Hlitner

There are guest speakers and then there are GUEST SPEAKERS. In our 50 years of extensive cruising the really great speakers have been few and far between (and not on our recent 18 day EJ1 cruise). Our most memorable speaker was on a long transpacific HAL cruise. Dr. Alan Wright, a retired astronomist, packed-in standing room only crowds (at the large main theater) for most of his 9 amazing lectures. He has now moved on to a small ship luxury line where I am sure he is still very popular. Many other speakers hardly generate a ripple on most cruises. The cruise lines generally get these speakers for the price of a free cabin. We have listened to lectures on far more then 100 cruises and can only remember the names (and some of the lectures) of only 3 speakers! Funny story about our recent EJ1 cruise. During cocktail hour (which for us is more then an hour) a fellow passenger asked us if we had gone to that day's lecture. When I responded in the negative I asked him about that lecture. His response was "I really don't remember and fell asleep." Hank

OBC MEH? Why MEH? OBCs are like money in the bank. If refundable, one can put the money in their pocket by either getting the refund from Guest Relations or having it sent as a check (Princess does this for over $25) or a credit card refund. On our recent Sky Princess cruise (just last week) we had over $1400 of OBC. Much of it was non-refundable so we used it to pay for a few alternative restaurant meals and I also bought two liter bottles of Remy Martin XO (generally worth over $200 per bottle). The approximate refundable remainder (about $500) will appear as a check in a few weeks. I am still amazed at the number of cruisers that book directly with the cruise lines and forgo generous OBCs provided by many high volume discount cruise agencies. OBCs or rebates equal to 7-10% of the cruise price is not uncommon. As to booking onboard (or simply buying Future Cruise Credits) this varies depending on cruise lines. On a line like Princess it is a pretty good deal (especially for frequent cruisers). A $100 per person Future Cruise Credit (bought onboard during a cruise) can be used as a deposit on a future cruise (which now much be booked within a year...or the money is refunded). But not only is that $100 per person used as a deposit (and pays part of the next cruise) but you will also get an OBC which varies from $50 - $150. So consider that a $100 investment will get you a 150% return (on longer cruises). Other cruise lines are much different. We did a future booking for a Seabourn Cruise (while on Seabourn) that saved us about 20% over the normal price. Given the cost of Seabourn bookings, our savings were in the multiple thousands of dollars. Hank

Just had somewhat of a shock while on the Sky Princess. That large ship has a seafood venue called "Catch by Rudi," (named after Rudi Sodamin). The first time we dined in that venue, both DW and I ordered Dover Sole which was fileted tableside and served with a ramekin of delicious browned butter. It was as good as any sole I have ever eaten (hard to believe since it was on Princess). DW and I managed to get another reservation at the venue so we could again have their sole (it was just as good as the first time). Hank

Had not heard that food term in over 60 years. When I was quite young, my mother would sometimes make junket pudding, but she would only do it when she could get her hands on raw (unpasteurized) milk. We had an egg man who had a nearby farm and would deliver fresh eggs and sometimes he would also sell us raw milk (from his farm) which my mother would use to make various flavors of junket pudding. By the time I got to my "tween" years she could no longer get the milk (it was probably illegal by that time) so I probably never had any after the age of 10. Hank

Not sure I would go as far as saying it was wonderful. DW and I have long enjoyed Princess where we have more cruises (33) then on HAL, although we still have more HAL days. For whatever reason, Princess just suits our style. By the way, a few interesting things about that Princess cruise which was round trip out of Port Everglades. On embarkation day we went to the port at 10:30 and were onboard the ship before 11. Their oft mocked "medallions" (which are encoded transponders) got us right through the process with no paperwork or lines, The following week (turn around day) they also started embarkation by 10:30am. When we got aboard before 11am, they already had live steel band music in the atrium, the bars were hopping, the gelato bar (also in the atrium) was already open, and it was like we had been at sea for a few days. A completely different vibe than any other cruise on embarkation day where it is usually pretty subdued, and folks generally just crowd into the Lido for lunch. We now wonder if this is going to be the norm at US Ports where CBP seems to expedite their procedures much faster than in the past. Princess has taken a lot of heat for their "Medallion system" (which replaces cruise cards) but they seem to have worked out many of the bugs and it helps expedite lots of things (when it works). I can sit anywhere on the ship, order a drink or some food, and a waiter will find me (the Medallion is like a locator beacon). This large ship also had the Starlink internet system, and our internet worked quite well for the entire cruise. That will soon be on all the HAL ships and it is a remarkable improvement. We have come a long way from the days when we all had to head towards the nearest phone booth, when in many ports :). Hank

