coolbluegreenseas

Actually, neither are the complainers. They think they are, but when they make absurd statements that claim PG is worse than Outback, Ponderosa, Golden Corral or Sizzler, they just sound ridiculous. PG is NEVER going to match a killer steakhouse in OKC, but it is not going to be bad. It is a cruise and over 2000 passengers have to be fed every day, several times a day. There are going to be screw ups so the best thing to do is get it fixed and chill out. By the way, the absolute best steak I have ever had was a Waygu NY Strip purchased at the Public Farmers Market in OKC. It was from a local rancher. Medium-rare on the grill with just salt. Now, that was a steak.

The single digits are always fun. Have you mentally started your cruise yet? Have a wonderful time.

That is wrong. Travel medicine is a separate discipline within medicine. They specialize in diseases that are uncommon in the US, but can be encountered in other countries with different climates or infrastructure. I visited Guatemala and India within 6 months of each other and the doctor at the clinic reviewed with me what my plans were, how long I was going to stay and previous vaccine history. There was a longish list of vaccines needed/recommended for each country. Still, I received only a subset because my activities would expose me to somethings but not others. Also, a PCP will probably recommend a travel clinic when asked about foreign travel. To the OP: go to the travel clinic for the best advice.

That is actually pretty funny coming from someone who is benefiting from those same workers.

So, CCL is not going to invest in the HAL line. What does this mean? Well, HAL will probably remain a viable entity for the next several years and the current fleet will be refurbished. Also, it will not be terribly surprising if HAL is to inherit smaller ships from the sister lines as the new ships become available. Still, this does sound alot like a slow winding down or possible merge with Princess. Cunard is unique and will probably remain a separate organization until humans stop sailing. Of course, what the heck do I know?😝

I have cruised 4 different lines so far: RCL, Celebrity, HAL and Windstar. As far as cost goes, Windstar is not that terribly more expensive than the others. There is so much a la carte on the other three lines that once you add those things in, the final cost is about the same. Also, when Windstar indicates something is all inclusive, it really is. Finally, the passenger to crew ratio is somewhere around 1.5:1 and that is an under appreciated perk. Next time you go to book, run all the costs associated with the trip and you might be surprised.

Actually, HAL only has power over its customers if we allow it. Going on a cruise is not a necessity nor the only vacation choice. Whether people will vote with their feet and pocketbook remains to be seen, but I can tell you I will no longer use them.

I have Viking in my sights as I like their itineraries. Also, Windstar is an option. The reason I booked with HAL this time is the ship is smaller than most mass market and the ease for us to get to FLL. I wanted Windstar but the dates did not line up well. I am very displeased with the “take yer changes” policy and the lousy drink package that counts non-alcoholic drinks towards the daily total unless you bump it up. My TA was very surprised they did that. I am not going to cancel as I expect we will have a very good time, but until they change, never again.

Don’t cancel, but change it to a more friendly cruise line. The only way HAL (CCL) gets the message that the new policy is a disaster is by taking your money somewhere else.

That is a very good point. You pay an up charge to pick a specific cabin but can still be bumped because someone else with another person wants it? Dude, the moment you lose the ability to decide where you are on the ship, the least HAL should do is refund that money. Basically, your cabin is only a guarantee and HAL’s business practices are pretty scummy. There are cruise lines that want solo and couples. Take your business there. I know I am.

I am wondering if HAL should advertise this way: “ Family of 3 or 4, welcome to the ship. A single or duet? Take your chances and good luck” The best thing singles and couples can do is patronize businesses that actually want you. HAL’s new policy is making it clear they’ll take your money, but treat you with less respect than a family. There are cruises and land based organizations that restrict children and after this December HAL cruise, all my vacation funds are going to those companies.

Hilton and Marriott allow you to select a room at checkin.

Thank you! We seem to have a few different points of data to reference now and it does seem non-alcohol beverages are not counted against the total. As far as guest relations goes, it would nice to hear from them.

Useful information and thank you.

