AKJonesy

1 hour ago, Suzanne123 said:

Sorry, I meant from the airport to the hotel.

They had a free airport shuttle when we were there last in November.  Call them when you arrive, and they will tell you where to meet them.  There is a shuttle bus area to the left and right out of baggage claim.  They come about every 20-30 minutes if I recall and there is a covered area at the pick up.  Great food at Padrinos about a block away.  Find it on google maps.

10 minutes ago, billydog said:

I was looking at 14 Western/Tropical Caribbean leaving Nov 30th next on Nieuw Statendam.    Charges at USD 906 seem out of line on total cruise cost of USD 5018.  Looked at similar cruise on Celebrity and charges far less. Is this an error or am I missing something?

 

Any advise would be appreciated.

IDK, but this morning I pulled up a couple of HAL cruises on Pacific Coast and Alaska and wowsers...the fees/etc were in some cases as much as the fare. Just sayin.

I can't remember back 10 years ago when we were on a cruise, but we're told to keep the police in view at all times and do not go more than a few blocks outside of the port.  Police were everywhere.  Truthfully, it made me kind of mad that HAL would even go to such a place.  I mean, it didn't seem HAL was giving us some great experience so I had to wonder what their reasoning was.  This was NOT THE SAME as going many places where we are always told to:  keep your eye on your belongings, etc.  So, IMHO, it's a combination of being aware of one's surroundings plus the CRUISE responsibility in keeping passengers safe.  HAL can't be responsible for everything, but in that case, it went beyond creepy.  

If you stay near the cruise port or FLL, a cab will be cheap to the port.  It's a hop skip.  We stayed at Hyatt House Fort Lauderdale South and Cruise Port.  When you walk in the door there is a kiosk to sign up for the shuttle.  I can't remember the price, but it was about the same as a cab.  We liked the area and have stayed there twice now.  There is good food within a block or two.  

Yes, I would do it again.  The latest I booked was 3 days prior.  I once booked a Holland America cruise while sitting in Sky Club in LAX.  It was a 2 week cruise that began in Auckland and ended in Sydney.  We spent 10 days in advance of that trip in New Zealand driving around the country.  

Westmark - yuk.  Captain Cook - yes.  

I specifically didn't post originally in Greece Ports because the post will probably get buried.  However, the HAL forum is very active and I knew there would be people who have visited prior to their cruise.  We'll see if anyone else posts.  

@cruisemom42 - I didn't think of Rick Steves.  Thanks for all your information.  

5 minutes ago, OlsSalt said:

Best to come back for a Greek cruise on its own to more leisurely explore, and feel, the variety of the many eras of its historic sites. Ancient Greece, Mycenae, Minoan, Venetian, Byzantine, Early Greek Orthodox, WWII - Agristoli

@OlsSalt have you done the greek cruise you mention above?

I'm asking a few questions for those who have traveled to Greece in advance of cruise.  We are considering HAL NS NOV 2 2024 Athens-Rome-Fort Lauderdale 28 day.  My questions surround how much time to spend in advance of the cruise.  We want to see the usual sites, but possibly other islands if that is feasible.  Of course, I'm looking at the usual travel sites, but want to ask my well-heeled fellow cruisers if they have done this.  Time is not an issue, and we probably won't get back in the future, so I want to go all in.  I'm not looking for every detail, but just some ideas if you have gone in advance, and what might be best mode of travel while there.  Thanks.  Karen

I miss former cruise/travel directors who I have not seen for quite awhile.  I wonder if they are still around.  I also miss seeing Future Cruise Consultants who were on the ships for years.  Maybe they still are; I just haven't seen them.  They always had a commercial on the onboard tv about them.  I haven't seen Chantal, Susan or that couple (can't remember their name).  

Traffic is horrendous there so plan accordingly.

I am a handwasher and I try to be aware of what I am touching, then clean my hands.  Maybe it was the MDR menu!  But, on our last 31 day NORO got me and got me good.  Eventually, after being sick so many times in the bathroom, I passed out, hit my head on the toilet, hit my back on the tub and hit my hip on the floor.  When I came to, which was probably seconds later, my husband was standing over me.  It only takes a little touch and forgetfulness.  NORO is nothing to play around with.  

2 hours ago, cruise47 said:

How about the food in the MDR ?

Pretty good.  Better than Lido IMO.  I like getting my food hot and "portioned".  It's easy to try a little bit of everything in Lido and overeat.  

