sofienummer

Thank you all so much for all your kind and informative answers 🙂 This was very helpful! I haven't decided just yet, but I'll definitely take these comments into consideration when booking my next cruise 🙂 Happy cruising everyone!!

Hahah yes, it is. But I was 'chilling with my older homies' 😂 I also loved the library and the whole ship was just so beautiful; I loved to just walk around and notice little things 🙂 Thank you! So far everyone is choosing itinerary first; which makes sense I guess! When you travel in general, you first pick the place you want to visit and then you pick a hotel etc.

Thank you for your reply! I hear a lot of great stories on The Dawn even though it's an older ship and the lay-out is a bit impractical and confusing. I guess there is something beautiful/special about that ship 🙂 Thank you, I will!

Thank you for your response! And it's good to know that many choose the itinerary first. That's why last year the HAL was so perfect: a new ship + an itinerary I've always wanted to see! How lovely that you are going together with your sister. I hope you have an amazing time 🙂

Hi everyone, Last year I finally went on my first solo cruise! I was supposed to go in 2017 on the Norwegian Epic, but because of health issues I unfortunately couldn't go. I think the main reason I chose Norwegian Epic last time was because back then it was one of the first cruise ships that accommodated for Solo travelers. It was a Mediterranean cruise, but I’m personally more interested in Northern countries. So, last year I finally booked my first cruise to Norway! I went on the Rotterdam of Holland America Line; their newest Rotterdam ship. I had a balcony cabin and just an amazing experience. I loved to see Norway and I loved the whole atmosphere on HAL. I’ve met some great people, enjoyed classical music, quizzes, dancing, and other fun activities. I was one of the youngest (33 years old), but did feel very welcomed and safe :) I’m not a big partier/drinker, but I do enjoy all kinds of fun activities! Anyways, I’ve always wanted to go with NCL because I liked the idea of a cruise that’s less ‘strict and formal’, suited for many ages, have many activities and shows. But I wonder if someone who has been with both cruise lines can tell me a bit about the (dis)advantages of cruising with NCL after HAL. On the HAL, I loved the classical music every night, the beautiful BBC Earth documentaries, the cleanliness/new feeling of the ship, the design, the whole atmosphere. It never felt too crowded, I could enjoy my time in peace! I worry that NCL does not offer some of these things I really like. The things I missed on the other hand: although I felt welcomed, it did feel a little out of place at times and I missed something like a circus? show, more game-related stuff, etc. Now my other problem, should I go on an older NCL ship (Star or Dawn) and have an itinerary I like more. Or should I go on a relatively newer ship (Getaway) so I have a newer ship with more activities onboard, but have an itinerary I like a little less? Last year, it was my first time being in Norway, but also the first time (technically second, but I don’t remember much since I was very young) I went on a cruise. I did A LOT. I didn’t want to miss out anything, felt like I needed to make the most out of it. This time I want to have a more relaxed time. Long story short (sorry if this is long and possibly incoherent), what would you recommend/can you give me some information? I believe NCL is a more budget-friendly cruise line, so I wonder how much that would affect my experience after HAL. And if you do recommend NCL, would you recommend a newer or older ship? I would greatly appreciate your thoughts and opinions, Sophie

Thank you so much 🙂 Makes sense! And I love trivia, so that sounds like fun to try one time. Yeah, I figured/hoped the movie would change every night. I hope you enjoyed your b2b cruise on the Rotterdam 🙂

Thank you 🙂 yeah, makes sense that something like bingo costs money if you can win prizes!

I'm sailing this upcoming Sunday and I got my boarding pass, but I couldn't find anything on it about gala nights/events etc. Will this be available after I complete my health assignment? Or should I have already received such information by now?

I'm sailing this upcoming Sunday!! On the ms Rotterdam 😄 So excited! I downloaded the Navigator app and it already shows a lot of events for each day. Is this schedule correct/complete or will the 'event itinerary' be a bit different once we board and get our official planning? Is something like Bingo where you can win prizes free? Or do you need to pay to join Bingo and similar game shows? On the app it says that every night there is a movie night by the pool, but it seems they play the same movie every night. Is this correct? I would love to experience a movie night by the pool one day, but the movie doesn't sound interesting at all...

