Do you still eat on Debarkation Day?

[Florida_gal_50]

4 hours ago, albingirl said:

Agree with much of this except that, while every industry didn't cut back in the name of the pandemic, many of them raised prices significantly. And the pandemic seemed to go on forever. 

True.  I can tell you that the industry I work for had things happen that I had not seen in my 40+ year career and not good things.  The thing that really bugs me is food companies that have dramatically reduced package sizes and upped the price.  That makes me livid.  They probably thing consumers are stupid.

[Mary229]

49 minutes ago, Tampa Girl said:

Re-employing, training and re-training, obtaining the necessary visas in order to staff the ship as in pre-pandemic takes considerably longer than one year and four months.  Resuming cruising is considerably different from restocking a restaurant or re-aligning civilian employees.

 

 

 

 

I just came from a grocery, midday.   Many shelves are bare simply because they can’t find enough people to hire as stockers.  When school lets out the high schoolers will come in and do those jobs.  I am happy to see the kids getting those jobs. Unfortunately cruise ships don’t have a steady supply of high schoolers to work those entry positions 

[lissie]

On 4/17/2022 at 1:25 PM, Florida_gal_50 said:

Every industry was hurt by the pandemic.  Not every industry is cutting out things in the name of the pandemic.  Cruising has been back for about 10 months.  Maybe they should cut out all the free cruises they are handing out like candy if they are hurting so bad.  Cruise lines made money hand over fist for years and years.  I’ll be shocked if any of the cuts come back.  By the way it wasn’t two years so don’t exaggerate.  It was March 2020 to July 2021.  That is one year and 4 months.  Not anywhere near 2 years.

Mar 2020  to Oct 2022 - nearly 2.5 years in NZ . It was 2 years in Australia - don't assume everyone is American. In July 2021 many countries had closed borders and would have for some time. China only just reopened to any tourism and I don't think a cruise ship has been there yet 

[RuthC]

11 hours ago, Mary229 said:

I don’t sail in suites  and Perhaps it is faulty memory but I never recall debarkation day room service breakfast. 

Until shortly before the industry shut down for covid, HAL had room service breakfast available for all cabin categories. I remember it well, since that was my customary way of ending my cruise.
It was a wonderful way to end the cruise in a somewhat relaxed fashion. Pack a little, nosh a little, take a sip of coffee. Repeat until done. 

I don't recall being able to do that on my last pre-covid cruise in July 2019. 

[Florida_gal_50]

I don't know why it takes years and years to train or retrain people. I've worked for years in technical roles and I've worked in a number of companies.  It never took me years and years to learn my job and I suspect my job is quite a bit more complicated.

[Ipeeinthepools]

1 hour ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I don't know why it takes years and years to train or retrain people. I've worked for years in technical roles and I've worked in a number of companies.  It never took me years and years to learn my job and I suspect my job is quite a bit more complicated.

 

I agree 100%.  It has been well over a year that we have been hearing these excuses about training people or getting visas.  If I couldn't solve a problem within a year, I'd be looking for a new job.  Maybe HAL should follow that approach.

[Mary229]

19 minutes ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

I agree 100%.  It has been well over a year that we have been hearing these excuses about training people or getting visas.  If I couldn't solve a problem within a year, I'd be looking for a new job.  Maybe HAL should follow that approach.

At the same time many of us have had excellent experiences as to staff.  DH and I have other concerns but staff issues are not one of them.  We have sailed over 70 days plus a HAL tour in the last year 

[Hobbit]

14 hours ago, terrydtx said:

We usually sail in a Signature Suite with HAL and room service for all class of cabins is not available on the morning of debarkation. I am sure you know a Signature "Suite" is only a bigger cabin with no amenities. We also sail in true suites on Celebrity and they have the same policy.

There’s a pillow menu. I’ve got big plans to order off of the pillow menu.  I’ve never had a pillow menu before and I’m super excited about it. 

[Ipeeinthepools]

19 minutes ago, Hobbit said:

There’s a pillow menu. I’ve got big plans to order off of the pillow menu.  I’ve never had a pillow menu before and I’m super excited about it. 

 

My DW always has a pillow menu 😉

[oakridger]

9 hours ago, Nodakboiler said:

I'm much happier having the cabins available as soon as boarding is allowed which probably isn't possible if room service is available on disembarkation day!

 

This did happen pre shut down.  Disembarkation day had in room breakfast and cabins were also available to new cruisers on embarkation.  It is possible!  In the past, that was one of the very few times on a cruise I did have room service breakfast.  I missed it on my last two disembarkations last fall.

 

~Nancy

[Hobbit]

If my husband and I upgrade to a Neptune suite, is the Pinnicle Grill breakfast available on disembarkation day? And if yes can we bring our two traveling companions to breakfast with us? Or will they be barred because they aren’t in a Neptune suite?

