ScoutDiver

Is 11:40 too early to catch a plane to LHR out of Amsterdam ?  I am sort of concerned about security.  We will be getting off the Niew Statendam on September 7

What about an 8:40 Train ?

On 10/3/2023 at 2:10 AM, Globaliser said:

 

There's no single answer to this question. It depends on your itinerary: principally route and airline(s).

BA   connecting to Austin  both terminal 5

Is 11:40 to early to schedule a flight out of Amsterdam when the ship arrives 7:00AM (Nieuw Statendam)

  I can self carry luggage.

What is the mininum connect time in Heathrow?  

My brother and I traveled in a Neptune Suite in Alaska.  I considered briefly booking two inside or balcony cabins.   The aft Neptune balcony cabin had a less closed in feel.  

We got a great rate about 2 months out.  

The little perks were nice.  

Both of us have our own homes of about 1500 sf.   The tiny inside cabins or even balconies were going to be cramped.   I do not think we would have been happy sharing an inside oven a balcony cabin.   My brother looked at the exterior of some of the Princess Cruises and he just kind of freaked.

The drinks on the Koningsdam in August in the Neptune Suite were included in then HIA package.

HAL had an error on my middle name on a boarding pass for a recent Alaskan Cruise.    I had notified the TA about the error in the booking previously and they said it was taken care of.   My Mariner account is correct.   The HAL rep at check in noticed names did not match and took care of the issue.   

Once on board, the same error showed up on the room key card.   I took it to the Neptune lounge, and they double checked everything and printed a new room card. 

On 8/10/2023 at 4:39 PM, HermmyGranger said:

I know they offer "deals" if you book a cruise while you're on a cruise. Are they really any better than just booking at any time?

My brother and I purchased a Future Cruise Deposit on the Koninigsdam for $100 each.

We turned around and called our TA  and they were offering significant discounts on a cruise in August 2024 and we booked through the TA.   The FCD qualified as our deposit ($200 vas $1200) on a Neptune Suite and we were given a $200 OBC.   

When booking onboard, HAL offers some nice OBC, but our fare through the TA  and  a TA perk was a good bargain for the pricey  aft Neptune.  

My brother and I got off of the  Koningsdam on August 12.   
The cruise was great.   We were in a Neptune suite and had to wait for CO for maybe 10 minutes one time. 

The Lido was ok.  I enjoyed the salads.   The drink service could be hit and miss.   One time. My brother got some brisket, but when he got to the table, he noticed that it was almost all fat.  

As far as the the Lido, do not count on getting orange juice with breakfast unless you are willing to get up and ask for it.   Likewise ordering soda, etc can be a challenge.

 We ate breakfast there one morning, and I was served a scorched omelette.  

We have booked a 2 week cruise on the Nieuw Statendam next year and will avoid the Lido when we can.

I am scheduled to go on the Koningsdam on Saturday May 21.   The app is showing Wedneday (Glacier Bay) as the second dressy night. 

The Navigator App is not showing Tracy Arm Inlet for the Koningsdam departing May 21.  

The website still shows it,  The boarding pass has it.

I fly home that day.   I am afraid that I will not have time. 12:45 PM.   I was counting on HAL.   The flight was booked through flightease.   This is a real let down.    They have been promising for   year to provide travel required testing.   2 weeks for the cruise, they change the rules.  If this turns out rough for me, I will never travel with them again.   I do not epxect privilidge per say.   I am paying a huge bill/full price  for a single in a NS.   A covid test is not too much to ask.   

It is almost too late to change travel plans. 

I have paid thousands of dollars, the messed up my flights once, and they can’r/wont provide a covid test. After the upcoming trip, I may wash my hands of the cruise industry. 

What about the passengers with already booked air aon early afternoon departures.   Quit screwing people aground.  

The suggest using the emed kit,    Which will be useless at sea with HALS internet.

They have been promising these tests and leave the passengers out in the cold just before departure.

I am not traveling any more with the cruise lines.   I am done.  I paid as a single in a NS.  

Celebrity charges a lot for all of those perks.  Its not an apple to apples comparison.   The space taken up by the Gym and Crows Nest on Koningsdam are likely to suites on something like the Celebrity Edge. 

Haggis is not likely to appear on the menu in Edinburgh?

3 hours ago, cccole said:

thank you for this reply.  It has been said for soooooo many years that getting fresh air into you cabin is something that no one should even think of doing.  I do not even reserve a hotel room that does not have a balcony or windows that open.  Possibly someone with current knowledge can say whether leaving your balcony door open to get fresh air affects everyone else on the ship.  I am addicted to fresh air no matter the outside temp.  And I understand that there are many on this forum who would not want to be on the same cruise as me.  Hoping that someone can clear up this discussion.   Possibly it is different depending on the ship?   Cherie

Leaving the balcony door open may put stress on the ship’s heating and cooling systems.

The celebrity edge has the infinite verandas.   You can leave  the top half window open into the cabin, but the air gets shutoff.   I have heard that the ship will shut off air to true balcony cabins if the door tothe balcony is unlocked.  

4 hours ago, thepoint said:

 The Orange dining room cannot compare with Lumina on Celebrity, nor can the Neptune Lounge be compared with Michael’s Club.   The menu in Orange is the same as the main dining room with one item extra.  

