No longer allowed to bring wine on board without a corkage fee -

[VMax1700]

1 minute ago, kazu said:

 

It’s all so contradictory with different things in different places.  Hope you do take a bottle on board and let us know how you make out.  It will be good to know for our wine tasting for next year 😉 (although the rules will probably change again between now and then 🤣)

Purely for research, I will try to purchase a bottle of wine in Venice to take onboard.  I am not very good on Italian wines, much better on Spanish wines 😉

I might also buy a couple of cans of sodas to see what happens.

If I am arrested I do expect that you will start a 'go fund me' page to pay the bail bond! 😁

[kazu]

1 minute ago, VMax1700 said:

Purely for research, I will try to purchase a bottle of wine in Venice to take onboard.  I am not very good on Italian wines, much better on Spanish wines 😉

I might also buy a couple of cans of sodas to see what happens.

If I am arrested I do expect that you will start a 'go fund me' page to pay the bail bond! 😁

 

Italy usually makes a good Pinot Grigio.

 

LOL - I doubt you will be arrested but I will happily start a go fund me page for you 😉 .  Thank you for taking one for the team 😉 

 

[NCTribeFan]

I have drinks while in the casino and I'm planning on purchasing a wine package, so I probably won't bother to go out of my way once I'm in Ft Lauderdale to find my usual cheapo bottle of wine just so I can have a drink while getting ready for dinner.

 

But glad I'm not a soda (pop, which I come from) drinker.

[Hlitner]

Well, HAL is starting to sound more like a budget cruise line then the premium moniker many used to apply to this company.    A few years ago, DW used to like bringing some large bottles of Diet Coke or Diet Pepsi to have in the cabin.  But she finally moved away from all that stuff and now takes packets of Crystal Light!  So I am wondering if HAL will soon ban powder based drink mixes or perhaps charge a corkage fee for Crystal Light or similar mixers.   She has also been known to bring her own tea bags since she is an Earl Gray fan and sometimes they would not have it on a cruise.   Do you think HAL will soon charge a "bag fee" for each tea bag brought aboard?

 

Hank

[iancal]

Just another cost to consider when comparing our short list of ships/cruise lines on a particular itinerary.

[kazu]

14 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

So I am wondering if HAL will soon ban powder based drink mixes or perhaps charge a corkage fee for Crystal Light or similar mixers.   She has also been known to bring her own tea bags since she is an Earl Gray fan and sometimes they would not have it on a cruise.   Do you think HAL will soon charge a "bag fee" for each tea bag brought aboard?

 

 

I think you are going a little bit over the top here 😉 🤣

HAL has never argued about bringing food, tea, mixes on board.  

[Boytjie]

27 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

Well, HAL is starting to sound more like a budget cruise line then the premium moniker many used to apply to this company.    A few years ago, DW used to like bringing some large bottles of Diet Coke or Diet Pepsi to have in the cabin.  But she finally moved away from all that stuff and now takes packets of Crystal Light!  So I am wondering if HAL will soon ban powder based drink mixes or perhaps charge a corkage fee for Crystal Light or similar mixers.   She has also been known to bring her own tea bags since she is an Earl Gray fan and sometimes they would not have it on a cruise.   Do you think HAL will soon charge a "bag fee" for each tea bag brought aboard?

 

Hank

 

I always thought HAL was the most generous regarding brining beverages onboard, amongst the mainline cruise lines we have sailed on.

[RuthC]

1 hour ago, kazu said:

I think you are going a little bit over the top here 😉 🤣

That's Hank's SOP. 

[Hlitner]

1 hour ago, Boytjie said:

 

I always thought HAL was the most generous regarding brining beverages onboard, amongst the mainline cruise lines we have sailed on.

1 hour ago, kazu said:

 

I think you are going a little bit over the top here 😉 🤣

HAL has never argued about bringing food, tea, mixes on board.  

