asebastian

2 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

That's like suggesting you can lock in a low price at the gas pump for your car. 

Actually we can do that here in Australia via an app...price is locked for 14 days. But now both cars at home are EV so we don't use it any more...

Airlines do it all the time, future prices locked in months ahead, in some instances pre-paid as well. Very few airlines pay the "price of the day" as they don't spot buy, it's all contracted budgeted price and spread out the expenditure. No reason why cruise ships can't do the same.

6 minutes ago, PointsNerd said:

so sounds like I'm out of luck on an upgrade offer

Always a roll of the dice with HAL upgrades (pardon the pun)

My TA told me that it's a complicated way HAL determines to offer you an upgrade - depends on several factors such as where you booked it, category and price of original fare, ship occupancy, your own number of sailings and days at sea, Mariner status, how close are you to the next level up and so on - probably an algorithm running to spit out potential upgrade candidates for marketing. May look random but I'm sure there's a method in the madness. She also said that it excludes offers made to "losers" at the casino...😃

25 minutes ago, dfrohman said:

Does HAL contact you directly with an upgrade offer?

I received both my offers through my TA. HAL has never contacted me directly about the upgrades.

16 minutes ago, valancy1 said:

There are no covid protocols anywhere

Not true. South Korea for example has a health declaration on arrival

https://cov19ent.kdca.go.kr/cpassportal/biz/beffatstmnt/main.do?lang=en

Also Japan, until very recently, required a Covid declaration. So things can change at an instant.

ours here (in Australia) can be stored in the Google Wallet (encrypted) direct from the government health website (vaccine register under Medicare) so it's quite secure, and always accessible if/when we need it.

We also carry paper printed certificates too just in case, in our travel folder. As someone above posted, regulations can change mid-cruise if there's a major outbreak or the global health status is under threat (again!).

4 hours ago, CarolRoy said:

I just got an offer to upgrade my cabin

I recently got an upgrade to a Neptune which I turned down, and a day later got another upgrade offer for a Signature Suite. I accepted on the proviso that I get a cabin from a list I provided to my TA, and she came and said yes, 2 were available from the 6 that I provided. We are particular on the Port or Starboard side of the ship depending on destination, also particular to the decks (don't want any cabins that may be under Lido for example). This is on the Westerdam, sailing is just over 3 weeks from now.

5 hours ago, North Vancouver Cruiser said:

Queen Elizabeth

The QE2 a few months ago ran a short 2-day cruise from Melbourne to Davenport (in Tasmania) for those wanting to experience an ocean cruise. I had 3 friends on board for the cruise, and the ship was turned around in Tasmania for not complying with the issues mentioned above, so they stayed on the ship the whole time and sailed back the next day.

So we're booked in a Verandah cabin at the moment, and have turned down the offer to the Neptune upgrade. Boy, HAL are persistent and yesterday made another offer for a Signature Suite at half the rate which we have accepted. Likely we won't get double cruise credits, but the additional upgrade cost was quite low. This is for the Westerdam which doesn't have Vista cabins/suites.

We book Vistas or Verandahs at the minimum, based on the ship. Pre-covid have booked a few Signature Suites, but had 3 cruises canceled at that time! Lucky we received quite a lot of FCC with bonuses for those.

Thanks for all your responses.

Hi all,

I've just had a paid upgrade offer to a Neptune (up from a balcony). Will I be eligible for double cruise credits if I accept? I know about all the other perks, just wondering. I've also noted on this forum that complimentary upgrades are not eligible for double credits, which is fair enough.

Thanks.

1 hour ago, CruiserBruce said:

Not sure this is correct

HAL promos are a mystery at the best of times! You will get different opinions from different staff on HIA inclusions. We have it on the Japan Collector for October this year and the Amazon Explorer in 2025, but have 2 other shorter cruises this year and the Voyage of the Vikings next June where it wasn't offered.

1 hour ago, whirldcruzrs said:

I read a post today by someone else who was told by two agents that HIA included gratuities, but then when purchase, he/she found out that HIA did not

Pre-paid crew appreciation (gratuities) seem to be included on promos for longer cruises booked far in advance. For example, our 2025 Amazon Explorer has it included in the HIA promo. Usually the Grand Voyages and the like have them as part of the deal. I have never seen a short cruise with pre-paid crew appreciation thrown in. Just my 2c worth.