It is apparently an NCL issue! We have been in Livorno on at least a dozen cruise lines and do not recall ever having an issue getting an adult beverage. Hank

Hard to not comment on such a topic (as posted by the OP). We have spent an awful lot of time in Italy (over more than 40 years of extensive travel) including numerous port days and more than 10,000 of driving within the country on our independent travel. We have had many fantastic days, plenty of good days, and I cannot honestly recall a single bad day! Even though we have been to Italy many times, both DW and I smile whenever we return. As to the pickpocket sub-topic, we would simply warn that this is an issue in tourist areas all over the planet. In Italy I have only had one attempt and it happened in the center of Bologna around high noon :). A gypsy lady (with the usual faux baby) tried and got a hard whack on her chest from my Tote for her trouble. We cannot stress enough, that we tourists need to take some basic precautions to protect our valuables and always be alert to your surroundings. Hank

If you have never been, all those ports have merit. But if you must, skip Brindisi. Also keep in mind that there is no law that says you must take long day excursions or run yourself ragged in each port. For example, one can walk around Kotor and enjoy the walled town for a few hours and than return to the ship...early. Or, instead of doing a lot of things, explore Kotor on your own and than stop for a relaxing lunch, drink or snack at a restaurant or cafe. Dubrovnik can also be handled similar to Kotor although you do need a little extra time to get from the port to town (via bus, taxi, or a long walk). Hank

Some strange posts so lets have some fun :). A "crossing" is simply when a ship crosses an ocean. Some crossings are also repositioning cruises while some others are simply crossings (such as the Queen Mary 2). But this kind of argument about definitions is what some attorneys call "deminimus." As to the issue of disembarking in a US port after a crossing/repositioning, there can sometimes be a delay because the US CBP folks might hold up the process (often because of issues with the credentials of one or more crew members) or some other issue that can leave the most seasoned sailors scratching their heads. We do think it is wise not to schedule a flight until the afternoon, but the odds certainly favor catching a late morning flight. I should add that the CBP folks have really improved the process in the USA. They seem to have streamlined some of their procedures including the use of facial recognition. We just disembarked (yesterday morning) in Port Everglades. Even though we did let the ship take out our luggage (we did not do the Express Debarkation where one carries their own luggage) we were off the ship by 7:00 and at FLL by 7:30. This was NOT a "crossing" so we cannot know if they are now as efficient with that type of cruise. The new procedures meant that those with US Passports did not even need to show their Passports, but rather get a quick scan (for facial recognition). This really speeds up the process in the terminal. Those who still must go through Passport Control (most non-US Passports or those who fail the facial recognition procedure) benefit from much shorter lines. Hank

DW and I manage to cruise, just about anywhere for any length of time, with two large suitcases and our carry-ons. Had to smile at a regular MSC cruiser (always gets one of the larger suites in the Yacht Club) who claims his DW brings along 7 suitcases just for her stuff! And then there is the legendary cruise story of the British Lady who would book two adjoining suites for her annual world cruise. One suite was for herself and the other for her wardrobe! Argh. Hank

I am not sure if Steiner still staffs the SB spas (but the Steiner folks still list SB as a client). Looking at their online recruitment spiel, it hint that compensation is commission based. I do question the "slave" comment since the folks who work in these jobs must seek out the work, go through training, and want the job. They are not forced to work on ships and can simply leave at the end of their contract (if they leave during their contract, they will likely have to pay their own transportation home). So where does all the money go? Simply a partnership between the cruise lines and the Spa company, They split the proceeds (according to their secretive contract). Bottom line is that these are businesses (the spa company and the cruise line) and need to operate at a healthy profit to make the space allocation worthwhile. Hank

We first heard of "Amazon Locker" here on these boards (it might have been one of your posts) and it sure makes a lot of sense for a long cruise. One terrific advantage of being active on CC is learning about these kind of ideas. Hank

For what one pays for the "World" it seems like the cruise lines (including HAL) should have a pre-cruise menu where one can choose toiletries 🙂. DW simply prefers unscented bar soap (such as Dove) and we both strongly dislike the various bath gels. Shampoo seems like it is more a a ladies issue and I simply do as I am told :). Hank

Many do like Club Orange, especially on the newer large vessels where they have a better dining option. Club Orange can also get you a better cabin. But understand that the HAL of today is but a mere shadow of what HAL was in the past (many will disagree). It does seem that nearly every line has done cost cutting (while increasing prices) and HAL is no exception. For us, the challenge is finding the lines that have done a lesser degree of cut-backs. We have also been somewhat appalled at how many cruisers simply accept cut-backs with barely a whimper. The reality seems to be that one now must usually pay a lot more money to find anything close to what existed in the past. Hank

