Ride-The-Waves

Nobody NEEDS to drink battled water.  That is just a marketing myth.

HAL already uses Ijmuiden as an alternative to Amsterdam.

3 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

The acknowledgement the OP received is standard when you cancel the cruise before cancelling the items in the cruise planner.  Many times in this situation it takes a call to get the refunds pushed through

Why should it require a call.  RCI has all the information to include the canceled cruise data.  This is just scamming people by RCI.  Should be automatic.

5 hours ago, nelblu said:

I see the charges, however, did u speak to a live person and what was the reason given as usually any item in the cruise planner is refundable.  
 

Not to be nosy, are u outside the US and if so could it be a local law that prevents u from getting the refunds. 

Florida.  Sometimes considered "outside the US"  🤪

Below are two of the seven emails from RCI detailing "no Refund" for the canceled October cruise:

Booked on line and canceled the packages on line.  RCI's invoice for all packages was "No Refund."  

Seven email notifications.  Refund: zero.  

Aint right

Had to cancel an RCI cruise for November 2024.  Cruise was booked with the understanding that there was a $900 cancelation fee, essentially losing the deposit.  Understand and acceptable.  RCI then also took paid items, such as meal and beverage plans, without refunding.  Sad that a cruise line would do this...  Never cruise again with RCI!  Worst management of all cruise lines.  Horrible company.

11 minutes ago, albingirl said:

I keep a pen on me at all times to avoid cooties.

But you live incootie central: Florida!

1 hour ago, Blackduck59 said:

I decided to read through this thread, I took note when it started but didn't comment. We have not cruised Celebrity since before covid and had 2 cruises planed and cancelled because of covid; those cancelled cruises were both scheduled on Celebrity Eclipse. When it came time to try for a 3rd time to schedule that down under trip, Celebrity had changed to the "Edge" for that route and that was the end of that. I hate the edge class, they are ugly and the "Infinite Veranda" is an ocean view cabin with a large window that opens sometimes.

We then started looking at Princess and booked a shorter East Coast Canada cruise to try them out. Then Princess decided to go all in on the "Medallion" even though the system was full of bugs and failed often. We cancelled that and tried Viking, which was a one and done because we didn't think it represent value for money charged. We then decided to try HAL for the East Coast Canada trip we had cancelled on Princess.

We enjoyed that cruise even though it was the smaller, older Zaandam. This cruise suited our needs although the main stage entertainment was okay it didn't wow us. There was only one thing that was absolutely unacceptable for us and that was a "Presentation" in the main stage about "Canadian Icons" which this proud Canadian found offensive. It was taken care of in a satisfactory manner. We decided to book our Down Under adventure with HAL for next year (3rd time lucky?) while we were on board. We later decided to eliminate the long haul flight home by extending our cruise to include the 29 day trans Pacific which will bring us home.

One thing is certain we will never sail on a Celebrity "Edge" class ship and I guess we will continue with open minds about HAL in General and Westerdam in particular because that will be our home for 6 weeks next year.

Good comments, Blackduck.  We agree with your perspectives.  Enjoyed sailing Celebrity 5-plus years ago: good ships and great crews.  Good entertainment as well.  Sailed a Med cruise on Silhouette class in an after "porthole" balcony which was great - despite the long walk from the mid elevators.  Who builds a large ship with no aft elevator bank?  Loved the cabin, found the food average and entertainment ok to good.  

Also a frequent sailor on Princess and too, many cruises on Royal.  Royal has priced themselves out of the market they wanted, mainly families.  Not for us anymore: too much glitz and no polish.  Last sailed Royal on Quantum and its was horrible.  Couldn't wait to get off.  

Last year tried Holland America: Zaandam though the Panama Canal.  Great cruise, excellent food and superb crew/staff.  So good that we booked a Neptune Suite for an upcoming trans-Atlantic.  Pre-pandemic we loved sailing Azamara.  Have not sailed since they were sold to an investment company and don't have future plans either.  If the upcoming trans-Atlantic is a good as hoped then we likely have found our new favorite line.

Did a "one and done" on Apex.  Horrible dark ship and dangerous stairs.  The Infinity window and the cabin was good, better than the "standard" veranda cabin.  Hated the ship!

FYI, mu first "cruise was 1949 on Holland across the pond.  My dad was transferred to Amsterdam as a tech rep with KLM.  

