Live from the Volendam - please join the Merry Widows on their cruise 😊

[FlorenceItaly]

1 minute ago, Essiesmom said:

She continually refused the offer, took nothing.  But got charged anyway.  EM

How awful!  I was planning on spending some time in the Spa while on the Zuiderdam in November, but now I will not.  It is very frustrating that HAL is doing nothing for her.  I find it very hard to believe they are unable to do anything!

[BetsyS.]

The "suits" in Seattle should realize that this is a very serious problem. They need to do something about it.

[Mary229]

10 minutes ago, BetsyS. said:

The "suits" in Seattle should realize that this is a very serious problem. They need to do something about it.

Until then I will not be setting foot in the spa.  Sounds scary that they have carte blanche 

[kazu]

19 hours ago, QuattroRomeo said:

We had a terrible service experience in the spa on Rotterdam. Many things went wrong regarding overcharging. DH complained several times to the so called Asst Manager there. She complained back arguing that we should back off and respect that she is a manager...🙄 One time the hydro pool closed very early. When you have already paid for your time, that isn't acceptable. The spa did nothing for us. DH talked to the Guest Services Manager a few times, and she did manage to get one days' worth of spa entry removed from our bill. 

Check your bill thoroughly while in the spa!

I agree.  They announced this morning the spa had. Specials and we all rolled our eyes

 

[Cruising-along]

Yikes.  Makes me glad I never go to the spa.  

I got my hair cut 3 times on the Volendam (had to, 3-month-long cruise).  I really had no problem, no hard sell any of the times.  But that was the hair salon, not the spa. 

[kazu]

2 hours ago, FlorenceItaly said:

How awful!  I was planning on spending some time in the Spa while on the Zuiderdam in November, but now I will not.  It is very frustrating that HAL is doing nothing for her.  I find it very hard to believe they are unable to do anything!

 

41 minutes ago, BetsyS. said:

The "suits" in Seattle should realize that this is a very serious problem. They need to do something about it.

 

29 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

Until then I will not be setting foot in the spa.  Sounds scary that they have carte blanche 

 

I agree.  I plan to write when I get home.

 

[canadianbear]

50 minutes ago, BetsyS. said:

The "suits" in Seattle should realize that this is a very serious problem. They need to do something about it.

Absolutely…no way I’d go to the spa now until we hear how it is resolved for this person. 

[kazu]

17 hours ago, AncientWanderer said:

Hi Kazu.  Glad to see you’re enjoying your cruise!

I’m kinda out of the loop, but wondered…here on the Westerdam we are seeing different lunch menus on sea days, instead of repeat of same as they’ve been doing lately.  This is a welcome change, but wondered if it’s just  because we’ve run out of the everyday stuff or if it’s fleet wide change.  Maybe check if you have a sea day?

 

Here’s our lunch menu for today…

 

 

Thanks and wishing you fair weather and calm seas!

sorry I saw this too late to get yesterday’s menu for you.  Today and tomorrow aww both port days however I have noticed there is usually one item varied on this cruise,

 

5 hours ago, tony s said:

Here is an idea for that lady who had her OBC scammed and stolen by the spa. As retired law enforcement it sounds like a theft or robbery. File a complaint with security who have to act and return to authorities on the complaint. Also demand to speak with the staff captain. That should get their attention and results.

 

that is a really good idea.  I will share with her.  It’s not tne money for her but the principle

 

 

5 hours ago, FlorenceItaly said:

In retrospect she should have refused to take the product.

 

 

she got nothing.  Supposedly the products were used on her despite  The NO’S.
 

 

 

2 hours ago, Essiesmom said:

She continually refused the offer, took nothing.  But got charged anyway.  EM

exactly.

 

[Mary229]

13 minutes ago, Cruising-along said:

Yikes.  Makes me glad I never go to the spa.  

I got my hair cut 3 times on the Volendam (had to, 3-month-long cruise).  I really had no problem, no hard sell any of the times.  But that was the hair salon, not the spa. 

What’s the difference?  I think it is the same company, isn’t it?  What if they say they used a special shampoo in your hair ?  I have always used the salon but the last time there was a lot of pressure to buy, buy, buy. 

[Cruising-along]

37 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

What’s the difference?  I think it is the same company, isn’t it?  What if they say they used a special shampoo in your hair ?  I have always used the salon but the last time there was a lot of pressure to buy, buy, buy. 

You're right, same company, but different people in the hair salon.  Maybe I was lucky 🤷‍♀️.  I usually avoid that area on cruises for this exact reason, but had no choice.  Had to get my hair cut 😉  

[kazu]

Lat night was our second dressy night.

 

rhis time we got a towel animal for the first time.

 

i think it’s an animal.  Saddest one I have ever seen.

