Hlitner

The last time we did it was from Seattle to Sydney (and than on to New Zealand) on the Oosterdam. It was among our favorite cruises because we really enjoyed the slow pace (12 sea days out of the first 14 days) and island hopping across the south Pacific. Our crossing (to Sydney) was 28 days. Trans Pacific cruises are certainly good for those of us who love sea days. If you do not enjoy lots of sea days, then it is best to look for other itineraries. Hank

Premium Line? Trust me that NCL, MSC, Celebrity, RCI, etc. are not premium lines But they do offer Premium perks/packages with their higher end suites. And speaking of the Yacht Club, on the newest MSC ships one can even book an inside cabin (at a very decent price) and get the same luxury perks as the folks in the most expensive Yacht Club suites. HAL's Club Orange is a lame attempt to enter this world, but it fails on many levels. The cruise world has gone through many changes over the 50+ years we have been cruising and the latest major change is to offer lots of luxury perks/packages to folks in suites (and in the case of MSC even in lower end cabins). HAL has simply fallen behind the competition on many levels. HAL has even moved backwards by again requiring folks to sign paper tabs for every drink (with space for an extra tip above the mandatory 18%). On MSC I have never had to sign a tab...anywhere! On Princess it is rare to ever see a paper tab. HAL has understaffed the bars (with bar tenders and waiters) and given the fewer employees more work (which slows down the process) having to deal with paper tabs! Hank Hank

MSC does some kind of status match when using any cruise line or hotel chain. But if you are in the YC you really do not benefit other than a 5% discount since YC gets you most things. We used ourHAL status with MSC a few years ago.

For us, it is less about “less expensive” and more about good value. And there are times when you get what you pay for…..such as constant “supply chain” excuses, no more Lincoln Center groups, no production shows, a single bar tender when there should be 3, a hotel general manager who hides from passengers (so as not to hear the complaints) etc. But, if you are satisfied that is all that matters (to you). We are far from satisfied so simply move on with other products. Competition is a good thing and gives us all, many choices. Hank

Haven’t been in Carnival for nearly 20 years so have no clue. But, of the 16 lines that we have cruised, the current HAL entertainment would rank dead last…assuming other lines have also not downgraded their entertainment. In over 50 years of cruising we have not been any other cruise that had an entertainment schedule worse than we just experienced in the Westerdam. And yes, we do understand that many HAL cruisers are in their cabins by 9 and could care less about what happens after that awfully late hour 😐. Hank

It is “reasonable” when you consider what is included. Consider that the overall space ratio is about double HALs. You would also need to compare it to a small HAL Suite with everything included (tips, internet, premium booze, decent wine) no queues, decent cuisine you would not find on HAL, etc. I agree it does not fit every budget which is why we still mix in mass market cruises with our annual travel plans. But when I am on a Seabourn ship where there is never a problem getting a lounger or seat, I can eat unlimited caviar, drink French Champagne (not the cheap Japanese sparkling wine served on our recent Westy cruise), have table side prepared whole Dover Sole, etc. etc. it does seem like a pretty decent value. We have done more than our share of budget cruising (including inside cabins on budget lines) and also done luxury cruising. To say we prefer the luxury product is an understatement. At the moment, we consider HAL a mass market budget line given its constant supply shortages, minimal entertainment, quality/quantity of MDR servings, and a Lido that leaves much to be desired. We would recommend HAL to those on a budget, that eats to live, drinks whatever happens to be available, is happy to go to bed early, and considers a BBC Documentary Movie adequate main entertainment. And if you are happy to watch the Step One folks perform the same shows on a 2 week cycle than a long HAL cruise might also fit your demands. And they are the sam exact shows they have been performing for years. Also consider that on our 6 week cruise they cancelled half their shows due to a moving ship. Can you imagine? Ships actually move upon the sea! Hank

We have never cruises on MSC outside the YC. But I would be on solid ground if I compared that to Carnival, RCI, or NCL in the normal cabins. When we are on MSC we primarily go out of the YC for the nightly entertainment which included Production Shows (nearly every night) and multiple live music lounges which will usually have rock, folk, country and jazz. Unlike on HAL where you might have as few as one choice for live music (after 9), on MSC there might be 4 or 5 options. The idea of a ship within a ship is to give those folks the atmosphere of a luxury cruise while also offering the variety and amenities found on mega ships. If you do not want to sit in the YC Lounge and listen to a piano/singer duo, you can go elsewhere and hear a decent rock group, jazz quartet, etc. All for far less than the cost of a Neptune. I might add that MSC has spun off a new luxury line called Explora Journeys. They are building six 900 person luxury ships that are essentially all inclusive. The cost of a suite on that all suite line can be as low as $500 per person/day which includes an assortment of dining venues. Our opinion of that new line awaits our first cruise in the fall. Compare that to a Neptune plus Internet, tips, booze, etc in terms of cost. IMHO, Neptunes and Pinnacles are among the worst value in the entire cruise world along with the pricing of some Celebrity Retreat Suites. For us, we look for value which is different than cheap. Sometimes the best value can be among the most expensive cruises. Hank

