LAFFNVEGAS "LIVE" from the Nieuw Amsterdam, First HAL Ship to Sail!!

[mckgreg]

2 hours ago, Oceansaway17 said:

I will ask you the same. How safe is Howell street at the Hyatt.

Also are cabs safe to and from airport?

I mean should all the cruise lines worry about sailing from Seattle now?

 

Just have to clarify…I am a Seattlite and I love Seattle. It is perfectly safe to take a cab or go to the cruise port. But when you are downtown you need to be situationally aware. We have some problems in our city that will take time to solve. I have no doubt that our beautiful city will find solutions. In the mean time, just be careful downtown.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Good Evening from our home , our flight came in a bit late but then we left about 35 minutes late from SeaTac. A few bumps leaving Seattle and got bumpy upon approach to Vegas other than that the flight seemed to go by quickly.

Our son picked us up and we went to Carabbas for early dinner. After getting home we immediately unpacked, I then flipped on my computer only to find it was totally dead . It would not turn on or reboot . The monitors came on as well as my printer. For two years I have been saying I must get a new computer. I was still running on a windows 7, yeah I know I really needed to replace it. One of my monitors was also not wanting to turn on anymore or at least taking for ever to come on. So I guess I am heading out to buy a new computer tomorrow. I am thinking of getting one of the wireless all in one and hope I can connect a second monitor to it, and that my IT guy can remote in to add some things I need without having to have things transferred over.

Now the fun of planning our next Alaska cruise can start, I will be glad to be able to access that cruise on the Navigator app tomorrow.

 

Thanks again Everyone for following along, it was a fun week and I really enjoyed sharing it with you. It felt so good to be doing what we all love!!

[julia]

Ahhhh...  I'm sure it's nice to be home safely after a great week at sea... I fondly remember the mussels at Carrabas (and the bumpy approaches into McCarran Airport!)  Sorry to read about your computer...   hoping you get a fabulous upgrade! 

Thanks so much for sharing this important first voyage, Lisa...  we're all keeping our fingers crossed that Covid won't (yet again) impact our sailings.  Sleep well, and reset that countdown clock!

[Alphen]

Thank you so much, for sharing your first renewed Alaskan cruise experience, hope many others, including us, will be able to follow and enjoy great voyages at HAL soon!

[Copper10-8]

5 hours ago, atexsix said:

No, the cruise lines shouldn't worry here anymore than they would in Boston or New York.  The area around the Hyatt is fine, I stayed there last month (staycation).

 

Ruth Chris restaurant is inside there, right?

[Copper10-8]

5 hours ago, shipshapegirl said:

Our MDR Stewards were from the Phillipines. They didn't seem to mind serving the drinks. 

 

Can I ask you when this was, because it would indicate a major change in HAL's policy! After the Dutch restaurant staff left the co. in 1970, the first Indonesians came in and they have always shown their talents in the main dining room, among other places onboard. Rule of thumb has always been:

 

Indonesians:

Housekeeping Dept.; Stateroom stewards, laundry staff

Restaurant stewards incl. Lido/Canaletto and Tamarind

Deck Dept; sailors, quartermasters, lifesaving attendants/boatmen, bosun/asst. bosun, storekeeper, florist

Technical Dept/Engine room guys in various positions

Human Resources Dept. clerks

 

Filipinos:

Beverage staff, incl. bartenders, wine stewards, bev stewards in the bars, baristas

Front Office staff; all sorts of admin positions, I.T. officer, printer, sanitation/garbage room attendants

Security staff, stage crew, crew physician

Galley staff; chefs, cooks, asst. cooks, kitchen assistants, baker, butcher

 

Deck Dept., fire safety attendant

Plumber, carpenter, upholsterer, tailor, locksmith (these guys double as firefighters) 

 

Prob forgetting some.............

 

Bac around 2017, HAL started hiring Thai young ladies (no males as of yet) for restaurant service and housekeeping

 

The Pinnacle Grill has always had an international staff with stewards from the Netherlands, Hungary and other Balkan countries, Belgium, Indonesia, etc.

