born2travel

OP, I was thrilled to year your post as I experienced the same thing myself. We did a 10-day Hawaii - Vancouver cruise last year and by the time I spent multiple sea days on Quantum of the Seas, I was almost giddy with excitement over being able to make the long (to me!) trek to the cafe for early morning coffee with no rest break. I use a rollator and was even fearlessly tackling the return trip to our balcony cabin with coffee in one hand so I could enjoy it outside. 

While I had very much looked forward to building on my newfound strength at home, unfortunately i picked up a respiratory virus en route and spent the first couple of weeks back struggling to just keep breathing. And there went my progress… BUT I am thinking i really need to get back on a big boat again. 😁

Just back fro April 8th sailing on the Allure... the ship was every bit as fabulous 4 yrs after our first cruise on it. Windjammer food exceeded our expectations at every meal, and Chops was delightful.

DH has some perverse need to visit Johnny Rockets on every cruise. I don't get it at all, but keep him company. I am delighted to say the most recent cruise has totally cured him of his JR obsession. The cover charge has blown up to $12.95 . Unfortunately, we had coupon for free lunch or that would have stopped us in our tracks. Also had a 2-for-1 milkshake coupon. Total out of pocket cost was just over $5. But I was ticked that we could have used the lunch coupon elsewhere and didn't.

Milkshakes were good. However the other food was just plain awful, and the "dining experience" was grating, to say the least. DH had the burger and fries, neither of which were tasty. I had what I thought was a BLT salad with crispy chicken. Ugh. Lots of yellow lettuce, mushy tomato and not a trace of bacon. Maybe I read the menu wrong, but couldn't even be bothered to check or complain. Onion rings - meh. We skipped dessert in order to escape, figuring we didn't need to ingest extra calories or spend a moment longer in the most annoying environment on board.

Part of the charm, in DH's opinion, has always been the 50's atmosphere. That disappeared in a hurry, when the music played the same opening two lines of "16 Candles" over and over and over and over.... We finally asked our waiter if the music track could be unstuck, and he told us we could do so from the jukebox control at our table. NOT the case, nor did it work from any other table.

So, while I will continue to find happiness in the fact I will never have to visit another Johnny Rockets at sea, I am disappointed for my husband, who really looked forward to those meals. I don't enjoy burger joints at the best of times, and to eat in one on a cruise ship just seems like dumb X 2, but this one was a game changer for us. YAY!

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Let me add my thanks for you taking the time to scan and post all those pages! It was the perfect Sunday morning read over a big mug of coffee. We can't wait to be back on the Allure on April 8.

I must pack my highlighters.... green for the activities we have reserved or must do, and yellow for all the cool things we'd LIKE to do. I tell all my friends that is one of the best things about cruising, you can be as busy -or as lazy - as suits you at any moment.

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Looking forward to our first visit to Italy, spending 3 days in Venice before 10-day cruise. I cannot tell you how relieved I was to read that FitFlops are a viable choice, from those of you who have worn them over the cobblestones!

I wear them all the time and really didn't want to think about touring in anything else.

Hello!

Sailing north from Vancouver, a starboard side balcony seems to make the most sense for scenery but I have heard this may not be the case. Which do you experienced CC'ers recommend for the best experience, scenery-wise?

OP, I think you will love HAL!

Just one word of caution, if I may...if your ship has the Happy Hour Martinis ($3, I think) make sure you get there early! The martini bar is small, and I could never get near enough to be served. It is apparently (and rightfully so!) a very popular spot at that time. I licked my wounds and retreated to another place to order a drink each night.

We would pass a lounge (Ocean Lounge, I think) each evening on our way to play trivia and I absolutely loved seeing the beautifully dressed people enjoying a drink while they listened to a very talented duo play. I could have happily joined them, but DH doesn't drink or have any musical appreciation for ANYTHING not recorded between 1960 - 1972. What can I say? Opposites attract!

On our recent and first HAL cruise, this aspect of HAL service struck a very positive a chord with me. Now, I would never dream of NOT tipping a bartender, barista, or whoever serves me a drink...anywhere. However, most lines thoughtfully(?) add an involuntary gratuity to the drink bills. RCL - and maybe others - also constantly presents the reminder that you can add more.

On the Westerdam, the involuntary tip was in place, but I never saw a line on which to add more. In fact, it was rare to be asked to sign, and my bar rec't was usually wrapped neatly around my card as it was handed back. There was no evidence of a tip receptacle anywhere other than on the piano in the Piano Bar.

I really enjoyed not feeling like it was expected that I pad the involuntary tip at every drink.

First off, let me say that DH and I love RCL cruises! We recently tried HAL, as they offered a very, very affordable vacation just when we needed one. We were totally relaxed and enjoyed a couple of HAL's special features (Digital Workshop and Culinary Arts Centre) but overall, we are in (rare!) complete agreement that RCL remains our first choice for many reasons.

