The-Inside-Cabin

Official 2026 World Cruise press release HERE

Kaiseki Dinner tonight "Kaiseki or kaiseki-ryōri is a traditional multi-course Japanese dinner. The term also refers to the collection of skills and techniques that allow the preparation of such meals and is analogous to Western haute cuisine. There are two kinds of traditional Japanese meal styles called kaiseki or kaiseki-ryōri. Wikipedia"

Some ships are different - Zuiderdam here

Here is a transcript of what he said about 2025 - audio only video below Gus: And then we've got our two longer voyages the 124 day grand world you see here. You guys are very familiar with and many of you are already booked on it. Some questions I've, I've gotten, and we're going to, we're going to look at this, and I think it's worth making a decision soon. Do we think the Suez is passable in 2025? Anybody's guess. Well, does anyone think it would be passable in 2025? (Audience Shouting) Two optimists in the room. Three? Four? Okay. Yeah. So I think it's worth getting clarity on that. And we're gonna make, decision-making, now. The challenge is that it's a lot of Africa, again, and you know, it's tough. We're going to do it here (2024). We just did a grand Africa, so I'm going to talk to the team tomorrow and see if there's a way to zip around Africa a little faster. We'll look at it. But there may be something we can do to minimize the African content and get to more of the Med, maybe some North Africa, Casablanca. (applause) We'll look at it, we’ll look at it. You guys give it a thumbs up? Sounds like it would be worthwhile. We want to do it fast, we want to give certainty to all of you and potential folks that want to come on board. And then we've got the 133 day pole to pole , and we haven't announced it, but we will announce in the next couple of months we're going to do something special in Barcelona. Both the ships are there. We're going to try and figure out how we do something between both of the ships. They're going to be there in the same the same day. And so we still need to plan it. But we'll be coming out with some of that detail in the next, the next couple of months.

He did say they have something big planned in Barcelona.

No one asked those questions. It's unlikely he would have known the answers at that level of detail anyway. It would have been. "We'll get back to you"

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2981315-2024-grand-world-voyage-with-the-inside-cabin/?do=findComment&comment=66992454

He meant no more long cruises competing with each other. I think the other Grands - Africa, South America, Asia etc will continue.sti No indication of when the 2025 change will be announced - they are trying to figure out how to bypass Suez but still touch the Mediterranean. He mused about challenging the team to see if they could go around Africa "faster"

We will miss you guys! Get well soon!

They said Henk's last world is 2025 - no indication if he is retiring or will be doing other cruises.

Roll call started - Correction to my first post - Henk's last world in 2025 - Not 2026

Question about bathtubs. Gus doesn't like bathtubs. By audience applause - vast majority like walk in showers. Thanks about future ports being better Last Question: Hal website needs to be improved. Gus said back end was improved last August. Front end recently improved. really last question Would like to see availabile shore excursions before booking cruise. Noted Gus wraps after 1 hour 53 minutes

Question about pork allergies- pork not clearly identified on menus. complaint that food labels on menus is occasionally wrong. Noted will continue to work hard to keep accurate Q-Any new ships coming? No Yards want big ships. Charges premium for smaller ships. Gus looking at ship size between Vista and Pinnacle class. All new ships in the industry are huge. Q - about entertainment - exercise classes too early. Wants more activities in the PM. noted Q- more complaints about not getting enough free pinnacke dinners on long cruises. More complaining about mariner benefits. People should realize answer isn't going to change today. Complaining again about Crows Nest More comments than questions Guest wants more plant based food. Mild boos from audience. Noted. 90 minutes in. Attaboy about library and hand washing stations in Lido Compliment that Gus honored commitment that long cruises have classical musicians. Will continue on longer cruises. All around compliment on Canelletos. Need improved decor. like new menu. Compliment that HAL has best ADA accessibility But now Pinnacle ships have cleaning carts in corridors that block wheel chairs from getting around. Carts recently added - they will take another look. Request that movies have subtitles complains about shareholder benefit. Big carnival runs that program. Question - wants to see appetizers sized main course available. Audience shouts. - they are available. Just ask. Ballroom dancing emphasis will continue No new movies in cabins since cruise started. Academy award movies should be available. - Noted World stage events not rebroadcast in cabins. Will take a look. - no quick answer Q Why was sleep timer deactivated. - A - Wut? Q - thanks for changing crafts to 3 sections Q- phone service is bad. Hard to find good people. Looking to do more in Philippines 3 more questions. - 1 hour 45 minutes

Q - compliments about food - HOWEVER- No choir. Gus not aware. Gus will look at. He likes the idea. Comment. - 2024 big improvement over 2023 Another question about Mariner benefits. Repeated same question. I suspect same answer coming. Complaining about American Test Kitchen. Demos only. Cooking classes too hard to pull off. Will be looking at mariner benefits in 2025. Too much wind on Pickleball court. can't do much to fix. Gus agrees to play guest in Tokyo. Q - Not enough handicap rooms on Volendam. Gus thinks Volendam will get ADA remediation package by 2026 1 hour and 20 minutes and counting.

Complaint about 5 star benefits. 5 star benefits watered down. Complaint that priority boarding doesn't start until after security. Then of less value. Gus says: problem with two many people at higher tiers. Will take a fresh look next year. More single supplement comments. Questioner would like single cabins reserved for higher status passengers. Not gonna happen. No change to single program. Q- hard to find cruises where 3rd and 4th passengers are free for 5 stars. Not clear if this is a real perk or just a promotion. we are 1 hour in - still going strong Q - would like to see live entertainment back in crows nest. A. Yes it changed. No changes coming. Q. - Retail shops clothes don't fit well. Need bigger sizes

Complaint about CIBT. - Noted Single Supplement again. No changes coming. Sorry. Question about perks - question not clear. Lots of cross talk. His doesn't understand question. No answer given. why 2025 world and pole to pole same year. A. Overly optimistic. Won't happen again. Q - Account Statements- don't want to see bills again. Pricing is a hodgepodge. Packages accounting is not good. A - Gus agrees. Needs to fix. Q- complaining about unfulfilled promises from 2023 lecture. Food not good. Too much seafood. Crowd disagrees. Clapping that food is good. complaining about mundane activities- complaining about number of free dinners for longer cruises. 2 dinners for one week and two dinners for world cruise. Gus will look at this. gus encourages people to ask for off menu items.

Question about marketing - nothing interesting said question about single supplement- can we get double mariner point bonus. Gus sounds like this may happen. gentlemen host program. - will it come back? they are eliminated. More details will be provided later. Another single supplement question. Don't put single cabins only in bad locations. A. Unlikely. Question about greener fuel - nothing easy. Fuel alternatives are not a realistic option for now.

Q and A I will post answers only where question is obvious. 1) Clergy will continue on longer cruises 2) Attaboys to staff 3) Need to fix corporate customer service. Especially Brazil visa situation. Will you do away with single supplement. Answer. No. more single cabins. Supplement will continue. Four people answer office of the president emails US state department helped change Brazil waiver situation. 4) Comments about theme nights. Need more advance detail about events. ship is involved. - noted

Ship is Volendam - Henk will not be Hotel GM. His last world is 2026

2026 will be on Volendam.

Review 2025 World. Changed coming. Red Sea unlikely Next year is Henks last world.

Review of itineraries no more two grand cruise in same year

Gus started. Opening slides showing video on fresh fish program.

Gus's presentation with the announcement of the 2026 world cruise itinerary will start in one hour. Midnight eastern time. I will post the itinerary as soon as it flashes on the screen. Probably around 12:15 am eastern.

Thanks for sharing. Great pics. Sounds like a really nice time.