Alexat2

Hi all,

 

I think we should start a campaign for RCCL to set a cruise industry first by offering free wifi on all RCCL ships.

 

Wifi is quickly becoming apart of everyday life for so many people, for so many different reasons that it seems old fashioned to charge for wifi. It really would be WOW if RCCL offered free wifi.

 

It's just an idea.... :confused:

Comparing ship based wifi to land based is comparing apples and corn. The ship gets it's internet service through a satellite system, not from your usual providers on land - That's why it's more expensive. So, until the satellite providers reduce their fees, free isn't going to happen.

Lydia

I find it hysterical. I wonder if they do the same thing to the Captains and Staff Captains that golf? :D It's about 50/50 - half of them play golf and half play tennis, and yes - they take their clubs on board, and leave in port to go play a round.

Sounds like there was some kind of problem that either happened on board, or they were worried about... either that or there's a newly promoted Security Officer trying to prove to everyone how "useful" he is...

Lydia

You can only reserve tickets now, can not pay for them. They Vatican is no longer allowed to accept credit cards, they are cash only. The Vatican bank lost all their rights to use/accept them.

I just went through it, it still gives you the same "reservation" for getting in, which is the big thing.

Lydia

I was wondering about the McDonald's thing as well. Maybe it's just the novelty of seeing other food items on the menu that would be interesting? But I agree, McDonald's would be the last place I would choose to eat if I was in Italy!

 

Sounds like the OP only gets five hours in port. I think that's much too short for a trip into Rome on a DIY tour. By the time you arrived in the city, you'd have 60-90 minutes before you'd have to start making your way back in order to make sure you didn't miss the boat. Ah, so sad...to be so close to Rome yet not able to actually get to see and enjoy. I'd be so frustrated.

FYI the McDonald's at the Spanish Step has it's own Gelato place out front, and it's good Gelato. :D That one's also well worth walking into to see the interior structure of the building. It's been built inside a very old building - great arches and pillars.

Lydia

A HUGE time saving tip for the Vatican Museum - PRE-BOOK! You prepay for your tickets and you have a "reservation." It will save you a tremendous amount of time in line. The link is below:

http://biglietteriamusei.vatican.va/musei/tickets/do?weblang=en&do

Lydia

Seems awfully tight, and I wouldn't trust the Italian train system that much, unless the next port is someplace still in Italy you can get to it easily and don't mind staying overnight on land...

Lydia

Started out cruising with my parents 20 years ago, they've both since passed away and for the last 5 I've been cruising solo. I have a great time, I always request a large table and always end up making friends, just like we all did when travelling together. As someone else noted - having the cabin (and bathroom) to yourself and being able to do what you want when you want is kind of nice too.

I've flown emirates a lot between London and Thailand - they're great. Good food, friendly service, nice planes, and probably the best on board entertainment of any airline - certainly the most programming. Be sure and check out the "belly cam" it's a completely different view! The only downside, if there is one, is their planes are always full - so no chance of getting a couple seats to yourself :rolleyes:.

Lydia

The 2 dots over the o figures, according to his LinkedIn he's Swedish :D

Have no idea who Capt Peterson is....perhaps a newly promoted Staff Captain???

If it's Goran Petereson, according to his LinkedIn profile he's a Staff Captain.

I'll simply say this: Captain Johnny will stay on until he can get a new assignment.

 

When the Allure was brought out, Captain Zini was the lead, and Captain Johnny had the 2nd postion. With Zini gone, Johnny is the lead, and until the company is comfortable with Johnny's releiver, he will remain aboard.

 

With turmoil abounding at Royal Caribbean, when it comes to captains, Johnny only needs to find a ship that has a captains' quarters large enough to take care of his bird cage!!:D

 

There is always room in the hold of any RCCL ship to hold his Harley!!

 

Rick

Haven't sailed with Capt. Johnny yet - but he sounds interesting :cool:

im assumming that the crew will not speak English for the Asian vacationers.

