Abe3689

Interesting. I had a casino comp cruise also on Celebrity recently where they never got a credit card on file because it was booked through a casino host. They did not ask for a card at check-in and I thought for sure they weren’t gonna let us disembark because I had a balance. I also did not get to play because the casino would not let me (long story). So I had no points to take care of the bill and was positive they wouldn’t let us disembark as I had about a $300 balance but was not stopped.

As a lawyer they definitely cannot keep you on board against your will. If they do so, it amounts to unlawful detainment, and possibly kidnapping and you’d have a civil suit against the cruise line. They have your credit card, and they can bill you or send you to collections. They can’t keep you on the boat until you pay.

Well then it’ll be what it’ll be. Thanks for letting me know.

None of them had an itinerary like this that was as long and convenient leaving from Seattle going to a destination my father lives. I learned my lesson that this line isn’t for me. I don’t know what you want me to say?

I’m not a troll. I got off in Vancouver, saw the city, and I got back on in Vancouver .

So if I get off the boat and don’t get back on, a warrant for my arrest will be issued? How are the Canadians getting off?

We stopped in Vancouver, so I can get off. Technically it would be Vancouver to San Diego. Many are getting off that I spoke to last night. I assumed others were getting on too? In any event people can sneer at me and say I’m crying and my expectations are too high, but it’s really not. Asking to have craps open during the day is pretty standard on other lines. Having 3,4,5x odds is standard on all the other lines (as opposed to double). I had no issues with Celebrity, who I assume has access to the same provisions. The food they’ve served at the Buffett on Lido is embarrassing. The dinners have been great. The staff has been very nice and delightful.

I probably won’t be continuing on the boat to Ft. Lauderdale. I think I will be getting off in San Diego. There just isn’t enough redeeming qualities about the food, the boat, activities, and especially the gambling which is why I am here. I don’t like the food, except in the evening dining room. The rest of the food is just plain not good. The ingredients are not good, not fresh, and low quality. The selections are not good. I’m supposed to be comped a dinner to pinnacle, and maybe others and that’s great. I’m looking forward to trying those outlets. But I haven’t enjoyed the food on here outside the dining room at all. The gambling, and casino are the worst odds and games I have seen (I think this is more a Carnival issue) compared to RCCL and MSC. The casino is empty, and nobody on this ship is playing in the casino. People who are playing, are playing for extremely small stakes. My play really stands out and is garnering a crowd. I don’t mind people watching me play, but it just feels weird because the staff hasn’t seen this kind of action and it’s obvious. It’s not their fault, but it just makes me feel uncomfortable. It would’ve been nice to get a heads up that I’d be more comfortable on ship X, which caters more to gamblers. Not to sound overly harsh or dramatic, but in my experience thus far on my fourth day there are no redeeming qualities on my experience on HAL. It’s very lacking in my experiences to the Carnival and Celebrity ships I have taken. I guess I should’ve known that it’s a cruise ship that happens to have a casino, not the other way around. That being said I thought they would cater to my gambling, but that really hasn’t been the case. For example craps is my main game, but they refuse to open it until 8pm. When it is open, nobody is betting more than $5. Again, not their fault, just the overall cruise isn’t my scene, coupled with the fact I don’t like the boat or food, I don’t think I should continue. Perhaps I can find a different itinerary outside of San Diego? I think more elegant lines like Virgin and Celebrity are more my style. I guess you live and learn. As I’ve mentioned, I’m just starting to get into the whole cruise scene as I find it really relaxing. Do others know of ships/itineraries/lines that are specifically catered towards gamblers?

Thank you for that. Even at the buffet? I was at the omelette station. This is why I’ve come here, to learn the idiosyncrasies of HAL.

I have an independent casino rep that’s been in the business for 40 years. He was able to speak to a representative at Carnival and get them to comp the cruise, and I paid $860 in taxes and fees (as well as the gambling I will be doing). The breakfast buffet’s ingredients just were not fresh. It was an egg mix, not real eggs. Even the people at lunch yesterday who were serial cruisers said the food was awful.

Thank you. Yeah dinner last night was actually very good. The quality of ingredients is just not very high. I’m at the breakfast buffet, and you can just tell they’re trying to cut costs so much that the ingredients aren’t fresh. It’s the second day. So far not great, but it’s not terrible. Let’s see once we get on the cruise after San Diego with the long term guests if it improves. Im new to serial cruising. We use to go when I was younger, 15 years ago. So I don’t have the experience a lot of people on here do.

They assigned two parties to the same room. How is that even possible? When we finally got it straightened out at the front desk they didn’t even apologize.

Dinner was really good, so I suppose that lunch was a one off. I don’t know why the lunch was so bad, but I’m never going in the dining-room for lunch again.