OlsSalt

Open bar Pisco Sours in the caboose bar car with music on the trip back down the mountain on the Howard Bingham train. Things got a bit rowdy. Or maybe they were just giddy from the higher elevation?

The bathroom "body wash" dispenser works just fine for a few suds, if you want to wash a few things in the sink. No need to haul extra detergent. There is also a retractable clothes line in the tub area, if you cabin has one. Not sure with the cabins that have showers only. May still exist since they still use the same tub space. Another trick is to bring some "rare earth" magnets that have hooks, and attach them to the metal ceiling, in front of the ventilation outlets. Hang the items on your cabin hangers on these hooks and they dry pretty fast. We use this method to also dry out our shoes if we get caught in the rain.

eBay- simple, packable orange peeler tools online.

I guess that at least is one up from rubbing two sticks together. Actually the old clunky HAL website - just the basic, no bells and whistles, worked perfectly fine in retrospect.

Since HAL has a main office in Seattle, a global high tech center, one would think the best and brightest would be available to work on this.

Machu Picchu - HAL at one time offered the Howard Bingham Orient and Express luxury train option for their Machu Picchu excursion -smaller group, off hours access to Machu Picchu, a very nice and deluxe option. Plus the comfort of knowing HAL will get you back to the ship, one way or the other.

I found a quiet time for the spa was around 5pm, when many have gone to early dinner. Worked well for me, since we had late fixed dinner. Often had it all to myself.

We bring along regular small envelopes and hand them our cash tips for the cabin stewards and fixed dining stewards. On top of the crew appreciation service charge. Those crew members will leave you a card with their names on it - be sure to remember these names so you can mention them in any later cruise satisfaction survey or while on board on your Navigator. That is always welcome too. We only tip extra for those who have provided long-term daily care onboard. For us that is just cabin and dining. For others when they frequent a particular bar, they often leave tips for their favorite bar tenders. We do not tip for occasional room service, nor laundry. I like the idea we are on a "cashless" ship, and do not need to "buy" our way into getting included regular service. Others genuinely enjoy showing more direct cash appreciation for their services. Just to let you know you don't have to spend your time handing out a flurry of cash, to enjoy your days on board. Just unpack once, and take care of any of your bills only at the end of the cruise. One reason we ended up mainly on HAL ships is my husband's observation: the crew is still nice to you ***after*** you give them their tips. His experience had been just the opposite on other cruise lines.

I hope you have a wonderful vacation, and it is all you dreamed it would be.

Only on ships that have a Club Orange.

Problem solved - just got our cruise Booking Confirmation print out, and the $250 OBC for the 14 day segment listed under "Guest Information". Now I have independent confirmation it was in fact applied and where to look for this in the future. Lesson learned. Check the latest "Booking Confirmation".

Sent in my CCL share ownership onboard credit requests electronically for upcoming 21 day cruise separately for the two separate booking number. I got back instantly one confirmation for the 7 day segment - $100 All I get back for the 14 day segment, now resubmitted twice -- is due to high volume, we are busier than usual..... What has been other's experience with actually getting the onboard credit applied, even if they do not get an official confirmation? Will having proof of submittal be of any later value, if the second OBC does not show up on our account when we board? In the past, i would always FAX in these requests but never requested a confirmation. It was always applied. Now, things seem to be more glitchy about these routine requests. Interested in what others experienced in this type of situation -OBC request submitted, but no confirmation received. Thanks.

You can only go in with your own expectations and judgements; not make judgements about others. HAL food works for us - it is good enough. We had enough of "fine and fussy" dining on Crystal to realize this is not why we personally choose a cruise vacation. The longer cruises one takes, the more weight gain becomes a problem if things are "too delicious" so one starts scaling back anyway. But for shorter cruises, dining indulgences can be more important.

A lot of people like having a few dress-up nights during a cruise, which creates the occasion to have a more formal, professional photograph taken. They will be among those you see on board on "formal" nights. I am so glad my parents did this on one of their cruises. It is my most absolute favorite photo memory of them.

Rather than just mocking some of the HAL dessert offerings, tell your waiter you don't like something and ask if there is anything else that can be offered, within reason, as a substitute. Like a cheese plate, like an ice cream sundae. ...... or wait until you get back to your cabin, and have their very delicious room service chocolate cake - always available.

You can ask for a cheese plate. They have long been a staple on HAL ships. With fruit, crackers and nuts. Dutch love their cheeses. Loved the Maasdamer cheese, I was introduced to on past HAL cruises. hey used to have an actual cheese menu but that got too complicated. Then it became a fixed plate with a chosen variety from soft to hard. And then it disappeared from the menu, but it can be made by request. The real cheese treat was on the long cruise to Indonesia when there were so many Dutch on board it was a bilingual cruise - the cheese offering and varieties of crackers at the Lido were opulent. Large wheels and bricks of cheese. Very special for that cruise.

Since soy sauce is fermented, there are more than a few "bugs" in the sauce. We visited one of the oldest family-owned soy producer on that island. Learned soy sauce can be like wines - theirs were so refined and exquisite. Kikkoman was cranking it out for mass production down the road. A very different product. But I gather the smells inherent in the production of soy sauce is what forced this industry to an offshore island. Japan's island for soy sauce and olives: https://www.gov-online.go.jp/eng/publicity/book/hlj/html/202111/202111_08_en.html

Time to channel your inner Bond. James Bond.

When posting dress-up observations, it can make a difference whether it is early, late fixed or as you wish dining times. Late-fixed has tended to be more dressy in the past.

A hollow version of its former space today -- the emptied Library is now rented as an "events" space. Love hearing about its glory days gone by. There is a contingent of us who do love the pomp and circumstance from the Mother Country. Plus they removed the iconic vines covering the facade of the old Empress Hotel - claimed they were full of bugs which the more modern hotel guests did not appreciate. I also must correct my own earlier description - I got a two tired "cake plate", not a 3 tiered tea server in the Empress Library design. I still do love it. Still available on the Empress Hotel gift shop. Nostalgia does have a market.

Dressy fabrics today are some of the most lightweight and packable items of them all. Including a decent dinner jacket.

Some of us still remember the old (and even older) menus, but this has changed recently. So this will be difficult. Just as recently as the last holiday season, Canaletto on the Konigsdam we feel offered the best dinner choices of all the ship's speciality restaurants. That is the only one that got a nod for a second visit, But that was the "old menu" when lamb was still offered. Best ever. Don't think this is still on the menu. I recall someone recently highly recommending the grilled shrimp appetizer. And the precaution that freshly made pasta does have a different "chewier" texture - which I love, but came as a surprise to that diner. I always like their first course antipasto offering - various meats, olives, marinated vegetables. I never go wrong with an affogato for desert, or their tiramisu is credible.

All you have to do in return is to promise to write a daily blog while on your cruise. (!!!) (Not really)

Recent invitation to a young relative's "destination wedding". Black tie. A new generation is not giving up on formal dress.

We indulged once at the Empress for Tea - and it was both expensive and also very, very good for what are traditional tea offerings. Not really worth the price since the traditional tea tidbits are all you get, but each tidbit was exquisitely made. I was happy to share in the history of the place and even indulged in buying a lovely three tier China server replicating motifs of the hotel's legendary decor - mine was the Library ceiling panels. Love that souvenir. First visited the Empress Hotel when I was 10 years old, during Queen Elizabeth's coronation year.