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anniegb

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Posts posted by anniegb

  1. 20 hours ago, DAllenTCY said:

    As I have state before....the city of San Diego has more urgent needs than a cruise terminal.

     

    We have thousands of homeless and mentally ill roaming the streets.

     

    The city purchased a huge building at 101 Ash St. a few years ago downtown that is uninhabited and tangled in lawsuits. 

     

    https://timesofsandiego.com/politics/2022/07/26/city-council-approves-legal-settlement-on-101-ash-street-civic-center-plaza/

     

    The city has spent many millions of dollars in legal fees regarding prime land along Mission Bay called DeAnza Cove.  It has not been redeveloped as yet ten years later due to lack of funding.

     

    https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/de-anza-cove-settlement-verdict-comes-today/2081364/

     

    Other downtown vacant buildings are being vandalized.

     

    https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/fire-breaks-out-at-vacant-downtown-san-diego-building/ar-BB1k9Oed

     

    Norwegian Cruise Line, Celebrity, Royal Caribbean, no longer port in San Diego.

     

    Disney Cruise Line has downsized from 50+ sailings to 20 in the next 18 months.

     

    It is disheartening to me as I enjoy cruising and being helpful to others who do too.

     

    David

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    I hear you.

     

    However as a visitor from overseas, the poor infrastructure coupled with a very poor attitude displayed by some employees/contractors at the port speaks volumes. Cruises and cruise passengers are not wanted by San Diego.

    I hear you and I will not return 

    • Like 3
  2. 1 hour ago, yellowjacket_cruiser said:

    Koningsdam Ball and Chocolate Surprise were a disappointment. By the time my husband and I finished our 7:30 fixed time dining, the venue was so packed the hallway in back was full as well. I guess that is to be expected when you invite over 2000 people to a room that holds maybe 300. We left after about 15 minutes of standing without a drink and went to another bar. But we were sad to miss the party, I don’t understand why they couldn’t use the lido deck so everyone could participate. 
    These past seadays the events have seemed to be more crowded than the first part of the cruise. To play 30 minutes of trivia you have to show up 30 minutes early to get a seat. Every event seems people are turned away. It was not that way earlier in the cruise. 

    Only 30 minutes early? You were lucky!

  3. 8 minutes ago, yellowjacket_cruiser said:

    Koningsdam Ball and Chocolate Surprise were a disappointment. By the time my husband and I finished our 7:30 fixed time dining, the venue was so packed the hallway in back was full as well. I guess that is to be expected when you invite over 2000 people to a room that holds maybe 300. We left after about 15 minutes of standing without a drink and went to another bar. But we were sad to miss the party, I don’t understand why they couldn’t use the lido deck so everyone could participate. 
    These past seadays the events have seemed to be more crowded than the first part of the cruise. To play 30 minutes of trivia you have to show up 30 minutes early to get a seat. Every event seems people are turned away. It was not that way earlier in the cruise. 

    Well I was there and chocolate surprise was for me - no chocolate offered.

    Management know these public venues cannot possibly accommodate everyone who wants to attend. One of the drawbacks of ever larger ships.

    • Like 3
  4. On 3/10/2024 at 2:28 PM, crystalspin said:

    AFAIK, it is still $10+1.8=$11.80pppd and all adults in cabin must upgrade for the entire cruise on the first day before using the HIA/Signature plan. If 3 (really 2.5) of each of your drinks per day are $15, it pays for itself. But it would take 10 drinks at $12 (pppd) to break even. Every day, port days included.

     

    I will just put up with the messy accounting.

    Correct.

    However I am unable to obtain a Singapore Sling as not all ingredients are on board.

    I drink Dubonnet - no one can advise if there are stocks on board.

    One couple I met, trawled the ship looking for their preferred wine.  No one could advise them which bar had stock.

    Very many on this cruise are not drinking.

    • Like 1
  5. 5 hours ago, AryMay said:


    Hmmmm. Wonder what happened to James (from Scotland?) James and Clara Vee both had just started together on the previous 18 day Hawaiian cruise and I thought they worked well together. I figured they both would have been on the current cruise. 

    His contract ended when we docked in Oahu. He is sorely missed by some of us and his style offset Clara's over singing.  She was trained in musical theatre and her voice is too big for a relatively low ceilinged venue.

    At least we still have BB Kings.

    • Like 3
  6. 17 hours ago, Shears5055 said:

    They are on board and I must say we are thoroughly enjoying them.  Clara V has some amazing talent and her new partner Lynn is quite good as well.  They work together very well.