 

 

[ksmaxey]

4 hours ago, mckgreg said:

Just have to clarify…I am a Seattlite and I love Seattle. It is perfectly safe to take a cab or go to the cruise port. But when you are downtown you need to be situationally aware. We have some problems in our city that will take time to solve. I have no doubt that our beautiful city will find solutions. In the mean time, just be careful downtown.

Thanks for all the comments and concerns.

The incident happened on a traffic island under the monorail as it turned toward the space needle around Denny and 5th ave.  I consider myself pretty situationally aware.  I was a sworn LEO years ago and am a chaplain for a PD now.  My wife is NP with experience with psych issues.

The person presented as just having psych issues.  No question and the PD confirmed this.  Unfortunately he took advantage of our being sensitive to the psych stuff to steal.  

He was clearly homeless.  He also was clearly used to being arrested as he kept getting into position to have cuffs placed on him.  

 

We have lived in many places around the midwest.  I have yet to live anywhere that has a great system for handling the chronically mentally ill.  I am a full time pastor and less than a month ago a son of a member who has been in and out of the state hospital was in crisis.  After a recent hospitalization they couldn't find a proper psych bed.  He was sent to a nursing home an hour away with no psych skills.  They needed a bed filled and the hospital needed to get him out.  He got into an altercation with another resident. He was arrested and put into the regional jail for 50 days without psych care or any of his meds.   His family finally got him into a psych unit in the city but after getting him stabilized they couldn't find him a place to live and so discharged him to the street with no meds or plan.

Suffice it to say I know every city has issues with those like we encountered.  I am thankful we got my phone back.  I am sad there was nothing the PD could do but let him go.  (jail would not have helped) 

 

I am up at 2 AM icing my knee and thankful that this is the extent of my injuries.  (I also think now is bad time to complete the HAL survey!)

[highscar]

Unfortunately the phantom cruiser did not pay my bill.  I have my visa statement to prove it. 

[kazu]

33 minutes ago, highscar said:

Unfortunately the phantom cruiser did not pay my bill.  I have my visa statement to prove it. 

LOL 😂 

[Sir PMP]

3 hours ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

Can I ask you when this was, because it would indicate a major change in HAL's policy! After the Dutch restaurant staff left the co. in 1970, the first Indonesians came in and they have always shown their talents in the main dining room, among other places onboard. Rule of thumb has always been:

 

Indonesians:

Housekeeping Dept.; Stateroom stewards, laundry staff

Restaurant stewards incl. Lido/Canaletto and Tamarind

Deck Dept; sailors, quartermasters, lifesaving attendants/boatmen, bosun/asst. bosun, storekeeper, florist

Technical Dept/Engine room guys in various positions

Human Resources Dept. clerks

 

Filipinos:

Beverage staff, incl. bartenders, wine stewards, bev stewards in the bars, baristas

Front Office staff; all sorts of admin positions, I.T. officer, printer, sanitation/garbage room attendants

Security staff, stage crew, crew physician

Galley staff; chefs, cooks, asst. cooks, kitchen assistants, baker, butcher

 

Deck Dept., fire safety attendant

Plumber, carpenter, upholsterer, tailor, locksmith (these guys double as firefighters) 

 

Prob forgetting some.............

 

Bac around 2017, HAL started hiring Thai young ladies (no males as of yet) for restaurant service and housekeeping

 

The Pinnacle Grill has always had an international staff with stewards from the Netherlands, Hungary and other Balkan countries, Belgium, Indonesia, etc.

 

 

What about these  two on the bridge for outlook?

