General HAL/cruise questions

[Sayyadina]

Hello!

 

A few questions:

 

1) We are driving to the port. I'm curious: has luggage ever been lost between the pier and the room?

 

2) What is the room steward expected to do? What are they NOT expected to do?

 

3) OK, this is a dress code question, but it goes the opposite way than most. My husband is packing 3 2-piece suits with assorted shirts and ties for dinner. Will he feel TOO dressy on casual night? I have read it is jacket expected, tie optional, does that go for casual night as well? What about pants-shirt-tie (no jacket) to 'casual' the suits down?

 

4) Do most shops in caribbean ports accept US currency? Are traveler's checks a good idea? I know we'll need cash for taxis, etc, but do most beach restaurants take credit cards or will we need cash for those, too?

 

I'm down to 12 days, trying to plan. Oh, boy...:D Thanks gang!

[dakrewser]

1) We are driving to the port. I'm curious: has luggage ever been lost between the pier and the room?

 

There was the one sailing of the Oosterdam last year when an overeager stevadore dumped a forklift full of luggage into San Diego bay - but it was all retrieved! Otherwise, you're luggage is quite safe.

 

2) What is the room steward expected to do? What are they NOT expected to do?

They're the equivalent of a hotel maid - they do beds, bathrooms, towels, etc.

 

3) OK, this is a dress code question, but it goes the opposite way than most. My husband is packing 3 2-piece suits with assorted shirts and ties for dinner. Will he feel TOO dressy on casual night? I have read it is jacket expected, tie optional, does that go for casual night as well? What about pants-shirt-tie (no jacket) to 'casual' the suits down?

 

Lose the tie (but, perhaps, keep the jacket) on casual nights.

 

4) Do most shops in caribbean ports accept US currency? Are traveler's checks a good idea? I know we'll need cash for taxis, etc, but do most beach restaurants take credit cards or will we need cash for those, too?

 

US currency & credit cards will get you through almost all situations. The major exception is post offices and other gov't. offices which will only accept the local currency.

[RuthC]

I'll be happy to start---

Although I've never had luggage lost, I suppose it's possible. There was that time in San Diego that the luggage fell into the harbor while it was being on-loaded. And I have heard tell of luggage being sent to one cabin when the passengers were upgraded to a different cabin at check-in. Then there was that report of someone bringing in a suitcase they saw in the passageway, but it wasn't theirs. Oh well.

Your steward will clean up your cabin in the morning. He will make the bed, empty wastebaskets, clean bathroom, replace towels, keep paper products stocked, vacuum, replace ice and used glasses, dust, replace fruit, take the laundry you are sending out.

At night he will deliver next day's program, turn down bed and leave a pillow chocolate :D , replace towels, replace ice and used glasses.

He will also deliver assorted junk mail, and replace your TV schedule.

What is he NOT expected to do? I don't think I'll go there. :eek:

Only your husband will know if he will feel out of place wearing a suit/tie on casual night. Personally, I would love to see more men well-dressed on any night, but that might just be me. He could go without a tie to dress his suit down a tad.

The jacket code is for formal and informal evenings; no jacket is requested on casual nights.

I always think Traveler's Checques are a good idea; just picked some up today. They can be cashed at the Front Desk.

edit to say: I started before Dave's post!

[gizmo]

For casual nights, most men wear dockers, and a polo shirt. You will probably see very few in a jacket on casual night and maybe none at all.

 

I agree about losing the tie on casusal nights.

[RevNeal]

It always varies.

I don't think I saw Brian without a jacket on Casual Nights on the Noordam.

I wore a jacket on 2 of the Casual nights -- once, when we were eating in the Pinnacle, once because I felt underdressed. Can't say why.

 

Is your husband wearing a Tuxedo on formal nights? If he is, then a suit and tie -- or slacks, jacket, and tie -- is a nice step-down from formal. Then, casual nights he can dress in accordance with the informal night code as yet a further step down, leaving the tie in the cabin. :D I've done that a lot, actually, and especially so in colder-weather cruises or when I'm serving as chaplain.

[RevNeal]

There was the one sailing of the Oosterdam last year when an overeager stevadore dumped a forklift full of luggage into San Diego bay - but it was all retrieved! Otherwise, you're luggage is quite safe.

