PACD_JG

So now that you think you have the cruise ship figured out...you're going to absolutely love the airports and planes!

I'm curious now too. How old are your kids? And does HAL know you have kids?

Just something to ponder and something I admit I struggle with at times. COSETTE: I just got free french fries from the fast-food joint. . MICHAEL: I just went there and I had to pay! Why did you get it free? Is it because I'm white? Is it because I'm male? Is it because I'm American? COSETTE: Why can't you just be happy for somebody else?

Since you are seeking approval, best not to ask this question on the TripAdvisor Maui forum - you'll get your head ripped off and the mods won't protect you there.

It will be interesting if HAL does a comparison of new bookings vs cancellations. As for me, I'm going to try and convince the brother-in-law to join me in spreading germs on my Thanksgiving cruise on the Nieuw Statendam.

The answer is yes. (not that complicated)

I'm more surprised that HAL did not force you to book a quad, which would mean it would come with a sofa bed and a Pullman. If it's the same sized sofa that is on the Koningsdam, then a 4 and 7 year old would be comfortable sharing it - the width was between a full and a twin.

HAL is late to the game. Princess already has a cruise listed that will be in Mazatlan (path of totality) during the April 8, 2024 total eclipse.

As you all know Have It All comes with $100 shore excursion credit. Literally the only excursion on the Eastern Caribbean cruise I was interested in was riding the horses, but that is already sold out. Used free money to get 2 clamshells. Anyway, I looked on the Carnival site and you can rent the do-it-yourselves kayaks, boats, floats, etc. as an excursion. On the HAL site you can't. Does anybody know if I actually can use the HAL shore excursion credit for the DIY toys?

Lorenzo Anthony Holmes - he was in the B.B. King's All-Star Band. https://www.kxjradio.com/news/news-of-the-north/jpd-releases-statement-on-man-missing-from-cruise-ship/

Have they released a name yet? I sincerely hope it's nobody I met less than 5 weeks ago. 😢

Maybe it's a way to incentivize Greenland for Danish folks, since gas in Denmark is an outrageous $8.04 US per gallon.

Just to be clear, I would make a 7 hour drive the morning of the cruise (I view a hotel the night prior as a waste of money). Leave early enough to beat the morning rush hour in Atlanta. I know, YMMV (literally), but I find driving 12 hour days easy. Now being a passenger for 12 hours...a different story.

Awesome blog by the way. Thoroughly enjoying it. But are you sure it isn't $2.40 a liter?

Just an FYI for families - The Holland America website now includes kids are free promotion in probably all their bookings (wasn't there yesterday). Just put a 2023 Alaska cruise on the Koningsdam (again) on hold and saved $1000 (was $499 per kid in the same stateroom).

No...because I would just drive. It's only 7 hours.

LoraJ did all the right things here: SOP is to fly in the day before. I sympathize with the OP and I do believe I will now be making the 17 hour drive from OH to Fort Lauderdale and back instead of flying for my Thanksgiving cruise.

Not sure if there is a pre-paid tax or not, but I can guarantee there is NO tax if you don't pay it and let HAL calculate it while cruising. I was just on a cruise in June and the wife and I had crew appreciation included in our fare and the kids didn't. A charge of $17.00 a day (we were in a Vista Suite, times 7) showed up on the statement for each of them.

Then how would the elderly Canadian ladies entertain themselves?

Well now I'm hooked. Is the OP's original flight in the day of embarkation?

https://www.cruisemapper.com/ports/glacier-bay-port-494?tab=schedule&month=2023-08#schedule

Since there's two threads from two different folks on the same cruise: First off, super jealous, as I'm looking to do this in 2026 once my last kid graduates high school as a gift for the wife and I. But I just looked at the HAL site and this cruise is only available once in 2023...on the Zaandam. Any insight on why they would switch ships?

First off, super jealous, as I'm looking to do this in 2026 once my last kid graduates high school as a gift for the wife and I. But I just looked at the HAL site and this cruise is only available once in 2023...on the Zaandam. Any insight on why they would switch ships?

Our luck it's probably more likely that they not only don't end the test requirement, they make masking mandatory right before we sail. Final payment to the big box TA 08/07!