57redbird

Has anybody got pictures or experience staying in this SY suite? Can't find anything & since it appears to be an odd-shaped room on the deck plan, I'm curious.

We have been to San Diego for cruises before, but not since new cruise pier.

 

Need current opinions/recommendations for a single night hotel stay in March 2015. We have previous stayed at the Holiday Inn - On The Bay.

We like the Courtyard by Marriott Downtown --- it's on 5th St. Used to be a bank & they've kept some of the features....it's an older building - close to the Gaslight/Gaslamp area & a shopping mall within walking distance. The rail system is around the block from it if you want to get to SD early & do some sightseeing.

Are we notified by HAL if booked cruises are cancelled or do we find out here?

Thanks, kazu! We bought a bottle of tequila at a stop in Mexico & it wasn't confiscated when we re-boarded...so that's why I wondered about wine.

I don't feel like reading thru all 72 pages of this thread so....my question - can you bring 1 bottle of wine per person on board from each port, if you so choose or will it be confiscated at the screening area & released at the end of the cruise?

BTW - HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF YOU!

If you are inclined you might want to try it again. I've found the lido to be a zoo but the MDR is usually pretty empty.

The last cruise we were on (October, 2013) on the Westerdam, the star categories had their lunches on different days....much nicer than those huge, discouraging lines.

Thank you for posting this!

What ship was he on? Loved him on the Oosterdam a few years ago!

Never mind....after I posted this, a Fare Watch screen showed up.

Where can I find the Cruise Fare watch info, please & thanks.

Mine would have been processed in three weeks but I had to resubmit another photo as my transition lens glasses had a slight tint.

 

Do not take passport photo with transition lens glasses. Instruction said either clear lens glasses or no glasses would be accepted.

My husband had to submit a new photo because he was wearing the same shirt as when our Passport Cards were issued....go figure.....:)

Whats the best method to get HAL to empty the mini-fridge once we take occupancy of our room. For personal reasons we don't want any alcohol in our stateroom? Room Steward? Front Desk?

 

TIA

We contacted HAL & requested that the fridge be emptied....it was BUT in the hassock with the removable top we found partial bottles of liquor as well as clothing from prior occupants. We also found clothing in the closet.

That's a really great suggestion! Thanks. Is that in the downstairs section only or anywhere on the dining room?

 

 

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In the lower dining area...glad to help!

Hello...

This will be our first HAL cruise and I would really appreciate any advice you may have for open seating/ anytime dining. Do we need to make a reservation? Does it truly work to just "show up"? Are there two tops or are you matched up with someone else? Sorry for the many questions but I thought I should probably ask so we didn't just show up and miss dinner all together!

 

 

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What we do is, after depositing our carry-ons in our cabin, head to the main dining room & check out 2-top tables in the area we'd like to be seated. All the tables have a number on them - we make a note of our preferred table numbers & call dining reservations & give them the time & table # we prefer...so far it's worked out well for us (on 4 cruises) & after the 1st couple of dinners, we basically just head for 'our' table with or without a crew member.

Thin chains are easy to keep from tangling. I have many small cloth jewelry pouches, with drawstring ties. Place the chain in the bag with the end hanging out, and tie the bag closed. I am careful to take the lavaliere off the chain and put it in the other side of the pouch; otherwise the chain can get tangled in the jewels.

 

If you don't have cloth jewelry bags, use small plastic bags with zip closures. Again, put the chain in the bag with the end hanging out. Zip the bag closed over the chain (it will zip closed), and there will be no tangling.

 

I have no idea why this method works, but it does. My jeweler told me about the trick years ago, and I've been using it ever since.

I do this at home as well.

You each get a card. You each get to remember to use your drink card for drinks and room card for the door. Much easier to count to 15 if you have your own card.

Thanks for the clarification! :)

Ok - we've booked an Explore4 cruise - is there 1 beverage card per cabin that we can share or is there just 1 for one of us? Thanks.

I stayed at this hotel once and never again! :mad: Smokers congregated, in mass, outside the main front entrance, hogging all the furniture, and smoking up a storm! :mad: Also, for whatever reason(s), there was NO tea available on the complimentary beverage table in the lobby early in the morning! :mad: I had the security guard obtain hot water in a cup for me from the kitchen, while I supplied my own teabag! :rolleyes: Also, my room card key did not work upon check-in and I had to return to the front desk, join a long lineup in order to obtain a new card! :mad:

How recent was your stay?

Thanks for the replies :) .

Looking for opinions on the best Marriott property near the FLL cruise terminal, please & thanks.

As we passed another HAL ship near the Panama Canal in October, 2013 there was quite a 'horn war' going on between the two....it was kind of fun! :)

Thanks.... we've done an Alaskan, 2 Mexican Riviera & the Panama Canal cruises & never quite manage to get the outer gear right.

Wondering what kind of weather (read outerwear) to pack for a December Southern Caribbean cruise....did a Panama Canal cruise in October & sweltered....

thanks in advance --- way in advance...cruise is in 2015.

I recently spent 21 days in Europe (14 on a cruise) with a roll aboard and a tote, so I think I can offer some great practical advice.

 

First, settle on one neutral. For me it was black.

 

Everything you bring must match at least two other things, or it stays home.

 

Rely on your small, easy to pack accessories for your color.

 

Remember that you aren't going to the North Pole, they do sell things in Europe.

 

Here's what I took...

 

BOTTOMS

 

One pair of tan cotton crop (not capri!) slacks

 

One pair of black cotton crop (not capri!) slacks

 

FYI, these are the pants, I live in them--have six pair that range from six to 12 years old and still look new. As long as you take them out of the dryer right away, the most they need is a little Downy Wrinkle Release.

