OlsSalt

Once saw an Asian gentleman show up at the Neptune Lounge for breakfast in just his pajamas. This might be perfectly okay in his home country, but it was a surprise for most of the rest us. That said, I wear a beach cover-up over my bathing suit to go to the spa and wear my own sandals. Using their robe instead of your cabin robe, after getting out of the thermal spa, is good advice. Don't forget to take your soap and/or shampoo back to your cabin, if you bring your own and use the spa dressing room showers. I forgot, and left both in the spa shower. (Just like home)

Recent report was the cafe was "near the library". Yet the Noodeam deck plan shows no area labeled "library". Just an empty space around the Exploration's coffee bar on deck 3 where we used to find fine HAL libraries. I will be on board in a few weeks, and this will be one area I am sure to check out to see what they did with this space.

No, it does not mean that but that is an interpretation of what it could mean. "Multiple times" in the past we had commodes that did not flush immediately, but eventually they did. Something in the vacuum system finally kicked it later and it flushed on its own. That was reported as a "toilet not working" - which on its face is true; but ultimately immaterial. 'Multiple times" OP had issues at this point remains undefined. Not sure why the OP chose not to be more precise in his now belated complaints. Multiple times this happened? Or multiple times he complained and was not rewarded with what he felt was just compensation.

I have a two segment, two booking numbers 21 day cruise. I sent out both CCL credit requests at the same time. Only got one back in a few days, so far. Been a week now for the other one. I will re-submit it.

Am in love with 3M Frog Tape (blue) after spending the last few months doing some major re-painting. The product does absolutely everything it promises to do. Clean lines and residue-free removal - mine was up well over a few months around some windows.

OP claimed this happened "multiple times", but did not report how many days this was a problem. How does the OP know the SAME cabin is still having the SAME issues months later? What is his source for this claim. Prior online reviews in a quick search for this cabin number and ship claimed it was a lovely choice. This is a problem ,when it happens. That is not the issue. Many of us have also faced occasional plumbing back ups. Just too many missing facts in the original post, to get a real sense of the compensation demands and degree of current rant. I always welcomed the Captain's announcement during some lifeboat drills reminding people what to flush and what not to flush in the cabin commodes. Since what one passenger does can and will affect others on the same plumbing line who do follow the rules. I don't hear these announcements any longer. Nor do I find the signage on the commode really adequate, considering the nature of the problem affecting so many others on the same line.

I better check which booking number this applied to: the 14 day cruise or the 7 day cruise. Thanks for the alert. I thought it was more too, but "covid" pretty much changed the old game plan. UPDATE: you all are right: $100 credit for the 7 day booking number. Not yet heard about the 14 day segment. Thanks, all of you with sharper eyes than mine.

I call it my least favorite HAL ship. (Duck)

How many HAL ports are less than half a day? Not something I associate with our own 650 plus day HAL experiences. But this may be a new trend. Please, more information. Thnx. The worst new trend is larger ships required to use the more out of the way industrial ports that can accommodate them.

Just got m confirmation for our 14 day cruise - $100. Still waiting for the following 7 day cruise we recently tacked on. I suspect it will be $50? I sent the account confirmation by email and got an email response in a few days. Before I would FAX the information and it always appeared on our onboard accounts, but never got an official confirmation.

BC (Before covid), a dining room manager reported they worked off a 21 day menu plan for dinner on the longer cruises. However, sometimes this just means they tweaked things a bit and gave things a new name. But when you are serving essentially meat, chicken, fish and/or vegetables, it is hard to present them in endlessly novel ways anyway. The combinations of items and side dishes was the main change.

One certainly is getting closer to the equator, just like Cartagena, Columbia. Hot, hot, hot. Easy to forget with all that water and lush green vegetation around you.

Good points. Variety of destinations and quality of time in each destination matter too. Size of ship and ability to access destination ports.