True.  But then again I do not remember them caring about bringing soft drinks and wine aboard (corkage fees were only charged if you brought a bottle to the MDR).  I also remember when HAL had a "tipping not required" policy.  Times change.   We still like HAL but now put them in the same category as other mass market lines.  The HAL that we knew is gone.   Like many past HAL fans, we now look elsewhere while still trying to enjoy HAL because of their terrific itineraries.  You want to find many who used to be active on this board you might start reading the Oceania and Viking boards.  Boytjie posted that HAL "was" among the most generous when it came to bringing beverages aboard.  But the key word in that statement is "WAS."  I also remember when HAL used to have some decent production shows (accompanied with a live 7 piece band) and that is also ancient history.   The truth is that nearly all the cruise lines have undergone relatively recent changes.  A few have actually made some positive changes but many others have gone the way of HAL with various cutbacks.

 

Hank

[Banditswife]

Yes, this is what I am finding so confusing.  Our contract clearly says  up to 12 cans of soda per person, but the boarding pass & FAQ state it differently.  Since we are flying in for our cruise on Sat Oct 2. it would be difficult to buy soda anywhere between airport & pier, so we decided to not even try.  But the suggestion about buying them in our 1st port is a good one.  We will ask if it will be allowed as we disembark for our 1st port.  I will also pay attention to those embarking on Saturday to see if they are giving people grief for bringing on wine & soda.  One thing is clear- they need to have all documents say the same thing.

[kazu]

39 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

True.  But then again I do not remember them caring about bringing soft drinks and wine aboard (corkage fees were only charged if you brought a bottle to the MDR).  I also remember when HAL had a "tipping not required" policy.  Times change.   

 

I do too, but the tipping not required was misinterpreted by many and decades ago.  Times do change and for the better for the crew IMO

 

39 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

 You want to find many who used to be active on this board you might start reading the Oceania and Viking boards.

 

No thanks.  The O board is not a good place unless you want to join the cheerleaders.  Once I reported a bad experience that was it.

 

Frankly if a cruise line won’t do anything then first time fool me 2nd time no way.  Won’t be back.

 

39 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

 

 

  Boytjie posted that HAL "was" among the most generous when it came to bringing beverages aboard.  But the key word in that statement is "WAS." 

 

Not really.  Since you are calling HAL mainstream - name me another mainstream line that will even let you bring wine on with a corkage fee.  

There aren’t many.  
 

 

[Hlitner]

8 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

I do too, but the tipping not required was misinterpreted by many and decades ago.  Times do change and for the better for the crew IMO

 

 

No thanks.  The O board is not a good place unless you want to join the cheerleaders.  Once I reported a bad experience that was it.

 

Frankly if a cruise line won’t do anything then first time fool me 2nd time no way.  Won’t be back.

 

 

Not really.  Since you are calling HAL mainstream - name me another mainstream line that will even let you bring wine on with a corkage fee.  

There aren’t many.  
 

 

My point exactly.  HAL is now just another mainstream mass market line.  On the other hand name me another mainstream mass market line that does not have Production Shows.

 

Hank

[kazu]

7 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

My point exactly.  HAL is now just another mainstream mass market line.  On the other hand name me another mainstream mass market line that does not have Production Shows.

 

Hank

 

I noticed you skipped my points and just focussed on a few words.

Typical twisting.

[Hlitner]

2 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

I noticed you skipped my points and just focussed on a few words.

Typical twisting.

Do I ever skip your points :).  Your comment about the "O" board was noted by since I have yet to cruise on "O" I let that go.  The truth is that nearly every cruise line board has their "cheerleaders" (including right here on the HAL board) and they do not like to hear anything negative about their beloved cruise line.  We have an upcoming first cruise on "O" and assuming it happens I will then be able to form an opinion about that line.  And while I agree with you that "times have changed" that is really the point of my post.  In the case of HAL times have changed to the point where you can no longer bring wine aboard (without a corkage fee even if you drink it quietly in your cabin) and heaven forbid one DARED to bring aboard a bottle of Diet Pepsi or Diet Sprite!    I have no problem with corkage fees for wine brought to dining rooms.  But I have long objected (on any board) to corkage fees charged for folks that simply want to bring liquid refreshments for their own cabin.

