We just booked an obstructed veranda cabin on deck 4 of the Rotterdam…. Any thoughts on those cabins and that deck? 

44 minutes ago, Bad1987 said:

We willing be on Zaandam Aug 20 to 27 then change ships on Aug 27 to Nieuw Statendam for 11 days. Our PCC said that they would test us on board Zaandam for us. I hope that this is true.  I will let you know how we make out.

Please do let us know how it works out! And have great cruises!

I like the getting tested on the ship. I will check with customer service while on the transatlantic part, to see what they can arrange for us.

thanks everybody for your suggestions.

1 hour ago, Crew News said:

Just to be clear, the test cannot be more than 3-days prior to boarding.  I have used LabDoctor for a rapid antigen test with total time being there less than 30 minutes which included completing the paperwork, waiting in the chairs outside the storefront, test, and waiting for the test result paper.  Cost was $49 and no appointments were necessary...walk-in only. 

 

That means a 15-minute taxi ride from the port, 30-minute test with paper results, and a short taxi ride back to the port.  You will probably be back before you are even eligible to board your next ship.

 

LabDoctor is a storefront in a strip mall across the street from the Embassy Suites Hotel on 17th street. 

Sounds like an expensive proposition $49/each plus 2 cab rides… with luggage in tow.  

Our problem is that our last port day will be 7 days prior to Ft Lauderdale arrival, test has to be 3 days prior! 

11 minutes ago, NCTribeFan said:

Last port day before our last sea day, while still docked since wi-fi is supposed to be more reliable, I did an e-med self test on Celebrity Summit.  I took my phone to the service desk with the results pulled up in my email, and asked them to print out the results, which they did.

 

Disembarked, dragged my luggage next door and boarded MSC Seashore.  No problems.

45 minutes ago, DaveOKC said:

There is a place, Lab Doctor, that alot of cruisers use.  Its just north of the docks opposite Harbor Plaza shopping center.

 

Not sure that it would work, as we will only have a few hours between ships, logging luggage and my hubby cannot walk any long distance… anyone know if Holland would help and accommodate? 

Good morning, we are planning a transatlantic in the Fall, arriving in FtLauderdale, and getting on a different ship on same day for a 14 days Caribean itinerary.  How do you manage testing when you dont leave the port between ships?

On 7/15/2022 at 12:44 AM, crystalspin said:

I want to thank @FrankieSue for starting this thread. I would have been sewn into a Panama Cruise in October without the Worry-Free Booking and Flexible Cancellation. I had two bookings, one with Platinum Protection and my own paid for largely with FCC from March 2020, that is due to expire at the end of the year. 

 

Thanks to the Flexible Cancellation, we get back the 10% of the Platinum-protected fare (just not the payment FOR the Platinum) and we were able to reapply the FCC to a cruise just before the New Year from a port that doesn't require flying. If I had understood the Worry-Free policy I might have not bought the Platinum Protection at the end of June! but that amount is minor compared to our refund and ability to sail with our FCC at a better time.

You are quite welcome. 

Calling HAL right now is very difficult so I am asking just in case someone had to cancel under this provision….

We must make final payment 60 days out, but the following HAL statement says that we can cancel worry free up to 30 days before. Does it apply to all bookings, or do you need a cancellation plan?
 

Flexible Cancellation 

 Volendam is sailing from Rome to Ft Lauderdale in November and Holland is still accepting bookings for the transatlantic,  it will then depart FtLauderdale for a 28 days Amazon explorer itinerary… i very much doubt that those itineraries will be cancelled.

I believe that Antigen tests are very unreliable and have no value whatsoever.  Anybody can test negative before cruising and be positive the next day, or could get covid during a port call or excursion when there is no testing… so whats the point, except to create an extra level of difficulty and extra cost to the passenger… I am all in favour of vaccination but I am really looking forward to testing requirement being dropped.

8 hours ago, Tiggerwudz said:

Yes, it says only one booster is required to be fully vaccinated.

Thank you..

10 hours ago, Laminator said:

 

Here is the full PDF. As you can see at the bottom it shows updated Apr 25th!

EU-Cruise-Protocols-0425.pdf

Regarding the fully vaccinated part, can your booster be older than 9 months?

Thank you everybody. This will be our first post pandemic cruise and the Volendam is the perfect ship…. Anyone knows what updates were done during its recent refit?

Just now, Cruise4food said:

You get to be the lowest cost “house” in the better neighbourhood. My pics in HALfacts are of 7086. It has slightly less obstructed view from the staircase but either one is great value. 

Thank you! Is there anywhere to sit outside the cabin or is it just the stairs?

Any comments or pictures of cabins 7086 and 7083 on Volendam?

We had always sailed in Vista cabins or above, for over 20 years until we did a 28 days days Ft Lauderdale to San Diego back to back (28 days).  For that one we were on the old Rotterdam and picked a partially obstructed on the Promenade deck…. In our case, we loved it… best and biggest balcony on the ship, plus we were not restricted to a Port or Starboard balcony… we could pick a seat on either side, as it suited us…. Plus we always had someone to chat with, and we were within feet from our cabin if we needed to step in for whatever….. we would pick a cabin on that deck any time. A great plus for the Zaandam is that it does not have Lanai cabins with loungers specifically assigned to those cabins.

Thank you everybody… very useful information

Does anybody have info and/or pictures of the 4 forward window cabins on deck 11 of the New Statendam (11001,11002, 1003, 11004). The Halfacts web which is usually very helpful, does not have much info on these and I dont know where else to look… thanks in advance for sharing

Thank you… We shall see how it works. I appreciate you taking the time to explain the new rules…. Safe travel

Since the ArriveCan documents is for people entering « Canada » I dont see how I can enter the info for a cruise ending in Boston, a USA port… however, on the return trip, I do expect that I will need it to enter Canada.

Thank you

As a Canadian, embarking in Montreal for a Montreal/Boston, return to Montreal itinerary, when exactly will I need to complete the ArriveCan document? The Holland America website says to have it ready with the receipt when embarking in Montreal, which obviously does not apply to Canadian Citizens, so when do I need to complete and present it? At what point of the Boston to Montreal return? I am a bit confused