Changes on Hal

[CoastalCounseling]

My first cruise was on Hal in Feb 2004. I have been away from the boards since then. Just booked for the Zuiderdam in Dec and am curious about all the changes I am reading about.

1. Is there now a charge for Lido ice cream? Coffee... in the Windstar right?

2. What is the new $10/day tipping poilcy? Do they add it to your bill? Is it optional? Who is to stop me from slipping cash to my room steward/waiter/room service if I so choose?

3. No alcohol in the rooms? Has this changed as well?

Is anything else I should know about .... recent changes?

Thanks!
Kelly

[Ellya]

Ice Cream in the Lido is free (and so are the nummy chocolate chip cookies right next to them).

Regular coffee in the Lido is free, but specialty coffee in the coffee shop costs extra.

They add the $10 per person per day to your bill at the end of the cruise along with any other charges you make. This is distributed to various people including your room steward and dining staff. You can still tip on top of that in person if you desire. If you tip in addition, the staff does get to keep it. But if you want to reduce the tips then you must go and have that done at the office. If you reduce your tips (or remove them) the staff must pool any tips you give them.

I can't tell you what the alcohol policies are since I simply bought my (few) drinks.

[spcl4cs_gal]

Anything served by the bar staff has an automatice 15% added to it and this is supposedly used only by the bar staff. I have to add that no one is happy with this at all.

[Krazy Kruizers]

:)

You can no longer bring your own alcohol onto the ship (people are smuggling it on). If they see you have for example, a bottle of absolut, in your carry-on luggage, it will be taken from you and returned to you at the end of the cruise.

You can bring on board wine and champagne.

Any alcohol that you buy in a port will also be held to the end of the cruise.

You can no longer buy alcohol in the boutiques for in-room consumption. If you want alcohol in your cabin, you can either order it before your cruise through ship services or order ir when you get on the ship. The price is around $29 a bottle unless you order something very special.

:)

[rocks]

I'm sure glad that the bar staff is getting a tip from everyone! This is the best part of the new tipping policy..IMHO
rocks

[gizmo]

I don't like it at all. Why a 15% tip if service is bad? On my last cruise the bar service in the casino was the worst bar service I ever saw. We moved into the Ocean Bar which had excellent service for pre dinner cocktails. Mr. Gizmo also complained about the bar staff pouring "short" in the casino. Not only was the bar service bad, but while playing at the tables, the waitress was invisable. We never had this happen before. We had to ask the dealer to get someone, he would get the casino boss, and then he went off to find the waitress. This happened night after night. In the past, the casino waitress would always approach us and ask if we would like a drink. I would like to add the Explorer Lounge service was also excellent.

[Krazy Kruizers]

:)

Agree with the 15% on bar tabs.

On the Maasdam this past May we gave up having a drink before dinner in the Ocean Bar. Cocktail hour began at 5:15. We had dinner at 5:45. By the time our drink order was taken and delivered to us it was 5:30 and the appetizers weren't brought out till that time. We never went back.

:)

[Thoth]

[QUOTE=Ellya]Ice Cream in the Lido is free (and so are the nummy chocolate chip cookies right next to them).

Regular coffee in the Lido is free, but specialty coffee in the coffee shop costs extra.

They add the $10 per person per day to your bill at the end of the cruise along with any other charges you make. This is distributed to various people including your room steward and dining staff. You can still tip on top of that in person if you desire. If you tip in addition, the staff does get to keep it. But if you want to reduce the tips then you must go and have that done at the office. If you reduce your tips (or remove them) the staff must pool any tips you give them.

That sounds great to me! Free regular coffee, free ice cream, free popcorn
Oosterdam 24 July 04 here I come!!

[Krazy Kruizers]

:)

On the Oosterdam, the free popcorn was kept inside the Queen's Room on days when movies were shown. Check the time schedule in the daily program and get there early.

:)

[idiebabe]

Hi!

I'm new to HAL (although I've sailed many times). I'm booked on the Zui in April, 2005. Do they have the coffee/tea station on Lido available on a 24 hour basis?

Also, cocktail hour. Is that everyday and is it in certain lounges?