I am trying to determine if you are putting your liver up for the test or if you just mean the limit? 😝

The tap water tends to be awful. I live in Philadelphia and the water is clean, but unpleasant, thus my filter. The water onboard is worse than Philly water. Besides, the point of this thread is understanding what the Elite package covers and not whether the tap water is drinkable. The previous mention of the tap water is a straw-man argument or a logical fallacy. Anyway, if and when I get a response, I will post it. If what you noted is correct, HAL will not answer because they do not want to put anything into writing.

This, my friend, is hysterical. Thank you for the laugh.

The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. Considering your previous experiences with HAL “sliding” in changes, it would not surprise me if this is what they are doing once again. My guess is the more HAL squeezes, they more likely they will have last time cruisers. There is too much competition out there to have to tolerate what can be considered a contempt for their customers. In contrast, I had an issue with a smaller cruise line last year, but it was beautifully handled by them and I am booking again during Christmas of 2025. HAL was my second choice and the only reason I did not book with the other line was timing. Good CS and management does keep customers

In reality, they are probably intentionally inconsistent. Since one person’s interpretation of the package is different than another person’s, it makes it very easy to change what the package includes. We have several examples of this in the thread: fresh squeezed OJ included or not included depending upon whom you speak with, soft drinks count or are not counted, et al. The wording is intentionally vague. It is also the mark of a poorly run and less than ethical company. The reason I booked this cruise with HAL is the size of the ship and my last experience with them in 2013. It would seem they are not the same. I mentioned earlier I was considering canceling this trip, but decided against it. What I will do in the future is never book with any CCL line again. There are too many companies, too many boats and too many choices to have to put up with this nonsense.

Clearly you have not read the entire conversation as the conflicting information originates with the HAL website. HAL should be the source of truth concerning what the Elite package covers and does not cover, but it is not. Also, one ship and one bartender indicating the Elite package allows for unlimited soft beverages is a single point of data and not authoritative. What is authoritative is HAL clarifying the package benefits. Also, no one is forcing you to click into this topic. Nothing is stopping you from putting it to rest on your device.

Tossed my 2 cents into an email to guest relations. Here is the email: Hello, I am booked on the NA from FLL in December for the Tropical Cruise. Also, I purchased HIA. I am considering upgrading the Signature Drink Package to the Elite. My rationale behind this is I am an avid exerciser and can easily consume 2 liters of water a day. According to the Terms and Conditions (below), the Elite package does not count non-alcohol beverages towards the 15 drink total. On the other hand, the website (also below) indicates the opposite. Would it be possible to get clarity on this question for the purposes of planning and budgeting expenses? I look forward to your response. Thank you. MJ I included the links in the email. There is no need to repost here. Does anyone have a Twitter account? It might help to post on the HAL thread as that is terribly visible. Sometimes you have to embarrass corporations into responding.

Thank you for pointing that out. I can easily consume 6 cans of seltzer, a coffee and one or two liter bottles of water while working from home. Since the liter bottle of water is approximately 3 cans of seltzer, I am getting close to the limit during my workday. Once I get on the Peloton, strength train or attend a hot yoga class, I’ve blown the 15 drink limit out the window. And this does not include any alcohol. Along with waiting on Guest Relations, I reached out to my TA to see what she can ascertain.

Of course, the irony here is I wanted to move to the Elite package for the unlimited water and seltzer, not the 15 dollar drink. I will drink 2 or three alcohol drinks and this includes the wine. It is not inconceivable HAL would make money off of me even with me getting 2 coffees, a cappuccino, a tea, a mocktail, a ginger ale and 6 or so waters on top of the three drinks. Now, I won’t bother. What I was buying was peace of mind. This is not it.

Actually, the photo snip above really indicates the non-alcohol beverages are counted towards a 15 drink total. Again, this would not be so bad if I could bring water onboard, but that is verboten. Also, the lack of response for customer relations is a clue. Oh well, it is what it is and the last trip with HAL.

^^THAT