 

I was there for that, but -- thankfully -- none of my luggage was part of the pallet that got dropped off the pier into San Diego bay. :) All the luggage WAS recovered, and the contents (1) laundered, (2) dry cleaned, (3) repaired, or (4) replaced. With ONE exception ... the luggage of the fellow who had put two bottles of scotch in his bags to smuggle them aboard the ship. The bottles had broken and the scotch had horribly stained every stitch of clothing in the man's bags. The man was informed -- to his irate, red-faced consternation -- that there was nothing the line would do to replace the destroyed clothing items because the irreparable damage was done not by the bags being dropped off the pier but came from the contraband items secreted away within the luggage.

 

Oh, and incase anyone think that the line was being cheap ... even though they didn't have to recompense the entire cost of the loss, the line DID purchase one passenger a brand new laptop.

[Sayyadina]

I've done that a lot, actually, and especially so in colder-weather cruises or when I'm serving as chaplain.

 

Not to change the subject suddenly, but I'm curious how that works? Do you tell them you will be on board and available for this, do they ask you to do this, or...?

[kingclick]

Luggage or parts of luggage CAN go missing. And not just because it was dumped in the bay.

 

Just this last Saturday one of the men in our Party put his luggage out the night before. In it was the normal stuff and his business laptop. When we went to pick up our luggage...the bag was there, but the laptop was gone. This was in FLL.

[Sayyadina]

Only your husband will know if he will feel out of place wearing a suit/tie on casual night. Personally, I would love to see more men well-dressed on any night, but that might just be me. He could go without a tie to dress his suit down a tad.

The jacket code is for formal and informal evenings; no jacket is requested on casual nights.

 

A bunch of well-traveled people have suggested the no-tie option, so that's what I'm going to suggest. Thanks!

[peaches from georgia]

Luggage or parts of luggage CAN go missing. And not just because it was dumped in the bay.

 

Just this last Saturday one of the men in our Party put his luggage out the night before. In it was the normal stuff and his business laptop. When we went to pick up our luggage...the bag was there, but the laptop was gone. This was in FLL.

ALWAYS take things of real value in your carry-on! We would never think of putting jewelry, meds, cameras in the luggage we give to the porters. Of course that would include a laptop if we brought one, also.

[RevNeal]

Not to change the subject suddenly, but I'm curious how that works? Do you tell them you will be on board and available for this, do they ask you to do this, or...?

 

Chaplains are considered part of the ship's Enrichment Entertainment staff (along with Guest Speakers, Social Hosts, and the like). Catholic priests are fully vetted and authorized to serve in that capacity; arrangements are made through two different church offices depending upon regional itinerary of interest. Protestant clergy appointments are similarly vetted with denominational judicatories (i.e., Bishops, Presbyteries, Church boards, etc) and placements are made by a Lecture Agency. An Entertainment Agency places Rabbis on specific HAL sailings taking place over High Holy Days.

 

Specific information about this can be found here:

 

http://www.hollandamericaentertainment.com/jobdescriptions/clergy.asp

 

All of this being said, sometimes one is "drafted." I was drafted into duty on 9/11. Then, on a subsequent cruise, the Chaplain never showed up and so the CD, who knew me and knew who and what I was, asked me to serve and I did, and I was nicely compensated for "services rendered." After that I tried to sign up to make the arrangement "official," but I was putt off ... told I was "not as mature" as the chaplains HAL is normally looking for (LOL!). Well, I complained about that on this board and, within 1 week, I was contacted back and told that I was in. Shows you how the Line reads these boards and acts on it, eh?

 

Warning: There is a large availability pool, meaning that one doesn't get to serve "frequently" as it were, though sometimes specific clergy are "asked for" by groups or even ship's HMs. ;) Also, we're not really supposed to talk about it much on these boards. I don't have to keep it a secret that I sometimes get to serve as a chaplain, but I'm not supposed to advertise that I'm going to be serving on such-and-such a ship on such-and-such dates.

[jhannah]

... but I'm not supposed to advertise that I'm going to be serving on such-and-such a ship on such-and-such dates.

I understand. But couldn't you say something like:

I'm going on a business trip in early April. We're expecting 1,432 people. We'll be taking a boat ride from a port that's EVER lovely.

I'll bet we could find you! :D

[dakrewser]

I don't have to keep it a secret that I sometimes get to serve as a chaplain, but I'm not supposed to advertise that I'm going to be serving on such-and-such a ship on such-and-such dates.

 

Something along the lines of: "I'll be away for 10 days beginning June 12 filling in at the Church of St. Zuiderdam in: Ft. Lauderdale, Half Moon Cay, St. Thomas, Grand Cayman and Key West. "

:rolleyes:

[RevNeal]

Not to change the subject suddenly, but I'm curious how that works? Do you tell them you will be on board and available for this, do they ask you to do this, or...?

 

FOFLMHO ... that's pretty funny.