Just_a_cruiser

It was notAL crreewwho were making those comments. HAL crew are not responsible for GTHE COMMENTS MADE VBYINDEPENDENT CONGTRACTORS.How serious an issue is that to HAL staff/crew? That wasz my question notaddressed.

I was speaking of the decks where the more expensive cabins are. My comment didn't have anything to do with what the op reported.

I think most of us understood exactly what you meant.

For the sake of clarity I think it's good to provide accurate information. While you may be familiar with hal ships others may not.

Sail I have read your posts for many years and have valued your advice to fellow cruisers, but I just want to remind you that complaints coming from cabins on the Navigation deck where the "elite" have cabins are handled far quicker and more efficiently than complaints which come from any other deck on a Hal ship.

 

Not that I am not happy that you never had a complaint. But others have and they have a right to write a letter to the "powers that be" if their problem isn't solved while onboard.

On the newer ships the more expensive cabins and not on the navigation deck.

I certainly hope the OP gets an answer. There is no reason to have received such treatment.

I came on this thread because I saw it concerned responses to complaints. Well here is something interesting. We recently had a less than stellar cruise on Amsterdam and I made a remark here on cc about it after my review was referenced in another member's post. Then someone told me to post my "adventure" on Hal's FB page. (I hope this allowed to say fb here) anyway I went to fb and looked around. Didn't see anyplace to post any problems. Then I came across a HAL thread that said. "share your holiday experiences on a HAL ship with hal" or something like that. I thought how appropriate. As I read down I saw all the comments about how wonderful their holiday cruise had been, blah, blah, blah!!! (don't get me wrong I am happy that all the people posting had a wonderful holiday, but the cruise we did on Amsterdam ranks as our least favorite HAL cruise.) Anyway I posted our experiences. Actually it is pretty depressing even now just thinking about it. Other than New Year's Eve which was a hoot!! Anyway someone from HAL actually responded and told me to write an e-mail to Guest relations. I sat down and wrote an e-mail to HAL's guest relation. (I actually felt better after I did it.) I'll post if and when I get an answer.

 

The point I am trying to make here is that someone at HAL actually took the time to reply to my complaint and though it won't change the past maybe it will change the future.

It's been my experience that they do reply to the complaints posted on there.

A Collector's Cruise is when HAL takes two (or more) cruises and allows booking on each or booking as one longer cruise with one booking number.

 

Usually a special lunch (sometimes Indonesian) in the PG and another dinner in the PG. We had these on Zuiderdam- different cruises have different perks.

I've had the Indonesian buffet associated with a collectors cruise accouple times but it was in the MDR. The only lunch I've had in the pinnacle of that sort was when I've sailed in a Neptune suite.

But the SD embarkation pax can disembark in Vancouver.

 

Can you imagine the headache all this is for the ship?!

Yes, absolutely.

I don't know how they keep everyone straight.

So, the passengers embarking in Ft. Lauderdale could disembark in Seattle since they went to a distant foreign port (Colombia, ABC islands). Thanks for the clarification.

 

But I'm still confused:

 

Can passengers embarking in San Diego disembark in Seattle because they stopped in Victoria? I didn't think Victoria was a "distant" foreign port? :confused:

 

PVSA is SO confusing! :eek:

Yes, there were passangers disembarking in Seatlle from the Panama cruise. I don't think those embarking in San Diego could leave in Seattle.

We were dining in the pinnacle in the first gala night of an 11 day cruise. The was a gentleman with black casual bangs and a black shirt, no tie, no jacket. No one made a fuss

 

 

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No one should. Hal has changed their required dress so there is nothing for them to say.

Thanks for the info Rothbury. We were on the Niew Amsterdam in March and they already had the new flat screens and on demand entertainment in the cabins. I guess we just got lucky. I highly doubt it will make or break our May trip:D

All cabins on the NA have been converted to the on demand tv.

I agree that all ships have problems but what I have found is that newer ships seem to have less problems. We have been recently sailing new ships on Oceania, Celebrity and Princess and not experienced or heard of any problems; maybe just lucky.

 

But just got off the Veendam and even after drydock things happened; ship just getting old.

 

Besides cabin flooding and water shutdown for whole ship for almost 3 hours, elevators were constantly breaking down or not working properly during the entire cruise. Heard several passengers got stuck in elevator for a period of time.

 

Otherwise pretty good cruise :cool:

I don't think you are lucky. I've cruised most of the mainstream lines and from my experience hal ships seem to have more problems. I've cruise mostly older ships on other lines.

It's not really something that appeals to me but I appreciate you posting the pictures. Thank you.

I think the poll numbers are the result of non smokers being inside on their computers more to answer such a poll, while the smokers are outside smoking their little lungs away. i don't smoke but DH does and he's always outside away from the computer. I always thought the Celebrity ships were pretty but I guess i'll never find out.

Right, that's the reason :D.

