Shih-tzu

On 3/4/2020 at 11:28 PM, BalzacBill said:

We're booked on the Feb 2022 Miracle Hawaii cruise, and the Sailabration is on the same day as our Ensenada stop. Will be great to see the gathering.

 

We booked this cruise this week along with a few other friends.  We're getting off the Panorama the morning of the 19th in Long Beach and making a beeline for San Diego.  Sadly it will only be two ships for our gathering but there's supposed to be special events during entire cruise.  I was looking closer today and it also appears to be a "Journeys" cruise as well???  

April

From what I could tell, they can do some online/interactively but still must report on their own time to the muster station prior to sailing to have their card swiped as an assurance they physically know where their station is.  

The good old "mustard" drill.....I don't "relish" the thought of having to go to them in the heat but I do "catchup" in time

7 minutes ago, sparks1093 said:

Insurance shouldn't be necessary for this, Carnival will need to make all impacted passengers whole in one form or another.

They may cover the cost of the cruise and onboard purchases, but may not cover the airfare for people who need to fly to the port.

Oh my!!!  And just before one of the busiest cruising weeks where there probably isn't a lot of room for people to re-book on another ship :-(  

I hope everyone is OK but looks like dining room and probably there were a few folks there having a late breakfast.

Has me re-thinking my cabin choice for my February cruise - I had picked an OV just below the dining room.

Please keep us updated.

On 10/24/2019 at 12:52 AM, Sue from Canada said:

$359 for the week!!!  Holy crap, I've never seen any prices like that when booking from Canada.  I would have booked a B2B2B2B😂

There was one or two showing on the HAL site for $345.00/week CDN a week or so ago - I believe it was on the Veendam.  If only I didn't have to work...I'd probably do the same thing.

I was about 1/2 way between the Crow's Nest and the entrance in from the deck area overlooking pool.  Balcony on the starboard side.   I found it to be very quiet - most everyone going to the Crow's Nest used the elevator and I only saw those that actually "lived" on our side of the ship.

Don't just observe the transit from your balcony.  Move around the ship - go to the promenade deck and watch your view go from cement walls to a view in a matter of a few minutes and watch the "mules" close up.  Go to the aft (we went to the aft Lido pool area) and watch the gates close behind the ship.   And, if you have time, watch the movies/documentaries that are available on the TV beforehand.  Understanding the history and making of the canal made me appreciate the experience even more.

Enjoy your coffee and Panama buns.....yuuuuummmmmmmmy.

1 minute ago, kazu said:

 

Sorry to hear that 

 

We’re near the Bay of Fundy and you know what joy that brings.  Trees down everywhere.  Lots without power - way too many but it was because of the trees - not NB Power’s fault.  Our storm was long and went on until after midnight.  (Storms love to stall on the Bay of Fundy ‘sigh’).

 

So glad to hear you didn’t lose your power.  That’s a plus in these things 🙂😉 

Was brought up on the Fundy shore - could see it from our house..... so I truly do know the joy that brings.... cold, fog, fog, and some fog.....

On 10/17/2019 at 7:47 PM, kazu said:

 

Expected?  It’s already here 😉   It’s been here all day.  It should leave shortly, I hope.

Kazu - not sure where in NB you are, but it was absolutely crazy here near Fredericton with wind and rain and then all of a sudden, there was no wind at all moving the flags outside our office building and the sun started peeking through.  Had a rather abrupt ending - but there were thousands without power (luckily I didn't lose mine).  

2 hours ago, hotlipss said:

Yes I hope so as well..was a little nervous booking a sailing fresh out of dry dock ..fingers crossed everything is done and all areas of ship are open 🚢😎 happy cruising 

I was on Zuiderdam fresh out of dry dock in Nov '17.   Only thing that wasn't open on embarkation day was the aft deck and pool.  That's because all the sea containers with the old things came back on aft deck and all the lounge chairs  were stored in the pool.  They spent that day and better part of the next day cleaning the deck, cleaning the pool and then filling it up.  It wasn't that bad as the 1st day we were at Half Moon Cay in the water anyway.   

