barb-ottawa

On the Rotterdam in January, the internet speed was quite adequate. However, on the Nieuw Statendam in March, the internet was very, very slow. I inquired at the desk as I thought perhaps it hadn't been upgraded to Starlink, but they confirmed it was. It was very disappointing.

We were on the Rotterdam in October and will be back in January. Have they completed the upgrade to Starlink for the internet? Also, have to disagree with your comment about the band in the Rolling Stone Rock Room. We thought they were incredibly talented and enjoyed every show in October and were thrilled to find out they would be on the ship until the end of February and look forward to seeing them in January. 

Don't know if you can access this, but here goes. And no, they weren't new to HAL. They are on the Rotterdam until February.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CzMPOCKOLt4/

Main theatre entertainment was the usual stuff - dance in various formats, a comedian, steel band. We only attended a few shows. The band in the Rolling Stone Rock Room made up for all the lack of entertainment in the main theatre.

4 hours ago, DeadPool1979 said:

Embarking on the Rotterdam next Sunday, what was the entertainment like for the 12 days cruise?

Excellent bands in both the Rolling Stone Rock Room and BB Kings. 

2 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Any idea what the station is called like homestead etc?

The one with the grill is the main station, the one with the stir fry is maybe Distant Lands?

On the Pinnacle class ships (Koningsdam, Rotterdam, Nieuw Statendam) there is a grilling station in the Lido where fresh proteins are grilled to your liking. There are also several other stations that offer food made at your request while you wait, eg fresh stir fries where you pick all your own ingredients (veggies and proteins) and they cook it up in front of you. We love the Lido on the Pinnacle ships for their variety and freshness. We love to eat breakfast and lunch outside and dine inside for dinner and never have trouble finding a table for any meal. 

Received emails this morning from HAL that both my January and February sailings on the Nieuw Statendam have dropped Key West and added Nassau in addition to other changes. On one sailing, they switched days to Aruba and Curacao. Not a huge deal, but sure screws up the excursions booked in each port.

We have finally booked two cruises for January and February, our first since 2020. Though vaccinated and boosted, we fully expect that there is a good chance we will get covid on our trips. Looking to get suggestions from cruisers who have come down with covid while onboard about what over the counter medications they brought or wish they had brought to get them through their bout with covid. Thanks! 

He doesn't need his sport coat to be admitted to the MDR or any specialty restaurant. A collared shirt and slacks is all that is required, even on gala night. It's his choice.

Your isolation cabin is an inside room? This is why I am not cruising yet. I am not afraid of getting Covid, but to spend days in isolation - no thank you. Hope you are well soon.

49 minutes ago, COCKYMARK said:

I work in healthcare....do not be scared. go on with your life you can get covid anywhere anytime!

I'm not "afraid" of covid, but cannot fathom risking spending my cruise quarantined to my cabin with meals delivered to my door. Sorry, that's not a vacation and a risk I am not prepared to take.

7 minutes ago, phoenix_dream said:

Can you post a link to the FB page?  When I search for that topic it brings me to a page run by a travel agency, but the last user post was 9/2021

It's a private group so you will have to ask to join and read the comments.

Excellent and informative thread and glad that everyone is okay. My husband and I are avid cruisers and our last cruise was January 2020 before the sh*t hit the fan. We love cruising as it is a relaxing vacation. This thread has reinforced our decision to put off cruising for a while. Being both vaccinated and boosted, we are not concerned about getting seriously ill while on a cruise, but it hardly registers as a relaxing vacation if you have to worry about (1) your flights not being cancelled; (2) enough healthy crew to take care of your cruising needs; and most of all (3) being exiled to the covid ward and being quarantined in your room. No thank you - we'll gladly wait until we can cruise without masks and no concern about who we've been in contact with. Each to his own, I guess.

On 6/28/2020 at 1:02 PM, barb-ottawa said:

 

Update - Finally received our cruise refund for our March 23rd sailing on June 25th except for $357.35. Still waiting for the rest.

Last update - final amount credited to our credit card on July 7th. Not impressed. Took several interventions by our travel agent to get our March 23rd cruise fare refunded. If it wasn't for her, I know we would still be waiting.

On 6/10/2020 at 3:40 PM, barb-ottawa said:

Here's my timeline for my March 23rd cruise:

 

March 13 - told travel agent to cancel our cruise and non-refundable airfare through CruiseAir. As directed by our travel insurance company, we refused any future credits.

March 14 - Celebrity announces our cruise is cancelled meaning we would have been eligible for a full refund. Travel Agent contacts Celebrity and was told by a Supervisor that since it was less than 12 hours between my cancellation and theirs, they would honor the refund for the cruise fare and set the refund in motion.