The horror of it all!  Abandon ship!

Chair Hogs, a breed, are a menace to humanity.  But I don't care...  I'm sun sensitive and don't use pool deck chairs.

14 hours ago, MacMadame said:

Not an engineering degree. But maybe a PhD in Maths. 😉

 

Nope. It's all "marketing."  The activity of taking something from you with slight of hand costing more than you understand.  Its the new Princess way of vacationing.

On 2/8/2024 at 11:13 AM, RICHARD@SEA said:

As far as pricing goes, HAL / Carnivore can charge whatever the market will bear.  I've never done a drink package as I don't drink that much & always order premium brand liquor. And still have an 18% gratuity added.

 

That being said, as far as costs - I was on a 9 day Rotterdam cruise recently  - the service at the bars  was horrendous. The bartenders would be talking & having fun among themselves or not in sight at all.

I never ate in the main dining room.

I had wonderful cabin stewards & the waitstaff in the lido were pretty good.

Of course all along there was the daily & drink gratuity added to my bill.(the worst was in the specialty steak restaurant where the staff were non existent &  I ended up with food poising

 

I also gave cash tips to my stewards & the staff in the lido that assisted me.

 

So what I decided to do in the future is visit the "GUEST RELATIONS DESK " once & have the DAILY fee taken off my bill & tip the appropriate staff that assist me.

 

When auto gratuity started I felt it was just a gimmick for the corporations to pad their pockets & aid them in paying the SALARIES of staff.

So as cruising has changed - so will I.  When I  go out on land if service is good or better I tip appropriately.

 

When service is lacking I adjust.

 

It's like the inmates are running the at sea Asylum!!!!

So it's "stiff" the working staff if the policies are "wrong?" 

On 2/11/2024 at 10:05 AM, Hlitner said:

Sounds a bit defensive.  New Builds are huge capital expenditures and the ultimate decision rests with the CEO of Carnival Cruise Corp and their board of directors.  Like most business-orented folks who have a "fiduciary" responsibility to stockholders, the board ulitmately puts their dollars and future investments where they expect to get the best return on investment.  One can conclude, that at the current time, the board does not think that HAL can justify (financially) a new build.  

 

When we look at the overall cruise industry (we cruise on many different lines) it does seem that HAL has now been positioned as a budget mass market line with a primary appeal to a small segment of the cruising public (older folks looking for good value without much interest in entertainment, activities, or onboard "bells and whistles."   Perhaps that will change in the future, but our recent cruise (Westerdam) showed us that HAL has little to offer (when compared to the other lines we cruise) other than decent itineraries and some decent pricing.  In many cases we see other lines constantly adding things while HAL continues to take things away (i.e. cost cutting).  There is a reason why we find many past HAL cruisers on lines like Oceania, Seabourn, etc.  Many of us are simply looking for something closer to the quality and entertainment we USED to find on HAL.  At one time we saw HAL as the "class act" and quality leader among all the mass market lines (Celebrity was close).  These days we just see HAL as a tired old company with an emphasis on penny pinching.  One has only to look at HAL's recently failed policy of charging extra money for folks who simply wanted to order soup and a salad in the PG!  or having a basic drink package which had a $1.18 extra fee for folks ordering a basic Cosmopolitan.  Small things, but symbolic of a penny pinching (nickel and dime) philosophy.

 

Hank

We all need to remember that MSC (Mediterranean Shipping Company) operates at a different level than CCL and RCCL since it is privately, owned, and has the underpinnings of global commercial shipping as backbone.  To place a hit on HAL for how it operates is unbecoming.  HAL does a great job providing excellent cruise ships for its market.  My first experience with HAL was as a youngster crossing the Atlantic in 1949.  Today's mass market ships, and I include Princess in that category, cannot provide the same high level of experience we had in the 1950s on the Atlantic.  I have sailed on many ships and many lines, to include Oceania and Azamara.  Oceania was not up to their marketing.  They do not have the "finest cuisine at sea" by any stretch of the imagination.  Neither do any of the mega-ships and I include Princess' Royal class in that category.  Have plans to return to "yesteryear" and cross the Pond this year on Zuiderdam, Adventure of the Seas, and Caribbean Princess.  While not classic ships (with the exception of Zuiderdam) they are not part of the stomach-turning new breed of mega-ships.  Oh, and I also have 30 years experience in the USN...

