sofienummer

On 5/26/2024 at 1:39 AM, mrgabriel said:

 

Celebrity has an excellent program for children so unless parents are just letting the kids run around all the time, you won't see them. 

 

For comparison, we've sailed at Christmas 4 times and those sailings are jam packed with kids. That didn't really impact our experience.

 

Thinking back, the only thing we have noticed when there are a lot of kids is larger groups in specialty dining.

Thank you for telling me your experience! Those are excellent points. And I love that you didn't let it impact your experience 🙂 I'm sure I will still love the cruise despite the crowds! I've already seen a few more hidden hide-away places I could go. 

On 5/26/2024 at 1:36 PM, njshow said:

I just recently got off of the Eclipse.  There was a tender into Martha's Vineyard.  We decided to take our time going down as we had no definitive plans.  The ship arrived at 8:00 AM, and started tendering fairly quickly at 8:15.  We went down around 10:15, figuring they would be at open tender by then, and were handed ticket number 44.  They were still only on number 23 at that time.  At 1:00, they still hadn't gotten to our number, so we decided not to even bother trying to get off the ship since we had to be back by 4:15.  It was a debacle.  So, if nothing else, I would head down early to at least get a low number, even if you aren't planning on leaving until 10 or so.

Thank you for telling me your experience; that does sound like a debacle! I assume that's not common, but it's good to know that is also what could happen. 

And thanks for the tip, I'll keep that in mind! 

7 hours ago, HeiPus said:

We're on Silhouette to Iceland and Ireland mid July, travelling with two kids. Know from our roll call that there will be a few others too, but I don't expect there to be loads. 

 

We did the same itinerary last year on RCL Jewel of the Seas (older ship without much entertainment for kids) and had about 200 kids onboard. The kids were never an issue, but the ship being fully booked and nowhere quiet to relax because of crowds was. Silhouette has more public areas that are quiet, so I'm hoping that will be less of an issue there. 

 

Our kids are easy going and polite. They will probably spend their time in the kids club and occasionally in the pool if the weather allows. 

Thank you for your reply; children can be so lovely indeed! I think, especially for my dad, the problem with some kids is the screaming and running. But I do get that most of the time they will be at different places. And honestly, sometimes adults can act more like what we might imagine kids to do! Especially when they drink too much...

Have a lot of fun on your cruise! I can't wait to hear more from you or someone else on their experience with Silhouette for this summer season, but I hope you have an amazing time 🙂 

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

Would help if you mentioned the ship or class of ship.   Personally I found that on E-Class, even with the larger tenders it can take a couple hours with the ticketing system.   That also depends on how many are going ashore as well as how many on ships tours.    I've also found that on early morning ports the first couple tenders can be pretty empty. 

 

One other point.  If you are Elite or above or in Concierge there is also priority tendering.

Ah yes, didn't think about that! I'm on the Celebrity Silhouette. Is that perhaps E-class? I'm new to Celebrity Cruises... still reading and learning about it 🙂 

5 hours ago, Sox Fan Cruiser said:

We never get off when there are tickets. We enjoy the ship and once they announce tickets are not longer required, we leave the ship. A much more relaxing vacation. 

That's exactly what we want to do! But I didn't know how long it usually takes. But thank you so much everyone for your replies 🙂 I'll check the announcements and read the schedule!

We will have 3 tender ports on my next Celebrity cruise. I know people with excursions and the Retreat get priority. 

I read that some (all?) of these tender ports will have a ticketing system.  

But let's say, we are going to Isafjordur and arrive at 7:00, and you only go off board around 10:00, do they still work with a ticketing system or is that only for the first few hours? I couldn't find a clear answer online. 

Thank you in advance!

17 minutes ago, KforKitty said:

August is peak vacation season in England with schools out until September.  In Scotland however, the kids will be back at school.  I think there’s a good chance that there’ll be a fair few children on board.  I disagree that European families will be put off by a ‘longer’ cruise.  With at least 4 weeks paid time off in the UK, it’s not unusual for families to take at least a 2 week vacation in the summer months.

