Kristal Blade

We gave additional tips in Euro, the crew were happy with that.

You will love your trip, melsimpress,

Dinners are relaxed most nights, there is a Captain’s welcome and final dinner when you can dress up a bit. But you could always just throw a pretty scarf on over whatever you have on and you will look great. Sorry, that was a bit of a gender specific dress wear comment! Men don’t need a tie or suit, my husband took a dark blazer, but he often took it off cos it was so warm. He has a couple of jazzy shirts that worked well on formal nights. It’s not as fancy as a sea cruise.

Tips in Euro are best.

Enjoy!

11 minutes ago, YourWorldWithBill said:

After we came home from our last cruise we got two (small) humidifiers for the bedroom and two for the living room! 

We have to run a dehumidifier at home, to get rid of condensation. Humidity at this time of year, with rain every day, is in the 90s!

We dream of humidity being lower.

6 hours ago, sciencewonk said:

You did not offend me.  I agree with your remarks and the impression I got from the discussion was that people were looking for ways to get around the rules and to use their kettles onboard.  Judging from the response to your post either I completely misinterpreted the discussion or people are having a guilty reaction (or both).  Please continue to share your experience as a 5-star mariner.

I think the discussion was mostly about being provided with a kettle on board.

i.e one the cruise line would provide. So no rule breaking and no suggestion, on my part, of taking a kettle on board. 
There was some discussion of bringing portable kettles but I think most posters agreed that that wasn’t allowed.

Everyone is welcome to share opinions on CC.

I think the air conditioning removes lots of moisture from the air.

I sometimes suffer minor nose bleeds when cruising, something that never happens here in the wet southwest of England!

30 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

Next year (2025) HAL has a couple of sailings from Dover.  Interesting how they will handle that.  Actually I don't care what they do........I don't want a kettle in the stateroom thankyou.

I’m tempted to book so I can report back here!

23 minutes ago, OlsSalt said:

RE: your shrine photos. Reminded me of American spoof website that recently did a funny take on the now ubiquitous "Waving Kitty".

 

We even carry one for our cabin - a small solar power model picked up on a prior Japan cruise.  https://babylonbee.com/news/chinese-restaurants-authenticity-questioned-after-customer-notices-it-doesnt-have-one-of-those-weird-lucky-waving-cat-statues

 

I swear I can hear it meowing in Japanese: Fair winds and following seas.

Well I hope you bringing this on board isn’t going to turn into the great kettle debate that we are involved in on another thread! 🤭 

1 hour ago, LuvsACruise said:

Thank you so much for taking your time to answer questions...you have been so helpful already!

So far, for our Sept Majestic Japan cruise on the Westerdam, there are almost no HAL Shore Ex, which I find very strange.

I see that you do independent touring, but did you notice if HAL offered any Shore Ex in Japan? Thanks again!

We cruise on Westerdam on 16 March this year and there were and still are lots of HAL excursions available, just keep checking, they will appear!

27 minutes ago, BobbiSox said:

I am sorry for offending anyone on this board. Perhaps I need to take my medication and put on my glasses. I am not new to this board; I don't post much but I read almost everyday. I'm not new to HAL; I am 5-star. I will only read now and keep my crazy opinions to myself. 😔

Hey Bobbisox, 

I wasn't offended at all. I have been kept amused by how much toing and froing there has been about a simple kettle!

Please keep posting your opinions. It’s the differences between people and new ideas that make life worth living. How bland would life be if we all thought the same way? 
I hate coffee, only drink green tea and know that even if the ship can’t get the water hot enough I’d still rather be cruising than not!

Just a tiny point for clarification…

Boiling water actually decreases its oxygen content. That is why cold water fish get stressed in warmer water, it’s a lack of oxygen.

Sorry to be pedantic, it’s the science teacher in me coming out!

But, yes, you need freshly boiled water for a proper cuppa.

What a fantastic record of your trip Tigerlily,

We have visited all these ports and the pictures brought back lots of amazing memories. I think your Korean haul was very minimalistic! We went mad there. Especially in the local market.

You are making the ship sound great. Last time we cruised on Westerdam we liked to have a drink in a bar near the casino. Think it was the gallery bar cos the walls were covered in paintings. Is it still there?

Enjoy the rest of your time, thanks for posting again.

5 minutes ago, TinaLee said:

I don’t think anyone is suggesting that rules be broken and lives be endangered, but your premise fails to take into account that the exact same ships which sail out of the UK in the summer (where kettles are provided by the cruise line in the cabins), when they are repositioned to do the Caribbean in the winter,  the kettles are no longer available and “suddenly” unsafe to use? 

You and Wehwalt have nailed it, TinaLee,

I have never broken the cruise rules re kettle action and I haven’t suggested that anyone should. Neither have any other participants on this thread.