Is there a Captain's Dinner night (formal) and which night does it normally fall on? The other cruises I've been on it's usually the first "sailing" day.

I'd appreciate any info - thanks.

Eileen

[divinggirl]

I can't believe I didn't think to ask this before...are drinks in the casino free while you gamble, like at a real casino?

[Roadwork]

Sorry, but no, drinks are not free in the casino.

[elmorejj]

Eileen, the coffee/tea station is open 24 hours. Cocktail hour is every evening about 45 mins. prior to your dinner seating. It`s in most main lounges and hot and cold Hors D`oevres are served. The Captains welcome aboard dinner is usually on the first formal night....the first full day aboard. There will be the usual meet and greet with the Capt. and other officers and champagne is served along with Hors D`oevres.....jean

[CoastalCounseling]

I appreciate all the help with these questions.

Do I understand this correctly?

So I can have the $10 per person removed from my account. Then I can slip cash to my room steward and dining staff as I see fit??

One HAL staff made my child an oragami animal to play with. Another turned a napkin into an hand puppet and entertained my son. These are the people who made our cruise special. One room service staff sat and had a glass of wine and discussed his home country with us. I want those extra special staff to be rewarded.

Has anyone had trouble bringing on beer or soda?

Thanks,

Kelly

[Jacqueline]

See the tipping threads. Its been beaten to death !

[Krazy Kruizers]

:)

Concerning tips - if you chose to have the tips removed from your account, you will be given a form to fill out and asked why you are doing so. Then you will get a form letter from the captain explaining HAL's new tipping policy and asking you to reconsider. Your room steward and dining room wait staff will be notified of your decision. Those crew members are SUPPOSED to turn in any cash they get from passengers who chose to drop the automatic tips. That money is supposed to then be put into a pool. Notice I said, SUPPOSED. How honest will the crew be to turn in those tips? I can't answer that for you.

:)

[Orcrone]

So I can have the $10 per person removed from my account. Then I can slip cash to my room steward and dining staff as I see fit?? You can do that. However, if you remove the automatic tip, then anything you give to your stewards has to be turned in to be pooled anyhow.

However, if you leave the automatic tip in place then anything you give above and beyond can be kept by the stewards.

Sorry, must have written this as KK was posting.

[Orcrone]

Has anyone had trouble bringing on beer or soda?
I believe you're allowed to bring beer and soda on board for consumption in your cabin. I just wouldn't overdo it. Having Pepsi and Budweiser trucks pull up to the dock might raise some eyebrows.:D

[Krazy Kruizers]

:)

As for the cocktail hour and dining times, this is what happened when we were on the Maasdam this past May. For the first group of diners, cocktail hour was from 5:15 - 6:15 in the Ocean Bar and Crow's Nest. This was great for those who had the 6:15 diner time. But, like us, who ate at 5:45 - not great. We went to the Ocean Bar at 5:15. By the time our drink order was taken, drinks brought to us along with appetizers it was 5:30 - only 15 minutes to sit and enjoy everything. We never went back. We were used to sitting and having a couple of drinks and appetizers before dinner.

And if it the same situation on the Statendam this fall, we will just have vegies in the Neptune Lounge.

:)

[agt]

You can no longer bring your own alcohol onto the ship (people are smuggling it on). If they see you have for example, a bottle of absolut, in your carry-on luggage, it will be taken from you and returned to you at the end of the cruise.

I have looked all though my contract as well as on the HAL website,
and I can see no mention of this alcohol policy. Is it documented anywhere?
(This cruise will be my first, so if there are any other
"unwritten rules" I should know about, I'd appreciate any advice!)

[elmorejj]

The new liquor policy was brought in about February..I think. No bottles of liquor in carry ons, only wine or champagne, beer is a no no, but I think you can bring soda if its a different brand to what they serve on board (coke products). Of course you can still bring it on in your checked luggage if you wrap it correctly, just for cabin consumption..its now called smuggling!!.....jean

[Jacqueline]

I have looked all though my contract as well as on the HAL website,
and I can see no mention of this alcohol policy. Is it documented anywhere?
(This cruise will be my first, so if there are any other
"unwritten rules" I should know about, I'd appreciate any advice!)

