cruz chic

Am wondering which lines let you simply hop on an early tender. We have sometimes (but rarely) seen this happen (even on HA) when the tendering gets an early start and the tour groups are not yet ready to depart (they usually muster in a lounge and leave the ship as a group). DW and I are independent travelers (seldom to ever book any tour) and find that our favorite frequent cruiser perk (we are in the higher categories on 6 lines) is the ability to catch a tender on our own schedule

 

In a related issue (independent touring) we have noticed that HA has moved away from providing information to help independents. At one time it was normal to have a port expert (we are not talking about the excursion sales sharks) who would provide lots of info to independent travelers. On our most recent HA cruise (just returned yesterday from 28 days on the Veendam) there was no info for independents and no port expert. Those of us who tend to do our own thing had to rely on our own research (generally done pre-cruise). The only non-excursion info provided by HA were their "customized shopping maps" which highlight merchants willing to pay "promotional fees."

 

Another sad fact about cruise line excursions is that its no longer sufficient to charge the big bucks for the excursion. More and more excursions subject their charges to visits to one or more shops who kick-back fees and percentages to the tour operators. In a sense passengers are paying high prices for tours to take them to oft overpriced shops/factories who also contribute to the bottom line.

 

Hank

Wouldn't it be best for a person to do their own research rather then reply on the cruise ship?

Also, what's up with the thumbs down on this post?

It doesn't break my heart to miss grand cayman either. It's way to many people for me.

Have a wonderful cruise!

I ran into a guy on a shore excursion, who was on his honeymoon. He was ranting about the Hotel service charge. He told me be called room service 4 or 5 times a day and had room service deliver 2 chocolate chip cookies

Just so he felt he's getting his money's worth.

 

What a gem huh? On his honeymoon,and he has room servic banging on his door 5 times a day with cookies.

Unreal. What a lucky gal that he married.

Stop insulting the wolves :D

Sorry about that:D;):p:D.

We will be 7 days away from diamond plus following our Dec. cruise on RCL. We are currently looking at cruises for next year. Not even considering RCL. Our dollars are moving to HA. My husband likes to smoke a cigarette on the balcony before bed and after he gets up in the morning. The rest of the day when we are out and about, he sticks to the smoking areas. We will be enriching HA's bottom line. We are currently planning a family trip to Alaska in July -- four balcony cabins, eight passengers, only one smoker. RCL's policy cost their bottom line eight passengers and enriched HA's by eight. We are also looking at a fall cruise to Canada.

Yes, but their policy also costs them passangers.

That post made me wonder too sail. A cd is totally unimportant to me. Maybe we wouldn't have the twice daily updates about what is going on around the ship without one. Clearly none of us can read. I rarely go to any organized activities so I really don't care who the cd is.

So sad. I wish folks would behave as though their mothers were watching.

 

 

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Mothers? I think some folks were raised by wolves:D.

I marked mine no upgrade when I bought it. Didn't say no upsell. Would I still be offered an upsell ?

Yes, you could be offered an upsell. Marking a reservation do not upgrade doesn't preclude you receiving an upsell offer.

It's always crazy in grand cayman. I stayed on the ship last time too. It was rough as well so that didn't sweeten the pot either.

I've got a secret Thebes. Everyone (or almost everyone) hates standing in lines:D;).

We have only cruised on 14 different lines (more then 75 different ships) so I guess there are others with different rules. But nearly all the mass market cruise lines follow the same procedure when it comes to tender priorities. The excursion groups sold by the ship will always have priority. Those in the higher frequent cruiser categories (4 and 5 Star Mariners on HA) will also have priority and there is also priority for suite passengers on many lines. All other independent passengers are accommodated on a first come first serve basis with most lines (including HA) giving out tender tickets to control the flow.

 

Hank

It would only make good business sense to operate that way. I find it very doubtful that any cruise line would operate differently. Waiting for the OP to come back to prove me wrong.

I don't like wearing lanyards:D I don't believe there is anything different on a PS key card than the other suites:) At least, nothing I saw.

No, there is nothing different about the PH card. It's the same as a Neptune suite.

You can just get one of those necklaces that have a plastic holder for your cabin key to insert in. That should get their attention!

 

DaveOKC

I have a lanyard from my employer that I use.i just get the front desk to put a punch in it. The only time I wear my card is on a tender or getting off the ship.

Sadly it's always a few that spoil it for the rest.

I spoke with a woman in the Therapy Pool on the Oosterdam that bragged about buying special "bladder" containers that couldn't be seen on x-ray. She filled them with booze of course and they made it on just fine. She also bragged that they got their inside cabin for less than $400.