I did enjoy the experience of the the new ship . The point I was trying to make was not really a comment about the folk 'eating' ......perhaps I should have put it another way.........What I noticed was the area around the pool was often littered with used plates,cups and plastic glass wear often left around for some time until a busy crew member came along to clear away. The area around the pool also acts as an overflow from the Lido at peek times ( usually breakfast & lunch) so it was often over crowded and occasionally very noisy with guests and large family groups (including crew members & concessionary staff who have deck privileges) looking for somewhere to eat. :)

Thank you for the clarification.

i just signed up at the website that tracks prices and it turns out that it also tracks when cruises are added. I have the same situation as you for a cruise I am interested in 2018 and there are only 2 aft cabins that sleep 3 on the Koningsdam that are not neptune suites. We absolutely want to have one of them so it would be important to book super early. I clicked the box to track when new dates are added to Koningsdam. I hope it works.

 

the site is the one where you pay 99 cents per cruise price tracker but free for the tracker that checks when dates are added. you know the fish one.

I use that one as well.

Just got off the KD after 19 days and only ever saw two couples up there including my self. It's early days yet so I guess it'll take time to catch on.

 

No need to waste your money on this Amenity .... and why would you want them near the Lido pool with all that loud music and folks non stop eating !!!!

 

The Idea of a Cabana is to have time to your self and be out of the way, up in the serenity of the Retreat area. :)

It's a shame that all you are noticing is what other people are eating instead of experiencing the joy of being on a beautiful ship.

It's to each their own. Perhaps your idea of why someone wants a cabana is different from our's. We like to have a private area to sit and relax and call our own but still like to be close to the pool and spa. To us, the Retreat is too far away from what we want.

 

We've done both the Retreat and Lido and prefer the Lido. Speaking with several other couples on our last sailing, many people felt this way too.

On my recent cruise I think only 2 of the lido cabanas were rented the whole 15 days. There didn't seem to be much interest in them so I can see why the koningsdam doesn't have them. I'm not a fan of them but to each their own.

So we can have a bottle from our package delivered with dinner if we have room service? They can be selected from a bar pre dinner, opened, then the rest of bottle taken into the dining room?

I tried to find out how many bottles I had left in my package. I went to the crows nest about 3 pm on my recent cruise. According to them they could not see my wine package online. According to the staff in there only the dining liquor stewards can see this information.

I understood perfectly what you were saying. You said most non smokers would be pleased with a non smoking ship, but are willing to tolerate limited smoking. Seems pretty clear to me. I'm not sure what was hard to understand about that. :confused:

There is nothing hard to understand about it.

Are we to start rationing alcohol for people who drink? Check their blood alcohol levels? Send them down to the Friends of Bill meetings? We all have things that annoy and irritate us, but the world does not revolve around any one of us. A ship is a community as is any group of people who gather together. Live and Let Live!

 

I completely agree with Ruth and Jackie. Simple communication and a willingness to work with fellow travelers for their mutual satisfaction and comfort is the key. Denigrating smokers and making snide remarks like "...cleaning up their mess" have a very low likelihood for success for anyone.

Someone that drinks or has a high blood sugar level does not do anything to decrease your enjoyment of your balcony. Smokers are allowed to smoke on their balcony, plain and simple. While some may possibly be open to a schedule they are under no obligation to do so. I'm not going to ask someone to stop something they have every right to do. Instead I will not book a balcony. Let the smokers pay for them. I will continue to pressure hal to stop balcony smoking.

I hope you are both able to stay healthy. Looking forward to reading your live from thread. Have a wonderful cruise.

Thank you for all the information you provide.

I usually tip the wine steward and the Matre'd at the end of my cruise. I see no problem giving the matre'd his gratuity at the beginning of the cruise. He knows that I'm not going to stiff him like may people do, and he is always looking out to make sure my table (fixed, late seating) is ready with dinner rolls, and my favorite beverage.

Hate to burst your bubble but they put rolls on everyone's table :D.

Thank you very much for this thread. I appreciate the time and money you spent providing everyone with so much great information about this beautiful ship.

I find the retreat cabanas to be much nicer than the sanctuary. One difference is that there is no place in the retreat to escape if it's cold. As far as I know the retreat cabanas are available on the Zuiderdam, Oosterdam, Noordam, NA, eurodam and the koningsdam. Cabanas may be available on a daily basis if they aren't rented for the entire cruise.

Our balcony is about the only place left on board where we can smoke besides the casino. It's outdoors for heaven's sake and there are constant breezes. I would prefer no kids allowed on the balconies because of their noisy and obnoxious behavior and constant letting the balcony door slam!

I've been on many cruises with no kids in sight and there are obnoxious adults and door slams. Contrary to the belief of smokers, smoke doesn't get whisked away in the breeze. You can also smoke at the sea view bar. Hal should have another indoor space for smokers.