blizzardboy

It's all in where the charges are processed. To my understanding, HAL links by satellite with Seattle and processes their charges from there. If you were to use your card to make a purchase at a non-US port, you would likely incur foreign transaction fees unless your particular card waives them.

There is only the 3% charged by the ship. It goes on your on-board account, so as far as your bank knows it is a purchase (part of your final bill) not a cash advance. On the Koningsdam (and possibly other ships now) there is an ATM that charges a flat fee of $6.75 instead of the 3%.

 

But - the best way to get cash on board is through the casino slot machines. Charge money to your account, take a few spins, and cash out. No 3% fee.

BKR473759Why teach someone the harder way to do something after someone has shown an easier way? :p

I do encourage people to explore the HAL site. FAQ would seem an obvious place to start for a HAL newbie, yet many don't seem to have checked it out.

The pdf link in post #4 answered the question for all 14 ships, very concisely, with one click.

Did we get up on the wrong side of the bed this morning? :)

If you go to the HAL site, click ONBOARD, then OUR MID-SIZED SHIPS, a page with all the ships will show up. Ship Details will answer your question.

We are planning our first Panama Canal cruise in March of 2019.

 

I have a question about which side of the ship our balcony would be the best for views. Fort Lauderdale to San Diego is the route we will be taking.

 

Also, would you recommend the Volendam or the Nieuw Amsterdam? I think it would be a no brainer to choose the Nieuw over Volendam since it's newer and a bit bigger, but not a huge ship.

The NA offers more dining options and space to roam. We'll be on her in a couple of weeks, but were on her sister, the Eurodam, last January and loved the layout.

Anyone have any personal experience of this hotel for a 2 night pre cruise stay

Our cruise will be departing from Fort Lauderdale. We will be flying in the day before it departs. Any suggestions on good places to eat for dinner while staying in Fort Lauderdale?

I would've been fine with St Croix. I'll be fine with Antigua.

 

Keep a port and then discover once you arrive that the excursions can't run? Imagine the outcry should that happen!

I'm sure many people in the Caribbean that don't have electricity or running water would happily change places with you. Many people are still in the workforce. Not everyone is retired on this board.

I do think you're missing my point. We don't care which ports we're going to visit in three weeks, and we wouldn't think of cancelling due to the storm. It's the unprofessional manner in which HAL has dealt with the situation that has me ticked off. Just from having watched the news, I privately questioned the switch to St. Croix on Oct 5, but I trusted in HAL's experience and contacts in the region. Two weeks later my concerns proved valid and my trust in HAL misplaced when I saw a document on their own site telling me St. Croix wouldn't be ready until March. We have not always had perfect experiences with HAL, but they've always owned up to their shortcomings when they've been pointed out. In this case they've yet to do so.

Spoken for truth. I can't understand how anyone can be critical of cruise lines given what has taken place in the Caribbean.

I'm also highly aware of the need for business/money in the Caribbean. We chose to send some badly needed monetary assistance to a family we know in Puerto Rico. It took over ten days after the storm before Western Union would accept a wire transfer, then four days of them waiting in line only to have the cash run out before their turn. All services that we take for granted have yet to be restored. Please don't assume we lack empathy or understanding without having met us!

My bride still works for a living, so I do jealously guard her vacation time. If she were retired, "Disaster Tourism" wouldn't bother us.

This is tricky, 110% of the DIFFERENCE is probably not that much.

Do you think the cruiselines are changing itineraries just to jerk you around? :mad:

Before the October 5th update, someone at HAL decided to switch St. Thomas to Fredriksted, St. Croix. We cancelled plans, then researched and made new ones. Two weeks later, HAL switches back to St. Thomas. Yesterday, I looked at the Caribbean Assessment Map on HAL's Caribbean Update and St. Croix shows MARCH 1, 2018 as the Port Call resume date. HOW WAS THIS DATE MISSED OR DISMISSED?

I don't think they are "changing itineraries just to jerk you around", but somebody at HAL needs to own this very poor decision. At this point, the only decisions we should be making should involve packing. I agree the storms put HAL in a tough position. However, their extremely poor decision making has exacerbated the effect of the storm on their customers.

Hi,

 

Drinks we would be interested in would be:

 

• Red wine
  
• maybe an after dinner liqueur or port
  
• sometimes a vodka martini
  

For those people on HAL recently do you know if any or all of the above would have options? As I know preference of drinks is subjective, if anyone knows specific options that would be even better :),

 

Thanks

Ingredients: -- 1/8 oz. Grand Marnier -- 1 oz. Tanqueray Ten Gin -- 1 oz. Vox Vodka Garnish: Long, orange twist tied with a loose knot Preparation: Rinse a pint shaker with Grand Marnier and dump the excess. Fill the shaker with ice and measure in gin and vodka. Shake well and strain into chilled martini glass. Garnish the rim of the martini glass with the orange twist. Cheers!

