BGozzy

Going on Scandi Cruise late August-September.

Wanting feedback on weather please.

Help please.

On Cruises on Sun & Star many years ago, there was a smoking area pool side undercover near the bar.

On recent cruise on Majestic areas were only on deck 7 and 17. Deck 7 was closed due to weather, and deck 17 was open to the elements. And the areas were not as social as by the pool.

Is this now the areas on all Princess ships?

We are looking at Sky Princess Baltic Cruise.

16 minutes ago, Hammer61 said:

 

Just curious as you have lost me! 26 bottles @ $10 a bottle is $260, corckage on each is $15, so add another $390, total is $650, what are the $1123 and $1131 figures????

Sorry to confuse you. That is taking into consideration other beverages, ie coffee, water, soft drink, and other alcoholic drinks after dinner.

1 hour ago, Russell21 said:

Well as posted earlier we are taking our own wine for each night on our upcoming 14 night cruise. I don't mind anyone making a living by upping the price of the drinks, but when one takes into account that they are buying duty free I do resent being ripped. Up until this coming cruise I have paid their price, but seeing the cheapest Shiraz at $51.00 for, to me, an unknown brand, and due to the fact that I buy our wine 3 cases at a time, I can take mine aboard, pay the $15.00 corkage, be assured of the wine quality, and save myself $400.00 in the process.

They crossed the line with their latest increases, and to me a saving of $400.00 is worth the effort to drag a little fold up light weight trolley and a case + 2 bottles aboard.

 

I'll be taking Shiraz, but to give you an example of the savings to be made I offer the following. I noticed on our last Carnival cruise that Annie's Lane Riesling was $42.00, Dan Murphy price is $20.00, I buy by the case at $10.00, how much do you think the cruise line is paying?

If enough of us take our own wine we may eventually get back to the days when onboard grog was at a reasonable price.

I did that calculation as well.

Based on us taking 26 bottles (extremely unlikely, as the max we could probably carry would be 18), at $10  a bottle with the $15 corkage, it would cost the 3 of us each $1,123, opposed to the $1,131.

On 9/18/2019 at 5:21 AM, OzKiwiJJ said:

BGozzy, when doing your calculations look at the alternatives for coffee and wine. Coffees work out at $2.40 each using the coffee card. Wine by the bottle works out much cheaper - the by-the-glass pours are 150ml so five glasses to a bottle. The waiters will store unfinished bottled wine for you for the next day.

 

I'm still working on finding out the gin prices.

I did as you said.

Pay as you go was $1,270

Pay as you go with a bottle per hour, divided by 3 people at dinner was $1,357

Pay as you go, with coffee card $1,254

and drinks package $1,131.

So I think for us, package is still way to go.

I’d like to give a HUGE shout out to OzKiwiJJ for being so helpful and despite currently relaxing on a cruise, was kind enough to provide such useful information.

We have cruised before, so know our creature habits when on board.

We are middle-late aged, and don’t consider ourselves as excessive.

That being said, I have done the sums (you’ll have to excuse my analytical mind), and we will be better off with the drinks package on Majestic Princess.

The package would be a total of AUD$1,131 for us (each).

I calculated a conservative estimation of our purchases (as shown in picture).

To summarise, the conservative estimate includes:

1x special coffee per morning

1x bottle of water at night

1x bottle of water to take to shore

2x water + 2x soft drink / juice sea days

pre dinner cocktail each night

2x glasses of wine at dinner

3x cocktails /other after dinner drinks

1x night cap

These estimates are the minimum based on what we purchased on our last cruise.

For us the drinks package will be the way to go.

1 hour ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

I'll see if I can find out what gins they have. 

And is there a price difference to say have it with Tonic?

23 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

We knew the prices would be high so budgeted for them. But they aren't much different from Sydney restaurant prices. We're enjoying the opportunity to try wines that we don't see in Australia. So far we haven't had the same wine twice and all have been excellent.

I’m sorry to ask, as you have been so helpful already, but my fellow guests have asked the following:

1. If you have drinks package, can you order glass in main dining room as part of package?

2. Are you able to ask please, price for Aperol Spritz?

3. Do they still serve Dazante Pinot Grigio in main dining room and what is price.

4. Finally what is the cost of a glass of Prosecco at on deck bar?

4 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

There you go. I think I got all the pages posted. Let me know if you have any more drinks questions.

Thank you so much !!! You’re a star!

