Highway27

6 hours ago, Greysandy said:

Thanks for the info. We will be testing this out when we board the Koningsdam tomorrow! We got the HIA package but would definitely like some better wine options and some of the higher end liquor.

 

That was the price we were quoted last week on Rotterdam. Given the new policy on many ships (not sure if in Konigsdam yet, but is on Rotterdam and others) that you only pay the difference for drinks outside of the limit on the HIA / SBP packages, you might consider just sticking with the Signature and paying the difference. Like everything, there's an opportunity cost there, but if the question is merely access, that is now possible with the HIA /SBP packages.

On 11/5/2022 at 1:43 PM, Highway27 said:

I'll definitely try to post an update after I find out. Thanks for the info.

When we asked about the Freestyle machine upon boarding, we were initially told the 8 dollars pp/pd, but when we then clarified that we had the HIA Signature package, were told that it would have to be the 10 pp/pd upgrade. And since the only thing we would have used it for was Caffeine free Diet Coke, we decided not to. Now, that has led to us bothering every bartender to get caffeine free coke zero, but they have managed to get it all through the ship now.

As a bit of a counterpoint, we are on day 6 of 11 on Rotterdam, and I have been keeping an ear out for people coughing in gathered spaces, and there really hasn't been much if any. We see some people masking, some crew masking, but in general there doesn't appear to be much concern for respiratory viruses. This cruise may be cursed in OTHER ways, but not with COVID.

The price currently on Rotterdam for 10 nights (according to my statement) from Ft Lauderdale to Ft. Lauderdale is 70, so still the 7 dollars per night .

2 hours ago, Banditswife said:

There was a post from someone currently on N Statendam that said that is what they are doing there.  Whether they are doing it fleet wide, I do not know for sure.

I just saw a sign on Rotterdam that said this exact policy, expressing it as a change in policy. You now only pay the overage on drinks costing above your drink package limit. I am guessing that those drinks will still count towards your daily limit, tho this was not stated on the sign.

3 minutes ago, Happily@Sea said:

A double sailaway on Wed Nov 9th - Wonder if it will be 3 pm again?

 

Thanks, all, and also to Kathi. Fine camera work in miserable [to start] weather.

Our communication for Rotterdam has been for 3 PM, port schedule shows 4 PM for both Rotterdam and Eurodam. Don't know how the weather I mentioned upthread will change either.

Just now, rafinmd said:

It definitely looks to me like she's moved.  Hoping for better weather Wednesday.

 

Roy

 

What I was just looking at says that it'll likely be much worse on Tuesday evening - Wednesday. Tropical storm moving towards Florida peninsula, right now expected to go a bit north of Port Everglades, but with a lot of rain and wind all the way south through Miami.

We're on the Rotterdam on Wednesday, and also hope it won't be too bad. Only our second cruise, never really been near a tropical storm.

Rain moving in for sailaway?

15 minutes ago, waASPCrusier said:

Actually that is exactly what we were offered last year when we asked about the Freestyle after we found out our HIA didn't include it.  As @CruiserBrucesaid above you are actually just purchasing a special cup that has a chip in it that allows you to use the machine(s).  That being said, would you be so kind as to post back to this thread the cost of purchasing the Freestyle onboard ?

I'll definitely try to post an update after I find out. Thanks for the info.

I did notice on the HAL website yesterday that they have changed the Coke package to be, basically, just the Freestyle machine on the Pinnacle class ships "starting at $8 per day". So on our sailing next week, I'm going to at least ask if I could just buy that in addition to the HIA Signature, rather than having to pay $12 a day to upgrade to Elite. Answer is probably no, but going to at least try.

Just now, CruiserBruce said:

Just one, in the Lido pool bar area.

Thanks very much!

Had a couple questions for anyone who's been on the Rotterdam (or even NS or Konigsdam): How many Coke freestyle machines do they have (guessing 1?) and where are they located (in the Lido Buffet?) and do they close at any point during the day or night, or are they always available?

Thanks for any info!

Rotterdam on the move. Nice of them to pan the camera to see Terminal 26.

Ready for some sailing. 🙂

Thanks for the reminders in this thread. I checked the app again and it was actually working, so I got screenshots for our cruise next week.

Our Nov 9 sailing on Rotterdam also departs at 3 PM. I think I like the earlier sailing time.

Following along because my parents are on the Zuiderdam with you. Thanks for the updates!

Thanks for the information here about upgrading. We are sailing on the Rotterdam next month and are interested in the Freestyle fountain machine, but currently have the HIA Signature package, which doesn't include Freestyle. It seems like the only path to getting the Freestyle is upgrading to Elite, although it would be great if we could just buy one Coca-Cola package (since we'd also have Signature on both guests). Has anyone tried doing that?

12 hours ago, marianoam said:

Is the Freestyle machine available for those with Quench/Signature/Elite Package? Or just for the Coca Cola Package?

Everything I have seen is that it is *only* for the Coca-Cola package, which is causing me a bit of consternation since I don't really want to buy that in addition to having the Signature package.

13 hours ago, Despegue said:

As far as I know, there are no restrictions nor special procedures for any Caribbean Island. 
there are still restrictions for Bermuda.

Thanks very much for the information!

We're booked for the HAL Southern Caribbean Wayfarer itinerary in early November, and I am trying to find out (without definitive success) if there are still any restrictions on leaving the ship for sightseeing / touring anywhere in the Caribbean(i.e. must be on a cruise line excursion or third-party excursion with only fellow cruisers). I know that it has been location specific, but even the information I was able to find from different countries was old and likely out of date. Does anyone have any suggestions on where to look to find updates of those policies? Or are there any policies besides "do whatever you want"?

Thanks for any help.

I really found the Anytime Dining to be pretty much like going to a (pretty nice) restaurant. You show up, they seat you. If a lot of people showed up right before you, there's a wait. Also realize that there is flexibility between the Fixed dining and Anytime Dining available seating, but also that if you go right before the second (late) fixed seating, they will likely be holding tables open for those people they are expecting to show up.

We didn't have any problems with it, and never waited for more than 2 other groups. The only time there was a significant line it was for the "reservations", while the non-reservations wasn't even a line, just walk right to the podium. Now, that's in a limited sample size of one cruise, but I think thinking of it like a restaurant is pretty helpful for keeping the right perspective.

When we were on Nieuw Amsterdam in November, all soda was cans. Coke, Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Sprite, Caffeine Free Diet Coke, Fanta Orange. Those were the ones that I noted, there may have been others (probably Ginger Ale). But all cans from the bars.

1 minute ago, travelnap said:

I am not getting any sound from the cameras, is anyone else having that problem?

I get sound from the Port Everglades webcam, never from the Ft. Lauderdale camera. It has been a bit crackly today.

When we were on Nieuw Amsterdam, we saw Step One do Humanity and Stages. Like you, we loved Humanity, and thought it was a very interesting, very well done show. But Stages was just not as interesting, to the point of being not interesting. I've read the same kind of comment about Stages from others on this forum as well. And now seeing that Resonance is similarly not good, or perhaps even worse, because at least we didn't have people leaving from Stages. Makes me start wondering if it's less that Stages and Resonance are actually bad, or more that to get non-dancers interested in dance shows, they need to be exceptional like Humanity. I do think that would be good information to get back to Step One: Do more like Humanity, less like Stages and Resonance.