Kelownabccan

Just now, Kelownabccan said:

Wow....what a blog on the cruise......we were on the next 21 days.....super time also....and loved the ship and crew......Ken and Judy in Canada

Your pictures are super.....seem to be better than ours.....better phone??? or a real camera....lol....

Wow....what a blog on the cruise......we were on the next 21 days.....super time also....and loved the ship and crew......Ken and Judy in Canada

3 hours ago, simplelife said:

Last cruise we decided to do a test on whether the drink package is worth it or not (For Dh it is definitely worth it, but I don't drink as much as he does).  We did pay-as-you-go and had drinks whenever we wished. There were days when our bar charges were more than the daily Cheers fee would have been (first day and first seaday), some less (port days), and others about the same. When we totaled up all the bar charges for the cruise, we still saved a couple of hundred dollars compared to what Cheers would have cost us.

Sort of what my thinking is......on HAL with the drink package never made it to the 15 per day.....more like what I would do at home......or on a holiday.....probably a couple of beers at dinner, wife two glasses of wine......and maybe one drink each through the day......not anyone near $60 each.....plus never thought of it....but in each port we were in I would buy a couple of cans of local beer to try and had no trouble bringing them back on ship or wife brought on a can of coke to drink on the balcony.....Ken

3 hours ago, mz-s said:

 

So by the book, no, they are supposed to open all drinks served under beverage programs like Cheers. This is to discourage hoarding.

 

But in practice many times waiters are happy to give you an unopened beer or can of soda. Just don't be surprised if some tell you no, they're just following the rule.

Thanks.....still mulling over the price for the package....have lots of time to think....lol

Thanks.....forgot to say that if wife not with me I had her card with me....they would give me two without any problem......they would also give two to go on one card.....as they seemed to know we both had a card and next time put two drinks on hers to even them up.....lol....the bars were very easy and accommodating....Ken.

Just off of a HAL cruise for 21 days.....had their drink package and probably never really used it to the max......loved to have a cappuccino after dinner and then later at a bar with baileys on the rocks.....etc......a couple of drinks with dinner and maybe one with lunch.....then bottles of water to take off ship....probably never more than 7 a day......here is the part I liked and the question for Carnival drink package users ......on the Hal ship I could stop by a bar and get two beers to go and they would not open them and I could take to the room and put in the fridge for later use......or a beer and wine to go for my wife.....and put in the fridge......there was never any questions asked or hassle...did more than once a day a few times.....still no problem.....Would I be able to do this on the Carnival ship we have booked for April......nice to have a few drinks in the cabin and sit on the balcony when you want and have a drink out of the fridge in the cabin.......?????....or are they way to sticky about this ....thoughts.......have not bought the cheers package yet as not sure we would use the $60 bucks each per day.....

We were on this cruise for the full 21 days....which included Norway......had a fantastic time and enjoyed the food and staff on the ship......only not so great thing was not all that much quieter stuff to do after the show at 7:30......the so called "music walk" was loud and brash.....was fun for a few days but after 21 days was a chore to go and watch or even dance......with all the open bars and music venues now on the new ships there is no sort of "private club" rooms or areas.....all things just ran into each other.....plus the average age must have been 60 plus except for the Norway section as 3/4 of the passengers were younger from Europe as for them was a 7 day trip.....lol.........big change also was on the 7 days Norway section the dining room was empty at 5 to 6 pm.....on the last 14 days with mostly North American folks the dining room was packed in the 5 to 6pm time frame....just shows you the difference in cultures....haha......all in all had a great time.......will answer questions for a few days if want as will look at posts.....we are still having sleep troubles as with the 9 hr time diff hard to get things in order.....flew KLM.....nice service and plane.....2 seats,,,,4 seats,,,,2...seats for nice for a couple to fly without having people crawling over you.....

2 hours ago, VMax1700 said:

Wine is a roll of the dice.  Beer is a no no!  If bringing wine onboard, even if prepared to pay corkage, I would not risk taking beer at the same time.  Lack of training may lead to confiscation of the lot.

 

There is no problem getting two drinks at one time on one card.  Or 4 drinks on 2 cards.  We (I 😉) have done it numerous times.  Mostly we get wine from Lido or rear Sea view bar and specifically ask for the plastic glasses as there is more 'wobble room'. 🙄

That is nice.....plastic and easy to carry about....nice tip

Surprised this thread still going....lol.......I may even try to bring on a six pack of beer in my carry on....wife likes wine....I like the beer....Heineken of course on this cruise...........this is all moot for us anyways as this is the first cruise we have done the "all in package".....but apparently to have a drink in your room I have to run to the bar and then carry back???....and If wife wants a glass of wine what about getting two drinks ....will they allow that???

2 hours ago, Windsailer said:

Or you can call HAL and say you have to check out of your hotel and please could they move your check in time up. It's worked for me in the past. 