29 minutes ago, GUT2407 said:

When was that?

 

Never had it on any of our Princess cruises, always been what you see is what you pay.

 

Last time I sailed with Princess was 2014, and 2013 before that.

Im sure there was service fee added to each drink.

And I read this on Princess site?

I’ll be happy if I’m wrong.

Last time I was on board Princess ex Australia there were still service charge added to individual drinks purchased, and it says as much in t&c’s

That is a huge difference. My cruise planner says AUD$86, but that’s inclusive of (18%) service fee, so $73 without 

Ozziepost, thanks for answering.

I’m estimating the following (all excluding service fee):

$5.00 (Good) Coffee in morning

$12.00 Pre-Dinner Cocktail

$16.00 2x Glasses of Wine during dinner

$12.00 Cocktail during show

(up to) $24.00 Post show cocktails

This is already $69, and doesn’t include any water, juice or soft drinks during the day.

The drinks package is $73 (excluding service fee)

I just want to ensure my estimates are correct.

Going on NZ cruise shortly on Majestic Princess cruise ex Sydney.

Looking for a price list / menu / costs of on board drinks at bars so I can compare if drinks package is viable.

thanks

I thank everyone for their comments.

More specifically I'd like to respond to some of your comments.

1. I have listened to your views and concede, calling it theft was not correct, and incompetence is more appropriate. 2. To clear up some confusion, the first amount successfully held was $1634.35, 3 days after sailing. The second amount successfully held was $1740.25 one day later. Another hold was attempted that day of $1651.33. And holds were attempted yet again the following day of $4,479.45 and $1643.53. After "resolution" the first two holds were reversed and instead $2912.95 was held a week after sailing.

3. We did have all the information on visas before we left, even going through the process of getting Indian visas. I even rang HAL (who we booked directly with), to check if there was anything we needed for the Myanmar visas, that the ship would organise for us, and was told nothing.

4. I wrote to HAL the day after I got home. To date I've had no response.

This post wasn't a vengeful attack. It was suggested to me by a friend, that I share my issues, to make others aware.

I don't by any means claim to be the most professional of cruisers, but for a single middle aged women, I do claim to have a great deal of experience sailing. I am not line specific cheerleader. My other sailing experiences have all been with an element of class. Unfortunately, I couldn't say the same of this passage. I will cruise in the future, I just won't rush to do it with HAL.

Thank you all again, and I wish you all fine sailing.

We thankfully disembarked the Rotterdam on February 17 in Singapore after 17 nights on the worse cruise we have ever been on.

The worst cruise I have ever been on.

1. We were "upgraded" to a cabin, on deck 2, which was under the promenade on Deck 3 (the deck on which were had booked). We heard every step walked above. What we found to be most aggravating is that we have proof that Holland America continued to sell our cabin class, after we were allocated "the upgrade", despite us being told there were none available, when questioning our cabin allocation

2. HAL "attempted" to hold a total of more than $10,000 on my credit card. I had the extreme embarrassment of being informed by bar staff that my account was no good. I went immediately to the front office to investigate, knowing there could not possibly be any problem with my card, or the credit on there (as its only use was by Holland America, and not used by any other retailer). I was told it was just a faulty cabin card, and was issued a new one. Satisfied, although angry about the inconvenience, I continued my day's schedule. Shortly thereafter, I was told by bar staff that my account was blocked. Again I went down to the Front Office, only to be told this time, very condescendingly, that my card won't work, that Holland American had tried to hold funds, but my card would not accept it. I found this extremely unbelievable, and asked for a copy of my account and was told that I had to contact my bank as it wasn't a fault of Holland America. On a 30 minute phone call from my mobile (another expense), to my bank, I was advised that Holland America had attempted to "hold" a total of over $10,000, in 5 (hold) charges. Naturally my bank became suspicious due to fraud reasons, and put a stop to any Holland America charges. Two "hold" amounts had been accepted and their total combined easily covered my current account by $1,000. For a third time, I went to the Front Office. The staff member I dealt with then, seem to have a brain. She could not see or match the amounts that Holland America had charged, or attempted to charge. I supplied all the information I had received from my bank, which she copied. She was courteous enough to reopen my account, until the matter had been resolved. TWO days later, she requested I come to the front office, so that she could take a photo of my bank statement (which she had viewed 2 days prior), so that Seattle could verify it. It took ANOTHER two days for her to inform me that Seattle could not explain what had occurred, but that it was something to do with AMEX (which I find hard to believe), and that they had reversed the 2 "holding" amounts, and reholding a reasonable sum. Overall I sum this experience as Holland America attempting theft.

