SetAnOpenCourse

I also love the old style promenade decks!

I love the opportunity to go to Mass on board!

I love the classy staterooms and overall atmosphere!

2 hours ago, Zyc said:

Background articles on just about anything that would interest potential customers always seem to follow the advertising or freebies. While the articles are often interesting , they cant be considered definitive.

And I couldn’t imagine anyone basing such a major decision on a media article.  A world cruise isn’t a jar of tomato sauce.  I may read it, but would treat it as a snippet of information.

1 hour ago, opa&oma said:

We were on Koningsdam for 3 weeks last month and LOVED the entertainment!  The entertainment being: BB KIng's Blues Club, in which the band was outstanding! and the Rolling Stones Room, both of which were always packed and people dancing, and Lincoln Center, playing beautiful music we don't usually have the opportunity to hear live.  We consider the available music venues to be vastly superior to the lame production shows.  There was finally some active night life on a HAL ship!

There are outstanding cover bands all over the place.  Any given Saturday night, you can easily find them.  No need to cruise to find quality rock, soul, etc. cover bands (apparently BBKings rarely plays Blues).

Quality, traditional ships, on the other hand, are not so easy to find.

12 hours ago, BJzink said:

Exactly, and they have launched 2 bigger sparkly new ships, and another one to come.  They seem popular with some of the folks who comment on this blog - they didn't come for free!

If only cruises on the two new ships were to come for free.  Then I’d take one. 😏

I was on track to easily become a four-star mariner in time.  Now I find other lines with acceptable promenade decks, and may stay a three-star.

3 hours ago, voljeep said:

mini's - shower tub combo

 

suites - separate

BYW, will the same be true for certain other classes?  I assume it’s true for Coral.

I need to know when to pack my rubber ducky!

😎

Is there a rule of thumb for which cabin categories have a tub on Island?  My deck plan doesn’t help with this.

If you’re looking for a strictly enforced dress code you may be disappointed, although people on that cruise may be dressed a little nicer than, say, a Caribbean cruise.

I’m still hoping for a reply.

😌

On 9/25/2019 at 9:51 AM, mamaofami said:

... No Lyft or Uber.

 

This sort of incomplete statement is confusing.  It has no literal meaning, but someone might interpret it to mean that the two services are not available in that city.

What are the promenade deck lounge chairs like currently, and are there usually enough to find a couple together in the afternoon?

I’m hoping  they’re the long wooden kind with cushions.  

7 hours ago, walkingsoon said:

I found the Island very walker friendly. The promenade deck's cut through at the aft end is an elevator/stairwell lobby, easy enough to traverse. I tended to prefer "horseshoe" laps however. I also found the Lido and Sun decks to be relatively uncrowded and pleasant to walk in fair weather. I don't see it as a issue for long cruises and hour long promenades, certainly better than on the Regal/Royal class ships. I'll be doing a 97 day test in Jan '21 and might change my mind.

Thank you.  That’s the sort of answer I need, and it sounds like you also go for long walks.

I forgot to also ask this:

What are the lounge chairs like currently, and are there enough of them?  Ideally they’d be the long wooden kind with cushions.  

What is it like getting from one side of the promenade to the other side, aft, if one does laps on the promenade?  Has anyone walked for an hour, which could mean passing inside a dozen times?

I’ve only cruises on ships that let one walk the full lap outside.  I may be able to tolerate the lack thereof for a short cruise, but hearing exactly what this is like on Island would be a big help.

3 hours ago, AncientWanderer said:

....  

...We adore the ships with their aft pools and with the retractable cover over the main pool -- and, yes, the ever-shrinking promenade decks.  These glorious outdoor spaces let us breathe the sea air and know we are on a ship on the ocean...

....

🤔

Whoaaa.

You’re referring to Pinnacle class, specifically mentioning the promenade decks, and using the word “glorious”.  Was there a typo?

59 minutes ago, ronbe65 said:

 

They could have politely declined the invitation.

Nicely put.  It seems that AtlantaCruiser missed your point.

10 hours ago, TiogaCruiser said:

 

I’m still scratching my head over what they are currently doing on Maasdam. I’d be fine with lecturers and the local cultural performances in place of the general shows (which I don’t have interest in), which is what I understood the EXC originally was. Or maybe is. 

 

What at I don’t get is how HAL is ( or isn’t) marketing it. For some time I’ve had my eye on the Alaska and Mexico itineraries. When you pull them up on the HAL site there is NOTHING to indicate they are different. So someone could quite easily book one and have no clue it is EXC and expect it to include full shows, etc., then be quite disappointed when it isn’t. 

 

So I’m still wondering if it will be any different than my SA on Zaandam or my most recent Mexico on Veendam as they had cultural ambassadors. If I book and it turns out it’s even more in-depth than those (which the initial hype indicated) I’d be delighted; if it was less, not so much.

If by “cultural ambassadors” you mean people from the countries you’re visiting, FYI the primary EXC presenters on our Japan cruise were not (one was from Canada, the other was I think Canada or US).