If Lumina is the suite dining on Celebrity, at least on Edge, Celebrity charges a fortune compared to Holland America.   Celebrity should be over the top with no excuses in these areas.   

HAL you are paying for a little nicer/larger suite and a few perks.    Celebrity Suites are competing with Seabourne etc.   

On 4/19/2022 at 8:11 AM, FlaMariner said:

 

I tried this on our last two cruises (in lido buffet) and it was good but not great.  It was hyped from a famous Seattle restaurant, I think?  

 

As a Southerner, we have grandmas who hold the patent and set the standard for Mac n cheese......

 

kraft box vs HAL Beechers VS Grandma ?

Grandma

I have heard that they will try to accomodate.  
 

Princess offers less than HAL for breakfast unless you are in a suite.

Celebrity and NCL may offer more options to their Haven and Retreat Suite guests but they charge a lot.   

I have gone on live a board scuba boats/yachts.   They would look at options 

but they had 2-4 chefs preparing for 30 people.  

Oven Roasted Chicken is pretty much available on kononingsdam from 11:00 AM to 6:00 AM.   A trip loin is available from 5:00 PM to 9:30 pm for a charge

You can order steak and eggs for breakfast from 6:00-11:00 for $15.  

Serving 2400 on Koningsdam takes planning.

I work sometime where a group of 12 or so volunteers will prepare smoked brisket , chicken dinner for sometimes 500 people at a scout camp and that requires some planning.   We use a professional bbq pit that can hold 50 or so briskets.  

1 hour ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Is protein still a problem?  My mom was diabetic when she was alive.  When she was first diagnosed you had to watch carbs but also protein.  I never hear that.  She was diagnosed many years ago.

Protein can be a problem,  my sister in on a vegetarian diet to relieve stress on kidneys.   I caught the condition early on.   I just have to watch diet in general and get exercise.  

Protein is not as big of an issue.   The body can convert excess protein into glucose.  

I east a lot of salads,, or mixed vegetables with some protein.   

A lot of so called healthy  grains in the form of breads, granola, have added sugar.  They are a double whammy.  I try to limit carbs to 75 grams a day.   I will pass up breads, a lot of sauces.   I am more fresh vegetables with some protein and not too much starches, corn, potatoes, even beans.   I hardly touch rice, pasta.  

Some of the sauces, BBQ, stir fry, etc have lots of sugar.  

My blood tests now say normal, but a small candy will spike it.   About a year ago, I got some steak sandwiches from fire house subs for my brother and I.   A medium (the bread) spiked my blood sugar and gave me a headache.   I can tolerate pizza from cauliflower crusts if they do not put sugar.  

This upcoming cruise may be a challenge. The lido will probably be my friend.  

My main concern on an upcoming cruise is that I am diabetic.  I not only avoid sugars, but unfortunately i have to reduce starches, breads, etc.  I avoid have to avoid, french fries, pasta, even polenta and many sauces, From the looks of things, lido allows more choice than the MDR. pinnacle grill has asparagus, but most of the sides are starches.  I would have to turn down the clothes line bacon.  

The lido offers me better control and choice. 

The options are better than what airlines offer for diabetics,  flavorless pasta or rice dish.   Sure reducing certain fats is important,  but carbs are central to the problem.  A tasteless margarine on a white roll with hidden sugars  is not all that healthy.  

I have worked as a volunteer in kitchens doing meals for 600 people.  Providing variety is difficult and labor intensive.    Some things like ceasar salads if they are a the menu in the Lido or MDR would be easy.

The ship has to plan ahead to make sure they have supplies until their next restocking.

Asking for customized omelette when they are produced on an assembly line might be a little more troublesome. You get a basic omelette with extra protein.

I jumped into the discussion when someone said something was not possible in a condescending way and it was on the menu. 

5 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

They will not start prepping the Caesar salad components until after lunch service, to keep it fresh.  Then, about an hour before dinner service, they will start plating salads and putting them in the reach-in fridges for dinner.  After dinner, they will toss unused salads, as they will be wilted by the next day. Soups may be available, but don't expect it to come quickly, they don't have microwaves onboard, so they have to get it from the walk-in, get a pot, and find a stove top not in use to heat it up.  Any large quantity of a given soup will be in a 35-gallon kettle, but will be raw at lunch, needing time to cook for dinner. 

The current koningsdam room service menu includes chicken noodle soup, ceaser salad and cobb salad for both lunch and dinner.

Caesar Salad and Cobb Salad is on the late night menu !1;00 PM -6:00 AM

The typically offer salad components in the Lido at lunch.  

I just got past the download issue of Jquery and the website worked fine.

I just downloaded preliminary boarding pass for MAY 22 Koningsdam Alaska cruise.   The pass mentioned 2 Gala nights.

33 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

As mentioned in your other thread, while it sounds appealing, there are significant limitations to the machines...number of tests per day, per machine, for example, is pretty small. It doesn't sound like, without a cruise line putting a couple dozen machines on a ship, to be very appropriate application.

The test time is 3 minutes, but how much cleaning, etc needs to take place between each cycle ?
It sounded slow.  Might be ok for a clinic/Dr Office/Hospital