Pchamb3

Thanks to all for the help. 

Wow, a full ship! Thanks for your input. I still haven’t received the email that states my cruise documents are ready. Should be soon I hope, then I check in on the website, print pass and print luggage tags from cruise documents. Have been to these ports many times before, so probably will get off to shop, eat and drink.

I find the app to be a bit confusing, so I just check in the old fashioned way using the website. We did a cruise on celebrity in December and had no problem using the website.

Can anyone suggest a good place to eat in Aruba, nothing fancy, just good drinks and food with a chill atmosphere. Close to ship even better.

Thanks

Thanks for the information, I hope you are right. I did forget that I had posted before. I think my last post was 2019 right around beginning of Covid cruise cancellations. 
 

This will be our first Royal cruise since 2019 and I am so looking forward to it, thus the angst.

Has anyone noticed that the Mariner of the Seas cruise that starts on May 12, 2023 is not on the website?

I only ask, because I am supposed to be on that cruise and have received no cancellation email. Is it perhaps because it is full?

I could probably call the certified vacation planner department, but I thought I would find out if the savvy cruise critic people would know.

I think this is my second post ever and thank everyone in advance for their help.

Just want everyone to know that we just received a full refund for the cruise that Hal cancelled. It was posted to our credit card this morning and the processing date was June 4.

The cruise was for April 12 on the Niew Statendam out of ft lauderdale.

I filled in the paperwork for refund on March 16. I did not dispute the charges with my cc and just waited patiently as I knew they would finally make good. Yes, I am an optimist!

We have a cruise booked for next April on the zaandam for Canada/new England 14 day. 
hope all is well by next spring. This cruise was booked way back in January befor this pandemic hit.

Stay safe everyone and we look forward to the days again when we can sail away and make new friends.

patty and peter

On 4/12/2017 at 11:13 AM, clo6216 said:

We will be dining often in Coastal Kitchen for the first time on our upcoming cruise and plan to tip each evening. Can someone suggest an appropriate amount for two people?

We tipped ten dollars for the two of us on each night after dinner. I believe that to be enough, since some don’t even tip at all.

John and Lala, we did get to dine in the coastal kitchen. We could only make reservations one night at a time and had no access to the door with our key card. Had to knock on the door to the coastal kitchen to get their attention to let us in, made us feel a bit like second class citizens, or beggars at the door. We did dine there three evenings and the food and service was very good. 
Of course we were paying probably more than double the price for the junior suite compared to a Central Park balcony. I think next time will get the dining package and cp balcony, don’t think we got the best bang for our buck with that suite, plus it was very, very noisy. I think it was cabin 11366.

By the way your dog is really cute! 

We were on the HOS in October and did a junior suite, but honestly, we much prefer the coziness of the Central Park balcony. We sit out there listening to the live musical performances with a glass of wine as we get ready for the evening. Very romantic!

We hardly used the balcony on the junior suite, and the one afternoon that we did decide to sit out there was the time the crew chose to pressure wash the balcony from top to bottom including furniture. Lol.

I believe we are going back to Central Park balcony for our next cruise on this class of ship. Okay, I must admit that I did like the larger bathroom, but that is about the only thing I find special about the junior suites. We are diamond plus.

Thank you ruecrazy for your quick response! I did look where you suggested, and lo and behold there they were, all four! Super big thanks for your help, now it won’t drive me crazy that I couldn’t find my excursions, and no need to call Hal.

We are sailing on the vov 2020. I booked four excursions and paid for them about a month ago. When I pull up my cruise on the website I can see where to pay for the remainder of the cruise balance, also see the onboard credit, but nowhere do I see where my paid excursions are listed. Can anyone help, this is only my third cruise with Hal, so I am just not sure where to look on the website.

So, it sounds like if you want to do Greenland, the 2020 VOV is the cruise to take. We are booked on the full 35 journey and are looking forward to the cruise.

I also noticed on the Hal website that after the zaandam drydock two entertainment venues are to be added. Lincoln center stage and the one with the dueling pianos, billboard on board. So sounds like nice choices for some varied entertainment for the evenings while sipping my martini.

This will be our third hal cruise, and we were able to get an ocienview cabin on the lower promenade. 
 

Not sure what to pack for for the weather, as we are from Florida and don’t really have winter wear. Do we need to get some warm coats or just spring type jackets. Any thoughts? Would appreciate any advice from those that have done this cruise in the past.

thanks

So, the corkage fee is only $18! On royal and celebrity I think it is $25. Looks like I can bring more onboard with me when I find  a place to purchase wine at the port of Boston near my hotel. Yippee!

22 hours ago, Pchamb3 said:

My husband and I booked the July 2020 VOV cruise last week on the zaandam. It will be our third Hal cruise. We are currently elite on celebrity and diamond plus on royal, so not new to cruising.

 

We enjoyed Hal so much that we thought we would do our first real adventure with the Hal line. All our other cruises have been no longer than 11 days and the usual Bahamas, Carribean, Alaska and Mexico itineraries.

 

For those of you that have done the VOV, do we need any special visas? We are Americans.

 

Also, did you use credit cards for purchases off ship or did you convert to local currency before the cruise or would this be possible at guest services onboard?

 

Just a side note: we really liked the more sophisticated ambience that was present on the ship and with Hal’s passengers.

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

 

Thank you to all that have responded to my questions. I am still figuring out how to use the boards. Thanks for your patience and understanding.

My husband and I booked the July 2020 VOV cruise last week on the zaandam. It will be our third Hal cruise. We are currently elite on celebrity and diamond plus on royal, so not new to cruising.

We enjoyed Hal so much that we thought we would do our first real adventure with the Hal line. All our other cruises have been no longer than 11 days and the usual Bahamas, Carribean, Alaska and Mexico itineraries.

For those of you that have done the VOV, do we need any special visas? We are Americans.

Also, did you use credit cards for purchases off ship or did you convert to local currency before the cruise or would this be possible at guest services onboard?

Just a side note: we really liked the more sophisticated ambience that was present on the ship and with Hal’s passengers.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I will always take more shoes than I ever will wear, but really, a girl does need options.

Hope this works