T8NCruise

I've always preferred midship on deck 7.

On the Zuiderdam the verandahs on 4 are deeper and if you can book one of the cabins with double-wide verandah, all the better. 4164 & 4166 I think. We've snagged one of these on the Zuiderdam and Westerdam.

Your TA should know the Jones Act is for cargo ships. However the PSV act covers cruise ships and there are restrictions.

We had a Retreat cabana on the Westerdam for 30 days in 2018.

Hmm the front sounds right but the back has Terms of Acceptance (and clarifies refund for unused portion) and the HAL logo. On the onboard statement a refund shows as "Gift card refund" and the unused amount.

Only if it was part of a promo and not a purchase.

Beverage cards that I purchase pre-cruise always have any unused balance credited back on the last night.

Not sursure what fun an adult can have finding a plastic duck. Given how many are brought onboard (I read on another forum one person took 90 on her cruise) I just see plastic pollution. As for the crew enjoying them - I hear different from some in Housekeeping who consider them a nuisance.

Yes it's a dated ship but I would definitely do the Zaandam. Loved my last cruise on her.

I always pre-order beverage cards. Several reasons - it spreads the expenses, but most of all you do not have to continually check your onboard account for errors, and spend time at front desk trying to put it right. With your drink, you see the charge and get an updated balance. Total win for me, Forgot to mention - any unused portion is credited to your onboard account on the last evening.

Yes, Canada customs. Usually short and sweet, hand in your declaration card when disembarking at end of cruise. At the terminal before boarding you will go through US border security as you are technically going into the US. As Vancouverites, we have done many Alaska cruises.

Exactly!

The diagram shows the route on the outside of Vancouver Island, not the Inside Passage.

Deck 4 balconies are deeper. And you could try to get one of the cabins with double wide balcony. 4164 and 4166.

Sadly that was a long time ago, and before they screwed around with the Crows Nest on all the ships except the small ones. The Zaandam still has the original Crows Nest but no entertainment now. I remember the days when it was so lively there in the evenings.

Oops hit submit too quick! Just to add the Zuiderdam was always my favourite ship.

The line at US Customs & Immigration is always bad when we've cruised from there. One time the officers turned up almost an hour late.

There are many ATMs in Vancouver. You are not limited to the airport.

CDN. That is the currency in Vancouver. While we politely accept USD in most places, it's kind of rude to put the onus on the vendor to take the time to go change up your money just because you didn't bother to get CDN.

Any OBC from a TA or any agency other than HAL will not show up on your booking but will be applied to your onbiard account when you sail . You should have something in writing from AARP which confirms the OBC - take it with you, just in case. It sound like you have $150 from HAL as well.

Not true on the pre purchased cards. That applies to promos HAL has had.

Yes. Much easier to check your onboard account without loads of drink charges on it and bits of.paper to keep. And.you have prepaid your drinks so the account is less at the end of the cruise. I always purchase them for me and DH. Can also be used for water and special coffees.

They don't change drawers anymore. Often you are going from one category to another so that definitely doesn't work.

I've done many B2Bs. It seems to depend on the port whether you have to disembark or not. Usually you gather in a pre-determined location onboard and when everyone else has left the ship we have been escorted ashore and then back.on. the last time, in Boston, we gathered on the lower promenade for awhile then were cleared to go back inside. OR you can choose to go ashore and come back later. We have also changed cabins and it has been an easy.process. Just pack up your drawer contents, hanging stuff goes as is and a housekeeping team moves everything. The biggest glitch (minor) is getting your new card.

Most people are very discrete when giving out the extra tips. We are, as are our cruising friends. So hopefully you just didn't see most of them.