DW even packs bar soap even when we are on the top luxury lines :). Just because a line has decent "brand name products" it does not mean it will suit all folks. If in doubt, bring your own favorites. Hank

As has been posted, the tendering situation (now often referred to as "water shuttles") really varies depending on the port and sea conditions. Somebody mentioned Santorini, and that port uses large shore-based shuttles (not the cruise line tenders) for all passengers. Other ports (such as in Greenland) depend on the ship's own tenders. Our experience on HAL is that the ship excursions get priority along with those in the higher loyalty status categories or large suites. In many cases the procedure does require folks to go to a public lounge to get "tender tickets." As to how long it takes, we have tendered ashore in less than a half hour and also had times when the wait (on board) was many hours. We do think that the process seems to take a little longer on HAL (than many other lines) because HAL tends to attract an older clientele (including me) who moves slower (call it being "cautious") then on lines that have a younger passenger demographic. What cruise line has the best tendering? Our experience it is the small ship luxury lines where some would argue you do get what you pay for! On those lines there are generally no tickets, few lines, and very little waiting. Bottom line is that when you are on a vessel with only 400 or 600 passengers, things move along much faster than when on large ships. Hank

I believe that ship is registered with the Netherlands.

Like FlaMariner, we have an annual GeoBlue policy that covers 70 days (per trip) and provides medical (this is a medical only policy) coverage of up to $100,000 (for those over 70). We combine that with trip cancellation/interruption from our affinty credit cards (up to $20,000 per couple with Chase Sapphire or $10,000 with AMEX Platinum). Rather than paying thousands of dollars in insurance premiums for a single cruise, our GeoBlue policy (which has much better coverage than most "cruise insurance") costs a few hundred per year. Affinity cards are pricy, but give lots of benefits that are useful to frequent travelers. For those skeptical of their "insurance: I can tell you that DW and I collected over $19,000 (from our Chase card) when we had to cancel a cruise due to a medical issue. We do think that these kind of insurance questions are best handled on CCs Cruise/Travel Insurance blog. We also suggest that folks who have doubts or are simply "not sure" contact a true travel insurance broker (brokers handle multiple brands) such as the nice folks at the Trip Insurance Store (often featured here on CC) for professional answers to their questions. Insurance is complicated and each person has their own unique issues/risk tolerance. There is no "one size fits all" solution. Hank

I like that HAL is making an effort to focus on longer voyage (with decent itineraries). However, as one who often takes longer voyages, when we are going to be on a ship for weeks (or even months) we also become choosy as to the quality of that product, the entertainment, cuisine, etc. Having just come off 14 days on the large Sky Princess (operating near its 3660 capacity) we thought the overall quality was light years ahead of what we experienced on our recent Westerdam cruise. As a simple example, we had 4 different Production shows which has a cast of 14 backed-up by the ship's 7 person band! These productions all had excellent staging and the singers/dancers were talented and delivered to the always full theater. Even the decent Guest Entertainers only performed in the main theater for one night (none of the two shows that is the norm for HAL Guest Entertainers). There were no dark nights, no slide shows or retread movies in the main theater (at night). In two weeks we never were told, "we are out of that," "did not have a single accounting error," and our drink packages included things like French Champagne, Remy Martin XO, top shelf McCallen, etc. The wines covered by their Premium Package included offerings from vineyards such as Silverrado (you will not see this on HAL). On the Westy, even with the package we had add-ons to relatively simple drinks like a Cosmo. There was no Baileys (just a lower cost Baileys wannabe), the "champagne" was anything but, and most of the wines by the glass were barely drinkable (there were some good offerings if one bought bottles). Why do I post this comparison? Because, while we would certainly want to come back to HAL for longer cruisers (we are 5* and have long enjoyed the product) there will need to be some improvements before DW would even consider another HAL cruise. A few Cut-backs are annoying, but often tolerable. But too many cut-backs (combined with nickel and diming) are not something we are willing to tolerate. This thread asks the question of why no more new HAL ships? Other Carnival companies continue to add new ships (Princess even has a new class of ship debuting next year). But HAL has reached a point where they fill too many berths with low cost gambler specials, and are forced to offer deals like $99 deposits. Kind of sounds like a desperate used car dealer offering a free toaster if you come into their dealership. Many HAL competitors are bursting at the seams with passengers (we just experienced that on Sky Princess) that are actually paying a premium. By the way, for HAL fans we should mention that Rudi Sodamin is now adding his talents to Princess. Their newer ships have "The Catch by Rudi" that had some of the best food we have ever experienced on any mass market line (even rivaled what we have had on premium lines). The menu in their "Crown Grill" (the Princess version of the Pinnacle Grill) blows away the PG menu (although we thought the quality of cuisine was comparable). As to DW, she comes off the Sky Princess with good vibes (and had me book a future cruise credit on that line). Was everything perfect? No way. But the overall experience was far superior to our 6 weeks on the Westy. Hank