She went on to tell me to make sure and remove the gratuity on the last night to make sure you get good service.

She said they would end up with basically no shipboard bill. I said "just one for the thermal Spa" to which she said she threw a fit at the front desk about something and they gave her a day pass.

I cant tell you how bad my tongue hurt from biting it- surprised I didn't bite it off.

I was hoping I would see her again in a more public place to point her out to a staff person.

Wow, what a loser that person is. I hope karma comes and bites her hard. This is the quality people Hal attracts with their giving the farm away pricing policy:rolleyes:.

Many, but not all.

Which cruise line is the exception?

I just can't imagine anyone paying for them in an onboard shop. :eek: These slippers are truly giveaways that if you saw them in the dollar store you wouldn't buy them. The robes are another story- really nice to have and appreciated, but of course you don't get to keep them like the slippers.

Oh course folks won't buy them. Seems that some folks like to post lots on incorrect info and I just don't understand why.

Slippers are only provided in PS and Neptune suites. Should you need some, the onbaord shop has them.

This is just plain incorrect. I've also never seen them in any shop onboard:confused:.

I would think most cruise lines would show preference to folks that have high days or shorex booked thru the cruise line. Have you found otherwise?

We have over 200 days on HAL, every single day in a balcony or higher cabin. In those cruises, I can think of only one 10 day cruise where smoke on the adjoining balcony was a problem, and that was a brief problem. On many cruises we occasionally smell smoke, but never had a problem.

 

The "liberal" smoking policies of HAL is a bit of a stretch. I am at the Grand Wailea on Maui right now. The Grand Wailea, a 4 star hotel, like most hotels I am aware of, allows smoking on their balconies. HAL, like most places, including most cruise lines, allows smoking in their casino. HAL, like most cruise lines, allows smoking on a very limited areas of open deck. So, HAL's policy is more similar to the rest of the world than different. And if you think HAL allows smoking in probably under 10% of the public areas of their ship, and given smokers are 18% of the US population, greater elsewhere, that makes the "liberal policy" a bigger stretch.

 

Again, we are no fans of smoking, as explained in post #2. The pluses of HAL far outweight the smoking issue.

You've been lucky. Hal does have liberal smoking policies whether you like to admit it or not. Hopefully sooner than later Hal will change it's policy.

I think it's the luck of the draw as to how fast or slow it is. As a canadian I've found it generally is quite slow. Maybe I've been unlucky.

On Maasdam last month, the dessert I enjoyed the most was the Mascarpone/Panna Cotta from lunch at Pinnacle Grill. (Can't remember exactly what it was called, just that it was delicious Italian cheese). In the dining room the best dessert I had (other than the anniversary and birthday cakes courtesy of my celebrant tablemates) was the Mango-Blueberry Crumble. Nothing else seemed memorable--except for the Balsamic Strawberries with White Chocolate Mousse and the Poached Pear with Chocolate Fondue sharing the trait of somehow being nearly flavorless yet sickeningly sweet at the same time.

 

I do enjoy a good Pudding, but I must pass on judging the ones served in the Lido as I failed to catch one when freshly stocked; once on the serving line neither the pudding nor the sauce was kept adequately warm. And the waffle cones vanished from the ice cream counter halfway through the voyage.

I find that the fruit crisps are generally the best picks for desserts.

Got double credit for an SZ in 2012. We were upgraded to this cabin at no additional charge. Sweet!

I was upgraded once to an sy from a balcony for no cost. I did not get double credits so if you did you were very lucky.

We got them in an SS. wondering if it depends upon the ship? I don't recall having to ask for them - sorry if my answer led the OP astray.:o

 

For boards - our slippers were in a cupboard. If I hadn't happened to have looked I wouldn't have seen them

I've also got them in an SY and a spa cabin as well. I've never got them in a balcony or lower.

Seems to me leaving the PS room card on the table would be a classy suttle way to attain the service one deserves when paying for those accommodations

Everyone's different. That's just not my way. I have occupied the PH this year so it's not that I haven't had the experience. I'd rather people do things for me because they want to instead of feeling that they need to. I'm not sure how leaving a card out is classy. Seems a bit cheesy to me but I just don't like people fussing over me. YMMV.

the Chocolate Fortune cookie at Tamarind, and the Tiramisu at Canaletto are two favorites of ours. It is all so good, better than we can make at home. mmm cant wait. one more week until we sail.

The desserts are good in the specialty restaurants but you are paying for it.