But my attitude is different than yours, I think.  If I like the places the ship is going to, and I like the ship, then I am interested.  I don’t need to know so much about the lecturers and guest performers.  Anyway, that’s just me.

I was on the Maasdam in late August.  There was a variety of musical performances in the theater most nights of the 14 day cruise.

Including the single most impressive entertainment I’ve ever heard and seen on a cruise!  This was a Taiko drumming show, performed by about ten Japanese women.  The best entertainment I’ve ever enjoyed on board so far on any cruise line.  It was truly an invigorating show!

The lectures were pretty good but would not be a reason for me to book the Maasdam/EXC again.

I doubt this group of Taiko drummers would be on cruises in other regions, unfortunately!

Some of the other notable musical performers (theater shows) were the Jersey Tenors and a Japanese pianist.  Both were very good.

1 hour ago, rkacruiser said:

 

If CCL had not acquired them, the company would not be here today.  HAL corporate at that time needed $$.  They did not have it.  New ships were needed in order to be competitive.  The acquisition provided that with the first ship being the first of the S Class ships, the Statendam.

Oh my, back to square one about HAL history. 😅

I for one am a little more convinced by the ideas surfacing in this thread, debunking the popular assertion that  HAL was saved by CCL.

Thanks for the heads up.

I look for cabins that allow a bath.  Loss of bathtubs means one less reason to prefer HAL going forward.

If we drive to a port here in Fla., two or three plus flip flops.  If we fly, just two, running sneakers and dress shoes.  Unfortunately, the  day of embarkation on our longest cruise, while out for a walk in Yokohama before boarding, the sole of my ecco right dress shoe suddenly started falling apart.  I felt something odd, then DW alerted me to a trail of black particles.  The shoe just barely made it back to the ship, with an unusual gait.  This left me with only the sneakers for the rest of the trip, which at least were 90% black (could have been worse for gala nights😕).

 DW brings three or four, I’d guess.  While packing I offer a word or two to suggest practicality and the potential need in airports to run (faster, with sneakers or at least low heels 🧐).

13 hours ago, SempreMare said:

...

ps:  Ingredients in the refreshing gin drink I had. 

Squinting at my pic above... the greenery looks more like mint than basil.

 

When I read that thread on Gin drinks on HAL, I pasted into a Google Doc screen shots of a couple of these to to try on sail away day. 

...

Thanks for your review!  I was not able to find a thread on Gin drinks that mentions that cocktail.  Would you please share the url?  Also, where is the snapshot above from?  It looks like a HAL drink menu - was it a menu you found on board?

Oh, and I'm sorry to hear about that kiwi mistake.  Based on limited experience, I'll say that I'm not surprised that your specifications were not followed.

On 9/15/2019 at 3:55 PM, Tantsee said:

I see you already got your answer, but for further assurance, I just ran across this on HAL’s FAQ:

...

. Otherwise, there will be staff available at the pier to advise you of your stateroom number as you fill out your luggage tags.

 

Is the FAQ answer referring to HAL staff?  Porters on shore are not HAL staff, right?  Is there normally HAL staff where you hand off your luggage?

On 9/15/2019 at 11:33 PM, rj42 said:

...

A lot of new cruisers aren't aware that you can order anything from the dining room dinner menu for room service. 

...

Is this still true?

3 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

I believe in a place for everything and everything in its place. Somehow, it doesn't happen at home. I've very mess-tolerant. But when I travel, I'm  neat because there IS a place for everything I've got with me. I never leave out small or valuable things, like jewelry or a camera. NOT because I worry that they'll be stolen, but it would be easy for a steward to accidentally knock something off a nightstand or desk while cleaning, and it could break (camera) or get eaten by Henry (thinking of small earrings).

 

Ah, I never knew he had a name!  

Henry!

1 minute ago, sevenseasnomad said:

Take more than one baggie.  They take up no room in a suitcase.  Do you really bring Doritos?  My son would if I let him!

No, I’m actually not huge fan of Doritos (or Chee-tos; I edited).  I’m more likely to bring almonds.

28 minutes ago, sevenseasnomad said:

I would always wrap a tissue around the remote, so my hands wouldn't have to touch it.  Invariably, though, the tissue dislodged, and my fingers would come in contact with a surface that supposedly is germ-infested.  What to do? 

 

A couple of weeks ago, a cruise critic article offered a great solution for the remote.  Take a zip-lock baggie, drop the remote in, reseal the bag, and use the remote.  That way a passenger's hands only touch the remote once.

 

I tried it to make certain it works, and it does!  So no more juggling a remote wrapped in a tissue.  Easy solution for those, like us, who are wary of using that remote.

By my ninth Chee-to the slipperiness  of the plastic feels sorta gross so I gotta take the remote out of the dang bag.

Just kidding (again).

Thanks for for passing along that solution, although I probably won’t be needing the remotes on cruises much longer - I only use them if there’s a DVD player that accepts music CDs.