Thank you, but sadly that didn't work! I even deleted the app and downloaded it again, but I heard it's okay if I have a printed boarding pass, so all is well 🙂

Hello fellow cruisers 🙂 I'm back once again with more questions as a first time HAL cruiser. I'm genuinely happy and relieved a forum like this with knowledgeable and kind people exists! I'll be sailing this next Sunday!! 25th of September. I have received my boarding pass through the HAL website, however I can't open my documents on the Navigator app. When I try to see my boarding pass, it gives an 'error'. I've read that more people have had trouble with it, does it have something to do with the fact I still have to do my health assignment 3 days prior to departure? Aside from my embark time, my boarding pass also gives an disembark time. Is this a general disembark time or have I already been assigned a time?

Does this mean tea is free 24/7? Aside from specialty tea? When I looked at HAL's room service menu it didn't show a price next to certain drinks like tea and milk. Does this mean it's free when you order room service?

That sounds amazing!! I would love to visit lapland one day, my greatgrandma was actually from Lapland, so it would be amazing to see that part of my roots one day. I did visit Iceland once before and hoped to see the Northern Lights, but sadly I didn't (have to be honest and say that I fell asleep while staring at the sky 😅)

Thank you so much for your suggestions and information! I know the chances or seeing the Northern lights are very slim, but we can hope 🙂 I also have a question about Eidfjord that you might know (or someone else!) since you are very knowledgeable about the Norwegian Fjords. There is a yellow walking route (Hæreid round walk) which is 5,5km from the city center. Do you know if this route has directions with yellow direction arrows or something similair? I'm from the Netherlands and while walking 5,5km is perfectly fine for me: I'm used to FLAT levels hehe. Do you know how steep this route is? Basically how intense is this walk?

Very interesting thread, thank you for the tips and information. I'm going on a Norse Legends tour with HAL msRotterdam in 8 days!! 😄 We will be visiting: Eidfjord, Alesund, Geiranger and Bergen. It also says: scenic cruising Hardangerfjord and cruising Geirangerfjord. Since it's october and it's still dark before we arrive, I assume we can only see/experience scenic cruising once we leave a port of call? I'm in a starboard aft balcony; will I be able to see things well? And is there any chance at seeing the Northern Lights from any of these destinations when it's dark? I'm planning on doing the Hæreid round walk (yellow route) in Eidfjord if the weather is decent. Has anyone done this before? Or does someone have another suggestion for Eidfjord? Any other suggestions, tips, or whatever are always very welcome 🙂

Thank you so much for answering all my questions!! 🙂

I've read that self-disembarkation time is usually early, but can you also self-disembark and leave the ship at a later time? Like say 9am? I'm asking because I will be disembarking in my home country with someone picking me up at the pier and I would like to take it easy and leave when the biggest crowd has left!

First of all, thank you all for your response; great help! And wow really? Even sustainable water bottles? I totally get why people don't want plastic bottles and don't want cruisers to bring their own food and drinks, but I think water is essential!

I love this idea!! Thank you 🙂

Thank you so much for your reply and help 🙂

Ah thank you so much!! That makes it much easier 😉 I just booked my tour to Mount Dalsnibba & Eagle Road! Can't wait 🙂

Hello, I just booked my first HAL cruise on the Rotterdam to Norway! Usually I only drink water and tea which is why I didn't buy a drink package. But I have a few questions about drinking water on the ms Rotterdam. First of all, I have to take medications each day, so I need to have water for that. Am I allowed to bring water (carton bottles) with me on the cruise? Do I need to pay for that? Or can I order large bottles of water for a specific price? I couldn't find it on the Navigator app. I want to take my reusable water bottle on board, is that okay? Is it safe to drink the water in your cabin? Are there places on the ship where you can fill your bottle with (tap) water? And can you bring it back to your cabin? I believe they serve water at the MDR, if I'm correct. But I assume they won't like it if I would ONLY drink the water? I realize these are quite a few questions about water haha, but it's important for me because I drink a lot of it! Thank you in advance for those answering! I really appreciate this forum and the information 🙂

Ah yes, I forgot to mention that, but thank you so much for your lovely and informative response! I am thinking of booking this tour in Geiranger: https://www.geirangerfjord.no/panorama-exclusive-bus The tour start at 9:00 (or 13:00 but I don't like to risk not being back on time for departure), but this port is a tender port, right? The HAL will prioritize guests who booked an excursion through the cruise line, so is there a realistic chance of me not being able to make this tour?

You mean late as in booked late or because it's near the end of the 'tourist season'? Thank you for your information and tips 🙂 I will definitely try Norway Excursions, thank you!

Thank you for your tips, great to here they dock right there! I love the idea of overlooking the city from the top of the mountain. And yes, I'm doing research right now and probably will decide on the day itself depending on the weather🙂