retird

It is anyones guess, but things dont look good over there

Just now, wdw1972 said:

I'd love to see them in a smaller size - wouldn't it be nice to be able to pre-order the right size prior to boarding? The ones in the stateroom can pretty much wrap around me almost twice - it's hard to imagine it being too small on many people, but from the responses here that seems to be the case. That said, I only wear it inside my stateroom so it really doesn't matter how silly it looks. As a person on the smaller end of the spectrum, it can be difficult finding things that fit, and any "one size fits all" will never look like it was intended to look when I wear it! 

 

Sue/WDW1972

It amazes me how many wear the robe to the Lido restaurant

On Noordam, no separate area in dining room. Just one Club Orange item each night at bottom of regular menu

Just now, bobomonkeyrage said:

I just received an upgrade offer that I am considering. The email with the offer states "Rates apply to guest 1 & 2 only." Does this mean that the upgrade cost is calculated X2 or that because there are four of us in the room, we would be ineligible? I'd like to give HAL the benefit of the doubt that they'd know there were four people, but these things are automated and we all know that HAL and working, efficient technology are incompatible...

A quick phone call to your TA or HAL upgrade department would give you a definitive answer

Kudos to HAL Noordam for their laundry service.  Sent out a stuffed bag for laundering at 3 pm yesterday and at 10 am this morning it was back in my cabin all nicely folded.

On 4/8/2024 at 5:02 PM, sevigny said:

We are currently on the Noordam.  We have sailed for the first time since COVID on a 14 day Auckland to Sydney, and are now on the trans Pacific from Sydney to Vancouver, a back to back.

 When we first boarded in Auckland, we felt the service was excellent, especially our cabin stewards, who we think have at least 40 cabins to take care of.  They are running from one to the other.  The first few days the food was pretty good.  But, by day five or so, it was easy to see that, especially in the Lido, the emphasis is on quantify, not so much on quality.  The soups are all broth, with a little bit of meat/veggies at the end.  Last week we had chicken noodle soup without noodles.  The beef in the Asian area is the same every day, a different sauce, the same veggies, but it is tough and fatty.  When my husband gives up on a dish, saying the meat has a huge piece of fat in it, I know things have changed,

We had a Mariner’s reception on the 14 day.  We expected to go to the dining room for the traditional Mariner lunch afterwards, but no such thing.  When we inquired, we were told the lunch is now only for 15 day and longer cruises.  

The dining room unfortunately has also declined.  The service is very good.  Portions are bigger, but, the choices have become limited  Spaghetti and meatballs for dinner?  Turkey with sweet potatoes without the sweet potatoes?  Now we are on a “legendary voyage “, but the food doesn’t seem legendary.

I really used to look forward to the little treats in the Neptune.  I always felt we could make a little lunch out of their food, if we weren’t doing lunch at the Lido.  Now, the poor little sandwiches are just that.  The nice little appetizers before dinner have given way to pita triangles and hummus, with an occasional bowl of shrimp.  
On the plus side, we had no classical music on the 14 day, but there is a classical trio on board now, and they are doing three short concerts per day.  They are very good, and each concert is very well attended.  Everyone in the service area is very good, and some seem almost desperate to please.  
I anticipated these situations, after following the HAL boards closely, but it’s one thing to read about it, and another to experience it. While the trans pacific cruise was definitely a bargain, the 14 day was not.  We will have to reevaluate if we want to do the Westerdam’s 28 day Japan trip in the fall of 2025.   

We are also currently on the Noordam ttans pacific.  Are you sure you are on the Noordam.  So far dining room meals have been excellent and good portions.  Wait staff have been excellent.  Piano performers have been great and very well attended to capacity.  World stage has been full each night and performances have been IMO average compared to other cruises I have been on.   Rolling stone has been rockin every night.  I did an Alaska 14 day cruise on the Noordam in 2019 and I dont see any difference other than no production show.  I guess everyones expectations and observations can be different

21 hours ago, FrankieSue said:

Let me clarify here… My question was to ask if friends who are travelling with us as a party of 4 could board with us, in the same way as you can bring a non status guest to Specialty restaurants or bring a non status guest in most airport lounges… But the vitriol on this post leaves me speechless… We have Priority status because we earned it after a long loyalty to Holland, which used to be the only way to attain it; we did not buy it. I get it, we will wait with our friends and board with them…. But calm down please…. Geez!!!

Problem solved

On 4/6/2024 at 1:18 PM, Gsel said:

To be very clear, one of the people traveling with me was a 13 year old girl and the other is handicapped. It would have been difficult to manage if they had not been able to board with us. The both were first-time cruisers.