One aspect of HAL service struck a very positive a chord with me, though. Now, I would never dream of NOT tipping a bartender or barista or whoever serves me a drink...anywhere. However, most lines thoughtfully(?) add an involuntary gratuity to the drink bills. RCL - and maybe others - also constantly presents the reminder that I can add more.

On the Westerdam, the involuntary tip was in place, but there was NO line on which to add more. In fact, it was rare to be asked to sign, and my bar rec't was usually wrapped neatly around my card as it was handed back. There was no evidence of a tip receptacle anywhere other than on the piano in the Piano Bar.

Just my opinion, but I really enjoyed not feeling like it was almost expected that I pad the involuntary tip at every drink. If I was in one place, and ordering drinks for some time, I could see slipping something extra to a person who kept my glass filled, but I only ever have a single drink here or there.

Hi lorekauf... I am really sorry if you thought I was referring to fellow passengers as "us doddering old folk"...that reference was pointed directly at the mirror. I was just taken aback by the pool closures and really did wonder why.

Thanks, everyone, for the reassurance that the tongue-in-cheekiness remark wasn't too widely misinterpreted. Had it been seriously directed at other passengers, I would deserve a MAJOR smackdown!

lorekauf, you are right on the money, RCL is a better fit for US, but definitely not for many others. So many ships, so many styles...and most of it very, very good! We count our lucky stars every day that we have the time, funds, and health to enjoy such vacations. We don't regret trying HAL for a moment and hope to cruise other lines as well before we hang up our suitcases.

HAL provided us with an extremely affordable vacation that agreed with our budget at a time when we really needed to get away. As it turned out, I have never been so relaxed on a vacation. It was just what the doctor ordered.

I have to admit that a ship like the Allure or Oasis engages me to the point that I am a bit like a demented hamster on a wheel. Of course, the Flowrider does slow me down a bit. I can spend a ridiculous amount of time there, soaking up the sun while watching the wipe-outs, AND applauding those who manage to gain competence (lest you think me totally heartless - LOL!) Still trying to muster up the courage to try it myself.

We do sail on those ships for those over-the-top features, and likewise knew that HAL offered a different kind of experience. Isn't that why so many of us love CruiseCritic forums??? We like to know before we go! But I just didn't find out about the danged pool closures until too late. Never even thought to ask that kind of question. Just goes to show that no detail is too small.

Happy thoughts and cruising to all,

Mary

Just back from our first HAL cruise (at 59 & 60 yrs of age) and we are in absolutely no hurry to repeat the experience. We found the food to be good at breakfast, fair at lunch, and just plain bad at dinner. The ship was very nice, but compared to the airy, open spaces of RCCL ships, Westerdam felt cramped and very dark.

I loved the Explorations/Crows Nest area, but found the Explorations Cafe itself to be a joke. It didn't keep long hours, snacks were hard to find, and paying for the so-so coffee in paper cups didn't impress me even a little bit.

The singers were talented, and the musician very good, however I never had problems finding smaller, quieter musical venues on RCCL ships. Piano bars on EVERY ship should be bigger, as they seem consistently popular.

Absolutely loved the Digital Workshop and Culinary Arts centre! They compensated for a lot of other disappointments.

I was shocked and extremely dismayed to find out that pools and hot tubs have very limited hours. What??? Do the lifeguards go off duty??? No, wait - there are no lifeguards. Apparently pools need to be roped over at 7 pm to keep us doddering old ones from falling in.

Essentially, different strokes...HAL is obviously a favorite for many. We can say we tried it, but it just wasn't a good fit for us.

We were in cabin 8132, and while directly below the Lido deck, the lights above were not a problem.

In retrospect I should have slipped a note under the door of the cabin where the light appeared. It was never on before we went to bed, only in the middle of the night...maybe it was "mood lighting" of some kind....

Just finished a week on the Westerdam, and room service was the only way I found to get HOT coffee. Coffee in the Lido was consistently tepid. If you don't mind the extra charge, mildly better coffee is available in the Explorations Cafe, but don't expect great coffee there, and certainly don't look for it there too early or too late. It took me 3 visits before I found it open.

There is a reasonable number of versatile activities each day, and we often found ourselves having to chose between options. That's so much better than not finding enough!

Key Lime Pie! Sadly, only found once. Maybe this was for the best, as I would have happily skipped the entrees every night in favor of this pie.

It sounds like there have BEEN a lot of good desserts in days of yore - LOL. Last week, the Westerdam utterly failed to impress us in the food category, aside from the omelet station. Desserts generally reminded us of the sad little squares of tasteless substances seen in dept store cafeterias when we were young. Despite the dessert selections' lack of visual appeal, I did my share of tasting. Usually a taste was enough. Ice cream was our fall-back plan, but even that could be iffy, as the alternative to cones were piping hot bowls...

We attended 2 teas, the first was pleasant, not exciting or rave-worthy, but OK. The second was the Cupcake Tea. Thank heavens for the sandwiches. Cupcakes came in 2 flavors - dry white, and dry dark. I won't say chocolate, as there was no detectable chocolate flavor. They were "enticingly" decorated with small, uniform swirls of garishly colored buttercream. A much more appealing selection can be found in most Publix bakery counters.