It simply doesn't work that way... They will supplement English with the native language to accommodate any Asians that might be coming on board, but they're still marketing to the Americans and the Europeans, and chances are good the majority of the passengers will be American, Australian, and European. Probably a ton of Australians.

...or pretend to be whatg they are not will also be able to have it their way. For those who can't accept it, they will have something to whine about.

I found that a little more than offensive. Because some of us enjoy getting dressed up we're pretending to be something we're not? I assure you I am a lady whether I'm in my usual jeans and t-shirt or a beautiful gown. Most of the time I'm in either jeans and a t-shirt or shorts and a t-shirt. I don't get that chance where I live to dress up because everything is very casual. So I look forward to formal nights on the cruises I go on, and always have. There's something about putting on a beautiful dress that just puts a smile on my face - I enjoy it. An elegant dinner being elegently dressed is fun - I'm not trying to impress anyone or pretending to be someone I'm not.

Lydia

I doubt if the current waitlist for traditional on your Statendam cruise has anything to do with the popularity, or lack thereof, of either traditional or AYW dining. HAL seems to develop waitlists for a variety of reasons. For instance, we booked the Prisendam early last year for a departure in about 5 weeks, March 11th. The Prisendam’s capacity is about 800 passengers. At the time we booked it, all dining was waitlisted. We are still waitlisted. Judging from posts regarding our cruise, apparently most passengers are still waitlisted as well. The Prisendam has no options, you must accept traditional dining or eat in the Lido.

I've sailed HAL before, and while they do waitlist - they have so many people on the waitlists for both traditional seatings they actually closed the waitlists for the cruise and you're forced to do AYWD unless you really complain about it. That's a problem - think about it, there's no waitlist for AYWD - it's very available, and you have hundred(s) of passengers on the waitlist for traditional, and even more passengers that want on the waitlist that can't even GET on the waitlist (which is what I was originally told when we I was assigned to AYWD)... that's a lot of people that don't want AYWD - and a lot of very unhappy passengers if they get stuck with AYWD. Maybe HAL should scale it back a bit and instead of devoting all of one level to it, only do half of one level. Seems like demand, at least on Statendam's March cruise is definately for traditional.

How many passengers does the Statendam accommodate? :confused:

1266

Please call HAL and speak to a supervisor. This is first and foremost a safety concern for us solo gals. Traditional dining provides a "safety net" in that someone will miss you earlier if you've had a problem in a Port & miss the ship. Otherwise, it could be Noon the next day before your cabin steward notices...

The day after I vented my disgust here, I emailed HAL's customer service department with basically the same very strongly worded message expressing my disgust with the whole AYWD situation. They said they couldn't do anything because I hadn't booked directly with them - HOWEVER - they gave me the name and email address of the onboard dining coordinator on the Statendam and told me to have my TA contact her. By the next day they had found a place for me at late seating...:)

You would think that someone at HAL would get the message that for some cruise itineraries AYWD isn't going to work - 200 people on a waiting list for traditional??? Sounds like HAL isn't giving the majority of people "what they wish".

(above in bold added by this poster)

 

Doesn't sound like it's as I wish. How does HAL dare call it As You Wish if I am assigned something I don't wish?

 

If I can't be confirmed to late, fixed seating then it's a deal-breaker for that sailing. HAL has the responsibility to make that arrangement up front so I can make the best booking for me.

:mad: I absolutely agree - I too just found out I've been relegated to open seating for dinner. I loath and despise open seating at dinner - THAT'S WHY I CHOSE HAL (and I DON't saile Oceania or NCL or....) - they're supposed to be a traditional cruise line. This is a real deal breaker for me. I sail alone and I like to have dinner with the same people every night - That's part of the "cruise" experience. I've made some great friends over the years that I wouldn't have met any other way. I also don't like having to repeate my entire life story with strangers 3 times a day during the whole cruise, twice is bad enough - especially since I'm usually on board for 4 weeks or longer. My only other choice is dining alone - which sucks. I have no choice but to go on the cruise Mar. 1 on the Statendam - but I can definately still cancel my Sept. cruise on the Veendam.