TiogaCruiser

1 hour ago, iceman93 said:

I swear by the big-box retailer (the one with the $1.50 hot dogs) and have yet to be disappointed.  I can book exactly what I want online, get a huge discount (in the form of a shop card to use at the big box, but that's as good as cash to me), and have had excellent customer service whenever I've had to call in for anything.

I’ve used them also and been pleased. Once when I booked the guy taking the booking told me that they weren’t TAs but a booking portal for members. (No, I didn’t ask for any special service- just called the order in.)

1 hour ago, jlawrence01 said:

I have never seen one that is more than L or XL and my stewards have not been able to get a larger one 

I’ve yet to see one that is less than a very large (man’s).🫤

14 hours ago, TRLD said:

This was probably one of Park Wests special cruises where they invite some of their best customers to "special" showings and often have one of the artists whose paintings they carry on board.

 

Most do not realize that many of the paintings they sell are giclee prints that they can print on demand and ship out. Not exactly unique, high value original art.

11 hours ago, SeaMatesNYC said:

If it’s like the Effy Jewelry cruise, these may be big “art” spenders who received the cruise “free” based upon past purchases. 

So these cruises are similar to casino comps, or do the “buyers” pay for the cruise?

I had no idea these types of cruises existed- only that there were “events” onboard for anyone to attend and get fleeced.

5 hours ago, Mary229 said:

There have been examples of HAL responding quickly because of Cruise Critic threads.  The one that I recall most recently was the introduction of the AARP OBC.  The language changed two or three times in one day in response to comments on these boards 

6 hours ago, Mary229 said:

I think HAL does read this forum. I also think we need to speak up. Many businesses go happily along because no one speaks up. it is not because we work for HAL which saying so is just plain snarky.  It is because I meet so many people who have been manhandled by agencies, tour companies or cruise lines and sit quietly stewing.  If you speak up effectively you might be surprised.  Sitting back and saying nothing gets you absolutely nothing 

Maybe, maybe not. HAL has its own private forum that several CC posters haunt (some even using the same screen name) also. Topics and discussions are identical to similar CC, but HAL knows who is who.  

On the other hand, some 10 years ago a poster came on CC HAL board and asked a question concerning a family member set to cruise with them who had limited capacities, and within a few hours they had received an email from HAL addressing their concerns and what would/could happen if that person had an issue on a ship.

Thanks for this.

 guessing it’s a coincidence but I turned it off for our LAN, and so far i haven’t gotten the “wrong PW” and other assorted errors that iOS Mail has been throwing when it tries to retrieve Outlook mail.  This has been going on for a couple of months. It throws the error typically 4 times then delivers my mail (with me simply closing the Alert). And the crazier thing is I’m now running around the community on 5g and so far, it’s stopped that nonsense.

Probably a coincidence??

Thoughts?

3 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

Large groups taking over dining times happened fairly often in the Before Time. Not so much since the break, but the groups and charters are starting up again. Mostly, it happens on 1-week cruises because those sell well for the people in the group. It's why I won't book a 7-day or a 14-day that's two 7s back-to-back. I don't trust HAL to not load a large group onto one of the weeks, or even charter it after lots of people have already booked. 

Exactly.

And that’s why there have been threads keeping up ( or trying to) with the large group bookings.

On 4/19/2024 at 11:53 PM, crystalspin said:

I don't recall the food, but the servers were all in wonderful tunics like guayabera Mexican wedding shirts but patterned satin-like.

Barong:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barong_tagalog

The barong tagalog, more commonly known simply as barong (and occasionally baro), is an embroideredlong-sleeved formal shirt for men and a national dress of the Philippines. Barong tagalog combines elements from both the precolonial native Filipinoand colonial Spanish clothing styles. It is traditionally made with sheer textiles (nipis) woven from piña or abacá; although in modern times, cheaper materials like organza silk, ramie or polyester are also used. 

22 hours ago, crystalspin said:

I think you are on to it. We had only one longer (16-day) cruise as 3* Mariners, and only one Luncheon invite. We almost didn't wait -- the line was so long. I think it must have been the Indonesian one mentioned above. I don't recall the food, but the servers were all in wonderful tunics like guayabera Mexican wedding shirts but patterned satin-like.

Barong?

Most of the upgrade offers I have received have been rack rate or more than I paid- for the first round. When subsequent offers have come, they have decreased until either I accepted or they stopped ( probably someone else accepted.)

5 hours ago, Mary229 said:

.

HAL has its own programs.  They do have spa passes, they do have a dining pass and so on.  Always pick the cruise line that has the amenities you are seeking.  I am glad you found out before booking 

Same here. 
 

It’s good you realized your experience wouldn’t meet your expectations and you can instead stick with what you like and enjoy your vacation.

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

It’s good you researched and didn’t just assume things are the same on HAL as they are on other lines. Each line is different.
 

Hopefully you have chosen a different cabin to your liking, and you will enjoy some of the other things that make HAL special.

I too would recommend asking your TA or HAL for the best way to do this. Perhaps move one of the guys first  ( trade) then cancel you ladies. 
 

Whose name are the reservations under?

HAL platinum doesn’t cover the increase in fare for a single. So it will be interesting to see what the best way is/ what they are willing to offer 

50 minutes ago, Ninato8 said:

Are the medical facilities equipped with cardio version equipment. 

