TAD2005

I have always heard that the SBP must be purchased online before boarding or within the first day of the cruise and for the total duration of your cruise. We are on a B2B 21 day cruise with a turnaround in Tampa. I wonder if you can buy a SBP for the first 14 days, and then go ala-carte for the last 7 ??

We always reserve fixed, late seating. When we have a specialty restaurant dinner, we always tell the Matre'd and our waiter that we will not be there the next evening. We were clearly told (on multiple HAL ships) that if you don't show up for your fixed time dining, you may get away with it for one night. Any more than that and the DR manager will put guests who are a waitlist into your table and you will be in As You Wish dining for the rest of the cruise.

We've had many fridges in HAL Vista class veranda cabins and because of the way they are mounted, under the desk, in a closed, poorly ventilated cabinet, they do not cool well. The heat caused by the compressor in the fridge heats up that little cabinet to 90 + degrees. That extra heat causes the compressor to run continuously, which, in turn, heats up the cabinet even more. It's a vicious cycle, and the inside of the fridge is barely cooler than room temperature. We have had one mini-fridge overheat and start smelling like an electrical fire. The room steward could hardly hold it with bare hands because the outside was so hot. It's a pain to do, but we try to keep the cabinet door open to allow that heat to escape, which does produce a cooler fridge.

We were booked in a guaranteed VD cabin on the Zuiderdam. They finally gave us a VA grade cabin, which, seemed on the surface like a nice upgrade. We got deck 5 midships. When we looked at pictures of this, and similar midships cabins, we were very disappointed. Because of the lifeboats that are suspended directly below on deck 4, you have what we considered a partially obstructed view. Yes, sitting in your cabin, looking straight out the balcony door, you don't see any lifeboats. But standing on the balcony, trying to look down at a school of dolphins, or the entertainment on the dock for your sailaway, all you see is the top of a big orange lifeboat. This is very evident on deck 5 and progressively less as you go up. We complained to HAL that this VD to VA "upgrade" was actually a downgrade. They relented and put us in a VD cabin on deck 6 forward. It was a TransAtlantic and it was wonderful.

We are looking at a 21 day HAL cruise this November. The Explore-4 promotion is not being offered. I see everyone saying the SBP, when purchased, is $44.95 per day/per person plus 15% service. But on HAL's website, they do not quote a price, but they say that the price is based on the length of your cruise. If $44.95 per day times the number of cruise days is the final price, then yes, the total price is based on the length. Has anyone had luck negotiating with HAL's PCC's getting a SBP thrown in to a cruise package, or at least a negotiated price ? We are 3-star Mariners.

We are considering the 26 day Savona TA to FLL on Dec 2 on the Deliziosa.We are familiar with HAL's Signature beverage packages, and for our usual consumption, it is usually a good deal. What are the different packages available on the Deliziosa and what do they include. How may drinks per day, do they actually count (HAL didn't), limitations on wines, call brands, and available beers. Does anyone have a bar menu link for the Deliziosa or similar ship in the Costa fleet ?

Appreciate any help.

I cruise regularly and use a CPAP machine. Distilled water is usually available if notice is given. Check the specs label on your CPAP machine. Just about every machine made in the last 7 years is universal voltage, anywhere from 100 volts to 240 volts. Some also work on 12 volt DC for airplane use. The only difference is the plug incompatibilities.

Be careful with the 110 volt outlets in cabins, they are usually only for shavers and low wattage devices. Many CPAP machines have heaters for the humidification, and the heating element may exceed the capability of the 110 volt outlet. But, as noted, if you just bring a cheap US blade plug to European round prong adapter, and a short extension cord, any universal voltage CPAP will be fine. Each night, I fill the reservoir with distilled water, roll out the extension cord to the desk where the outlets are located, and plug in.