Just finished a week on the Westerdam, and room service was the only way I found to get HOT coffee. Coffee in the Lido was consistently tepid. If you don't mind the extra charge, mildly better coffee is available in the Explorations Cafe, but don't expect great coffee there, and certainly don't look for it there too early or too late. It took me 3 visits before I found it open.

There is a reasonable number of versatile activities each day, and we often found ourselves having to chose between options. That's so much better than not finding enough!

After our week on the Westerdam, I have to say that our balcony was the best star-gazing spot I found. We had numerous clear nights, only one really overcast, actually, and the early morning hours were the absolute best. (2:30 am and onward)

Light pollution is rampant where I live and we get the one-dimensional night sky effect. It was a thrill to have a real sense of depth when watching the stars, not to mention that there are so many more visible. I only wish I could have stayed up longer and watched more, but the motion of the ship along with the comfy bed kept luring me back indoors and under the covers.

I do wish that balcony cabins provided occupants with a polite request to turn off their exterior lights when they are not required, though! I could see the stars from my bed, but only when the passengers 2 doors down were considerate enough to turn off their light.

As for the Westerdam, we found the crew amazing, and the ship was absolutely immaculate. It was a relaxing week, at a very reasonable price, and we enjoyed the new experiences of the Culinary Arts presentations and the Digital Workshop. Overall though, the HAL experience was not the best fit for us.

Hi...I love the night sky, too and will also be looking for that sweet spot for stargazing! Sailing this Saturday - YAY!

I will never forget how much I looked forward to watching the stars at sea on our very first cruise, and my tremendous disappointment at the inescapable light pollution on the Carnival Triumph. Mind you, it was the only disappointing aspect, so I got over it.

Hello Lori,

I hope I am not too late to ask for your travel blog, but if you are still willing to share, would you send it to me, too, please? fdmer1@yahoo.ca

After a ton of discussions, it looks like we'll be booking a Nov 2014 Rhine Getaway. We are looking at the older ships. When does the Christmas Market season start? I'd absolutely love to catch it, but we find it hard to travel in December, too many family traditions and commitments, and that's the best part of life. Cruising is a close second - LOL!

Thanks,

Mary

Hello Lori,

I hope I am not too late to ask for your travel blog, but if you are still willing to share, would you send it to me, too, please? fdmer1@yahoo.ca

After a ton of discussions, it looks like we'll be booking a Nov 2014 Rhine Getaway. We are looking at the older ships. When does the Christmas Market season start? I'd absolutely love to catch it, but we find it hard to travel in December, too many family traditions and commitments, and that's the best part of life. Cruising i a close second - LOL!

Thanks,

Mary

Hello,

We will be landing close to midnight on Nov 1, and sailing on Nov 2. We'd really like to purchase a couple bottles of wine and 6-pk of Diet Pepsi before setting of for the port. I cannot see any trace of a store within a short walk. What's our best option for getting these errands done without spending $$$ on taxis?

We are assuming we'll be cabbing it to the port, thought there might be a place along the way that we could dash in and out without letting the meter go wild. Or, get a taxi to a shopping plaza between the hotel and port, spend some time, then call another taxi. Our luggage will be fairly light until we add bottles. ;-)

Or, is there a decent hotel in a better location? I have been scouring the travel websites, but the 17th St places seem to be completely booked or way out of our price range. We liked Gallery One earlier this year, except for the transportation costs. Definitely want to be closer to airport and port this time.

I'm on board!

Hi, I read your post on the Royal Caribbean forum and am definitely looking forward to your reviews! We are looking into a 2014 in the Med region and it will be great to read about both the area, as well as experiences on a different cruise line. Love RCI, but not so much their itineraries for the Mediterranean.

Mary

Just my .02 worth... the Windjammer on the Allure was indeed smaller, with a more limited menu than other RCI ships we have sailed. However, we found the food there to be better than any other WJ. But yes, there is an amazing array of food options, and every one of them are good. Oops... I didn't like the donuts on the Boardwalk. No real loss. It was still a neat option.

Labadee was a very pleasant surprise to us. The BBQ was tasty, the entire area very nice, although if you go past the enclosed marketplace, the sellers can be a bit on the aggressive side, but we didn't find any to be rude. The clothes aren't anything that can't be found in a US Wal-Mart (for less! and most come from India or Asia) but you can't always get a genuine ugly painting on a piece of cardboard at Wal-Mart. Something for every taste, I guess.

We did the Wave Runners and LOVED IT! Our first time riding them, so we were a little saddle-sore when we got off. I would do it again, but either first thing in the morning or later in the day so we could enjoy the beautiful beach for a longer time.

I am sooo jealous... have a fabulous time.

Thanks for the DAIN-ya lesson...I never would have thought to ask, and never would have guessed that one!

Thanks so much for the estimated taxi fare info. So much better when I can prepare DH for reality. ;-)

Hello - I have booked Gallery One hotel for our pre-cruise night and just want to be prepared. Can anyone give me an estimate of taxi fare to the port?