RAS4331

Go to afternoon tea, for sure. If you’re on a ship with a Dutch cafe, then instead of afternoon tea you can sit by the window in the cafe enjoying a beverage and a giant cream puff or some other delightful treat. I did some of the morning class-type activities like origami, which was ok but not anything extraordinary. I think it depends on how engaging the instructor is. Our instructor was just going through the motions. On my first HAL cruise I went to a cooking demonstration and computer classes, which I loved but I’m not sure if they’re offered anymore. My favorite thing to do is nab a good seat in the crow’s nest, put my feet up and read my book or do a puzzle while enjoying the fabulous view. If I’m there when trivia starts, I always participate. I’m somewhat of an introvert and not much for mingling, but trivia is one of the times that I do enjoy chatting with others.

Eurodam, March 14 to 25th, 2023. 11 day to Panama Canal.

They go where the money is. An independent floatplane operator would never be able to pay a multi million dollar settlement, even if they were ordered to. They would just go bankrupt. So the attorneys say, hmmmm, who could we include in the suit who WOULD have that kind of money? Greed.

Am I correct that you can't reserve a cabana on the ship until you are onboard? I don't see an option for booking one online. We are interested in renting one for a day, not for the entire cruise. I realize that they might all be taken by those who rent for the whole cruise. On our last cruise on the Rotterdam there were some single day rentals available, but it was when the ship was still not sailing at full capacity.

Yes, we eat all three meals. We don't go crazy, but we enjoy the food because that's a part of the appeal of a cruise, in my opinion. I eat dessert every night because it's not something I do at home, and the desserts are fairly petite servings, so it's a nice treat. Same for afternoon tea! On our last cruise I actually lost a pound or two. I think it was from all the walking around the ship and at port stops. My advice is just enjoy every bite, and if you go home with an extra few pounds then diet a little bit back home.

If you removed pre-paid gratuities and paid “everyone” in cash, wouldn’t that mean that the behind-the-scenes people wouldn’t get a share?

We just booked a cruise on Holland America, March 14 to 25, 2023. From Fort Lauderdale it goes to Aruba, Curacao, Colombia, Panama, and Costa Rica. It does a partial transit of the canal. You could check it out on the HAL website if that itinerary appeals to you.