C 2 C

4 hours ago, Retired 07 said:

I noticed on the itinerary on the Navigator app, they show 3 different options for dressing at dinner: dressy, casual, and smart casual. What’s the difference between casual and smart casual?

The IQ of the staff at the door.  Frequent cruisers know how to impress their partners, others wear whatever they can get away with.  Some will be turned away but you will see a variety  no matter the code of th eday.

Lee is a long way off from Quebec.

We will be onboard and don't foresee any problems at all.

Halifax is A 1,000 KM from Quebec.

Zuiderdam is presently near PEI and will be heading up the St Lawrence soon.

After hitting Nova Scotia, Lee will head NE, not towards Quebec.

18 hours ago, zitsky said:

Well Celebrity is not done yet.  Eventually they’ll cut something you care about.  Or add fees.  How about seeing a show for $20?

I'd would finally go to the show again if they gave me $20.00

2 hours ago, chas said:

Thank you again for taking us along on your trip!

 

On the morning that we leave the ship in Quebec, we need to be at the Quebec airport by 9AM.

Looking at the transfer option offered by HAL ($24 pp) for the airport shuttle it does not specify departure times from the ship.

 

Any opinions on using UBER, Taxi, or HAL's shuttle to get to the airport that early with 4 people?

 

I see that you have mentioned that the ship is in a secure area in Quebec. Do they allow the transportation options to pick you up right at the ship, or do you need to walk out of the secure area to your shuttle, cab, etc?

Because you are overnighting in Quebec and because there are no immigration procedures, you can leave as early as you want.  Independent travel arrangements such as Uber or a taxi may be a better way to travel to the airport.  You can be picked up right at the terminal.  We cruised out of Quebec last year and will do so again in 2 weeks.

4 hours ago, DaveOKC said:

Worst embarkation in almost 30 HAL cruises was in Montreal.  Taxi could not find the ship, which was 1/2 mile from the hotel.  Then the embarkation process was delayed about 2 hours with no place for hundreds of people to sit on a hot day!

We were there in May and had absolutely no problem.  Perhaps because I was the taxi driver and my Tom Tom found the parking garage right across from the terminal.  I believe we started to board about 11 but as you say, few seats were available.

18 hours ago, Mareblu said:

We've had the same experiences, and are yet to endure an unfavourable HOHO.  In two locations where we were staying a while, some were so enjoyable that we repeated the ride on another day.

Loved San Francisco

Blackduck59:

Thank you for your posts on Zaandam.

We are Celebrity cruisers but last year we cruised on the N Statendam from Quebec to Boston and back.  This spring we cruised on Zaandam from Montreal to Boston and back.  In two weeks we will sail on Zuiderdam from Quebec to Boston and back.

We are lucky enough to be within driving distance, only 8 hours to Montreal from Southern Ontario.  Although we enjoyed the small ship experience of Zaandam, especially the food, the experience was not up to the standards set by the N Statendam.  We really like the new class of ships compared to the new Celebrity Edge class.  We enjoyed the N Statendam so much we booked 8 weeks over the holidays in the Caribbean, Christmas to Feb 2023.  HAL is so good attracting loyal cruisers, we had over 700 back to backers in Dec., something we never experienced on Celebrity.

On 8/30/2023 at 8:39 AM, CruiserBruce said:

Food is totally subjective. If people think the food is great, that doesn't make them wrong, nor is your opinion wrong.

For example: I love tomatoes and every derivative, including Bloody Caesar.  I can't imagine being tomato intolerant.  "One man's (enter correct gender) meat, is another man's poison"

Search function... what a joke.

Just trying to get to a thread I'm asked if I'm willing to wait.  There are just too many cheerleaders trying to counter complainers complaining about cheerleaders on cruise critic.  We all know that no one can handle the truth, or was that a falsehood?  Anyways cruise critic is an addiction to most posters here even when they hate the topic.

I called HAL and was told to go to the wrong terminal.  Zaandam will be at the Dalhousie pier when it arrives from Montreal. The port guide shows where ships will dock.

We're on Zuiderdam Sept 16 B2B and will be at Quai 30, the same pier as N Statendam a year ago.

Cruises - Vessel schedules - Cruise ships schedule - Port de Québec (portquebec.ca)

I loved to dress up.  I don't bring my tux anymore but I do miss formal nights.

47 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

But what if I have a complaint about the complainer who dislikes people complaining about complaints?

Just roll on by.

