Eddie Wilson

Were you emailed a receipt?

It s

hould be a few lines under the ship and date.

Eddie

On 7/23/2022 at 7:01 PM, wcook said:

Apparently landing a helicopter on a ship at sea is much riskier than teevee would have us believe. 
 

Missing a glacier day seems to come up a few times each season. Legally, you are entitled to nothing. If you ask, you might get some symbolic comp, but don’t get your hopes up.  And yes, missing glacier day sucks and no compensation sucks. 

I am not sure if the do this all the time, but we had a hello evac on Jewel last Dec.  

They didn’t land on the ship 

They hovered above the helipad about 50 to 75 feet and dropped ropes, cot etc, then cranked the person up to the copter. 

I was amazed, as the captain slowed to 15 knots, the helo pilot was perpendicular to the ship, holding in place, which means they were traveling 15 knots sideways.

Eddie

5 hours ago, CruzerDeb said:

Eddie, spoke with Princess yesterday and while the rep couldn't provide arrival and departure times for Denali and McKinley, she did say that expected arrival time in Achorage for our stay at Hotel Captain Cook is estimated between 5:45 - 6:15pm. 

 

IDK what transfer times from the hotel to the airport will be for the next day; this may depend on flight times. Re: transfer - "Please note: If you have purchased air on your own, we must be advised of your air schedule at least 14 days prior to departure.  Please complete this information via the Cruise Personalizer on Pricess.com or have your travel consultant call Princess at 1-800-774-6237.  If we do not receive the flight information, you will not receive the transfer and will be ineligible for reimbursement for this service."

 

 Thanks, 

The transfer time from the train station to Capt Hook is short, only a few blocks.

The time from Capt Cook to Airport is also short. 10-15 minutes as it’s not too far away.

In wrapping up a cruise tour, the last leg is via rail from Talkeetna to Anchorage.  Could anyone advise on what time of day this train arrives in Anchorage?

It may have and effect on the booking of our flight home.

Thanks in advance, 

Eddie

Dep, 

When did you originally book?  We booked last December for the cruise following yours, no reduction?

Eddie

7 hours ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

Worst show I ever saw was on a HAL Coastal from Vancouver, BC to San Diego, where it was to start a many week cruise to South America.  I am guessing that the singer boarded the ship in one of the OR or CA port-of-calls along the way.  Thankfully, she only had the one show.

The show consisted of the singer who had a Media slide show, video clips of herself preforming from about the age of five (5), through her teens and adulthood.  It was so bad we eventually walked out (after I pleaded with my husband to 'wait a bit longer' in hopes that the show would improve and we wouldn't appear rude.  Sadly, the show didn't get any better.

Ferry,

That sounds EXACTLY like an entertainer we saw for about 15 minutes while sailing Serenade in 2019.  

She had a singing/dancing video of herself, including as a background singer in Vegas shows and/or maybe an impersonator of Celine Dion.

The video was too long, and as it kept going on and on I mentioned to DW, why does she have to tell the crowd she is so great in the long video, why not just come out and win the crowd.  

It it was not good, to the point many,many, many people walked out prior to us or at the same time.

The entertainment in the Central lobby every night was a band from Mexico called “Switched On” and I told them they should have been the headliner, they had bumping crowds every night.

Switched On is a FUN show, great music, get people dancing etc.  They are still regularly on RCL ships, as a matter of fact they were the first band called back for the first sailings out of Bahamas in June 2021 when RCL started up.

Eddie

13 hours ago, Funky Fusion FoodsJ said:

Definitely worth it, if used for specialty drinks (not just coffee, but latte's etc) it works out to 1/2 the regular cost per cup.  You can use it to purchase anyone coffee drinks.  Also, I've never seen it go on sale for a lower price.

I agree with Funky on the speciality drinks, but I used it only for coffee, and it saved 75 cents per cup.

i am a ‘good coffee’ drinker, and used all 15 cups on the coffee card  over 8 night sailing.  

I will most likely purchase one on future cruises.

Eddie

I had a glitch on my last cruise.  DW and I did the stuff on our phones once on board.  We went to the station and they said my wife did it, but I didn’t.  So they made me listen to their presentation.   

