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.

During the “Ask the Captain” session on Rotterdam, the captain told us the amount on board (at that time, late February, I believe it was 1400).  He was upfront about it, and did not act as if he was divulging a secret.

As an aside, I’ve been seeing comments in Facebook groups about how “crowded” the ships are now. One person used the word “packed.”. I’m not sure if these people were complaining or just commenting, but shouldn’t full capacity be “normal”?  If a ship is meant to carry 2600, then 2600 should be expected and feel perfectly comfortable, and not crowded.  It just seems funny that everyone couldn’t wait for things to get back to normal…but now they’re not sure they like normal.  

I would order one package (containing two test kits) per person.  My test went perfectly, but when my husband got to the crucial moment (the 15 minute wait was almost up), for some reason I went to slightly adjust the angle of the phone (bad idea), something went awry and we lost connection.  He had to start from scratch with a new test, so we were very glad to have the spare.

Definitely watch a you tube video first so you know what to expect.

Find a good spot to set everything up (you’ll need to lean your phone against a stack of books or something to hold it in the right position.)  The phone worked better than the Ipad for some reason.  The monitor will help you get the camera positioned correctly.

I was nervous about it beforehand, but all in all, very easy.

Just got off Rotterdam.  1400 passengers.  It was very nice because nothing was crowded and there was no wait for anything.  We had a perfect two weeks onboard. 😊

There are youtube videos that walk you through the at-home test.  Just search under “emed home test walkthrough.”  We take our tests tomorrow.  Fingers crossed that it will indeed be goof proof!

Good luck to you, Lilly Anne.  We are all rooting for you to successfully get onboard!

On the Navigator App, at the top right next to Boarding Pass, it has a box saying “Add Security Photo.” I assumed that I would take a selfie, but when I click on it, it says “there is a problem with your account,” and I get logged out.  

So has anyone else had trouble with this?  And is this an important requirement that I need to worry about, or should I just wait till I get to the ship and let them take a security photo if they want one?  

I’ll be using the Binax now test pictured above, and I have also been worrying about false positives.  I found this article which was fairly reassuring.  

https://www.prevention.com/health/health-conditions/a38769630/false-positive-covid-test/

My great aunt used to sail to England on the Queen Mary or one of those ships, and I would imagine her sitting on the promenade deck with her knitting and her cup of tea.  I thought that sounded like the most fabulous thing in the world.  I’ve only been on one cruise and didn’t sit on the deck, but I thought sitting in a lounger in the Crow’s Nest with a book and glass of wine was pretty darn fabulous!  I’m about to go on the Rotterdam for two weeks and plan to make the Crow’s Nest a daily destination, and I  might try out a wooden bench on the promenade, too.  Can’t wait!

Oh wow, I thought it was required to pay the crew incentive, and no one could decrease or remove it (not that I ever would!).  Thanks for clarifying.  

I’m confused when you say, “I recommend leaving the auto gratuity on.” I didn’t think we had a choice.  I thought the tips or crew incentive or whatever you want to call it was added to everyone’s bill and there was no on or off about it.  …?

I was wondering if we can use OBC to get wifi, for laundry, or for spa/beauty shop services?

On 1/11/2022 at 4:29 PM, Boatdrill said:

From the HAL website: 

Holland America Line has partnered with Optum and Radeas so that U.S.-based vaccinated guests can order an FDA-authorized at-home antigen test kit, shipped to your door. These at-home test include a telehealth service. Please place your order with enough time to be shipped prior to your boarding. Order your Optum test kit or Radeas test kit online. 

 

Radeas: https://cruise.radeas.com *

Optum: https://store.optum.com *

We ordered from Optum at the above website on January 11.  I ordered a two-pack for each of us, and I ordered one set under his name and one set under my name  (which I probably didn’t need to, but I’m trying to do everything exactly right! 😛). My husband’s two kits arrived Jan. 13.  My order is still in transit, but I’m not worried because our cruise is in late February.  Expiration date on the kit is Dec. 2022.

One word of advice, which Optum will tell you when you order. The kits are temperature sensitive, and are supposed to be stored at 30 degrees F or above — so you have to watch carefully for your delivery if you live where the temps are frigid right now!  Don’t let it sit on your front stoop all day.

Is there a charge for the food in the Dutch Cafe?

Our very first cruise was on the Zuiderdam in December of 2019, literally just weeks before everything hit the fan.  We absolutely loved the ship.  We thought it was the perfect size .  We weren't looking for a megaship with zip lines and skating rinks, yet we did enjoy the grandeur of the world stage and the 2-floor dining room.   We found our way around the ship easily.  Though the ship was full, it did not feel overcrowded.  The ship was spotless and beautiful, the crew was outstanding, the food was delicious, and our expectations were exceeded in every way. 

One thing that astounded both of us was the number of people we met who were on their 10th or more cruise!  To us,  going on a cruise was a once-in-a-lifetime vacation.  I'm still kind of amazed at how many people in forums like this seem to cruise three and four times or more per year!  Wow.  More power to them - and their pocketbooks. 🙂 

We're going on our second cruise next month because YES, it is addictive!!   We're going on the new Rotterdam, and though I'll miss the Zuiderdam, I look forward to this brand new, gorgeous ship! 

I’m not going to stay home from my cruise because a very small percentage of people on board might be medically exempted from vaccination.  I will trust the ship to adequately test and observe those persons.  After all, the company has literally everything at stake in keeping the passengers and crew healthy.

That being said, the unvaccinated person referred to in this incident sounds extremely unpleasant, and I would have been unhappy with her, too!

2 hours ago, MTAK said:

Yes, it's an update.  And in that update there is nothing that says "vaccination is no longer required" or that "they have dropped the requirement", as you previously stated.

 

It appears to me they are clarifying the testing timeframe, mask usage, smoking policy, and recommending a booster for those eligible.

 

We're seeing this differently, but whatever. 

MTAK, thank you!  People are muddying the waters when there is no need for muddying.  The vaccination requirements are clearly stated and clearly marked under the FAQ.  They have not been changed or updated so they are not included in the “update” announcement.  Any kind of panic that “vaccinations are no longer required” is completely unwarranted.  

We are booked on the Rotterdam for a 14-day cruise Feb. 27 to March 13.  I called today to make sure it was still on since your cancelled trip was a portion of our cruise.  (The cruise was offered as 7 days Feb 27 to March 6, March 6 to 13, or as one 14-day trip).  I was told we were not cancelled.  She said that some cruise “adjustments were being made” but it had nothing to do with Covid.  I’m a little nervous now - it seems odd that you were suddenly cancelled like that.  I’m so sorry and hope you’re able to reschedule!

Great, thank you!