We were on the Zuiderdam in November, and we were supposed to be docked in Horta, Azores. But, for some unexplained reason, we had to use the ships tenders. later, on our onboard account, we saw a $68 credit for each of us applied. So, in the case of that particular port, because they didn't use the dock, HAL refunded part of the port charges. Decent of them !!

We got the SBP as part of Explore-4 on a 26 day ATH to FLL Trans-Atlantic. Of the 26 days, we had 10 sea days. So we had plenty of opportunity to use the 15 drink limit of the SBP.

On our ship (Zuiderdam), the SBP was needed for every beverage except ice-tea and tap water and some juices. A typical sea day, beverage totals are per-person:

Specialty coffees and hot chocolates in the Explorer in the morning. (2)

Lunch, cold Grolsch beers, varied, but usually (3).

A few wines while reading a book in the afternoons (2).

Pre dinner cocktails, usually a double vodka gimlet. No problems ordering doubles. Two of those counted as (4).

Wine with dinner (2), and yes, the wines were limited, but a decent selection of $8 wines.

After dinner drinks at the piano bar or show room, (3) or more. Most drinks are $7.95, included in the package, and the 15% gratuity is covered.

So, in a typical sea day we hit or exceeded our 15 drink limit. And we were never flagged for overage.

The best part is on departure day when you get your final bill. There is no panic when you anticipate how much you spent on drinks.

Yes, our typical days might not be the same as other people, but, if you take into consideration that even bottled water is charged for, the SBP might be for you.

But that's not true on HAL since the re-categorization. For example on the Vista and Signature ships VF/VE/VD are up on decks 7 and 8, and the central cabins on deck 5 with the small balconies right above the life boats that used to be VE are now the "top" level - VA on Vista and V on Sig. For that reason we no longer book guarantees.

We booked a VD category cabin on the Zuiderdam for a 26 day ATH to FLL trans Atlantic. HAL assigned us to deck 6 all the way forward, cabin 6006. We booked over a year in advance and didn't cancel and re-book when they dropped the price by a bunch. (we wanted to keep the Explore-4 and SBP). Our travel agent thought we got ripped off, because 6006 was a VD cabin, so we didn't get any upgrade, and she felt a full forward cabin on a trans-Atlantic crossing could be rough. So, without referring to us, she beat up on HAL and they moved us to deck 5, mid-ships.

As someone has noted, the Vista-Class VA category cabins on deck 5 mid-ships are in that narrow section of the ship, which makes room for the lifeboats. The balcony was very narrow, barely enough room to open the door with someone standing out there. And the view was definitely "partially obstructed" by the lifeboats. While other people were watching dolphins swimming alongside the ship, all we saw was the big top of an orange life boat. We should have stayed in 6006. So, don't trust that your upgrade is a real upgrade. Check out past cruiser's opinions of specific cabins on CC, or check the websites that provide details on ship cabins.

A fruit basket? Didn't you have one in your room that was replenished as you ate it? I don't understand the fuss about pins and medals. That last thing I need is more clutter. There are many Mariners. I'd rather the captain be attending to ship issues then having a one on one with me.

Actually NO, we did not get a fruit basket in our cabin. There was a little round card left, that says to fill this out with the fruit you would like and it will be delivered. This was not the morning breakfast card, this was something different. We were in a VA category veranda.

I'm a long time NCL cruiser and NCL has a special at all of the bars on every cruise offering buy 5 beers in an iced bucket and get the 6th bottle free.

 

Does HAL offer any such special deal on beer?

 

TIA.

 

Jim

I was just on the Zuiderdam and yes, you can order a bucket of beer, but I don't think there is any "buy 5, get one free" deal. Referring to an older bar menu, they sell a bucket of 5 domestic (US) beers for $20 and 5 imported for $22. Nothing mentioned about a free one if you buy 5. Earlier this fall, HAL raised drink prices a bit, so these prices are close, but not exact.

On my cruise, I had the signature beverage package, which get you 15 drinks per person/per day for the duration of your cruise. Those 15 can be beer, water, cocktails, specialty coffees, anything under $8 on the drink menu.