 

 

Two "broomstick" skirts, one solid black, one black & white patterned

 

One black knit skirt like this

 

 

One pair of black stretch crepe knit pants

 

One pair black shorts

 

One Pair tan shorts

 

TOPS

 

One white cotton fitted tee (not an undershirt, but a nice fitted womens t shirt)

 

One white cotton blouse with black embroidered design

 

One white cotton tank with an embroidered/beaded embellishment

 

One black cotton fitted tee (not an undershirt, but a nice fitted womens t shirt)

 

One fuscia cotton fitted tee (not an undershirt, but a nice fitted womens t shirt) Wore on plane

 

One black knit tank top with a beaded embellishment

 

One black silk knit ballerina necked tee

very similar to this

 

 

One long sleeved black silk knit top similar to the one just above

 

One black & white polka-dot sleeveless dressy top

 

One very lightweight open weave white hooded fine gauge linen knit sweater

 

One black cotton open weave sweater (wore on plane)

 

SHOES

 

One pair of hybrid athletic style sandal with closed toe

 

One pair of black and bronze Clark's thong style sandals that are comfortable for me to walk in all day (Verified several times prior to cruise!)

 

One pair of black and blinged dressier style flat sandals

These weren't them but not too far off

 

 

One other pair of completely flat sandals that I couldn't bear to not take with me but didn't really need. ;) I did wear them around the ship during the day, but the Clarkes would have worked just as well.

 

ACCESSORIES

 

Three "statement" necklaces and a diamond solitaire

 

One chunky bracelet

 

Half a dozen pair of earrings that ranged from simple studs to larger dangles

 

Two colorful scarves (one was a large silk square that folded into nothing and was useful to cover shoulders/head when going into churches/temples--I acquired two more while in Europe ;) )

 

One foldable straw sunhat (an absolute necessity!)

 

Sunglasses

 

Three pair below the ankle length socks to wear on the plane and with the athletic sandals (I tried them a few times at home before I left and realized the bottoms gave me hot spots, so as dorky as it looked, I went with the socks)

 

Four bras--two tan, one white, one black--one was on me on the plane

 

Four pair of panties, all tan--one was on me on the plane

 

Two cotton cami style tops to wear to bed

 

One small crossbody bag

 

One bathing suit

 

Large pashmina--used as blanket on plane and wrap several times when it was chilly in the dining room, on deck in the evening, and even on the overcast/rainy day we spent in Venice where there was a chill in the air.

 

One pair black yoga pants (wore on plane)

 

That was it for clothing. Really and seriously. I hand washed bras and silk knits as I wore them and drip dried. The rest I sent out for laundering as needed. The skirts were as cool as the shorts, but when went to Pompeii and the Acropolis I was glad that I had shorts just for ease of movement over very uneven ground.

 

OTHER

 

Makeup bag (mine isn't overloaded with "what if stuff" but rather has only the things I use every week)

 

3-1-1 bag which included: Sample packet of Shampoo and conditioner to get me through the first day, small bottle of makeup remover, small tube of face cream, small tube of handcream, 2 ounce bottle of body oil (I used the last drops on our last day), travel size hair cream, travel size hairspray, 2 ounce face wash (was more than enough), 3 ounce bottle of Downy Wrinkle Release, .25 ounce spray freshener from Yankee Candle, 2 ounce SPF 15 sunscreen I got as a sample

 

Other toiletries: Q-Tips (I like the real deal and they take no packing space), deodorant,

hairbrush, razor, nail clippers, tweezers, mini shower pouf

 

Prescription medications in original bottles

 

Small Zip Lock with packets of Immodium, Zantac, Advil, 3 days of DayQuil/NyQuil caplets, Neosporin gel packets and a few BandAids of varying sizes.

 

Mini umbrella

 

Camera and charger and memory cards

 

iPhone and charger

 

Netbook--never used and wouldn't take again, I used the iPhone daily though

 

Magazines which were given to others or recycled as I read them

 

When I got to Europe I bought a larger can of hairspray, and we ultimately needed to buy some cold medication and cough drops for my husband. I found the soap, shampoo, conditioner, bath gel, and hand cream provided by our hotels and the cruise to be of high quality, so I used them. My husband likes a certain brand of soap and brought a bar with him, but he used the supplied shampoo and hand cream.

 

I also bought a blouse I liked, a Murano glass necklace and earring set, and a couple more scarves, but they were all very lightweight and took no room to pack on the way home.

 

I packed in a 20" (wheels to handle) Tumi roll on and a duffel style tote by Kipling (half of the tote was filled with the large, professional model DSLR that I brought). I also took my neck pillow which I did use on the plane. I hung it off the strap on the tote when in transport.

 

When choosing souvenirs we were very careful to choose very small, lightweight, non-fragile items.

 

We didn't have formal nights, if we did I would have brought a long black silk skirt and a dressy top, I could have fit it in.

 

Please ask if you have any questions, I hope this helps.

 

Edited to add:

 

Two other things I brought were a handful of Ziplocks in varying sizes. I can't remember what we used them for, but we definitely used some of them. They are a staple in my suitcase. I also brought my aluminum water bottle. I ditched the plastic a couple of years ago and never looked back. Particularly in Rome the water is clean, fresh pure. I filled my bottle in my hotel or on the ship each morning. Needed to refill at the ruins in Rome and the Acropolis, but the water fountains at both were safe. The water in Greece was OK but not as pure and amazing as the water in Rome.

 

I will never travel any other way than this again!

WOW!!!! thanks for this, I'm keeping it for future reference....I try to coordinate my clothes but always end up with a couple of outfits I don't wear...same with shoes.

Spend the night before at the San Diego Marriott Downtown Courtyard. When on board the ship, locate the 'perfect' table in the MDR & make reservations for it.