Tarpeian Rock

Hilarious itinerary

Boring boring boring to boot

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Nope. Boring is being stuck in the house as two feet of snow is falling. If one is on an O ship with a good book and great cuisine at your beck and call, one cannot be bored, irrespective of good or bad ports.

Such an interesting and hostile reaction. I'll be buying and learning a drone specifically for my next trip. It is nothing more than a remote camera, and they take amazing shots.

 

Of course I'll follow whatever rules the ship puts in place, but seeing a drone as a weapon? Please. I can do more damage with a sock and a soda can.

 

I'm a bit curious if you were against Polaroid cameras when they first came out as well. Instant development with no oversight was quite scandalous back in the day.

I'm old enough to remember the early black-and-white peel-off Polaroids of the 1950's, and am unaware of any scandal or suggestion that Polaroid owners needed oversight lest they photograph something unseemly (which they undoubtedly did). On the other hand, I am equally unaware that anything that Dr. Land invented had the capability of hovering over the private property or space of others, or make annoying whirring noises in places noted for their peace and quiet.

Does anyone know what corporate thinking or event brought about this happy news?

I believe Nassau has been having some significant crime problems. Perhaps the "must do" there is "watch out." The last time there on another line we didn't bother to get off the ship.

HAL food is really about the same quality as that of Celebrity, Princess and Oceana and, in my opinion, a step above Carnival and NCL.

 

We do however, think that presentation is important and HAL usually shines. Occasionally, well, not so much. We did a family re-union cruise 2 years ago on Eurodam, consisting of people from all around the globe and from teens to seniors. Everyone was very impressed with the food offerings in the MDR and even in the Lido.

 

I think you would have very little to complain about on any HAL ship.

Food is by definition subjective, but after 4 HAL's and 3 Oceania cruises, my opinion is that the "food gap" between HAL and Oceania is Grand Canyon-sized. For that matter, our Princess cruises had food superior to our last two HAL experiences - and we were last on HAL several years before the current rounds of "cutbacks." As always, YMMV.

Mr. Obvious says: There are still public libraries, and most offer 3 week free loans and, except for hot new titles, they can be renewed on-line. I like a hardback as well. I reserve my favorite authors' books as they become available. I haven't bought a book, except for my two-year old grand daughter, in years.

Of course, with baggage allowances being what they are now, even loaner hardcovers come with a price.

We were on Marina in January: Valpariaso to Papeete, stops at Easter Island, Bora Bora, Pitcairn, among others. Our best cruise ever, and of the 3 O ships we've been on, Marina became our favorite. On her again next June. While service on Oceania is uniformly great, we found there to be a hard-to-describe "something extra" about Marina's staff that was truly exceptional. Love that ship.

Brazilian consulates are unionized? Or maybe they're just playing hardball until they get Brian Lochte back.

We were in the Berkshires this weekend, usually early color can be spotted there, but just saw signs of drought stress in terms of trees that appeared to be changing.

Been on the Grand twice. A little larger than we'd like, but had a good time. Best feature is the International Café -- really great. Also fun to experience the "whale's mouth" at the bow. The best enrichment speakers we've ever experienced were on the Grand.

Had a really bad shorex in Mexico on O last year - instead of taking us to all the places where the guide was supposed to, she dropped us at a mall while she did personal shopping. Went to the desk, spoke to two people, got a 50% refund credited before we even left the ship.

You've received good advice. Having flown into Logan a number of times, the most important thing you can do is pray you can find your way out. Rather than hang around there for a meal, I'd prioritize getting out and eating somewhere else, even if it means two cab rides.

We paid the deviation fee for next June's cruise, and are arriving in London 5 days before the cruise departs from Southampton, a d will be staying in Stockholm 3 days after the cruise ends there.

I have not run into a HAL priest on our charters and I am not sure there would be an RC priest going along for that. :)

 

There have been other clergy on board but I think they were there as passengers and may have held volunteered to do services; I know there have been rabbis that did it. Also, on one cruise when we scattered a friend's ashes there was a New Wavy minister onboard that assisted with that.

Irrespective of whether or not the ship's status was a whole-ship charter, I thought the presence of a priest was based in HAL's contract with its Filipino crew.