Its stated very clearly on p.11 in the "Know before you go" booklet that comes with the documents....

[Charlie2na]

What about my triple espresso from the Java cafe , are they charging for that now too?

[Krazy Kruizers]

:)

When you say "triple espresso" are you talking about a special coffee with or without alcohol?

Any coffee with alcohol added to it will cost extra.

:)

[Charlie2na]

No alchohol, just espresso.... and some of those wonderful cookies too!

[FlorenceItaly]

No alchohol, just espresso.... and some of those wonderful cookies too!

My experience on the Maasdam last month was NO CHARGE.

Marie

[Santa Fe Jim]

The Vista class ships -- Zuiderdam, Oosterdam, Westerdam -- have a Windstar Cafe where the espresso, capuccino, boutique coffees cost a modest amount. The other HAL ships -- to this date anyway -- have a Java Cafe where the espresso and capuccino are complementary -- a charge for the more exotic coffee drinks.:)

SFJ

[Santa Fe Jim]

This is posted (well-hidden, though) on HAL's website. However, it doesn't cover the exceptions -- wine/liquor ordered before the cruise to be delivered to your room, or via another on-board order system. Unfortunately, as it states, duty-free beverages bought in HAL's on-board "liquor store" will be safely kept for your departure.


Bringing Alcoholic Beverages Onboard
Except for wine and champagne, alcoholic beverages purchased in the vessel's shops or otherwise brought on the ship cannot be consumed on the ship. Bottles and other containers will be collected for safekeeping and delivered to your stateroom on the last day of the voyage

SFJ

[agt]

Its stated very clearly on p.11 in the "Know before you go" booklet that comes with the documents....
Thanks! That section is pretty clearly labeled "Bringing Alcohol Onboard",
so I must have just skipped over the bottom of that page both times I read through the booklet.

[Lois R]

:) this thread is very informative..thank you!....Jean, you were mentioning the cocktail hour before each seating...with hor'dorves....that sounds lovely....hot and cold ones?
I always enjoy a drink or 2 before my dinner....now, I am guessing the food is complimentary? and the drinks are not...is that a correct assumption?

[elmorejj]

You are right Lois, free Hors D`oevres, pay for drinks. They have both hot Hors D`oevres eg. egg rolls, shrimp, meat balls, wantons, wings etc. and cold crudities with dips. They are all very nice. They will bring you a small plate of them but you can always ask for more....jean

[Krazy Kruizers]

:)

We have always enjoyed a couple of drinks before dinner either in the Ocean Bar or the Crow's Nest. But HAL's new dinner times changed that for us. We had 5:45 dinner and cocktail hour was from 5:15 till 6:15 for the first group of passengers on the Maasdam this past May. By the time our drink order was taken, drinks were served, and the appetizers brought to us, it was after 5:30. We never went back to any of the bars after that.

:)

[idiebabe]

Hi Jean!

Thank you for the info on the cocktail hour and the tea/coffee. That's a nice touch that they have that every night. We also like to go and have a drink before dinner.

Thanks again for the info,

Eileen

[seagoingJLW]

Since when is there a charge for coffee in the Java Cafe? Amd what happened to the spigot for Espresso up on the Lido Deck?

Joan

[peaches from georgia]

The Vista ships do not have a Java Cafe, Joan. They have a much larger 'Windstar Cafe' where there is a modest charge for gourmet coffees, but also a wider selection of choices, iced coffees of all kinds, and pastries.

[ASM]

The Windstar charges are indeed moderate--$1.75 for a comparable $3 or $4 coffee at Starbucks, etc. and just as good. They also mark a card for you and every 6th (?) is free.

[seagoingJLW]

When you say specialty coffe in the coffee shop costs extra, are you referring to the Java Cafe? I remember espresso being available on the Lido (pour it yourself) and evenings in the Explorers' Lounge. Are these venues no longer free?

Joan

[ASM]

The newer Vista class ships do not have a Java Cafe. Instead they offer specialty coffes for a fee in the Windstar Cafe, along with pastries, etc. This is contracted out just like the spa. I never ordered coffee in the Explorers Lounge, nor did I notice an espresso machine in the Lido. And I think I would have as I love my coffee. I just had regular coffee there in the mornings. Cappucino is available in the dining room after dinner at no charge but isn't nearly as good as the Windstar.