Like that idea.....will try after the long weekend holiday....thanks for everyone's input....I assumed there were lots of blogs on this topic...but lazy....lol....and Amsterdam may be different say than FLL

Just got this message....

To Port: Amsterdam
Check-In Time: 01:30 PM
Check-In Group: G

I guess it is a fairly good time but the hotel has a check out time of 11am and the ship is less than 10 minutes away......any thoughts of just showing up earlier....this is in Amsterdam in a few weeks.......on previous cruises we always liked to get there around lunch time and then have a relaxing lunch in the dining room rather than the busy busy buffet....lol......and the dining room lunch time stops at  ?????.....

Thoughts on check in in Amsterdam.....done it??? and any tips???

Thanks

2 hours ago, shipshape sam said:

My wine we enjoy bringing onboard costs less than the corkage fee.  Not sure what that says about our taste. 😃

Same here.....actually there are lots of nice wines for $10 or so....quite drinkable.....lol

Wow....so many comments......a trendy item...lol.......I am sure Mrs. K....haha will figure things out......I am sure for three weeks I will be doing some washing in the sink....have done that before....like the idea "use the body wash".....saves taking soap....

Ken

Thanks.....Pays to check out the ship deck plan....lol

Wife just bought some "tide pods".....and I said what for......to wash a few things on the three week cruise she says......but I said I do not think there is a laundry room on the ship.....looked at the ship plan and could not see one......if not just use the ships laundry service....I guess....I think she was thinking that they all would have one.....on some of our Princess ones she did some washing....and maybe even the older HAL ships???.....am I wrong???

Thanks...for the link to the previous blog....seems to be a trendy topic........we have not cruised for about four years with all the problems in the world.....last one was out of San Diego on HAL....took on two bottles and had no problem.....I see it seems to be hit and miss I guess.....what may happen............will try on the Amsterdam one and see ......nice to have a glass on wine on the balcony....lol.....

maybe they are not so picky about it in Europe....

Ken

Just downloaded our boarding passes and noticed this in the Alcohol Policy section....going on a cruise out of Amsterdam in a couple of weeks

guests 21 and over may bring wine on board, however a corkage fee of USD $20 will be applied to each bottle???

For years we have been able to take on two bottles with no problem in our carry on luggage.....is this a new rule that is enforced or just one of those they say to discourage people to bring two "free bottles for their cabin"...

I see they also say at the bottom.....allowance of 12 cans or 6 bottles of water are allowed.....per stateroom.....

but...get this.....in the same paragraph......up a few sentences.....items such a sodas, energy drinks etc are not allowed on board in any from and water in plastic bottles will not be allowed on board in any quantity, including in ports of call....

whoever wrote this needs a proof reader....lol

anyways....what about the free two bottles of wine....

Ken

Just read a blog on new charges for Standard booking....was shocked to see how things are going to nickel and dime us....who do "not need a drink package"......

To start, the line announced that its casual dining venues — including Vines, Salty Dog Gastropub, O'Malleys, Ocean Terrace, Alfredo's and Gigi's — would now offer three-course, fixed-price menus. Regular passengers will pay $14.99 for these meals, but Princess Plus and Princess Premier guests can dine for free.

The key here is that pizza at Alfredo's and Gigi's, often named some of the best pies on the high seas, was formerly included in everyone's cruise fare and now incurs a charge. Pizza at Slices on the pool deck will remain complimentary, a Princess spokesperson told TPG in an email.

We uses to like to go to Alfredo's for lunch or even supper if wanted a change....wow.....$15 US now....no thanks....

Ken

thanks for all the tips on changing the res times.....did all on the computer under manage cruise.....cancelled and then logged out......then logged on later and all the credits where there so re did them all with nicer times.......the ship is sold out so better to get things done now to get the days  and times that we want or like.....it seems with this "all in crazy".......it is harder to pick and choose anymore.....hope it is not too hard to get a drink with dinner.....lol......or have to order two at a time....haha...Ken

Ha ha....love the "pop"......will be doing today.......nice to see some humour

Thanks....will try the first way and if not the second way by phoning......wife says waiting to eat at 8:30 in one of the reservations if tooooooo late....lol....

We are on a cruise so went to my reservation and made some dinner reservations that were complimentary.....probably did them too fast without much thought to days in port or seas days.....lol.....anyways can you make changes on line or have to wait until on the ship now???......cruise does not leave until September so lots of time to grab dates and times.....if I am allowed to change or cancel.....Thanks.....

Quick question......if the ship docks in Long Beach on April 20 after a 7 day cruise.....at 9AM.....about when should I be able to get to LAX and get a flight back to Canada.......choices back are 11:40.....12:20..... or way late at 5:00 PM.......  assuming you need some time to check in etc.....it looks like to me the best one is the last one????....thoughts

😀....thanks for advice

Thanks....we will have only one large roller and a carry on so walking will do the trick and sightseeing along the way......and early in the afternoon also.....plane gets in about 10ish.....