LAFFNVEGAS

This is ONLY correct if NOT using HAL's insurance, I have asked this question and if using HAL's insurance with the Cancel for Any Reason the credit goes back to the original card you used to pay for the cruise 80% of the fare if you purchased Standard and 90% if you purchased Platinum CPP. You are reimbursed all taxes paid. If you purchased Insurance through say Allianz or some other travel protection that is where you may run into some problems because your credit card used to purchase these Gift cards were not paid to Holland America directly but if you can get the breakdown of the payments from Holland America I have heard of a few cases that were infact reimbursed but it takes a bit more work as it does with most travel insurance policies. But if using HAL Cruise Protection Plan it is much easier.

While this is true, the gift cards do not have a time limit they will still be good 10 years from now, they can be used for Any HAL cruise, as well as you can also sell them if you find you will never ever cruise again. The Gift cards are not assigned to the person who purchased them,. The only thing is to make sure you you keep a copy of the gift card, I have an Apple phone so I place them in my Apple Wallet as well as I also do a screen shot of the gift card and keep them in my pictures. I do not delete till I have completed the cruise.

First thing that always came to mind for me as well 😂

Happy 4th Mister Matthew, You will be required to make the minimum deposit when booking but after that up till the day prior to penalties starting you can make as many small payments as you like. Another way to save is to purchase AARP HAL Gift Cards, I purchase an amount each month to apply on my upcoming HAL cruises. The gifts cards that are under Rewards on AARP saves you 10% discount. A $500 gift card will cost you $450.00. Or a $100.00 gift card will cost $90.00.

Yes Ovation will block her shortly 😞

Would make for a perfect Web Cam Wave on Forward Deck 4 or 5 🙂

Looking good!! 😃

Thanks for the review glad it was a good cruise!!

BTW every one is mentioning a 4 yr old, I do not think that is what the OP wrote We are a family of 4, 52, 50, 20 and 17 yo. I think they are say there are four of them and the ages are listed. I do not believe there is a toddler.

I will throw my 2 cents in here. First I do not think the ships are at all similiar Sky Princess was built in 2019 has 141000 tons and at double occupancy per stateroom is 3664 passengers can be a lot more with triple and quad staterooms The HAL Nieuw Amsterdam was built in 2010 with 86700 tons and base on double occupancy carries 2106 passengers which to me is a huge difference in size. I cruise both lines have sailed Nieuw Amsterdam several time but have not sailed Sky but have been on her sister ships Royal which is a bit older and Discovery which is the Sky's closest younger sister ship. There are similarites on the two lines but far more differences. If you are looking at balcony staterooms HAL will give you a much larger balcony stateroom with an actual sofa near the balcony, Princess balcony staterooms do not, just a desk and a chair unless you book a Deluxe Balcony or Mini Suite, Those Deluxe Balconies are going to be far more than HAL balcony and probably a December cruise they will be sold out already. I will say that I prefer the closets on Princess giving more space for hanging up clothes.But far prefer the staterooms on HAL for more space. Princess to me offers far more entertainment. There is always something happening for entertainment day and night. The Piazza is lots of fun with entertainment and great for people watching. With Princess you have the Medallion and Medallion app which in itself has pros and cons. I give the edge to HAL or a bit better food. HAL Niew Amsterdam has better Specialty restaurants. Princess will feel very crowded and getting around the ship seems to take a lot longer especially since there is always await for the elevators. If you like going to the Spa, the Thermal Suite on HAL is much nicer than Princess that tends to feel dark and dungeon style opposed to the open windows and views of the ocean on HAL. Both are good but over all you will get more bang for you buck with HAL.

I think the key here that OP is praising is that FE actually resolved it fairly easy. Up till recently calling FE was horrible hours and hours on hold, no one willing to hlep or understand your problem and if anything ended up making it worse. The fact it was a fairly simple phone call and it got resolved was worth praising. Oh I totallly agree it should not have happened in the first place but.... it is a step in the right direction of possibly seeing improvement with FlightEase.