[Florida_gal_50]

4 hours ago, lissie said:

Mar 2020  to Oct 2022 - nearly 2.5 years in NZ . It was 2 years in Australia - don't assume everyone is American. In July 2021 many countries had closed borders and would have for some time. China only just reopened to any tourism and I don't think a cruise ship has been there yet 

I’m not assuming everyone is American.  It says that I’m Canadian right under my user Id.  We had it a lot worse than Americans being locked down much more and it was difficult to travel so don’t assume either.  I can only speak what I know about but I’m also not going to listen to excuses that make no sense.  Just wanted to mention that the quote you quoted is more than a year old.  Someone dug up an oldy.

Edited April 28, 2023 by Florida_gal_50

[Florida_gal_50]

17 minutes ago, Hobbit said:

If my husband and I upgrade to a Neptune suite, is the Pinnicle Grill breakfast available on disembarkation day? And if yes can we bring our two traveling companions to breakfast with us? Or will they be barred because they aren’t in a Neptune suite?

Yes, it available on disembarkation.  You can’t bring friends.  Just imagine if everyone did that.  You are more than welcome to join them in the dining room.

[Hobbit]

19 hours ago, terrydtx said:

We usually sail in a Signature Suite with HAL and room service for all class of cabins is not available on the morning of debarkation. I am sure you know a Signature "Suite" is only a bigger cabin with no amenities. We also sail in true suites on Celebrity and they have the same policy.

 

4 hours ago, Hobbit said:

If my husband and I upgrade to a Neptune suite, is the Pinnicle Grill breakfast available on disembarkation day? And if yes can we bring our two traveling companions to breakfast with us? Or will they be barred because they aren’t in a Neptune suite?

I feel like I have a memory that years ago anybody could have breakfast in the Pinnicle grill, you just had to pay a surcharge for it.  Maybe that’s a different cruise line, IDK 🤷‍♂️.   But shhhhh…… don’t suggest it or they may start charging to have breakfast in the regular dining room.  

[Tampa Girl]

14 hours ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

I agree 100%.  It has been well over a year that we have been hearing these excuses about training people or getting visas.  If I couldn't solve a problem within a year, I'd be looking for a new job.  Maybe HAL should follow that approach.

 

And, then, would you be complaining about incompetent, uncaring, staff?  It is a well-trained, caring staff for which HAL has been most commended.  I doubt that HAL would risk lowering that standard to save a few bucks.  BTW, I found our staff on our recent 10-day Sunfarer cruise to be as helpful, well trained, and friendly as always, despite the fact that the dining room staff appeared to be shorthanded.  So, yes, I am giving HAL a break by not speculating, based on mercenary grounds, as to why the DR staff may be shorthanded.  

[Ipeeinthepools]

8 minutes ago, Tampa Girl said:

 

And, then, would you be complaining about incompetent, uncaring, staff?  It is a well-trained, caring staff for which HAL has been most commended.  I doubt that HAL would risk lowering that standard to save a few bucks.  BTW, I found our staff on our recent 10-day Sunfarer cruise to be as helpful, well trained, and friendly as always, despite the fact that the dining room staff appeared to be shorthanded.  So, yes, I am giving HAL a break by not speculating, based on mercenary grounds, as to why the DR staff may be shorthanded.  

 

I'm not really speculating about why the DR or other areas might be shorthanded, but my patience is starting to wear thin.  The fact is that they are short staffed and it needs to be addressed.   All I'm suggesting is that the visa or training issues should have been resolved by now.  If it takes longer to get a visa, they have had adequate time to address that in the staffing plans.  They have had enough time to address almost any problem.

[Torquer]

14 hours ago, Hobbit said:

If my husband and I upgrade to a Neptune suite, is the Pinnicle Grill breakfast available on disembarkation day? And if yes can we bring our two traveling companions to breakfast with us? Or will they be barred because they aren’t in a Neptune suite?

The PG is open for breakfast on disembarkation day, and during the same times as the MDR.  However, depending on your travel connections (e.g. flights) it may be too late to work for you.  You definitely cannot bring friends in to the PG for breakfast, not even if they buy Club Orange.  But of course you can order room service from the suite breakfast menu, which is better than the normal room service menu.  They could come to your suite and eat breakfast there with you.

[KAKcruiser]

I don't think we could order room service breakfast in our Neptune Suite on disembarkation day in November on the Nieuw Amsterdam.

[Torquer]

4 hours ago, KAKcruiser said:

I don't think we could order room service breakfast in our Neptune Suite on disembarkation day in November on the Nieuw Amsterdam.

I have never heard of that before...did you try and they said no?  We almost always do room service on disembarkation day, unless we have a late flight and we go to the Pinnacle Grill or Club Orange restaurant for breakfast.

[alwaysfrantic]

Not only can I eat breakfast on debarkation day, I can book specialty dining for that night.   The ship docks at 7 am and home all go……but I can book dinners that night. They are not interested in hearing they have the dates wrong on the website 😂