 

Catherine

 

 

Thank you, that's good to know! I think August is one of the busiest/crowded times in Europe because almost all countries will have school vacations plus construction holidays (which I don't know if that's a typical Dutch thing, but I assume it's a thing in other countries as well). 

Anyway, I guess we just have to anticipate on having a crowded ship. I just hope it's not too bad. 

1 hour ago, gold1953 said:

Will there be a lot of children? And how busy will it get? How much do I need to prepare myself?

 

prepare yourself?   There is nothing to do on your end . Just deal with it if and when it happens. Kids will want the pool 

I'm sorry if my question possibly came off as rude or me being against children. When I booked the cruise I expected it to be rather crowded, but I didn't think there would be a lot of children on board. So when I read a few posts about it, I became curious and a little worried that the cruise would be too hectic and loud for us. I convinced my dad to cruise although he hates crowds, so we just have to wait and see how he will manage lol. 

Also, thank you for your other reply and happy to know there is a puzzle area 🙂 

2 hours ago, Milhouse said:

I think we're on the Silhouette sailing after you.

 

Oh, nice! I hope you have an amazing time 🙂

Thank you for your response and tips! I'm happy to hear there is some classical music and other opportunities. 

HAL might not be for everyone, but I certainly enjoyed it even though I'm not in the usual age-category. With the ms Rotterdam there was plenty of live music and bands all evening. Not a lot of people danced, but still quite a few! Perhaps you can try it some time with the missus 🙂 

Happy sailing! 

10 hours ago, phoenix_dream said:

As to kids onboard, honestly what someone experienced last summer may not be true this year.  Celebrity has made a very concerted effort to entice younger families to cruise on their ships.  I have seen many more kids on Celebrity this year than ever before (granted, not nearly as many as one would see on Royal or Carnival for instance).  I would say that it is less likely that a lot of kids will be on a 12 night cruise.  Generally speaking, the longer the cruise the fewer the kids and that is a pretty long one.  I've never cruised HAL so have no input there

Thank you for your reply 🙂 I guess we will have to wait and see! 

Hi everyone!

I'll be going on my first Celebrity cruise this summer (august) with my parents on the 12 nights Iceland & Scotland trip! 

Really looking forward to it 🙂 My last (and only official cruise) was with the HAL Rotterdam. I loved it; had an amazing time! 

Normally, I would never book in the middle of the summer vacation, but because I'm going with my parents who are only free then, this was the best option!

I have a few questions I hope some people can answer. I already looked around on the forum and saw a few useful tips 🙂

My first/main question is about the crowds/kids. The agency I spoke with said the cruise is nearly fully booked; which isn't surprising since this is in the middle of the summer. I already prepared my parents and myself for this lol. But, would there be a ton of kids? I assumed because this cruise is a little longer and maybe not the preferred cruise line + itinerary for younger children, we wouldn’t get a lot of children. But I read on this forum about others where a lot of cabins were booked for 3+ people; most likely with a lot of children.

Will there be a lot of children? And how busy will it get? How much do I need to prepare myself?

If someone went on a (Celebrity) cruise in August, how was your experience?

When I went on the HAL in September 2022, I think I saw around five children in total. And although the cruise was also pretty packed (I believe), there were enough places to go and relax. I hope I will still be able to find those places on this cruise.

Another question I have is about the music. What I loved about HAL was all the classical music they had. Each night, I would go to either a concert or to BBC Life (I believe that’s the name) where I saw beautiful flora and fauna while listening to beautiful music. Sadly, I don’t think that’s common on Celebrity. But do they have string quartets or anything like that on the cruise? Or is it mostly more jazz/pop music?

On the HAL you also had afternoon tea! Is that something Celebrity organizes? Or do they have something similar?  

