avian777

23 minutes ago, nursemommy7578 said:

I will be creating an up to date exact map with colours and numbers after our cruise. It should not be so difficult lol. All I can currently find are outdated maps and none that show both colour/number. 

Here's something I found online a few years ago - it shows a picture of each cabana AND the cabana's Number.  As you will notice, the cabanas start with "Grey #1" at the upper (East) end of HMC and proceed Westerly down the beach to "Mauve #15" at the end.  Hope this helps.

Pinnacle Grill is $39 pp and Rudi's Sel de Mer is $50 pp, although a 20% discount is currently being offered for online bookings for our January Koningsdam cruise.  Of course, those prices are subject to Mariner discounts.

31 minutes ago, fatbob66 said:

What is the difference in the "colors" when picking a cabana @ Half Moon Cay?

 

No difference except that the cabanas are located along the HMC beach and HAL needs a way for people to choose a location ... so HAL has designated each cabana with a different color.  Suggest you check one of the available "maps" that shows the location of each cabana along the beach.

5 hours ago, Bostonjetset said:

I feel like this was directed at me and my previous statement of it making me "think twice" in the future so I will respond.  Of course I would not completely boycott a line over something as trivial as sweeteners; however, I would take this one extra thing into consideration when weighing out what trip would suit my needs at any given time.  And I am just a person who prefers no-cal beverages but what about those that cannot have sugared drinks for medical reasons?  HAL leaves them with very little options; the fact is, Stevia is not a direct substitute for the others as the taste is vastly different.  Everyone has their right to voice their opinions on their soap box but I will refrain from going into a diatribe about the nanny-state culture that western society is fast heading towards.  Many people have had enough of the PC police telling them every single thing they should or should not be allowed to do.  I am all for being environmentally conscious and am happy to get behind a system of "ask to receive" in order to cull waste but to outright ban something so commonplace and insignificant in the grand scheme of the environment is, in my opinion, penny wise and pound foolish.  

Hear, hear, Bostonjetset, well said!!! 👍👍👍

12 hours ago, MudderBear said:

That seems very late.  Did you get the Westmark?  I'm going to assume that's where they will put me.

Why not just call HAL and ask?  If those arrangements have not been made, maybe the HAL rep can tell you when to call back for a definitive answer.  JMO

On 12/24/2019 at 10:54 AM, RuthC said:

I dunno in this case. I frequently take the HAL transfer because it's less expensive for me as a solo than taking a taxi. 
That $38 per person sounds a lot higher than a HAL transfer in Ft. Lauderdale should be, and there could easily be a short tour included. 

I think you may have overlooked OP's opening comment:  " We currently have HAL transfers scheduled from Ft. Lauderdale airport to the port for our April 1 sailing.  That is costing us $76 roundtrip." (Emphasis added.)

Since these are ROUND-TRIP transfers, the fare is exactly what it should be - $19/person for the FLL-to-Pier transfer and $19/person for the Pier-to-FLL transfer.  ($19 x 2 = $38; $38 x 2 = $76)

QED

On 12/23/2019 at 12:12 PM, scubacruiserx2 said:

We just did the math on the cost of bottled water per ounce .

 

The Zepherhills Spring water that we brought from home is 1.6 cents .

 

Princess ( our next cruise ) is 3.44 cents .

 

HAL's bottled water is 14.7 cents .

 

Hal's canned water is 27.4 cents .

 

We paid 2 cents per ounce for a gallon of gasoline when we got home .

... it appears you missed the mark (by approximately 1.4 cents/ounce) by bringing Zephyrhills Spring water on board instead of a like quantity of gasoline ... JMO

7 hours ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

Being of simple mind and feeding off the bottom, I thought it was a girls name; something about "Wonderland".................

Good one, John - thanks for keeping it "real"!

Just now, boards said:

Thank you, had not heard of it before today.

You're welcome.

Can't answer your questions about the Retreat, but have some comments on Sel de Mer and Rudi's Sel de Mer.  We have eaten at both SdMs and were very pleased with both ... and I really didn't think either one was "expensive" although, like you, I realize that is a very relative concept.

