ninjatoes

I sailed in December. My verandah cabin had one by each bed lamp, and two by the desk, although one of those was not working. But I had a mini USB hub with me, so it ultimately wasn't an issue for me.

Speaking as a fellow New Englander, I too would have expected a whole lobster, and would have been disappointed by the lack of other parts. If it's not the whole thing, they should specify that.

On 1/26/2019 at 2:41 PM, SC_GAY_Cruiser said:

I guess I just don't understand the issues with a tattoo studio on the ship.   Yes I am biased.   I am a 64 year old man with multiple piercings and quite a lot of ink.    Would I consider getting more ink from an artist I don't know?   Probably not.   And for those who are not inked, the artist is the most important aspect of a tattoo.

 

For those who have cancelled their deposit, I guess you use and visit literally every venue on a cruise ship from the buffet to steak house  and everything in between.  From the water slides to the putt putt to every bar and restaurant and entertainment venue.    

 

So one small space that caters to something your not interested in, your willing to miss out on the experience of a new cruise ship and line?    

I suppose it would appeal to folks who want small, simple tattoos as a reminder of their trip. I envision a lot of simple flash work being done, as opposed to larger, more thoughtful pieces. 

On 1/5/2019 at 5:37 AM, Mimiya11 said:

Leaving in two weeks for our first HA cruise on the Eurodam.  

 

A few quick questions (really more out of curiosity).

1) How is the coffee?  And where exactly is the café/bar to get a morning latte? 

2) Read in some posts that seating in the BB King and other lounges are hard to get unless you are there way in advance?  Is that the norm?    

3) We splurged on a retreat cabana, do we just show up or do we need to get passes?   

4) We didn't book any specialty restaurants yet.  I know on Celebrity upon boarding, they are often discounted on the first night.   Is this the case on HA? 

 

Thanks all!  

 

1) I am admittedly a bit of a coffee snob, but I thought the Lido coffee was awful. It was weak and had little flavor. 

2) None of the entertainment I went to, regardless of venue, ever was at full capacity, including BB King.

3 & 4) No idea.

On 1/5/2019 at 3:15 PM, chengkp75 said:

If you are looking for USB ports only, then a "pure" multi-USB hub is your best bet.  Nearly all of these have a two prong plug, which precludes them being surge protected, and most cruise lines, even RCI which bans all extension cords, will allow these "pure" USB hubs.

I brought this one with me and nobody questioned it. Worked perfectly for my purposes. 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003M0NURK/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I was in 4168, which is 3-4 cabins away from the stern. The engine vibration and swaying while at sea was strong enough to bother a light sleeper or someone who gets motion sickness. I can fall asleep anywhere though, so it didn't bother me. It was just like falling asleep on a moving bus or train.

I had planned to go at 11:00, but I arrived at 12:45. It only took about 15 minutes from the time I exited my Lyft to reach my cabin. I was actually glad for once to be running horribly behind schedule.

I was on Eurodam last week. I saw a man in jeans and a polo shirt turned away on gala night. I only saw one tux, and most men seemed to have on a tie or jacket, if not both. The few without either were generally wearing slacks and a long sleeved button down shirt. I did see more fancy dress women than men, including many evening gowns, cocktail dresses, and sparkles galore, but many were also dressed the way you would in a business casual office - nice, but not glitzy. That's what I did, and I did not feel out of place.

I was on Eurodam last week, and I couldn't find any ports on the tv. It's firmly mounted, so you can't angle it away from the wall to check the back, and I didn't see it feel anything on the sides of bottom. The settings menu also doesn't have any options indicating the ability to pair with wireless devices. It was very limited; I couldn't even adjust the brightness of the screen.

If she needs it due to a hearing disability, maybe there's a way HAL can accommodate her? It's probably worth giving them a call to ask.

I was on it last week as well. There were a few minor cosmetic dings here and there, but not anything that would detract from enjoying the cruise. I was comfortable in my cabin and elsewhere on the ship, and I was impressed by the service I received.

On ship, I went to almost every Lincoln Center Stage performance; they were wonderful! The BBC Earth movie with live music was excellent, the BB King All-stars were really good, and I enjoyed listening to the dualing pianos whilst losing $100 in the casino (ouch!). I also enjoyed the Mexican dancers and Mariachi band. The only other entertainment I saw was a main stage song and dance performance. I found it to be a bit too cornball for my tastes.

Regarding food, I mostly ate at the Lido, which was good enough for the most part. I wasn't super impressed by the MDR, so didn't bother going more than twice. The Dive In burger I had was decent. Rudi's Sel de Mer is a bit pricy, but I love French cuisine and really enjoyed it. I also ate at Canaletto, which I highly recommend. You definitely get far more than you pay for in terms of quality.

