scm1848

senior/boomer who will no longer be cruising on HAL. Here we come, Costa!!

I don't know if you're in a Neptune Suite or might know/meet someone who is, but when we were on the Rotterdam last year, the NL had a tremendously good, recent, high end bunch of books in the lounge. It's the only time and ship that I've seen that in a NL.

I completed my last survey, following our 21 day Osterdam cruise which ended last Friday. I had always said that when we could no longer smoke on our verandah, we would stop cruising. And so we have. We just became 4 star mariners in August on a 24 day European cruise on the Eurdodam, and received our bronze medals for 100 plus actual sea days, all in Neptune Suites. It shall remain to be seen whether HAL will fill it's verandah staterooms. We have met many smokers who share this feeling.

The good news is that, if we wanted, we can now buy a new BMW 700 series every 2 years, for what we were spending on our cruises.

Adieu, sweet HAL!!

We just spent 24 days in 6107 and had no problems whatever, other than an obnoxious guy on 6109 playing really loud music a couple of times.

All of our tree ornaments are souvenirs from our travels. The medals are part of our travels.

Hi, Joanie,

I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed meeting your and Roger last year when we were vertical neighbors on our aft corner wraps. I was hoping we would re-connect on another cruise, but I guess we're both done cruising.

What so many people don't realize is that while I have other land-based options, it is much more difficult for you to find a place where you can smoke and also access the place in a scooter.

Best wishes to you both. So sorry it has come to this. So many people seem so uncaring. Sad.

C

There is such a site. It's called SmokerfriendlyHotels.

Since retirement, we had been doing 2 long land trips and one cruise, or 2 cruises and 1 long land trip. Now it will be 2 longer land trips. I, too, have been to about 100 countries, and know quite well the web site that you mentioned, along with a few others. With age, cruising got to be "easy", but we're not too old to go by land, either.

Most countries of Europe, Latin America and Asia are SO CIVILIZED about the smoking issue. The rest of the world could learn a lot from them.

I'm probably not the only smoker who will not only no longer cruise, but will also be selling my 300 shares of Carnival stock. I bought the first 100 merely for the OBC, which has been worth several thousands of dollars over the years. Those shares will pay for a nice vacation where I can smoke on my balcony!!

First of all, we will increase the time we spend in Europe and Latin America, where the answer to whether I can smoke on a balcony or terrace has always been, "But of course, it's outside!!"

Secondly, while some condo rentals do allow smoking inside, most of them graciously allow smoking on the terrace or balcony.

We have SO many more problems in this world than people smoking outside.

Like Joanie, we will be doing our last HAL cruise with our upcoming 21 day Caribbean cruise in November. We just returned from a 24 day Med cruise 2 weeks ago. Both of these were or will be in Neptune Suites. On our last cruise, we reached 4 star Mariner status and were presented our bronze medallions for 100 actual sea days. We only started really enjoying cruising about 6 years ago, then started doing one or 2 per year.

I will not cruise where I have to get dressed in decent street clothes and walk/ride to a smoking area to have my first cigarette with my coffee. I will not spend all day sitting in the crowded, often noisy, smoking section of the Seaview Bar area in order to read or play cards with my husband. I will not have my final cocktail of the night with a cigarette in my pj's in a public area!!

I will so miss the wonderful staff of HAL and the wonderful memories we have made aboard the ships.

All of you non-smokers had your choices with all of the other cruise lines. I hope all of you non-smokers will pick up the average $30,000 per year we were spending on our cruises. Bon voyage!!

When every other cruise line but HAL bans smoking on balconies, why would anyone who is that damned bothered by smoke book on HAL?!?! Then look at HAL's available balconies and suites that are available for booking 2 - 3 months out? SOLD OUT!! 'Nuf said!

At the time, we were both over 60. The local county health department that was to administer the injections required a waiver from our GP that we healthy enough for the shot, which we got. The injection is only good for 10 years, as I had had a previous one for a prior safari. You will be given a yellow International Immunization form with which I always travel and keep with my passport.

The biggest misunderstanding is that most people think it is required by the country you are entering that may or may not have yellow fever. In fact, it is the US that requires it upon your re-entry into the county IF you have been in a country where yellow fever has been reported. They can deny your re-entry home without it. In other words, don't leave home without it!!

Terri,

After almost meeting on a cruise out of Rome 2 years ago, when Jim had his medical crisis, I am so glad to see you are both back in the saddle!! We leave in 2 weeks for another 24 day cruise in Europe as well. STAY HEALTHY!!

We have relatives that live in Florence. They have told us that in Italy, a person can use any bathroom for free in a restaurant or bar that is open to the public. It is the law, and do not feel obligated to buy anything or be pushed into paying for anything.

We got a complimentary upgrade from a Neptune Suite to the Pinnacle Suite at the counter last year on a Norwegian fjord cruise. And, yes, it was awesome!!

I have a doctorate degree, have income in the top 2% of the population, and I SMOKE!! I am not evil, nor unkind. Since childhood, I have followed the rules. Rules allow me to smoke on my balcony. You know that going in. Why malign me or other smokers?!?!

. . .for the handy link. I just wrote HAL and told them that we would stop cruising when we can no longer smoke on our balcony. I also let them know that we have 45 days on 2 cruises booked in Neptune Suites for this year alone.

We have no other cruise line to choose from. Non-smokers have all the rest of them.

We have some good friends on the same cruise, their first trip to Norway, although they have done over 40 cruises.

One of our main reasons for booking this cruise was to spend time with our friends in Istanbul. While I do understand HAL's position, the 2nd part of our 24 night cruise is still calling in Toulon, France, another country under a "state of emergency". I question whether the company succumbed to a touch of Islamphobia from customers, who are probably not demanding that the Toulon port be pulled from the agenda. Personally, I will not stop traveling out of fear of the smallest chance of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, including driving to my local grocery store and being killed in a car wreck.

We always travel with a certified copy of our marriage license, which I understand might be needed if one of us died in a foreign country, in order to get the remains home. FYI

We, too, will probably never see it. We spent 2 days there in 2102, and, long story made short, missed it due to the Hop On Hop Off bus confusion and limited time.

At that time, we spent a wonderful day and night with our friends from Istanbul that we had met in 2011 on a HAL Panama Canal cruise. We booked our current 24 day Eurodam Cruise, partly because we could spend another 2 days/1 night with them. Sadly, that will probably not be happening now. I'm glad we got to see Ephesus on that trip, as well as Gallipoli (Canakale in Turkish) while we drove through western Turkey in a rental car. What welcoming people.

". . . and I say to myself, what a wonderful world". If only we could all enjoy it.

I appreciate your taking the time to answer both of my specific questions. Keep enjoying your cruise!!

We have relatives from Florence picking us up at the port in Livorno. Do you know or notice whether they will be able to drive right to the ship, or will we have to take the 5 euro shuttle to meet them? Thanks.

Can you please tell me the name of the tour company that your friends took that included the 2 star restaurant lunch? Thanks.