dfish

Is there a reason you don't wish to ask your Congressman or Senators for help? This is part of what they do for constituents.

 

Absolutely right! They are in those offices to serve you, their constituent. They actually do like to help with these matters - it makes them feel good.

Thanks for the link to the article. On two Canada/New England cruises we have enjoyed hiking the trails in Acadia. The scenery is gorgeous! Someday, we plan to do an extended visit to do more hiking.

Debbie

Haven't you heard....formal night has been turned into anti-formal night and we are to wear our sloppy, torn duds and definitely eat pie with our fingers (after all, fingers were made before forks!)

Would my bathrobe be considered appropriate attire?

I booked directly with HAL and not through a TA and I was given my choice of dessert and an upgrade.

Debbie

I know it isn't ALF-CIO, or SEIU, but other than that, no I don't know what unions represent the workers on the ships.

I do remember the unions were involved when HAL switched from "No tipping required" to the hotel service charge system about 10 years ago.

This made me curious, so I went looking. I found a news article that mentioned the union for the workers on the ms Veendam http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1347725/union-requests-first-cruise-ship-of-the-season-to-bypass-sydney-port which referred to the union as Nautilus. You can find information about Nautilus https://www.nautilusint.org/About-Us/default.aspx

Debbie

I'm just thankful you and Roy have taken on this task and I do enjoy seeing my name when I have a cruise booked. So, thank you for the work you do and anyway you do it is fine with me.

In 2007 my family and I booked a cruise to Alaska. It was a first cruise for most of us and we took the TA's advice on which cruise line to use. Due to excitement and interest, I was on the internet looking up all the information I could find about cruising when I found CC.

The HAL board was active and had a ton of great information. I couldn't get enough of it. I read all the reviews of the Zuiderdam and learned it was a rust bucket better suited for the ship graveyard, but that didn't dampen my enthusiasm. Fortunately, that really wasn't the case and I learned to take reviews with a grain of salt. The information I did get helped make it a wonderful experience not just for me, but for Mom and Dad and my two sisters and BIL.

I joined the Roll Call and met some great people, some of whom I keep in contact with still today.

Now, I check in occasionally when I don't have a cruise booked and a lot when I do. I've had great experiences with Roll Calls on subsequent cruises and have felt a wonderful sense of community here.

Debbie

Deep68, that was what we did both times. Even leaving later at 9:00 am, we had time to do a 4 mile hike, although pretty easy, in the morning, go have lunch at Jordon Pond House and then hike part way around Jordon Pond before returning to Bar Harbor. The second time when we left earlier, we did a more strenuous hike, had lunch and then hiked at Bubble Pond.

Be sure to visit the park service cottage on the Village Green before going out to the park. You can pick up maps of the park and a schedule for the shuttle. There is a visitor's fee that most don't pay, but we do in order to make sure the parks have the money to operate and stay open. It is nominal, if I recall - about $5 to $10 if you aren't taking a car into the park.

The shuttle is the way to go as the park gets very crowded and parking can be impossible in the summer.

Deb

Without a HAL shore excursion or priority tendering, it is hard to tell. The first time we were in Bar Harbor we went to the lounge around 7:30 am to pick up tender tickets and waited almost an hour to tender. We did make the 9:00 am shuttle to Acadia. The second time, we got to the lounge where they sent us immediately down to the tender and we were on the 8:00 am Island Explorer out to Acadia. It just depends on how many have ship excursions and how many with priority boarding want to go ashore early.

Debbie

Thanks for the nice comments.

 

I was a little afraid I'd get slammed for 'telling people what to do'. :eek:

 

I mean, who am I to tell people to enjoy themselves? :D :rolleyes:

 

I think it is necessary once in a while. I do wonder why we focus so much on negatives rather than the positives. If we are on a cruise ship, we are luckier than many people who struggle daily just to survive.

I don't cruise often, but when I do I try to remember my good fortune. Last cruise was in an inside cabin, category NN. Can't get lower than that, but we had an absolutely fantastic time. We met a lot of fun people, had plenty of time to relax, ate well and enjoyed our time in all the ports. I don't remember how long it took the toilet to flush or what we had for dinner, but I do remember enjoying the company of my dinner companions.

Thanks for reminding us.

Debbie

I don't have the experience some cruisers have - only four under my belt, but I've never found the majority of passengers on HAL to be geriatric in nature. I'm 61 and fairly active and I've found myself to be somewhere right in the middle, including the one longer cruise (17 days) in January to South America.

Keep in mind that age is just a number. I had that point driven home on my last cruise when I met a gentleman in the MDR at breakfast. I'm sure my jaw was on the floor when he told me he was 98. He was as spry and active as me.

