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

[LAFFNVEGAS]

37 minutes ago, RGEDad said:

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

I would love to get an Apple since I use iPad and iPhone for years but oddly Apple /Mac computers do not work well with my job they are not compatible with what I need to do.

[Boytjie]

45 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.)

Thanks for the info; we will be staying in the Mediterranean Inn a few days prior to out cruise. We stayed there in 2007 prior to a cruise too. It was a rather funky neighborhood and it will be interesting to see what it is like 14 years later. 

[LAFFNVEGAS]

13 minutes ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

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  

John, there are a few changes and corrections since you worked with Hal. Steiner is no longer and actually changed just before the pause. Most of the company that was Steiner moved to One Spa World, they still sell all Elemis products but are now Headquartered in Miami USA. They do still have one of their training schools in London. 
As for servers not being From the Philippines, a long time Wine Steward we have kept in communication with told me a few months ago about them eliminating his job of well over 20 years but offered for him to reapply to be a Food Server or Bartender. He declined hoping they will change their mind. He said other he knew went for the Food Server. The person who was bringing us our adult beverages at dinner was definitely Filipino and he was wearing a server uniform. They were basically treating him like a glorified food runner but with beverages from the bar. That is why it seemed confusing who had what job and many different ones working the tables. I almost preferred when they had different uniforms.

[zelker]

@LAFFNVEGAS  Hi, Lisa.  Do you remember what time they started letting people disembark in ISP by any chance?  I think you said you were going to arrive earlier than the 6:00 pm schedule.

 

Thanks!

[LAFFNVEGAS]

5 minutes ago, zelker said:

@LAFFNVEGAS  Hi, Lisa.  Do you remember what time they started letting people disembark in ISP by any chance?  I think you said you were going to arrive earlier than the 6:00 pm schedule.

 

Thanks!

Surprisingly we actually did not arrive early and we actually were not cleared to disembark till after 6. 

[Copper10-8]

4 hours ago, 0bnxshs said:

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

 

Yes, the Thai ladies started coming in around 2016-2017, some were hired as restaurant supervisors. The Indian crew has been around on HAL for many years. You'll find them mostly in the galleys as chefs, sous-chefs, etc., culinary operations manager. There was at least one Indian hotel director. They also work in Housekeeping as managers and supervisors, in Security as security officers, supervisors and guards, and in certain admin positions, i.e. Human Resources Manager, I.T. Officer, etc. 

[Copper10-8]

3 hours ago, atexsix said:

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.

 

Thanx for confirming! Having dinner reservations at Ruth's place at the Grand Hyatt in the emerald city this Friday, our fav steakhouse

[dobiemom]

1 hour ago, LAFFNVEGAS said:

I would love to get an Apple since I use iPad and iPhone for years but oddly Apple /Mac computers do not work well with my job they are not compatible with what I need to do.

I have the same problem. I have a Mac laptop and it was not compatible at my last two jobs. 🤔

[boze9999]

2 minutes ago, dobiemom said:

I have the same problem. I have a Mac laptop and it was not compatible at my last two jobs. 🤔

That used to be my problem but now that you can get the full Microsoft 365 Suite for Apple, I have total compatibility. 

[Tennessee Titan]

Su=ounds like this is over. Very off original topic, etc.....

The only signioficant thing left is reporting of post-cruise infeections (I sincerely hope not!)

Edited August 1, 2021 by Tennessee Titan

[AmazedByCruising]

9 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.

 

 

 

Hi Copper,

 

Did I ever mention this video? https://anderetijden.nl/programma/1/Andere-Tijden/aflevering/754/Klassenverschil-op-de-Holland-Amerika-Lijn

 

About the Dutch crew being a bit unhappy about reading in the newspaper they were being replaced after many years of service and throwing out a piano in anger. And officers having almost unlimited drinks, which the pax wouldn't notice because they were always drunk as well 🙂

[Copper10-8]

10 minutes ago, AmazedByCruising said:

 

Hi Copper,

 

Did I ever mention this video? https://anderetijden.nl/programma/1/Andere-Tijden/aflevering/754/Klassenverschil-op-de-Holland-Amerika-Lijn

 

About the Dutch crew being a bit unhappy about reading in the newspaper they were being replaced after many years of service and throwing out a piano in anger. And officers having almost unlimited drinks, which the pax wouldn't notice because they were always drunk as well 🙂

 

Goeie avond/Good evening! 