 

[Cruising-along]

1 minute ago, kazu said:

i think it’s an animal.  Saddest one I have ever seen.

No kidding!!

[kazu]

Last night was the second dressy night of the cruise.

 

menu was pretty identical to the first one,

 

pics are really slow to upload.

 

 

and the pics aren’t great. Sorry about that.

[Live4cruises]

@kazu if any part of this woman’s charge ends up behind covered by credit card rather than OBC, perhaps she could file a fraud charge with her credit card company?

 

My spa story is that on a recent cruise, I was charged $300 for a week of thermal suite. Never set foot or inquired about the thermal suite, although I did have a massage and facial. I phoned the spa, and was polite but firm. Every time the person said “You booked —-“.  I cut her off with “No ma’am, no ma’am, I did not”. I’m sure after about the 5th time, she grew tired of it.   Half an hour later a “manager” called, and the charge was adjusted. At the time, I passed it off as an honest mistake; now I’m much less sure!  I would have been extremely unhappy had I needed to go to the Concierge only to hear “there’s nothing we can do”. 

 

I know Steiner does at least most of the mass market lines. Do they also provide services on the ships the next level up?  Just idle curiosity. 

[canadianbear]

@kazu

That is a sad towel animal.  I take eyes for mine now as I find eyes make them.  I know they don’t use them any longer so I make sure I pack some & bring the eyes home again for our next cruise. This towel animal photo from our last cruise was pretty sad before the eyes were added. 

[Mary229]

As to towel animals it may be just luck of the draw as to cabin steward.  Just like the origami animals in the MdR. There is no requirement for them but if one of the guys gets good at it he will share his talent.   (Reminder to self get origami papers as gift for next cruise)

[kazu]

In the interest of scientific research, I ordered the escargot again.

 

one was enough.

 

 

way overdone and rubbery.  Bamboozled how they could screw this up when most of the food is really good.

 

the chef came along later to inquire how we were enjoying our food. I told her it was quite good except for the escargot.  And I told her how i prepared them and the other ships we had been on.

 

she said she appreciated the feedback and was making notes 

[canadianbear]

That’s so strange about the escargot @kazu 

 Ours  have been great on our November & February cruises. Wonder what they are doing wrong on your ship.  I sure hope the chef figures it out.  

[Mary229]

2 minutes ago, kazu said:

In the interest of scientific research, I ordered the escargot again.

 

one was enough.

 

 

way overdone and rubbery.  Bamboozled how they could screw this up when most of the food is really good.

 

the chef came along later to inquire how we were enjoying our food. I told her it was quite good except for the escargot.  And I told her how i prepared them and the other ships we had been on.

 

she said she appreciated the feedback and was making notes 

I had quit the escargot about 5 cruises back as it was not good but actually had very good escargot at DH’s insistence on the Koningsdam.   Lots of inconsistency on HAL since the startup.  I will be sticking with 21+ day voyages where the quality seems to be more consistent 

[kazu]

22 minutes ago, canadianbear said:

That’s so strange about the escargot @kazu 

 Ours  have been great on our November & February cruises. Wonder what they are doing wrong on your ship.  I sure hope the chef figures it out.  

It is really weird.  Never had bad ones before no matter the length of the cruise.

 

I think she was doing them in oil originally.

 

 

 

[canadianbear]

Just now, kazu said:

It is really weird.  Never had bad ones before no matter the length of the cruise.

 

I think she was doing them in oil originally.

 

 

 

I hope she changes the way they’re made now.  We love escargot.  

[kazu]

So the cake display was on yesterday.

 

We missed it - it wasn’t in the Daily at all and we were on the wrong side of the LIdo.  No announcement either.  when we went to our PG lunch, I saw it had been added to the Navigator app;

 

Reports were it was prettier than it tasted 😉 

 

Great fellow Canadian roll call members @catletwere kind enough to share the photo  they got.

 

[Mary229]

37 minutes ago, kazu said:

It is really weird.  Never had bad ones before no matter the length of the cruise.

 

I think she was doing them in oil originally.

 

 

 

They have changed oils.  I use olive oil every day on my salad and it is definitely a large step down as is the bleu cheese.  Maybe the butters is a lower grade also

[cat shepard]

1 hour ago, kazu said:

Lat night was our second dressy night.

 

rhis time we got a towel animal for the first time.

 

i think it’s an animal.  Saddest one I have ever seen.

 

 

It is an embryo, Jacqui!

[Iamthesea]

2 hours ago, Mary229 said:

They have changed oils.  I use olive oil every day on my salad and it is definitely a large step down as is the bleu cheese.  Maybe the butters is a lower grade also

 

Two of my favorites for salad.  I hope the salad bar is still good.   Oceania had pitiful salad fixings.