I love to read threads with complaints.  What I do dislike is posters who complain about complainers.  Every company dislikes negative comments.  If it was not for people raising a stink about "X the rules", charging for burgers or cookies or downgrades, the apparent downward spiral would not end.  The comment about "it was only on one ship" is so shortsighted.  It was a test to see if they could start charging for cookies or even everything now free at the Cafe.

Every poster has the right to be read or ignored.  Stop shooting the messengers and keep the pressure on.

I'm a very optimistic pessimist.  The worst may happen but not necessarily to me.

I'm still holding on to our 8 Celebrity bookings because cruise critic members will keep the pressure on (all cruise lines) to maintain the standards we expect onboard.

What I'm looking for on my next cruise is no surprises.

No sudden introduction of a new fee.  No cuts to the almost always available pillow chocolates, or those horrible (to some) afternoon snacks.  We cruise over and over because we like a certain product, service and destination.  Don't cancel my cruise on a whim.

Do you remember the slogan?

History: No surprises in the backstory of Holiday Inn in Palm Springs (desertsun.com)

13 minutes ago, Random Cruizer said:

Well, I don't drink coffe, but I do drink cans of coke zero--so this actually sounds like a great idea!  Pay what I'm paying! 😄

Are you implying we  start with the base: Celebrity Zero. and everything is extra? (+20%) 🙃

How To Get From Montreal Airport To Downtown Montreal | 2023 - MTL Travel Blog (montrealtravelblog.com)

18 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

Just adding while the auto manufacture monthly subscription concept may be new, its premise isn't.  Auto manufactures have had planned obsolescence, maintenance and offer annual updated map navigation DVDs

$700 to update maps on my Lexus.  It's not needed since the nav and backup camera system stopped working and is only $2,000 to replace.

5 minutes ago, C4HCG said:

😂 how is the weather where you are? I think one thread about a change such as the butler one is enough, not 10 or more with people making their own point multiple times. Silence is better. Weather here rainy, thanks for asking.

For the first time in 70 years living here we had 4 tornado warnings last night.  Exciting?  No change can be painful and memorable.

2 hours ago, C4HCG said:

Some posters here are only happy when they have something to complain about however trivial it seems to others 

You can't talk about the weather all the time.  There is nothing one can do if mother nature has her own way. Are you suggesting we should start posting about all the improvements introduced on board? .. .. Just listen to the silence.

16 hours ago, CruisinBanka said:

Agree! I wouldn’t buy one just for the principle of them charging for a cookie. Ridiculous. Talking about nickel and dimeing. 

Price of inflation: Loonies and Toonies for Canadians..

On 8/21/2023 at 5:50 AM, Toofarfromthesea said:

You might find this helpful for an overview:

 

 

Thank you so much for this link.  We've cruised both lines extensively and the presentation is fair to both cruise lines.

15 hours ago, julia said:

Each has their strengths, each has their minuses, and EVERY ship is different.  You will simply never know until you try it.

A person might learn from their experience or mistakes, but it is much more efficient to learn from the mistakes and experience of others.

On 6/28/2023 at 12:15 PM, Travelexpert35 said:

I know we can’t mention any TA’s on here but was wondering if anyone has gotten Canadian pricing from the NH company. I have used them in the past but only in US dollars. Difficult to reach them to ask so thought someone out there can shed some light.

This NH company is now owned by another entity.  I had used them extensively until the covid period at which time they did not communicate.  I have one last booking but the booking was posted in Barcelona.  They charge for changing reservations or cancellations.  Your best bet is to get a travel card that does not charge for US conversions.

On 8/8/2023 at 11:16 AM, CruzR887 said:

Here's why HAL is there cruise line we check first when selecting a cruise:

 

You have been reading my mind.  There is not a nicer destination on the 7 seas than the Crow's Nest for cruisers who love to be onboard.  And the Dutch cafe for all the foods I loved when I grew up.

We have cruised Celebrity to the Z Level and HAL to 4 **** 

Never have we experienced the repeat back to back cruisers that we experienced over the last year on our 8 week stay on N Statendam.  B2B were never less than 200 pax and as high as 700+.  We found the demographics very similar between the two lines.

If you are a frequent cruiser (like us) the stage shows on Celebrity get stale fast but guest entertainers are better than on HAL.  However we like to dance and the opportunities on HAL are much better than on Celebrity.  Celebrity has picked all the busiest walkways and put a small dance floor in the middle.

One thing that I have found as I read threads on both HAL and X, here and another location, is that Celebrity sites have more vicious, nasty and unsympathetic responses if one tries to post a negative experience.  HAL members, as a group,  are friendlier and more helpful by a country mile.  The friends you make on both lines are equally fantastic.