GeriatricNurse
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Posts posted by GeriatricNurse
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Not according to me... according to HAL's Dress Code. :rolleyes:
"Suggested" Dress Code! ;)
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Well, that is not quite what I said, is it? I said it is physically possible to walk from your cabin to the Lido buffet without passing through those public areas. ;)
What you are doing is not in the spirit of the Dress Code and that is another issue that I don't care to get into. I was addressing the poster's argument about being banished to their room.
And I don't care if it is "physically possible to walk from your cabin to the Lido buffet without passing through those public areas"! ;) So sorry that by being dressed smart casual "is not in the spirit of the Dress Code", according to you! I'm comfortable being dressed smart casual on formal nights, (and will continue to do so)!
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Which part is nonsense? :confused:
The part about not being seen or walking in any public area during the evening on formal nights, while dressed, for example, smart casual, like myself! I will continue to walk through ANY public area on formal nights, dressed smart casual, after having had dinner in either Lido or Canaletto! ;):p:D:)
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Funny how the ones that follow the dress code automatically are the "snobbish" ones. Does that mean those that don't become the "slobbish" one? :rolleyes:
You are not banished to your cabin to eat. The Lido and Canaletto are options, as has been mentioned. You could get there without having to walk through the main areas where formally dressed people may congregate. And if you do follow the dress code you are not restricted at all! :D
That woman was out of line, but your husband would have been just as out of line IMO. WCould you run into another such a person on a HAL ship? Maybe. Are all HAL formally dressed people like that? No.
And you don't help your argument by referring to people dressed to code as being in "monkey suits".
Nonsense! :mad:
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All of the dining venues on HAL, including the Lido are part of their "As You Wish Dining". You're free to grab dinner there any night if you wish. HAL also has wonderful room service, you're able to order off the MDR dinner menu if you wish. It isn't just the MDR where one can dine as they wish.
In the Lido (and of course your cabin) you may dress casual any night.
HAL does request that one follow the dress code in public areas in the evening. For "slugging" a fellow passenger, on any night, your DH would probably have most abruptly ended your cruise.
Really? Refer me to the specific language on the HAL website that states "request that one follow the dress code in public areas in the evening"! So, according to your statement, if I dress smart casual on formal nights, I have to return to my stateroom for the balance of the evening after I have dinner in either Lido or Canaletto, because virtually all areas are public, onboard, which I am not permitted to visit/attend being dressed smart casual on formal nights? :mad:
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Thinking of taking an Alaskan cruise on HA and wondered about the "As you wish dining". We do not care for formal nights and don't care to go to the main dining rooms on any night. We have never tried to intrude on anyone's dining experience on formal nights. We enjoy the lido dining or grabbing a sandwich when we want it. We do not however want to be confined to our room to eat. We cruised with HA in '04 and was really enjoying our cruise until the first formal night. We discretely went up to the lido deck to eat and was trying to stay out of everyone's way. We decided to go down and watch a movie after eating and didn't think that would offend anyone. We were in shorts but we didn't go around where the "formal dressed" passengers were. Leaving the theater and trying to go back on deck a woman passenger was behind us and made a smart remark. She said, "do they not know what formal night means". It was all I could do to keep my husband walking and not slugging her. We have never cruised with HA since. We don't like being around snobbish people. I understand all the post about people not wanting to dress on formal nights and the correct dress but they always refer to people going to main dining rooms. Are all passengers that snobbish on HA that they won't allow us to go get a sandwich on formal nights if we aren't decked out in formal wear? Question is, can we go to Alaska on HA and plan to not dress up on formal nights or attend the main dining rooms?
Yes, most certainly you can! I cruise solo, ALWAYS dress smart casual on formal nights, dine in either Lido or Canaletto & walk about in any public area onboard after my meals! :) (And don't believe anyone here on CC who may state that you are not permitted to be in any public area during the evening on formal nights while dressed smart casual)! ;)
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I can barely get my TA to do anything I ask her for never mind know which cabin is bad on EVERY ship. Seems like a tall order. Before someone tells me I should get a new TA she's the best I've found in Calgary. I'd love to live in a city where there was some decent TA's.[/quote]
Hey lorekauf, move east to Ontario! I have a great TA, who works for a large cruiseship;) chain, & is located right across the street from me! :) (Plus, you would enjoy far less severe winters here)! :D
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Just returned last night from the NA, still NO enforcement of dress in the MDR or the showroom. Though I did see more tuxes this trip. So again whatever makes YOU comfortable to be in is what you can wear.
First I heard that one has to wear formalwear in the showroom on formal night!:confused: Thought that just pertained to the MDR & PG!:confused:
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Ticket says boarding starts at 1:00. I'm in Ft. Lauderdale, boarding Niew Amsterdam today.;)
Do they board before this if they are prepared or do they wait until 1?
