MISTER 67

I wouldn't be surprised if there is eventually a charge for all meals in the MDR forcing passengers to dine in the more expensive restaurants or in the buffet. That's when we will just look for other vacation options.

It's probably the people who have been cruising for years that are noticing the changes the most, we started cruising in 1982 and some of the changes by most of the lines have been pretty drastic. It's going to get to the point were the cruise lines are going to nickel and dime so much that people will consider other vacation options. I know that we are done with HAL as they have reached the point that their product has really suffered in the food and entertainment aspects of their cruises.

We never book more than 2 in the future, I think one time we booked 3. We are getting to the age of not buying green bananas anymore.

My 2 favorite ships but I’m down on HAL right now.

After 24 cruises with HAL, we feel the same way. There has been just too many cut backs on HAL with food and entertainment, not the same line we cruised on in the 90's and the first 15 years or so of the 2000's. The ships are still beautiful with great service but everything else leaves a lot to be desired.

We have been on 69 cruises and have never ordered room service.

Foggy here in Punta Gorda also but I got my bike ride in, had to take off my glasses as they were coated with the mist.

Happy New Year to everyone here at The Daily.

7 or 8 days is all we do now, we liked 10 and 11 days at one time but the older we get we just prefer just one week. That being said, we cruised 5 times this year, all 5 were for one week and we will probably do 3 or 4 a year for the foreseeable future.

Offering lobster at only an upcharge is just another one of HAL's cutbacks. We were on X 3 times this summer and lobster was on the menu the last dressy night on all 3 cruises, on our sailing in June everybody who ordered lobster had 2 tails on their plate. Shrimp Cocktail was one of the appetizers every tonight with no upcharge, one night they brought out 2 to those who ordered it. We sailed with Princess twice at Thansgiving and Chritmas of 2021 and lobster was on the menu one night on both cruise at no extra charge. HAL's chintzy ways have put a real bad taste in our mouths and we are done sailing with them for the foreseeable future.

Can't disagree with anything you wrote and it was freezing on that ship for the whole week.

We were on the Equinox in June and as soon as we boarded I went to guest relations as we were in an inside cabin, I asked if any verandas were still available and what the cost would be, lo and behold the lady put us in a verandah at no extra charge, as you said if you don’t ask, you don’t get. BTW, that nice lady received a nice tip, at first she refused to accept it but I insisted that she take it.

You probably eventually will get an upsell offer.

I thought that was a snarky comment also, some people just can't help themselves. BTW I believed you.

Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year.

We've had some in Billboard that weren't too talented.

My guess is there will be an classical group in the Explorers lounge as that's what HAL did before they cut some of the Explorers lounges in half and made a Lincoln Center.

Have a great holiday cruise followed by what I'm sure will be an amazing WC.

They will email you.

We sailed on the Equinox 4 times, 2 right before the pandemic and 2 this summer, all 4 have been excellent. We also sailed on the Infinity in October and that cruise might have been even better except that the buffet on the Infinity lacks the variety of the Oceanview buffet on the Equinox.

IMHO HAL is in a bad place right now and they need to get their act together. They can't blame the pandemic anymore and all the cuts they have made is making for a lousy cruise experience. This past year we sailed with HAL twice and Celebrity 3 times and the difference is startling, HAL can't come close to Celebrity when it comes to food and entertainment. Service is still great on both lines but cabin service on Celebrity is still twice a day with mints on the pillows every night. We received 4 mints for the week on our recent Nieuw Amsterdam cruise and the rationing of butter is pathetic. We have noticed the short times in port and scratch our heads, 6 hours in some ports is a joke. What is happening with HAL is sad as we watch a once great cruise line reach new lows.

Brilliance of the Seas sails out of Tampa which is little larger tonnage wise as the Vista Class ships like the Zuiderdam but it's the height that comes into play. My guess is the Zuiderdam could sail under the Sunshine Skyway bridge. We sailed on the Veendam twice and the Rhapsody of the Seas once out of TB, I wish there were more ships based there but since the pandemic it seems like slim pickings.

We always give 10s but they shouldn't be soliciting good reviews, leaves a bad taste in your mouth. Same with going out to restaurants and they have suggestive tips on the bill, we were at a place last night that had 20, 25 and 30% for the suggestive tips which I thought was a bit much, this was not a fancy fine dining establishment, it was a franchise place with decent service, 99% of the time we leave 20% which we feel is a pretty good tip. We also give our waiters and cabin stewards on the ships cash gratuities in addition to the automatic gratuities that are posted your cruise account.

We've never been that early.

We will continue to do what we have for 30 years living in Florida, we have no problem with arriving early and if we have to wait outside until our designated time, that's fine, we aren't going to melt.