Since I wasn't certain which of the Sel de Mers you were referring to, I'm attaching a "sample" menu for each.

rudi's-sel-de-mer SAMPLE MENU 11-17.pdf sel-de-mer(1) 3-14-17.pdf

3 hours ago, GreenValleyDogWalker said:

Hello all - thought I should share with all - and then ask if anyone has experienced similar customer service from either HAL or other cruise lines 

 

We were booked for the one week Mexican Riviera on the Oosterdam - (first time on HA - although 44 cruise under our belt) ) departing on December 7 - when -  on the day after Thanksgiving my hubby was rushed to the ER - a small cut on his finger had exploded into huge swelling of his forearm and shoulder - to make a long story short - after spending 9 days in the hospital and being diagnosed with a very rate blood bacteria - it was determined that no way could we go on the cruise on Dec 7 (we didn't mind that the itinerary had been changed to spending the first day in San Diego) - been on this itinerary so many times - just wanted to enjoy the SPA, good meals and good service - try HAL for the first time, also since this was a fairly short, inexpensive trip, we did not purchase trip insurance.

 

One phone call to HAL and they graciously  offered to change our booking to later - we opted for the January 4th, 2020 sailing.  (originally booking was an SB Neptune Aft wrap suite on deck 7 - the best they could do was an SB aft-wrap suite on Deck 4 - which was fine with us - they made the switch in less than a day) 😀

 

At our follow-up Dr. appointment on Dec 5th  - the Dr. advised that he was too optimistic when he first told us that by the first of the year he would be "good to go" - said that we could not travel (and certainly not out of the country) for at least another 8 weeks! 😥

 

Another call to HAL - and - guess what - they again, agreed, to transfer our booking (with NO additional cost to us) to a later date.  We are now booked on the February 29, 2020 sailing on the Oosterdam - in an SA Neptune Suite - Deck 7 (near the Neptune Lounge !) 

 

Has anyone had a similar wonderful customer service experience on HAL - or other cruise lines ??? 

 

We have had several similar experiences with HAL Customer Service ... in fact, I honestly cannot recall any of my encounters with HAL CS representatives that were less than 100% satisfactory!!!  Thanks for sharing your experience with us.

3 hours ago, boards said:

what dictionary did that come from?

Although I'm fairly certain that all of the major English-language dictionaries include the word "allision", I didn't need to look it up, as I learned it many, many years ago and surprisingly haven't forgotten!

17 hours ago, DaveOKC said:

For the most part what you are saying is true, but I have had some high level officers on HAL tell me that the most profitable customers they have are the "newbies".  Long time cruisers (in general) do not buy the photos, fancy drinks, ship trickets and take as many shore excursions.  Interesting take on the situation......

Congrats on getting your fifth star, Dave.  You are correct about "newbies" being more profitable for HAL than us old timers ... but only when compared head-to-head on a single cruise.  However, when compared on a year-in, year-out basis (number and length of cruises) over a period of several years, the "newbies" come up very short.  And that's why HAL loves us so much.

On your several questions, I suggest you contact the Mariner Society by 'phone, as I have always found the MS staff to be most helpful and thorough in responding to questions and concerns. I have also found the MS reps to be good  conversationalists with frequent good/interesting  insights into various itineraries, ports-of-call, HAL history, etc..

Again, congrats on reaching 5-star status, Dave.

On 12/20/2019 at 5:38 PM, seacruise9 said:

 ... I wonder if anyone was in the dining room when the collision occurred ... 

 

According to one of Carnival's press statements on this matter, there was no "collision" between Glory and Legend, as only one of the two ships was moving ... which made this mishap an "allision".

2 hours ago, Motor City said:

Revenue stream a new concept to you?..

 

Certainly NOT a new concept to me BUT it obviously is for you.  Hope you enjoy your Cunard cruise, as we HAL shareholders appreciate your patronage of ALL the CCL-affiliated cruise lines! And bless your heart for sharing the good news!

2 hours ago, Motor City said:

and you my friend clearly have zero “insight” on pricing or profit margins, for either retail or on premise(HAL) wine.

An $18 corkage, plus savings of purchasing,  storing the wine, etc...I have no doubt HAL knew what they were doing, when they came up with the $18 as an “average”. 
Again, HAL is getting $360 in corkage from me, that they otherwise would not have seen...Those are dollars to the bank my friend.

 

 

Bless your heart for so generously contributing to HAL's revenue stream ...