They have AEDs

3 hours ago, RuthC said:

Those of us who have been around HAL a while have met, or heard of, at least one passenger who is in the President's Club. 
I wonder how many people have the required number of nights aboard to qualify for this exclusive club, but never were invited to join? 

Anyone ever hear of that circumstance? I did once know one person who declined an invitation to join, but never heard of one who wasn't even asked. 

While I can’t say for sure, there was one very prominent member here with many, many cruises under his/her belt that made several comments (some 10+ years ago) that made it sound like they had “earned” it yet were not invited. This was before the PC was as widely known and before the star system.

June 15th? Is it with Inspiration Cruises on Kingkongdam? The website says the group is sold out.

https://www.inspirationtravel.com/event/pathway-to-victory-alaska-2024

You might want to be proactive and get assigned dining if that will matter to you.

3 hours ago, Torquer said:

First of all, thanks for your work.  I am curious how you get the information on charters and groups.  In the past I have deduced there was a charter because of no planned cruise for a ship on HAL's website, but how do you get the name of the group that chartered it.

 

I regularly read CC and have never seen groups (not charters) being discussed and never thought they would be a problem.  I had assumed they would be a couple hundred people maximum.  But obviously the case being discussed in this thread is very different where it is half the ship and HAL is not allowing anytime dining for non-group people after 6:30PM.

I think the reason for few recent threads is Pause shut down so much, and summer is coming now, so group cruises are picking up.

The last time I remember regular threads about big groups was before Covid. The cruise I referenced that my friends went on was (I believe) July 2018. It was the previous season that someone posted about a very large group booking over half the ship and getting dining together, so they could have a speaker, and the showroom reserved for their productions. Non-attendees got to dine elsewhere and one show. 

Way back in 2013 I was on Veendam to Antarctica and a large (~300) LDS travel group had booked with their own speakers. They did have the Showroom booked privately a couple times a day, but I saw no impact with that. We still had the full complement of Antarctica programs. (The only impact on me was their speaker was given leadership of the “interdenominational service” on Sunday, so I attended mass with my catholic Christian brothers and sisters.)

18 hours ago, Eric from San Diego said:

Turning Point Ministries is an evangelical megachurch in East San Diego.  There will be anywhere from 700 to 1000 people who will all eat together at 8 pm in the MDR using as many tables as they need on both levels.   It sounds like there will be very few other tables available at that time.   They will talk only to each other and stare straight ahead if they pass anyone who is not part of their group.  They will be wearing ID badges and probably matching t-shirts so they can recognize other people who are part of their group.  

 

They will have guest speakers and probably christian music groups  for which the theater and crows nest will be closed to other guests.   Expect a reduced schedule of regular events for cruisers not part of the group.  

Turning Point has a radio ministry (Dr. David Jeremiah) also. I mentioned this to my husband last night and he said he heard the ads that said they were close to their 900 reservations being booked.

Inspiration Cruises is the travel agency that books for many of the large Christian groups. Several years ago my friends booked an Alaska cruise tour (4 days on ship) on NA at the same time IC was doing Insight for Living onboard. I warned my friends (because there was a thread at the time about the disruptions caused by large groups.) On returning they said they had never been impacted or were aware that the group was there…..🤔   (which I found hard to believe- I suspect they stayed in their balcony most of the time- because they reported the ship only went to 1 glacier at GB (?!?) and one of them who likes to explore and draw couldn’t find her way back to the promenade deck 🫤.)

snip “They will talk only to each other and stare straight ahead if they pass anyone who is not part of their group. ” I would hope not.

1 hour ago, Torquer said:

Interesting but I'm not sure if I understand what it is saying.  What does open seating have to do with "Open seating will be offered as normal; however, due to the number of guests requesting to dine at 8:00pm."  If it is 8PM, wouldn't this be affecting fixed seating not open seating?  Or maybe the group is so large and they all want to eat at 8PM, that it totally fills the upper dining room so they are going to use part of the lower dining room for the group as fixed time seating?

Snip “?  Or maybe the group is so large and they all want to eat at 8PM, that it totally fills the upper dining room so they are going to use part of the lower dining room for the group as fixed time seating?”

Thats the way I read it 

Isn’t this Volendam leaving the locks?

It looks like your current cruise DID get sold as 3rd and 4th sail free.

It looks like your Volendam cruise is not on that special. Is this it?

2 hours ago, islandwoman said:

I don't remember. We booked a long time ago.

Just recently HAL began offering many cruises with this “special”. Kingkongdam had many- also lots of Alaskas. So it’s likely/possible yours was one of them. Having purchased so long ago there wouldn’t be a reason to see the recent ads.

Is your cruise on of the many that were sold as “free 3rd and 4th guests sail free”?

15 minutes ago, cruzingnut said:

 

I wasn't signed in, I made sure of that.

 👍 

Personally I’m a dog person to the core, but I would fully support a Federals law requiring Service Dogs to be officially certified. That should make it harder for cheaters. 
 

Unlike many on this thread, and for the person several pages back who voiced concerns that HAL is known for lots of dogs, I’ve never seen any dogs on the sailings I’ve been on. So I really wonder just how common they are. 

I do occasionally take my pooch to public places that allow pets, for socialization. We have several businesses, such as Home Depot and some restaurants where pets are welcome. I would never try to pass him off as a service dog. (However, HE does demand service, and acts like we’re his butler and/or valet.)