SweetsugarNL

On 6/17/2023 at 9:12 AM, mac_tlc said:

And she is not alone:

 

 

 

 

Looks like another beautiful day!

 

 

mac_tlc

Love the picture.
I have sail the Rotterdam and looking to the Jewel. Nice to compare the size.

It is the Jewel of the Seas, she is going back from Amsterdam to Boston instead of the Haifa cruises. That's the reason why its new listed.

But there are stops in Iceland, Greenland and Canada.

The site listed it as a TA cruise. 

17 minutes ago, SquishTheWhale said:

UK pricing might be different, but I usually see very cheap TAs. Does that include your return flight?

It's not unusual to see a TA from the UK or a European departure port for around £500 for 10-14 nights, especially if you book last minute. However the 1 way flight home can be very expensive.

No, it is not included a return flight back to Amsterdam.

We are looking on the Dutch website.

I am not familiair with RCL prices.

I read always that TA cruises are cheap. In my country there are no price drops. When you book a cruise you stick with the booking and price.
 

I have seen a new listed cruise from Amsterdam to Boston via Iceland and Greenland in 2024 for about 1500 euro pro person, inside cabin. 

I am wondering since this is a TA cruise and it is just released, how likely it is that this price drops?

11 hours ago, GOARMY said:

Stand-by.  

 

It would be helpful if you supply name of ship; and departure date from Barcelona.  

 

 

 

  

Nov 22-2024

Navigator

I am wondering if there are excursions included in the transatlantic Barcelona-Miami route next year. I try to select this date on the Regent site but i cant find it in the excursions list.

On 6/12/2023 at 1:37 AM, Mike07 said:

 

 

The following is from my most recent experience....

 

Hammerfest --- HAL wanted like $110 pp for "The Royal Polar Bear tour" that included a local tour of Hammerfest (a town with like 10,000 people...) and stopping by the Royal Polar Bear Museum that was FREE and the size of a shoebox. If you've been there, you know exactly what I am talking about.

 

The other option was $20 pp for a shuttle bus from the cruise port to the Polar Bear museum that was in a more happening part of a 10,000 person city if such a "happening" part exists. Or, be like me and walk the 1 km.

 

Sandnes -- HAL wanted $20 pp to take us to Stavenger where the actual point of the port call was. The other option was to walk 2 km to the train station and take a $4 train ride into Stavenger. Walking around right outside of the Sandnes cruise port was a total joke.

 

I had a crash course in shore excursion value and to do much better research on itinerary ports and where they dock versus assuming the cruise company is going to do the right thing. While I will go back to Norway, and I'd like to think I'll be back on HAL, for the first time in like 5 years, I have zero cruises planned.... and that's not even technically true b/c I have a river cruise and expedition cruise, but that's different from these resort style cruises that comprise 90%+ of this site's traffic.

Strange that they charge now for it. Stavanger shuttle was free last year. I live in Europe but Norway is very expensive. In my country if you go to a public toilet it costs 0,70 euro cent. In Norway it was 2,50!

8 hours ago, friendswithdave said:

While it's probably obvious to most, the free trips being given away are trips HAL is CERTAIN that will not sell out - at least for inside rooms. Their algorithms probably also tell them that the people being offered these free trips will NOT be booking that or a similar trip. Two of the cruises mentioned are ones I have my eye on in December because they are typically very undersold. I cruise on these because rates are rock bottom making it affordable for me. I probably won't get a free cruise since they know I tend to book these less popular cruises already. 

 

While there are a few people frustrated they have to pay for something someone else gets for free, I'm sure this works in HAL's favor in terms of revenues. They know these cruises will not sell out so the goodwill and extra on-board spending they get out of free cruises make up for the frustration those on these boards feel. 

Which are undersold?

22 hours ago, TwinMommyByGrace said:

Thanks for the info. Are you able to confirm if the last lunch was actually the brunch menu posted toward the start of this thread? Never been on Westie. How did you like her? Excited to a different HAL ship!

In the Koningsdam group is the brunch shared as up and running on Sundays.

Hopefully I try it next Sunday.

Thanks for sharing.

We are going Saturday on this trip.

We made our pictures and they dont show in the app.

Last year on the Rotterdam in Norway no bar open after 12 o clock.

i was on the Virtuosa last week… The busiest place on the ship on 1 o clock was the buffet with fresh pizza and live music on the ship everywhere! Also a lot of eldery people.. Also the bar staff was so good and so many! On Hal we need to beg for a drink last summer. So if MSC can get enough bar staff, why hal not?

My parents close to 70ers, are night owls and have booked a Hal cruise. I have prepared them to go to bed early😂

I have booked a Alaska cruise for this summer on the Koningsdam. Looking forward but i think it will be great if you get a drink after 12 o clock. Not to party but if you have a seaday, why not.

30 minutes ago, Saab4444 said:

The itinerary has just been changed to a second stop in Zeebruege instead of Le Havre, strange..

Ah i think strikes in france again.

you can use the second day to Visit Gent or take the kusttram to Oostende.

On 3/15/2023 at 8:44 PM, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

I just got an email alert that the prices for all May Alaska Konningsdam sailings have dropped again. I'm sure they have dropped on all the ships.

 

Inside: $299

Outside: $349

Balcony: $549

Suite: $899

 

Obviously, these fire sales exist because ships aren't selling well. I hope someone can take advantage of these great sales! 

 

It sucked that we Europeans never get those prices or drops. We paid over 1400 euro Each for a hia inside in june.

Please be carefull. Got noro last week and have read we where not alone. Also someone on facebook is treated for food poisening/ noro today on the ship.

We used handsanitizer all the time.

Have a great cruise, the ship is so nice!

1 hour ago, sidari said:

Hopefully you will be ok 

Thank you!

It is something that can happen.

Love the ship it is so pretty. 

Got of the ship today with noro symptons. Be carefull! And i desinfect my hands all the time. 

3 hours ago, perakcruiser said:

Difficult to say but the ships will be totally full the first two weeks of April when all of Europe having Easter holidays. 

I embark wednesday🙂
 

Also no easter holiday in the netherlands but end april/ first week may.

I am wondering if there are lot of kids sailing now because the school vacation in Hamburg.

4 hours ago, Beamafar said:

I’ve just seen some of the menus that Itochen kindly posted on the menus thread.   Most of the offerings are the same as ever. I would seriously struggle with many of them.  If they’re similar on our sailing I guess I’ll be eating a lot of the time in the buffet. 

On a Facebook group there are new photos from menu and mdr food.

It looks like mediterranen and very good.

On 3/3/2023 at 7:57 AM, LiquidWu said:

Oh, I'm very happy for you. I wish you a wonderful trip with many great moments.

Keep the ship safe 🤣

Thank you,

I wish you the same!

I get on Wednesday so I am off when you are on board.

I am wondering if there are serperate lines to get of the ship for the day or to disembark.

My cruise also stops in Southampton and i read that it can be really chaotic due customs with people who disembark the ship.

We are just get off the ship for a few hours and i am trying to figure out what the best time is.

I am wondering what is the best option to get the wifi. Is the gold status discount on board cheaper then the before price in the app?

Visit both places on a normandy trip.

Mount st michel is great but i think it is packed in july. Also long trip. Honfleur also packed but more relaxing.