The cruise line contract delineates what the cruise line has committed to providing. These actions by the cruise line are completely in agreement with the cruise line contract. No where did the cruise line promise any specific dining arrangements. No where did they promise use of all facilities.

I don't think it would take OJ's "dream team" of lawyers to establish to a court's satisfaction - and certainly to a jury's - that HAL's acceptance of dining reservations for a specified time constituted an implied contract for services to be delivered at that time. Construed literally, the cruise contract would permit HAL to confine pax to their cabins for the duration of an entire cruise, provided that food was made available in the cabins - if such an action were couched in language related to safe operation of the vessel. Wouldn't be great for business, though.

multiple income sources for sure....booze, casino, shore excursions , internet, to name the obvious

And the spa, the upcharge dining, soda, water bottles while headed ashore.....

Perhaps the strategy is that this ship will attract a younger demographic that will read everything on some electronic device. HAL might be waiting to see the reaction before doing this on other ships. Answer by management certainly indicated this was a very deliberate decision.

I think this is pretty much it. Personally, there's nothing like finding "that book" in a ship's library that one has been meaning to get to but hasn't yet - and being able to read it without having to buy it! A small part of the cruise experience for us. I like my Kindle too, but the ridiculous cost of a download - often just a dollar or so less than the physical book - (and in two instances I've experienced, MORE than the physical book) - has kept me from buying a whole lot. Love a room filled with books.

What about wine not for on-board consumption, but to bring home? Will they store that without a corkage fee?

Can't have been R.C's.!

On a similar note, I wonder if they objected to the Catholic Mass customarily available on HAL.

So what "type of library" IS slated for the Kdam, and how philosophically will it differ from other HAL libraries?

This is our first Oceania cruise- we've been on many Norwegian due to having kids along and wanted to try an 'adult' ship. I may have erred in booking the ship to airport transfer from Monte Carlo to Nice. We were provided tags and told to be in the lounge at 7a for a 1p flight. Of course, did not look up distance to airport as I assumed Oceania would provide good service and get us here at right time.

 

We will be sitting in the Nice airport lobby for 3 1/2 hours as we cannot check bags until two hours prior to flight. Not only could we have enjoyed a bit more of Monte Carlo and a leisurely breakfast, but a couple hours extra sleep would have been nice too

 

I understand they want to boot you out to get ready for the next group but this is honestly horrible customer service.

 

Does everyone else just book their own transport and skip this mess? Or is this to be expected?

For an international flight it would never occur to me to be at the airport any LESS than 3 hours before departure. The 2-hour bag check restriction isn't O's doing.

i'm new to Oceania. Where can I find the posted dress code information??

 

Would like to see what country club casual means in terms of dress code. hubby prefers nice dark jeans but will wear dress pants if necessary.

 

 

thank you!

In terms of your husband, Dockers or Dockers-type trousers would be fine. I'm of the school of thought that feels there's no such thing as "dressy jeans" for men, and barely so for women. Dockers and polo shirts are a good rule of thumb. Depending on the itinerary, an occasional collared tropical shirt. I tend to bring a blazer for dining in the specialty restaurants, but didn't do so on our recent French Polynesia cruise; probably will bring one to Northern Europe next year.

On Marina in January, the first night out, we witnessed an ugly scene in the shop where a 40-something man was launching at his wife and the Oceania store staff and everyone within earshot at the outrage at his having to actually buy a pair of long pants and shirts with collars. Wasn't pretty.

And that's why there are cruise lines like Oceania or Azamara. They charge more but you get so much more for your dollar and better service.

 

Face it people. Mass marketing cruising is pretty much what it says.If you want those extra touches,then consider the difference between the so-called "premium" experiences on the mass markets versus Oceania etc. I doubt you will find much difference yet so much more will be included in the price. It's all about the bottom line and keeping the shareholders happy.

You speak the truth, as our cruising experience indicates.

I am a first time cruiser on Holland America, will be on the Konsingdam in August. Will I be able to find diet tonic on board at any of the ship bars?

Do you mean "tonic" in the Boston sense as "soda," or diet tonic mixers / toic water? HAL has Diet Coke and in our experience Diet Sprite, maybe some others now. Not sure about the tonic water situation.

Thanks to all for their insight and great advice. We've decided to defer Paris for another time and instead enjoy Honfleur and possibly Normandy.