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HAL Passengers Denied Use of Pool at Amber Cove


AryMay
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I was on this cruise, and the following week as well for a back-to-back.

 

I can see how the pool being unavailable was disappointing, if that were in someone's plans for the day. I agree with other posters who said this was an unfortunate rare situation - a last minute port change due to hurricane, combined with another ship's charter.

 

We usually dont spend much time off the ship in port, we got off the ship and walked around the shopping area for a little while. I noticed there were plenty of other tours and activities that were available, as well as a rental car kiosk. We met several other passengers who took a taxi to Puerta Plata and raved about their day. So while I do see why the pool being unavailable would be disappointing, it was far from the only available activity for the day.

 

We found the Carnival charter annoying in another way - they were docked right next to us, and literally blaring salsa music from their Lido pool area. It was difficult for us to enjoy our own Retreat cabana for the day, as we could hear their music over ours.

 

On our second week at Amber Cove, there was another Carnival ship (non charter). The N Amsterdam arrived earlier, and the Captain and Cruise Director made an announcement to the passengers that if they planned to use the pool that they should go early to secure the best chairs, that there was another large ship coming. We didnt get off the ship that day (and didn't have the issue with outside music blaring over to our retreat cabana on week #2, either)

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So let me see if I understand the situation.

 

You were very disappointed that you were not allowed in a pool full of Carnival Cruise Line partiers who may have had multiple drinks and forgot where the real bathrooms were. :eek:

 

Hello HAL Lido Pool !

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I can see how the pool being unavailable was disappointing, if that were in someone's plans for the day. I agree with other posters who said this was an unfortunate rare situation - a last minute port change due to hurricane, combined with another ship's charter.

 

We usually dont spend much time off the ship in port, we got off the ship and walked around the shopping area for a little while. I noticed there were plenty of other tours and activities that were available, as well as a rental car kiosk. We met several other passengers who took a taxi to Puerta Plata and raved about their day. So while I do see why the pool being unavailable would be disappointing, it was far from the only available activity for the day.

In our case, had I known the pool was not going to be an option for the day then we WOULD have probably made plans in advance to do a tour or take a taxi to some of the area sights and got started early in the day. However, we took our time getting off the ship in the morning and took no credit cards and very little cash since we didn't figure we would be spending much money. Also, we were dressed for the pool...not a tour.

 

Just to get back on the ship to get cash/credit cards for a tour and change clothes would have taken a fair amount of time because of the long walk. And I will mention that the temperature and humidity must have both been about 110 that day! ;) We just gave up and went back and enjoyed the pool on the ship. Not a bad day, but not what we had planned. (But as was just pointed out...spending the day with a crowd of drunk, Carnival passengers wouldn't have been much fun anyway.)

 

My real frustration was not being denied access to the pool, but that HAL did not ACKNOWLEDGE that there was a problem. The EXC guides had even made a point at their port talks of saying the water park was an option for when we were at Amber Cove. At the very least it would have been helpful to us to have them announce that the pool was not available before we spent time going ashore.

 

Anyway...I don't have time for "grumbling" or being "less than patient" as was mentioned in a previous post. I have another cruise to plan!!

Edited by AryMay
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"Drunk Carnival passengers"..stereotyping much? ��

 

Yeah...maybe this is stereotyping a bit. But probably a good guess. ;)

 

Here is the poster from the salsa cruise charter for their day in Amber Cove:

 

IslandPartypreview.jpeg

 

Judging from the crowd I watched outside my balcony returning to the Carnival ship I would guess quite a few opted for the "all inclusive" package that day!

 

On our 8th (and probably final) Carnival cruise in 2015, a passenger was so drunk that he went overboard. The ship had to turn around and spend a day looking for his body which was never found. Sad, but given the drinking that was happening that week not surprising.

 

I'm pretty sure that the two ships in Amber Cove on November 1 were catering to totally different demographics! :)

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Yeah...maybe this is stereotyping a bit. But probably a good guess. ;)

 

Here is the poster from the salsa cruise charter for their day in Amber Cove:

 

IslandPartypreview.jpeg

 

Judging from the crowd I watched outside my balcony returning to the Carnival ship I would guess quite a few opted for the "all inclusive" package that day!

 

On our 8th (and probably final) Carnival cruise in 2015, a passenger was so drunk that he went overboard. The ship had to turn around and spend a day looking for his body which was never found. Sad, but given the drinking that was happening that week not surprising.

 

I'm pretty sure that the two ships in Amber Cove on November 1 were catering to totally different demographics! :)

 

One should differentiate between a Carnival cruise and a chartered cruise. The cruise being discussed was a chartered cruise, and just happened to be on a Carnival ship.

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Did you ever think that he may have had the flu?

 

The larger question seems to be why some are looking down their noses at others, especially considering the assumptions made. How classy is that?

 

HAL will need to shed this image to appeal to a more diverse clientele that defies their current image.

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The larger question seems to be why some are looking down their noses at others, especially considering the assumptions made. How classy is that?

 

HAL will need to shed this image to appeal to a more diverse clientele that defies their current image.

 

What is this "image" that you believe HAL will need to shed - and what "diverse clientele" "defies their current image"?

 

In short: what in the world are you trying to say?

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... I

My real frustration was not being denied access to the pool, but that HAL did not ACKNOWLEDGE that there was a problem. The EXC guides had even made a point at their port talks of saying the water park was an option for when we were at Amber Cove. At the very least it would have been helpful to us to have them announce that the pool was not available before we spent time going ashore.