Thanks!! This was exactly the information I was looking for, DH and I (both Sapphire)will be in the Bliss 2 bedroom and my good friend who just became Platinum will be cruising with us. We were wondering how this will be handled. The 3 of us had the 2 bedroom last November and totally enjoyed it.

This is very good to hear, FlightEase has been a pain for well over a year. Thanks for reporting a positive result This is why it is important if one is booked with any airline your own booking or especially Flight Ease to regularly check you air reservation.

That is great about the number of shrimp. You reporting has definitely made me a bit more excited.We are just 9 weeks away from heading to Seattle. Oh I so feel what you are going through on the carb temptation and am afraid I will break down as well. Of your pictures of that Shrimp Fettuccine that was a Club Orange item I immediately said Oh NO lol that one could be my weakness. That Pork Belly looked good as well. Enjoy your last night on board and have a safe drive home!! Thanks again for the great Live From.

For the Westerdam they do the brunch on Saturdays while in Alaska. Go into your Navigator App and look at Lunch in the Dining Room for Today and you will see the Brunch menu.

I hope you can get to Butchart but agree if they have to cut the speed unfortunately you are not going to make it for that excursion. It does sound like it is azipod problem. I have so enjoyed your pictures I check the menues daily as I am following along, the only items I am not seeing is the Club Orange items so do really appreciate your information and pictures. I have actually been impressed with your pictures and items that I am seeing are definitely improvement over what I have had in the past 2 years. For instance we were last on the Rotterdam in July last year and the Jumbo shrimp cocktail was 3 much smaller shrimp, yours looked much larger and there are 4. The salad looked good and not skimped on the apples and cranberries. On the Brunch pictures I take it the bread bowl is the Salmon Potato Chowder. That looks good as well. I need to watch my breads, sugars and carbs of course all the things that attract me are the breads, sugars and carbs 😂

I tend to spend my money on things that are more like a 90% chance of happening, such as booking a Neptune Suites, Flying First Class, booking several spa Appointments on my cruise. The chances of being able to catch that fish, the chance that it will not be pouring rain and even the chance of the excursions being canceled. Those odds do not give me the warm fuzzy feeling of chance it will be memorable 😉 on my cruise. I am getting too old and maybe to wise to not spend money on Chances. But if others and yourself want to do that, that is great and I enjoy reading about it.

The bad part is no guarantee of catching anything as well. A very pricey 4 to 5 hours.

Here are the prices for what is offered for when we are in Ketchikan, definitely higher.

Yes I later saw it for our Excursions in Ketchikan but when I told DH the price $400++ he said we can go out and order several Halibut meals for that. lol

I am very impressed!! Thanks for reporting this and the pictures. I wish I could do this but I am not exactly the type that goes fishing, DH might but he would only eat Halibut and he does not eat Salmon like I do. But How fun this looks to be 😃

@ACorgan Thanks so much for your Live and updating on the meals especially Club Orange. Husband was thrilled that the CO for the Gala Night was the Short Ribs but I thought your Fish dish looked amazing. Unfortunately you internet will probably be slow at night and when at the Glacier. I am very much enjoying this!!

In the past and this is not to say it is the same now but I have friends that were on Grand Voyage 92 days long. They were booked as one voyage. They were just 18 days from hitting 5 Star when they got on board. Mariner Society told them to let the Front Desk know when they knew they hit the 5 Star. That is exactly what they did and sure enough they honored it. This was on the old Rotterdam they had left in January 2016. So I do know that in the past they have honored it when you are on a long voyage, I just do not think they do it when you are on a short 7 or 10 day voyage.

Thanks, WOW that is early for late dining, we have Early, it will probably be at 4:30 lol

Welcome on Board!! I very much look forward to your reporting, we will be on board 11 weeks from today also in a Neptune. I would very much love it if you could state what some of theadditional menu items are for Club Orange. I follow along on the Navigator App almost daily but of course it never gives the Club Orange item on that menu. Hope you have an amazing week on the Westerdam!! ENJOY!!