[0bnxshs]

3 hours ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

Can I ask you when this was, because it would indicate a major change in HAL's policy! After the Dutch restaurant staff left the co. in 1970, the first Indonesians came in and they have always shown their talents in the main dining room, among other places onboard. Rule of thumb has always been:

 

Indonesians:

Housekeeping Dept.; Stateroom stewards, laundry staff

Restaurant stewards incl. Lido/Canaletto and Tamarind

Deck Dept; sailors, quartermasters, lifesaving attendants/boatmen, bosun/asst. bosun, storekeeper, florist

Technical Dept/Engine room guys in various positions

Human Resources Dept. clerks

 

Filipinos:

Beverage staff, incl. bartenders, wine stewards, bev stewards in the bars, baristas

Front Office staff; all sorts of admin positions, I.T. officer, printer, sanitation/garbage room attendants

Security staff, stage crew, crew physician

Galley staff; chefs, cooks, asst. cooks, kitchen assistants, baker, butcher

 

Deck Dept., fire safety attendant

Plumber, carpenter, upholsterer, tailor, locksmith (these guys double as firefighters) 

 

Prob forgetting some.............

 

Bac around 2017, HAL started hiring Thai young ladies (no males as of yet) for restaurant service and housekeeping

 

The Pinnacle Grill has always had an international staff with stewards from the Netherlands, Hungary and other Balkan countries, Belgium, Indonesia, etc.

 

 

We had a Thai dining steward in Sep/Oct/Nov 2018 on Zaandam.  Also have noticed several Indian chefs on our last few cruises.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

9 hours ago, shipshapegirl said:

Our MDR Stewards were from the Phillipines. They didn't seem to mind serving the drinks. 

Has this changed ????

[DaveOKC]

10 hours ago, atexsix said:

No, the cruise lines shouldn't worry here anymore than they would in Boston or New York.  The area around the Hyatt is fine, I stayed there last month (staycation).

We stayed there in 2019 and it was fine and we felt very safe.

[atexsix]

5 hours ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

Ruth Chris restaurant is inside there, right?

Yes...and it's one of the few restaurants that opened up again right away, they still offer takeout though.

 

To clarify the Hyatt Regency is on Howell. The Grand Hyatt is on Pine.

Ruth's Chris is in the Grand Hyatt.

 

If anyone is staying at the regency, the steakhouse there never reopened and you'll have to go to Ruth's Chris.

Edited August 1, 2021 by atexsix

[atexsix]

23 minutes ago, DaveOKC said:

We stayed there in 2019 and it was fine and we felt very safe.

Generally, the streets around the fine hotels are safer.  I'd still be very careful, especially at night, particular on the sides or back of the hotels where they lock all but their main doors.

 

If anybody is wanting to visit Pike Place, waterfront, or the Space Needle and Chihuly, I highly recommend an Uber or taxi, no matter what time of day.

[atexsix]

4 hours ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

Can I ask you when this was, because it would indicate a major change in HAL's policy! After the Dutch restaurant staff left the co. in 1970, the first Indonesians came in and they have always shown their talents in the main dining room, among other places onboard. Rule of thumb has always been:

 

Indonesians:

Housekeeping Dept.; Stateroom stewards, laundry staff

Restaurant stewards incl. Lido/Canaletto and Tamarind

Deck Dept; sailors, quartermasters, lifesaving attendants/boatmen, bosun/asst. bosun, storekeeper, florist

Technical Dept/Engine room guys in various positions

Human Resources Dept. clerks

 

Filipinos:

Beverage staff, incl. bartenders, wine stewards, bev stewards in the bars, baristas

Front Office staff; all sorts of admin positions, I.T. officer, printer, sanitation/garbage room attendants

Security staff, stage crew, crew physician

Galley staff; chefs, cooks, asst. cooks, kitchen assistants, baker, butcher

 

Deck Dept., fire safety attendant

Plumber, carpenter, upholsterer, tailor, locksmith (these guys double as firefighters) 

 

Prob forgetting some.............

 

Bac around 2017, HAL started hiring Thai young ladies (no males as of yet) for restaurant service and housekeeping

 

The Pinnacle Grill has always had an international staff with stewards from the Netherlands, Hungary and other Balkan countries, Belgium, Indonesia, etc.

 

 

Can you please weigh in on the spa? I've never been clear on if they are HAL or contracted in some other way.

