JanDay

8 hours ago, karatemom2 said:

Thanks for sharing your cruise experience with us. We are on the Sky in June for the 14 day Land of the Midnight Sun itinerary, so very interested to follow along on your journey!

Same with us. Our first time to the fjords after our sadly cancelled Covid 2020 summer Baltic and NorthCape plan. And then our 2021 attempt which we dropped due to Delta variant surge…

This one is lining up, finally!  
@FancyPants21 Eager to hear reports on your experiences as you sail. Thank you for taking us along. 👍 

Hi Pelican Bill.

I have a question semi related to hurricanes:

Has anyone heard how the upcoming el niño weather pattern might affect cruising across the Pacific in Sept-Oct 2023?

I’ve read various articles, but no clear prediction. Just that weather will be more unstable and potential for typhoons and cyclones in the Pacific region increases. Was looking at the TransPacific Sept 26 from SFO to Auckland. But…typhoons and cyclones???

Thanks to all who offered suggestions and great packing tips! Very helpful. The doughboy winter coat is back in the closet! Layering it is. And @RuthC, thanks for the warm weather reminder. I live on the central coast of California and often forget how warm it can be in other places. 

Packing now for our August RT Boston via Maritimes, Greenland, six ports Iceland, and return. All new ports to me. Trying to understand which layers to bring so I won’t need to include layering with the ship robe, and so I am not totally overpacked. Advice from you veterans of these ports?

I have wool long undies, top and bottom. Waterproof comfy hiking shoes and wool blend socks. Rain/wind proof overpants. Wool sweater, wool neck gaiter, wool beanie, and gloves. Then…I have a heavy winter down coat like Pillsbury doughboy OR a 650 fill lighter down jacket, and a great rain/wind proof Goretex shell to go over either coat. We love to be outside, wandering, hiking. Is the heavy doughboy down needed, or the lighter 650 with wool layers and rain jacket sufficient?

Thanking you for setting me straight!

Hoping your journey continues to delight and inspire you, and that you stay well, or recover easily if the virus found its way. And thanks for the great information on this forum thread. Very helpful.

On 7/16/2022 at 3:48 AM, travelers07 said:

Here is a photo from just now. In the 40’s and rainy but still beautiful.

 

 

And here is the letter we got overnight. There were way too many people not masking and I hope this is not too late!

 

 

 

Travel these days is quite the unpredictable adventure. Sorry for all who caught the covid! Not the way any of us want to spend a cruise vacation. The letter you received re change of masking regulation is exactly the same we received on Nieuw Statendam in January, except with different cruise id and captain. I suppose it’s being widely used right now as cases increase again. We are double vaxxed and double boosted, wear masks most of the time, wash our palms off, use sanitizers, etc. We tested positive with mild symptoms the day we arrived home after two week Alaska cruise in June. Highly contagious strains out there. And, we did have masks off while dining and sometimes when outside with social distance. It was enough to expose us. 
We are headed out again with a 24 day cruise. We will mask up, sanitize, maybe eat further from others (or in our cabin). We know the risks, and choose to travel anyway.

Best wishes to all in these crazy travel times!

On 5/17/2019 at 9:11 PM, ldubs said:

 

Gotcha.  I was wondering if it would influence things like going with an excursion instead of on-your-own, or maybe a ship's excursion instead of a private tour.   Not saying it would, just thinking out loud.  

 

 

We use the info sometimes in choosing between itineraries and dates. If St Thomas has potential 14,000 passengers one day, and onlu two ships with 5000 potential on another day, go low. Also, when already booked, we use the info as you said, to think about impact on excursions. Our St Thomas day in January has the 14,000 potential, so we booked a smaller independent kayak and turtle snorkel. Otherwise, the usual turtle snorkel sites could be like a sporting event.

19 minutes ago, Vict0riann said:

Yes, the “short cut” is still a long walk.  Once, after a trip in Europe, we came home through Vancouver airport and I had problems with one leg.  Eventually they decided I had a stress fracture.  I blamed it on the cobbles in Italy, and that long walk through Vancouver airport.  I have been resentful ever since!

So sorry that happened to you.

Ann, thank you for doing the LIVE thread. We ended up cancelling after Istanbul disappeared from the various shifting itineraries, and ships, and are eager to hear about the adventure and travel virtually with you brave souls who stayed on board. 

We lost our super PCC of many years during COVID as well, with no message goodbye. We don’t know if she was cut in a scale-back or found better employment. The PCC we were given in her place has made multiple mistakes, so I am planning to ask for a change. If you are comfortable giving me the name and extension # of your new PCC, I can ask for her specifically. My email is jdaybgeorge and hotmail dot com. 🤗

Enjoy your great cruise! We love the Adriatic countries and Mediterranean ports.

