel areas.  But when these cruise promotions come out, I feel we are being cheated.  I don't expect to get double the promotion but maybe some OBC or beverage package upgrade. I guess they figure two people will spend more on the cruise then one person.  I know for a fact that is not true!!

[Mary229]

4 hours ago, golfer439 said:

Thank you for your response.  I will check out some cruises I am thinking of taking in the future.  I started out cruising with HAL and found they gave some better discounts for solos.  This doesn't seem to be the case going forward. Because I chose to travel as a single, I am prepared to pay the up cost for that as it happens in all different travel areas.  But when these cruise promotions come out, I feel we are being cheated.  I don't expect to get double the promotion but maybe some OBC or beverage package upgrade. I guess they figure two people will spend more on the cruise then one person.  I know for a fact that is not true!!

I thought someone reported that solos only pay a single supplement for the promo portion of the cruise.  Have you done a trial booking to see what the costs are.  It would seem fair to only charge one promo portion. That was refreshing on Oceania, my sis buys all of the full packages and I go independent all the way and they let us each buy our fare as we liked it.  That was about the only things  I liked about Oceania. 

[ABoatNerd]

Hi Mary229.

 

Thanks for your post. Re:, Oceania, what were the negatives. I am interested in real consumer experiences vs the bull marketing.

Thank you very much.

[rodndonna]

2 hours ago, ABoatNerd said:

Hi Mary229.

 

Thanks for your post. Re:, Oceania, what were the negatives. I am interested in real consumer experiences vs the bull marketing.

Thank you very much.

 

I'm curious as well - we are currently looking at Oceania and Azamara as 'step up' options for our 2023 cruise wishlist. We are drawn to the idea of smaller ship size and the thought that including all the speciality restaurants would be a treat.

[Mary229]

37 minutes ago, rodndonna said:

 

I'm curious as well - we are currently looking at Oceania and Azamara as 'step up' options for our 2023 cruise wishlist. We are drawn to the idea of smaller ship size and the thought that including all the speciality restaurants would be a treat.

I found the staff plain, out and out, surly.  The included excursions were always extremely early  in the morning and very fluffy and short. I took them because they were automatically included in my fare.  If I could remove that expense from the fare I would have been happier.  There are no refund of fees for missed ports.  Contrary to what most others have said I found their dining room service terrible and did not find the food better than HAL and the creme brûlée tasted like box pudding - I am being a little bit petty about that but when the DH asked about his favorite dessert I had to tell him that.   I really wanted to like Oceania, when we were younger and before the mega ships, our favorite line was NCL and we were hoping Oceania would be a premium version of the old NCL.  

 

Positives - the ship was is pristine condition.

 

Please note:  at the time of my sailing in late 2018 the O version was double the HAL version.  That may change and perhaps I would give them one more try.  I actually am watching one of their cruises currently.

[KirkNC]

On 4/29/2021 at 12:20 PM, Crazy For Cats said:

Definitely not weird.  I like to stay in touch with the pet sitter.  With seven cats, two having ongoing medical issues, it’s good to check in.  

You have the right CC name!

[KirkNC]

1 hour ago, rodndonna said:

 

I'm curious as well - we are currently looking at Oceania and Azamara as 'step up' options for our 2023 cruise wishlist. We are drawn to the idea of smaller ship size and the thought that including all the speciality restaurants would be a treat.

You won’t find much love for either on the HAL board.  I would suggest trying one and drawing your own conclusions.

[kazu]

1 hour ago, rodndonna said:

 

I'm curious as well - we are currently looking at Oceania and Azamara as 'step up' options for our 2023 cruise wishlist. We are drawn to the idea of smaller ship size and the thought that including all the speciality restaurants would be a treat.

 

 

32 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

I found the staff plain, out and out, surly.  The included excursions were always extremely early  in the morning and very fluffy and short. I took them because they were automatically included in my fare.  If I could remove that expense from the fare I would have been happier.  There are no refund of fees for missed ports.  Contrary to what most others have said I found their dining room service terrible and did not find the food better than HAL and the creme brûlée tasted like box pudding - I am being a little bit petty about that but when the DH asked about his favorite dessert I had to tell him that.   I really wanted to like Oceania, when we were younger and before the mega ships, our favorite line was NCL and we were hoping Oceania would be a premium version of the old NCL.  

 

Positives - the ship was is pristine condition.

 

Please note:  at the time of my sailing in late 2018 the O version was double the HAL version.  That may change and perhaps I would give them one more try.  I actually am watching one of their cruises currently.

 

FWIW - I concur with Mary’s description of the food.  We actually found the specialty restaurants lacking except for Jacques - it was spectacular.  We also liked Waves (at their Lido and the afternoon tea was very well done.  The rest was pretty meh.  More hype than anything else.

 

We found the service by the crew lacking and a number of the crew cold and appeared not to care.  I remember at the time thinking the crew of the Prinsendam could teach the O crew a few things 😉

And again, I agree with Mary, the ship was in pristine condition.  The PH cabin was laid out so nicely.  I would have loved to have seen that cabin on a blue hulled beauty or the ship itself with a blue hull and HAL’s art.  Also, O lets you bring as much wine as you want on board.