A good friend of mine is 21 years older than me. We travel well together as she is just as fit and active as I am. At 81 she went zip lining with her grand kids.

So, even if the chronological age of the passengers is greater, it doesn't mean they aren't as active, fit and fun as the younger crowd. Sometimes, they are more so.

Debbie

Flights are a part of all our cruises, living in the midwest US. My sister, with whom I cruise most often, is an extremely nervous flyer, but I have to credit her with not letting that stop her. We make sure she has lots to distract her during the flight. I tolerate it well, but look on it as a necessary evil.

If there is an itinerary I really want to do, I figure the airfare/hotel as part of the cost and budget for it. I may have to save for a year to make it possible, but with good planning, I can manage it.

Debbie

I've often wondered this. My sister and cruise buddy does not have email, so we used my email address for her when we went on our first cruise. She gets a ton more special offers than I do and I've sometimes wondered if I could book one of those special offers.

Debbie

I was just looking at cruises I'm interested in and pricing them on the HAL website and not only did I get an email about the cruise I had looked at, I also received a phone call from a PCC.

I understand their need to sell cruises, but now I'm less inclined to even look.

Debbie

Excellent examples given by wander. When I cruise with my sister (my cruise companion of choice), everything kind of falls into place as we are very compatible, have very similar interests, know each other's routines and do extend common courtesies to each other as a matter of routine. If one is heading to the shower, it is habit to ask if the other needs in quickly first.

My friend and I never had those problems in the cabin, mainly because of different schedules. I was an early riser and out of the cabin before she ever stirred. I always set out my clothes the night before so that I did not disturb her in the morning. She usually came back to the cabin after I was asleep, and, like me, had set out her things ahead of time so that she wasn't rummaging through drawers and closets.

On the same cruise where I was with my friend, there were many others who were traveling with friends and having problems in getting along. Most of that was due to differing expectations that each one had as there had been no discussion of ground rules before hand. Several asked how my friend and I were getting along and when I told them we were doing ok, they were surprised. But, I told them we had discussed our expectations of the cruise beforehand and that there had been no surprises along the way. I think there were several of them who went home with damaged friendships because of not establishing those expectations ahead of time.

Debbie

It wasn't 45 days, but I shared a cabin with a friend for 17 days. I knew going into it that it could be problematic as my friend can be annoying at times. I told her that we were both free to do what we wanted and we weren't joined at the hip. If we wanted to do the same thing, great. If we wanted to do different things, we could compare notes at dinner. If she ever did get clingy, I knew all I had to say was that I was going to the gym or walking laps.

It worked out quite well for us to operate that way and I'm glad I was upfront about it before we ever booked the cruise. We each developed a group of friends on the ship, pursued our own interests and were able to have our freedom on board. Most of the time, we did different activities in port as well as on the ship.

We did get together each night for dinner, many times with others we had met as well. We compared our days and were able to enjoy each other's company without it being suffocating for either one of us.

I think the trick is to be upfront before hand and set the ground rules.

Debbie

Is this for the cruise that leaves June 21st? It may be because you are making the change after final payment for that cruise. Just a guess on my part.

A few years ago I booked a cruise with a friend who decided he couldn't go. Another friend offered to take his place. We were well ahead of final payment, so they cancelled the first booking and did a new booking and there was no fee for a name change.

Debbie

My sister had acupuncture for a migraine headache last summer. She got immediate relief from the headache, but the acupuncture had no lasting effect for her.

It is also a bit pricey.

Deb

Welcome home, Roy. What an adventure you've had!

Deb

I am very sorry to hear this. Warm thoughts and prayers for you.

Debbie

I stayed in 228 for 17 days for my South American/Antarctica cruise. It was a nice cabin, very comfortable.

Deb

I'm enjoying your cruise, Roy. Thanks for bringing us along.

Debbie

Slightly off topic :p but for those of you who have sailed Alaska and Antarctica, did you enjoy one over the other? (and I'm talking specifically about the days sailing to/from and around Antarctica, not the other ports you visited) We're trying to figure out if it's worth it to do the Antarctica "drive by" since we can't afford to do it on a spendy exploration-type ship or just stick with a strictly South America itinerary that hits at least two of the four "penguin stops".

 

Thanks!

If you are thinking of doing the South America portion, by all means do Antarctica as well. It was the highlight of the trip for me and I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

Debbie

A couple of years ago a friend accompanied me on a cruise. She had a similar apparatus for her back. She wore it on the plane and once on board ship she went to the medical department. They did chill it for her and she picked it up when cold enough and dropped it off when it needed chilling.

I don't know if there was any charge for this or not. I think the advice to contact HAL is your best bet.

Debbie