OLife Late Flight

[ricka47]

On 10/17/2020 at 3:28 PM, Hawaiidan said:

You mean  sumptuous hand carved ny steak dinner... so lovingly presented  by  HAL master chefs!!!!     

 

In fairness, that doesn't appear to be a dinner presentation but something from the buffet? I've seen some pretty unappetizing piles of food being carried back to tables at many buffets and the chefs are not to blame.

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 hour ago, ricka47 said:

I booked a cruise yesterday with air and we're getting the hotel.  Yes, it's expensive but it does include transfers from the airport to the hotel and then from the hotel to the port in the morning as well as any deviation fees. 

 

We've been doing mostly easy Caribbean cruises where we just drive to the port.  So, for this one, we'll let them take care of us and then get more adventuresome next time by doing all of this on our own.

Read post #21. Everything you need at a fraction of the Oceania price. We've done this using the same hotels as Oceania on several occasions.

[Hawaiidan]

3 hours ago, ricka47 said:

 

In fairness, that doesn't appear to be a dinner presentation but something from the buffet? I've seen some pretty unappetizing piles of food being carried back to tables at many buffets and the chefs are not to blame.

On Hal.....they are cooks... not chefs.    Also it is the job of   a chef to select the best ingredients and  treat them well. In in 28 days this was my best meal...in either the dining room or lido.     The lido, or buffet  was day and night better than the dining room.   I am not hard to please and go with the flow as much as possible.... however HAL made it difficult and  for a first in 30+ years of cruising..... there were days I just would not eat because of the crap they were serving. I used to  love HAL in the 70 and 80"s.....  Today it is pathetic.....   The good thing is they got me to go to Oceania.

[CintiPam]

14 hours ago, ricka47 said:

I booked a cruise yesterday with air and we're getting the hotel.  Yes, it's expensive but it does include transfers from the airport to the hotel and then from the hotel to the port in the morning as well as any deviation fees. 

 

We've been doing mostly easy Caribbean cruises where we just drive to the port.  So, for this one, we'll let them take care of us and then get more adventuresome next time by doing all of this on our own.

Any hotel in Istanbul is more than happy to arrange all your transfers, the airport is modern, the cruise port is very centrally located, and hotels are priced very reasonably there. I truly do not understand why you would spend your money in this manner.  Are you actually paying $695 per night for your hotel there? JMO
 

Enjoy this wonderful beautiful historic city! 

Edited October 21, 2020 by CintiPam

[alcpa1]

That photo is why, even as we are almost old enough to sail HAL again, we won't step foot on any of their gangplanks!

 

Rick,

Keep an eye on your flights....just saying

[shank63]

On 10/17/2020 at 12:49 PM, LHT28 said:

just book your own air   most cases by the time you add in the deviation fee  to the air credit you will at least break even or save some $

JMO

When we can book with air miles, we do.  In fact, we just booked flights for the Riviera 9/2/21 cruise using AA air miles, so no issue with the deviation fees this time.

[LHT28]

2 minutes ago, shank63 said:

When we can book with air miles, we do.  In fact, we just booked flights for the Riviera 9/2/21 cruise using AA air miles, so no issue with the deviation fees this time.

 Not everyone have air miles to use  😉

[Hawaiidan]

2 hours ago, LHT28 said:

 Not everyone have air miles to use  😉

maybe  a good time to ponder that  maybe you should start..... you have to begin somewhere.    There is a reason  you read  do many posters are using and collecting air miles..........