 

While some of us have not had good experiences, there are those that have gone and been enthralled with Oceania and some have become loyal cruisers of O.  Agree with @KirkNCbest to try it for yourself.

 

There is no question that when Frank Del Rio was in charge there was a difference IMO.  He was on the O board and very involved.  

[rodndonna]

Thank you all for the Oceania experiences and comments, It is somewhat in line with what I am thinking, but alas, after having little to do for the better part of 1-2 years, we plan on sampling a number of options over the next few years!

 

 

[RuthC]

5 hours ago, ABoatNerd said:

Re:, Oceania, what were the negatives. I am interested in real consumer experiences vs the bull marketing.

I agree with the others about Oceania. I found the service to be totally cold, with the exception of my cabin steward; he happened to be Indonesian, and that made me wonder. 

The food was unexceptional, at best. Their interpretation of an American Thanksgiving dinner was awful. Don't even get me started on what they called 'pumpkin pie'. 
The steak house specialty restaurant was all out of prime rib at an early hour? Really? I don't believe that to this day. The French restaurant was good, as was the service there. The burger bar was excellent! Best burgers ever, with table service, once your order was placed. The special, private, restaurant, reserved for up to 10 people at a charge of $250 (at the time; might be higher now), with menu choice of the steak house AND Italian restaurants, was excellent. Both service and food were fine. 

I went to the same lounge, at the same time, every night for the length of the cruise. Service was terrible. It took a long time to be waited on, and the steward never returned to learn if I wanted another. 

The ship, as previously mentioned, was gorgeous, but that is not enough to make me want to sail Oceania again. 

[oaktreerb]

5 hours ago, rodndonna said:

 

I'm curious as well - we are currently looking at Oceania and Azamara as 'step up' options for our 2023 cruise wishlist. We are drawn to the idea of smaller ship size and the thought that including all the speciality restaurants would be a treat.

I loved Azamara.  The staterooms are smaller than HAL verandahs that we have been in and there is a huge table on the verandah which would be great for room service dining but is in the way if you just want to hang out.  

The food was good, service excellent, we enjoyed the entertainment.  I liked the layout of the ship.  The ship had a friendly vibe on our NZ trip.  The cruise line has been sold recently and is under new management.  

You might also consider Seabourn but in comparison as a HAL cruiser I felt more “at home” on Azamara. Seabourn staterooms are wonderful and huge compared to Azamara.

[golfer439]

On 5/1/2021 at 4:24 PM, OVgirl said:

I did a quick check for a cruise on Rotterdam, sailing from Amsterdam, 7 days, May 29-Jun 5, 2022

These fares are in CAD $, so don't know how much in US $.

For 2 passengers, with 'Have it All', $4949 (includes $292 taxes and fees).

For 1 passenger, with 'Have it All', $4431 (includes $146 taxes and fees).

Single fare is saving $518.

 

I am booked on the Nieuw Amsterdam on 12/11/21 for an Eastern Caribbean cruise which included the previous HAL package as I booked it in 2//21.  I now checked out the same cruise for 02/22 which includes the new HAL package.  As a solo, the price is just about the same as what I paid for the 12/21 cruise.  But what they did was increase the price for two people in the cabin by about $600.  So, I guess you can say the single fares now have a savings!!!

[ABoatNerd]

On 5/2/2021 at 10:17 AM, RuthC said:

I agree with the others about Oceania. I found the service to be totally cold, with the exception of my cabin steward; he happened to be Indonesian, and that made me wonder. 

The food was unexceptional, at best. Their interpretation of an American Thanksgiving dinner was awful. Don't even get me started on what they called 'pumpkin pie'. 
The steak house specialty restaurant was all out of prime rib at an early hour? Really? I don't believe that to this day. The French restaurant was good, as was the service there. The burger bar was excellent! Best burgers ever, with table service, once your order was placed. The special, private, restaurant, reserved for up to 10 people at a charge of $250 (at the time; might be higher now), with menu choice of the steak house AND Italian restaurants, was excellent. Both service and food were fine. 

I went to the same lounge, at the same time, every night for the length of the cruise. Service was terrible. It took a long time to be waited on, and the steward never returned to learn if I wanted another. 

The ship, as previously mentioned, was gorgeous, but that is not enough to make me want to sail Oceania again. 

Thank you RuthC.

 

My analysis is the same as yours after 4 cruises with O, will not patronize. Very over rated. The staff, and especially the officers, are arrogant and cold and perform like autobons.  Much of the food is very overrated, particularly the Grand Dining Room.

Granted, versus the main lines like Celebrity, there is no class discrimination and no nickle and diming per se, but not at all a pleasant experience. I was on edge the entire time.

The downgrading (like all the lines) was substantive in late 2019, frozen tea sandwiches at high tea, brought them to the main desk to complain, they turned their backs.

Enough said.

Moving on to customized  escorted land vacations, fed up with cruises.

[cate54]

On 4/29/2021 at 10:03 AM, jimgev said:

I guess I'm weird. One of the things I enjoy most about cruising is getting away from things. The first thing I do when getting to my cabin is locking my cell phone in the safe where it remains thoughout the cruise. I tell people not to bother trying to contact me as there are no cell towers out in the ocean.

Then I am weird too! I do the same thing. If my cruise is a B2B I will call home in between. I love being disconnected while on the cruise.