Be well,  Jan

On 10/2/2021 at 4:36 PM, Vict0riann said:

We’ve done that, too, on occasion.  But it means that you have to hang around waiting for everyone to get off and then they come with a wheelchair.  I much prefer to go out into the concourse and just hitch a ride!  Usually there is a specific spot (bus stop?) where you can wait, if the carts are running.  I can do the walk, it’s just Pat is such a speed walker I can’t keep up! 

Our elderly “other mother” lives in Victoria and flew to see us in California last August. Her flight stopped in Vancouver with a 1 1/2 hour layover. She always uses the airline wheelchair assist to make it through airports at each end and layover transitions. In Vancouver they put them on a cart for a short way heading to the international connection, but then made them walk a long distance to the next cart. She managed, but found it difficult. Never happened before like that. Birder check throughs in both directions were easy, smooth.

5 minutes ago, Sir PMP said:

As posted before, just an inside joke for Boytie.. But what is the issue being sorted out?

Joke? Please do that in private messaging. Sorting out the risk and reward, the changes in plans, and finding where to get tested in the allotted time frame. Sorting out whether masking on board and potential other restrictions (like will the hydropool be open?) are worth it for a one week “vacation” cruise. Sorting out whether we cancel all the flights, hotels, shuttles, excursions, etc, AGAIN. I appreciate good humor Sir PMP, but on these forums, at this time, words can be taken literally. 

5 hours ago, Sir PMP said:

I hear that cruise might be canceled..

Please post where you get information when you make this type of statement. If true, we all want to know. If rumor, it confuses the issues we are all trying to sort out.

18 hours ago, KirkNC said:

I am always amazed that people are willing to pay 10% more for a cruise, a commodity as @iancal mentions and then on top of that get poor service.

I think I’m missing some info. We have booked through HAL with a PCC for all our cruises. The PCC we had for seven years was great, responsive, and strategic. She was always able to match offers from outside companies, or get very close, using her discretionary OBC fund. She either got cut or bailed during covid. We were assigned a different PCC. Kind, but not as experienced, not strategic. And response times have been slow (albeit due to being very busy and a vacation). I assumed booking through HAL was the best option for keeping up with changes, upgrades, offers, etc. Is booking with HAL through the PCC different than booking with HAL through their general call center? I booked recently through the call center line on a weekend due to a sale ending. The PCC later told me that’s a different department, and that if I cannot reach her to still use the PCC phone line, but enter 0 instead of her extension. A bit confusing. Does HAL have two separate booking departments?

It sounds like many on this thread find working with a TA or outside source to be a better deal, and more responsive as well. Thoughts? Info? How can I get the name and contact for your valued and trusted TAs?

Thanks to all for bringing us newer cruisers up to speed.

Jan

12 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

Take a breath, people!

A safe, distanced, masked breath probably....

So ready to be on the ships again! With great people, great crew, great destinations.

Step by step, it’s coming.

WE love the EXC in-depth programs that have been offered on Maasdam. Great for those of us who love presentations on culture, biology, geology, naturalists, nature photography. Hoping these specialist programs will be continued and possibly expanded with the new big boss.

23 hours ago, just_dont said:

Viking's 930-pax ships are small, and their Midnight Sun cruise would check all the boxes for a western Norway, fjords plus Nordkapp cruise.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 

Thanks for the suggestion, but $$$$$. Otherwise Viking might be ideal. 

Just now, Coral said:

Small ships are unique these days!

And a lovely experience. One of our surprising disappointments on the larger Koningsdam was the almost non-existent library...Maybe four shelves, with very limited choices. We missed the ambience of the library quiet spaces, Explorer’s lounge feeling with books all around, games, people doing shared puzzles, etc. We also noticed there were days when we didn’t see any of the people we had previously met. On the smaller ships we run into our new friends daily, a total delight!

4 hours ago, Coral said:

While I haven't looked at these 2 sailings specifically - I can say that HAL lists more fiords but when I was Princess, we saw some more fiords than listed on Princess's itinerary and also have access to fiords. For example - I took a a fjord boat ride in Alesund to some fjords that someone says "is only done by itineraries on Azamara".

 

I will try to look at these itineraries.

 

I do have to say that I don't like Princess's large ships (even though I am going this summer on the Regal). I hated the Crown Princess - I thought it was too crowded. Some agree with me, some who are new to cruising have no clue what I am talking about. I did my cruise on the Sapphire Princess which is the same size as Crown but has 500 less passengers and a covered pool.

