2inSETexas

Rudi’s is listed on our August 24th Northern Lights cruise. It’s still listed on HAL website. https://www.hollandamerica.com/en/us/onboard-experiences/dining/sel-de-mer notes King Crab Meat on the menu.

From our experience, it had almost no impact on check-in. There was just an additional kiosk to stop at to submit the copies. It only takes a quick glance at the passport and copies to confirm they were legitimate copies.

We didn’t have any problem with any of our prescriptions. We didn’t pre-disclose them, but did review the Japan list of unapproved meds (none were on the list) and kept them in original containers.

This was required of us on our February cruise on the Westerdam. The copies were to expedite the visa waiver requirements for our stop in Shanghai, China. One of the copies was endorsed by Chinese officials and was used in lieu of our passport while stopped in Shanghai. Our passports were returned to us prior to our Japan stops.

This reminds me of a European river cruise we took a few years ago. We had our time setting on our iPhones set to manual, but realized not everyone did it that way with the event of one particular morning. On one stretch of the Danube, Serbia (on the port side bank) was one hour behind Bulgaria (on the starboard side bank). The main channel ran along the Serbian side of the river so those with iPhones set to automatic were an hour behind the ship’s time as we were approaching a Bulgarian port. We wondered why so few passengers showed up at breakfast that morning. 😆

HAL is a Dutch flagged fleet, as the above comment notes. But the direction one walks around the ship isn’t an American standard. I’ve yet to see a track meet anywhere in the world where the participants move in a clockwise direction around the track. I have no problem passing on the left or the right, but it is those that choose to wander from side to side as they walk ahead of me that makes the choice of where to pass (or when) a challenge.

This may have been discussed a fair amount, but has it been discussed since HAL changed their website? I also have used the complimentary dining before for two guests, but the new website does not have an option to apply complimentary dining on the website format. At least not that I can find. Like the OP, need help finding how to apply the complimentary credit for dining from someone who has done so on the updated website. Thanks.

The tarts here (at least at our hotel in HK) are good, but not as good as in Lisbon. We are in HK just for two nights before joining the cruise, but we spent 10 days here back in 2017 including Disney. The daughter of a good friend worked at Disney and was “very close” to one of the face characters. My wife enjoyed the experience in HK as her first trip to Asia. I had been here before on business trips. This stay is just for acclimating to the new time zones.

Hope to see you Saturday or during the trip. 😊

I’ve had a suspicious twist to the process. I used the app to connect to my brokerage account, then after getting confirmation of the OBC (next day) I changed the brokerage account password. Today, I found my account locked out as if there had been unauthorized attempts to access account. I have now unlinked the app from my brokerage account. I plan to advise Carnival and HAL of this suspicious activity because of the app.

I’ve had a suspicious twist to the process. I used the app to connect to my brokerage account, then after getting confirmation of the OBC (next day) I changed the brokerage account password. Today, I found my account locked out as if there had been unauthorized attempts to access account. I have now unlinked the app from my brokerage account. I plan to advise Carnival and HAL of this suspicious activity because of the app.

We’ve only sailed AmaWaterways on Europe cruises. This sailing was our fourth. We very much recommend them. They took good care in planning around the flood levels and the tanker in the gorge.

On the AmaMora. We stopped short of Basel last night, mooring at Breisach. We will stay here through disembarkation Monday. Still seeing traffic in the nearby locks.

We have just reached Lahnstein, and are now moored.

Wow! In Cologne today and scheduled to be passing through there tomorrow.

This has become an unfortunate trend across the industry, I’m afraid. Our last HAL cruise on the Zaandam, two crew members who were already doing a great job reminded us that their contract renewal depended on it. Our last cruise on another line, we were reminded everyday for the last three days how important good reviews were to them for their next contract. I agree that excessive pressure is being placed by management on crew to get good reviews, if not overtly than with sufficient “hints” that crew members feel the need to remind their guests. I will give good reviews where deserved, but would prefer to not be reminded regularly.

I have found RCCL’s digital process unpredictable at best, irresponsible at worst. A few years ago we purchased digital downloads and had the pictures very soon after the cruise (within a day or two). Our recent cruise the process has been terrible. We purchased 5 digital pictures, and were told they would be sent via a link on email within 4-7 days. It’s been 10 days now and still no email (others in our travel group have already received theirs). We called RCCL and they told us the ship was wrong, it takes 10-14 days. They assured us the purchase was still in progress, but each day I’m expectating less and less from RCCL. Absolutely terrible process. I’ve never sailed a cruise line where I didn’t have my digital pictures before I even left the ship.

It’s 5 am in Rotterdam and she is nearing the Beneluxtunnel under the Nieuwe Maas.

Rotterdam is now in view on the outer most webcams at Hoek. https://webcam-hoekvanholland.nl/pages/cameras/waterweg-ingang.php

I suppose it is a matter of taste. We recently did the Zaandam Panama Canal cruise. On one occasion the MDR menu was unappealing enough that we booked last minute ressies at PG (at the time 3-star Mariner discount) and another occasion paid the up charge for the lobster tail. Loved both the extra charge selections. I’d rather pay a bit extra for a good meal and be happy with it than grumble about what was offered at cost. We also sailed the Rotterdam 150th TA last October and it seems all the meals were great: OC, PG, Tamarind, Canaletto, and Rudi’s.

Loved reading this entry @Hlitner. I used to travel to Omaezaki on business several occasions. We could see the commercial port from the office and it was fascinating to see the large automobile carriers docked and loading cars for several days. It is a beautiful region and I fondly remember our drive to the office past the rolling hills that were covered in tea plants. Kakegawa was the train station we would use to get to Omaezaki from Tokyo. Sometimes we stayed in the city and sometimes at a country club hotel overlooking the ocean, Glad you were able to experience one of my favorite parts of Japan.

Sweet Spot corner was often my favorite place on the :Lido. 😋

Beautiful sail away:

She’s completed her 360s, now a sail by: