OlsSalt

Some missing information here, but thanks for the report. Did the unhappy 4/5 Star Mariners prevent independent passengers from going ashore? Did the weather/waves shift and tender landings became too dangerous to continue. Had a Komodo dragon eaten someone on shore, and they did not want to alarm the remaining passengers? This was a bit of an over-hyped port, but of course is a must visit legendary spot when in the area. I still swear those three dragons we "suddenly" came across on our interior adventure hike were stage hand extras - fat, lazy, basking in the sun and waiting for their tourist photo ops. But we stayed appropriately frightened of any close contact and comforted by our guide with a long stick. The tale of the missing Swiss tourist from decades prior was adequate warning. However, there was also a rather tame dragon wandering about the visitor reception area, not appearing to be any threat and also welcoming photos. So one did not need to take the hiking tour to see the dragons ....... that be there. But the tales of dragons smelling human blood five miles a way and warnings about women during their menstrual cycles being prohibited from landing, did cause alarm. Particularly when we found ourselves behind a woman in the tender line, who had previously fallen and had well-scarped bloody knees. But not a dragon around to pounce and devour her in a flash. That would have caused some tender-boarding consternation as well.

Dressy nights are still coordinated with special photo set-ups, if you want a professional photo taken. Many like, or liked, to dress up when making this investment in their onboard photo memories. At one time, it was pretty much only the official shipboard photographs which marked many onboard cruise photo memories. Such a huge former daily activity visiting the photo board looking for ones to purchase. Ha, ha don't we look funny wearing our bulky life jackets for the lifeboat drill, or smiling with the captain on formal night ...etc .... those are the ones I remember from times past. The advent of easy photography in the hands of nearly everyone today, means cruise photo memories are longer just the product very few jealously guarded rolls of expensive film we used to pack, or the product of an onboard photographer capturing special occasions. So whole concept of ship board formal dress nights for professional onboard photographs has also gone by the wayside along with the far fewer traditional dressy formal nights that triggered those special onboard special photo memories.

At one time you could buy certain brands of bar soap in the ship store that carries personal toiletry products (often found in the duty free liquor shop) . Now I believe you can also ask the cabin steward for a house brand bar soap - small sample. Or be sure to pack up the ones in any hotel room you use prior to departure. With so much global branding today, a trip to shops in any port city can often offer what you are looking for too. Or seek out the crew stores found in most port facilities, which are not off limits to passengers, for some of these daily necessities. Picked up randomly a bar of "Ayurvedic" soap once in India, which I now order stateside - that became my own "smell of cruising" fragrance favorite too. I love Biologe hair products and searched all over Hong Kong once looking for a larger supply for a longer cruise. No luck, but lo and behold that was the very brand used in the ship's salon. (Not a HAL ship)

Holding my fire until CCL pays off its $10 billion in "covid" loans, needed to just tread water so it could even come back at all. "Cut backs" after requiring that level of debt financing during non-revenue producing times is hardly subject to the law of unintended consequences. Of course this is a changed situation onboard many or most cruise lines who needed debt financing. Cut backs and service disruptions as a result of the arbitrary and sudden shut down of the entire cruise industry worldwide will reverberate for years to come. Including many smaller ports learning they liked the loss of the larger cruise ships negatively impacting their towns after all.

You can pick up your beach chair and go someplace else. Typically there is just one or two pools on cruise ships available to all passengers. With no where else to go.

I think it also depends on who will be forced to look at it. What are their sensibilities, and should they matter? This is a closed system group setting. OP was right to ask first for opinions. Ultimately it will be his call, since there are no longer any enforceable "dress standards" on cruise ships. But they were always a prior quaint tradition when on cruise ships, which has radically changed in only the past decade, from the days of the previously enforced formal nights in the main dining rooms. And the presumption of modest swim wear and cover-ups poolside in consideration of other passengers.

Your original questions: thanks for asking. 1. To date, they are not very common at all on HAL ships. HAL is known to be more sedate, older 2. Mixed feelings registered in this small sampling 3. Some hate it; some love it.

I believe that was the former dedicated theater space on the Zuiderdasm, so it does look larger than some of the other newly converted library spaces like on the Noordam next to the Explorations Cafe. Think they are missing a bet not adding more seating in that larger Zuiderdam space - quiet reading spots are always welcome.

Have done several "high-lightings" on various HAL ships over the years, was satisfied with both outcome and costs.

Modesty is the best policy when in group settings.

The one (and only) unqualified thumbs up I can give Pinnacle class ships - the Gelato Bar was superb, and the costs minimal compared to what this quality costs elsewhere. Wish that same quality product was available on other HAL ships.

Can we start wearing pajamas to breakfast?

No, just no.