We go to enjoy ourselves regardless of the ports. I say that as I believe your trip will be as great as you allow it to be. You are on a floating resort. At worst case, stay on board at HMC or Amber Cove, although I'd suggest at least checking them out. You don't have to stay ashore. Enjoy your time together seeing new stuff, eating well, dancing in the Queen's Lounge to the BB king All Stars, or chasing each other around the cabin. Why do you think cruise cabins are small, anyway?

We're celebrating our 35th on the NA starting in 3 weeks. We hope you enjoy your anniversary!

It's also pretty inconsiderate of HAL, IMHO, to switch back after giving us two weeks to cancel our original plans and research and book replacement activities. When you make a switch 5 weeks out, you stick with it.

We sail in 3 weeks, just got plans made for our two new ports, and now the idiots at HAL decide to switch one back. It's unprofessional to be this wishy-washy with your customers travel plans! We understood and were in favor of the changes made on Oct 5, but switching back at his point really ticks me off!!

My husband and I were assigned Neptune Suite 5196 on the Koningsdam as we were on a NEPTUNE GUARANTEE. Has anyone ever sailed in this cabin which is all the way aft? It seems it appears to have a very large wrap-around verandah! Can anyone supply more information for us? THANK YOU SO MUCH IN ADVANCE!

 

Vince and Sharon De Caria

Koningsdam 29OCT17 :cool:

FYI, the aft-wrap verandas on deck 5 on the Vista class ships are probably half again bigger than yours. Those ships originally had a forward raked stern, but they later added cabins on deck 6 and up, "squaring up" the aft profile of the ship and giving the deck 5 suites their huge covered verandas.

It was in great shape in January with a superb crew. We enjoyed the Tamarind twice in seven days, and will do so again on the Nieuw Amsterdam next month. We also greatly enjoyed the Pinnacle Grill and the now discontinued Le Cirque night. On our cruise next month, they are doing Rudy's Sel de Mer in the PG one night (and might be on your cruise) which we'll try for the first time, as well as the PG in its normal mode. If you enjoy Italian, Canaletto is quite enjoyable. It's often our first night dinner as we're usually a bit tired from travelling, and we don't feel the need to dress for dinner with its Lido location.

Welcome to the Board. For all kinds of info and answers, including to the question Ruth already answered, go to the HAL site. On the top banner towards the right, click on "Help", then "FAQ". Pick a topic, i,e., your answer is found under "Gratuity".

We were in a Deck 5 aft-wrap Neptune (huge veranda) for our Z-dam Canal experience. We went to the bow for the approach and then migrated back to our veranda. You could almost touch the wall of the canal, and the locks open or close just feet from the stern. We were advised to book this location for the Canal (great advice), but they neglected to tell us the about the addictive nature of the Neptunes. We haven't looked back.

Once, as I was talking to the folks in Canaletto, they said that more people reserve late in the cruise because they want to have it included in their cruise experience. It also depends on the venue, Canaletto is generally used less than Pinnacle, even though the charges are different. I have yet to have an awesome experience in the Pinnacle.

 

Jim

We have had several awesome dinners in the PG. I've already met the staff at breakfast before our first visit, and have had the same waiters on different ships, which might have helped our experiences.

That's a one liter bottle of water, not a five gallon jug.

Sailing next month and will be in a Neptune Suite for the second time. The first time we didn't do breakfast in The Pinnacle because we didn't know it was a perk of being in a suite. This time we intend to take advantage of it. My question is, is it basically drop in for breakfast when you're ready for it? Is the menu very big? I'm not a big breakfast eater, but husband enjoys a bigger breakfast. Also any one know the times it's open? We are on the Nieuw Amsterdam. Thanks.

 

 

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You'll get the same breakfast menu as in the MDR, but with servers covering far less ground. The same top-shelf servers that work the PG for dinner also handle breakfast and the Neptune Lounge food set-up. They work tough hours, but do a great job.

the layout is a bit strange and the absence of a dressing room will probably keep us cruising on the Vista or Signature class if all other considerations are the same.:)

I use the dressing area to sit and have a cup of coffee and read the "mail" while my bride is sleeping. The dressing area allows lights and activity without disturbing her. I'm showered, dressed, and on my way to the Neptune Lounge and PG without waking her. Eliminating the dressing area in Neptune Suites is a big mistake in our book!