Again (because I’m comparing it with my other cruise and the things I loved on there), on the HAL Rotterdam there was the Crow’s nest/Exploration deck where I was able to do puzzles and boardgames with others. Does Celebrity have this? Or places where I can bring my own boardgames to play in a less crowded place?

I have an inside cabin and my parents have a guarantee balcony cabin, so we won’t know which cabin number they will have. We might hear a few weeks before sailing, or on the day of the cruise.  But will the cruise line perhaps prioritize putting us near the same deck/place because we booked together or will it be totally random?

I also read that since you can’t choose your cabin, there is a possibility they will have a balcony with 2 separate beds. Is there a possibility to ask for a different cabin if that happens while on board?

And mostly out of curiosity, how would you compare HAL to Celebrity? What is similar and what is different in your opinion? Of course, I understand that this also depends on the ship. Last time I went on the ms Rotterdam, which was a completely new ship. Now I’m going on a refurbished ship from 2011? So, that’s already a difference.

Lastly, what is something you love about Celebrity cruises and specifically about Silhouette? Something you might suggest/advice others to do 😊

Thank you all in advance and apologies for my far too long comment!

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!! 

7 hours ago, Aj101 said:

Oh 33 is a baby on HAL…LOL.    I love HAL too especially the library and bread.  Anyhow I go with the itinerary and whether or not I can swing a balcony, 

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. 

9 hours ago, www3traveler said:

I agree the itinerary is much more important than the ship.

 

I have been on The Getaway and The Dawn.  Both are great ships with wonderful staff.  The Getaway does have Studio cabins that are meant for one person.  I have sailed in a Studio a number of times and love it.

 

Whatever ship and itinerary you choose, relax and enjoy

 

 

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! 

11 hours ago, olemissreb said:

I can't speak to the advantages/disadvantages of HAL vs NCL, but after 7 cruises I can truly say I book for the itinerary and ship/line/amenities is second.  My sister and I will be on the Viva in March '25 and while I get to cruise out of my favorite port, I also get to experience 4 new ports on a very port intensive cruise (7 ports in 7 days).

 

The Viva is brand new. I'm excited about that, but I'm also hoping that we won't be cruising with a bunch of families...we're all in our 60s and just enjoying our empty nests before grandkids start coming. 🙂  Just couldn't beat the itinerary though, so we'll make the best of it.

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

3 minutes ago, aliaschief said:

I have never played bingo on a ship but I believe you pay for cards and yes you can win money and sometimes a free cruise.

Movies by the pool change every night but on our recent Rotterdam back to back the movies repeated second week.

Cabin TV’s have a lot of movies that are free but they are not many new releases.

Trivia is free but there are no gifts.

Enjoy your cruise.

 

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 🙂

9 minutes ago, AFNavigator said:

Bingo is definitely a pay event on HAL...no free play or free prizes.  HAL doesn't really do any game shows like on Princess or Carnival but they do have trivia competitions.  I believe those are pay to play events also  (someone please correct me if I got that wrong).

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

On 9/19/2022 at 2:39 PM, Florida_gal_50 said:

I’m thinking there would be 3.  If you are close enough to the cruise to print your boarding pass it will be on there.

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...

10 hours ago, colin v said:

When I have trouble with the app I log out and log back in. Things magically appear again. 
 

 

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?

6 hours ago, GypsySonnetGirl said:

Knowing that we were not adding to the bill every time we ordered something other than tea, coffee, or water made our cruise much more pleasant.

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? 

5 hours ago, wineoclock said:

We saw Northern Lights & shooting stars on a Lapland trip one December. Magical - enjoy them if you get the chance. I’d like to do midnight Sun one time as well. 

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 😅)

11 hours ago, hallasm said:

I would suggest you go for a walk on the upper deck early in the morning to enjoy the views if the weather is decent.  When entering Geiranger, you pass the Seven Sisters waterfall on the left.  

 

Northern lights are usually between 9pm and 2am. Ålesund is the most northerly on your cruise.  Check the Aurora forecast.

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?