 

....

 

That would be my frustration as well, that HAL didn't seem to be concerned either before or after you found out :(

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I would think they would have checked to see what things might not be available since the ship wasn't originally expected.

 

Once before, on a different cruise line, we had a similar situation of changing ports. The concierge, (which thankfully we had access too), told us the atlantis things we wanted to do were already sold out by the ships that had already been planned in port.

Thankfully, he had knowledge of something we could do on our own, that would meet what we wanted to do.

 

I can't imagine what passengers that didn't have access to him got to end up doing. If it hadn't been for him we were already planning to just stay on the ship and be slightly frustrated.

 

Hopefully they can come up with a better way to handle things and share excursions that are actually available for purchase in the future.

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In our case, had I known the pool was not going to be an option for the day then we WOULD have probably made plans in advance to do a tour or take a taxi to some of the area sights and got started early in the day. However, we took our time getting off the ship in the morning and took no credit cards and very little cash since we didn't figure we would be spending much money. Also, we were dressed for the pool...not a tour.

 

Just to get back on the ship to get cash/credit cards for a tour and change clothes would have taken a fair amount of time because of the long walk. And I will mention that the temperature and humidity must have both been about 110 that day! ;) We just gave up and went back and enjoyed the pool on the ship. Not a bad day, but not what we had planned. (But as was just pointed out...spending the day with a crowd of drunk, Carnival passengers wouldn't have been much fun anyway.)

 

My real frustration was not being denied access to the pool, but that HAL did not ACKNOWLEDGE that there was a problem. The EXC guides had even made a point at their port talks of saying the water park was an option for when we were at Amber Cove. At the very least it would have been helpful to us to have them announce that the pool was not available before we spent time going ashore.

plan!!

 

Makes sense to me, I understand how that would be difficult and unexpected.

 

Also, I completely agree about the heat that day...it was the only day of being onboard for 14 nights that I had to leave our cabana and get in the A/C. I don't know if it was the heat or humidity that day, but I remember being very uncomfortable and having to go inside and lie down.

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Makes sense to me, I understand how that would be difficult and unexpected.

 

Also, I completely agree about the heat that day...it was the only day of being onboard for 14 nights that I had to leave our cabana and get in the A/C. I don't know if it was the heat or humidity that day, but I remember being very uncomfortable and having to go inside and lie down.

 

The temp that day was only in the low 80's; but I remember looking at my weather app and being shocked that the humidity was at 98%. :eek:

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Just a FYI., I’ve seen more drunk people on HAL than Carnival. Heck, I drink more on HAL than Carnival.

 

Carnival has tons of activities, more to do . Most of them are very much non drinker activities.. though you could get a drink if you want it. Comedy shows, trivia, karaoke, dance lessons, casino activities, etc all at the same time.

 

Drink prices are higher on Carnival.

 

Drinks are not as strong.

 

So, yeah.. while Carnival people like to drink.. the only times I’ve seen rude and inappropriate behavior from cruisers in general is while on HAL. Put it this way, when a Carnival person is drunk they may just be dancing or singing or such. On HAL I’ve seen people falling down, had security called on them , disrupting a show etc.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

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What is this "image" that you believe HAL will need to shed - and what "diverse clientele" "defies their current image"?

 

In short: what in the world are you trying to say?

 

Thanks, navybankerteacher, for articulating what I was thinking when I read the winddawn Post.

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Just a FYI., I’ve seen more drunk people on HAL than Carnival. Heck, I drink more on HAL than on Carnival.

 

...

 

So, yeah.. while Carnival people like to drink.. the only times I’ve seen rude and inappropriate behavior from cruisers in general is while on HAL. Put it this way, when a Carnival person is drunk they may just be dancing or singing or such. On HAL I’ve seen people falling down, had security called on them , disrupting a show etc.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Unusual perception, but I have only sailed Carnival once - staying away subsequently precisely because it was a drunk-fest.

 

My experience has been that HAL passengers are the least likely to overdo it.

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Unusual perception, but I have only sailed Carnival once - staying away subsequently precisely because it was a drunk-fest.

 

My experience has been that HAL passengers are the least likely to overdo it.

 

From posts I've seen on CC, passengers on Carnival are more likely to look for ways to smuggle booze onto the ship ........ just sayin'.

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From posts I've seen on CC, passengers on Carnival are more likely to look for ways to smuggle booze onto the ship ........ just sayin'.

 

 

 

Oh, yes there are drinkers on Carnival.. lots of them.

 

But, when it comes to rude, bad, sloppy drunken behavior I’ve seen more of it on HAL .

 

Another weird difference is that on Carnival people dress up for gala nights.. I mean beautiful gowns, bling, suits, etc. Its really so strange. On HAL not so much. Those Carnival cruisers rock the formal attire.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

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The larger question seems to be why some are looking down their noses at others, especially considering the assumptions made. How classy is that?
That isn't uncommon within organically formed communities. It's a form of clique-building. Do you think that, perhaps, some actually see it as a positive?

 

HAL will need to shed this image to appeal to a more diverse clientele that defies their current image.
Is it actually the cruise line's image, or is it rather just an image of a subset of its customer base? If the latter, it may only have impact when new clientele go researching (and then perhaps can be ignored on the basis that the cruise line isn't projecting that image and perhaps is only afflicted by it).

 

 

 

This post may have been entered by voice recognition. Please excuse any typographical errors.

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