blizzardboy

Thanks! Anyone remember about the Eurodam/Nieuw Amsterdam or the Vista Class: Zuiderdam, Noordam and friends?

The Neptunes have a smallish oval coffee table in all of the above.

I don't understand? Policy pays refund if ports change?

 

 

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There is an Itinerary Change benefit on our Nationwide Insurance Choice Cruise policy that pays up to $750. I don't know how the actual benefit is calculated. We had two out of four ports changed, so if it pays 50%, that will more than cover the premium for the policy. Like any other travel policy claim, you have to jump through some hoops to document everything, but it's common sense stuff.

Is there a spa access pass available on the Oosterdam? I've bought spa passes on ships from other lines (NCL Breakaway and Epic, Carnival Dream) that include access to their thermal suite and thalassotherapy pool, and I'm hoping that something similar is available on the Oosterdam.

When in doubt about any onboard service availability and pricing, call HAL Ship Services. Go to the HAL site and click "Help" at top of the home page, then "Customer Service" and you'll get the phone number.

Hello

 

I'm selling on the Eurodam in December, I will be bringing wine onboard with me and paying the corkage. (white wine or champagne) Am I correct that I will have to keep it in my cabin and take it with me to the MDR? If so how do I keep it chilled? Nothing worse than warm white wine

 

Thanks

If your cabin has a mini-bar, you can request it be emptied and use it for your wine, etc.

I'll be in my tux next month aboard the NA. I may be in the minority, but I enjoy "puttin' on the Ritz!" Besides, where else can I wear my ship's wheel studs and cufflinks?

It's worth repeating - if you have travel insurance, read your policy. Our policy pays for port changes prior to sailing.

We're cruising on NA in April and doing a Neptune suite. What are the many perks or benefits...thanks for all help and great cruising to all

Go to HAL's home page, scroll down to light blue background with 4 columns and look in column under Plan a Cruise (not under the plan a cruise search window -a little lower) and click on e-Brochures. Open the Cruise Atlas brochure and look on page 13 or 14. I does a good good job of breaking out the perks. There's a wealth of info on that site - go explore.

Our Nov 11 Eastern Caribbean sailing on the NA had the same changes made overnight.

We want to go to the British Colonial for the day pass and I've emailed them to ask can it be purchased before or first come first served, but no one has replied to me. Does anyone know exactly how to purchase? Thanks.

https://www.resortforaday.com/British-Colonial-Hilton-Day-pass-p/nsnabcha.htm Google is a wonderful tool.

There are no blankets to take to the beach.

You can pick up extra towels around the pool area. NOTE -- just pack them inside of a bag so that the staff do not see them.

They use different beach towels (striped) and pool towels (dark blue) for a reason. They wash the sandy striped ones separately. Smuggling pool towels off the ship could be construed as theft.

I talked with my cousin yesterday who owns one of the few privately owned buildings in the Renaissance Carambola Resort on the north side of St. Croix. They're talking an April re-opening.

I've noticed you mentioned this "rumor" on multiple threads. Can I ask where you heard this?

 

I am booked on this cruise and so far have not heard anything other than Grand Turk has been replaced with Nassau.

From an individual at HAL. It's also mentioned towards the end of the Caribbean Update on HAL's site.

HAL is supposed to update their affected port list on Thursday or Friday. I just received an unsolicited cancellation from the San Juan Ritz-Carlton regarding our stay in January. RC corporate said they'd had no contact with the property since Maria, but assumed the property was somehow generating the cancellations.

It took several days to wire money to the family we chose to help in PR. Banks are closed. Western Union just got their system up in San Juan this weekend, but locations had lines like for gas and they kept running out of cash. We take so much for granted.

We are on this cruise as well. i am a bit upset that the prices plummeted. Our cabin category dropped by $235 and we were offered $30 dollars in future cruise credit.

 

San Juan is an afternoon/ evening stop (12pm to 11pm I think). With the current condition of the island's power grid, I doubt we will be stopping there.

Rumor has it HAL will update their port revisions on Thursday or Friday. FYI, the Ritz-Carlton just cancelled our January stay in San Juan. That ought to tell HAL something.

Prices usually drop closer to departure, but you take your chances on cabin choice and location. Airfare usually goes up as well.

On the newer ships the Signature and Vista suites have the sleeping area nearest the veranda and the sitting area nearest the bathroom. Seems to me that this arrangement should have been reversed. I love the Signature suites on the Vista class ships and would have voted for that arrangement on the newer classes as well.