 

My point was if we go back a few years, many of us considered HAL to be (for lack of a better term) a premium cruise line.  They were never a luxury line (and did not charge luxury prices) but many of us thought they were a notch above most mass market lines.  Most of us enjoyed the smaller vessels, amazing crew, better then average cuisine, and fantastic itineraries.  But with the possible exception of the crew (we assume they will be the same excellent folks we knew before COVID) all that other stuff is gone.  Even the fantastic itineraries are disappearing because larger ships do limit the ports.  

 

About 3 years ago I posted here that I thought HAL was a like a ship without a rudder.  HAL was changing but it was impossible to figure out where they were going with their changes.  Today we think that is even more true then ever.  We have one HAL cruise under booking (42 days on the Noordam) but have good cause to doubt that the cruise will ever happen (our last 2 attempts at cruising with HAL in Asia have been cancelled due to COVID).  If that cruise gets cancelled DW and I are thinking about taking our money and running elsewhere.   I cannot get excited about any HAL European cruise since there are other lines that we think offer a better product in that market with decent itineraries.  I would not consider any HAL cruise in the Caribbean (been there done that) as we prefer lines like Princess, MSC, or even Seabourn which also are in that area with far better entertainment options then we get on HAL.  

 

So what is HAL's target marketing group?  Are they going to try and market BBC documentaries to younger cruisers?  Will HAL put up in Neon Lights.....We are the only mass market cruise line that will not bore you with decent Production Shows?  And then there is the situation with HAL's alternative restaurants (I should say that in singular for many ships).  The Pinnacle is a tired concept and does not hold up to most of the competition.  I knew the Pinnacle dinner menu more then 10 years ago and not much has changed.  We are soon going on a relatively small ship of Oceania (1250 passenger or in a similar size class as the Maasdam).  But that "O" vessel has 4 alternative restaurants with no extra fees.  Go on a Celebrity ship and you have multiple dining options.  

 

So again, what is HAL's target group?  If they expect to fill their ships with their long time fans I think that is going to be a problem.  Many HAL fans are seniors (including me) and parents of seniors.  None of us are getting younger.   And even this senior wants production shows, late night options such as piano bars, etc.  If we do get on the Noordam for 42 days we will pray that there is some kind of evening entertainment (until at least 11:30) that will keep us happy.  But I am not going to spend my evenings going to movies, documentaries, etc.  I can see that stuff in my own home.

 

Hank

[GeorgiaPeach51]

We are on the NA next week thru the Panama Canal.  It will be our first HAL cruise since 2004, and our only other HAL cruise was our very first, in 1989, on the old NA.

 

We have spent years on Celebrity and after 16 in a row, we are ready for something different.  Not sure it will be HAL, but we are giving it a whirl.

 

I am trying hard to approach this cruise with a neutral attitude and with an open mind.  We would LOVE to be thrilled with HAL.  But, I confess that reading about extra available up charges on the MDR menu, (ugh, ewww) and the need to count to 15 with the beverage package, and the often noted disappointment in Pinnacle from experienced Mariners....  for sure it is not the HAL we were simply dazzled by back in 1989, nor is it the HAL from 2004.

 

Things always change and we surely do expect cruise lines to change.  Our money will be spent as we gauge the level to which we will accept cutbacks.

 

After the HAL cruise, our next is with Crystal.  I’ll let you know what we think of the NA.

 

Joanie

[cruisemom42]

19 hours ago, VMax1700 said:

Purely for research, I will try to purchase a bottle of wine in Venice to take onboard.  I am not very good on Italian wines, much better on Spanish wines 😉

I might also buy a couple of cans of sodas to see what happens.

If I am arrested I do expect that you will start a 'go fund me' page to pay the bail bond! 😁

 

In Venice it's hard to go wrong with a prosecco, if you like sparkling wine.

[VMax1700]

20 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

In Venice it's hard to go wrong with a prosecco, if you like sparkling wine.

I really prefer reds.  I am going to try to buy a bottle of Barolo to take on board or maybe an Amarone.  Last night I found a bottle of 2015 Masi Costasera Amarone at the back of my wine cupboard, so I may try that over the weekend to see if I like the taste.  