[CruiseMGM]

30 minutes ago, atexsix said:

Generally, the streets around the fine hotels are safer.  I'd still be very careful, especially at night, particular on the sides or back of the hotels where they lock all but their main doors.

 

If anybody is wanting to visit Pike Place, waterfront, or the Space Needle and Chihuly, I highly recommend an Uber or taxi, no matter what time of day.

 

As a Pacific Northwesterner, could you please comment on the area around the Mediterranean Inn? We're booked there for one night pre-cruise and know nothing about Seattle area. We expect to have dinner somewhere nearby and sleep, then take a shuttle to the ship on embarkation day. We don't really plan on any wandering (except to find a dinner place nearby). Thank you!!

[atexsix]

5 hours ago, ksmaxey said:

Thanks for all the comments and concerns.

The incident happened on a traffic island under the monorail as it turned toward the space needle around Denny and 5th ave.  I consider myself pretty situationally aware.  I was a sworn LEO years ago and am a chaplain for a PD now.  My wife is NP with experience with psych issues.

The person presented as just having psych issues.  No question and the PD confirmed this.  Unfortunately he took advantage of our being sensitive to the psych stuff to steal.  

He was clearly homeless.  He also was clearly used to being arrested as he kept getting into position to have cuffs placed on him.  

 

We have lived in many places around the midwest.  I have yet to live anywhere that has a great system for handling the chronically mentally ill.  I am a full time pastor and less than a month ago a son of a member who has been in and out of the state hospital was in crisis.  After a recent hospitalization they couldn't find a proper psych bed.  He was sent to a nursing home an hour away with no psych skills.  They needed a bed filled and the hospital needed to get him out.  He got into an altercation with another resident. He was arrested and put into the regional jail for 50 days without psych care or any of his meds.   His family finally got him into a psych unit in the city but after getting him stabilized they couldn't find him a place to live and so discharged him to the street with no meds or plan.

Suffice it to say I know every city has issues with those like we encountered.  I am thankful we got my phone back.  I am sad there was nothing the PD could do but let him go.  (jail would not have helped) 

 

I am up at 2 AM icing my knee and thankful that this is the extent of my injuries.  (I also think now is bad time to complete the HAL survey!)

Well said. As someone who was once down on my luck I like to point out that there are different levels of homelessness:

 

-there are people having temporary housing or job issues, they often have funds for an inexpensive hotel or might bounce around by staying with various family and friends; you'll rarely see them at shelters or panhandling.

-there are people that choose to be homeless, they see it as an identity or lifestyle and like the freedom of not having to work or chase the American dream

-then there are the chronically homeless: people with addiction, criminal history, or mental/physical health issues. They are usually unemployable and unhouseable, whose going to hire or rent to them?  The concept of getting them treated and off the streets might get you elected, but it's pretty unrealistic, even if you do, the failure rate is high and long term success stories are rare, it takes a lot of time and money to sustain it, you can't just house em, hand em some cash, and walk away.  

 

I laugh and shake my head every time I hear clueless politicians talk about it.

 

PS the area you described is considered one of the safer parts of town, so it just goes to show people have to be careful anywhere, I grew up near Chicago, a city that's always had some grit to it, so I'm used to it, the problem with Seattle is growing pains, for the longest time it was a smaller provincial type of city, and now they have morphed into a national destination.

 

 

 

 

Edited August 1, 2021 by atexsix

[Meliara]

39 minutes ago, CruiseMGM said:

 

As a Pacific Northwesterner, could you please comment on the area around the Mediterranean Inn? We're booked there for one night pre-cruise and know nothing about Seattle area. We expect to have dinner somewhere nearby and sleep, then take a shuttle to the ship on embarkation day. We don't really plan on any wandering (except to find a dinner place nearby). Thank you!!

We live a few blocks from Mediterranean Inn, in Lower Queen Anne. We walk around that area constantly, and while we do see homeless folks every time we go out, they tend not to bother us at all. In three years living here, we've never had a bad experience in our neighborhood. As long as you're keeping your eyes open, and willing to go down a different street than you planned if there seems to be an incident, you'll be great. We walk around the neighborhood for dinner and groceries all the time. (For dinner, we love Tyger Tyger for sit-down Chinese, or Mint & Olive for fast-casual shawarma.)