Our cost for the HAL Signature Suite was about the same, per person day, as our MSC YC Suite. But I will agree that MSCs Yacht Club is a far superior product to HAL. Keep in mind that a Neptune Suite costs more than the YC and it gets you a lounge. The YC gets you a large lounge, 2 private eating venues, a private pool deck, Butlers everywhere, included Internet, Included high end booze, nightly entertainment in the private lounge, priority elevators, etc. As to concierges, the YC has a dedicated concierge desk staffed 24/7. The perks that come with the high end HAL suites are among the worst in the entire industry. Since you talk Apples to Apples how about HAL Neptunes vs NCLs Haven Suites. Or Celebrity Retreat suites? We had not brought up the Neptune thing, but since you opened up that door …… Hank

When it comes to the crew, HAL does hold Its own with any line. But as to the best we have had, it has consistently been in MSCs Yacht Club. The butlers, stewardesses, and wait staff are amazing. With the new HAL, the crew is understaffed and over stressed, which takes its toll. I would give very high marks to the Seabourn crew who do not have “no” in their vocabulary. I watched one of their bar waiters wade into chest high waves (she was wearing her uniform) to refill champagne glasses among some passengers (while at a rented beach club). I kid you not. Hank

The major problem with the OP's plan is transportation back from Oia (to Fira). If you are going to use the bus (which does not run as often as one would expect) or rely on the availability of a last minute taxi at Oia, than one is running a risk of not getting back to Fira with enough time to get down to the tender pier. Also keep in mind that even in Fira, the bus or taxi can not drop you right at the cable car station so you need additional time to walk (and hopefully not get lost). My advice to the OP is to revise your plan so you have more time to get from Oia back to Fira. Hank

We agree (100%) with Cruisemom's post. Like her, we are also very independent cruisers/travelers (for over 50 years) and have done all those ports DIY. When the the OP asks "absolutely" are quick answer is "None." However, we do think that any first-time visitor to Kusadasi will get a lot more out of their visit by booking a private tour. There are many decent local tour companies (all found on the Internet) and you have a large selection of options including group size. In fact, we once hired a private guide, driver, and nice van. for just the two of us and it was less money than any comparable cruise line excursion. Regarding all these ports, the basic rule of DIY remains in effect which is, "Do your pre-trip homework and know your options." DIY does require pre cruise homework, but that is time well spent and will go a long way to enhancing the enjoyment of your trip. Hank

While I understand that some folks need or just prefer to use cash, we want to emphasize that this can be very inconvenient. In order to deal with cash (rare on a cruise ship) you will need to stand in queues at the Guest Relations desk. On a short cruise (or the first and last few days of a long cruise) the Guest Relations queues can be quite annoying. Rather than having fun you may find yourself spending an hour (or more) just to settle your account. Having a credit card on file with your account means you do not need to ever go to that Guest Relations line. Your account is settled to your credit card and you will have your account statement available on the HAL Navigator App or your cabin TV. Hank

When I posted that menu I should have explained that the Alaskan crab industry as nearly collapsed in the past few years. Snow crabs have been so scarce there have been 2 years of moritoriums and King Crabs have become quite rare. A comparison to Japan, where we saw abundant crabs (including King Crab) in the markets of Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. My suggestion is that if you are going to be in Japan, that is a good place to indulge in crabs (of various types). Perhaps this is going to be a good year for salmon, but it is still too early to know for sure. Hank

Just a few words about escargot (Celebrity used to have it on their everyday menu). DW decided it was simple to make at home (just buy a relatively inexpensive can of decent snails and cook). She even bought some empty snail shells to enhance her presentation. After making the dish (it was delicious) a few times she gave it up. Her comment, "As much as I love eating escargot, you get too familiar with the snails when you cook your own." On our recent Westerdam cruise they had escargot on the menu for about half our dressy nights. They were quite good. Hank