[Boytjie]

15 hours ago, Hlitner said:

 The HAL that we knew is gone. 

 

That is a sentiment I see on a lot of the other cruise line boards, so I don't think HAL is that different. 😉

[Hlitner]

29 minutes ago, Boytjie said:

 

That is a sentiment I see on a lot of the other cruise line boards, so I don't think HAL is that different. 😉

I think that is very true.  We have often referred to ourselves as "equal opportunity cruisers and travelers" which does reflect our philosophy.  We are not "loyal" to any cruise line and simply move with the tides.  For decades we routinely (over 100 days a year) cruised on HAL, Princess, Celebrity and even MSC (Yacht Club).  But consider our most recent cruise has been on Seabourn, our next cruise is on Seabourn and then a month later on Oceania (all this in 2021).  We do have a 42 day  HAL cruise booked in 2022 (which we expect HAL to eventually cancel) and other cruises on MSC and Princess.  I mention this because we are adjusting to the current changes (and many others we recently met on Seabourn and in Greece said the same).   At this point I am starting to think that we would not be unhappy if HAL cancels our cruise (in Japan) and I doubt if we would book any more HAL cruises until we see reviews from their post HAL product.  What I am seeing here with the HAL menus, the lack of Production shows, and increased prices causes does generate concerns. 

 

I have posted (elsewhere) that our recent Seabourn cruise (Greek Islands) was fantastic.  If possible, Seabourn has actually improved their product from our previous pre-COVID SB cruise.  SB has upgraded their menus, appeared to improve the quality of cuisine (the beef we had in their MDR rivaled anything I have had at the best steak houses) and the entertainment was outstanding (although they do need to update one of their Production shows).  Folks who have been on the early "O" cruises have reported positive things but our vote is out until we try that line in December.  Viking apparently has an excellent product (loved by other members of our family) and that line will be a future consideration.   Folks on the recent Celebrity cruises have also been positive with their comments including the cuisine (which we thought had gone downhill prior to COVID).

 

If some lines like HAL use COVID as an excuse to further degrade their product then they are going to lose our business.  Just following the Oceania boards it appears that even before COVID, HAL had lost some business to "O" (I am talking about cruisers who tend to stick with a single line).   Cruise lines should understand that if they drive away customers by degrading their product it may be business lost for years or forever.  We have never returned to some of the lines we used to routinely cruise (i.e. RCI and Celebrity) although recent posts do have us now rethinking Celebrity.

 

Hank

[jimgev]

32 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

I think that is very true.  We have often referred to ourselves as "equal opportunity cruisers and travelers" which does reflect our philosophy.  We are not "loyal" to any cruise line and simply move with the tides.  For decades we routinely (over 100 days a year) cruised on HAL, Princess, Celebrity and even MSC (Yacht Club).  But consider our most recent cruise has been on Seabourn, our next cruise is on Seabourn and then a month later on Oceania (all this in 2021).  We do have a 42 day  HAL cruise booked in 2022 (which we expect HAL to eventually cancel) and other cruises on MSC and Princess.  I mention this because we are adjusting to the current changes (and many others we recently met on Seabourn and in Greece said the same).   At this point I am starting to think that we would not be unhappy if HAL cancels our cruise (in Japan) and I doubt if we would book any more HAL cruises until we see reviews from their post HAL product.  What I am seeing here with the HAL menus, the lack of Production shows, and increased prices causes does generate concerns. 

 

I have posted (elsewhere) that our recent Seabourn cruise (Greek Islands) was fantastic.  If possible, Seabourn has actually improved their product from our previous pre-COVID SB cruise.  SB has upgraded their menus, appeared to improve the quality of cuisine (the beef we had in their MDR rivaled anything I have had at the best steak houses) and the entertainment was outstanding (although they do need to update one of their Production shows).  Folks who have been on the early "O" cruises have reported positive things but our vote is out until we try that line in December.  Viking apparently has an excellent product (loved by other members of our family) and that line will be a future consideration.   Folks on the recent Celebrity cruises have also been positive with their comments including the cuisine (which we thought had gone downhill prior to COVID).

