En Route with Hank in Japan and the Westerdam

[mcrcruiser]

2 hours ago, LAFFNVEGAS said:

Hank, I totally agree. I also have never signed any receipt for drinks on NCL, as a matter of fact when you have the drink package there is no limit. The last several NCL cruises specifically out last cruise in February there was a group of 6 of us that always dining together 5 of us ended up always getting the same Riesling so at each restaurant they would just bring over bottles of that wine and just keep pouring it for us. We often lost count of how many glasses were poured lol

I truly love the option of upgrading to the Haven on NCL. I agree that  it is as if HAL is going backward to compete with this market. Princess does realize they need to get into this market at least it appears that way with the NEW Sphere Class ships. Time will tell with that. I do think that HAL could do many things to start to improve their Suite product instead I feel it has lost so many of the perks it once had. One thing that comes to mind was the special Suite buffet brunch they would serve for suites on the last sea day up on the Crow's Nest. There are so many things that no longer are there that now the Neptunes Suites are just a larger stateroom with a big ticket price.

 Totally agree .What once a niche cruise line is no longer  

[mcrcruiser]

If any one sails  on HAL  we all need to recognize that we will not get what we once had  .Imo   HAL less the shows are more like Carnival  ships  than they were different years back 

[ontheweb]

8 hours ago, mcrcruiser said:

If any one sails  on HAL  we all need to recognize that we will not get what we once had  .Imo   HAL less the shows are more like Carnival  ships  than they were different years back 

Carnival ships, however, are much livelier.

[scooter6139]

18 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Premium Line?  Trust me that NCL, MSC, Celebrity, RCI, etc. are not premium lines  But they do offer Premium perks/packages with their higher end suites.  And speaking of the Yacht Club, on the newest MSC ships one can even book an inside cabin (at a very decent price) and get the same luxury perks as the folks in the most expensive Yacht Club suites.  HAL's Club Orange is a lame attempt to enter this world, but it fails on many levels.  

....

 

Hank

 

Sorry, I'm just going by the nomenclature on how TA's and other guides (like Fodors) group ships.  NCL and RCL are not premium lines, but more of a 'resort' style ship, a nicer mainstream line than Carnival.  Princess, HAL, and Celebrity are considered Premium Lines.  Premium does not mean luxury, just more upscale than a mainstream line.  I have yet to sail on a full luxury line, but Yacht Club and The Haven are considered luxury-esque.

[cruisemom42]

1 hour ago, scooter6139 said:

 

Sorry, I'm just going by the nomenclature on how TA's and other guides (like Fodors) group ships.  NCL and RCL are not premium lines, but more of a 'resort' style ship, a nicer mainstream line than Carnival.  Princess, HAL, and Celebrity are considered Premium Lines.  Premium does not mean luxury, just more upscale than a mainstream line.  I have yet to sail on a full luxury line, but Yacht Club and The Haven are considered luxury-esque.

 

Fodor's must be different from most groupings I've seen where there are:

 

Budget/family lines: Carnival, NCL, Costa (previously), MSC

Mainstream: Princess, HAL, Celebrity, Cunard

Premium: Azamara, Oceania, Viking

Luxury:  Regent, Seabourn, Silversea

 

RCCL seems to be midway between the first two categories, but I think this is a more accurate comparison. (And obviously this is not taking into account whatever category those "ships within a ship" concept might be....

 

[Dr.Dobro]

On 5/15/2023 at 8:38 PM, Hlitner said:

<<< consistently overcharged for drinks >>>

Hi Hank,

   I followed your travails with some interest. I thought this might interest you.

   We boarded the Zuiderdam on May 12. The other night I ordered a $12 glass of wine in the MDR. Checked my statement today, and I was charged the full $12 plus 18%, despite the prominently displayed note on the wine list that if you have the HIA package you will be charged only the amount over your plan maximum.

   Dude at front desk seemed perplexed, had to go ask someone in back, and after a few minutes said he would "notify the cellarmaster."

[Hlitner]

1 hour ago, Dr.Dobro said:

Hi Hank,

   I followed your travails with some interest. I thought this might interest you.

   We boarded the Zuiderdam on May 12. The other night I ordered a $12 glass of wine in the MDR. Checked my statement today, and I was charged the full $12 plus 18%, despite the prominently displayed note on the wine list that if you have the HIA package you will be charged only the amount over your plan maximum.

   Dude at front desk seemed perplexed, had to go ask someone in back, and after a few minutes said he would "notify the cellarmaster."

The situation on the Westy was somewhat interesting.  When we were first overcharged (the first day of our 42 day cruise) we stopped by Guest Relations and were told "we will need to e-mail the beverage manager."   After a few hours the overcharge was corrected.  The 2nd time (the following day) we again stopped by Guest Relations and again got the usual "we will e-mail the beverage department."  That was the last time we heard that garbage.  

