Blackduck59

I see a figure posted of $200.00 USD as being acceptable but $300.00 CAD as being outrageous. At today's exchange rate $200.00 USD is $275.00 CAD. I agree Vancouver is expensive, just like any major city.

Thanks Brian, I appreciate your comment. Our next cruise is 6 weeks so I guess I will gain a little more knowledge. I really enjoyed doing the "observations" thread from Zaandam last year. Of course it paled in wit and humour compared to the research papers you post. I think my lack of previous HAL experience gives me a different perspective because I'm not mired in what HAL "used to be". I come with the thought of "was it worth the money?", so far it has been.

Pinnacle Grill is only open for lunch on sea days. On most port days we would definitely dine ashore. Why visit far off distant lands if you aren't going to check out the cuisine?

While the idea of an "apology" seems straight forward enough, it has implications. The apology infers wrong doing as opposed to a poor business decision. There would be those who would take the apology as an invitation to demand compensation. I stated earlier that I would be demanding compensation for their very poor "business decision". Now they have changed that bad decision, I guess I would be placated but still unhappy. I would definitely think twice about booking again though. A lame apology would make little difference. That being said for us itinerary is the top motivation and many of HAL's are not offered by other lines.

I understand that, but having never had the full Tamarind "experience" then I can't be disappointed that it really isn't Tamarind. We may sail on a pinnacle ship some day but don't have anything booked yet. Maybe HAL will realize Tamarind is very popular and they will add it to the older ships (one can live in hope).

We are very much HAL rookies with one 11 day cruise with them. We enjoyed our PG (included with HIA fare) dinner. It was embarkation day which by coincidence was my birthday. The food was nicely prepared and the service attentive. We just didn't think it was $100.00+ better than the MDR. I think lunch is a better value and it is worth the extra (to us) above the included in our fare lunch in the MDR. I think one of the advantages of being relatively new to HAL is that I don't lament what "used to be" or how things have "gone down hill". We ask "did it meet our expectations?" As an "Included in our fare" special dinner Pinnacle met our expectations. As an extra charge of about $100.00 destination dinner, perhaps not.

I think that for those including us who opt for the HIA fare one Pinnacle grill dinner is included, so it isn't "extra cost". We enjoy that dinner on that basis. The pinnacle lunch is a cut above the regular MDR lunch and well worth the reasonable upcharge. We have a 6 week voyage coming next year and I suspect we will enjoy lunch in Pinnacle several times over that time. I'm not sure we would go for dinner there more than those times included in our HIA fare. I do hope we will have an opportunity to enjoy a Tamarind pop up (Westerdam doesn't have Tamarind) on that cruise.

I think we are beginning to swing towards Qantas business class for the long haul Vancouver to Sydney. We will probably use Air New Zealand Premium Economy for the hop from Melbourne to Auckland, it is a much shorter flight and I doubt we would even attempt to sleep on it. Like Linda we would rather stay home than fly coach ever again. After the last short hop flight through a full blown claustrophobia event, I decided I was never flying in a Dash 8 aircraft again; we'll rent a car and take the ferry over the day before we fly out. We aren't sure how much more travelling we have left in us. Although we are relatively young we are really growing weary of flying. There may be a couple of cruises left, perhaps an Alaska/Yukon cruise tour and maybe a UK cruise with a Trans Atlantic on Queen Mary 2 with a cross Canada train trip home.

We did the passage on the Eclipse which is about the same size as Koningsdam, It was quite calm. We did experience a bit of motion as we cleared Vancouver Island northbound but it didn't last long. That being said anything can happen. Enjoy your cruise and make whatever arrangements you need if you are prone to motion sickness.

I guess it depends on your idea of "Exceptional". Pinnacle Grill is officially a "Steak House at Sea" which means good steaks and chops well prepared, accompanied with a selection of sides. If you are looking for new highs in gastronomic imagination you are probably looking in the wrong place on a cruise ship.

Were you in Newfoundland?

It's unfortunate you didn't enjoy your choices from the Pinnacle Grill Menu. I think there are several choices of sides on the menu. I think mashed potatoes and onion rings would be popular choices for many cruisers. Hopefully if you choose to go to Pinnacle again you will choose something that better suits your tastes.

I'm doing well Linda, thanks for asking. I have gone a couple of days without pain killers. I still have some twinges if I move awkwardly. We are trying to decide about our flight arrangements. We have 2 choices for direct flights from Vancouver to Sydney; Air Canada and Qantas, we were not really that pleased with our Air Canada business class on our east coast trip last year. Right now we are leaning towards Qantas Premium Economy but may switch to Business Class depending on the price. We certainly didn't like the angled pods on Air Canada, the business class seats on Qantas look much better. The premium Economy on Qantas looks good as well if we can get the bulkhead seats, if we can't get those that may be the catalyst to go with Business class. We have so much of the trip planned but are taking a break from planning, while we settle Lynn's Mom's estate. We have had a few Cruise ships in so far this season but I think this weekend is well and truly full with seven cruise ship visits between Thursday and Sunday. We even had a Regent ship in our drydock last week, although I don't know which one.

This is an unfortunate development for you. I wonder why she is tendering. It just feels that Holland America would have priority at the pier with their long history in Alaska. I hope everything works out for you.

I will try to narrow it down, maybe central America?

Thanks Mic, I thought that may be the case.

I think maybe Leigh misunderstood my point. I like the idea of education, helping people understand what ANZAC Day is all about. Happy Anzac Day is an oxymoron. Just as Happy Remembrance day wouldn't fly here. I find the tradition of your dawn service a moving thing. We will be at sea on the final leg of our voyage home on ANZAC Day next year, Hopefully we can get something organized for a dawn remembrance. I know there are folks from Australia and New Zealand on the cruise. If they want to do it I would be honoured to attend.

This is indeed sad. I know it is a long journey, but Australians should be encouraged to go to Gallipoli. To be there is to understand. For Canada our Battle was Vimy Ridge, April 9th, 1917. We don't have "Vimy Day". Much of our youth know nothing about it. I have seen first hand how young people have an instant understanding when they actually see the "crosses row on row, that mark the place". Of course they aren't crosses now that the battles are over, but standard headstones. Go to the battlefields, you will never forget.

Cairns Koalas and Creatures?

I shall raise a glass of the good stuff to the fallen. We haven't been anywhere but home for Remembrance Day but have been to the Vimy Memorial and attended the nightly last post at Mennen Gate. To the fallen, lest we forget.

@VMax1700 Thank you for this thread. I have to admit I didn't really pay that much attention to this thread, until the Thread about HAL closing the Crow's Nest for many evenings in a row because of an "Art" group. As it turns out there is a "Roads Scholar" group on our cruise next year, hopefully this will be a plus.

Maybe HAL should be a leader in that change.

Just because cruise lines don't give paying guests a heads up doesn't mean that they shouldn't. There seem to be a few who think it's okay that paying customers are blind sided by a large group who in their entitlement directly affect others. Just because the cruise line can screw the guests doesn't mean it's okay.

If this is indeed a special "art" ( I use the term lightly) cruise. It should have been billed as such so that full fare guests can make an informed decision to book it or not.

Aren't all the Lincoln center stage spaces basically unused for now?