MAVIP

We lived there and never entered the Casino for gambling. As inhabitants we just profited from the Casino, no tax etc etc. 😉 (However, DH was glad his job sent us back to the Netherlands with the high taxes....🙂).

We had respect for Zwarte Piet (and how strange, even as small children we noticed it was an aunt or other member of the family) and his big bag. Now, winter is coming, and every year I ask Zwarte Piet to carry me to Spain in that bag on December 6th.....but he never does....

Please donot foerget to join some straw with the (big winter-)carrrot! H=The horse will appreciate it very much. And let the childres sing a nice Sinterklaas song because he will listen carefully.

If you ship sails at 4 PM as you write, you will undoubtedly have to board the tender at least at 3 or 3.30 PM. Travelling by train from Monaco to Cannes is about 1 hour, so that makes 2.30 Walking to station in Monaco and to the tender in Cannes takes more than the 30 minutes left from 2 PM, opening time of the gambling in the Casino. Excursion offers maybe just a visit of the Casino, as it opens at 10 AM, Better for your wallet.

Would not mind wearing it once in a while. (Method Albright?)

Just sent them an e-mail with a request to reserve a room if available. Thank you very much for your recommendation!

Will you please mention the name of your hotel or B&B? Thanks!

I apologize for the dutch text. This is the exact text on the HAL NL website: Boek vandaag nog een 2023 Alaska Cruise vanuit Vancouver en ontvang inclusief vluchten tot €1.000,- wanneer deze geboekt worden via Holland America Line Flight Ease®. De waarde wordt als korting verwerkt indien de geboekte vluchtprijs hoger is. Profiteer daarnaast met Have it All inclusief drankenpakket, wifi, specialiteitendiner(s) en krediet voor landexcursie(s). Deze aanbieding is beperkt beschikbaar - boek vandaag nog! And if you search for the cruises concerned HAL mentions 6 cruises in spring, 7 AND 14 day. If I were you I would call HAL today and ask for the exact conditions. And read the advice of @VMax1700. And: we do have good cruise travel agents in NL, but you will have to ask HAL friends f.e.

On m.s. Rotterdam VII they didnot calculate like before this Autumn. I specifically asked why the refund on my statement (bought winepackage before the cruise) was exactly half the price including the 18%. Guest service confirmed this is the way they do it now. (Other cruises this year we had the HIA package and I simply did not check our statement whenever we had extra's.....).

Very painfull those $ 3,50 per week on the fare of the veranda's. And that while the CA was included for the adults and already paid for the free cruising grandchildren. 🤣🤣

Just behind de Ramblas is the old quarter Barri Gòtic. You willl need about 3 hours for the visit of that quarter and visit the cathedral etc. 2 hours to visit the Ramblas itself and in streets just behind: Museu d'Art Contemporàni de Barcelone (carrer del Carme) and Palau Güell family house of the family G. built by Gaudí (carrer Nou de la Rambla). Just a few examples. If interested in food and markets: do not forget to visit the Mercat de la Boqùeria at the Ramblas!. (And take care: Barcelone attracts pickpockets from all over EU and the world....).

m.s. Rotterdam: at least the decks I stayed in or visited the last nights: a scale near the elevators.

Exactly; my grandson, at 12 as well as at 14 yrs was not allowed in the fitness center. We will wait and see, next cruise is in April/May and he will be 16 just a fortnight after the cruise.......

and how annoyed they would been if another day the staff would have agreed the children to leave the ship without their parents?

used a LOL smiley because of the lack of a sad one......

Ditto Ditto and we always bring the extension cord as we might need it in a hotel.

Before sending your question, did you ever think about the route/means of transportation of your own suitcases to the ship?

That was/is a fact on ms Konngsdam and ms Rotterdam, so it seems to mee it will be the same on ms.s. Nieuw Statendam.

We booked NS April 29th. 2023. So, low season will be over by then 😉 Whatever I try, no possibility to book a shared transportation from the FCO. As you suggest, I will ask them.

Hello Ine, Can you tell me where the drivers meet passengers for the shared service? RFT only offers shared service from Fiumicino town (to Civi town or port). As we arrive at FCO in the morning we plan to go straight to a hotel in Civitavecchia and stay there the 2 nights before the cruise. Thank you!

Depending upon port? Not in Rotterdam anyway. We were immediately directed to the (what they named) the Presidents Club entrance . After that: just normal priority/Verifly LOL 🤣

Certification of health of imported and exported plants and flowers (vegetables, fruit etc) etc is usual in f.e. USA, Canada, EUrope, Japan, Australia and many other countries. The flowers and plants on board will undoubtedly have such Certificates. And...everything brought on board will leave the ship too in one way or another, like the flowers you and I bought on markets or flowershops "anywhere".

We absolutely did. Pity it takes another 6 months till next one.....

Or visit the Night Zoo. Quite special.

Colin, I have to tell you that it worked out perfectly. We now have enough US$ pocketmoney for our next HAL cruise and nor our bank nor the ECB profits this time 🤫. Thanks again, Lenny