In late September, they extensively added to the Noordam library space while we were on board - next to the Explorations Cafe. Not many places to sit, but the Library now has many shelves of books, with multiple copies covering a variety of reading options - including non-fiction. Plus a leave one-take one section. It was an interesting onboard transformation - they walled off this section for about two weeks while work crews installed the very nice rows of new shelving and reconfigured what was there previously - large tables moved to a craft room off the Crows Nest?

FYI: 11 day FLL-FLL Eastern Caribbean Silversea: $7,000 HAL Suite: $3,000

What would you find lacking in the standard outdoor and food service options already available on the ship? Do you want a fixed private lounger location every day, sun, flapping wind, cold and/or rain? A glass of champagne and some chocolate strawberries in the afternoon? Piped in music overhead. Exclusive access to a private space, but risking how others may intrude on that same space. I liked the idea of the private cabana. I liked previously seeing them, but I did not like the actual execution of them once we tried it. I would never do it again. There are plenty of available outdoor spaces on board elsewhere. With access to food options and greater or lesser degrees of privacy.

FIXED DINING: cuts down on a lot of the heavy traffic complaints and noise reported in any-time dining. Everyone starts at pretty much the same time, courses come out smoothly, and people are not coming and going at all times between the tables. Since fixed-dining is usually offered in the smaller upper level dining room, the whole ambience can be more sedate. Timing of late has been more compatible with show times, or attending the early show and then going to dinner. I wonder how the dining stewards view the two options. I suspect the fixed dining staff likes the fact they garner more personal tips, since a relationship is developed in this setting. When we have tried anytime dining, it does feel more rushed and impersonal. It is more food service which is fine, but it is not dining. Good there are still choices between the two options on HAL.

Good to see HAL is no longer offering these as "quiet, peaceful retreat spaces". Just fresh air and light-filled spaces. You can decide if HAL allowing 2 adults and 6 children in an adjoining 2 person cabana is "relaxing". Or allowing private boom boxes. Or if waiting an hour for Lido food delivery is "superb service". A real tribute to the "legacy of classic comfort" would be replacing the uncomfortable flat surface loungers with contoured teak deck chairs that are far more ergonomic. ....."Breathe the fresh sea air as you relax in your own private cabana. These light-filled spaces are a legacy of classic glamour and style, enhanced by modern design and superb service.....

I knew eating carrots was never a good idea. Probably the source of those mysterious ship sounds others report, when these malign little critters get chopped up in the ship's galley. PS -these are Japanese wax mock-up of items available on the inside of their restaurants. How do say, "I'll pass" in Japanese. Arigato very much.

We paid corkage, got our sticker but never drank the bottle. It came back home with us. Anyone know if we can re-board the stickered bottle again, and not pay an additional charge on another cruise?

And to go to so many ports before the mega-ships ruined them, or made them off limits, and to be able to dock in the downtown ports with the smaller ships. Thank you HAL.

We did a side by side once and we could have just tossed our things off the aft deck of the old Rotterdam to the waiting Maasdam right behind us in port since we were that close. But we had to start all over, when we transferred to the Maasdam. Porters did wheel our luggage down to the new embarkation point, and they tried to put us at the head the line. This led to well-deserved boos from the waiting passengers already gathered. Which sent us to the back of the line, as it should have. No special perks for doing a side by side obviously, on that cruise. Except getting to extend our days at sea for another couple of weeks. Reward enough.

No carpets. Can AI replicate the interior sounds of your future ships?

Watch out for always-available carrots - they are probably the ones they have to scrape off my plate every night and they get recycled. 🤭 (My most unfavorite cooked vegetable, but always added for both color and good nutrition.🥕)

Should be an easy 2.5 hour direct flight between Santa Barbara and Seattle - two fair-weather destinations, but one flight offered has only 49 minute layover at SFO between the two connecting flights and plane change. Not taking that chance for a 53 day cruise, if the luggage or even us can't make that short of a connection. Others flights actually go through Los Angeles, Denver or Phoenix with longer connections turning them into 7 hour flights. Or they arrive late at night, into the next day. At least our luggage would keep up with us with those long layover choices. So our own choice for our 2.5 hour direct flight between our two points, is to come in the day before because that became the only way to get the direct flight choice from our little home airport - Alaska Airlines - only works with a Seattle overnight. With this myriad of choices we had, we too agree - chose the one that gets you in a day before. And the more direct, the better. One flight between Santa Barbara and FLL landed in Denver in the middle of a freak snowstorm that day - runways and planes had to be de-iced. Connections needed to be made on ground in the snow, when I was dressed for landing in Florida. Total chaos and changed boarding gates, yet I finally came into FLL only an hour late. Boston, there was another massive, freak rainstorm that even prevented transit from the airport to the cruise terminal so many same day arrival passengers missed even being able to board the ship. We had slipped in just an hour before it started raining ourselves, having stayed in an airport hotel. So even though we came in a day before, the transit to the ship from the airport area was weather-compromised.