I didn't do any excursions in port and skipped Cabo. I walked the blue line from the ship to old Mazatlan, which was nice, and their basillica is beautiful. As for those concerned about safety, don't be. Plenty of law enforcement and expat volunteers were around to help if you needed it. Plus, the residents I spoke too were all pleasant and helpful. Trust me, It's touristy and crowded; no drug cartel members are going to assault you. 

In Puerto Vallarta I walked the Malecon and around old town, visited their church, and then stopped in Wal-Mart for the free Wi-Fi and to buy some Mexican snacks. Some of the market hawkers in old town were a bit aggressive, but a simple "no, gracias," while walking away does the trick. 

Honestly, my favorite thing about the whole trip was just being at sea in general. I saw flying fish, dolphins, whales, and plenty of different sea birds, and sunset and sunrise were great to watch. Also, I loved observing the arrival and departure maneuvers at ports, and though the seas were mild, there was enough sway on sea days to make this boat lover happy.

The amount of over-thinking going on here is baffling. Whatever happened to the notion that it's the thought that counts?

It all seems fairly straightforward to me. If you want to show someone that you're grateful for them, for whatever reason, you give them a gift. And if you're on the receiving end, you say "thank you" and graciously accept the gift, even if the material item has no value to you. The fact that someone wanted to do something nice for you should be enough. 

1 hour ago, cb at sea said:

Remember, the music is coming from the TV speakers....tinny and thin.

Good point, although some nicer TVs are decent enough for casual listening. Still, it's probably a smart idea to bring a Bluetooth speaker with me. I don't want to get there and find out that I'm stuck with only the speaker on my device.

3 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

On the ships that have the interactive TV's, there is a very much expanded selection of programs and that includes music channels as well.

I wonder if that's the case with Eurodam. I know it has nice big TVs now, so presumably they're the interactive ones. I hope so anyway...

2 hours ago, ArtsyCraftsy said:

I was able to pair my iPhone to the television via Bluetooth and play music I had downloaded prior to the cruise that way.  This was on the Rotterdam last July-August (Voyage of the Vikings).  Easy to do.

 

As for music provided onboard, there's classical music on the bow camera channel, and "soft jazz" or some such on the "navigation" channel (I may have that reversed, though).  

 

Lana in Bellingham, WA

Sounds like it's fairly limited, which is a bummer. I use streaming services for most of my listening, and was hoping to avoid populating a device with downloads. Oh well. 

Thanks for the tip on the Bluetooth usage. I'll have to give it a try.

Is it true that music is available through your stateroom TV? Can someone give me an idea of what the set up is?

2 hours ago, POA1 said:

I think it's more of a branch end. The LED lights don't really generate heat. Fire hazard-wise, it's probably way below wooden hangars and above toilet paper. (I don't know about you, but I willing to risk Charmin.) 

Sort of tangential, but does this mean I'm allowed to bring a string of LED lights with me to hang up in my cabin? I would love to have something up since I'm sailing the week before Xmas and love decorations, but I had ruled out the old style lights on the assumption that they'd be a fire hazard.

Thank you so much to all of you for the answers and recommendations. It is a huge help!

On 10/27/2018 at 11:38 PM, oakridger said:

3-Speak to your stewards on the first day and let them know your wishes.  They normally only change the sheets every third day (I believe)  My guess is that they would like to get in at least once a day so they can keep "on top" of the cleaning. I have never had them come in when my do not disturb sign is posted.  I am a late riser and have not had any interruptions!

On 10/28/2018 at 12:48 AM, ellieanne said:

3) I would recommend talking to your stewards as soon as possible. I know they have to check in with each room daily, before they are allowed time off, so making sure they know you won't require anything more than a tidy will be helpful to you both.

It sounds like the stewards have a minimum they must do, which is completely understandable. It's not that I'm a fussy traveler, it's just that, as an introvert, my private space is kind of sacred to me. I need to be able to retreat from people when I'm feeling mentally exhausted and overwhelmed by social interactions and activity. I'll chat with the steward on day one so I can understand what their requirements are and to let them know what my needs are. 

On 10/28/2018 at 12:36 AM, Crew News said:

I would also highly recommend the Tamarind ($25) for Asian cuisine prepared to your spice desires.

I'm actually debating skipping Tamarind, to be honest. I have access to lots of great Asian food here in San Diego, and eat it quite often (mostly Vietnamese and Japanese), so it's not really calling to me right now. I suppose I'll play it by ear and see if I'm in the mood for it that week. I will definitely do Canaletto at least once because, being part Italian, I know I can't survive a whole week without the food. Pinnacle Grill is on the fence like Tamarind, though I'll probably crave a steak at some point, so we'll see. As for Sel de Mer, I probably will treat myself. I can never say no to French food.

