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My 3 star pin was left on the bed.  I haven't seen a 4 star pin.  Honestly could not care less, as POA1 mentioned, I was after the complementary laundry, and 50% discount on wine packages.  😄

My DH is pretty impressed that we often get to go in the "shorter line" because my 4* benefits cover him, too.

I think it was 2016 that we were there.

It's an area where a lot of whales spend the winter. At the time, HAL offered a number of excursions.  I can't remember the exact excursions being offered, though I think there were some day trips to nearby all-inclusive resorts that catered mainly to North Americans. There was probably a whale watch but I can't remember for certain.

We tendered, and it was a pretty looong ride to shore.  There was an area near the dock (an easy walk) where local vendors had set up stalls, and that area and the area around the dock were clean and seemed safe.  Everyone we interacted with was pleasant and helpful.  We didn't go far from the dock and the vendor area, though.  There were quite a few dogs that seemed to be cared for, but were free-ranging without supervision.

There was, at one time, a report on CC from someone who had arranged a private tour into the countryside and spent time with a local family, including having a meal with them.  I can't find that report now.  However, it sounded like a really good experience.

It is a good place to shop for larimar jewelry if that's of interest 😉

If we went back we would either stay onboard or would go on an excursion after checking Trip Advisor for reviews of similar excursions.

On 10/18/2023 at 12:07 AM, crusinthrough said:

The casino being closed on this sailing was a bummer

That may be because of the laws or rules or something that govern how far from shore a ship needs to be in order to open the casino.  I don't gamble much so don't really pay attention, but IIRC the ship needs to be in "international waters" to have the casino open.  BUT as I said, I don't pay a lot of attention to when the casino opens. 

I'm so happy you are doing this thread @CruiserBruce  We were booked on this cruise and  canceled.  So I will be following along, to hear about everything we missed.  Thanks!

I'd be happy with that cabin.  As AKJonesy says, it is quite forward of the propellers etc.

53 minutes ago, POA1 said:

Question for Canadians: If you booked or looked at cruises on Tuesday, July 11th, was your deposit $1 CAD or did you have to pay more because of the exchange rate? I'm just curious. Thank you.

I paid $1 CAD each.  Waited for the credit card company to suspect possible fraud, but so far, my card is still working 😉

8 hours ago, cmrvancouver said:

I have heard that there might be happy hours on board with drinks for sale for approximately 75 cents. If I choose to purchase this type of drink, do I have to use the drink package or can I just pay the 75 cents and save the more expensive drinks for my package.  TiA

Could this be what the person you mentioned was referencing, the Heritage Cruises?  It isn't on all cruises, from what I can see.  The one prior to our K-dam cruise is a Heritage Cruise, the one we are on is not.

"Visit ports that are rich in our history on Heritage Cruises. Go back in time at Retro Happy Hours and join in classic games and activities, like shuffleboard and Dutch High Tea. "

16 hours ago, sue1898 said:

Based on the chart here: https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/mariner-society.html

the 25% discount only applies to Pinnacle, Tamarind and Canaletto

Further down that chart, it shows 25% discount for Sel de Mer for 4 and 5 * Mariners.  We are  4* 😊

Sel de Mer

1. The price I see online is $57.82 pp.  That seems like an odd amount.  Does that include the gratuity?  Or is it the price with the Mariner discount of 25%?
2. Is it really Maine lobster tail?
3. Would 3 nights at Sel de Mer be too many on a 10 day cruise?  We really enjoy seafood.  I'm asking for opinions, not fact 😉

Nami Sushi

1. Is there a Mariner discount offered on the final bill, or is the price the price shown on the menu?
2. Does anyone know if the Thai Basil Szechuan Shrimp is still offered?  If it is, just how spicy is it?

Thanks in advance!  It has been far far too long since we cruised.  I didn't really want to go on the Koningsdam due to its size, but since we ARE going on it, I want to maximize our enjoyment, and the specialty dining seems to offer a fair amount of enjoyment.

Thanks VERY much for the helpful info 🥰 I think we will book it.

We are thinking about staying here pre cruise May 2024.  It appears to be pretty convenient to the things we need, primarily a little retail shopping (Burrard St.) and to the cruise port.  My main question is about the area, in the evenings.  It seems to be surrounded by office buildings.  Are the streets safe in the evenings (it would be a Saturday)? And the park that is nearby seems like it might be a place that people would hang out -- is that an accurate impression?

Any comments on the hotel itself would be appreciated, too.  Thanks.

Which embarkation port is easiest/less stressful for you to get to?  That's how we would decide. 

24 minutes ago, DaveOKC said:

Maybe HAL is trying to push people into buying HIA?  

 

That's what I'm thinking, too.

Thanks for starting this thread, and for all the contributions to it.  We have a booking on the Zaandam, and I have concerns about being on such an old ship.  We do love the bigger promenade, and to be honest, the ports and the promenade deck are the only things I can think of that appeals.  It's been too many years since we cruised, and I really want our next cruise to be as good as possible.  The age of the Zaandam and the lack of specialty restaurants concern me.

The feedback and comments here are helping me clarify whether we will or won't take the cruise we currently have booked. Thanks, everyone!

36 minutes ago, KroozNut said:

 

Maybe, or maybe not... depending on what the price tag was for those 'upgrades'.

Speaking as someone who has accepted AND ignored upsell offers, the value offered varies from cruiser to cruiser, and from offer to offer.  Sometimes the offer doesn't meet our comfort level, and other times it does.  And I'm sure that the ones we rejected were happily taken by other cruisers.  It is up to each of us to decide what offers value, and what doesn't offer value.

Great thread, thanks for the reports 👍

We have not cruised since the covid shutdown.  Pre-covid, we would have late fixed dining, usually at a table for 6, and that would usually take 2 hours.  After dinner (weather permitting) we would do a couple of laps of the Promenade Deck, then grab a nightcap and enjoy that by the aft deck pool.

2 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

aha, sorry. Hadn't read the actual review. 

 

It would be great if people mention specific reviews to include a link to make them easier to find.

Finding it was a bit difficult, so I will save you the search, in case you want to read it.  You  may find parts of it make your brain hurt 😉

https://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=694134

1 hour ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

My logical mind says that was a typo -- they probably meant to type 7039, which would be adjacent to the other cabin listed, 7041.

In the review the person says "I booked two Vista suites online 7039 and 7041 3 months ago"  and then slightly further on say they were assigned 6039 and 7041 and spent 3 hours getting moved to a cabin on deck 7 once onboard.

If I am reading the deck plans correctly, the room 6039 that they claim to have been downgraded to doesn't even exist.  Can someone else check that, please? 

"We were assigned 6039 and 7041"

17 hours ago, KroozNut said:

 

Curious as to what is holding you back from cruising now?

Life is holding us back for now.

It might be a lot easier for the dining stewards to have no lobster night.  I can see some passengers ordering 5 or 6 or more lobster tails, and then the poor dining stewards having to explain and try to enforce a "2 per passenger" limit imposed by management, or similar. 

I will miss lobster, and will probably try the upcharge one(s) at some point when we finally get to cruise again.

Thanks for taking us along.  I'm looking forward to your reports.

Following because our next booked cruise is on the Zaandam, and we really enjoy taking at least one  afternoon off and watching a movie when we cruise.  Whether the on-demand service is available or not won't affect our booking, but I'd like to know in advance.

On 12/17/2022 at 7:08 PM, Crusin-Suzan said:

For such a unique cruise there was no naturalist aboard!

That would be such a disappointment 😞 We'd have felt we were missing out on a lot, without a naturalist onboard.  I'm glad it didn't diminish your enjoyment!