Tips, Hints and secret's

[JB&JLG74]

A couple of things I learned from CCers a few years back:

We got a Belkin Surge Plus 3 outlet mini travel swivel charger surge protector with 2 USB outlets (from Amazon about $21). It is great as our one outlet becomes five. The swivel feature allows us to rotate so that it will fit in places that might not have enough space on a particular side. It is small enough for easy packing.

We use 3 M command strips to put up hooks on the walls for robes, hats, etc. Some ship walls do not hold magnets and we have not had good luck with suction cups. The command strips can be removed without damage.

[GRACECRUISE]

On a long cruise we have the cabin steward swap out some of the wooden hangers for the wire ones we get back with laundry.

 

We also use the 3M Hooks all over the room for lanyards by the door or jackets or sweat shirts on cooler climates. Also a small white board to leave notes.

 

I bring collapsible boxes from dollar store to put in drawers, counter or on shelves. Keep things organized.

 

We normally have 3 to a cabin so each person get the shoes they wear and 2 other pairs.

[Khaos WolfKat]

Leaving the verandah door open is a BIG HUGE No-No.

 

It messes with the A/C all through the ship, especially with the A/C in interior and ocean view cabins that do have have the ability to go outside.

 

Please do not leave your verandah door open.

 

I'm certain ellieanne meant to type "...cabins that do not have the ability...", and is quite correct about that.

I'm guessing you weren't aware of that, and as a confirmed cave dweller, ask that you take it to heart.

 

There's another reason to keep your balcony door closed, too. If it is open, and the cabin door is opened at the same time, it creates a wind tunnel that sends everything flying!

That happened to me, and was a real mess to clean up.

Oh! I had no idea it could affect other passengers! Thanks, both of you for letting me know, so I'll avoid accidentally being a jerk. Anyone know why it messes with the A/C throughout? Does each cabin have its own thermostat or not? (I like to sleep with it MUCH cooler than most people)

The whole wind tunnel thing sounds kind of cool, but only cause I'm easily amused. LOL. I think I'll refrain though. ;)

[CowPrincess]

Does each cabin have its own thermostat or not? (I like to sleep with it MUCH cooler than most people)

 

Yes each cabin has its own thermostat.

[kazu]

Oh! I had no idea it could affect other passengers! Thanks, both of you for letting me know, so I'll avoid accidentally being a jerk. Anyone know why it messes with the A/C throughout? Does each cabin have its own thermostat or not? (I like to sleep with it MUCH cooler than most people)

The whole wind tunnel thing sounds kind of cool, but only cause I'm easily amused. LOL. I think I'll refrain though. ;)

 

while each cabin has it's own thermostat there is something about the cabin door open that causes the one in the room to have to work too hard I believe.

 

It somehow mucks up the workings of other rooms as they are connected in some way (If I have understood previous postings by CC members). It's more technical than that and they work quite well if everyone keeps their balcony doors closed, but open ones can create havoc. And yes, there are signs asking you to keep you balcony door closed. ;)

[RuthC]

Anyone know why it messes with the A/C throughout? Does each cabin have its own thermostat or not? (I like to sleep with it MUCH cooler than most people)

I understand. Personally, I like my A/C set to "meat locker".

 

More than once someone who works on the ships, and is in a position to know, has explained the engineering behind why an open door on one deck can turn off the A/C on a lower deck. I don't fully understand it.

But I did understand the part where several cabins, in a vertical line, are on the same A/C path. When the balcony door is left open, the A/C in that cabin is shut down, and that shuts it down for every other cabin on the same line.

I think Jacqui was right that we were told all the A/C that should be going to that line is sent out to the balcony cabin.

 

The wind tunnel thing was a mess! I was wearing a long, full dress that was blowing all over the place. :eek: I could barely move, the wind was so strong. Eventually one of my guests got the cabin door shut, and all that remained was cleaning up.

[Khaos WolfKat]

while each cabin has it's own thermostat there is something about the cabin door open that causes the one in the room to have to work too hard I believe.

 

It somehow mucks up the workings of other rooms as they are connected in some way (If I have understood previous postings by CC members). It's more technical than that and they work quite well if everyone keeps their balcony doors closed, but open ones can create havoc. And yes, there are signs asking you to keep you balcony door closed. ;)

 

Huh. Weird. But I'm glad there are signs posted. It's good to know that I wasn't narrowly saved from screwing up other people's air just by chance.

[Khaos WolfKat]

I understand. Personally, I like my A/C set to "meat locker".

HAHA! I've had that VERY thing said about me on more than one occasion! Love it!

