w8ing2cruz

Thank you so much for all of this information!  I'm a bit sad that there are so many cancellations of festivals etc but I totally understand.  I'm happy that the residents are excited to see tourism get back on track.  We are so, so happy to be cruising!

Notamermaid - thank you for all the information you provide on this site! So glad to see the rebound from the flooding earlier this summer! 

We are embarking on our first river cruise in a few days and have  been researching for the last year and a half (like most recent cruisers we couldn't sail in 2020).  To your knowledge, might we encounter some early Octoberfest type celebrations while cruising down the Rhine next week?  

I'm a bit confused by Switzerland requirements.  We are boarding Avalon in Amsterdam this Saturday - pretty sure we have met all requirements of the Netherlands including recent quarantine (12 hour exemption) and feel that once we board the boat we should have 'smooth sailing'.  We end our cruise in Basel and will immediately board the shuttle to Zurich.  Spend one night and fly very early the next day through London to USA.  Do we need to find a place to have an additional Covid test done after the one that Avalon does on the last day our our cruise?  I doubt we will do anything in Switzerland but sleep and maybe grab a bite to eat. If someone could simplify this for me I would really appreciate it.  Such an emotional roller coaster trying to make this dream cruise a reality.  

I didn't think of free and easy in any other context than you described 👍🏼 More of an outlook on life - just taking what comes, no drama, letting the small stuff go and truly enjoying the blessings in life 😍. I've been on the roll call and will see everyone at the aft bar at sailaway 🥂🚢⚓️ Getting SO darn excited!!

10 hours ago, tuolumne couple said:

Traditional Thanksgiving dinner is the norm. On our first HAL cruise a ships officer joined our table that night and wine was on the house, a very festive time for all.🙈🙉🙊  The Xmas decorations start to make appearances about the ship as well. We are on the same Panama Canal  trip see you aboard.    

We are also on this cruise - thanks for asking the question freanesi! I'm really hoping for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. It will be the first one we've not been home for since our grown 'kids' were born. It's always been my FAVORITE holiday - no pressure - just family, food and football 🏈🍗❤️.

As I was typing this I think I deciphered your cruise critic name freanesi? Does it really mean free and easy in Australian? If so - can't wait to party/sail with you 👍🏼

We stayed a couple of nights there (non cruise related) after a conference and loved it! View of the lake was great - we even did a sea plane tour. Loved the breakfast every morning!

Thanks for your quick reply - I'll just have to wait a month to see it with my own eyes 😍  Adds to the excitement !!

I am soaking up every bit of this review - well done Copper10-8.  About page 3 or so I stopped being able to see the pictures.  Am I doing something wrong?

Thanks Gigi1977 - do you remember if they aren't magnifying? As I get older I can't really see to put mascara and lip liner on 😝🙄

I thought I read somewhere that Eurodam had those lighted makeup mirrors in the bathroom? I'm having a heck of a time with the new search process. Does anyone know if they do? 

I booked this cruise over 500 days in advance because we are planners. We believe we get the best possible adventure when we know everything possible. That being said - "have you looked on the forum" ? YUP - I have and bazillion other sites. 

Thanks for answering my question. 

Thanks so much for your replies! It would be so much nicer to stop in Puntarenas 👍🏼. I have tried to research our PC cruise in the ports section but not very successful. Caribbean islands have so much more info. But we are so looking forward to the Canal 😎

Hoping someone can chime in - our Panama Canal cruise has a stop at Puerto Caldera (not Puntarenas). Does HAL provide a free shuttle OUT of the industrial port area or do you have to find your own transportation to Puntarenas? We do not want to take an excursion at this stop.

Tell me it ain't so . . .

i just read on another thread that they just closed the movie theater? My husband and I are total beach bums but have a Panama Canal cruise coming up that has three + ports we probably won't stay off ship for very long. I was so looking forward to having some options for our at 'sea days'. I have read about the BBC movie with orchestra? What happens with that?

ZueAnderson65 - I would love to hear what you did in Nicaragua and Guatemala. We are total beach/boat people and I have not been having much success. My hope was Isla Tortuga near Puntarenas Costa Rica. However, seems like the timing won't work. Help?

Thanks so much for the info - never would've looked in Caribbean forum for Costa Rica but it makes perfect sense.

We are doing the full transit from San Diego thru the Panama Canal to Ft. Lauderdale. I'm having difficulty finding posts on the boards for our port stops.  Any ideas where I should look to find some info?

We have 4 specialty restaurant reservations - one is Dress or Not - we are choosing to dress up. We have also chosen our last specialty restaurant dress up. How about he other two? Should we wear dresses or can we do capris and nice shirts?

Thanks! We don't land until 6 PM - I was hoping to walk there. I don't think I will have time in the morning before we head to the port.

Zazzle worked perfectly 😎

Thanks for the ideas - logistics are always challenging when there are 9 of us :cool:

The map shows a CVS pharmacy one block from Holiday Inn POM. Does anyone know if I can pick up a bottle or two of wine there?

Is it correct that you can drink in Margaritaville without the upcharge? Would just get charged if we ate, right? Just think this might be a more fun bar to hit on the poker run?

Some of our group may not want to snorkel on West Bay - I recommended that they take the water taxi to/from West End to do some shopping while we are snorkeling. Good plan or too much travel/things can go wrong?

Muster is a top 3:30, sail away is at 4. Just wondering if we should hit Margartivalle after Spice H2O instead of one of the others?