2 hours ago, jb008 said:

 

...  I seem to remember someone posting that the wine corkage fee is based on the average of profit on wine sold in the fleet ...  

Whoever posted that "insight" obviously is neither an accountant nor an arithmetician.  An $18 corkage fee on a bottle of wine that retails for $75 (24%) is nowhere near the gross profit HAL would realize if it were sold by-the-drink in one of the ships' bars or restaurants. Only on wines that retail in the $27 - $36 range would the  $18 fee approximate HAL's lost profit.

6 hours ago, Seasick Sailor said:

 

Good gracious avian, would you by chance be kin to HappyInVan? Bless your heart..

 

You may rest assured that I am NOT kin to your friend, HappyinVan, by chance or otherwise.  And I resent your gratuitous attempt to smear my good name by linking me to him/her.  Bless your heart!

2 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

It goes both ways. If HAL would stock decent ones reliably (note both the word "decent" and the word "reliably") and if they wouldn't hose customers with their mark-up, many fewer people would be willing to go to the hassle to carry wine onboard. I know for sure I'd rather buy it on board than carry it on. I'm willing to pay the standard 2 or even 2.5 times markup that you see in most restaurants, but when HAL wants to charge me $79 (not including added gratuity) for a sauvignon blanc I can buy for around $26 per bottle, I draw the line. That's not profit-making, that's greed.

 

You are certainly entitled to your opinion as to what constitutes a fair profit vs. "greed" ... and I'm entitled to mine.  And thus we'll just have to agree to disagree on this subject.

On 12/13/2019 at 12:38 PM, Seasick Sailor said:

 

I would think the current corkage fee (which includes gratuity) is substantial enough. Shareholders won't mind if I take on a few teeny cases of wine🤩🍾🍷

I am a CCL shareholder and I most certainly do not agree with you because IMHO the corkage fee is NOT high enough to offset the revenue lost to the BYOWers.  So if HAL wants to accommodate the BYOWers, I say okay but don't increase cruise fees to make up for the lost revenue.

11 hours ago, Seasick Sailor said:

Wouldn't it be great if we could order "Wine Direct" to deliver 3 or 4 cases of wine to the ship for extended voyages? It would save a "boatload" of $$$ lol.

As CCL shareholder, I think that is a terrible idea ... unless, of course, all of that wine was subject to a substantial corkage fee. 

2 hours ago, MudderBear said:

Am doing the HAL Noordham Alaska cruise/land tour in 2020.  It is my understanding that they use the Westmark hotel in Anchorage.  Unfortunately, it seems to get horrible reviews.

Do they ever put people up in the Captain Cook or any other hotels?  I will be staying for one extra day so I need to pay out of pocket for one night.  If the Westmark is really that bad then I might just do not only MY night, but also the CRUISE night in another hotel.  FWIW, we're staying in a Signature Suite onboard, so would that have any bearing on the hotel they use in Anchorage?  Thanks.

I suggest you contact HAL Ship Services Department with your questions.

6 hours ago, STANCPA44 said:

...  What I love most is ... daily mass. 

Agree 100% ... having daily Mass available on every HAL cruise is the reason we cruise exclusively with HAL!!!  Thank you HAL!

On 11/19/2019 at 5:22 PM, daisy-mae said:

 

I'm pretty sure a priest can say more than one mass a day. My home town parish priest was responsible for two Sunday morning services, and because fewer young men are entering the priesthood, the priest in my current parish has been assigned two or possibly three different parishes that he has to travel to each Sunday.

 

No need to guess about it.  According to Canon 905 of the Code of Canon Law:

      Canon 905

            §1. A priest is not permitted to celebrate the Eucharist more than once a day except in cases where the law permits him to celebrate or concelebrate more than once on the same day.

            §2. If there is a shortage of priests, the local ordinary can allow priests to celebrate twice a day for a just cause, or if pastoral necessity requires it, even three times on Sundays and holy days of obligation.

13 hours ago, SetAnOpenCourse said:

If you were told the facts then Cunard changed their practice sometime within the last two years.  They definitely had daily Mass on QM2, while not on their other ships.

Thanks for the update. Since Cunard apparently has a priest only on its QM2 cruises, HAL remains the " only cruise ship line that has a Roman Catholic Priest (who says daily Mass) on every one of its cruises".