 

The wind tunnel thing was a mess! I was wearing a long, full dress that was blowing all over the place. :eek: I could barely move, the wind was so strong. Eventually one of my guests got the cabin door shut, and all that remained was cleaning up.

 

Oh my! That sounds.. err.. "exciting". ;)

 

BTW, I've been meaning to tell you, I LOVE your latest signature!! Very well put. I may well be repeating it.

[RuthC]

BTW, I've been meaning to tell you, I LOVE your latest signature!! Very well put. I may well be repeating it.

Feel free. (no extra charge)

[hugger]

Take a small LED flashlight for each person! Imagine being on a ship that has a total power failure (can we say Carnival Splendor, boys and girls?). There are no emergency lights. One must get out of his/her cabin and down the passage to stairs in total darkness. That is exactly why I have always packed flashlights for us.

 

Doc

 

I can't believe you had no emergency lightening that is HORRIBLE! I used to always take a flashlight better start doing that again I guess - I do normally take some of those little battery operated candles from the dollar store - nice on the balcony and as a night light in the bathroom. That would help in total darkness too. I leave them behind for the next passenger - to bad we didn't all come up with a place to leave stuff like this for the next person in the room. Of Course, that would have to be a CC'er to KNOW:o

[hugger]

Sorry, I was offline for over 24 hrs. I had to uninstall Google Chrome and reinstall in this evening.

 

I think/hope I'm back :eek:

[hugger]

Since my roomie and I spend a LOT of time on our verandah, I bring a wireless doorbell. That way, neither of us has to sit in the cabin awaiting room service delivery..or....our friends stopping by.

 

Does it really work? I have had one that I bought a WHILE back and haven't used at home. HOPE I still have it somewhere

[POA1]

I'm going to cheat and post a link to a thread from last year that's got tips galore.

Here's the intro post:

 

What's the one cool thing you would recommend to a new HAL cruiser?

Just looking for ideas... If you could recommend one thing to someone who is cruising Holland America for the first time - something unique to HAL - what would it be?

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1994829

[hugger]

Will be spending a few hours reading on that link too

THANKS POA1

[kazu]

With regard to the under the bed drawers, I always take along a big green garbage bag to store the linen items the stewards keep in these drawers. I put the bag under the bed and then when we are packing to go home I return the items to the drawer. The bag keeps them nice and clean. I know I could ask the steward to remove them but they are so busy delivering luggage on embarkation day I figure that is one little thing I can do for myself to make it easier on the steward.

 

Since there are only two of us I also take the third life jacket, which takes up a whole shelf, and put it in a protective green garbage bag under the bed. I also make sure I put it back where it belongs when we are packing.

 

What a clever idea! A bag takes no room and makes this so simple :)

 

I don't like disturbing the stewards on embarkation day either. They have enough to do.

 

Absolutely genius. You just got a lot more space, everything is protected in the bag. Just a perfect solution :) Thanks so much for sharing - I never ever thought of this :)

[1of4]

What a clever idea! A bag takes no room and makes this so simple :)

 

I don't like disturbing the stewards on embarkation day either. They have enough to do.

 

Absolutely genius. You just got a lot more space, everything is protected in the bag. Just a perfect solution :) Thanks so much for sharing - I never ever thought of this :)

 

I agree, that is a great tip, thanks Sapper1!

 

Since DD and DS use the under bed drawers for their clothes, I have always put those linens in our suitcases that go under the bed.

 

just a funny: our last cruise we somehow ended up with 10 life jackets :eek: in our cabin for the 4 of us. It started being hysterical as they just came coming. Wish I had of thought to put them under the bed.

[sapper1]

I agree, that is a great tip, thanks Sapper1!

 

Since DD and DS use the under bed drawers for their clothes, I have always put those linens in our suitcases that go under the bed.

 

just a funny: our last cruise we somehow ended up with 10 life jackets :eek: in our cabin for the 4 of us. It started being hysterical as they just came coming. Wish I had of thought to put them under the bed.

 

I would say your family was unsinkable on that cruise!!

[swin26]

Maybe it is just me, but I would prefer that other passengers didn't handle the linens for the next passenger or store them in their luggage.

[syesmar]

Here's a tip concerning the All Aboard time. A few years back, our wonderful captain wanted to give us extra time in Monaco. . . . However, passengers who left early in the morning were not informed of this time change! . . . From that time on, we have always taken a picture or said out loud to one another the All Aboard time!

 

Just realized I left off the most important part! There is a sign displaying the up-to-date All Aboard Time just as you're leaving the ship. That is the one we use for pictures as we're leaving, as we've learned things can change from what's printed.