[peaches from georgia]

No, Joan. On the Vista ships (Zuiderdam, Oosterdam, and Westerdam) there is NO Java Cafe. It is the Windstar Cafe and there is a charge for gourmet coffees.

The other older ships still have a Java Cafe with no charge for coffee, but I believe the Javas are going to be eliminated and Windstar Cafe's built on those ships, too, where there will be a charge.

[KAKcruiser]

I had heard that, too, that the java cafe's would be converted. Do you have any idea when that would be? It is really a shame that the things that made HAL special are being eliminated.

[elmorejj]

I have never seen an espresso machine on the lido deck. Just the regular coffee. I`m not sure I would want espresso that has been premade coming out of that type of machine, its best when made fresh......jean

[ekerr19]

jean-

There was one last time we sailed on the Noordam. Nothing fancy, but i like my coffee with steamed milk and the machine did a pretty good job.

[elmorejj]

ekerr, I also like hot milk in my coffee, so when we order room service in the mornings I always request hot milk, never had a problem they bring me a large jug of hot milk. Now on the lido deck, there is a huge container of hot milk next to the oatmeal, I`ve never used it for my coffee though!!....jean

[Char]

Does HAL allow you to take personal wine to the dining room and charge a corkage fee? If so, how much is the fee?
Thanks! http://smileys.******************/cat/311v.gif (http://www.******************/?partner=ZSzeb001)

[Spender Nui]

:)

Concerning tips - if you chose to have the tips removed from your account, you will be given a form to fill out and asked why you are doing so. Then you will get a form letter from the captain explaining HAL's new tipping policy and asking you to reconsider. Your room steward and dining room wait staff will be notified of your decision. Those crew members are SUPPOSED to turn in any cash they get from passengers who chose to drop the automatic tips. That money is supposed to then be put into a pool. Notice I said, SUPPOSED. How honest will the crew be to turn in those tips? I can't answer that for you.

:)
The catch there is if you tip directly, and they don't turn in the tips, the inference is that they didn't do a good enough job to warrant a tip and is a mark against them.

[elmorejj]

Yes HAL allows you to bring your own wine to the DR. The corkage fee is $15 unless its gone up again....jean

[uncialman]

KAKcruiser stated:

I had heard that, too, that the java cafe's would be converted. Do you have any idea when that would be? It is really a shame that the things that made HAL special are being eliminated.

I respond:

Java Cafes will be replaced by fee-based Windstar Cafes on ALL S and R class ships, beginning apparently with the Ryndam, within the next 2 years. The Windstar Cafe will be located in the Hudson Room/Erasmus Library section and will also exist amongst a "floating classroom" that HAL is developing to offer fee-based cooking classes, arts and crafts classes and cultural studies. In other words: $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Kind of sad.

Uncialman

[RevNeal]

Java Cafes will be replaced by fee-based Windstar Cafes on ALL S and R class ships, beginning apparently with the Ryndam, within the next 2 years.

I asked the Line about this back when this was first announced on this board several months ago. The word I got back was that (as of then) it was not yet entirely determined that they're going to do it, either at all or on all of the S-R ships. Apparently, the response from Mariners who have been polled on this has not been as encouraging as they would have liked. It's not so much the fee-portion that HAL Mariners seem to be objecting to, it's the thinking as to where they're going to put it.

I would look for them to announce it, with great fan-fare, in a major press release at some point several months before the first ship actually goes through the conversion. Before the Statendam had the first Pinnacle Grill retrofitted to her the announcement was made a good 6 months to a year in advance. They'll do it to make some press and tout it as a major improvement. They haven't done that yet (other than in some cryptic, and somewhat inaccurate, statements by some officers aboard ship).

If they begin with the Ryndam, it looks like it's already too late for them to do it at her next 10 day dry-docking this fall (09/25 to 10/06/04). Unless they spring it on us by surprise ... but with a major reconstruction job, like this, I doubt they'll do that. They normally toot their own horn and try to make such changes look like improvements.