I would lean lean toward user error, but we did it together, at the same time, received the same feedback?  

Still only took took a couple minutes so not a big deal.

I think Viking has announced they are sort of eliminating pre cruise test.  But ports may still require it

22 minutes ago, joeyancho said:

Many many businesses are having legitimate staffing problems.   

I don’t disagree, but others are also not updating their compensation packages to entice new hires, and then MILK the Covid cow.

DW and I frequent some local restaurants.  One has staff like Covid never happened.  Why?  They updated compensation, and the word was out.  The place is bumpin’........that is it’s so crowded, even on weeknights.

Some hotels don’t want to hire the same level cleaning and maint staff as pre Covid.  By not offering daily room cleaning they cut many of those jobs, and I wonder how long they plan to continue.  

It’s helping their bottom line.   Now they are also calling out ....inflation, so they need to increase prices without hiring the same levels of staff back.

i guess you could say RCL is also under staffed, but in seems to me they need significant lead time to more fully staff.  Plus I think they are trying to max passengers just a bit faster than the replenishment of workers can be done.   But it won’t be long for them, another 6 months or so.

7 hours ago, rudeney said:

The problem we have now with everything - not just cruise ships - is that "because...COVID" and "because...supply chain" we have a notable degradation in all services.

I have serious reservations about businesses being loosey goosey with the Covid excuse. 

Last week DW and I travelled to a graduation party.  The hotel we stayed at Had severa signs about services in the hotel, cleaning and even very shortened hours in restaurant ......all caused by Covid.

But the one which took the cake was, a memo in the room with a plastic garbage bag, asking to please empty your trash cans into the bag and place outside, so they didn’t have to enter the room to empty trash.

Not all, but I believe some businesses are milking the Covid excuse.

Eddie

Was reading thru some of these comments and IT HIT ME.

When they stopped ....”If I were not upon the Seas”.....skit at final show, is the same time I stopped knowing who the CD is.

Also, I could be wrong here (it has happened before) but am I remembering correctly that one evening the activity staff did a show, including singing?

Some were quite talented.

Eddie

I believe the CDs had a greater exposure to passengers back in the 80s, 90’s but as the ships grew larger, they are seen less and less. 

When Love Boat was on air, the CD Julie was of course on a first name basis with each passenger, and the bartender (can’t recall the name) was the only one on board being that he worked every bar.  Plus everyone had dinner with the Captain.

After seeing Love Boat, everyone wanted to see/meet their cruises equivalent to Julie.  But the ships were 1,200 people, so it was possible.  

In the 90’s the Mega ships were Sovereign, Monarch, Majesty, with what 2,000 plus passengers. With more passengers, needed more shows, more activities, so one CD was not able to be present at all events.  So less passenger contact and exposure.

Now with 6,000 sailing, the CD can be unseen by many over an entire cruise.  To me they have been unmemorable for years, yet I still remember the ones from the 90’s as we were exposed to them more.

I think the size of the ships and kitchens is also the culprit for MDR quality going down.  The bright side is more shows to see, more venues or bars, more ports etc....

One final thought if you don’t mind, I seem to think they actually had more activity staff when there was 2,000 aboard the Sovereign, and Ship Shape dollars were awarded, than there was on our Allure sailing in March of this year.  I have no proof or numbers, it just seems that is the case.

Eddie

FWIW,  A couple of years ago they ceased allowing Emerald Lounge members from going commando on Robe Party night.  

They drew a strict line, minimum is Speedo or thong.

For some reason attendance suddenly slipped after that rule and they may not offer the party any longer.  

6 minutes ago, Tlbecker1 said:

We have appreciated Air2Sea only since cruising after COVID.  I am a little bit timid when booking flights due to many of our cruises being cancelled.

Thanks, great point.

On the first sea day for 7 night or longer cruises there is a “Robe Party” in the Emerald Lounge, 

After the party we are allowed to go to the pool and place them on a lounger to save for the next day.

Eddie

DW and I used Air 2 Sea many moons ago, but have personally booked our air transportation for the better part of 15 years.

We stopped using Air 2 Sea when our flight times, well, they were just stinky.  Personally I could book non stop flights at good times, for about the same price Air 2 Sea would put us on non-direct flights with lousy times....i.e. on disembark day landing at Cincy airport after midnight.

