Toofarfromthesea

The crew come from a variety of countries and I've heard that in some, tips are taxed at a lower rate than salary.

One of the advantages of the auto-grats is that you really don't have to expend any time or thought into the questions you raised as to Who? How much? It's been calculated out by the cruise line. And there is no obligation to do any additional tipping beyond that, although you are certainly welcome to do so.

Thanks, that's what I thought but I just wanted to verify it.

Got it. So my understanding of the rule was imperfect. Thanks.

Is this just when you added the tip on your receipt or did it happen if you tipped a buck or two in cash?

I'm booked for a Hawiian cruise in a few months. It is 5 sea days, 5 days sailing around Hawaii with port stops, and 5 sea days heading back. And then one day in Ensenada. As I (perhaps imperfectly) understood it, since this cruise starts and ends in the same US port a foreign port is not required. Is that right? And if so, why would they have that stop in Ensenada? Anyone know, or care to speculate?

I think it is an unpleasant, albeit necessary evil. A company cannot assume massive debt and not have it result in increased prices and cost cutting. Plus the recent years' inflation has increased costs and that has to be factored in.

That's what I thought. But if you did get cell service at sea, you could use your phone as a hotspot and provide your own wifi that way. Obviously not a practical solution.

I looked at walkers with seats (rollators) but but me the issue was how do I deal with my luggage. I think I am going to go with something like the collapsible stool that @mom says linked to upthread. It's big advantages, to me, is that it is very portable, very lightweight (circa 2 lbs), has an adjustable shoulder strap I can hang off my leggage handle so it doesn't interfere with rolling my luggage, and generally has a much higher weight limit than the other portable seat options. Plus it is very reasonably priced $20) Here's a link to one I've been looking at: https://www.amazon.com/Splendole-Telescopic-Folding-Camping-Adjustable/dp/B08HPPNWBW/ref=pd_ci_mcx_mh_mcx_views_2?pd_rd_w=cggjV&content-id=amzn1.sym.225b4624-972d-4629-9040-f1bf9923dd95%3Aamzn1.symc.40e6a10e-cbc4-4fa5-81e3-4435ff64d03b&pf_rd_p=225b4624-972d-4629-9040-f1bf9923dd95&pf_rd_r=M539Y25VFAEBJPM8TYZ2&pd_rd_wg=Vse7K&pd_rd_r=718bc43a-f0ee-401e-8c00-623f9dd5a965&pd_rd_i=B08HPPNWBW&th=1

Do you actually get cell service during the 5 sea days from San Diego to Hawaii?

Yikes. Tempting karma.

Another option is to just hang back in the terminal until there isn't much of a line left. People don't get nearly as upset when you jump the line - to the back. I have similar issues (except the falling) and for the last few years have been using wheelchair assist in airports, which is wonderful. Before my upcoming January cruise I'm going to try to see what options are available at San Diego port. I don't know if it will help that I have priority check-in through Club Orange. But the back of the line option is my fallback if there are no other workable options.

Meh, semantics. I made it pretty clear that by standard I meant without a special promotion or early booking promotion. Your own experience demonstrates it, as the one you didn't get them in Aug/22 because the cruise was immediate, and the 2 where you did get them were booked far in advance.

Somewhere I read here that the difference between Surf and Stream was not speed, but that Surf had a number of sites blocked. Is that right? If so, are little videos embedded in news stories blocked? Is YouTube blocked? And if you want to upgrade from the HIA internet to the Stream package is it just $5/day or is there a more involved opaque formula? Thanks.

Things are getting a little confused here because of different terminology being used. Let me try to summarize for clarity: 1) the standard HIA DOES NOT include the $16/day crew appreciation. It DOES include the 18% gratuity on the drink package and it DOES include the 18% gratuity on the included specialty dining 2) there are certain non-standard HIAs you might be able to get as promotions or early booking where the $16/day IS included, as well as giving upgraded wifi and drink package. 3) if you order a drink whose cost exceeds your drink package limit you pay the difference* between the cost and the limit plus 18% of the difference. Do I have it right? * and can someone verify that in this situation you only pay the difference plus 18%. I ask because I just saw a YouTube video where the guy said you have to pay the full price, plus the 18%. That sounded wrong to me, but I'd appreciate verification.

FWIW, this is the number I used to call the HAL ship inventory dept. that did my upgrade for me: 206-626-7381 Also FWIW, I've had 2 phone contacts with HAL's customer service, including the above one, and they were both excellent.

One of the things I was told was to get your cabin upgrade as soon as you've paid for Club Orange, because it is based on availability. I booked a Kdam January 2024 cruise and paid for Club Orange ($255) last Saturday through my TA. It was too late in the day to do it then, but Monday morning I called the HAL inventory dept and was able to upgrade my category OO oceanview cabin on deck 1 to a larger category D cabin that is on deck 7 and faces forward (7001). Had I booked that directly it would have cost me more than $1,000 extra. I've never had a forward facing cacil so I'm looking forward to it.

I did not know this, thanks.

Is there any cruise line that does a partial Transit of the Panama Canal from a West Coast port?

Actually it will be my second, so I guess I will get one.

Actually, that video said the outside of the window was mirrored so crew could not see inside the cabin. By coincidence I'm in 7001 on Koningsdam for my Jan. Hawaiian cruise.

i'm also a big guy and will be looking for a bathrobe. If you don't mind me asking, what kind do you have and do you like it? Thanks.

OK, newby here, what is a ship tile?

I assume that if you don't bring your own they provide soap/shampoo in the spa showers? And a related question - are washcloths provided In your cabin and are they provided in the spa?

I just found out how true this is. I booked a category OO Oceanview and paid 255 for Club Orange, and just did the free upgrade to a D category cabin, which would have cost more than a thousand dollars more if I had just booked it directly. That more than paid for my HIA.