If a kettle is safe cruising from U.K. then when that same ship sails from USA  it’s still safe, even if it’s not provided!

2 hours ago, Menocchio said:

The line doesn't trust you to not bring an ancient broken kettle that will burn down the ship so they say you can't bring your own. For most of their American guests, a kettle would only take up space so they only put them in the suites where there's space to spare. And they can't be bothered to keep a closet full of clean and maintained kettles just in case a British person shows up. 

 

Where British people are actually expected (and/or where the Americans will want to be like fancy British people, which is Cunard's whole deal) they'll find room for kettles. 

Ooh, I love it Menocchio! I am officially fancy!

Thank you, this has made my weekend.

15 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

HAL could certainly have kettles and coffee pots. The technical issues in the actual equipment have been solved.  They just choose not to offer them.  I would pay a rental fee if need be.  

Rent a kettle! I like it Mary229.

I’m in. 

1 hour ago, BobbiSox said:

I try to abide by ALL the rules because I assume there is a good reason for them, even if I don't know what that reason is. I no longer use a hair dryer but when I did, I remember that the 'on' button had to be pressed continually to keep the power on, so if it was set down, it would go off automatically. Not so with a kettle. Safety before comfort, right?

I’m not sure what sort of kettles you have in Florida but our U.K. kettles all shut off automatically when the water boils.

About 30 years ago you could have a kettle boil dry, but this never happens now, unless you have an old stove top (non electric) kettle.

I abide by the rules too, we don’t bring any electricals with us. Apart from our gadgets that need charging. 

6 hours ago, TinaLee said:

Yes, Princess was one I knew provided a kettle on UK originating cruises, but if the same ship sails from FL the kettles are a no go - that’s the part I don’t understand. 

Me too! If a kettle is safe to use when sailing from U.K. to the Caribbean, why isn’t it safe when sailing from Miami to the Caribbean?

P&O, Princess, Cunard etc will happily put a kettle in every cabin and don’t seem to think it’s a fire risk. And as a user of a kettle, at least 5 times a day, it seems pretty safe to me. Maybe I just enjoy living life on the edge! 😉 

Lots of cruises that leave from U.K. will be on ships where kettles are provided. Lots of British passengers who can handle a kettle safely!!

On a Regent cruise last year we got a kettle, the coffee machine was just an encumberance to us. It took several requests, but we got the kettle with firm instructions not to tell anyone else we had one!

Here it is, brand new, delivered in the original packaging.

Just remembered another line that provides kettles… Cunard, but I expect you could have predicted that.

Only 1 teapot on a ship sounds like the perfect excuse for mutiny!

All this talk of kettles makes me giggle.

We have requested a kettle on several lines that don’t ordinarily provide them and every  single one of them has obliged us. So Azamara will, Regent Seven Seas will and so will Celebrity. P & O and Cunard always provide kettles, I have had one on Oceania too. 

Brits know that tea can only be made with boiling water and the water delivered from room service just isn’t that hot.

We sail HAL in about 4 weeks, round Japan, I’m hoping I can get a kettle but if not I will just put up with badly brewed tea.

Fantastic, you made it! Looks like a full day of Disney magic.

Hong Kong is so vibrant and your pictures really captured that.

Looking forward to seeing more, hopefully including Disneyland.

Well done, you got your “sneakers”. Goretex and vibram soles elevates them to hiking shoes in my opinion!

Thanks for the hotel pics, Tigerlily,

We stayed in the Eaton Hotel in Shanghai and ended up in an executive room, with an enormous bath, about the size of a king size bed! We tried it out but the fill rate was too slow to get the water at a nice temperature. But it’s a fun holiday memory.

Enjoy your day, get shopping!

Fabulous pictures. I loved the “square” spiral!

You have a great eye, the food pics had my mouth watering.

Im looking forward to the Disney pics and maybe one of your hotel?

2 hours ago, Tigerlily75 said:

We made it through the very long and slow MH bag drop off line - almost everyone had overweight baggage and they are pretty strict. Security was a breeze though! Sitting at the gate now, and will have a 3 hour stopover in Kuala Lumpur. and then, Hong Kong! 
 

The daily schedule has started filling out on Navigator, and my daughter was very excited about the History of China talks with Dr Kam. She studied history at Uni and did her dissertation on China. I remember reading about him in someone’s live, so I will go and try to find that again. 
 

We still don’t have a cabin assignment which makes me nervous, but guaranteed means guaranteed, right? 

We have sailed HAL on guaranteed cabins previously. One time we were “upgraded” from an outside cabin to a lanai cabin. I hated having people strolling past my windows all the time. Others love lanai cabins but they’re not my thing.

Now we pick our cabin number and avoid the unwanted upgrade anxiety!