AV8rix

Solo 4-star also and agree almost 100% (see my last paragraph) with your comments. In addition to missing the Yum Yum Man chiming us into dinner, classical music, nightly pillow chocolates, chilled soups, etc, I really miss the terrific crew show that they used to stage! Can't really understand about the classical music thing. OK, so they ended the contract with Lincoln Center. But that was a very new thing anyway. In the past, we ALWAYS had classical music in the Explorers Lounge with Adagio strings, Rosario strings, etc. And back onto the solo thing -- would never book one of those new expensive solo staterooms on the Pinnacle-class ships. They're small, down in the bilge, and up in the bow just aft of the anchor and hawser winch spaces. For just a bit more I can be in a roomier interior or OV in a much more desirable location. But I don't really think it's an "industry" issue -- just a HAL issue. I'd chew ground glass before I'd ever sail on NCL or RCCL but they apparently have solo staterooms that are in desirable locations, not just stuffed into the bow as an afterthought.

Sorry you are finding Kdam this way, @Niagarawine. I'm finished with the Pinnacle-class ships (expand my signature). I've posted this before and I'll repeat here. If I were asked to characterize the Pinnacle-class ships using only one word, I'd reply: ***LOUD*** Don't know what the problem is with the MDR acoustics on those ships but I have found it impossible to converse with tablemates in that venue. I try to play blackjack in the afternoons only on sea days. If I MUST be in the casino in the evening hours I obtain ear plugs from Guest Services, as the noise from the Music Walk one deck below makes it impossible to chat with the dealers/hosts in the casino. Apparently Guest Services are used to being asked for ear plugs because, as soon as you ask, they pour a bunch of ear plugs into an envelope and hand it to you. They NEVER look surprised at the request. Food quality has definitely deteriorated. But I don't know if this is due to staffing problems post pandemic. Just seems worse on the Pinnacle-class ships. JMO.

Yeah, and I've been waiting for that to happen ever since then. I just don't use my phone for anything but phone/text and necessary travel-related apps like Navigator, airline boarding passes, Amtrak, etc. Thanks for your response.

Seriously? You were actually able to do it the old way? I sent mine in via email as I ususally do, and received the following response: Do not reply to this email as replies to this auto-response will not be received. We appreciate your request for onboard credit as part of the Carnival Corporation & plc Shareholder Benefit Program. To enhance your experience, Carnival Corporation has partnered with Stockperks to implement a more automated and streamlined process for onboard credit requests. Stockperks is a secure app-based marketplace connecting public companies with their retail investors. Carnival Corporation, in collaboration with Stockperks, ensures compliance with global regulatory requirements, prioritizing information security. Your privacy and data are of utmost importance and Stockperks uses end-to-end encryption to safeguard all communications and personal data. For a swift and secure confirmation of your Carnival Corporation & plc stock ownership, we recommend entering via brokerage connection. Stockperks does not access or keep your login credentials and does not sell users’ personal information. Your details are utilized to verify eligibility for the onboard credit benefit. Please download the Stockperks app through App Store or Google Play. You can apply for your onboard credit through the Stockperks app once you have created a user profile. When creating your Stockperks account, there's no need to use the same credentials as your brokerage account. Please visit www.stockperks.com/carnivalcorp for full program details. Should you have any questions about the process on the Stockperks app, please contact carnivalcorp@stockperks.com for assistance. Stockperks Customer Service hours of operation are Monday – Friday, 8am to 6pm US Eastern Standard/Daylight Time. We appreciate your continued support as a Carnival Corporation shareholder and look forward to welcoming you aboard. Or did you mean that you ended up having to do it with StockPerks? TIA for a response....or a response from anyone who was able to do it successfully through email.

!!!WOW!!! First time I've EVER seen steak tartare in the MDR!! I've always had to pay extra for it since it's generally only available in PG or Rudi's <-- where they actually put a quail egg on top. I'll watch for that MDR offering in the future. Thanks!

Thanks for a great "live from", Jacqui. Hope that some day we will sail together again. BTW, that's great to know about being able to use the Mariner drink cards for something other than a "Mariner cocktail". I don't really like mixed drinks so I always give my cards to friends. But nice to know that it can be used for a glass of wine. So thanks for that too. Safe travel home. Bet Ivan will be overjoyed when you arrive.

Y'know, I really like when the casino sends the selection you are showing or sometimes the selection of the after-dinner treats of the PG. But I HATE the platter of the six chocolate-dipped strawberries. JMO, but they are too messy to eat. I always give those to my housekeeping stewards. But that's just me.

I can't stand the tactics of the Steiner group (the folks that run the spa concession on many lines). After the first massage many years ago I started telling the person AS I ENTERED THE ROOM that I'm there to relax and that I DO NOT intend to purchase any extras. If they kept their mouths shut I would tip, otherwise no. But then it just got to be tedious (you shouldn't have to do that routine all the time) so, like Jacqui, I just completely quit patronizing Steiner.

Also be sure to attend the solo lunches held on 1 or more sea days of every cruise (in my experience). Watch for it on the daily program, they will always publish it.