Now the airlines are giving me serious reservations with all the cancellations, and I am curious if it would be better at this point to rejoin Air 2 Sea.

Obviously the Florida contingent this will not apply to, but for others using Air 2 Sea, are you happy with flights provided post cruise?  Pre cruise doesn’t bother me as much as we tend to fly in a day early, just like to arrive during the afternoon.

Thanks for any thoughts in advance,

Eddie

Those mooring docks sticking out remind me of the NEW ones placed in the Port of Miami for Virgin’s Scarlett Lady. 

They are just behind RCL Pier G, and close to the turnaround basin. 

When I first saw them earlier this year I thought, wow, that’s close and could be hit.

Good thing Miami never gets higher wind speeds.

Eddie

Sorry if this is a stupid question, I have not done Air2Sea in decades.

DW and I have just booked flights via air2 sea, and curious if we can choose seat assignments?

We did not see that as an option

Eddie

DW is a tea only drinker, has never ever made coffee. She said she doesn’t know how.  I told her it’s a secret recipe, coffee and water.

i am a coffee only drinker, but can also make her tea.  

We we both agree on the following:  Coffee and tea are ALWAYS BETTER when someone else makes it for you.  

So neither of us wants the kettle in the room.

Eddie

On 5/12/2022 at 9:26 PM, mojomanny said:

The milk shakes are a waste of time .. milk, soft serve and flavored syrup ... not worth the calories

On Allure in March and ended up getting 2 shakes over the week, thinking the first one was just a poor quality outlier.  Was not an outlier, as they both  were only slightly glorified chocolate milk.

Eddie

3 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

The problem with getting singles doesn't sound like the casino was supporting your pull🤔

I think they were supporting it, but said they were short on them, and could only provide something like 20 or 25.

So on our recent cruise in March, I brought 50 singles just in case the organizer would need them. But alas, didn’t need singles as we lost it all.

Eddie

13 minutes ago, molly361 said:

There was 50+  people in today's slot Tournament  Everyone got $14 back from their $20

DW enjoys slot pulls, so we have joined in several. I HELPED organize one a year or so pre shutdown, and when we were at the chosen machine the MAIN organizer, I believe in an effort to be ethical about it, asked if I would use my card.

Our numbers were somewhat like yours Molly, and the issue was the casino would not give us more than a couple of $1 bills.  We then went to customer service and they wouldn’t exchange for $1 either.  

So the way I operate and since I was an organizer, after we ran out of $1s , I thought I would hit the quarter machine, and payout $10 and 16 quarters.  By then I thought this has already dragged on for too long so I just rounded up the payout to the next $5 increment and personally ate the multiple.  When the main organizer found out at the end, I think she said we would split the round-up cost.  

At least in this case I think we were very ethical.  

Also, DW likes the casino, I don’t partake.  I just watch her.  So whatever benefit from those slot pull spins I have no idea what they are, because that was the first and only time I ever placed my card in a gambling game.

Eddie

Sounds like you could make it if there are no wrinkles, but today you have to worry about the flight crew also making it.

Eddie, (who had a short 28 hour flight delay in March).  

On 5/3/2022 at 3:44 PM, Cruiser 5452 said:

Just an observation,  right now the complainers in this country seem to be the loudest and most active group.  I think that they believe if you complain loud enough and long enough it becomes a fact.

Could not have said it better.  

As dear ol’ mom used to say, “It’s easier to complain than compliment.”

What can really irritate me is certain people are constant complainers.  Did we not learn post Covid shutdowns that staffing in about any position is stretched.  DW and I, when out these days have more patience and tip better than ever, because, we’re glad they open and workers are there.

On board in March, one table was “”’that”’ table.  We told our wait staff that we are never in a hurry at dinner and they could always push us back if other tables were pressing them.  Happened about every night, “that table” just always seemed to have issues, mostly with speed of service.

Here is the catch, we were generally served after, and every evening we were OUT of the MDR In 50-70 minutes.  I told our stressed out servers that if “that” table needs service so fast, they could go to the drive thru in the Windjammer.

Eddie