midwest 852

I'm another one who never saw anyone mention having a Pinnacle dinner delivered to their cabin. Were you by any chance in the PH? Who did you see to make this happen?

Yes & I called the Pinnacle myself to set it up.

Thanks for your reply.

 

Did you tip when the meal was delivered, or when the dishes were collected? (Tipping is not normal where we live).

We did

I did not realise that the Pinnacle Dinner could be delivered to the stateroom.

Were all courses delivered at the same time?

MIght be an option if the reservation they give with Explore4 is at an inconvenient time and you can't change it.

Yes you can, I changed it twice

I did not realise that the Pinnacle Dinner could be delivered to the stateroom.

Were all courses delivered at the same time?

All but the dessert they waited about 20 mins then brought it. Then they called a

little later & came to get the dishes.

I Love the EX- 4

My recent trip 8/24 - 9/7/14 Amsterdam AK. cruise went down in price when the explore 4 was added.

I do not drink alcohol we got water, Ginger Ale, real hot chocolate & coffee.

I never used the max amount.

We had the Pinnacle dinner delivered to our room It worked our great for us:)

The drunks I saw on the trip were paying with their room key!

Are snacks available in the Neptune Lounge for Suite guests at embarkation? Sounds like the Lido is very crowded. Thanks

Yes

Penthouse hands down!

Usually the doors are open when you are viewing the glaciers.[/

 

Deck 7 doesn't open to the outside that is a staff door. Very few people will pass your door.

Never smoked and we will continue to book on HAL.

I booked b to b on the Oosterdam 6/7/2014 leaving Aug. 30 & Sept. 6 2015.

Called today to get the Explore 4 Package added. The 1st week the price went down $500 & the 2nd week it went down $600. :)

Thanks, I will revise my plan in that case. I was thinking of eating in the MDR, having two courses and then going back to pre-ordered dessert and coffee on the balcony. I was just wondering what would happen if I got the timing a bit wrong, so now I will simply order when we get back.

I've had the wait for room service up to 60 mins at dinner service.

We took 2 Alaska cruises on the Westerdam 8 years ago and just felt like HAL was not for us. I now have a great friend who is wanting us to join her and her husband next summer on the Westerdam to Alaska again. We have become NCL loyalist. The things we like about NCL are the "suite" life and their Haven experience. This includes private dining rooms for breakfast and lunch. (Not the main dining room - but a small private venue only for suite guest.) We like the variety of specialty pay restaurants. We like the option of having any food from any dining room served in our room. We have a concierge, butler and room steward to attend to any needs we may have. Private escorts when getting off the ship in ports. Coffee and pastries waiting in the room when we wake in the morning. Afternoon snacks delivered every afternoon. Fridge filled with unlimited soft drinks and water. Spacious suite. (ranging from 5,000 - 7,000 sq. ft. including decks.) Reserved seating at shows. And we absolutely LOVE not having to dress up if we don't want to. But this is really a great friend and this is a themed cruise she really wants to go on. What can I do on HAL that will give me a comparable or better experience than I have on NCL. Also, does HAL have an "anytime dining" option now and has the dress policy loosened up any in the main dining rooms? Thanks for any encouraging words. Not all wanting to bash HAL, just trying to convince myself to join this cruise.

HAL penthouse dose not come close to the haven suite.

Thanks so much for the information. Does HAL do |self assist| debarkation? Gosh I just love flowers in the stateroom. :)

The flowers in the stateroom aren't much. 2/3 flowers in a small fish bowl

Just a test

HAL should take one cruise on every ship advertise it as a (NO SMOKING TRIP).

Now compare it to a smoking trip and compare the bottom line.

The Statendam & Oosterdam are doing the same trip in AK. right now make one a smoking & one non-smoking see which sells the best.

I know the NON-Smokers will not bend! But those that wish to smoke on their baloney would book a cruise time & ship that would allow them to smoke.

They have nude a cruise! why not a smoking cruise?

So let say that the last week of the month could be a smoking is ok trip.

I KNOW, I KNOW that this will not solve everything like the longer cruises!

No one should be a second class citizen.

I have.

 

I think people don't tend to notice the 'hurtful' comments as much when it isn't impacting them (or directed at them) specifically.

 

The comments at #68 and #83 on this thread were pretty egregious, for example:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=42891223&postcount=83

 

(So much so that I still remember them well enough to easily find them again).

 

Many other comments that reach that level (or are worse) get removed, so it's not as easy to quote them. But they have definitely been made.