ROFL. That was our first breakfast at home. But in fairness to HAL, there were always bagels on the ship....although cruise ship bagels might be better labeled the "unbagel." But to be fair, we have never found a good bagel on any cruise line! Hank

This happened to us, many years ago, while on a Prinsendam cruise. The Captain (Halle Gundersen) explained, during a Captains question/answer session, that the listing was simply caused by a high wind that hit the ship abeam. At some point, the ability of a ship to counter the wind by shifting ballast is not sufficient to get the vessel on an even plane. When that incident happened, it went on for a few days. While we found the constant listing somewhat weird, the proper use of adult beverages did help fool our body into thinking that we were not listing :). On our recent Westerdam cruise, there was also a major shortage of various crackers in the Lido. Since we have not heard of a worldwide cracker shortage one can conclude that HAL is simply not procuring crackers. Another cut-back? At one point when DW bought some tea bags while ashore (we had also run out of black tea) I joked that we should also buy some crackers. Perhaps this is the beginning of a new HAL tactic to encourage passengers to bring their own food on cruises. At one point we had supplied our favorite bar with Rose's Lime Juice (we posted this on our blog) since that item was also not available on the vessel. The bar tender actually thanked us, and stored the Rose's so it was available for our use (and the use of authorized friends). Hank

So a great entree into our Queen Mary 2 tale! DW and I were doing a crossing from Southampton to NYC. One morning we were sitting at some loungers near the indoor pool and noticed a lady across the pool who was cutting the toe nails of her male friend....at the POOL! Where I come from that is not only bad manners, but GROSS! I have been cruising (quite extensively) for over 50 years (on 16 cruise lines). We have seen bad manners and some ridiculous behavior on every line with a single exception....which is Seabourn. We suspect that if we do enough cruises on Seabourn we will eventually see bad manners. To the OP I would just suggest that no matter how you travel or where you go you are going to eventually find bad manners. Unfortunately, some folks just lack class and good judgement, and they are everywhere. Hank

You may find some resistance from taxi drivers for such a short haul, but it is very possible. In fact, just last year DW and I needed to get to the ferry port (across the street from the Metro Station) from a cruise ship (we were going island hopping) and did not want to walk since we had lots of luggage. I asked a taxi (at the port) to take us and offered him 10 Euros (I would have gone to 20) which he accepted. It is also possible to take a local bus, I think the #843 or #859, from across the steet from the port over to the Metro station. The bus ticket (bought from a kiosk, tobacco shop, or on the bus, is good for 90 minutes and can also be used on the Metro (Green Line) into Athens. In the interest of full disclosure, we have never used the local bus from the port area over to the Metro (we love to walk) but have used the #843 from the Metro to get back to the port. Remember that these are local buses that run a continuous route so you need to know where to get off. It is pretty simple to figure out, but do not miss your stop. Hank

It might be helpful to repeat our taxi mantra. The taxis inside the port have a Federal franchise that limits port access to only those taxis. They are the ones that charge a $5 (or other) per person charge. The taxis you can find outside the port (while many call them yellow taxis they can also be white) charge a fare "per taxi" and not per person. The fare into town should be about $150 (many will ask cruisers for $200 pesos) but we are talking about $10 per taxi ($2.50 US per person if you have 4). While the buses are fine (we use them many times a week while living in PV) they are significantly slower (because of all the stops) so one could argue that for $2.50 per person, a taxi makes sense. When it comes to any taxi in PV (or Mexico) make sure you know the fare BEFORE you get in the taxi. Some drivers see cruisers as "easy marks" to pitch higher prices. The true taxi fares in PV are by zone and set by a government agency. But that has never stopped drivers from charging "gringo prices." Hank

We just headed to Anthony's at Point Defiance. Hard to resist the sea view after 6 weeks on a ship :). Hank

Regarding the walk to the train station/metro (which we have done many times) it is approximately 1 mile (can be another quarter mile depending on docking position) and a flat walk once out of the port. Regarding the X80, while it can be a good option, timing is everything, You might want to look up the schedule since those buses can sometimes be 40 minutes (possibly more) between buses. And, as you fear, if there are a few ships in port, the bus can get crowded. Taxis are actually a good option. We have generally seen taxis at the ports, although you always want to discuss the fare before getting in a taxi. We have never used private cars/drivers. I believe Uber is now back in Athens and actually summons a real taxi (independent Uber drivers are apparently not legal). There are also a couple of other locally popular apps such as FREENOW. In the past I have also used "Beat" but not sure if this works in 2023. Hank