May 15 - after reading that many people are getting their refunds for cruises after mine (March 23), I called Celebrity and spoke to a pleasant customer service person who found my file, didn't understand why it was taking so long, but couldn't provide me with any information because I had booked through a travel agent. So I called my TA and she called Celebrity only to find that they had no record of their conversation agreeing to honor the refund. They were going to have to replay the recordings of their conversation to confirm it actually took place.

May 22 - the TA has heard nothing from Celebrity re the recordings so she sends an email to an upper level contact to plead for assistance.

May 27 - the TA receives confirmation from her upper level contact that I am indeed entitled to a full refund, the file has been corrected and he will expedite a refund.

June 2 - received a cheque in full for my travel insurance claim covering my non-refundable airfare and non-refundable hotel

June 10 - still nothing from Celebrity

Update - Finally received our cruise refund for our March 23rd sailing on June 25th except for $357.35. Still waiting for the rest.

Here's my timeline for my March 23rd cruise:

March 13 - told travel agent to cancel our cruise and non-refundable airfare through CruiseAir. As directed by our travel insurance company, we refused any future credits.

March 14 - Celebrity announces our cruise is cancelled meaning we would have been eligible for a full refund. Travel Agent contacts Celebrity and was told by a Supervisor that since it was less than 12 hours between my cancellation and theirs, they would honor the refund for the cruise fare and set the refund in motion.

May 15 - after reading that many people are getting their refunds for cruises after mine (March 23), I called Celebrity and spoke to a pleasant customer service person who found my file, didn't understand why it was taking so long, but couldn't provide me with any information because I had booked through a travel agent. So I called my TA and she called Celebrity only to find that they had no record of their conversation agreeing to honor the refund. They were going to have to replay the recordings of their conversation to confirm it actually took place.

May 22 - the TA has heard nothing from Celebrity re the recordings so she sends an email to an upper level contact to plead for assistance.

May 27 - the TA receives confirmation from her upper level contact that I am indeed entitled to a full refund, the file has been corrected and he will expedite a refund.

June 2 - received a cheque in full for my travel insurance claim covering my non-refundable airfare and non-refundable hotel

June 10 - still nothing from Celebrity

10 minutes ago, BP99 said:

Hi,

It could be that they did not process it as a refund. I was waiting 55 days for

a refund and was wondering the same thing (why are others getting money

for latter cruises). Well, this week the sent me a FCC certificate, NOT a refund

that I requested. They have done this TRICK to MANY!! I think? they are taking

their time (at least longer) for FCC.

Contact them (or your TA) by email or phone to make sure before you wait LONGER!

Just spent an hour on hold and spoke to Celebrity. The agent was very nice and said I should have received my refund by now and there must be a glitch, but unfortunately she can't investigate at my request because I booked through a travel agent and they can only follow up with the travel agent. She did confirm that a refund was forthcoming and not an FCC. Very frustrating. Sent another email to my travel agent, but I'm sure all I will get back is that refunds are taking longer than usual, blah, blah, blah.

32 minutes ago, jerryd1 said:

 

That's way to logical🤔

 

I think they have a big chute to the accounting department in the basement.    All cancellations get dumped down the chute. Whichever booking is on top when they are ready for the next one gets picked up and partially processed and thrown back in the pile.

 I am envisioning a large fishbowl in the accounting office from which refund requests are chosen. I suspect mine is stuck at the bottom.

It's good to see that some people are seeing the refunds on their credit cards. I understand completely that it is going to take some time to clear all the accounts. But I find it frustrating to hear that people whose cruises were in April and May are getting their refunds and I have yet to see anything from my March 23rd cruise. What possible criteria are they using to issue refunds if not by date?

Cruise date - March 23, 2020

Cruise cancelled March 14th by Celebrity, full refund requested

Received notice of cancellation from Celebrity (via TA) on March 24th indicating refund would be applied to credit card.

Still waiting - closing in on 60 days from cancellation date.

Still waiting for my full refund for March 23rd cruise on Reflection which was cancelled by Celebrity on March 14th.

I got a second set of luggage tags last week for a MARCH 23rd cruise - never mind that it was cancelled, if not, it had already sailed, lol.

On 4/2/2020 at 12:28 PM, thon said:

I requested a refund online as soon as I got the 13 March email from Celebrity cancelling my cruise.  Today I got a 2nd set of luggage tags in the mail for the cancelled Silhouette cruise that would have left FLL last Friday!  I sure hope these tags aren’t sent as a replacement for my refund LOL.  Some things you just have to laugh at!!

Odd - I just got a second set of luggage tags for our cancelled March 23rd Reflection cruise in the mail today. I too am hoping these don't replace my refund and continue to check my credit card account a couple of times a day.

11 minutes ago, Copper10-8 said:

Whole slew of AMR ambulances waiting inside the drive between terminals 19 and 26, along with their BSO escorts

According to the WSVN Live News, these ambulances were arranged and paid for by Holland America.