mcrcruiser

With cruise prices rising ,what makes you feel that you are getting fair value for your cabin purchases? Or do you feel that there is some things lacking ?

In December cruise on Koningsdam ,They took our pictures at the pier before boarding in San Diego

Thanks . With any time dining , do we need to call for a dining time or just show up at the MDR?

Thanks again Jim . I will have a scooter & we are close to the front elevator .So we will go up to deck 14 . I think we will just get a burger & salad .Do they have fries ? We have any time dining ,so we can eat a late dinner & go to the early show . Do I need to make a dinner time & can that be done on the phone ? Thanks

Thanks . What about the Spa Cafe?

It will be the Soltice from San Pedro Ca

We will arrive at 1:00 to 1:30 PM boarding .We have a handicap cabin . Where can we eat & up to what time would that venue be open to ? TIA

We agree ,in December 2022 we dined in all 3 special restaurants on Koningsdam . Canaletto was by far the best ,Pinnacle came in a far 2nd & Tamarind was not good imo ,did not care for the entrees or the deserts

HAL needs some decent entertainment for the World Stage . Wonder if that will ever happen in the foreseeable future?

We hope that the Board of Directors votes in the stock benefit , We have a Jan 31,2024 Hawaii 18 night cruise & a 14 night Mexico Cruise March 30 .2024 . Those 2 cruises could be a extra $250 each in OBCs ;which is always welcome

Try the Pinnacle Restaurant for lunch on sea days only , Charges are dar less than dinners ,like $15 pp . Imo Canaletto is the best of all 3 special restaurants & the least un price

Would it be nice to be able to special order a prime rib ,beef wellington a juicy steak or rack of lamb from Pinnacle dinner menu in the MDR at a up charge ? Why does HAL not do this ?

Now that HAL is charging the $20 corkage fee per bottle at the pier on 2 bottles of wine ,we hardly think it worth while to carry it all the way & the possibility of breakage . Perhaps a wine package purchase on board would be a better deal all around

On the way down from Alaska HAL could do a 7 night cruise to SD .Think these 2 cruises would be huge winners

How about a once a year round trip Alaska on Nieuw Amsterdam or Eurodam from San Diego with stops in SF ,Astoria Oregon , Seattle , Glacier Bay ,Juneau ,Ketchican ,Haines & Prince Rupert ,Catalina Island & then back to SD HAL can do this in September & then repo the ship into the Panama Canal cruise

When 2 huge retail consumer chain stores alert to the fact of lower sales recently there is trouble in the winds . Both Home Depot & Walmart Execs , have signaled lower sales ahead . When one adds the facts of 70% of people living pay check to pay check in the US plus inflation is still raising prices of food ,clothing ,electric & gas ie ,where is all the money to come from to pay for higher & higher cruise prices in the future ? Those ships that are coming into service were committed to years ago ,Are there new ship contract awards recently ? We wish it were not so bad but ,we see it with out rose colored glasses

Only a Matter of Time .The clock is moving toward lower cruise bookings . It is a matter of economics . Runaway inflation ,lower hourly raises , recession on the horizon ie .So where is all this cash coming from to book new cruises at higher rates & less food quality & less quantities in the future, regardless of ones age ?

Can't blame you . We now do not frequent as we have in the past because we are much older now with a lower appetite level

Yes because there are price & or perks deals . We booked B2B on a Blue Chip Deal .would I pay the going list price? ,NEVER !! .We are Elite+ & have sailed many times on Xs ships before the pandemic ,What we are reading now is not what we would have been reading pre pandemic .when this cruise line jacks up the cruise rates as high as they are & cuts back both quality quantity of the dining experience ,they are headed in the wrong direction . RCL will NEVER make up their debt load with that attitude /bean counters

Looking & Hoping for Koningsdam Oct. or Nov . of 2024 Mexican Riviera cruises ? Want to book as soon as they come out ? TIA

imo X is pricing themselves out of the market ;as there are so many better deals in the cruise industry .Even on RCL you can oder the Chops steak in the MDR at extra cost

How did you find the food selections & quality in the MDR & OVC ? How were the special restaurants quality & service ? how were the main theatre shows ? TIA

Having read all the posts on this topic & my own prior comments ,we have B2B cruises ,then we are sailing back on HAL from our local SanDiego port .Mind you they too have had changes in cutting the MDR & Lido food quality ;however ,their prices are considerable less than Xs pricing . Unfortunately we no longer fly to take any cruise .Those days are long past .If CCL was to bring out to the west coast Long Beach port one of their newest ships for a cruise longer than 7 days ,we would give it a try ;as we heard good things about their food quality . RCL has a old ship out here in Los Angeles ,San Pedro cruise terminal , the Navigator of the Seas . They need a newer ship & more itineraries ;as the itineraries that they now do are very old

That is obviously not what most people want to hear .The one entry should be good enough ro dine on . If not then what are we all spending our hard earned money on ?