badtwin

Packing for a 21 day Norway and Baltic starting mid-September and I am guessing 4-6 dressy nights on a HAL.   I do the evening pants and a few dressy tops in rotation.  I was wondering if it is too early in the fall season for velvet.  I realize people wear everything but I wondered if it would be too heavy.

I guess I am of the generation that still follows rules like no white shoes after Labor Day so maybe it really doesn't matter.

Slightly off topic but related to Amsterdam early flights.. 

We are flying Delta/KLM.  I know from websites there are check-in kiosks at KLM area of Schipol.  Will US citizens be able to check bags at kiosk for an international flight to USA?

I know to get an appointment for security  but I have heard the bigger issue for travelers is the check-in lines with the airlines.  I am happy with a kiosk if they will let us.

Does anyone know from experience?

I will try to find out from airline but it would give me more comfort to hear from someone with real recent experience.

20 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

If it’s not in your HAL confirmation (page 2 on it on mine) where it lists everything, you don’t have tips included.  they are not included all the time and often only on special promotion.

So I am confused now too.  I have assumed  HIA usually doesn't include crew appreciation (what I called gratuities) the daily extra charge - but that HIA included tips on what you ate and drank - the 18% surcharge HAL adds to such things. Are you saying some HIA packages don't include tips?

Pretty sure tips included but not gratuities with ordinary HIA .  Go to HAL website , then cruise deals, then have it all package.  Explanation clearly says drink tips included (as would be expected by the receipt discussion above).  I can't find where it says also included on dinners yet but think so.  Should be clear from receipt you will sign there if you can wait that long

I suspect the OP will also not be cruising with HAL in the future  - entirely justified - which may be another factor in HAL's response.  If there is no chance of the cruiser returning, there is less incentive to try to make amends.

Not saying that is right but rather that HAL makes business decisions.  How many of us are going to change our cruise plans after reading this discussion?.  The hater hate and the cheerleaders cheer and some of us just look for an itinerary and price we like.

12 minutes ago, ldtr said:

That becomes the problem with these issues. If it is not enough for you to leave the ship, then it becomes a question of the value of the amount of inconvenience. From the cruise lines point of view you still got the benefit of travel and ships public facilities, even if the toilet had issues.

 

One other question. Would the toilet flush or once it had the back flow there was no way to empty it without maintenance coming and emptying it?

This is the issue isn't it?  And I find it curious that we still have not heard from the OP what he wants or has asked for other than for HAL "to make this right."  (Or at least i didn't see it.)

I think what the OP dealt with was terrible, but he did not do himself any favors by not being clear and totally honest here.  It would not have taken 10 pages to say. "We had human waste back up in our toilet several times a day every day on an X day cruise.  Maintenance was in every day and couldn't fix it and the most they offered me was $1000  future cruise credit.  I was told no other rooms were available and going home meant forfeiting many dollars paid for tours."   It would have helped us all understand the full nature and scope of the problem.  

IMHO $1000 credit is not enough.  But I am not sure a full refund is in order without more info.

And a full refund of what  - cruise fair? on-board spending too?

And as an aside, as someone who has been dealing with septic issues for most of the summer, never underestimate what a cluster that can be.  And it must be 20 times more difficult on a ship.  I have learned an incredible amount about on-board plumbing.   I am somewhat more assured that I won't accidentally get sucked onto to seat.  

36 minutes ago, urqu3 said:

Badtwin, The final offer from HAL was $1000 pp future cruise credit that has to be used within one year. That is worthless to me. They have stopped responding to me so this is where we are!

Did you make a counter offer?

I agree the situation with the toilet was totally unacceptable. (The deck not so much - looks like it got some interim repairs and not sure what else they could do while sailing.)  Agree a $600 pp future cruise credit inadequate if this happened multiple times during your cruise.

I am curious what you expect HAL to do if they really did not have any other cabin available? (And was it really no other cabin or nothing near the class you booked?)  In your third post said you didn't want to go public and you gave HAL a chance to make it right.  What would you consider fair to make it right?

Not trying to be cute.  I am really just curious what kind of compensation HAL gives for various situations.

Reminds me of the time we went for a cruise on the Magellan  (which was then with now defunct CMV.)  We assumed it was pronounced muh-JEL-uhn.   We soon learned the correct or at least British pronunciation was muh-GEL-uhn (with a hard -G-).

