iceman93

This kind of short-sighted response is sadly unsurprising. Why not make the whole casino slots, then? Remove all the bars and restaurants, all the table games, everything else and just put in slots. By a dollars-per-square-foot basis, this would maximize profits, no? They forget that not everyone goes to the casino for slots. And they also forget there are diminishing returns for each additional slot machine. At some point they will have attracted all the slots players they're going to, and adding more machines just spreads those people out but doesn't actually bring in any more revenue. Meanwhile, everyone else who doesn't play slots takes their money elsewhere. And their incidental spend which, most likely, is a lot higher than the average slot player's.

Well, I learned something here! Not that I would ever order a PG steak to the MDR or via room service, but it's educational to know that you can. Yes, you can order Uber Eats from a fine steakhouse, but you're missing out on the experience of being in said steakhouse. Some people don't care (like those folks who are okay getting a PG steak delivered to their stateroom), and I admit that sometimes the service and ambiance in the PG don't live up to expectations. But I, for one, am happy to pay the PG upcharge on occasion for the overall experience of dining there. The food, service, and ambiance make for a nice change of pace on a longer cruise.

I wasn't aware that was possible, but there are countless things I don't know. That being said, I suspect it would be easier for you to get MDR items in the PG than for him to get a PG steak in the MDR. Either way, I hope it works out for you!

Or if you have a Cruise Director who doesn't do all of those things. On my two HAL cruises last year the Cruise Directors couldn't have been more different in terms of personality, involvement, and visibility. So before you dismiss other posters' points of view, maybe pause to think not everyone has had the exact same experiences you have had.

More or less, all the bars on the ship can make the same drinks. And since the bartenders often have to cover shifts in other than their "home" locations, they pretty much know all the recipes. In addition, these are full bars, meaning they can make lots of drinks besides the few that are on the printed menus. Any favorite mocktails you enjoy at home can likely be made on board (e.g. virgin pina coladas, virgin daiquiris, virgin mudslides, virgin lava flows). Some of the best mocktails my daughters have enjoyed on board came from asking the bartender "I'm in the mood for a non-alcoholic drink that doesn't taste too fruity but has a hint of banana in it" or something like that. They love to whip things together, alcohol or not!

Can I get an "amen"?! I've said this from the start, when the partnerships with Microsoft and America's Test Kitchen began. Then the partnerships continued--Oprah, BB King's, Rolling Stone, Chateau Ste Michelle, and I'm probably forgetting a few. I'm sure some made more sense financially than others (Microsoft may have actually paid for the computer centers, for instance, rather than HAL paying for the Microsoft name), but for a venue like a nighttime rock and blues club HAL could easily have done their own thing.

But you have the funds to fly halfway around the world and take an upscale cruise? Your original question was "will I make the flight". The answer is "maybe". It will certainly be stressful worrying about it, even if everything goes smoothly. And what happens with your dog sitters, car at the airport, and all your other excuses if you DO miss the flight? I hope everything goes smoothly for you and you have a nice end to your vacation. But I'm not sure what advice you were looking for here if you're just going to push back on everyone's suggestions.

I second the advice of a previous poster to spend a night (or two) in Copenhagen before flying home. It's one of my favorite cities in the world to visit for a couple of days, and that little decision would take all the stress out of this equation.

Okay, I think the OP has taken their fair share of abuse here (not that I think it was unwarranted). But it does strike me as amusing how the theme of these posts has been that one needs to go with the flow yet we are deluged by constant threads complaining about how every tiny little thing has ruined one's vacation, how HAL is a shadow of its former self, and on and on. The site *is* called Cruise CRITIC, after all...

I'm certainly not defending HAL's decision here; I assume they have a rationale based on facts and revenue metrics that backs it up. And you know what they say happens when one ASSUMEs something. 😁 My complaint is the flip side of yours--the lack of Club HAL (or I guess, as they're calling it now, "Kid's Club") on longer cruises. Sure, there may be fewer children on longer voyages but there are certainly some, and one could argue those are the cruises when on-board child care would be most appreciated.

I know my opinion won't be popular in this thread, but I am not sad in the least to see the LCS go, or classical music completely from the HAL ships. I do feel for those of you who have a different opinion, but this is one change that I'm perfectly fine with. I guess I'm much more like AtlantaCruiser72, in that I'd rather enjoy a variety of great music that I can enjoy while still having a social time with others.

