boze9999

According to Bobpatj on the "Exc/On location port lecturer elimination" thread, some 2020 Rotterdam dry dock changes are not waiting for 2020......changes to the Rotterdam are happening NOW on board as they do the TA to FLL!!! "We are on the Rotterdam now, sailing back to FLL. Glenn-Michael is our Cruise Director/EXC Director. The day before we were to arrive in Naples, Italy, he gave us the temperature for Naples, FL. As we sailed the Transatlantic portion of our cruise, they installed the new Dueling Piano area where the Piano Bar was, which now puts Jamm and other Piano Bar folks out of a job. Lincoln Center was installed earlier this year where Explorations was, but it is a real bonus, as the group playing there is fantastic and draws huge crowds. All is not bad, just different."

According to Bobpatj on the "Exc/On location port lecturer elimination" thread, 2020 dry dock changes are not waiting for 2020......changes to the Rotterdam are happening NOW on board as they do the TA to FLL!!! "We are on the Rotterdam now, sailing back to FLL. Glenn-Michael is our Cruise Director/EXC Director. The day before we were to arrive in Naples, Italy, he gave us the temperature for Naples, FL. As we sailed the Transatlantic portion of our cruise, they installed the new Dueling Piano area where the Piano Bar was, which now puts Jamm and other Piano Bar folks out of a job. Lincoln Center was installed earlier this year where Explorations was, but it is a real bonus, as the group playing there is fantastic and draws huge crowds. All is not bad, just different."

I so agree! We're on the same 29 day cruise and we are so looking forward to "THE Piano Bar"!

I've heard the Rotterdam dry dock has been moved up to early 2020? Any truth to the rumor Copper?

Cruise Industry Story about Dorian's impact on Drydocks. Obviously no one knows yet what will happen to HAL ships & cruises. https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/21495-cruise-lines-could-face-major-drydock-challenge-following-hurricane-damage.html

I have disembarked internationally early on a number of cruises. You MUST get permission from your HAL TA or HAL Guest Relations (Seattle) ahead of time. HAL will need to contact the Canadian authorities to obtain formal permission for your final leave of the ship and to ensure the appropriate Border agents are available for your final international processing. HAL will also need to process your exit from the ship as a permanent departure vs a daily exit. As others have said, you will also want to let the front desk and your room stewards know you are departing early. Finally, HAL will not off load your luggage, so you will need to be able to personally handle all of your own luggage on your exit.

And if for some reason you cancel prior to final booking (or I assume even afterwards if you have HAL insurance), all you have to do is call HAL and they will reimburse you prepaid monies.

Yes it DOES count toward your Mariner point spending. You definitely want to buy the SBP on line ahead of time! It also spreads out your expenses, a feature I really like!

Alas.....this reminds me of the decades ago Queens Lounge......a very negative regression for sure!! IMO, the amenity package for the Neptunes in all ships other than the K and the NS is gone and it's time to step down on those other ships to the Non Neptune Suites! A GREAT savings for those of us who always previously ONLY sailed in Neptunes! PS - Long time 5 Star in Neptunes forever!

That certainly is not CO / Neptune with a quiet and private dining room. Certainly not worthy of extra spending for a Neptune or $100 a day CO experience IMO!

Does anyone know if N/A beers and/or Coke Zero are included in the quench package? What N/A beers does HAL have?

Thanks Copper. We really enjoyed CO on the new ships. We "might" do breakfast in the CO area of the dining room, but would never do dinner there. We purchase a Neptune for the Neptune Lounge, and breakfast in the Pinnacle or now an individual CO venue.The main DR is not that IMO.

Like everyone else is commenting --- what a bust. Usually we do 2-4 bookings during the E4 promo. Not this time - we won't book any more new ones on HAL. We were also hoping to re-book 3 of our 5 booked cruises.....one was eligible...got the 600 credit but the price went up 600- no deal there!! Our other 2 (one in Caribbean and 1 on west coast were not "eligible"). This is not the E4 we've enjoyed for the past many years!!

We also got the EBB - however it didn't apply to anything in 2019 or a number of our selected cruises for 2020. More than ever now if the E4 we have known in the past is no more. Thankful for the ones we did get EBB for!

I've been on ships where they strictly enforce that the soda card is ONLY for sodas in a glass and not the can. So you didn't have any problem with getting cans of soda?