 

Interesting video, thanks! Like the title says in Dutch, "Different times" Het beste en blijf gezond! / Take care and stay healthy!

[atexsix]

2 hours ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

Thanx for confirming! Having dinner reservations at Ruth's place at the Grand Hyatt in the emerald city this Friday, our fav steakhouse

It's a wonderful restaurant, great choice!

[scubacruiserx2]

Hi Lisa . Thank you for sharing your great cruise and photos with us . We are booked on a latter cruise and we wonder if you sailed on the inside passage on your return trip or if you stayed in the ocean . Thank you .

[atexsix]

5 hours 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!!

This is located in the Queen Anne district, not downtown, should be fine, as it's residential with an active commercial sector.

[atexsix]

3 hours ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

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  

Thanks, great info!

[atexsix]

4 hours ago, Oceansaway17 said:

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.

 

 

 

 

Wait. I don't think I would cancel over it, there are other neighborhoods like Queen Anne, or even near the airport.

[atexsix]

Deleted

Edited August 1, 2021 by atexsix

[Copper10-8]

27 minutes ago, atexsix said:

Thanks, great info!

 

Except no longer up-to-date, well some of it 😉 

[Oceansaway17]

38 minutes ago, atexsix said:

Wait. I don't think I would cancel over it, there are other neighborhoods like Queen Anne, or even near the airport.

 

 

and you will be glad to know that I cancelled just the Howell street hotel and will now stay out by the airport.  I so want to take Ovation out again to see my favorite places in Alaska.

thanks for your advice too.  Hoping Seattle gets better one day.  

[rkacruiser]

1 hour ago, AmazedByCruising said:

About the Dutch crew being a bit unhappy about reading in the newspaper they were being replaced after many years of service

 

I have posted at least once on CC about my experience on Rotterdam V in July, 1971 as the change from Dutch to Indonesian staff was taking place.  Were the Dutch unhappy?  Most certainly were from what I observed. 

[rkacruiser]

4 hours ago, LAFFNVEGAS said:

The person who was bringing us our adult beverages at dinner was definitely Filipino and he was wearing a server uniform. They were basically treating him like a glorified food runner but with beverages from the bar. That is why it seemed confusing who had what job and many different ones working the tables. I almost preferred when they had different uniforms.

 

Seems to me this is another silly HAL decision.  Different uniforms help to denote "who is responsible for what job" for the guest.  

[rkacruiser]

4 hours ago, Copper10-8 said:

The Greenhouse Spa on HAL , and several other lines, is run by Steiners of London and is contracted.

 

On another post, it has been mentioned that Steiner's has been replaced by One Spa World.  Yet, the Elemis products were still being used.  I thought that "odd".  After a bit of research, I found that there is a connection between the former contractor and the new contractor.  If interested, google One World Spa.  

[Tbay]

On 7/31/2021 at 8:03 AM, ksmaxey said:

No bar - just liquid.  It is so much cleaner and nicer.  This is our first with dispenser at the sink

Good to know. I usually take a container with me.  So much easier to use than bar soap. Thanks.

[Cajuntraveler]

To anyone who was on this "first" Alaska cruise - can you share any packing tips? DH and I will be on the August 14th sailing and have cruised to Alaska in September when it was very cold and rainy. (We wore sweat shirts, jeans and rain coats most days.)  It's hard to think about cool weather clothes when it's 100 degrees outside.

 

Was there anything that you wish you had packed for your cruise?  Was there anything that you brought with you that you were very glad to have.  What did you bring that could have stayed home.  Any tips would be greatly appreciated!