Yes, both of these charming towns are walkable and explorable on one's own. That being said, I did the HAL walking tours in each and found them well worth the small expense. Our guides pointed things out and told stories about the local culture that we never would have learned just walking around by ourselves.

I guess it depends what you mean by "chef table". As others have said, depending on the cruise there will likely be special dining events for an additional charge. But if you're actually talking about a secluded table with personalized attention from the chef (sometimes right in the kitchen) like some land-based restaurants offer, they don't have anything like that.

Yes, you can order room service on embarkation day. And while it technically shouldn't matter that you're in the PS, I'm sure they will prioritize your order and make extra effort to get it to you quickly.

I don't mind something like, "I hope you had a wonderful cruise, and if so we'd really appreciate your positive feedback on the end-of-cruise survey." But one of the fastest ways to get me to NOT leave a top rating is to harp on it or put any kind of pressure on me to do so. Like HappyInVan, I give fair and honest assessments which usually do max out many of the ratings (I wouldn't keep sailing HAL if they didn't). But overt pressure to leave positive ratings is not conducive, in my eyes, to an elegant and upscale experience.

Yeah, sorry, it was the Westerdam (which is easily verified in my signature block--I guess I should have double-checked that).

On my Nieuw Statendam cruise from Sydney to Singapore at the beginning of the year, the ship had a truly wonderful selection of local beers from Australia, New Zealand, and the broader south Pacific. They were on display at every bar, as I suspect they were wanting to use up this inventory before proceeding to Japan and eventually Alaska cruises. I wouldn't call them microbrews since they came from larger producers, but am comfortable using the term "craft beers" as they were definitely not the standard, mainstream beers one can get anywhere in the world. Even though there were some I only tried once, I found a few new favorites and definitely enjoyed experiencing a bunch of new beers I wouldn't have been able to otherwise.

Are you trying to upgrade with cash, miles, or elite status?

Isn't there a way to submit compliments via the Navigator app? I realize it's more cumbersome than pen and paper, but that's probably what they've transitioned to.

No wonder HAL likes me so much. I cannot fathom having OBC left after a voyage that would get refunded to me! In fact, I wish HAL would give Mariner night credit for every $300 per day one spends on board, not just a max of one bonus night for $300+.

I repeatedly wondered if the author made a mistake and actually posted the ratings in reverse order. Either way, HAL is middle-of-the-pack which is probably about right.

After 15 you're on your own dime. And I have to say, my wife and I probably drink more than the average passenger and never hit that limit. Here's an example of a "max" day: 1) fancy coffee drink from the crow's nest while getting ready in the morning 2) mimosa at breakfast 3+4) two cans of water to take on a shore excursion 5+6) two glasses of wine with lunch 7) poolside cocktail in the afternoon 8) soda mid-afternoon 9) cocktail with the evening show 10) pre-dinner cocktail 11+12) two glasses of wine with dinner 13) post-dinner apertif 14) cocktail at BB King's 15) pre-bedtime whiskey or cognac I have trouble imagining us drinking more than that, either alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks. And if on one particular day we both wanted more, it's not that expensive to pay for them. Honestly, I think the beverage packages are a good step towards making HAL more upscale and towards an all-inclusive environment.

You can also go to the MDR after embarkation to locate the table to which you've been assigned. If you don't like it, that's the best time to go to the maitre'd to ask for a change and to make any special requests such as "near an aft window". But as others have said, your dining time and table size should be arranged in advance of the cruise.

One of the first things I asked at the Neptune Lounge on my cruise last summer was to upgrade the Signature package to the Elite package. Luckily the concierge showed me a sheet listing exactly which drinks were included in Elite that weren't in Signature. There were very few, and even fewer we were likely to order, so we chose not to upgrade and didn't regret it.

As others have said, "dressy night" on HAL allows the gamut from tuxes and evening gowns (and yes, there will definitely be some guests who enjoy getting dolled up) to the more common suits and dresses, all the way down to collared shirts with slacks. It's actually nice now to have the option to get as dressed as one wants to get. For the orange party, all they ask is to add some orange to your ensemble. Again, you will see some people who go all out with really ridiculous (but fun!) orange from head-to-toe. Many people wear orange clothes more than they normally would, while some just add an orange accent or two. The ship will probably provide cheap trinkets like orange sunglasses, hats, or feather boas. On my two cruises since the orange party has been a thing, on one ship it was the most minimal experience you can imagine while on the other it was a ton of fun and all the ship's staff really got into it.