Speed can really translate into vibrations - poor old, dear Maasdam simply could not go more than 20 knots or else the whole thing would be shaking and vibrating. Which is not to say it did go over 20 knots, when required. Life at sea.

You will get written instructions the night before. And presented with different plans for different choices: (1) Leave the ship on turnaround days and come back later as a "transit passenger; (2) stay on the ship and go through whatever ship clearance is required as a HAL escorted group; or (3) stay on the ship get settled into your new cabin, but leave later and get a "transit" passenger card. They will tell you how to exchange keys (cards, whatever), but yo will need to make one of those three basic choices. Getting the staff to know what the written instructions explained the night before may take a little patience and not work like clockwork, but it all does work out.

The answer is always easy for those of us who are destination travelers - HAL for us, and the rest of those comparison issues simply don't matter particularly when they are so subjective or narrow in scope . Itineraries are black and white. But if one is looking first for 7-14 days at sea on a ship - any ship- that is where it gets harder to split hairs between various cruise lines. But for itinerary choices beyond the routine, that is clearly HAL's strong suit and glad to see this was highlighted. However, this can matter not one whit for many who just like to be on a ship. Which works for many, many people too. Then you start drilling down for many other qualities.

Try to think of this as a cash-free experience, once on board. Any extra tipping , but only at the end of the cruise for special services rendered, is at your discretion. Typically we tip our cabin stewards and our fixed dining stewards because during the length of our cruise they always always do make the experience special and cordial for us. They learn and antiipate our preferences. That is always appreciated. Always controversial, but I'll toss this out anyway. We do not tip for room service delivery - we consider this an included dining option just like all other included dining options that we use only occasionally.

Just read yesterday there was a back-up at both ends of the Canal due to drought - insufficient water to fill and refill the locks. Check for updates on that second hand report. Or if this affects mainly cargo ships and not cruise ships.

Good to let your room stewards and dining steward know ahead of time. We have left the ship on both private and shore excursions mid-cruise. I don't remember anything extra was required besides the HAL official pre-permission and notice to the front desk. All of which handled by the shore excursion staff, unless you are doing this on your own. We did a wonderful two-day train jaunt around Holland once on the Rotterdam port overnight on the full Voyage of the Vikings - no bed checks on that one necessary - you were free to come and go as you wished. But still good to let the ship know in case you don't make it back. Another one in French Polynesia where we arranged to leave the ship in Papeete and rejoin it the next day in Mooera. Fun to watch the ship come into Moorea on the horizon from our over-water bungalow the following morning.

Trenitalia - the Italian rail website - fast train is approx 2 hours, US $32 one way. Trieste Central Station to Venice Central Station.

Taking away prior non-monetized gathering spaces like the daytime use of the Explorers Lounge or the Crows Nest, and other daytime sheltered nooks and crannies, may well now put pressure on the Lido tables as the only remaining venue to serve that prior purpose. Particularly for those occupying inside cabins. The generous variety of available quiet spaces was always a gracious signature for HAL ships. Those spaces where many would gravitate to for reading, cards, board games, and quiet social conversations. Or even a snooze, while viewing the sea from loungers on the former wide promenade decks.

Inside cabin folks?

Goteberg is one of our favorite ports - it reveals many charms that may be less obvious on first glance. We always look forward to return visits to this city. 1. Incredible art museum from major French imoressionists, signature Nordic art with brooding skies and scraped landscapes, and provocative contemporary pieces; 2. Wonderful fresh herring in the "Fish Church"; 3. Canal boat trip though the city's many green spaces, and even 4. Industrial port was a mesmerizing ballet of cargo container handling, we loved watching if from our verandah..

Might want to bring some electrolyte packets since the ship's system is highly purified water - most minerals are removed.

You mean we might be forced to eat the very best french fries on the high seas for a late afternoon snack - with cheese sauce, secret sauce, peanut sauce and/or plain. What a hardship. I shall struggle through this if I can only make my final sauce decision ...... 🥲 Boy oh boy, do they sound good right now.