 

If some lines like HAL use COVID as an excuse to further degrade their product then they are going to lose our business.  Just following the Oceania boards it appears that even before COVID, HAL had lost some business to "O" (I am talking about cruisers who tend to stick with a single line).   Cruise lines should understand that if they drive away customers by degrading their product it may be business lost for years or forever.  We have never returned to some of the lines we used to routinely cruise (i.e. RCI and Celebrity) although recent posts do have us now rethinking Celebrity.

 

Hank

Hi Hank:

I have read your comments and respect your point of view. I agree that HAL does not do a great job with their production shows and, for those who place a high value on production shows, Hal is probably not the best choice.

The great thing about the cruise industry is that it does allow for choice. 

For us, production shows are not important at all. On a typical cruise we wil go to one production show and end up leaving before it is even half over. (That is the case on EVERY cruise line we have tried. Just not our thing).

What we DO love is music. The BB King Blues venue and the new "music walk" is fantastic as far as we are concerned. That is what turns us on.

So HAL might lose a number of customers due to the production shows but will gain customers who love the music venues.

Things tend to work out. 

Jim

[Hlitner]

14 minutes ago, jimgev said:

Hi Hank:

I have read your comments and respect your point of view. I agree that HAL does not do a great job with their production shows and, for those who place a high value on production shows, Hal is probably not the best choice.

The great thing about the cruise industry is that it does allow for choice. 

For us, production shows are not important at all. On a typical cruise we wil go to one production show and end up leaving before it is even half over. (That is the case on EVERY cruise line we have tried. Just not our thing).

What we DO love is music. The BB King Blues venue and the new "music walk" is fantastic as far as we are concerned. That is what turns us on.

So HAL might lose a number of customers due to the production shows but will gain customers who love the music venues.

Things tend to work out. 

Jim

Jim, saying that HAL does not do a "great job" with production shows is kind of an understatement since HAL does not even have any Production Shows.  They were eliminated prior to COVID and we have seen no announcement of them being resumed in the near future.  We do agree that the BB King venue is terrific but at one point that only existed on less than half of HAL vessels.   About 4 years ago we took our first cruise on MSC in their ship within a ship Yacht Club.  I still remember walking around the ship at 11 pm when there were 4 different live music groups playing in various venues plus a 5th classical piano/violin duo playing in the Yacht Club's private lounge.  I love music and being able to stroll around a ship and listen to Blues/Jazz, Rock, Classical, and country....all at the same time at a time when most on a HAL cruise would be in their cabins....was an eye opener.

 

I am a young HAL cruiser (only in mid 70s) and still am not ready to head to bed at 10pm.  Even on Seabourn we had a piano bar and a dance/listening venue going every night until 11:30.  DW and I were very unhappy when HAL made the move to get rid of their piano bars (on most ships).  When we were on the Voyage of the Vikings (a fantastic cruise) DW and I closed down the piano bar nearly every night (along with a few others).    But when we cruise we  like having choices and not having only 1 music option or sometimes no music options other then pre recorded music.   HAL should be offering major Production Shows PLUS other music options such as their BB King groups (who, unfortunately seldom play any BB King music).

 

Hank

[jimgev]

1 minute ago, Hlitner said:

Jim, saying that HAL does not do a "great job" with production shows is kind of an understatement since HAL does not even have any Production Shows.  They were eliminated prior to COVID and we have seen no announcement of them being resumed in the near future.  We do agree that the BB King venue is terrific but at one point that only existed on less than half of HAL vessels.   About 4 years ago we took our first cruise on MSC in their ship within a ship Yacht Club.  I still remember walking around the ship at 11 pm when there were 4 different live music groups playing in various venues plus a 5th classical piano/violin duo playing in the Yacht Club's private lounge.  I love music and being able to stroll around a ship and listen to Blues/Jazz, Rock, Classical, and country....all at the same time at a time when most on a HAL cruise would be in their cabins....was an eye opener.