We are 4-star Mariners as of 5 days into our 26 day TA from Athens to Ft. Lauderdale. We received kaka. Not even a crummy fruit basket !!

We have been Mariners way back when HAL was independent. During those times, even during regular cruises (non Grand or World), the day we moved to the next level, we would receive our new pins on our bed that evening, along with a nice note & gift from the captain. After the "Carnivalization" of HAL, we are 4-star Mariners and didn't even know it until we started counting the days and credits. Thanks Carnival for cheapening a previously wonderful cruise line. But, it's all the bottom line now. We're not looking for the benefits, that's no big deal in the grand scheme of things, but just a little recognition for spending thousands of $$$ on a single company would be nice. With today's computer systems, it would be an easy thing to track a guest's Mariner status, and a simple "Thank You" from the captain would go a long way.

We were on the 26 day collectors cruise from Athens, through Rome, and TA to Ft. Lauderdale, starting Oct 14 through Nov 9.

We had Paul C McD for the Athens-Rome leg. He was fantastic. Talented, supplemented the piano with his own electronic keyboard which provided drums, bass, etc. He really engaged the crowd, and he had a full house every night.

Paul C McD ended his contract in Rome, and we got Tom. No last name provided, just Tom. At the scheduled hour of 9:00pm, he walks in, sits down, plugs in his microphone, and starts playing. No welcome, no "Hi everybody, I'm Tom and I'm going to rock this place", nothing. He just starts playing. This was forgiven for the first few nights, but after the first week, and the same stuff every night, the crowds were very thin after the first set. He never talked to the audience, never engaged them, he just played and sang. We might as well had a CD player up there for all of the interaction that went on.

I understand that Tom had big shoes to fill, replacing Paul C McD in mid cruise. We hope that he found his niche when he had a totally new crowd after the Ft.Lauderdale turnaround.

But overall, he needs to loosen up, work his audience, and get involved with them.

Our TA has gifted us 2 bottles of wine, purchased through HAL's website, and delivered onboard in our cabin on embarkation day. I would assume these 2 bottles are OK for bringing to the MDR for dinner. They would have to be tagged or stickered in some way that proves to the waiter that they were purchased on the ship as a gift.

Am I correct in my assumption that we will not have to pay a corkage fee for wines delivered by HAL to our cabin, but consumed in the MDR.

Most places tourists go, there are plenty of ATMs. I've used them all over Europe, Asia, North Africa -- I've never spent any more time looking for one than the amount of time it takes to buy a postcard or make a bathroom stop.

 

Outside of the ship, there are very few places now that will accept traveler's checks, even banks.

You are so right. Very few, if any places will accept traveler's checks due to the fact it is so easy to counterfeit them. Yes, you can use them on the ship because they have your credit card, and they know where you live, so their exposure to loss is minimized. However, a hotel, a foreign bank, forget it. They will want to hold the check for many days until it clears before they will give you any cash. It's a real shame, but due to the amount of crime and unethical people in the world, travelers checks are useless.

In October, I will be in Greece, Italy, Spain and the Azores (Portugal) on the Zuiderdam. My bank and credit card company has an $800 per day limit on ATM withdrawals in the US. I have heard that European ATM's also impose tighter limits, as low as 250 Euros. Are those lower limits on a per 24 hour basis, or on a per transaction basis ? If I want to withdraw 500 Euros, can I go to 2 different ATM's on the same day, or must I wait 24 hours for the 2nd transaction ?

My bank says I can withdraw the Euro equivalent of $800 USD per day (about 707 Euros). So, if I see a 250 Euro limit, that must be coming from the European bank, or the machine has limits on each withdrawal.

Has anyone experienced limits when withdrawing Euros, and if so, which country were you in and what were the limits ?

