fann1sh

I'm not visiting CC much, busy at TA cruises.  So I'm glad to see you RuthC -  still preferring meat lockers, as I do.

kokopelli-az, I had a nightmare experience with Scootaround and will never use them again.  RCCL may be different, but HAL can repair or replace specialneedsatsea scooters if they fail, and shrugged at my problm

SO DID SCOOTAROUND!  No reply to any queries.

I now check with the cruise line to see if they have a "special relationship" with any provider. 

As a Canadian living practically on top of the border, with most of my friends living in the US?   I can vouch for Canadians having very different points of view than their American cousins.

Over 85% of Canadians are vaxxed according to statistics   Canada's official statistics of infection and death  per 100,000 citizens are much lower than US numbers. More important is Canadian confidence in those statistics being true.  There's wide belief vaccination is both working, and "the right thing to do".

Whatever skepticism US residents have of any of that?  Polls mostly show wide approval of goverment policy even from people who would never vote for the governing Liberal party. 

Banning entry to Canada of unvaccinated tourists is what most Canadian voters seem to want, according to every poll here.  There are ultra tight spending limits on elections, with lobbying and corporate contributions tiny by US standards.

As long as it appears a large majority of Canadians will vote for candidates and parties banning entry to Canada of unvaccinated tourists?That's what politicians/goverment/officials will do. 

Because that's how they'll get elected or re-elected.

Please don't bash me for passing on what seems to me to be the Canada attitude.  I'm just reporting it doesn't seem likely to me Canadian restrictions will change. 

Well spotted, zgscl, on the logistics of customs/border protection.  They're American, and we already discussed the logic of "land first", in order to fly from US to US with a full suitcase of food. 

They haven't gotten back to me about what HAL access and compliance has said.

I now know about "holds", thanks so much for cluing me in. 

I'm sure everyone understands there are other personal puzzle pieces here, but I'll let you all know the outcome, "if and when".  Nothing to report yet.

Thank you, everyone!

I've told them to reach out *now* to Access and Compliance. And to get it in writing, or else email what they've been told and ask "Is that right?"  before booking. 

HAL always takes good care of special food needs, as I well know. But this is a step beyond the usual, so I'm asking this board to share it's collective knowledge.

The passenger is woman who had her entire stomach removed, and her husband asked me how HAL will deal with this.  I haven't a clue.

They want to book a Noordam Neptune suite for Alaska 2022, as well as a land cruisetour. That means A LOT of excursions.

Due to the gastrectomy, she must eat tiny amounts of high protein food every couple of hours.  Alaska is port intensive.  She's not going to be spending a lot of time on the ship/in the lodge. 

In theory, the lodges can give her a boxed lunch.  But we all know the ship can't....because you can't take food off the ship.

Or is that true?  Sealed packages are the usual exception. This woman is used to having sealed cured meat, cheese, pretzels and such in her purse.

At least she can have the evening meal and late snacks aboard, and breakfast.  But...wait, what about those early excursions? When does the galley open for room service?

Does anyone believe they know how HAL will deal with this?  The Neptune accommodations are a nod to a late brother, who insisted it was the only way to go.  Price paid shouldn't shape HAL's response, but....might it?

She's prepared to lug her own sealed food items, but announcing that is just asking for trouble.  HAL buys some sealed convenience food for the onboard store and other uses.  Any chance they'll provide them?  Yeah, I can hear you all SNORTING....

She doesn't want to book until she knows this is do-able.  HAL isn't going to talk to her until she's booked. 

Sure, she can get a refund on the cruise booking if she cancels after she hears HAL's reply, but what about all the other prepaid expenses?  HAL is likely going to take some time responding. 

"Cancel for any reason" insurance comes to mind, but what are the limits on THAT, post pandemic?

Replies, suggestions, shared experiences, and accumulated HAL knowledge most appreciated.  Thank you in advance!

