LocoLoco1

Bruce.. Ah, yes. The good old days of Trapshooting off the Stern and Ballroom dancing..

1st-timer just sailed Trans-Atlantic with my seasoned cruiser Wife. She thought it was great!! Wife didn’t have the heart to tell her what it ‘Used to be like..’ LOL. 😹

I ignore early ‘Promotions’. At the last possible Drop Dead Moment mix of HAL, Airlines and our health etc (about 60/days out+-) we look at $Price$, Casino offers and destination. Then it’s a Go/No Go. RARELY have I seen better deals pricewise. Flying in on the day-of in Coach and no Insurance often save us $Thousands$ After 20+ cruises, that adds up. Never missed a cruise…That would not work for many cruisers, but 40+/yrs. cruising have taught me a few things.

I am STILL puzzled how being on a Cruiseship is worse than walking the aisles and being in line etc at a WalMart. (Or maybe it isn’t)…

HAL ships beached themselves in ‘Nowheresville’? I think so.. Too big and old to be future Boutique 6-stars. Too small and old for Waterslides and BumperCars. I cruise a LOT.. and Post-Covid the Big 3 seemingly don’t know WHAT to do with all these dam* 4-door sedan ships set up for Senior citizens on a 3-star budget except to $Up-charge$ for stuff and substitute peanuts for Cashews once they’re aboard. So what else are they doing about their dilemma?Building Mega-ships. Some boutique ships may soon be floated too, but Corporate Annual & Q3 Reports are really trumpeting the ‘Cost Efficiencies’ of the big ones they have on order. Glad I sailed on the PRINSENDAM when I did…

Call VERIZON or whoever before you board. Tell them where you’re going. Cheap cheap Texting etc. nowadays

Hank, Always appreciate your sensible posts. Perhaps I have an apt analogy: Lets say you routinely invite over a Houseful of guests for huge backyard BBQ’s and everybody LUVS you. Then you find yourself flat $$broke$$, yet you keep inviting them all back for peanuts & Bingo. Yes, some will show up… But I’m guessing some won’t.

Heated swimming pools woulda been nice on our 15/day a while back. BOTH pools. How stoopid… Everybody really P/O’d.

But that’s not the issue. EVERYBODY gets a watered-down experience when ‘The Vibe is Off’. Whyso?? Ambiance and fun trumps nickle-diming when vacationing and sitting in a Pinnacle Suite can’t buy a fun time with 2000 others. Almost nobody likes bare-bones. Everybody cruising lately has cases in point. ie Room service has a charge, the little chime guy eliminated. Free Lobster gone, librarian gone, pool activity/ exercise hosts gone, most lecturers gone, Adiago Strings to Adiago String… Wine steward. Limbo contests and musicians poolside. Chocolate extravaganza. Hor d’ouvres & Cashews. The vibe is off. Period. Repeat… the Vibe is off. They’re broke and now it’s showing. . But yet I still cruise…however, Cabo & Hawaii and such is looking better every year.

I have been on a great many cruises where ClubHAL for kids was locked up. I wouldn’t send my kids or G’kids to a HAL cruise. Go something with waterslides etc. etc.

HAL’s ‘Business Model’ is crippled. Promoting $549/cruises to counter Norwegian & Royal C’s $559/cruises. THEN once you’re aboard they add charges ad infinitum to get it up to a $999/cruise. In fact, they all brag about doing it in their Q3 reports. They’re all broke and it shows. And yet we still cruise.

Thankyou everyone.

Thanks everyone. We’re off to Rome. Without any Transfer Vouchers in hand. HAL’s PCC was of no help. None.

Yes, my HAL $Bill$ fine print indeed shows I have Paid for transfers. That wouldn’t fly if I was an Italian shuttle driver. I just don’t want a ‘Show me your Voucher, sir.’

Recall arriving at a HAL booked Rome Hotel back in 2018. ‘Not a clue who you are, sir.’ 2/days later….. resolved.

Bruce, All thru HAL. Arrival 3/days prior has me wondering if anybody will be there. Unless there’s a Generic cruise kiosks for any/all lines.

HAL arranged everything. Air. Transfers. Hotel. Excursions. Cruise.

We arrive 3/days prior, curious how we PROVE our transfer with whoever at Rome’s Airport

4-5 Star luncheon gone. Pool activities team gone. Chocolate extravaganza. Hot hor d’oveurs at 5/pm. Lobster. Wine lady. Library.

No Hard-copy of pre-paid Transfer Rome Airport/Hotel from HAL yet. We leave in 10/hrs. from US. On hold forever, so……

5/Gallon pails. Several pallets of it??

Lotsa cruisers are travelling long before the cruise starts. Prelim. Boarding & Luggage Tags are wonderful.

The point is methinks: HAL has cut things to the bone. A floating WalMart? Getting closer…

Yes, HOWEVER, that doesn’t include the scrum out at the Taxi/Bus unloading arra at the dock. Down there we’re just another Joe.

Not many extra chairs on the VOLENDAM. Very nice if you are chatty and social. No place to sunbathe au naturale’. You WILL be seen by passerby walkers if your lights are on and its not bright outside. (Ask my wife how we know.)