Last time we parked at Park N Go we returned to a flooded car.  It finally started and we limped home, but the vehicle was delayed a total loss by insurance.  They were helpful in getting the car started, but after that we were on our own.  Rain water reached over the door sills on the SUV.  No follow up from Park N Go.  We only used them since Park N Fly sold their lot.

We should remember that crew gratuities make up a significant aspect of their compensation.  If the rate is increased it really helps those who need the funds.  To cruisers an increase of a dollar/day is trivial.

This is the standard RCCL tactic:  extremely high prices for cabin and food until the newness wears off.  Edge was almost unaffordable, 2 to 3 times other Celebrity ships, first couple of years until same class follow-ons started sailing.  Icon prices will come down similarly.  Agree with poster regarding size.  The new behemoths are not for us: too big, too crowded and too impersonal.

Recently back to CONUS from a TA on Odyssey.  Lost 10 pounds!  Not trying to, but that was the result,  Never ate in the MDR - have avoided MDRs for years.  Too noisy with bad service.  Ate two meals/day: a late breakfast in the buffet and early evening meal in a specialty restaurant  Italian was great, Chops horrible with a very poor quality filet.  Late in the cruise we discovered the Solarium Bistro and the ability to order a filet: excellent, as were the deserts.  😀

Dressing up in a tux was required for dinner on ocean liners in the 30s, late 40s and early 50s.  First class only.  Second class and 3rd classes had no dress requirements.  I crossed the Atlantic several times, first on 1949 and again 5 times in the early 1950s.  Didn't start flying until 1962

It always amazes me that cruise lines (and others) believe the public to be just a bunch of dumb and stupid olafs.  If you are raising prices, make it clear and explain the reasons.  Don't try to obfuscate why.  Cruisers are already frustrated over price increases and more frustrated over cruise line company incompetence.  Be forthright.  We, the cruising public, are not idiots!

19 hours ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

Were they bumped BECAUSE they were flying on miles?  

Were they bumped because they checked in late?

Were they bumped because they booked the lowest class of cabin?

Were they bumped because the airline could get them to their destination on a later flight?

Were they bumped because the new aircraft simply didn't have "Seat 23F"? 

Once on a flight between TPA and JFK to connect with a trans-Atlantic for a European cruise...  Flight attendant announced the need for four people to disembark due to aircraft (DC-9) being overweight.  Four people eventually accept ed the compensation (flight plus $$).  Flight attendant thanked them and then said the aircraft could fly with the tail wind down the runway!!!  I immediately wanted to disembark...  But we made it to JFK in time to board the trans-Atlantic flight.

12 minutes ago, Mikew0805 said:

Wow.. this post wreaks of envy. 

 

I am Pinnacle, and do not wear my pin... because that is simply my preference. Why would you laugh at someone that wears it? What joy is missing from your life that would lead you to look for people wearing a pin, to laugh at them for wearing what they earned or are proud of? Seems like you should focus on getting some happiness in your life so you can focus on you, instead of focusing on others. 

"Earned?"  Hardly.  It's just paying the monies out to get the points.  Why denigrate this poster?  Its RCI's fault they don't have the space for "pins" and those in suites.

Royal Caribbean has moved itself to the bottom of the cesspool of cruising by these types of actions and its overpricing.  Here's hoping that it comes back to RCI in mountains.  We are former Royal cruisers - but never again!

On 11/16/2023 at 4:27 PM, sjb317 said:

I, too, was always a fan of the smaller ships but since we resumed cruising after the pandemic, the smaller ships just seem old and not very well maintained.  I was on Grandeur for a week this summer and it was the first time I have ever felt bored on a ship. Not much to do after 5pm.  I ended up spending more time than usual in the casino which is something I typically don’t do.
 

Sherri🙂

Interesting.  Do you think that is intentional on the part of RCI?  Trying to "encourage" you to move to the larger ships which are likely less costly to operate per person per mile.  We love the "smaller" ships.  Have cruised extensively on Azamara, our favorite line pre-pandemic.  Have also cruised on Hurtigruten to the Antarctic and the "smaller" celebrity ships.  It seems that RCI is focusing on its behemoths and letting the rest of the line disintegrate.  It also appears that RCI is charging small ship prices for sailing on the behemoths, especially the "nickel and diming" on board.