Someone has asked for my help picking a cabin for a two month cruise on one of the Vistas.  My mind went to those 18 foot verandahs in cabins 4164 and 4166.

Does anyone know if 4166 - shower only - has been updated with the glass shower?

Many thanks in advance for shared HAL wisdom!

Am in a Signature Suite on Oosterdam Mexican Riviera December 7, at an amazing after-final-payment price.  Couldn't get an equivalent super deal on a Neptune Suite.

So, just added Club Orange for $25pp/pd = $350.  

I know many 4 and 5 star Mariners are dismayed, expecting Club Orange  to erode their hard earned benefits.  But, I want easier embarkation, disembarkation, and tendering at Cabo, due to a new mobility challenge *sigh*.   And, am still only 3 star. 

My former PCC is gone from HAL.   AFAIK, no one has been assigned, as I got no email when he left.   While I do have a travel agent, there are times when I want to book directly.

I've called the toll free number a couple of times, but - *sigh*

Anyone have any suggestions, either about how to do this, or to recommend a PCC they like? 

frankc98376

-  as the OP, that was what I needed to know. 

I want cheap Spanish wines, like Freixenet cava.  Aside from everything else, Rite Aid didn't have any. 

Thanks!  But I don't Uber or Lyft - trust issues with unlicensed drivers.  

Would taxi or use a hotel shuttle. 

The reason I mention Holland America Line in the title?  I bring aboard more than a bottle or 2, and pay the corkage.  For me, this location near the pier and the Wyndham Bay Front was a bad choice. 

The prices are very high.  The choices are limited, and skewed to high end California wines.  There are few to no under $10 choices here.  I couldn't find anything from Chile, Spain...in fact, the only non-US wine I grabbed was Yellow Tail Merlot, IIRC it was  *on sale* for $10. 

I got the recommendation for this store here on this forum, and I may be a lone voice in the wilderness, but....if I had it to do over, I would take a taxi to BevMo. 

Or, even rent a car and drive to LA to find a Total Wine.  I spent $230 on 9 bottles of wine.  I expect $100 would have covered it at Total Wine - for  much better wine, especially sparkling wines. 

Just one opinion. 

Thanks!  I had problems with flowers only once, bringing on.  Glad for reminder can't take them off, thanks again. 

Cherie, I watched this vid about the Hilo farmer's market -  and was hooked

Thanks!  So much! 

Roommate says if everyone just spoke Latin, we wouldn't have these problems, LOL.  I mean Chrysophyllum cainito  which looks like -

I'm hoping to squeeze in a visit to a  farmers' market on our cruise, or perhaps a visit to a grocery store or florist to get local flowers.  I've bought flowers while  on a cruise ship in past, and *DO KNOW*  that even if I buy them, it will depend on the ship's officer on duty at the gangway whether |I'm allowed to bring them aboard HAL Eurodam.  Either way, I'll still have had the chance to see them, and briefly own them.

My roommate is a master gardener, who claims there is "no such thing as boring plant material", which of course includes fruit and vegetables along with flowers.

We will visit Oahu on Tuesday, Feb 26, and have a private driver out of Honolulu who knows about my roommate's motto. 

Our other port stops are Wednesday on Kauai (Nawiliwili), Thursday on Maui (Lahaina)  the Friday and Saturday on the Big Island, first Kona then Hilo. 

I know Saturday, March 2 is a day for the Hilo farmer's market for fruit and vegetables.    Is it too early in the season  for star apple?  What's likely to be in season? 

And other recommendations?  I've also read sometimes the local Foodland is the best place for reasonable local flowers? 

Cat Shepard, I know FaerieVert can answer for herself, but I'm going to answer -  I hope FaerieVert doesn't mind. 

When you're a booked passenger, and can log in to the "Already Booked" section of the HAL website with a booking number?  You can see the Cellar Master Package, or book it for 1, or for 2 - and the price for 2 will be less than double the price for 1. 