Following

Ooops, might have been mistaken with my post #11, @Lovewandering. The OVs that have been updated all have the glass showers, because I've booked a lot of those. And I think that goes for the few verandahs also. But I might be wrong there. If I were you I'd check with my PCC to make certain if I were thinking about booking one of those. That is, if your PCC is one of the "old" pre-covid ones (mine is), not one of the new hires.

Ya beat me to it, Eric! That's exactly what I would have posted and it's TRUE! So I, too, don't book short cruises (unless I can't help it and they're fillers between longer B2B2Bs) and I also follow the excellent thread authored by @VMax1700 that keeps track of most groups/charters/drydocks.

Nope, the verandahs before the update have NEVER had showers, only tubs. The only verandahs on the Vista, R-class and Signature ships that you see with the * symbol are the few forward and aft ones that have been updated, with their tubs removed and the glass showers installed. Have you ever booked one of those? I have, so that's how I KNOW!

I believe that you have been given incorrect information by the previous responders. Some of the verandah staterooms (those stateroom numbers you mentioned are not suites, they are verandah class) have been updated to have showers. Those that have been updated DEFINITELY have the glass showers, as the standard 60" tubs have been removed and the showers installed in that space. I know this because I'm only 5' tall, so showers are very important to me, as the old tubs are hard to climb in and out of. So yes, I have booked some of the updated staterooms and they are undoubtedly the "Pinnacle-ship style" glass showers. And you're in luck!! Check out the deck plans on the HAL site. Both staterooms that you mentioned have the * symbol, meaning that they are the updated ones with the shower! Hope this helps.

1+! Yes! (red accenting mine). And PARTICULARLY agree with the comments about the Pinnacle-class ships.

Sincere condolences, neighbor Bruno. Hope someday we can sail on the same cruise again.

That's called a "bounceback" offer. And I believe that it is automatically linked to your account, just like the email casino offers are. But probably not immediately after your cruise, knowing HALs/Ocean Players Club IT folks. Just like it takes a while to update your Mariner status after a cruise. Give it a week or two, then check back with your PCC. I know that I NEVER have to tell my PCC about my casino offers when I'm booking. When he tells me my fare he always says "that's with your casino free offer/discount".

Hi neighbor. No, that's on her. They ALWAYS make announcements of the absolute deadline when you must cash in your chips or whatever it is the slot players have to do to redeem their cash. No excuse for missing the announced cutoff time.

Yeah, look for him at Trivia. Glasses, full gray-white beard. You can't miss him. 😊😊😊.

Hi @kelliebiz, I'm also a solo cruiser, always on HAL, now approaching 5⭐. Everyone has different preferences but I've always loved the small ships, now only two R-class left, of which Volendam is one. Depends on your age group, I suppose, but after 5 or so cruises on the humungoudams (Pinnacle-class ships), I've sworn off of those. If I were asked to characterize them using only one word it would be: ****LOUD**** The "Music Walk" on the Pinnacle ships is deafening -- constantly, every evening. And there is some acoustic design flaw in their MDRs, so that you can't converse with your tablemates at dinner due to the ambient noise. So the music choices you describe on Volendam have always suited me just fine, particularly now that there is no more classical music available on the big ones. Wish I had noticed your post sooner. I would have told you to watch the Daily for the singles and solos sea-day lunch in the MDR. As @sambamama has noted, the solo meetup early in the cruise is generally poorly attended. So like @oakridger and @sambamama, I don't bother with those. However, I have ALWAYS experienced a good turnout of pleasant folks at the single/solo lunches. Some voyages have only one of those, but you have a lot of sea days on your itinerary, so on your cruise they may have more than one of those scheduled. BTW, Rich @richwmn (originator of the awesome "Daily" thread on our HAL board) is currently on your ship, last leg of his world cruise, so keep an eye out for him.

And the dedicated computer dude in the library, and the crew show, and the classical music, and I could go on and on.

Made me giggle. A few years ago a friend drove me down to Pier 91 here in Seattle so I could board. In addition to Volendam there happened also to be a Princess ship in port. As we approached, he asked me, "Which one is yours?". I replied, "It's easy 'cause there are only two ships in port today. However, it wouldn't matter if there were 10 ships in port. My answer would still be the same: Mine is the SMALL one with the blue hull". Oh, forgot to say -- that was about 10+ years ago. Before the advent of the humungoudams (Pinnacle class).

deleted. Wrong thread.

In addition to EVERYTHING @RuthC said (with which I wholly agree), yet another thing I like about the two remaining R-class ships is that the Explorations Cafe is centrally-located on the Upper Prom deck (deck 4) rather than way up there in the Crow's Nest. If I am hankering for a mid-morning or -afternoon chai latte all I do is go up or down a couple of staircases from wherever else I am rather than make the trek all the way up to the top of the ship. But that's just me. May not be important to you.

<sigh> See my post #37 on this thread. Again, MAKE CERTAIN that you'll qualify by checking your "My Cruise History" page on the website (subtract your spend points from your total points or just add up your "cruise and tour days" points), then contact the Mariner Society rep on your ship.