On 10/28/2018 at 3:21 AM, kazu said:

Question 4 - yes, the flowers will look like what is shown on line but if you wait until you are on board to order, there are many more selections of bouquets / arrangements to choose from and there may even be suggestions.  Flowers on HAL are well done whether you order them in advance or on board 😄 

That is really helpful to know! Some flowers are just far too perfumed for my super sensitive nose, so knowing exactly what I'm getting is important to me. I would really like to avoid sneezing fits and migraines.

On 10/28/2018 at 8:25 AM, sevenseasnomad said:

Have you considered booking a cabana?  You'd definitely have two loungers, plus several stewards to wait on you, even bringing you your lunch if that's what you desire.  Were I traveling alone, I'd look into this option.

I did look into it, but I decided to go with the private balcony instead. I think I'd only get a cabana if I were in a stateroom without a balcony.

On 10/28/2018 at 9:29 AM, OlsSalt said:

What to do in port? - all of them are very accessible on your own. We have taken this route several times and so now find we do the same things when we go back, having also taken many of the excursions to outlying areas which can be good too.

 

Do it yourself options: 

This is so helpful! I know all the ports will be fairly touristy, but if I can avoid the guided tours and tourist-focused businesses, I'll be a lot happier.  I'm the kind of traveler who likes to wander around getting a feel for a neighborhood, seeing what the locals are doing, and eating what the locals are eating. The only paid excursion I might take is a whale watch in Cabo. 

20 hours ago, RMLincoln said:

LOVE the flower arrangements on HAL!  But flowers can be purchased in ports and brought on board to enjoy in your stateroom - ask your room steward for a vase - but they cannot be taken off when you disembark due to restrictions on agricultural imports.  I vividly remember the red sea of poinsettias in Puerto Vallarta just across from the piers in early December.   

This is excellent news! What I really want in my room is a poinsettia, since it is at Christmastime, and it sounds like I can bring one on board with me from San Diego. I wonder if they'd let me take it off at the end since it's a closed loop trip?

Hello all. I just booked my first ever cruise - December 16-23 on Eurodam to the Mexican Riviera. I chose it, in part, because it leaves from where I live - San Diego - but also because I like the idea of a more laid-back, low-key experience instead of a huge party ship. I'm sailing solo and plan to spend my sea days just relaxing, eating good food, hearing good music, and enjoying being on the ocean. I haven't quite decided how I'll spend my port days yet. 

I have done a lot of internet research already about HAL and cruising in general, including following the CC boards for several weeks, but I do have a few questions (some perhaps a bit odd) that I'm hoping folks could answer or confirm for me. 

1) Regarding non-alcoholic drinks - Coffee, hot tea, iced tea, and lemonade are all free and always available? Juices are free at breakfast, but no other time? Do I have that correct?

2) I am planning to buy flowers for my stateroom and I've been looking at the options on HAL's website. How accurate are the pictures? What I mean is, will the bouquet I order actually be similar to what's advertised or will I get a bunch of lilies even though I ordered a bouquet that had none? Anybody have experience with this?

3) I'm used to leaving the do not disturb sign on my hotel door and only having housekeeping service if and when I actually need it. It sounds like the stewards on cruises are coming and going several times a day, and I have even read about stewards who've ignored the DND sign. Is that common? I don't need my sheets changed daily and I certainly don't need turn down service. I also don't expect them to tidy up any of my stuff for me. Is it unreasonable for me to ask them to just empty the trash and replace towels when needed? 

4) I was lucky enough to book 4168 which has a doublewide balcony. From pictures I've seen online, it has lounge chairs as well as regular chairs. Anyone know if that's standard or do I need to request one?

5) I'm an introvert and will be happy eating alone much of the time. Can I request a 2 seater in the MDR or for special dining and expect to be seated alone?

6) The trip is the week before the Christmas cruise. Will it be decorated already? Do they do anything special in the spirit of the season?

7) I've seen mention of lactose free milk being available. Is that true? Does HAL actually have lactose free cow milk on board? 

8) As a woman, should I have any safety concerns if I feel like wandering around the ship by myself at 3:30 in the morning? It seems like it shouldn't be an issue, but I'm also not naive, so I thought I'd ask.

9) Sel de Mer - I adore French cuisine, but is it really worth $49? 

10) Gala nights are usually on sea days, correct? 

Thanks all for taking the time to answer what you can. I'm really excited about the trip!