If you are an infrequent cruiser, and wonder where information on things like price per bottle of liquor come from, or a variety of other things?  Which you can't find?  It may be due to  NOT being currently booked.  I'm currently booked, and it's the first time I've been able to see that part of the website for a couple years. 

Apologies if anyone sees this as a thread hijack,  NOT intended 

FaerieVert, - this is the best "Live from" thread I've read in a long time.  It's mainly due to your easy, readable style, but also the great extra media added.  Thanks a bunch for sharing your vacation time!

1 hour ago, faerievert said:

Anyone know if it's better to get the small or large filet mignon? I only want the small one, but getting a 7 oz properly medium-rare sounds like a long-shot. Do you recommend I order the 10 oz instead and just accept that I may leave food behind unfinished? 

I'd order the larger one and leave it unfinished. 

But I'm that person who at a table full of medium rare orders?  Also orders medium rare yet gets medium well.  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

Hello again FaerieVert!  Thanks so much for posting earlier on our Feb 20 roll call. 

Like JayHawk66 and  Augustina, will be following your thread eagerly,.
 

I'll be stopping at that same Rite Aid for Pepsi and Frexeinet. 

Question for you:  are you touring any National Parks?  Although the shutdown is over, I'm anxious about whether the parks can get back up to speed for tourism after such a long shutdown, with limited budgets.  And, Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island has its own challenges, due to the 2018 eruptions. 

I feel for you about that "day of" flight.  I  purchased last minute from a well known discount agency, which includes air.  Agency prefers to shepherd all the chicks.  But, a "day of" flight from an airport where it  snows?    NOPE.  Deviation fee paid. 

I started cruising HAL when I was your age, 25 years ago.  Demographics were no different then.  Now, I've aged in....in what feels like a blink of an eye.  So  CARPE DIEM! 

12 minutes ago, Tatka said:

 

On our first of two HAL cruises we had to call front desk three times during the week as our cabin was not maid at 1 pm.

 

Out of all lines and ships we had it twice. On Zuiderdam and NCL Spirit.

Thanks for sharing that. 

1 hour ago, BIG POOCH said:

Hahahahaha, you would hate me then.  I'm on vacation, i dictate what I wear, not you.  You wanna pay for my cruise, then we will talk.  🙂

Nope, not me.  The cruise line says what their "rules" are.   They even publish them, so you know before you book. 

My tip:   don't  try "my money, my vacation, my rules"  on Cunard. 

Also, on Holland America Line -  mandatory muster drill.   On one of my  cruises, the couple in the penthouse suite was lucky.  The captain agreed not to throw them off the ship if they apologised publicly at the drill for holding everyone up.   They thought he was kidding, until he gave them the microphone. 

A lot of talk here about how SeaTheW0rld isn't following NCL's "rules"  - even the ones that aren't published, like pagers.  

I try to find out what the "rules" are before I book, so I can be polite and follow them.

 Your Mileage May Vary. 

Real question:  do regular cruisers on the line refer to it as "NCL", or as "Norwegian"?  Both?  Neither?

Because regular cruisers on Holland America line call it "HAL" = like the name Hal. 

When someone calls it "Holland" I know they likely haven't cruised those ships more than once. 

I type RCCL, but say "Royal", as in "Loyal to Royal", even though that's an old slogan. 

I agree wait time is irrelevant. 

I fidget.  I hate just standing. 

Unlike you, I have never worked in a restaurant.  And I can't figure out why "no" either!

I generally prefer sea days to beaches.  OTOH, there's a blizzard whipping outside my window,  as I type. 

4 minutes ago, SeaTheW0rld said:

The steward didn't argue with me. It was the executive housekeeper and his 2nd.  

AOK, got it. 

Lube on a headboard is unacceptable - final stop.

You having to demand a new steward? 

I can't imagine it happening on Holland America Line, my next cruise.  Others here disagree, but for me that would be a "never-get-over".