Coral, this is really helpful. We have chosen HAL smaller ships and love the ability to get to know people. A more personal experience. We did one cruise on the bigger Koningsdam and, although we enjoyed the ship, we missed the more intimate experience of the ships with half the number of passengers. We were both hesitant to look at a 3000 passenger experience, and your comments confirm that reluctance. Itinerary seems great, but being in a herd of 3000 versus 1400 is a major difference.

With your help we are down to Veendam or Nieuw Statendam for our Norway cruise.

Thank you! 

Jan

21 hours ago, Coral said:

I agree. I also think the scenery in this area is very different than a lot of other scenery in Norway.

We are deciding between Aug 8 HAL Veendam, which hits only one of the star fiords (Hardangerfjord), but does go to a couple different ports in the north, or July 5 HAL Nieuw Statendam which jumps from Trondheim to North Cape with no ports in between, but does a couple more fiords in the south, or Aug 22 Crown Princess which hits some of both but has 3000 passengers (not our favorite idea). Any opinions? Experienced advice? 

Forgot to check notify of replies! 

On 5/24/2019 at 2:36 AM, ski ww said:

Price wise you're comparing an 8 day to a 14 day cruise. If you're doing a Norway cruise you should include cruising the North Cape above the Arctic Circle. We're doing the 14 day Voyage of the Midnight Sun on Nieuw Statendam in 2020 out of Amsterdam. That same cruise is also sailing this year. It includes some of your ports.  

Hi. Older thread, but thought I’d ask and see if the question makes it to you.

Why do you say a Norway cruise should include the North Cape? We are deciding between cruises in Norway for summer 2020. One pull is to see as many fjords as possible, and the other pull is to include North Cape. Is the scenery heading north beyond Arctic Circle what pulls you there? If one gets only two fjord cruises and then North Cape, versus four fjords and no farther north than Molde or Alesand, which choice would you make? 

We love Alaska cruising due to the jaw-dropping beauty. We love nature, the incredible vistas, waterfalls, rivers, forests, rock cliffs. We are not shoppers and usually find a hike or kayak or other active adventure when in ports.

Advice?

We have looked at Voyage of the Midnight Sun. Might end up on board with you!

Jan

We also use Wet Ones....

 

We wipe down the remote, chair arms, phone....and all the door knobs and slider door handle....

 

I keep the individual packets of Wet Ones in my pocket in case we need them...especially after getting on and off a tour bus....

 

Our trips usually include an airline flight....and we wipe down the tray table, seat belt buckle and chair arms....

 

So far....fingers crossed.....we haven't gotten sick......

We use Purell wipes as they have some active sanitizing ingredients, and we do the plane, room surfaces, and hands always before eating anything or, in general, after touching any public surfaces. We were on the June 4 Zaandam sailing and didn’t hear of folks sick, and saw and heard very few coughing people. We were pleased with the handwash stations at the Lido. Last year Volendam did not have those. I agree with those who note that germ/virus protection becomes a way of life. Just take precautions everywhere since you don’t want to waste time being sick, or get others sick. Our two weeks on Zaandam was STELLAR! Great weather, no “rough” seas, fantastic staff, primo Captain. Ready to do it again. Only downside for us was the music choices played in Crows Nest, Lido pool area, back Lido deck. We did request change there and enjoyed a mellower fare while at Hubbard Glacier. But, after Hubbard the rowdy stuff was back. HAL, look at your passenger demographics. There are better choices to be made. Kudos on all the rest. Great ship, great trip. OH.....wedid have a problem with the Port Valet service. The HAL printed boarding passes are on a glossy paper and sometimes don’t scan properly. After going through the TSA Pre-Check line, my husband’s boarding pass would not scan (mine did), and he had to return to the airline counter to reprint boarding passes. Suggestion: if you use Port Valet (which is super!), go ahead and reprint boarding passes before lining up for TSA. Bon Voyage.

All of the photos that I take are in Camera RAW format that require additional processing before others can open them. On board images should be on my website, "www.rogerjett-photography.com" within two weeks. Excursion pics will be a bit longer.

Thanks, CrewNews. Really delightful to journey with you, and thus extend our upcoming cruise. I look forward to seeing your photos when ready to share. Best wishes to you for these last days on board, and for the journeys ahead.

We did this excursion, too, on the prior cruise. It was a long day, but so much to see, and the crew on the boat was super sweet. I think it's one of the more memorable excursions we've done. Some just stick in one's mind. And now, thanks to you, Crew News, good photos. (We're terrible about taking pictures.)

I’m enjoying all the posts from Crew News. Where does one access the photos? Thank you. Jan

Thanks for previews! June 4 for us.

Keep us all posted on your journey! May you have smooth seas and clear skies, and many inspirations.