Last cruise I was on that left out of NYC...they waited until 1 to start to board.
Boarding (embarkation), will commence @ 11:30!:)
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Some who post here are also engineers, physicians, PHd's, attorneys, school teachers, Chefs, accountants, and even Cruise ship Captains and Hotel Managers. ;)
Hey, Judy, you somehow forgot to name retired nurses in your list as well!;)
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Cabins -
More comfortable beds
Robes in all cabins
Towel animals
Stewards work in pairs (more effective and can almost always find one of them)
Food -
Tastier, more flavorful food (food in 2002 tended to be light on taste & seasoning)
MDR -
Open seating - reservation system works well & just showing up works well too
Lido -
Dinner has same items or nearly same items as MDR
Meal time range has expanded a bit, but not too much
More use of stations; no more "cafeteria line"
Trays are gone - no more carrying heavy loaded try
Other -
Addition of Tamarind on Signature class ships
Addition of the Exploration Cafe
Dress code
Updated for the way most people dress & wish to dress
Informal, not understood by most, is long gone
Casual updated to what most people consider nice casual
Check-in, shore excursion booking etc.
Online check-in
Check-in a pier very quick
Shore excursions can be booked online
Various items can be pre-purchased online
HAL's website has greatly improved
Tipping
Service charge included on bill
CD & staff
Everyone has titles & assigned jobs -more effective
Cooking classes and demos
Computer instruction
Lifeboat drill
Still at station as it should be, but without the cumbersome jackets
Suites (no, I'm not a suite person)
Neptune lounge
Concierge
More suites and suite types on newer ships
Double Mariner days for suites
Smoking
Greatly reduced smoking locations
More consistent policies ship to ship
Kids' programs
Dedicated locations for children and teen programs
And many more improvements.
Why do you think that the removal of trays from the Lido is an "improvement"?:confused: Is it an "improvement" to make numerous trips back & forth to the buffet, while risking loosing your table & having your hot food become cold in the process?:confused: Carrying a "heavy loaded tray" never bothered me! Ah, it doesn't matter, I now bring my own tray!;)
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I was also led to believe HAL offered a better product than it does, but not to a great degree. The room, beds and linens were much better than I had experienced on other lines! :)The Rotterdam is a beautiful ship, and the art in the halls made just walking around a delight.
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However the 'as you wish dining' was as They wish and service in the anytime MDR was slow and only equal to a midpriced chain lunch place on land. :( Azamara was crowded and worse! :eek:
The saving feature at mealtime on both was the buffet, altho I don't normally eat in a buffet if I can avoid it.
The "as you wish dining" to which you refer is actually "Open Dining"! :)
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However the 'as you wish dining' was as They wish and service in the anytime MDR was slow and only equal to a midpriced chain lunch place on land. :( Azamara was crowded and worse! :eek:
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[quote name='Jalex63']We just returned from a cruise on the Ryndam (11-14 to 11-21) and dining was the worst experience we have ever had on a cruise. We chose the [SIZE=3][B][I][U]Anytime dining option[/U][/I][/B][/SIZE], as we have on other HAL cruises, but found if we did not have "reservations" we were forced to wait. We ended up trying to make reservations on the last few days of the cruise, but ended up having to eat dinner at about 8:00 every night as everything earlier was "booked". It is pretty obvious that more and more passengers are opting for the anytime and that HAL is not responding well to it. A peek in the upper dining room confirmed that about 1/3 of the tables were empty at each seating as more and more opt for the anytime. Result appears to be that HAL is attempting to run 2/3 of the passengers thru the lower dining room. Also the service in the dining room was horrible to poor at best. The first night we were left with our dining plates left sitting on our table for 20 minutes before we had to ask for the table to be cleared. I was served coffee with my dessert only one night without having to ask 3 or 4 times. I can tell by past experience that the dining room staff has been cut by at least 1/4 if not more in the last couple of years.
We have another cruise on the Westerdam in Feb and I am hoping to find a better experience or it will be our last HAL cruise![/quote]
[B][I][FONT=Arial][SIZE=4]Actually, it is not "anytime"! It is called "open"!:)[/SIZE][/FONT][/I][/B]
[B][I][FONT=Arial][SIZE=4]The two types of dining with HAL are known as:[/SIZE][/FONT][/I][/B]
[B][I][FONT=Arial][SIZE=4][/SIZE][/FONT][/I][/B]
[B][I][FONT=Arial][SIZE=4]1. Traditional Dining[/SIZE][/FONT][/I][/B]
[B][I][FONT=Arial][SIZE=4][/SIZE][/FONT][/I][/B]
[B][I][FONT=Arial][SIZE=4]2. Open Dining[/SIZE][/FONT][/I][/B]
[B][I][FONT=Arial][SIZE=4][/SIZE][/FONT][/I][/B]
[B][I][FONT=Arial][SIZE=4]Together, they are referred to as "Anytime Dining"!:)[/SIZE][/FONT][/I][/B] -
Our passports have to be renewed every 5 years but they are really only valid for 4 1/2 years.:(
We renewed ours this past spring before a trip to California this summer even though the expiry date on them was November.
