tcook052

I'm planning my next HAL sailing and want to give the elegant explorer a try and want to stay in a Vista Suite. I understand the AB suites toward the aft of the ship can feel more vibration so am likely to opt for the AA category instead as it's not much more but are there larger cabins in this category to choose from and if so which ones?

Thanks! :)

I tend to post impressions more than nitpick on things like the thread count of the towels, for example, so talk about how I felt about this show or why I liked the staff or shore excursion and hope it helps others. On occasion I've been too generous and thought maybe I was too gentle but have very much enjoyed all the cruises I've been on so there's far more good than bad.

I'm curious about the thermal suite and would like to try I out but is there a way to do this without buying the week long access for my upcoming Epic sailing? Could I for example buy a one day pass and if so would anyone know how much this would cost?

It was a Jazz Cruise on HAL, and I believe it must have left this weekend from Fort Lauderdale as the discussion was today. I cannot "prove" it, but the information came from a Broward County Sheriff Deputy...don't know why they would make up the story. I do not know how many were involved, but was told more than one, with at least one of them from a jazz band booked onboard.

 

It is possible that the removal came on the heels of a bad attitude when they were finally located, that I cannot say.

 

Not trying to spread rumors, just had info that I thought was relevant, for the safety of all of us!

Please don't apologize as it's VERY relevant info both for the recent events plus it occured on a HAL ship. While there is undoubtedly more to the story I also can't see why a police officer would be making things up.

Like everyone I too can't muster up enough sympathy for those who can't be bothered to follow the rules which are there for their own good.

We will never again book a Retreat Cabana without booking a Lido backup.

Its only $199 and worth it to us, to have a place to go, that we do not have to fight for, when the Retreat is closed due to weather.

They are not hot, and if I remember right, some of the windows open.

Good investment.

Also, on cold and rainy days they are great, we have had those type of days....

You book a Retreat cabana and a Lido cabana? That must be why the Lido cabanas I walk past are often empty...:D

My first cruise was out of Houston to W. Caribbean on what was in 1997 already an older ship NCL was using called it the Norwegian Star

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MS_Norwegian_Star_(1997)

It is not in the TA's best interest to get you OBC or price drops as it effects their percentage in profit.

OBC's have zero effect on a file's commission and even a small drop of $100 pp isn't enough to presume they won't act do right by the client and pass along any savings. It's always in the best interest of the TA to keep their customer happy so don't doubt this poster's agent went to bat for them with HAL in asking for the reduction post final payment.

After final payment?

No before.

If final payment has not passed you just call whomever you booked through (TA or HAL) and tell them you noticed the price drop and ask them to apply it to your booking.

 

In some cases, these price drops will only be for "new bookings". If that is the case, you will have to cancel your original reservation, cabin selection and all and rebook. When you do this, your shore excursions will also be cancelled, so be sure to have your TA take care of rebooking them, or you can handle it yourself. I have done this on both of my HAL cruises. Always ended up with a nicer cabin for the same price or less.

FWIW I threaten to cancel & rebook and usually it's enough to have the res. agent put me on hold and come back and say her supervisor allowed her to rebook me at the lower rate even though it's normally for new bookings only. It's just easier to ammend/update an exisiting file than to waste everyone's time by refunding a reservation and rebooking and rebuilding a new one with new deposit.

Does HAL offer anything for ones past cancellation? I'm not saying they owe me anything... before you berate me. :rolleyes:

Not normally is probably the best answer we can give though as others mentioned it's worth asking.

We like to board early. We will have a light lunch and then spend hours walking around the ship. If we have to change our dining time, we'll get there when they open. If our luggage comes early, we have some time to unpack before the muster drill and sail away.

Me too. I like being able to unwind a bit after boarding and exploring the ship, especially if it's not one I've sailed on before.

And do not forget to have your complimentary cappuccinos and/or espressos....