    I could not disagree more.

    There is a group of cruisers who have abandoned Billboard as a musical venue.

    Just proves taste in music varies.

    Clara has earned the nickname screechy.  She has yet to learn to calibrate the volume according to venue.

    Her new partner did play over Captain's announcements.

     

     

    • Like 1
  7. 47 minutes ago, misguy said:

    The line is for security, but it was only for those boarding Hal.    The biggest issue was having to wait out side in the line, with no protection from the sun.  We got there very early, and if we had waited till later it might have been less of an issue.  

     

    We like to get on as soon as possible.

    You may not know the answer but is it suspected that many arrived ahead of their booking slot?

    TIA 

    • Like 1
  8. 19 hours ago, Loreto said:

    I applied with Stockperks Tuesday Jan. 23. Uploaded a photo of my current statement, got the reply that it was being reviewed and received email confirmation that it was accepted today, Sun Jan 28.  So it did work!

    Same experience.

    Navigator App confirmed 0900 GMT that OBC was visible.

    At 1700 GMT OBC has disappeared from Navigator App.

    Any suggestions?

    Thanks

     

  9. 19 minutes ago, kwhear435 said:

    Thanks for all your answers.  Unfortunately it’s been confirmed by HA that the TA (after our final payment and final paperwork we have)  went in and changed our cabin to a guaranteed cabin and took off our pre paid gratuities.  She is nothing but a crook.  She of course denies having done it.  Her supervisor believes her and no one will help.  

    The question I would ask does the TA computer system not have a system log which records who made the change??

     

    You can prove it was NOT you.  The TA or HA systems should be able to prove who initiated the change.

    • Like 2
  10. 55 minutes ago, Tigerlily75 said:

    It looks like HAL has now updated their website: 

     

    Crew Appreciation is a daily (adjustable) amount added to your onboard account and pooled in order to recognize the many team members throughout our fleet who contribute to the guest experience.

    For all sailings departing prior to February 14, 2024 as well as the 2024 Grand World Voyage and the 2024 Grand Australia & New Zealand Voyage, the daily Crew Appreciation is $16.00* per guest per day for non-suite stateroom guests and $17.50* per guest per day for suite guests.

    For sailings departing on or after February 14, 2024, the daily Crew Appreciation is $17.00* per guest per day for non-suite stateroom guests and $19.00* per guest per day for suite guests.

    The Crew Appreciation charge is paid to Holland America Line team members and represents an important part of their compensation. An 18% service charge is automatically applied to all beverage purchases, bar retail items, specialty restaurant cover charges, all for-purchase a la carte menu items, and all Spa & Salon services. Local sales taxes are applied where required.


    *The charges are subject to change without notice.

    I have prepaid my gratuities for my cruise post Feb 14,  My account shows my Crew Appreciation as fully paid and no increase.

  11. 1 minute ago, 0106 said:

    I was able to get small bottles of Perrier with the package in October.

    Good to hear.  San Pellegrino ??

     

    As a Scot, the Scotch Whisky brands offered under the Signature package are very poor and do not sell well in my local pubs.  Once again the renowned and deserved brand leader is missing from the list.

    Just as well I don't drink the stuff 😉

    • Haha 1
  12. 3 minutes ago, crystalspin said:

    Actually, most people with the beverage package (SBP) are NOT happy because many standard mixed drinks such as Cosmo, Painkiller, Pina Colada are now $11.50 or $12 but the limit of the SBP is still $11 although your list shows the price of SBP has gone up $5pppd, the limit has not increased.

     

    If nothing else, it will clutter up the daily statement!

    Agreed but my solution is to replace my Cosmos with Singapore Slings.

     

    I too hate cluttered daily statements for JMO trivial amounts.

    • Like 1
  13. 5 minutes ago, crystalspin said:

    It has always been $5 IF you bought it by itself, pre-cruise, but $10 ($11.80) pppd if you bought it on the ship or upgraded from included SBP in a promo such as Have-It-All. And all in a room have to upgrade.

    That was my recollection too.  However IIRC someone quoted a higher daily differential in price recently.

  14. 24 minutes ago, Real NHDOC said:

    As was mentioned previously, depending on how the ship accounts for it you may only receive credit for what you prepay and land up being charged the prevailing day rate onboard anyway.  
     

     

    Let us wait and see 🙂

     

    My revised invoice states Pre-paid crew appreciation.