We will give Princess some credit for that cancellation. We had a boat/snorkel tour booked in Belize (it looked like a fantastic excursion) but, apparently, the operator did not obtain the necessary insurance (required by all cruise lines). Hank

The pickpocket issue is real, and is a problem in many tourist-oriented places around the world. In Europe, over our nearly 50 years of extensive travel, we have foiled pick-pocket attempts in Bologna, Istanbul, and Arles. We have also witnessed (and saw foiled) a lame attempt in Barcelona. Cruisemom does a service by posting her warning and thoughts. We simply view pickpockets as a real risk (anywhere) and take basic precautions to protect our valuables. Common sense and being aware of your surroundings will go a long way to dealing with the issue. Most pick pockets look for the easy mark, and also like to focus on folks wearing expensive jewelry/watches. "Dress to impress" and you might impress the unwanted :(. For the ladies I would suggest DW's practice of always wearing her purse "cross shoulder" and using a large safety pin to secure the outside zipper. As to me, I keep cash in front pocket which is often further secured with a large safety pin. We have some friends who have been targeted by simply wearing a back pack. Some travelers/Europeans will wear a backpack on their chest. But one basic rule is to not carry unneeded valuables. Although I have multiple credit cards, I will usually take only 1 when out and about (the rest are locked in a hotel or cruise ship safe). We also do not carry our Passports unless there is a very specific reason (i.e. law, need it for a rental car, etc). Back in 2018 it was reported that stolen passports were being sold on the dark web for prices in excess of $10,000. Most folks would never think of carrying $10,000 in cash or valuables, but happily carry their Passport wherever they go. Fruit for thought. By the way, one scam I saw last winter (while living in Puerto Vallarta) where several tourists victimized as they were boarding local buses. The pick-pocket/purse snatcher would strike just as the person was boarding a bus. It happened so fast that the victim has already stepped on the bus step before they had a clue..and at that point they were not able to quickly react because of others crowding behind. Meanwhile, the thief (and they were usually quite young) was quickly walking/running away. Also be very careful at ATMs. It is best to have a friend/partner watching your back. There are also some issues with "ATM skimmers" and if you are unaware you might want to Google the term and get an education. We also have an issue with legal skimming/stealing which is something known as "Dynamic Currency Conversion" which is another term folks should Google if they have no knowledge of this form of what I consider legal theft. Hank

We have been in Cannes during the film festival and it had no major impact on our usual cruise experience. The tender pier is not really impacted by yacht traffic (many of the larger yachts will often put in at Monte Carlo). The exposition center (where many of the festival activities are centered) is generally quiet in the morning (when most cruisers go ashore). One major impact would be on the better local restaurants, but that is not normally an issue for cruisers who generally are back on their ship long before dinner time. Hank

We just came off (today) 14 days on the Sky Princess. On this cruise we had both our $250 military credit and the $250 shareholder credit. When we boarded on Dec 2, the on-board app showed that my military credit was "refundable." During the voyage, I noticed that it had changed to "non-refundable." We had a total of approximately $1500 of OBC, but only the "gift" from our cruise agency was listed as "refundable" along with a few dollars added (during the voyage) for a refund of some port charges/fees. Since we had the Premiere Package. we had trouble spending all that OBC. We managed to book 6 specialty restaurant dinners (2 were free as a Premiere Package perk) so that only used about $368). We had booked 3 excursions (we generally dislike any excursion) and one of them was cancelled (by Princess). We soon realized we would have about $400 remaining non-refundable OBC, so I bought a couple of expensive bottles of Cognac (at the shop) to use up all that OBC. Hank

The buses can be caught along the main road that runs in front of the port (you will see Liverpool, Walmart and Sam’s across this major road. Depending on your actual pier (there are 3) the closest bus stop varies. The fare is $10 (pesos) and you should have it Pesos as many drivers will not handle dollars because of the new electronic fare boxes (you just drop in your pesos). Take any bus that has “Centro” in the windshield and avoid any bus that says “Tunel.” Hank

Having traveled a lot on both sea and land we would not suggest avoiding land travel. It can work well in conjunction with cruises to get across the pond. But the majority of Europe and the UK cannot be accessed on a port day. A bit like trying to see the USA from ports. Hank