Silver sailor

Can anyone tell me approximately how long it takes to go through the Gatun Locks

Thanks

I know no alcoholic beverages are allowed to be brought on board

However soda and water are allowed

I drink O'Douls a non alcoholic "beer" . It clearly states on the label that it is non alcoholic.

Will we be able to bring O'Douls or , any other non alcoholic "beer , on board

Has anyone had this experience

Thanks

First time cruising Princess. On other lines there is a program called "Luggage

Direct"

For a fee your boarding pass can be received prior to disembarkation

Your luggage will be picked up the night prior to disembarkation and taken to

airport and checked in

You do not have to handle the bags at all

You will pick them up upon arrival at final destination

Do Princess have this type of program?

Good discussion regarding smoking policy on Carnival board

While an up to date statement while on board would be helpful don't think it would resolve the problem

The majority of the complaints regarding subsequent charges are due to items from the mini bar

These charges are assessed after the bar has been inventoried which is usually upon disembarkation

One would need a complete statement prior to getting off the ship, if available, and probably not have the time to question any last minute charges

I agree with what you say, but I think that it's worth pointing out that the root of the problem sometimes lies with passengers, not the stewards or those restocking the mini-bar.

 

DW and I prefer a late disembarkation time, allowing us to enjoy a leisurely last few hours on board. As a result, we have on several occasions still been in our cabin when they came to check the mini-bar and restock as necessary. The final accounting has now been made, but there's nothing stopping us from helping ourselves to an item or two before heading off. The incoming passengers probably wouldn't know they were missing and would eventually be charged for the items.

 

Not certain but in the past wasn't the mini bar locked after it was restocked prior to the next group occupying the cabin

I know this has been done on X

I agree this is a valid question about what product can be purchased on board and has nothing to do with another question

If I'm by myself, it's food first then table, because I usually only carry my room key and a book around the ship. I have nothing to "save" the table with. And it's just me, so location isn't as important.

 

My family tends to hang out in the Lido near the windows and one of our party is an early riser. He grabs a table early in the Lido and we all meet him for breakfast as we get up and about. He knows it is usually a coupe of hours before the rest of us will join him, so if the table is needed in the morning rush, he is more than happy to share with others. And because the table is "saved" in that case, we'll drop our stuff, get food and come back.

 

For lunch, if the party is all on board, one of us will find a table in the preferred area and wait for everyone to join them. When someone else arrives and gets food, the table holder gets their food.

You have one person who saves a table for your family for "a couple of hours"

However if someone else need a table he will share

What happens if a member or members of your family arrive and the "saved" table is occupied? Are they evicted

I don't think it is reasonable to "save a table for a few hours when it is not needed

Apparently you do the same at lunch

PS I get the table first then the food

Did you notice my use of the word "IF"?

 

If not, kindly reread my post. I never said it IS 3 out of 4, I said "IF" it is 3 out of 4. :)

For all I know, it could be 5 out of 6 verandah cabins have at least one smoker?!!

 

Yes you did use the word "if" and it was in response to a post stating that the possibility was 50/50 that there would be a smoker next to you.

IF only 20% were smokers then the possibility would decrease to 1 out of 5

The possibility is ACTUALLY ranges from 0 to 100 percent

Speculation and exaggeration adds nothing to this thread

If you travel on HAL and have a veranda there is a possibility that you might have a smoker in the veranda next to you. This is FACTUAL not based on "IFS"

Nobody can give any reliable statistics about smokers from another line or the chances of having a balcony next to smokers. It's just down to sheer luck of the draw.

Totally agree

I think the odds of having a neighbor smoking on their verandah is higher than 50/50. If 75% of those in verandahs these days are smokers, the odds of having a smoking neighbor goes up!

 

I am among those who think some of the new HAL verandah cruisers have moved over from other cruise lines in order to be able to smoke. How many have come to HAL vs. how many verandah 'smoke avoiders' have left HAL?

Do you have any reliable statistics indicating that 3 out of 4 veranda passengers will be smokers?

I find the 50/50 split a little bit of over kill

PS I am a nonsmoker quit 18 years ago

. They are in business to make a profit. Everyone has a choice to either agree with what they are selling or go elsewhere if we don't like what the "rules" are.

Does your comment also pertain to HAL's smoking policy "rules"

Know you can bring unlimited soda and water on board

Alcoholic beverages are not allowed

I drink a non alcoholic "beer" Sharps

I assume since this is not alcohol one would also be allowed to bring unlimited amount on board

Would appreciate others' opinions

Thanks

The interesting thing about this thread is that they question (and accordingly the replies) can be read two entirely different ways.

 

A smoker may be inclined to say he will not continue to sail HAL if smoking is banned on balconies, but that he will, of course, continue to sail HAL if balcony smoking remains.

 

A non-smoker migh be inclined to say he will no longer sail HAL if balcony smoking remains; or he might not care.

 

For the answers to have meaning, the smoking/non-smoking status of the responder has to be taken into account.

Reply only if you will continue to sail on HAL if smoking is permitted on balconies

Seems to be straight forward and should not need to be dependent on smokers vs non smokers

If you will sail answers the question If you will not no reply or explanation needed

Do not smoke but will continue to sail HAL even if smoking allowed on balconies

So far, 28 have directly answered sail's question. Pretty good response!

 

I'll add to the number---We love HAL and will try to continue to sail with her. But we will not waste our money on a balcony cabin again. It will be oceanview or inside for us from now on.

Two part question

1)Will you switch to other lines because HAL allows smoking

2)Will you switch to HAL from other lines because HAL allows smoking

Don't believe 28 plus your addition directly answered the issue

40+ responses

How many have answered the question

Seems to be the continuation between those opposed to smoking and those who prefer to smoke

 

One can always find justification. That's easy to do.

 

HAL has stockholders and they expect a profit from the company. It is no secret the cruise line is in business to make profits. That is not immoral.

 

They clearly state their wine/liquor policy and no matter how any of us twist it, it is expected that when we book our cruise with this company we agree to follow their rules. If we don't like their rules, we don't have to do business with them.

 

You asked what has changed? What changed is HAL, well within their rights, chose to change the policy. They published that change and made it known. Anyone booking with the company is responsible to follow their policies.

 

BTW, You are the OP of this thread, as was pointed out above..

So true but this attitude can also be applied to the anti smoking lobby on these boards

"If you don't like their rules you don't have to do business with them"

Let's just apply the same concept to all HAL policies whether you agree or disagree There are other cruise lines with different policies

Will be sailing with two other people on the Ryndam shortly

Would like fixed late seating dining

Does the MDR have tables for just three?

Thank You

Transcript from post #171 states:

 

Is everyone in agreement that the OP says he was born in Germany and that his BC reflects that and that this is in the transcript? If so, then it does not matter if the BC was in English, or German or Swahili. Nor does it matter where it was issued....OP was not born on US soil and his BC cannot be used as proof of US citizenship.

 

This should be common knowledge among travel professionals and HAL was pitiful in their answers.

Realy don't know at this point if BC was sufficent or not

Do know that OP did his "due diligence" in contacting HAL reagdring the matter

Must agree that in this matter the representatives of HAL should be "professionals"

OP was uncertain and the response from HAL was that his BC was sufficent and he assumed he would not have a problem

Too many in this post try to justify the ERROR? on HAL"s part

They don't write the laws, the assumption that it was not the captain who denied boarding, there must have been a mis communication,the OP should have had a passport da, da ,da da da

After a lengthly conversation he , taking his first cruise, contact those who should know the requirements

Customer loyalty is nice, but it can be taken too far