[Seasick Sailor]

13 minutes ago, atexsix said:

Well said. As someone who was once down on my luck I like to point out that there are different levels of homelessness:

 

-there are people having temporary housing or job issues, they often have funds for an inexpensive hotel or might bounce around by staying with various family and friends; you'll rarely see them at shelters or panhandling.

-there are people that choose to be homeless, they see it as an identity or lifestyle and like the freedom of not having to work or chase the American dream

-then there are the chronically homeless: people with addiction, criminal history, or mental/physical health issues. They are usually unemployable and unhouseable, whose going to hire or rent to them?  The concept of getting them treated and off the streets might get you elected, but it's pretty unrealistic, even if you do, the failure rate is high and long term success stories are rare, it takes a lot of time and money to sustain it, you can't just house em, hand em some cash, and walk away.  

 

I laugh and shake my head every time I hear clueless politicians talk about it.

 

PS the area you described is considered one of the safer parts of town, so it just goes to show people have to be careful anywhere, I grew up near Chicago, a city that's always had some grit to it, so I'm used to it, the problem with Seattle is growing pains, for the longest time it was a smaller provincial type of city, and now they have morphed into a national destination.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bruno, where in Chicago? I grew up in Algonquin. 

[RGEDad]

9 hours ago, LAFFNVEGAS said:

So I guess I am heading out to buy a new computer tomorrow. I am thinking of getting one of the wireless all in one and hope I can connect a second monitor to it, and that my IT guy can remote in to add some things I need without having to have things transferred over.

Get a new Apple Air - the integration and sharing between your iPad, iPhone is outstanding - and it is light as can be.

[Oceansaway17]

1 hour ago, atexsix said:

Generally, the streets around the fine hotels are safer.  I'd still be very careful, especially at night, particular on the sides or back of the hotels where they lock all but their main doors.

 

If anybody is wanting to visit Pike Place, waterfront, or the Space Needle and Chihuly, I highly recommend an Uber or taxi, no matter what time of day.

Well this just made up my mind. I have been to Seattle several times and felt safe walking around, but now it sounds like walking from Howell to waterfront even in the day is a no go.

I noticed a change from 2010 to 2016. Sounds like even worse now.

 

BTW I wont do Uber since they are not regulated like cabs.

So I will be calling RCI to cancel a second Alaska cruise this year. First was NCL for othets reasons. Funny my best cruise out of Seattle was 2010 on HAL Amsterdam ship.

I have been to AK 4 times. Will continue to leave from Vancouver in future.

Too bad about Seattle.

 

 

 

 

[Copper10-8]

3 hours ago, Sir PMP said:

What about these  two on the bridge for outlook?

 

They're called quartermasters, two ranks up from sailor, and are Indonesian

[Copper10-8]

1 hour ago, atexsix said:

Can you please weigh in on the spa? I've never been clear on if they are HAL or contracted in some other way.

 

The Greenhouse Spa on HAL , and several other lines, is run by Steiners of London and is contracted. The mostly female, some male, staff in there comes from various different countries such as South Africa, Great Britain, Australia, the U.S., Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, Croatia, the Philippines, Japan, and more  

[CruiseMGM]

36 minutes ago, Meliara said:

We live a few blocks from Mediterranean Inn, in Lower Queen Anne. We walk around that area constantly, and while we do see homeless folks every time we go out, they tend not to bother us at all. In three years living here, we've never had a bad experience in our neighborhood. As long as you're keeping your eyes open, and willing to go down a different street than you planned if there seems to be an incident, you'll be great. We walk around the neighborhood for dinner and groceries all the time. (For dinner, we love Tyger Tyger for sit-down Chinese, or Mint & Olive for fast-casual shawarma.)

 

Thank you SO much! I think we found Mint & Olive on a google map search of the area and decided shawarma sounds GREAT for dinner! May change that to Tyger Tyger, fantastic!