Amen to that! :D Our butler on a recent Solstice sailing in a Sky Suite, Singh, brought these to our room at our request and it was this and his overall service I very much appreciated. Bringing breakfast and setting up the table on the verandah every morning as among the many highlights of the cruise.

We used though I'd like to think didn't abuse our butler and left him a nice personal gratuity at cruise end foe the polite, professional and efficient service he delivered. Thoroughly impressed with this feature and were I to be contemplating a CC vs. Sky Suite cabin this feature would definately be well worth factoring in to the price difference. :)

A CC HAL forum search using the keyword "formal" will yield a veritable plethora of threads on the topic as it's one that comes up all the time.

Happy: to paraphrase Tahoe, I have to disagree completely with you. :p

 

So many of the comments on this thread seem, to me, just bad economics. For example, there are the posters claiming that if HAL does not go in the direction of upgrading, rather than downgrading, customers are going to switch to Seabourn or Regent. Now just how many customers do you think are willing to pay four times as much for a cruise? Some, no doubt, but for every such customer, I am sure there are 100 potential customers who will sail for a lower fare, not a higher fare. Moreover, it is simplistic to assume these changes are a business model change entirely under the control of HAL management. Every decision made by every other cruise line affects what choices are open to HAL.

 

Many other points raised are IMO equally poor economics.....

 

Bill

And poor sociology also IMHO. HAL doesn't exist in a vacuum and the issues with a more casual dress code are no doubt being felt on the luxury lines also.

Arrogant louts punching staff is sadly more of a comment on the selfish attitude IMHO far too many exhibit on a regular basis and that also is hardly HAL's fault or responsibility to correct. Think about that the next time someone's cell goes off in a play or movie.

All I said was that I disagreed with my ex-travel agent about the category that HAL belongs to. She was very keen to get me to pay up.

 

 

I have also said that “There's nothing wrong with three stars. The problem is that they are unable to consistently deliver even that standard.”

 

 

I'm surprised that you didn't read that part. Were you reading my comments in a hurry?

You shouldn't be as I did read that part and all parts of your post and at a leisurely pace I might add. I stand by my previous comments.

Actually, I went in with my eyes open. And, it was a worse organization than I had expected.

Coulda fooled me as your previous comment seemed to indicate you were looking for it to be bad and with that mindset found things to support that preconcieved notion. That doesn't sound at all like an open mind never mind open eyes but that's not a flame, just my reading of your own words.

I couldn't believe that HAL could be four stars (Marriot) for that price. I was thinking maybe three stars (Holiday Inn). Lo and behold, I was right.

I see. In other words you went in with a negative mindset and lo and behold you found it was as you'd expected.

BTW I'm more about value than price and FWIW find HAL to me a good value for the quality of service provided.

I think HAL is at the top end of mass market & I don’t think they can easily move upward now. That space is ably occupied by Oceania & Azamara, who recognized the need for a truly premium cruise product that costs a little more. They’ve been rewarded with tremendous growth, passenger satisfaction & loyalty.

Agree completely. HAL & PCL IMHO aren't the same and like CEL is to its sister RCL feel HAL is that little bit ahead of PCL. Just MHO.

HAL could also run more cruises in exotic locations like the Arctic, Antarctica and crossing the Horn. All these things can be done with smaller ships.

Having just booked clients on a 30 day Rotterdam sailing in '11 aboard the Rotterdam called Incan Empires and knowing HAL aren't doing summer Caribbean in '11 I would contend HAL is trying new & in many cases "exotic" itineraries.

FWIW I like the "premium" brand market position HAL occupies at the moment and contend there are as many risks in moving upmarket as downmarket. That's just MHO.

Quite often when words are spelled in the Dutch language with a 'ij" it will be rewritten with a 'y'. This is also done with peoples' names. I think it's just easier to understand pronunciation with that spelling.

One example that comes to mind is Dutch footballer Rutgerus Johannes Martinus van Nistelrooij better known as Ruud van Nistelrooy. Okay, I'll admit to being a football fanatic. :D