 

I am a young HAL cruiser (only in mid 70s) and still am not ready to head to bed at 10pm.  Even on Seabourn we had a piano bar and a dance/listening venue going every night until 11:30.  DW and I were very unhappy when HAL made the move to get rid of their piano bars (on most ships).  When we were on the Voyage of the Vikings (a fantastic cruise) DW and I closed down the piano bar nearly every night (along with a few others).    But when we cruise we do not like choices and not having only 1 music option or sometimes no music options other then pre recorded music.   HAL should be offering major Production Shows PLUS other music options such as their BB King groups (who, unfortunately seldom play any BB King music).

 

Hank

Hank:

Certainly your choice.

I could care less if there were any production shows.

I am your age and love blues and classic rock music. Actually, I am in a band that plays classic rock and blues. Since HAL began the BBK style, every evening that I witnessed has had a packed house at those venues. They are, obvioulsy, being enjoyed.

As I said, If you want production shows, there are cruise lines that do that well. If you want wild parties late into the night, there are lines for that. HAL has decided to invest in live music venues rather than production shows. That is a legitimate business decision. It will please some and displease some. But that is what the cruise business is all about - carving out a segment and catering to it.

You may hate it and decide to take your business elsewhere. That is your choice.

I love it and will take my business to HAL. That is my choice.

Both choices are correct choices for the people involved.

Happy sailing.

Jim

[NCTribeFan]

I also really am not a fan of the production shows (but I never, ever walk out of a show) and think the BB King's bands have been the absolute best live music I've heard on my 40 or so cruises over the past two decades.

 

My first on HAL was about 10 years ago (3 in an OV was the only way I could afford it).  Zaandam circle Hawaii.  It was a great cruise and I loved it, but, honestly, I didn't find it was "that" much better than Carnival.  Yes, different atmosphere and definitely an older demographic than I was used to. But I did not come away from that cruise thinking "oh, so THIS is what an upscale cruise is like!"  I thought it was a really nice cruise and I looked forward to sailing HAL again.

 

As someone who still cruises mainly for the ports, the ship experience isn't that important to me.  I want good food without having to pay an upcharge every night.  I want drinks delivered in a reasonable length of time.  I want good music (NOT a piano bar).  I want good itineraries.  I don't want to be fawned over, I just want prompt, courteous service.

 

I don't know what HAL was like 25 years ago.  I know that pretty much everything in my life has changed over the years.  Do I like all the changes?  Not particularly, but nothing stays static. 

 

As I've posted in the past, costs increase.  Businesses have to decide whether to pass those costs along to their customers (and risk losing them) or make other cuts to keep prices reasonable (and risk losing customers who want things to remain the same forever and always).

 

P.S.  You can still carry on 1 bottle of wine per adult on Carnival.  Sorry, no Neptune, Haven, or Yacht Club but you can carry on your wine.  For now, at least! 😉

[cruisemom42]

It's funny how many folks on this board previously said they "didn't like" or "never went to" the production shows in the past -- until HAL did away with them. Just a thought -- if you like something it may be a good idea to be vocal about it; otherwise the lines only hear from the naysayers.

 

The real issue I see with HAL is consistency of product and communication. If they want to do away with production shows and institute something else -- music venues, lectures, EXC, whatever, then MAKE SURE you tell people what you're doing and why. I'd venture to guess nearly all "main stream" cruise passengers expect production shows, whether they think it's the epitome of entertainment or not. And when you see an empty (or hardly used) large theatre, it does make one wonder why it isn't being used.  

 

Also -- offer the same things on all your ships. It is so frustrating to me that while I really like Tamarind, I never happen to be on a ship that has one. HAL, are you listening? People really like Tamarind. Figure out a way to put it on all your ships. And same with the music venues. 

 

It used to be that every Princess ship from the smallest R-class to the largest new build had virtually the same public rooms, specialty dining areas, etc. You really had a good idea of what to expect, whatever ship you sailed on -- at least 95% of the time.  On the one hand it's a little boring but on the other hand you are certainly managing expectations and avoiding disappointments.

 

[jimgev]

2 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

Also -- offer the same things on all your ships. It is so frustrating to me that while I really like Tamarind, I never happen to be on a ship that has one. HAL, are you listening? People really like Tamarind. Figure out a way to put it on all your ships. And same with the music venues. 

 

Agree completely!