FlaMariner

PeruRail has been rolling since 1/8. https://www.perurail.com/news/resumption-of-operations-as-of-today-january-8/

Thanks for folks continuing to post updates. It's difficult to get info. We have plans for Machu Picchu in March. It's either going to be the best time or the worst time to visit.

we made the mistake of taking a Princess TA cruise last March (one and done, never again Princess).....Several days the weather was bad and the lido pool area was of no use......Princess has no retractable roof over their Lido pool. No so with HAL....every day can be a pool day with that retractable roof! Enjoy the TA.

Anecdotal: Our TA we emailed Thursday had a response come back something like "I am swamped with wave season quote requests and I will get to them but the response will be delayed". I've never seen that from her and take that as a positive sign for cruising.....Anecdotally speaking.

If you have fixed sitting and you want to go to the MDR for dinner on the first night, this is our strategy (works if it is just your party at dinner, not good for shared tables): once onboard, find your table number on your key card and go to the MDR and find your table. Now you know where it is and you can skip the line of newbies once dinner time once onboard, find the bartender table with the sommelier package listing and study that prior to arriving at dinner (if you are buying a wine package, of course) once onboard, check out the MDR dinner menu on your in room TV (or navigator) and have an idea regarding what you will be ordering arrive at the MDR at the appropriate time and skip the line and just go to your table introduce yourselves to your waiters and order your wine and let the waiter take your menu Enjoy your first evening meal onboard....and we have found that first in, first out is a good strategy for evening 1 Without this strategy, it would be better to go surcharge dining on night 1 because we have found it to be the most chaotic evening in the MDR and the quietest at the $$$ restaurants. (Roadblocks might be similar to one recent cruise when we went to our table (for 2) on evening 1 and another couple hijacked it.....the head waiter did not want to disrupt that so he quickly sent us to a nice table for 2 that became our table)

I've been cruising HAL before Lincoln Center Stage and I will be cruising HAL after Lincoln Center Stage. We've enjoyed Lincoln Center Stage but understand entertainment needs to keep changing and being refreshed. I'm looking forward to what is new and different regarding entertainment when I'm onboard. We will enjoy the journey and watch them come and go......

She's our first HAL ship.......she sealed the HAL deal for us......but for itineraries where we think we want/need a balcony, we find the balcony prices out of reach on the smaller Zaandam....It was built before balconies were available for us commoners.

Great article and great news...Thanks for sharing. Her Majesty and I were just discussing and looking for longer and more interesting itineraries with HAL since we have retired. This is just what we wanted. (I have no more interest in seeing the Caribbean again and 7 nights to anywhere sounds so short now....and it was not very long again when we thought that was a long time to be on a ship..no more..so glad HAL is agreeing with where we are now in travel......time to book)

Our strategy also..... And there is a hammock (no surcharge!) in the shade down the beach (used it in November) if you are early (but do not tell anyone).

We were in HMC in November.....We walked far down the beach and find plenty of lounge chairs and shady areas under the trees. Just an awesome day.....enjoy.

Here's an article about the obviously negative impact this is having on tourism.......Sad. https://www.yahoo.com/news/perus-tourism-sector-hurt-protests-185240608.html We are still scheduled for March to Machu Picchu......We are thinking we will make the go/no go decision 30 days prior to wheels up. Luckily the flights are with points and can be refunded. Hotel has no deposit required. Tours not booked but looking like lots of empty seats.

I appreciate your eyewitness reports but please be careful. Perhaps you should get out of there?

Thanks for setting me straight.....I thought Cusco meant Cusco....but understand now that Cusco is not Cusco. LOL.

More unrest....Cusco is referenced. https://www.yahoo.com/news/peru-protests-over-castillos-ouster-185019946.html

Thanks for continuing to post info and first hand reports of the current Peru situation. We have plans for March in Cusco/Machu Picchu but from what I am reading, things are not improving and it is very doubtful......The US State Dept lists Cusco as DO NOT TRAVEL. Here is the link: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/peru-travel-advisory.html (I like the idea of there being few tourists at Machu Picchu but do not like the idea of being one of the few tourists there if things go bad again!)

And once more, here is the info.......

There is no form. Just include the required info. Email is the way to go based on our experience.

From our experience boarding Holland America Line cruises in Fort Lauderdale and Amsterdam (4 boardings since the unpleasantness) we were able to check in when we arrived and we were assigned a boarding group based on our arrival in the terminal. All the boarding time assignment dance was not worth fretting over. Easy peezy and they are glad to welcome you aboard when you arrive. We choose our boarding time.....and it was based on when we arrived at the terminal! Enjoy the journey........... Disclaimer: Past performance is no guarantee of future performance. YMMV.

Our next trip up is also to South America. 5 days in Peru (hopefully) and 17 day cruise from Santiago to USA and that is all we are taking (carry on roller bag and backpack). Our plan is to board the ship with all dirty clothes that go immediately to the laundry. You will be fine. No need to lug the kitchen sink around with you.

That is exactly what we do as well..... One roller board carry on and a backpack each and we can travel the world.....And with Holland America Line's great laundry service, it's "rinse and repeat" and we are good to go. Welcome aboard and enjoy the journey!

Yes to lunch in the MDR on the Nieuw Statendam on 11/19 & 11/26. 12 to 1. Calm way to begin the cruise.

Yes, that is why I buy it....I need medical coverage when outside the good ole USA. I've got medical insurance while living in the good ole USA.

We do exactly this ^ GeoBlue for international medical. BofA Signature Visa Credit Card for travel insurance stuff.

It's deep enough.....seems like it comes up to around my waist when I stand up.....but mostly I am laying horizontal on the submerged rack with everything underwater except for my head. Enjoy.

You need to send them a copy of your brokerage statement showing ownership so as long as it is on the statement, then you have proof to send them. (I guess you could send a copy of the stock purchase order so that might work....we've always just sent our recent statement and they send us a confirmation of the OBC quickly)