 

As that point we stopped going to Guest Relations and simply sent a message via the Navigator App.  The first couple of times we got follow-up phone calls (sorry bout that) and the overcharges were quickly corrected (no more "we will e-mail the beverage department.")  After the 5th or 6th time they no longer responded to our messages and simply corrected the overcharges.  They also ignored our 3 requests to meet with the Hotel General Manager about the issue :).   At one point I did suggest to Guest Relations that if all they do is send e-mails to the various departments, we do not need a Guest Relations desk.  We can simply send those e-mails ourselves

 

 A warning!  Keep checking your accounts since, in our case, the problem was never resolved and continued throughout much of our 42 days.  We never could identify a pattern since it happened a few times at several different bars (and in the MDR) but there were numerous other times when there were no overcharges.  It felt like rolling the dice on the craps table.

 

Hank

[mcrcruiser]

2 hours ago, Hlitner said:

The situation on the Westy was somewhat interesting.  When we were first overcharged (the first day of our 42 day cruise) we stopped by Guest Relations and were told "we will need to e-mail the beverage manager."   After a few hours the overcharge was corrected.  The 2nd time (the following day) we again stopped by Guest Relations and again got the usual "we will e-mail the beverage department."  That was the last time we heard that garbage.  

 

As that point we stopped going to Guest Relations and simply sent a message via the Navigator App.  The first couple of times we got follow-up phone calls (sorry bout that) and the overcharges were quickly corrected (no more "we will e-mail the beverage department.")  After the 5th or 6th time they no longer responded to our messages and simply corrected the overcharges.  They also ignored our 3 requests to meet with the Hotel General Manager about the issue :).   At one point I did suggest to Guest Relations that if all they do is send e-mails to the various departments, we do not need a Guest Relations desk.  We can simply send those e-mails ourselves

 

 A warning!  Keep checking your accounts since, in our case, the problem was never resolved and continued throughout much of our 42 days.  We never could identify a pattern since it happened a few times at several different bars (and in the MDR) but there were numerous other times when there were no overcharges.  It felt like rolling the dice on the craps table.

 

Hank

A over charge one time  is  frustrating . By making numerous over  charges   was not done accidentally . The question is who is held accountable for these over charges or  are they held accountable ,hmmm ?

[USN59-79]

I was overcharged twice on the Westerdam, both for items ordered before we boarded.  I noticed the first one when I got my first statement; I was charged half price for dinner in the Pinnacle.  Since that was my first Pinnacle Grill dinner and the first two are free for 5-star mariners, I discussed it with the front desk.  Took awhile for them to figure out how to fix it, but finally Riyo there figured it out.  The other thing was my charge for an 8 bottle wine package.  It is listed at $219, but in the fine print they add 18% to it for $258.  However, as a 5-star it should have been half price.  

A few weeks into the cruise I downloaded my visa statement and found that I had been charged $258.42 on 13 March and there was never a credit for the difference.  I discussed it a few times with the front desk and even gave them a picture of my credit card statement.  Eventually I got a call from them that they had fixed the overcharge.  I believed them at the time but when I got home I found that they didn't tell the truth.  So at this point HAL still owes me about $126 for my wine package.  

When I filled in my online critique of the cruise one of the questions was "How could we have made your cruise better?"  I answered "just pay me the $126. you owe me for my wine package"  Personally, I don't expect to get it, but it will be in the back of my mind if I think of cruising with HAL again.

Ray

[Dr.Dobro]

3 hours ago, USN59-79 said:

I downloaded my visa statement and found that I had been charged $258.42 on 13 March and there was never a credit for the difference. 

Wow. If I see that happening I will dispute the charge right away and cancel the dispute only when the credit appears on my Visa.

 

[Mary229]

7 hours ago, mcrcruiser said:

A over charge one time  is  frustrating . By making numerous over  charges   was not done accidentally . The question is who is held accountable for these over charges or  are they held accountable ,hmmm ?

I agree.  This is another inconsistency on HAL.  I have never had an overcharge but this particular ship seems to have a plague of them.  It must be a localized accounting issue.  They certainly could pinpoint that person and deal with this.    It reminds me of the lack of MDR management on the Koningsdam, the only ship I have ever had a dining room issue, that is it is local.  

[nymexico]

On 4/11/2023 at 10:12 PM, Beejay4016 said:

I am so enjoying following this thread. Like others here, I'm a bit disappointed at some of the changes in entertainment offerings - my favourite thing on a HAL cruise was Phil in the piano bar on the Noordam a few years back, so it's shame that has gone by the wayside. Ditto the shows, which were usually fantastic, but I know we'll have a great time anyway in the Rolling Stones Lounge and with the new jazz group. 

 

I do have a question for Hank, or others onboard who are also following this fantastic thread. We join the vessel on the 24th and are super excited about our trip. I notice that guests are allowed to bring a "reasonable" (whatever that means) amount of wine onboard and will be charged $20 per bottle irrespective of where it's drunk. I have read on a couple of sites that alcohol in Japan is extremely cheap. Having looked at what HAL charge for wine, I'm inclined to pick up a few bottles in Japan to take on board with us. I can't believe the mark-up on Australian and New Zealand wines, and I imagine it's the same with those from the US. Have others here who are onboard at the moment, or been on one of the recent cruises, bought wine onboard that they purchased in Japan? We're staying in Yokohama for a few days pre-cruise, so have ample opportunity to try and buy beforehand.

 

And thanks so much, Hank, for starting this - every morning when I check my phone I am delighted to find a whole heap of new posts to read.

used to be one bottle each and no fee.