 

At least they did not monkey with the Neptunes..:)

FYI, the aft-wrap SB Neptunes on both classes mentioned have foot of the bed and seating facing each other at right angles to rear-facing veranda door and windows.

Originally posted by USNUZULOOSE

... I would call and ask about if they charge , or even do half the price. Thanks for the excellent advice. (y) (y) (y)

See Post 3 on this thread. That's what they're there for!

We are booked on Nov. 11 and itinerary does say San Juan and St. Thomas, but the HA agent said she was sure that would change and St. Croix would be one of the changes. I can't imagine they can go to San Juan. I wonder how long before they make official changes? I'm assuming HA would advise cruisers directly?

If you go to HAL's site, there's a Caribbean Update that has a list of affected cruises - so far. They won't change an itinerary until they are very sure that a port isn't going to be able to handle the passengers. BTW, we're probably on the same cruise. Join the Roll Call.

The following excerpt is from an email to my PCC, 24 hours before the Twit went on today's name-calling binge against the mayor of San Juan: The FEMA director in Puerto Rico even got our orange-tinted Twit-in-Chief to wait a week before coming to PR to have a photo op, and to assure the people that FEMA is doing a "beautiful job". This was after the director said, "If you're not a first responder or aid worker, stay away!" With that in mind, I would hope that HAL's Affected Cruise list will be fluid. If not, they can coin a new advertising slogan: Disaster Cruising - The Ultimate Vacation Experience!

It is pretty obvious, that based on our own personal experience and several other posts, AA has issues with failing to notify flyers of schedule changes.

Hank

Our problem was mostly due to their "notify the TA" policy on tickets booked through one. We had to use the credit card TA to use our points. The TA had my internet address mis-entered, and no provision to notify by phone if an email notification returns as undeliverable. I raised hell with American for not notifying both of us as they had my AA rewards number on the tickets. They gave us each a $100 voucher.

You can reserve a table for 2 at a set time up to 3 days in advance, if memory serves me correctly. As another poster has stated, if you don't have a reservation, you might have to wait a few minutes. We've ended up setting by ourselves at a table for 4 when we have just shown up without having a reservation. Seems strange (or ironic?) reserving a table for anytime dining, but if they're expecting you, they'll have a table ready.

I was very surprised to learn that, even though I purchased excursions for my family as the entire cruise was paid for by my DH and I, we were denied mariner points for the excursions I purchased for them. I called to complain, but was told that I could only get points for things that were personally used by my DH and me. I'm curious to know if the rest of my family (all six of them) received mariner points for the excursions I paid for them.

 

Has anyone else had this problem?

I don't get the miles when I purchase airline tickets for one of our kids, they do. Same with paying for multiple rooms at a hotel - no extra nights credit towards higher loyalty award level. When my Mom took the whole clan on a Christmas cruise, everyone got their own Mariner numbers and sailing-day credits. That was before the spending bonus was instituted, but it seems to be the norm in the travel business to ascribe rewards earned to the end-user.

All of which begs the question of why OP was seeking legal advice from a travel agent/consultant and not a lawyer. :confused: IMO that makes about as much sense as seeking medical assistance from the plumber who lives next door. If I really needed/wanted to know about PVSA and/or the Jones Act, I would consult a maritime lawyer, but hey that's just me ...

Is HAL a suspected violator of the PVSA? It would never have occurred to me to ask for a couple of reasons: 1. How would a violation affect me instead of the cruise line? 2. Don't you think that PVSA compliance is built into HAL's itinerary and booking templates?

I suppose if I didn't have a passport, I might be concerned.

I wonder if the video posted on this forum and in the news a few months ago of the totally unsupervised kids in their separate-from-parents cabin, planning then filming an after-hours stunt involving jumping into the pool from a deck railing overlooking it, had anything to do with HAL's actions? I am also curious if other lines have instituted the use of such a contract. This type of Corporate action is usually in response to some sort of incident.

Pcc?

HAL Personal Cruise Consultant

According to the Explore 4 "Terms and Conditions" found on HAL's site (hint, hint), November 17, 2017.

Found this online, although not on HAL website.

Here's a link to the page from HAL's site: https://www.hollandamerica.com/assets/cruise-vacation-onboard/Holland-America-cruises-Mariner-Reward-Chart.pdf