That is not acceptable. When the ship is rocking, the bars should also be rocking :). But glad to hear they had some bars open. 😁 Hank

Yep, as Ray posted, we finally got off that dam ship on Sunday morning. Since we are finally home, we enjoyed some decent pizza (last night) which is something we sorely missed on the Westy, which is one of the HAL ships without a NY Deli. Kudos to HAL for quickly crediting our credit card for our unused OBC (significantly over $1000). That unused OBC would have been a lot less if we had not closely monitored our onboard account and constantly asked for overcharges to be corrected (at least 11 overcharges on our cruise). The Westy has a serious problem with their onboard accounting system and we again urge future cruisers to carefully check their onboard account (on a daily basis). We have consistently posted that we found our 42 day cruise, OK! Some things were better than expected (such as our suite and our terrific stewards), some things were "HAL normal," and too many things were well below old HAL standards (and our own standards). We did find that most of our food in the MDR (we almost always eat dinner in the MDR) were properly cooked and give a high five to the cooks and chefs for doing a pretty good job....given the products with which they must work. The always offered salmon was always excellent and our "go to" item on the evenings when the daily menu was awful (this happened too many times). On Sunday night, while in Tacoma, DW and I went to a decent seafood restaurant where DW had excellent Rainbow Trout and I enjoyed a fantastic piece of Alaskan Halibut. While the fish prep on the Westy was generally very good, the farmed fish is basically tasteless and that dinner in Tacoma just confirmed the obvious. Cruise lines (not just HAL) like to boast about using "sustainable" fish, but this is generally a code word for tasteless commercially farmed fish. I also had a clam chowder (on Sunday in Tacoma) that was thick, tasty, with plenty of clams. Something else you will not find on HAL. The beef filets (on the Westy) were generally quite good (a nice surprise) while other cuts of beef left something to be desired. All the offerings at the Dive-In (I had just about everything on the menu) were good and up to old HAL standards. The Pinnacle Grill continues to be one of the worst values in the cruise world with a very tired menu, so-so food (hits and misses) and ridiculous add-on charges. While DW and I are not big dessert fans, we did try many of the offerings on the Westy and this is an area where HAL could do much better. In 42 days, there was not a single dessert offering where I said, "this is something I must try." Yes, I know we can usually get decent cream brulee on HAL (the Pinnacle offering is really good) but it would be nice to have some excellent pies, cakes, etc. With a few exceptions, the hotel crew on our cruise were excellent and up to previous HAL standards. But there were obvious crew shortages (or cut-backs) which does have a negative impact. Supervisors and very senior staff often seemed to be in hiding, and a few of us speculated they did not want to hear (or deal with) passenger complaints. Service in the lounges was very uneven and bars were often staffed by a single bar tender during some of the busiest pre-dinner times. Our service in the MDR was generally excellent, but we dine later (usually after 7:30) when there is much less pressure on the dining staff. After a few days off the ship and some time to reflect on the cruise, we can find little reason to even consider HAL for future cruises (we heard this was from quite a few folks). While we do think that HAL is "Ok" we already know (from experience) that we can find much better quality/value with several other lines. I do hope this will change in the near future but will not hold my breath. Hank

We just came off the Westerdam (similar layout to Noordam) where we spent 6 weeks in cabin 8040, which is a normal Signature Suite below the pool deck. We had very little issue with noise from above, no smoke problems (since we avoid aft cabins) and our suite turned out to be quiet even in some very rough (25 foot) seas. Many of the comments above, are talking about the cabins much further aft, located under the Lido buffet area (which we avoid). DW and I actually prefer cabins more forward (we are not bothered by ship movement) since it gets us far away from propeller vibration/cavitation, the annoying shimmy that can happen towards the aft, etc. There were a few times (usually late afternoon when we could care less) that we heard some scraping chairs. Our only minor annoyance was that the CD Staff located two cornhole (bean bags) boards right above our balcony and they could generate a "thump" when being played. But that was never an issue during normal sleeping hours. While I do agree with the comments preferring Deck 7, since DW and I try to use the steps (and avoid crowded elevators which are germ/virus spreading chambers) the Deck 8 location was ideal. Only 1 deck up to the Lido deck (where we spend a lot of time reading around the pool) and 2 decks to the Crows Nest (another favorite hang-out). Hank

Completely agree with Marazul's post on this issue. While we have often enjoyed walking around Antibes, browsing the market, strolling along the marina, etc. we have never taken that La Petit Train. Whenever we have visited Antibes, we had a rental car which we simply drove into town and found on the street parking within a few blocks of the market. Hank