I don't usually follow this topic, but we in Spokane are hoping desperately that Hilary spares southern California and sends buckets of rain our way.   Eastern Wasington (state) has some devastating fires and no end in sight.  your thoughts and prayers would be welcome

Thank you all

If you have time to notice, what is the earliest time one may self-disembark in Amsterdam?,   I need to book a cab for a ride to the airport and I was wondering how early I could schedule it.  

I have really enjoyed your review.  We are on Rotterdam in about a month.

Safe journey home

Notwithstanding slightly snarky post above (sorry), I am also greatly enjoying your posts.  Very fun and informative. Nice to have dailies and menus.  I believe DH and I will be on Rotterdam with you in September and will try to remember meet and greet.  

Now if I could just get rid of earworm from your Gerry and Pacemaker post.🙉

It looks like one or both legs of our September 2023 Rotterdam cruise are sold out.  Does anyone know if the guarantee assignments will be made any earlier if the ship is sold out?  I assume they wait until they make all the sales the can before assigning cabins.

Thanks.  We are still a bit more than a month out but just hoping.  I know from above one never knows when one will get word of the assignment.

7 hours ago, VMax1700 said:

 

Waiting for the elevator to get to the stateroom was another story.  My pet peeve of the day - why take pax luggage onboard using the same elevators as pax are using to get to their staterooms?  Only two elevators out of 4 were available and the restless line of pax trying to get on snaked back to the gangplank.  

Nieuw Statendam has a little over 1300 cabins.  Assume 2 pieces of luggage per cabin, that is 2600 suitcases.  Assume 11am start to boarding and 4 or 5pm departure, that is 5 or 6 hours to move luggage or around 450 to 500 bags per hour.  Assuming they are also replenishing the ships' stores, suspect the service elevators are plenty busy too.  

That said, it would help to direct people to elevators at other parts of ship.

I have seen recent postings show $35 for ships sailing northern European routes

After reading this topic, I wanted to pull it forward and see what current practice was, particularly on the Rotterdam.  We have OBC from HAL from when we booked on board, CCL shareholder OBC, and firefighter OBC.  The terms and conditions of the latter two specify it is NOT available for gratuities.  Everything I have read today says regardless of stated terms,  once onboard, HAL will deduct daily crew appreciation from nonrefundable OBC. Is this still true or has anyone has a different experience?

Decided to search "schengen" and got quite an education but still no answer to luggage kiosk issue.

On 7/24/2023 at 7:44 PM, gnome12 said:

Is your previous port within the Schengen zone?

I have seen this mentioned before with regard to my question elsewhere about kiosk luggage check and wondered what it means;

.

More specifically I have been trying to find out if US passengers, arriving on a ship into Amsterdam can use the airport kiosks to check baggage for an international flight home or will we have to stand in the baggage check line for our airline.   

O

58 minutes ago, Love2cruise77 said:

We just returned from AMS.  No appointment needed, there was hardly any wait for security. 

 

The wait was with KLM, took over an hour to check in luggage. 

I am trying to wade through the KLM info on Schipol.  Some airlines can use the kiosks to check luggage.  We are flying with Delta to the US but KLM does their bags.  Anyone know if we can use the kiosk for our checked bags?

The chocolate covered cream puff at the Dutch Cafe.  

Thanks

I was leaning toward taxi unless the ship transfer was somehow earlier.  Luckily we (well DH) is strong enough we can self disembark and hopefully get off around 7:30

And thanks for reminder or security appointments.

We have what I consider a ridiculously early flight out of Schipol in October.   Will be disembarking Rotterdam so wondered I wondered if the kind and helpful authors of these posts are still watching this discussion.  

Usually we would just go on the train but given the walk from port to station and timing, I am trying to decide between ship's transfer or cab.  Never done a ship's transfer and I wondered how early they run or if you had to wait until the first bus was filled or what.

I called HAL about this. Not a clue what I was worried about.

Thank you

Would also like to know the schedule for those staying on board for the next cruise. When may they get off and when must they return.  Thank for your posts.  Been very helpful 

Tack så mycket

A transit pass really should solve my problem.  Although I am also looking at your prior suggestion to use the ferry to get to Vasa museum.  Really nice to have someone like you helping us muddle through our ports.