  15. 13 hours ago, FlaMariner said:

    I just got an email update from my TA (she's answering emails on a Sunday evening.....wave season must be very busy)

     

    RE:  Can I pre-pay tips now and save a few bucks before the increase?

     

    This is a her response.....

     

    I have been trying to get answers about the gratuity increase and the only information we have been able to get is that they are going up.  They are not currently telling us if you will be able to prepay to lock in the current rate but based on what we are hearing, that seems unlikely. 

     

     

     

     

    FWIW I have just managed to prepay my gratuities for my upcoming cruise next month at the current (pre increase) rate.  The on-line payment system is being worked on, according to Seattle, and may explain some of the glitches.

    • Thanks 1
  16. 1 minute ago, Real NHDOC said:

    The policy used to be that in order to opt out of the crew appreciation program you needed to do it on the first day. There’s some conflicting information about how this is handled now with some information online saying that you can do it at any time although I cannot find this on HALs website or in the contract.
     

    If that’s the case it would not surprise me to hear that it gets noted in your guest profile so that you’re known as a non tipper.
     

    I cannot imagine that opting out doesn’t have consequences other than being able to have a clear conscience about letting everyone else pay for your share of the crew’s compensation. 

    I only made the comment based on what I witnessed at Guest Relations on the Zaandam on a long South American cruises.  There was a bundle of forms to be completed by a guest if they wished to withdraw from the auto gratuities.

  17. 1 minute ago, Real NHDOC said:

    Do keep in mind the crew is given a list of those guests who opt out of the appreciation program so for those who think they will get the same attention as everyone else they may not. It might help explain why some people complain about their experience onboard. 

    If someone does opt out on the last few days of the cruise, how will they be impacted??

  18. 3 hours ago, Bill B said:

     

    On Cruisecritic you will find 99.9% of the people claim to tip more than the suggested/billed amount (I find it difficult to believe).

     

    Personally, I've never removed gratuities, but I've never added to the amount ether. 

    Cynic that I am, I view such claims as hot air..

     

    I have sailed with American cruisers who openly brag about removing gratuities on the grounds they do not receive tips in their day jobs.  On same cruise, one passenger reported the loss of a bank roll of 500 USD he was keeping for additional tips.

     

    Roll the tips into the cruise fare - simple.

  19. 2 hours ago, VMax1700 said:

    The perspective of someone from the 'no or very small' tipping culture area.  Before our very first cruise (only 15 years ago!) very good friends had cruised a couple of times and recommended that we try it.  They told us about the tips and the envelopes being delivered to the stateroom just before the end of the cruise, complete with a list of those who should be tipped.  I said 'no way'.  I am not handing money out to all those people!  Several reason were in my head.......Why should I?  I have paid for my vacation and why should I have to do this?  (not our culture.)  Also, how the **** am I going to find all these people on the last night to hand over these envelopes......I should be enjoying my final night and not having to go looking for various people to pay them.

    Anyway, when we booked our first cruise (it was on X, the cruise line, not the thing formerly known a Twitter!) the travel agent offered the option to pre pay tips.  So, begrudgingly, I took that option.  Imagine my confusion on the last night, when a stack of envelopes and recommended names where delivered to the stateroom.  What do I do now?  I found it very awkward.

    Fast forward three years to our first HAL cruise (2011) and tips (or whatever nomenclature is used) being added to the onboard account was magic. It is now a cost of the vacation and is just accepted as such by us.  We certainly would never consider removing tips and we+ still give a little more to those who really look after us in a special way.

     

    Now if only we could simplify the other tipping nightmares that we dread when we go to USA.  Taxis.....bellboy.......waiter......maitre d'........hotel housekeeping......staff at hotel buffet breakfast......etc, etc.  We laughingly say.."who, what, when......why?", but that is only to hide our bewilderment.

     

     

    in addition to the above, i am often curious how Japanese nationals handle tipping in USA and USA vessels. In Japanese culture, tipping is viewed as insulting and their people always go the extra mile - in my limited experience.

     

    PS Thanks for the tip re exchange rate used when prepaying tips.

    • Thanks 1
  20. 36 minutes ago, FengShui@Sea said:


    Something that has really come in handy due to the lack of counter space is the foldable baskets I brought.  I am sure a lot of passengers had their toiletries flying all over the bathroom last night.

     

     

    image.jpg

     Not I - nothing disturbed at all. 

    • Like 2
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