3. A extremely unpleasant smell was throughout the ship, which at one point woke me up and made me vomit. It lingered in various severities for over 5 days. No one could give us any explanation. It wasn't until the second last night, we were told by the Front Office that it had been sewerage. Can they honestly expect us to enjoy their ships comfortably, when without any exaggeration, the boat smelt worse than our shore ports in India?

4. Food was atrocious, and the menus were not inspiring. I would never have served their meals to any guests at my dinner table at home! I have (attached) photos of some examples of that what was served. One night I ordered a Chole Marsala. It came with a serving of rice moulded in the centre of the bowl, two TINY pieces of naan, dry hard chickpeas and such a tiny bit of curry sauce, it's a wonder it covered the bottom of the bowl. I sent it back, and ordered the pasta, thinking they couldn't go wrong with spaghetti, but I was wrong! What was served to me was cold, gluggy and bland! It would have been better used as glue! Needless to say I didn't eat it. It's very sad, when we visit a county like Myanmar, are taken to a restaurant on tour, and are delighted to be finally presented and have GOOD food, that FAR exceeds ANY meal on board. It was disappointing to be served sauces or condiments with meals out of jar. The portions were all inconsistent. Another evening I was served my main after others on the table (as I had to send my French Onion soup back and ask for one WITH onions). What was served (see photo), was half a plate compared to others who had ordered the same. I had one potato! The head chef clearly had a problem.

The schedule of the Lido Restaurant was a joke. More often than not it was closed. Surely it is common sense to have it open all day, and when the need to change of menu is required, to close down one side, whilst leaving the other open, until the new menu is open on the opposite side. As just one example of many, we missed breakfast due to a time change one morning, and had to wait an hour and 15 minutes, before we could get anything to eat.

5. The Sea View Pool. A serious joke. It was a source of banter to all those who sat near it. A COMPLETE waste of space. Disgusting shallow water. Chairs with rust stains, and broken. So many of us commented that I would have been better to build up the sides and put in a sitting pool (if the newly refurbished cabins below that were installed to sacrifice the pool that was there, could handle the weight), or remove it all together, install good sound proofing, and have that as an area to entertain guests with activities and dancing.

6. The atmosphere on board was DEAD. There was absolutely no life on board. Whilst it is my understanding (after being informed on board) that Holland America's targeted demographic is 60 plus, Holland America need to understand that just because passengers are closer to death, they are not dead yet, and some still enjoy life. Apparently music was being played out near the Sea View Pool and The Retreat, but I'm sound of hearing, and I could barely hear it, so how the Seniors could hear it I don't know. When asked about the volume, we were told it couldn't be increased due to the cabins below. Surely this is a bad design feature of the cruise line. Having worked in Radio, I know very well there is such thing as sound proofing insulation.

7. Visas. Were were not informed that photos were required for our Myanmar Visas. We, as did many we spoke to, had photos that we could have brought with us. Instead we were charged, the extraordinary amount for having them taken on board. As we were not informed, this should be a cost Holland America should bear.

8. General Maintenance. When you are not enjoying your cruise, you notice everything. Carpets had stains, with most appearing to have wet stains. Lettering was missing or not painted in the Lido Restaurant. My cabin carpet on the left side of the bed was wet for 3 days. Pool towels were badly stained. The curtain in my shower had mould stains at the bottom. Glasses in restaurant were either not clean, or had chips/cracks, mugs were cracked and plates were chipped.

9. Smoking section. Having no choice but to smoke in The Retreat, smokers are segregated to an area with no entertainment, as there is no music or other entertainment.

10. Staff. In general we would have to say that staff NOT born in the Netherlands, were very courteous. Those from the Netherlands were not.

11. Having a Dutch heritage, I came across a few elderly Dutch passengers, who could not understand ANY English, who shared that they were disappointed that general announcements were not made in Dutch as well as English. I completely understand their point of view, as information in general was poor, let alone them not to understand the little that was announced.

Having sailed numerous time, with Holland American being the fifth LINE, I can honestly say that HAL is FAR from ANY "Signature of Excellence"

I just got off the Rotterdam and was in 2695. I had no problems with the cabin. The rest of the cruise wasn't the best though. Hope the sewerage smell doesn't come back!