10 hours ago, POA1 said:

look for a painted marker on the concrete at the pier

Will definitely keep an eye out for those next time. I guess would be similar to painted lines on a train platform (used to be in the transport industry at one stage), where the engine would have to stop exactly at the lines, and usually there are a few different lines marking the number of carriages on the train. Shorter suburban trains or commuter trains had 3 on weekends, 6 on weekdays, now 8 on busy lines during weekdays.

On 7/8/2023 at 7:01 AM, Crew News said:

it was interesting to see that the floor on each side of bridge are clear glass.  This clear view down the side of the ship allows a crew member, using a small knob, to inch such a large vessel sideways to the dock

I asked the captain how the maneuver the ship to just bump the rubber bumpers on the pier with millimeter precision. With a wink he said "we use our impulse engines, not the warp engine"! Trekkies will get the reference. Anyway the side thrusters are set to their lowest RPM to achieve that sideways movements. Photo here (on a sea day so the pier on the side is not shown; but one can see down several balconies below, I wonder if they know! 😃)

4 hours ago, RuthC said:

The ships do not. 

I beg to differ, @RuthC and am not attacking you over this. Not sure where or what you've been served. Not to name drop, but Chef Bitta is a personal friend of mine, he's the Exec Chef on the Nieuw Amsterdam now and 15 years on other HAL ships. I just sent him a message about this and he was horrified, said you should have complained and sent your plate back if that was the case! Anyway enough said on this, back to behind the scenes tour on a happier note.

I've gone thru many restaurants (now a volunteer chef too), never seen food being "slopped" on to the plates. Typically placed in using small utensils according to the plating requirements as shown in the posters. The only thing slopped would be gravy or semi-liquid food that will spread on the plates.

Sample plating and posters are also in use in many land-based restaurants to achieve consistency and visual appeal of plates sent out.

"Magic" machine that creates the small stick-on labels that you find on your clothes sent out to the laundry!

"Tailor shop" from behind the scenes tour on the NS. Shirts were tailored to fit as well, especially lengthening or shortening the sleeves.

33 minutes ago, just_cruising_along said:

 I don't think they would have let us up there if they were busy navigating

I remember asking if the ship was on "auto pilot" and answer was no, it was all manual even though they had sophisticated equipment on board that allowed auto pilot. But the navigation officer said on sea days with no traffic around mostly, it was "steady as she goes" with the watch officers keeping an eye on what's outside. So it all seemed very calm and relaxed on sea days. Quite the different experience for me.

6 hours ago, just_cruising_along said:

both port days

Both of my tours were on sea days!

I have been on 2 of these tours pre-covid (Zaandam and Nieuw Statendam). The tours are NOT advertised anywhere, but you have to approach Guest Services and ask to put your name on the "secret list". Once the tour is confirmed, you'll get a note in your cabin with details of when and where. Numbers are usually quite small, not exceeding 15. Usually led by the CD, and it is a fascinating tour that takes you up and down the ship, from Deck 0 to the bridge, and ends with a Q&A session with the Captain and a photo. Free drinks at the meeting place too. You may also be presented with a keepsake from the ship. Tours were not cheap, $150 added per person to your running bill on the ship.

One of our group recently on the Nieuw Amsterdam was interested, and asked Guest Services and he was told the tours are not offered at the moment.

13 hours ago, Sir PMP said:

if you're coming from Schiphol

Likely we'll be arriving 1-2 days ahead of the cruise...but by the looks of the logistics of stairs etc we may just take a taxi. Pity there isn't a train connection.

13 hours ago, rafinmd said:

You might also check with locals to see how baggage friendly the bus is

Thanks for the info Roy. A Taxi from Amsterdam might be the way! Hate carrying bags up and down stairs, which the hotel neglected to tell me about!

On 5/19/2023 at 1:20 PM, Copper10-8 said:

8 Euro per pax, per day tourist tax for cruise ships

To be honest, I'd gladly pay that myself if the ships can stay at Amsterdam!

Interesting history right there guys!
Back on topic, we have a cruise starting from Ijmuiden in June 2024 (Viking Passage), and I have done a little bit of research to get there.

I thinking we'll probably take the bus 382 (35mins trip from Amsterdam Central to the last stop), 10mins walk to the Leonardo Hotel. I've been in correspondence with the hotel and they assure me it's only a 10mins easy walk from the hotel to the cruise pier. So we may go the day before and check out the place.

In the map, note that the pier is on the left side, hotel Leonardo in the middle and last stop for the bus on the right (small blue bus symbols).

If anyone thinks this is not doable, please let me know. Thanks.

Correction: my apologies, the bus starts in Amsterdam, Station Sloterdijk, not Amsterdam Central.