St Barts is a somewhat unique very classy island. Unlike many other Caribbean islands, St Barts would be happy if a cruise ship never called at their paradise. In fact, there was an amusing tale on CC last year about a ship (I cannot recall the line but it might have been HAL) that stopped at St Barts for the day. For some strange reason all the plumbing (i.e. no toilets) failed in town (and in some places out of town) for the entire day. But as the cruise passengers returned to their ship....miraculously the plumbing again started to work :). We would add that even those staying on St Maarten are required to take their passport if they want to do the ferry over to St Barts.

 

Hank

If you are in St. Maarten and want to ferry over to Anguilla (6 miles from Marigot), you also need a passport.

I just renewed my passport on Aug 12, and the new one arrived in my mailbox on Sept 2, exactly 3 weeks. And I didn't pay for expedited service. Total cost $110 for the renewal of a US passport.

Why take the chance and leave the US without a passport ? You never know what can happen. You may be having a bunch of beers on the beach in Jamaica, and fall asleep, and miss the ship. You will need a passport (and a bunch of money) to fly to the next port to rejoin the ship (and all of your clothes). Get a passport !!

When I purchased a 26 day unlimited laundry package from Ship's Services for an October 14th cruise, I was told that it includes washing, drying, and pressing. I had the option of folded or on hangers. I purchased it in advance because it's $7 per day ahead of your cruise and $9 per day purchased onboard.

An extra fee for pressing... that's nuts. Passengers would start smuggling travel irons onboard, which can start fires, or blow circuit breakers. When you call back, ask to speak with a supervisor, and then do it again if you get the same answer. When you do finally get your unlimited laundry package purchased, ask for a receipt to be faxed or e-mailed to you. It really comes in handy when the front desk says "we don't know anything about your laundry package".

If you are cruising in Europe, call Ship's Services well before you leave and purchase the unlimited laundry package at $7 per day for the cabin, and get a receipt e-mailed to you. If you wait to purchase it onboard, you will pay $9 per day. Not a big deal on a week cruise, but it adds up for long cruises. The receipt can help when the FO says "We don't know anything about a prepaid laundry package".

Concerning the free Pinnacle dinner you get with the Explore 4 program -- you will receive a card in your cabin on embarkation day indicating the day and time of your free dinner. If you don't like the day or time, go right away to the Pinnacle and talk to the manager and get it changed.

We always pre-book the specialty restaurants. They do fill up quickly. Especially since some of us our 5 star Mariners and get 2 free Pinnacle dinners.

The Tamarind is not to be missed -- the food there is outstanding.

HAL requires that you pre-pay all specialty restaurants and shore excursions, etc. Should you change your mind once on the ship and decide to cancel, the money will be refunded to you in the form of shipboard credit.

If you prebook a specialty restaurant on line, and pay for it, then cancel onboard, I would think that you could not jump into that cancellation and ask that your explore-4 free dinner be applied for that day/time you just cancelled. I think the next person on the waiting list will be placed in your cancelled spot. So, if you don't like the assigned date/time you get at embarkation, you must get on the waitlist like everybody else. Is my thinking right on this ?

Express mailed a renewal passport book application to Phila. on Aug 12. Regular processing, not expedited. Passport received today by express mail, Sept. 2. A total of 3 weeks, door-to-door.

I tried it with IE-10 and the only link I see is to my local printer. I would think the proper function of this would be to open your default e-mail, like Outlook, and automatically load your itinerary into the message. Yes, copy & paste does work, but not as easy. Otherwise, you could print it, then scan it to a PDF, then e-mail that to a friend.

The crew member assigned to your lifeboat station has a clipboard. They have to account for the souls assigned to their station. Hey, you got a discount for the combined runs. What's a half-hour of Deja Vu going to hurt?

I don't mind the 2nd muster drill, we've been to plenty over the years. I just wanted to know how to plan my day in Civi or Rome. If I have to be back onboard at 3:30, that puts a serious dent in our allotted time, so my shore excursion will need to be planned accordingly.