Looks like the Volendam has left FLL and is on the way to Freeport.... this screen shot was 5:50pm Atlantic Time - 18 Oct.  Let's hope she' ready to greet us with open arms on 01 November.   

19 hours ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

Interesting vessel! Nevasa (she took her name from a city in India) was built as a British troopship in 1955 and was owned by the British India Steam Navigation Company. She actually came out with stabilizers. Post 1965, she became an educational ship with accommodation for 1,100 pupils and teachers plus 230 private cabins for "regular" passengers. She met her end at the breakers in Taiwan in 1975

 

 

 

Copper 10-8...…...Yes - that's it!!!!  (there was another that looked similar called the Uganda).   It may have had stabilizers but that November storm in the Adriatic was a stomach churner.....

26 November 1973 to 08 Dec 1973 -  on the SS Nevassa - Dubrovnik-Athens-Trabizon-Istanbul-Messina-Naples.   Parents paid around $450 for high school trip on an "educational" cruise.   It was a converted troop ship and we slept in dorms with about 16-20 racks to sleep on per dorm.   I remember the food was horrid... It wasn't close to a cruise ship by today's standards....  I don't remember if the airfare from Moncton NB via London UK to the embarkation/debarkation ports was included or not, but the shore excursions were.  

My first what I would call a "real" cruise was on the Veendam to Bermuda in 2015.   Paid $499 CAD each for a big inside cabin (port fees, etc extra).

Not overly convenient for those of us that must vacate our hotel rooms by 11:00am.   Where can you really go with all your luggage, etc.??  

20 hours ago, SeaDog-46 said:

Bob - It's hard to know if the yard has spare capacity or if they are able to clear work to get Volendam in ontime.

If you have not heard from HAL - I would expect your Volendam cruise will go ontime.

John

Ohhhh, I hope so.   I would think they would let us know by this time if the 01 Nov cruise was cancelled..... and then there is the issue of those of us with flights.....  

1.  I like the smaller ships - I'm not sure I would want to be on a ship with 5000+ people.  (although I will admit I'm going to try a larger ship with 3690 in February but I'm cruising with a group)

2.  I like that you can sit in a common area (Lido pool or aft) and have a conversation with your cruise mates without having to holler above the loud music, Zumba class, dance contest, etc

3.  Crew is top notch.

4.  I don't feel the "rush, rush, rush" like I have on some other cruise lines.  I feel more relaxed.

5.  Prices are reasonable for the type of cruising I like.   I'm not paying more because the ship offers the rock walls, go karts, ice rinks, massive water slides, bumper cars and other things that would never use at my age.  

6.  Fellow passengers seem quite friendly.

It's sad because almost every board I read leads me to believe that a lot of people are unhappy with the direction their favourite cruise line is going.   And if you read reviews of hotels, restaurants and resorts, it's the same.

I fear that we (as a society) have moved from being contented with our lot and look for slips/errors/mistakes/dissatisfaction in things.   I think as long as we can cruise and/or travel that we should all consider ourselves fortunate.   Sure things aren't perfect, some things go wrong - but there also are memorable moments in every trip.   Sometimes we just have to smell the roses instead of looking for the patch of poison ivy.

Corporations try to make max profits for their shareholders (which they're implicitly mandated to do) while trying to find the point where they can save money but keep customers coming in the door.  Sometimes it's corporate greed... but every business does it to some degree.  Travel is a "luxury" so they have to be careful not to out-price themselves so instead it's changing the way they do things - either by cutting services, staff, etc.   

I don't have to do dishes, I don't have to cook, I don't have to make my bed (but I do anyway), and I don't have to shovel snow....that's what it takes to keep me happy.

I'm on a 10 day and my boarding pass says two.

Same here.  Maybe it's shut down for maintenance to add features or sort out a few bugs.   (I hope my husband didn't call and tell them to shut down the server to keep me from getting that thermal suite package 😂🤣😅)

 Bought up on the Bay of Fundy.   One day you could have had your windows squeaky clean (and it takes a LOT of work to get them clean) and after a windy day or storm they look dull and dingy.  The salt air causes windows and metal to get a film or rust very easy.   Cars in the area I was brought up in usually had rust on them by the time they were 3 years old.   Sand and paint a wrought iron railing - rust shows through in about 3-4 months......

