Petronillus

1 hour ago, CruiseIreland said:

Ha! That's the longest winded and most erudite post attempting to start an argument or caffufle on these boards that I've ever read!! 👏👏 FYI, the Republic of Ireland flag contains green and orange although they're separated by white. Nobody in Ireland takes offence at the Netherlands' use of orange. We loved HAL and Club Orange. The Orange party is just an excuse to sell tat to cruisers and sell more drink etc. My son had a lovely orange and black soccer 'Holland' jersey! Nobody from Ireland will get upset at the colour orange or celebrations of Dutch heritage but most will roll their eyes at the annual parade of pompous bigots of the Orange order and their annual day out on 12th July! Small point but the Irish Rising was in 1916. Good Post though! 😅😅

Thanks! This is exactly the viewpoint I was hoping for. Very reassuring. And it carries a lot of weight.

It sounds like, from a marketing standpoint, HAL's claim on orange is a plus in Ireland.

I've been following a thread on this board that focuses on how HAL embraces its Dutch roots. The content has centered almost entirely on Dutch cuisine and beverages. Several other threads have addressed upgrading to Club Orange and sometimes to the Orange parties where pax are invited to wear at least one article of clothing that is orange. In my travels in the Netherlands, I've observed that orange is ubiquitously associated with Dutch patriotism, with which HAL is justly proud to align itself.

I have not, however, seen any mention made of the negative associations that some Irish folks have with the color orange. Orange has been a flash point in the sectarian clashes that plagued Ireland (both Northern Ireland and the Republic) during the "Troubles." In the so-called Glorious Revolution that overthrew the Jacobins, William of Orange and his wife were transplanted from the Netherlands to rule Great Britain jointly as William and Mary. In their name the United Kingdom established its hegemony over Ireland and lorded it over the native Irish until the 1917 Easter Uprising led to the establishment of the Republic of Ireland in the south of the island. To this day tensions flare each year on July 12 when the British victory at the Battle of the Boyne is celebrated by the "Orangemen."

I know that here in the U.S. it would be highly offensive -- downright inflammatory -- to show up at a Saint Patrick's Day event wearing orange. I suspect, on the other hand, that nobody would take notice is a passenger wore green at a HAL Orange party.

All this leads me to wonder how HAL presents itself to the Irish market. I have met Irish people on board (not nearly as frequently or in the same numbers as English, Canadian, and Australian pax) and the topic of orange versus green has never arisen. I'd love to hear from Irish folks here on this board.

This has been a useful and enlightening thread. Y'all have just persuaded me that it's worth the extra effort to dress and take the time for the MDR. 

Some excellent tips here. I now know to be on the lookout for "fresh" and to order my fish cooked medium.

6 minutes ago, Torquer said:

But on a recent cruise to Scotland, we had heavy rain on two port days and we took along the huge orange HAL umbrellas from our suite and we were thankful to have them. 

My favorite line from Braveheart: "What a beautiful Scottish evening! The rain's comin' straight doon."

The fjords of Norway are one of our top favorite itineraries. We were in an ordinary verandah cabin and had umbrellas in one of the closets. DW & I always carried a sturdy but collapsible umbrella in our schlepp bags. If your statement is missing umbrellas, just ask your strewards.

Assuming past is prolog, on your first shorex you will be told that for Norwegians there is no bad weather; there is only bad clothing. And expect that this aphorism will be recited over and over again.

12 hours ago, erdufylla said:

I took my 14yo nephew to Alaska on HAL last summer. Aside from excursions and dinner time (my one rule), I barely saw him. We even rescheduled dinner a few times to accommodate his schedule with the teen club activities. There was stuff every day and every night — sports, board games, trivia, video games, I don’t even remember what all. But he loved it. And he was really mopey when we had to leave.
 

It’s not a huge party ship, and you’ll definitely see fewer teens and kids than on other lines like Royal Caribbean or Disney, and on other HAL itineraries, but summer time in Alaska? There will be kids. And there will be lots for them to do.

Having read this entire thread, I think this post is the most insightful.

I have had occasion to sit in the Lido Market with crew members whose job is to run Club Hal for the children and teenage pax. They all had excellent backgrounds and personalities to match. While nobody complained, it was obvious that they were much happier and energized when they had a lot of kids in their charge.

If you're seriously considering HAL, I second the suggestion that you discuss your plans with a booking agent responsible for groups. If the number of teens is significant, it would surprise me if HAL didn't arrange for the best crew members to staff the youth activities. How could you have a better endorsement than erdufylla's mopey 14yo nephew?

I echo the view that for me the thermal spa is for cooler-weather cruises. I enjoyed the warm-water-heated ceramic loungers frequently (and immensely) on an Alaska cruise but hardly at all on the Mexico cruise that followed. 