 

For those who are new to HAL, I thought it might be nice to have some of the FAQ posts linked on this Thread.

 

'Sticky' New to HAL: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2088428

 

Newbie Dining Tutorial: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2232955

 

HAL Secrets 2013-Feb 2105: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1864020

 

HAL Secrets 2004-2014:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=50922

 

And a tip about lost luggage: Only once while cruising has our luggage been delayed. HAL was wonderful to us and the 50+ other passengers in this situation. But had I known some things in advance, it would've alleviated some stress. I won't re-hash here, but you can read about it at http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1892626. Take with you international phone numbers of your airlines and have their lost luggage policy with daily/total spending allowance printed so you'll know how to proceed, just in case. Having this knowledge in advance is likely to save long phone calls to check these details. It is very important to have these amounts (whether they are only a daily total, or a total for the duration that the bags are missing that can be averaged by the number of days. . . in our case, it was a daily allowance, but the total sum could in fact be averaged over how many days the luggage was delayed, allowing you to spend more or less on day 1 then on day 2, as long as the average between the 2 was within the allowance. . . trust me, this is important or you could stay in the ship's shops 'til 11pm your first cruise night when you are jet lagged and would rather be sleeping!). Keep all receipts incurred for submission (submitted after the cruise or within a certain amount of days). I was fully reimbursed for all our clothing & incidental expenses by the airline and didn't have to file insurance.

 

Thanks to the OP for creating this very helpful post!

 

Happy Sailing!

[1of4]

I would say your family was unsinkable on that cruise!!

 

:eek: :) :D

 

we finally had to go to the front office as the stewards are not allowed to remove. They brought 2 child life jackets...then the assistant steward brought 2 more then somehow 2 more adult jackets....

[1of4]

Maybe it is just me, but I would prefer that other passengers didn't handle the linens for the next passenger or store them in their luggage.

 

We never touch the linens that are delivered on the last morning for the next passengers. We put the extra blankets and luggage protectors that are used to protect the beds on the first morning in our suitcases.

[Jazmyn49]

One fun tip that hasn't been mentioned in a while is to check inside the Bible in the bedside drawer. CC members often will leave a few foreign coins or a card with a small balance still on it.

[Moriah]

I do normally take some of those little battery operated candles from the dollar store - nice on the balcony and as a night light in the bathroom. ... I leave them behind for the next passenger

 

I use those battery candles in the bathroom as well. However, you should know that while your intention is nice (leaving for the next passenger), your steward will remove and probably discard them when he sets up the room for the next cruise. Their instructions are to remove everything that is left behind.

 

With regard to the Bible -yes for a while CC'ers were leaving drink cards, etc and that was fun. I also used to leave partially used drink cards (obsolete now) under the "carpet" inside the safe (it comes up easily - it's not fastened or "adhesived" down). Don't know what we could leave now that these cards are not used.. would be fun to think of something... but as said, it would have to be something hidden since your cabin stewards can't leave your "gifts" when they clean the room for turnover.

[LUPY48]

Does it really work? I have had one that I bought a WHILE back and haven't used at home. HOPE I still have it somewhere

 

It works great!

[Lizzie68]

Good to know about the extra storage places!

 

If you're on the verandah with the verandah door open, would you be able to hear the door, ya think?

I'll probably be spending a lot of my cabin time out there, and will need a pretty constant supply of coffee except when I'm sleeping, so it's a good thing to know. I may need to think about the wireless doorbell thing as well. Or, just leave the door propped with the deadbolt, guess. I'm really not terribly worried about someone coming into the cabin when I'm there.

 

Do you need to leave a note for room service to let them know to come right in if the door's propped, or do they figure it out?

 

As for shoes. I broke down and got a pair of "nice" sandals, after I realised my crocs weren't going to cut it for the MDR or Pinnacle, especially on formal nights, and it might be too warm for cowboy boots some nights. (Yes, I totally rock the Western boots with a cocktail dress or gown! Put a mirror shine on them and it looks fabulous. Try it sometime, ladies! :D ) So, that means I'll be bringing 3 pair, including what I wear onto the ship, which will depend on weather that day - Boots, Crocs, and nice sandals. That's for a one week cruise, but I can't see why I'd need any more for a 14, 30, or more day cruise. Maybe some water shoes, if I were likely to be going in the water where there are sharp rocks/coral/other foot dangers, or combat boots for rough terrain if I were still able to do that much walking, but other than that, what for, except to take up space? :p

 

I like your style.:) Sounds very much like my DIL.