Augustsunshine

Thank you, I appreciate your honest opinion and information.

Really enjoying your review and pictures. Thanks for taking the time to do them!

Sorry folks…in Sydney Nova Scotia

Also recommendations for any tour from the cruise port area

I have seeing some really outlandish prices quoted for wine by glass on a specific NCL SHIP. (On a group “which can not be named”.) Can anyone give recent info? I assume that with the standard, non-premium, beverage package there would be plenty of selections costing only a few extra dollars. Am I wrong? Is it possible you can’t believe everything you read??

I am enjoying reading along. You write so well and I’m sure your observations have helped some people navigate their own adventures. Good work!

I love the Jewel Class and I am prepared to love the Pearl. Reports seem to show it has been well maintained but was it really refurbished in 2021? Almost all sources list 2017. Did it go in for new paint and carpets during the pandemic, something like that? Just curious

Thanks for the review on a recent Pearl cruise. I appreciate it

Not sure how this works. Are the brands you want totally unavailable or do you mean they are only available with a surcharge?

Found the puzzles online. All I can say is wow

Good morning! Maybe I missed it in your narrative. What are you going to go with the puzzle pieces? Is there a particular place you see yourself or or your dad using them? Will you bring them along and donate them at the end of the cruise? I have some well written travel books. I have sometimes wished I had brought a couple along to donate to a ship library. Sometimes the offerings seem a bit sparse 🤔

Will follow. I too am returning to small ship Norwegian. Hope you have a great trip on the Pearl

I had thought of that. It also eliminates the scramble for tender tickets, which since the itinerary is so port intensive, seems like it would mean standing in line for tickets every night after being ashore all day. 😵‍💫

I am seriously looking at a September cruise to Quebec City on the Pearl. I notice that 3 of the five ports are tender ports. This seems concerning. Has anyone done this 1 week cruise on the Pearl or other small ships. As many ships are sailing well over 100% capacity it seems like it could be a nightmare.

Thanks all. I can amuse myself but I had hoped to find something creative or cultural besides the Music Walk. We will see

Excellent. I was hoping someone would suggest something like this. You are very kind

I’m booked on the Nieuw Statendam next weekend. First time on HAL. I understood that there would be at least some enrichment type activities during the day. Cooking classes? Basket weaving? 😉. I had been waiting for daily activities to show up on the Navigator app but now that they have, the only things listed are mainly sales pitches for the spa or spin classes. I assume that there will be some sort of daily schedule, digital or paper with other types of events? What type of events have people seen on recent HAL sailings.

Thanks to all. Just kicking myself because I could have managed better if l had looked into it more. Lesson learned

My understanding is that OBC means ON BOARD. I have already made some dining reservations for my Feb. cruise. I was required to submit a credit card for payment. I have to plead ignorance because I have never had OBC on my previous 2 cruises. I assume that any remaining OBC can not be used at the end of the cruise to pay for the dining I have already reserved. The only way to do that would be to cancel those reservations and rebook if there is availability when I get aboard. I had understood that OBC could not be used for gratuities or crew appreciation fees but now it appears that it can be. Of course, I also pre-paid those too. So I suppose I could remove the crew appreciation and then reinstate when I get aboard. Not blaming anyone but myself but Holland America could have made it a lot clearer ahead of time when they offered some significant OBC for booking. Here’s an argument for using a travel agent.

Thanks again to all. Just thinking about what time to sign up for transport (hotel shuttle). I know I’m being way more proactive than required but it’s a fun project on a cold Dec. day. Planning on just getting there as early as I can and not minding if I’m waiting around (for a CRUISE!)

Thanks all. I looking into putting document info in today. It does seem like there are some health related questions which won’t be available for awhile.

Does anyone know approx. when and how we find out what our assigned embarkment time is.

Thanks Oldbluff. I love Washington State. Thanks for taking time to answer me.

Will be my first time on Holland America.I see most references are for attire in the MDR. Do specialty restaurants follow different rules? I do not dress up much at home and I don’t want to buy lot of clothes I am unlikely to wear for a while, if ever. But I don’t want to feel uncomfortably under dressed. It seems like some nice black pants and a couple of fancy shirts would be fine. Any thoughts? I am an “older” woman doing the a 7 day Eastern Caribbean.