If, for instance, I suffered from arthritis, I'd appreciate it for its therapeutic utility but as it is it's a guilt-free form of self-pampering.

On our most recent cruise on the Westerdam, we saw dancing in the evening at the BB Kings lounge. I'm not an aficionado of that style of music and can't tell rock from blues, but it was not ballroom dancing of any sort. The basic swing patterns would likely serve, but don't expect foxtrot or waltz.

50 minutes ago, Navybikermom said:

I miss the Adagio… 😢

I enjoyed them too. They were invariably a gracious bunch of young people who played at a craftsmanlike level. But, honestly, they were nowhere near the caliber of the Lincoln Center Stage artists. Now that LCS are no more, would I be happy to hear the Adagio Strings again? Not deliriously so, but happy enough.

On 4/24/2024 at 2:08 AM, SeeSun&Sea said:

Chordial played classical music, for ~30 minutes, on the Rotterdam World Stage on 23 April and will return every 3 days. Good music, well practiced, interesting transcriptions to piano trio. Success!

57 minutes ago, EVNKEEL said:

The classical trio boarded in Ponta Delgada and played twice in the theater before the end of the crossing. On this 7-day segment they will also play twice in the theater (same program). . . . 

Seems like HAL has commissioned 25 pieces of classical music for special trio ensemble performances. Hope it is eventually rolled out simultaneously to all ships.

 

I'm glad to hear positive reviews of the new format purportedly replacing Lincoln Center Stage, but I will remain skeptical until I get to experience it for myself. A 3-piece combo playing classical music (or, more often, transcriptions of pieces originally composed for a larger group) is commonly referred to as a chamber music ensemble. There is  reason chamber music is performed in smaller settings and not in symphony halls.

The World Stage, at least on the Signature- and Pinnacle-class ships, is akin to a symphony hall. It's a matter of scale. The saddest thing, in my estimation, is that HAL made a sizable investment in building out and dedicating a space to share between BB King's and LCS, which it took great pains to design for optimal acoustics, and even equipped with a Steinway grand piano, and then abandoned. As a passenger I'm disappointed. As a shareholder I'm appalled.

2 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

Maybe HAL will realize Tamarind is very popular and they will add it to the older ships (one can live in hope).

From your lips to God's ear.

25 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said:

We didn't have that issue since ours was assigned seating.

Assigning seats seems like the sensible way to avoid the chair hog problem. 

On 4/28/2024 at 8:38 AM, elmac40 said:

Hi. Currently on the Rotterdam with a stop at Lerwick on 1st May. I’m a UK passport holder. 
 

I’m curious-does anyone have any experience of what it’s like to enter the UK at Lerwick? My understanding is that UK Border Force will come onto the ship. Are the queues long? Thanks

Our excellent Rotterdam cruise to Norway last summer included a stop at Lerwick. I don't remember the precise arrangement, just that we queued up in two lines in the World Stage, at each line a delightfully affable UK border control agent checked our passports and sent us on our way, and at the end a colored sticker was affixed to the outside of the passport. Not a big deal. Not much of an inconvenience. As I think back on it, the personalities of the border agents may have made a difference.

By the way, based on our how the character Jimmie Perez on "Shetland" on BritBox talked, I expected that Lerwick would be pronounced "LAIR-ick." Our guide definitely said "LER-wick." When asked she said that the actor portraying Jimmie Perez is from the west of Scotland and has an accent to match.

It was also pointed out to us that the cultural affinity of the Shetlands is closer to Scandinavia than to Scotland. The Shetlands have their own flag, which uses the blue and white of the Scottish saltire (St. Andrew's cross) but reverses the colors (blue on white instead of white on blue) and sets the arms of the cross at right angles -- just like the flags of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland.

6 hours ago, Mary229 said:

The train to Denali is assigned car but sit where you want. 

That being the case, does one experience something comparable to the poolside chair hogs? Do couples split up so as to each claim a window seat and thereby block another DW & DH from sitting together?

38 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

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.

Best wishes for your 2025 6-week cruise. I am green with envy.

We recently experienced a Tamarind pop-up on the Westerdam. It was in the Canaletto space and was not equipped with the full range of Tamarind offerings (no sushi) or level of service (no saki vessels). It was more like Tamarind Lite.

11 hours ago, Toofarfromthesea said:

 

To get exceptional you have to order something exceptional, not your same old same old.  There are exceptional things on the menu, you just chose . . . differently.

9 hours ago, kelliebiz said:

I’m scratching my head why you ordered this, received what you ordered, then seem to complain about your choice not being fine dining? So many other sides you could have requested! 

I think OP was hoping that in a joint billed as "fine dining," his/her comfort food would be raised to a new level. Getting the same old same old was a letdown. I get it.

21 hours ago, POA1 said:

Some advice on the bacon - you want it to be candied & crispy. I'm not even sure how to order it. (Hard caramelized?) We had some come out a little like syrup-dipped bacon. It was not great. The coating needs a bit of a crunch.

I tried it once. My impression (no doubt representing a small minority): the presentation was weird, and the taste was disgusting. Perhaps it just wasn't optimally "candied & crispy." 

On 1/2/2023 at 3:32 PM, kathynorth said:

We have a private "Free Walking Tour of Montevideo" scheduled with this group. I emailed them and they arranged to have 2 groups from our cruise ship, one at 11 and the 2nd at 11:15. They are very easy to work with and are pretty good with communication.

 

https://freewalkingtour.com.uy/

 

I just clicked on this site and received the message that FWT has suspended operations and is no longer accepting reservations or scheduling tours on any regular basis.

We've used Viator twice. The first time was an excursion from Montreal to Quebec City. Mediocre in every respect. What soured me the most was that the Montmorency Falls was billed as one of the major attractions. At that point the bus stopped and we all trooped out, only to find that the falls was across the river at a far distance.

We recently were part of group that booked a tour with Viator in Manila. There was confusion about the pickup point, as a result of which our start was delayed by tour hours while we shuffled back and forth outside the cruiseport. The Viator contact number was not much use and the guide, once the connection was made, was thoroughly nonchalant and insouciant.

My experience so far leaves me less than impressed and less than eager to book with Viator in the future when/where a suitable alternative is available.

14 minutes ago, mcrcruiser said:

 One very negative thing I always remembered   is what if the cruise line goes bankrupt  how do you collect on a insurance policy you buy from them ? 

 

 nothing in this world is 1000% guaranteed except death & taxes . Research is very very important to get the right coverages & expect that company to be in business . Wonder if any one ever checks the financials of the insurance company they buy from ? 

Lots of people paid big $$$$ for long-term care insurance and ended up empty-handed when the carriers went belly up thanks to lousy underwriting. That's what's behind a certain prominent insurance company's use of the Rock of Gibraltar as its logo/symbol.

2 hours ago, TAW1963 said:

We use both the HAL protection and an annual private medical plan.  We have an annual plan with GeoBlue, which has much more medical coverage than that from HAL.  We also purchase the HAL protection plan for the cancel for any reason part, which protects our investment in the cruise.   Everyone is in a different position and have differing needs for travel insurance.  For private insurance, the medical part is relatively inexpensive.  Adding travel protection (cancellation protection, trip interruption, and etc.) significantly increase the cost of a private insurance travel insurance policy.  

Thank you for this. I was wondering if the best course for DW and me would be to get an annual policy (I was thinking Allianz but I'm glad to hear about GeoBlue) for the medical care/evacuation/repatriation coverage and HAL's lower-level offering for CFAR. HAL certainly emphasizes the cancellation part of its coverage and medical seems of lesser concern.

You and your dad are in our thoughts and prayers. May he rest in peace, and may the loved ones he leaves behind find comfort and solace.

My understanding of the ADA is sketchy at best, but the little I know includes that the law requires the judge/decision-making authority to balance competing interests and burdens. What are the rights of the person who suffers from a deathly phobia of dogs and seeks out cruising as an environment where dogs will not be encountered? What are the rights of the person who suffers an incapacitating allergy to pet dander? I struggle to believe that the equities always fall in favor of the service dog's owner, no matter what.

In support/defense of the Step One Dance Company, I think their shows should be looked at as choreographed performances, ballets in other words. I suppose that if we had subscription tickets to a season of the New York Philharmonic and all they performed all season were the Beethoven symphonies, I'd complain about the lack of variety. But on the 28 days of our last cruise Step One performed each of their four shows twice. We saw all four once and a couple of them twice, and enjoyed them all. We had seen them previously in the ultra-high-tech setting of the pinnacle class World Stages, and were intrigued to see how effectively the shows worked in the smaller, proscenium space of the Westerdam. I don't see myself getting tired of them or their performances anytime soon. 

It also helped that the six dancers were all of a top-notch caliber. Previously, one couple has stood out as technically and artistically superior to the other two and the consistency of their skill levels and artistry this time did make a difference.

16 hours ago, TRLD said:

There are only so many cabins for entertainers. They did away with production shows when they increased the musicians for music walk  They cutback on some of the music walk positions (Lincoln Center and went from 2 piano to one). Not sure how many slots the new production shows will use compared to 1 step. might be other changes as they go away from the branded acts on the music walk.

On our last cruise the six dancers of Step One Dance Company, in a chat session, said that HAL is exceptional in giving the performers single cabins -- which they liked a lot. Maybe that's one of the reasons other cruise lines have a fuller/wider range of entertainment.