On our November 2023 cruise we had two separate booking numbers.  We did not get off the ship in South America in a new country for immigration.  We did not pay our bill at the end of the first segment; we paid after the entire 31 days.  

IF you have to move, the stewards will take care of it.  You won't have to pack everything up.  Anything on hangars can remain.  You shouldn't have to leave the ship.  We didn't. 

It wouldn't be a bad idea to talk to guest services while on first cruise and see if they are accommodating you to stay in same stateroom.  It will be very hectic at guest services first day, so I'd stop by early the next morning before the line forms and ask.  

Talking politics is like talking about covid.  Just don't.  People are very passionate about both subjects.  

On 4/19/2019 at 1:10 PM, catl331 said:

The higher in the alphabet, the higher the price. On the oldest 7 ships, that's A highest down to BC lowest. On the two newest 2 ships it's AS down to BC.

@GSP-parents grab the pdf for any HAL ship and you will see these suite staterooms.  Just google Holland America (ship name) stateroom pdf.  On the Pinnacle class ships (Rotterdam, Nieuw Statendam, Koningsdam) as mentioned it's AS down to BC.  On the older ships it's A down to BC.  That might help.  

@Haljo1935 I never used Luggage Direct but getting to that point of not wanting to lug it around anymore.  Can you provide an url on finding information and cost?  

Even though I get priority boarding, along with many many others, I have gone to the San Diego port late.  We once went according to our time, and it was very hot and no place to get out of the sun.  Ask your hotel for a late check out.  

No, in all my years sailing HAL, I've never heard of this.  Of course, there have been thunderstorms in places like FLL that have delayed inbound passengers from reaching the ship before departure, but HAL has waited for them.  I have seen that a few times.  Recently, we had one port we could not reach due to a very late departure from a South America port due to high seas and weather, but that's been the worst of what I've experienced.

I'd look at the explore fairbanks webpage.  It's hard to know what you are interested in.  I'm not a museum person and I would go to Museum of the North.  You are correct, the bus system is good in FB.  Also, if you have to ask a question about the bus, the people are very helpful.  I suggest the bus, if you can't get a car or the prices are insane because often people are on a budget and the bus works well.  

I find a closed bar to go and read as there are many closed bars during the daytime.  There is generally never anyone in those bars.  I RARELY if ever go to any entertainment venue, and luckily for me, the cruise line I travel on has pathetic entertainment anyway.  I walk in the evening on the ship's promenade or jogging track again because hardly anyone does that because they are at dinner or in a bar.  Nothing to exciting here.  

I'm a 4 star Mariner which means I have many cruise days under my belt.  I booked directly through the cruise line twice because the cruise line actually and surprisingly had a better fare.  On the main cruise line I travel, they offer for two different prices, to pick your own room or they pick your room.  I would never allow the cruise line to pick my room.  Too often these category "guarantees" are in lousy areas where there is noise.  An example would be under the dining area or under the pool where you will hear the chairs being dragged and carts rolled around at night.  I ALWAYS pick my own room because I did the guarantee once and was put right next to the main stage and it was noisy.  The online company that I use shows the available rooms and then I can look at the staterooms for that ship and look to see where the rooms are relative to where the noise is.  It's always best to book a room where there are staterooms above, below and side.  Also, be wary of those blank places because that is where the workers are.  The blank places could mean a dining room, a storage room (linens, etc), and ice machine room, etc).  If/when you book through a discount agency, make sure to tell them to UNCHECK the "guarantee" which means to make sure that you want to KEEP the room you booked.  The reason for the guarantee can be upgrading you to a higher level room for same price.  This can be a bait and switch.  Just because you can be upgraded to a different category doesn't mean its a better stateroom.  It can be a stateroom above a casino, or music venue.  Once you get to the point of booking a stateroom, get the stateroom layout for your ship and ask other cruisers.  There are people here that will give you their opinions on that stateroom.  The staterooms can generally be held for a brief period.  

Sorry, I forgot to add this one also which includes a pictoral.  https://www.gotokyo.org/en/plan/getting-around/cruise-terminal/index.html

Here is some good information and it includes options getting from NRT to HND, and various places in Tokyo.  https://www.pretraveller.com/narita-airport-nrt-to-haneda-airport-hnd-transfer/ and here:  https://www.rome2rio.com/s/Tokyo-Narita-Airport-NRT/Tokyo-International-Cruise-Terminal-Station