I believe passports have to be valid for 6 months after the date of your return and we aren't willing to take the chance that this isn't true.
Deen
And, beginning in 2011, Passport Canada will begin issuing 10 year passports!:)
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[quote name='yancycruiser']Ruth, I don't suppose you know where I can view a copy of HAL's Daily Program?[/quote]
[B][I][FONT=Arial][SIZE=4]yancycruiser, I'm not Ruth, but I have a copy of the "new and improved" HAL Daily Program, dated February 16, 2010, from the ms Westerdam, on which I recently completed a 14-Day Caribbean Cruise. I had brought this copy home with me for a souvenir, but I would be willing to mail it to you for you to have as I have decided not to keep it and was going to dispose of it in my [COLOR=blue]Blue Box [/COLOR][COLOR=black]for recycling purposes! Let me know!:)[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/I][/B] -
HAL is the only cruise lines to allow you to bring unlimited quantities of these products on board:
sodas -- which includes gingerale
wine/champagne
bottles of water.
Why not unlimited quantities of beer as well?
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Hi Jim,
Thanks for taking the time to write such an extensive review. We were on the Eurodam's NYC/Quebec inaugural for a b2b (9/1-9/21) and found many of your comments to be right on target -- pro and con.
And we, too, ended up saving money that we normally would have spent on board for the same reasons you mentioned; i.e., very minimal selection of liquor to purchase and bring home; non-existent cartons of cigarettes; and mostly only very expensive high-end merchandise in the shops. I enjoy coming home from a HAL cruise with a few "goodies", but a Eurodam fridge magnet was the extent of my shopping on board.
On our prior 12 HAL cruises, we enjoyed visiting the Ocean Bar every evening after dinner and the show for drinks and dancing, as there was always a wonderful and extremely talented Filipino band. But this time around, there was no Filipino band and we were so disappointed in the music offered by Sean Bell & The Neptunes during our first two visits that, thereafter, we decided to skip the Ocean Bar altogether and would go back to our cabin to watch movies. Again, saved a good amount of $ we were willing and well-prepared to spend.
We also missed the nice "little" HAL touches -- carpets in the elevators with the day of the week, the bud vase with flowers on the breakfast room-service tray -- to name just a couple.
Originally, we had requested and been confirmed for the early seating but, because the itineraries were so port intensive, we switched to the open seating. This was the first time we had tried it on HAL and it worked out very well. Never a wait, excellent service, and we met lots of very nice people from various parts of the world who were interesting and delightful dining companions.
And, like you, I don't want this to turn into a smoking thread, but just want to say we were very disappointed to find that the smoking area on the starboard side by the Lido pool is no more. This is such a huge, well-ventilated area that can easily accommodate both sides of this issue. But since it was no longer available to us, we again saved $ by not patronizing the bar there as we had frequently done on past HAL sailings.
Would we sail the Eurodam again? Probably not. Too big; lacks the intimate atmosphere of the "R" & "S" class, IOHO. But we did very much enjoy most of the ports we visited, lots of good food on board and the wonderful service provided by the crew, as usual.
I disagree that this a "well-ventilated area", since the windows along both sides of the Lido pool area are solid fixed panels of glass that have no "slider" sections that can be opened like on other HAL ships in this area, for proper "ventilation"! DW & I found it poorly ventilated with "stale" air in this area during our Eurodam Canada/New England cruise from September 1 to 10.
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We've had anytime dining once so far. We were lucky to get a great team on the second night of the cruise so we requested a table in their station every night after that. It worked out wonderfully. In our case we gave them each an envelope with our tips the last night. Others here have said that they've left a few $$ on the table if they haven't gotten the same stewards each night. We found it very easy to call each morning and we always were able to get a table in their station at a time we wanted.
So who would receive your "auto tips"?
As You Wish Dining - Opinions, Comments and Discussions
in Holland America Line
Posted
Technically, the MDR "closes" for your "traditional" set dining, 15 minutes after it commences! So, if you are late returning to the ship after a "late" shore excursion, missing your set dining in the MDR, then you may dine in an alternative dining venue, such as the Lido! ;)