BetsyS.

FlaMariner - I put cash in laundry bag when I send it out too. The laundry staff do an excellent job and they have a good turnaround time. I don't have to pack as many clothes as I used to, which is a real bonus in my opinion.

To sea42, Colorado Klutch, and Hllb - I agree with all of you. Some of us are night owls and some of us are morning people. Hopefully, HAL will be able to hire more crew to keep bars open after midnight for those who want it.

SJ- cruiser- I agree with you about the HAL crew. I think they are the best at sea. In my experience, they go above and beyond.

albingirl - I agree with you. I also enjoy daytime too much to muck it up with late night drinking.

My happy memories are from the Veendam. I miss: Crew shows Cruise Director singing "Love in Every Language" on stage at end of cruise Crews smiling faces (pre-covid, so no masks) Yum Yum Man playing chimes to announce dinner and then giving out mints and ginger after dinner in MDR Chocolate buffet late at night Towel animals and chocolates on bed every night Huge library with librarian Those were the days! 😊

albingirl - I agree with you that the bar staff must get tired after a long day, especially on packed ships. The crew work hard.

Bon Voyage to all! Very exciting! 🥂😊

3rdGenCunarder - I agree with you. I think the Lido water is fine.

Sorry to hear that. RIP

Many years ago, there was a woman who lived on the QE2. It was written up in the newspaper. If my memory is correct, the QE2 was in dry dock for 3 weeks every year. She would see her friends in New Jersey and have medical and dental appts. The article said she loved living on the ship. The crew were wonderful to her.

Cruise Suzy - You're right. Not everyone has a smartphone.

Years ago on the Veendam, the crew shows were terrific. They were late at night after dinner and towards the end of the cruise. As passengers were leaving after the show, the crew lined up and thanked everyone for coming. They had to get up early in the morning to cook and serve breakfast, but they loved doing the shows. I hope that HAL will brng back the crew shows.

Bostonjetset - I loved the Veendam too and I was very sorry that she was sold. My stepfather and I will continue to sail on HAL because it leaves out of Boston. We like the itineraries and we think HAL has the best crew at sea.

terrydtx - I'm glad that HAL has finally compensated you and your wife for the terrible ordeal that you went through. 🥂😊 Thank you for sharing the details of what happened because we all need to know what to expect when passengers test positive for covid. I hope that HAL will not repeat the mistakes they made with you. My stepfather and I took a HAL cruise from Boston to Montreal round trip on the (old) Rotterdam in 2018. We enjoyed it very much. It's a great itinerary.

Laminator - I agree with you. Bon Voyage! 🥂😊 My stepfather and I were on the NS in August for 24 days and we had a great time.

I agree that laundry service does an excellent job. Since we got personal notes from people who took care of our clothes, I put cash in an envelope the next time went sent laundry out. I put person's name on envelope and said thank you.

My stepfather and I were on the Niew Statendam last August. We got the plastic tote bags. I went to a grocery store in Iceland and got several items. They did not give out any bags, so I was glad to have my HAL bag with me. The store did have stamps, which was great because it was on a Sunday and post office was closed. Store also had an ATM which was handy.

Pickalily, Wilts - I hope that HAL will sail out of Southampton in the future. Back in the 1980s, I flew from Boston to London. I took the train to Southampton and boarded the QE2. One time the cruise went to the Norwegian Fjords and another time the cruise went to the Canary Islands. I enjoyed the QE2 very much and I loved my time in England.

3rdGenCunarder - Thanks for the great picture! My stepfather and I were on the Niew Statendam for 24 days last August. If my memory is correct, we had fruit crisps for dessert in the MDR on several nights. They were good. Flavors were berry, banana, and apple. The waiters put a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. I'm retired, but I think that "a bad day at sea is better than cooking, doing dishes and laundry at home."

Mary 229 - Thanks for your comments. I agree with everything you said, especially the last paragraph. I think HAL has the best crew at sea.

Thanks for the updates. I wish you both good luck with everything.

Thanks to all for the info.

Agree - I miss the Yum Yum man too after dinner in the MDR and the chimes before dinner.

yls- You can buy Seabands for children too.

I agree about low deck, midship and wristbands. I have bought 2 Seabands at Walmart for around $17. At CVS, they might be a little more. I wear one on each wrist. You only need to wear them when the ship is at sea. I think they're a big help. I agree also that fresh air and looking at the horizon helps.