I was referring to the thread that I posted the link to.

LOL thanks for clearing that up for me. Some times my brain thinks one thing & my finger types something different.

One thing I have learned in my life is not to judge others. until you walk in their shoes you have no idea what their life story is!

So if your on my cruise I don't care if you Smoke, Wear too much perfume, have kids that splash in the pool, wear a bath robe in the lido or NL, get drunk ! I'll be nice to you because that's what I do!

I have.

 

I think people don't tend to notice the 'hurtful' comments as much when it isn't impacting them (or directed at them) specifically.

 

The comments at #68 and #83 on this thread were pretty egregious, for example:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=42891223&postcount=83

 

(So much so that I still remember them well enough to easily find them again).

 

Many other comments that reach that level (or are worse) get removed, so it's not as easy to quote them. But they have definitely been made.

I'm # 83 what is your problem with my post? I just wanted the OP to know that were on the same cruise. Maybe he has insurance & can cancel because I would hate that he spent all that money only to have it ruined .

Also I wouldn't say anything to his GF. If she was smoking next to my room.

since the last 2 banned balcony smoking we sail HAL as my partner smokes. We have never had a neighbor ask her to stop or she would. We voted with our $$ and those who have a problem w/smoking can do the same and not demand the company change for their reason against smoke. I have seen more obese passengers on the ships than I have seen smokers, even in the casino. HAL should limit the amount of food anyone can order at a meal so I don't have to look at really fat people which spoils my vacation. I guess I will suggest that on my post disembark form. Our next cruise sails from Seattle so I might do a little shopping there and join her on our balcony and the neighbors can't complain about the tobacco odor

Hi Steve sorry to tell you this but your next cruise is going to be spoiled by fat people!:) see you Aug.

I don't see one poster bashing anyone up to the point you posted except for you.

You just amaze me!:)

You may want to read again the posts before yours. NOBODY has "bashed" smokers in any way, shape or form. People are just saying they are happy with the new regulations.

I see your from CA.:)

We'll that wonderful news now all of the above should book on Carnival!

Ps

I don't smoke, I hate the smell. But I'm so sick of the bashing of smokers by some of the posters!

Do you have nothing better to do with your time.

No one knows where your luggage is & iit coulod have been placed in the wrong bin or it's very possible that someone in Rome walked off with your two bags, thinking they were theirs.. We've seen that happen on flights numerous times..

 

Sorry the above paragraph in my post can't be corrected, but I meant to say someone in the Netherlands could have walked off with your two bags, thinking they were theirs or they are in some lost & found area which may be

in an airport or a hotel..

 

BTW don't know if anyone has ever been to the "unclaimed Baggage Center" in Scottsboro,Ala..

 

It takes 90 days to declare baggage lost on the airlines..These people buy that luggage after 90 days..The process more than a million pieces a year..

 

 

 

 

Well if someone walked off with the wrong luggage by mistake then theirs would be sitting there unclaimed! So that did not happen.

I feel bad for the OP 1st that her bags are gone, 2nd because of all those posters that imply it's her fault.

Are the Nieuw Amsterdam and Amsterdam the same ship? Please explain--I'm confused. :confused:

No two different ships

They're 78. Grandad has some mobility issues. No walker or chair. Just arthritic legs. Also he is a smoker so he needs easy access to outside. Money is an issue which is why we are going for the second cabin level of "partial ocean view" I'll probably go mid-ship since elevators are close but if anyone has other tips I would welcome them. Thanks.

 

 

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Having walking issues myself I can attest to always trying to find the shortest path from point A to point B on a ship! I think the Sports Deck is only accessible from the forward elevators (on the Zaandam), so I would locate him near those for smoking (someone mentioned the aft elevators but I think that would be a big mistake as they do not go to the Sports Deck).

 

Their reason I said the aft elevators is because the smoking area is at the sea view bar which is at the aft of the ship on the lido deck. So no matter which floor your on if you are close to the aft elevator that would be the most direct route.

Unless they have moved the smoking area.

They're 78. Grandad has some mobility issues. No walker or chair. Just arthritic legs. Also he is a smoker so he needs easy access to outside. Money is an issue which is why we are going for the second cabin level of "partial ocean view" I'll probably go mid-ship since elevators are close but if anyone has other tips I would welcome them. Thanks.

 

 

I think by the back elevator would be the easiest access to the outside smoking area.

For our two week AK. Cruise ours is $249.03 pp.