Just when I thought there was nothing else to cut

[MAVIP]

1 hour ago, Mary229 said:

I think it is ship dependent.  Some MDR managers are better than others.  My cruise ended August 20.  

Yes and yes;ours ended August 24th. And we even did not ask; maybe they remembered our wishes from this spring plus quite a few weeks last year on the same ship? If they register this innocent information I am happy with the result.

[Woofbite]

On 8/7/2024 at 3:18 PM, indybelle said:

  it seems unfortunate that no one was speaking on the Vikings on the Voyage of the Vikings.  That is my specialty and passengers were always interested.  My hope is that HAL will try to book speakers who do talk about the Vikings on that voyage - it's a perfect match.   

 

I couldn't agree more.  We just returned from an Oceania cruise to Norway, Iceland and Greenland and they had Dr. Craig Cormick (Craig Cormick - Wikipedia) deliver probably 10 presentations on Viking history, Gods, customs, raids, etc.

Funny, engaging, excellent. HAL should take notes.

[POA1]

On 8/6/2024 at 8:44 PM, Hlitner said:

Just wondering what other lines even have fixed dining.  We cruise on many lines, and HAL is the only one where we still see this antiquated practice.   Pray tell.

 

Hank

Pretty much every mainstream line save for NCL. Do you have a list of the lines that have abandoned the "antiquated practice"?

[sambamama]

On Princess, there is no fixed dining. But you can set up a fixed time with the same table and waiters, which is what I did. And they still have laundries, or at on the ship I went on. Some of the things I miss aren't a matter of cost. Having rolls available at lunch in the buffet isn't as they bake those themselves. Having a wider variety of breadwinner the MDR and the Pinnacle isn't a matter of cost, either. Getting rid of my favorite hot dog wasn't a matter of cost since sauerkraut is dirt cheap, and the bacon bits are minimal and used on other things. Getting rid of adequate lounges at the indoor pool wasn't a cost cutting measure and neither was banning water and soda when they still allow wine. And if HAL wants to continue, then yes, I will speak with my wallet. I can get far more on a land based vacation, especially since HAL decided to set single supplements at 80 to 100 %, and usually at 100%. What I get is certainly not worth 200%, even without HIA. 

[Mary229]

4 hours ago, Woofbite said:

I couldn't agree more.  We just returned from an Oceania cruise to Norway, Iceland and Greenland and they had Dr. Craig Cormick (Craig Cormick - Wikipedia) deliver probably 10 presentations on Viking history, Gods, customs, raids, etc.

Funny, engaging, excellent. HAL should take notes.

I did the VOV years ago and we had an excellent slate of lecturers but none on Viking history which I did find weird.  I had reread the sagas in anticipation of a lecture series. 

Edited August 29 by Mary229

[Mary229]

1 hour ago, sambamama said:

On Princess, there is no fixed dining. But you can set up a fixed time with the same table and waiters, which is what I did. And they still have laundries, or at on the ship I went on. Some of the things I miss aren't a matter of cost. Having rolls available at lunch in the buffet isn't as they bake those themselves. Having a wider variety of breadwinner the MDR and the Pinnacle isn't a matter of cost, either. Getting rid of my favorite hot dog wasn't a matter of cost since sauerkraut is dirt cheap, and the bacon bits are minimal and used on other things. Getting rid of adequate lounges at the indoor pool wasn't a cost cutting measure and neither was banning water and soda when they still allow wine. And if HAL wants to continue, then yes, I will speak with my wallet. I can get far more on a land based vacation, especially since HAL decided to set single supplements at 80 to 100 %, and usually at 100%. What I get is certainly not worth 200%, even without HIA. 

As many single women who sale on HAL you would think they would at least have a few specials or expand their single room offerings 

[Kay S]

1 hour ago, sambamama said:

On Princess, there is no fixed dining.

That changes in September of this year.  They have a new three-way dining system.

[Shmoo here]

On 8/6/2024 at 5:44 PM, Hlitner said:

Just wondering what other lines even have fixed dining.  We cruise on many lines, and HAL is the only one where we still see this antiquated practice.   Pray tell.

 

Hank

Disney only has fixed dining.  

[3rdGenCunarder]

2 hours ago, Mary229 said:

As many single women who sale on HAL you would think they would at least have a few specials or expand their single room offerings 

 

It would be nice, but I'm not holding my breath. I've never paid less than 100% single supplement. 

[TRLD]

4 hours ago, sambamama said:

On Princess, there is no fixed dining. But you can set up a fixed time with the same table and waiters, which is what I did. And they still have laundries, or at on the ship I went on. Some of the things I miss aren't a matter of cost. Having rolls available at lunch in the buffet isn't as they bake those themselves. Having a wider variety of breadwinner the MDR and the Pinnacle isn't a matter of cost, either. Getting rid of my favorite hot dog wasn't a matter of cost since sauerkraut is dirt cheap, and the bacon bits are minimal and used on other things. Getting rid of adequate lounges at the indoor pool wasn't a cost cutting measure and neither was banning water and soda when they still allow wine. And if HAL wants to continue, then yes, I will speak with my wallet. I can get far more on a land based vacation, especially since HAL decided to set single supplements at 80 to 100 %, and usually at 100%. What I get is certainly not worth 200%, even without HIA. 

Princess is returning fixed dining to 1 dining room on each ship in September.

[ghjcmo]

2 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

It would be nice, but I'm not holding my breath. I've never paid less than 100% single supplement. 

 

Same here.  Well I take that back.  One time, on my very first solo cruise back in 2014, i actually got a balcony cabin on the Carnival Legend for the price of ONE person.  That has NEVER happened again.  Like you said, it's always 100%.   Always.