That was a great opportunity for you to show support to your friends and help them board based on their status rather than yours

This thread hints , no screams , of entitlement.    We , the customers are in no position to dictate who a cruise line allows on a cruise.   I agree with the one post that if a few kids bothers you, sail at a different time or pick a cruise line that only allows adults to book.    Being 4 or 5 star gives certain perks, but does not entitle someone to dictate who sails on the ship.   The families money is just as appealing to the cruise line as the upper * mariner.     

8 minutes ago, Gunther1 said:

It’s the Eurodam on Apr 6

The 28 days involves two cruises. A 7 and a 21 day.   It is only the 7 day that is fully sold.  The 21 day still has lots of ov and Balcony cabins available.   Did you book it as B to B.  If so did you ask for a paid upgrade for the second leg.   Currently it is not available for booking as one 28 day cruise.   That is quite common with HAL.   I currently have a 25 day one booked that was earlier sold as a 39 day.   The first 14 days sold, but the 25 day still has cabins.  I had a guarantee and was assigned 20 days out and got an upgrade three days later.  So there is always hope

If its the NA leaving on Apr 6, there are still high end cabins available so if ov, veranda move up, it might create a domino effect

3 hours ago, crystalspin said:

I think that IS a guarantee. 

It is a guarantee.  I booked that way for my upcoming cruise

13 minutes ago, wdw1972 said:

I cruise with 1 or 2 other friends.  If it's 2 of us we book 2 staterooms.  If it's 3 of us we book 3 staterooms. We're not in our 20's and looking to cruise as cheaply as possible, and the idea of sharing a bedroom/bathroom with a friend is simply not acceptable to any of us. We're grown adults. I'm thinking of adding my husband to the standby list for the next cruise, if that exists then. Would love to have him onboard but don't want him in my stateroom either! Personal space is a wonderful thing, especially on a so-called vacation!

 

Sue/WDW1972

Would it not be cheaper if you had him sleep in your stateroom rather than pay single supplement twice

39 minutes ago, SUESEABE said:

Correct

As stated by someone else “except for suites”

10 minutes ago, Cruise Suzy said:

 

Also look at the description of the stateroom - it's always on the same page as the deck plan. 

And since the description of suites indicates, triple or quad for all of them, if im in a neptune as two and a triple or quad reservation gets assigned my cabin, wonder what equivelant cabin they could move me too.  I know it is hypothetical and maybe an overreaction of sorts, but the question begs to be asked considering the new policy

15 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

See post #61, it shows the legend for the symbols on the deck plan. It is also on the deck plans themselves. 

I did and since I am booked on Noordam, I checked deck 6 and deck 7 and none of the suites have those symbols.  Yet I know some are quads because I am in one. 

12 hours ago, SetAnOpenCourse said:

If I get bumped into the same or better category, no obstruction, tub/no tub to match cabin I chose (fwiw I’m a tub guy), same fwd/mid/aft to match, same size or larger, no noise issue, and within say two decks of the one I chose, then I wouldn’t mind much.  A major cruise line’s system is likely sophisticated enough to handle this.

And have you seen how reliable the IT system has been lately?

13 hours ago, Haljo1935 said:

Correct - some cabins have a sofa, others it's a pullout. Thus a 2 person vs 3 person capacity. 

And when you are viewing the deck plan how do you know which cabin has a sofa vs a pullout?

1 hour ago, SUESEABE said:

Not good news. I checked all future bookings for my husband and I and all are in what would be considered triple room.

When selecting a room where does it show me whether it accommodates 2, 3, or 4

5 minutes ago, DaveOKC said:

 I have never seen HAL offer a paid upgrade within a category (such as a Neptune), so I assume you are asking about what happens if you call them and offer to move up a level or two.  In this case, I am pretty certain you would get to keep the crew appreciation offer and anything else you have.  Of course you should ask this question to the HAL or TA person you are dealing with.

 

 

Yes that is the scenario I am talking about.  I was just asking in case someone had done that.  I won’t be speaking to pcc until tomorrow

Question for those who may know.   I have a neptune guarantee(SC) which includes free crew appreciation.  If I take a paid upgrade to a neptune SB or SA, would I keep the free crew appreciation?  It is a 25 day cruise so crew appreciation is a hefty sum of money.  Thank you. 

Im assuming you wouldn’t be flying to the cruise port

I just tried getting the HAL insurance but was refused.  Reason:   

Because I booked with a non refundable deposit, cancellation fees begin to accrue immediately. They told me I needed to purchase the protection at time of booking or within 24 hours after booking.    

EASY TO BOOK. Cancellation Protection Plans can be booked until the date cancellation fees begin to accrue (varies by cruise). Opt in when making your booking or visit Manage my Bookings to add a plan to your existing reservation. 

If for some unknown reason you ever need one of the tools in the multi tool, you can always call maintenance to do whatever it is you need to do.   Leave your tools at home.  Its a holiday

Well the issue of clockwise or counter clockwise and left side or right side is definitely a First World Problem.   Sheesh