rubytue

Hi there! I’m just a few years after you LOL. Early 90s graduates (both my and my husband). Was a great town to grow up - where else can you say you grew up in the M streets and people know what you mean 😂 I haven’t been back since my father passed 5 years ago. Alas. what a strange small world we live in.

I apologize for being so off topic of the thread (which I’m loving because I’ll be on the Westerdam in a few short weeks), but I don’t think we have DM capabilities on cc. But I just keep coming back to your username. Is this from the town in TN, which is also my hometown. 😁

Thanks. My most recent trips have been on NCL, which does not have rooms available until mid afternoon. I can’t keep it straight 😂

Right?! My memories of boarding discussions are that it was always “how early can we board?” With people arriving at the port at 10am even though that usually meant waiting in a holding area. I’ve done the super early thing many times, and I’m kind of over dealing with my backpack half the day. We were assigned noon for our upcoming (in Seattle). That seems pretty rational. If I remember right, HAL usually has rooms open by 1. I’d think maybe noon might give us time to grab MDR lunch, but our stomachs will still be on east coast time. In fact, my biggest issue with noon is it’s a really long time for our east coast bodies to be hanging in an airport hotel. edit to add a question - do people follow their check in times? It seems I recall getting times before, but it was clearly a suggestion only. Not enforced and people just showed up when they showed up.

For US departures, it’s in the FAQs here https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/worry-free-promise/travel-well/frequently-asked-questions/faq-for-cruises-from-usa.html here is the EU FAQ https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/worry-free-promise/travel-well/frequently-asked-questions/faq-for-cruises-from-europe.html scrolls down below the link to the pdf. It looks like you are at the end of the page. But your aren’t. Guests ages five and above will require a medically observed, negative viral COVID-19 test (PCR or antigen) result taken within three days of cruise embarkation for all European cruises except for embarkations in Greece which requires a two day medically observed antigen test or a 3-day PCR COVID-19 test.If a guest brings proof of testing without results to the pier, Holland America Line will test them at no charge. Guests who arrive without a negative test result will experience additional fees, a delayed embarkation and risk denied boarding and subject to quarantine should a positive result be returned

I often bring the European adaptor USB hub, which frees up the US plus for other stuff

So true. As I read responses, I’m thinking that our Eurodam experience was just a case of someone deciding that wasn’t a service to be offered, by leaving the phone off the hook. I’m really hoping to not have a repeat this time. 😁 But, I’m also kind of realistic that Covid everything gives arguments on both ends.

And you have been successful? I don’t know if it was just that one ship we were on where they stopped the service manually, or if it was a fleet wide issue.

Dang, really?! I thought I was reading on here the other day and people talking about it like it was still a normal thing. I suppose they could have been suite guest talking about it, but I didn’t get that vibe. It use to be normal, or at least balcony and above. for example, here is a recent mention of this ability.

Oh our first HAL cruise, we enjoyed room service from the dining room a couple times. But on our most recent HAL cruise, a couple years ago, we tried a couple of times and the phone would just ring and ring. We once let it got for 5 minutes and it was never answered (and yes, calls were made during the prescribed times, to the correct number). I’m guessing Covid has affected room service in all sorts of ways. More people choosing to eat in their room, people quarantined and having to, etc. On the other hand, perhaps less people in the dining may free up a couple of staff? Plus, the past year might have allowed things to get into a grove. So, it seems I’m curious for recent reports, especially on the Westerdam. Are people able to *successfully* order and get dinner room service?

@t&atravel what types of wildlife other did you see beside the whale?

What month did you go? I know this is an old post, but I’m looking at this tour for late July. It seems the salmon run is more of and august thing.

This is so true. When I first heard everyone talking about the bald eagles in Alaska, I was like “I have a pair nesting in the woods behind my yard.” But yet, I, too, was in awe. The numbers of them surrounded by the scenery was breathtaking.

We were there in 2009 and did a kayak trip on the lake in front of Mendalhall. We are going back next month, and I have a friend that lives in Juneau now. He is going to be our excursions for the day, but chatting with him last night, he says it’s going to be shocking how much it’s receded just since then. I’m not surprised it was that much larger 100 years ago.