Given that and the sea state/weather, it wouldn't take much for the windows to appear to be really dirty.  (and if there was a cruise before the one you have commented on that was rough or in ports that don't allow cleaning, then that is maybe why they were "dirty" when you boarded.  I would far sooner try to look out a dirty window than to think some crew member was out there risking his life and something might happen.

4 hours ago, knittinggirl said:

 

Caught something horrid on a cruise back in 2017, and had a long flight home.  Back home, it took about 6 weeks to completely get over my cough.

 

 

Same here - same year.   Wonder if it was the same cruise?   There were a lot of sick people at the end, even staff/crew.   I couldn't even stay awake on my flight home, did nothing but sleep for 5 days after I got home and two strong rounds of antibiotics.  I wondered if it was because the Zuiderdam had just come out of drydock the day before the cruise and the systems had been shut down for a bit.  It was well into the New Year before I was really feeling better.

Didn't know I could do that.....  tried to delete some but it wouldn't go.... maybe it's because I'm on a device that I don't use that often.....   Thanks for the tip 🙂

13 hours ago, Hlitner said:

I thank the OP for taking the time to post their experience and feelings.  As one who is in his 70s (but still walks 10 miles for fun) I understand some of the comments.   But the comments about the Lido really made me laugh.  About 5 years ago (when I was still in my late 60s) I was standing in line, one morning, to get my Eggs Benedict (when HAL still had the station with about 8 variations).  There were 6-8 behind me as I reached the beginning of the line (queue for you Brits) when this little ole Lady (probably in her young 80s) just walked right in front of me and started to order her breakfast.  I immediately said to this lady something like, "excuse me m'aam, but we are all in line to order at this station."  Her response (and this is exact) was "it's OK, I am old!."  Without thinking I responded, "the line for the old people is back there" (and I pointed to the back of the line).  I immediately heard applause coming from nearly everyone behind me (some of whom were older then the offending lady).  She immediately turned red as a beet and walked to the back of the line (no pride).  As I placed my egg order the cook gave me a big grin and said, "thank you."

 

So when I read the OP's comments about the line cutters at lunch there is no surprise.  On the other hand the OP did not comment about almost being run over by reckless scooter drivers  (it has happened to DW...twice!).  Scooters, Wheelchairs, and canes are fine (but for the grace of God go I) but we have lately seen too many reckless scooter drivers on ships (not just HAL).  One friend who uses a scooter tells me the problem is that many scooter folks on cruises do not use scooters at home...and simply have no clue how to be safe.  They decide to rent scooters for their cruise and use no common sense in their operation.  On a recent Princess cruise we watched a man simply put his scooter in reverse and back into two folks (he never turned to look and did not have a mirror).  His reaction was to get angry at the two folks he hit.  I truly thought that the husband of one of the victims (who was hit) was going to toss this man (and his scooter) overboard!  There is just something that happens to some cruisers where they leave all their manners at home.

 

Hank

You are correct (wish I could have just cut'n'pasted part of the 2nd paragraph).  People rent the scooters for their trips due to all the walking (and even if you stay on board, there is a lot) and they aren't used to them.... and people that aren't used to being around scooters don't realize that they can't stop on a dime.   I don't think most are being "reckless" but just aren't  used to it.  I saw an older lady break down in tears and apologizing over and over  on the Zuiderdam because she couldn't get it turned around quickly enough and was holding a few folks up near the elevator.  I felt bad for her..... I think it is great that HAL is a cruiseline that is more suited for those that aren't as mobile - on some cruise lines they'd be run over and trampled on the 1st day.

It doesn't seem to matter where you go (home town, other city, Disney, other cruises lines, resorts), there are more and more people that feel the signs/rules are for other people but not for them.  I'm afraid it's the times we live in.

As far as "doing your homework" and choosing rooms that are not below the promenade deck - if you look at the deck plans approx. 50% of the ocean view are under the promenade deck.  

Sounds like they didnt want to commit to anything in writing.....