Haljo1935

@AnitaVacation what is the cabin number, if I may ask? We keep looking at those aft cabins but can't really figure out what's going on with the balconies. Phone call to Carnival for info got me nowhere.

On a Princess ship a few years ago that had an active Noro outbreak. They did a deep clean as well as continuous cleaning of hard surfaces in all common areas (foamy liquid from buckets). Salt, pepper, sugar, butter removed from all tables - buffet and MDR. If you wanted S/P/Sugar/Creamer/Butter... servers would sprinkle/add it for you. Very strange to have someone put milk and sugar in my coffee and butter a roll... Zero self serve anywhere. Announcements were frequently made and signs posted EVERYWHERE reminding to wash hands frequently, to minimize touching things and to use stateroom restrooms instead of public ones when possible. We managed to avoid getting it, but there were a lot of sick passengers.

Just like at Pancho's Buffet, lol

Last month (April 2023) booked Eurodam for AK next fall Sept 21-28 2024 for our 35th anniversary using HAL PCC, even told PCC it's for anniversary and asked her to put it in the notes. Saw it in Navigator earlier this month while in AK on a cruise, but noticed since I returned that it was no longer there. It is in my upcoming bookings on HAL website so I figured it was a glitch. Today, still not seeing it in Navigator but seeing it on the website I called HAL. Was told that cruise is canceled and they haven't removed it from my profile b/c they're waiting for me to let them know how I want to handle the deposit. Said my PCC was notified on April 20!! That was before the trip we recently took. The only AK sailing for Eurodam Sept 2024 is the 7th-14th; shows higher price than I had on the canceled one, but my cabin is available. So, questions are: 1) if anyone received notice of the cancelation, will you share it? 2) Since my cabin shows available for the 7-14 trip, can I get them to give it to me for what I had on the 21-28 now canceled trip? So frustrating and yet another example of how my PCC has failed in providing service. IMHO not the way to treat any passenger and especially 4* who's trying to stay loyal. Happy Anniversary - Ugh...

I've had this similar experience and reaction on recent cruises. I have also seen more people (or maybe I'm just more aware) tipping each night in MDR. At the start of a cruise, seems it would set tone of great service = extra $$. But getting different servers, perhaps it's the way to reward great service as it's received w/o potentially missing those servers if only tipping at end of week. I may start tipping as I receive service that warrants additional tips and eliminate the one payment at the end of the cruise.

Bon Voyage! Safe travels & happy memories.

@Denise T I'm about 20 min from DFW Airport and may sneak into one of your bags 🙃 Y'all are going to have a great trip!

Same thing - those are considered pre-paid.

🤔😪 No, even breakfast is expensive. You can do a breakfast only or breakfast & dinner meal plan, but you're limited to ordering from a specific menu. We almost got it last year thinking it would make things easier & better for budgeting, but ultimately did not purchase. We found plenty of options and didn't feel that we had missed out.

It is not discounted by purchasing in advance. You are not required to purchase in advance - just mark on your 1st bag if you want unlimited. They do a great job - take great care and honor special requests. We've sent bags w/notes to not dry certain items but do dry others and they always get it right. Many times, we get it back same day when we put it out at breakfast (hang on outside of door handle) - at no extra charge. We always send a tip at end of week in our last bag. We just write a big "thank you" on the card that is included when the laundry is returned and put cash with it in the bag. The only dirty laundry we take home is what we wear traveling back - it's nice to get home and just put your clean clothes away. Best souvenir of the trip!! 🙃

Regardless of cabin being ready or not, so long as fire doors are open, it's completely acceptable to drop your bags in your cabin. I put them on the sofa so they're not in the way and let stewards know if I see them. If I don't see them, I just leave a short note ("dropped off my bags - be back when the cabin's ready") and move on. Eurodam April 29 it was not ready when we dropped bags but was ready when we finished lunch. NA Feb 5 & 12 (B2B w/cabin change) neither were ready. Koningsdam Nov 26 & Dec 3 (B2B w/cabin change) neither were ready. NS Oct cabin was ready. Enjoy your cruise!!

No in room breakfast on disembarkation day has been our experience on HAL for all cruises we've been on since the re-start; includes Koningsdam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Nieuw Statendam and Eurodam, all as recently as Oct 2022 - May 2023. So not new policy and has been discussed on several threads here, but may be new info to you. I think they need to do a better job of informing passengers...

@Alifay here's wishing you fabulous views and awesome weather! The weather is usually very different in Sept, we find it rains more, but great time no matter what Mother Nature has planned.

You can always move the pre-paids over to OBC (as described above on #9) then decide as your trip goes along - if something pops up you want, the extra is there; if you don't use it (or all of it) you get the refund at the end of the cruise. Just be sure to check the very end of the statement to make sure none of it's listed under non-refundable.

Also on Eurodam April 29 - May 6: mid elevators 1 was out for most of the week as well as 1 of each of the glass elevators on the sides, so mud-ship had half the elevators down. May want to consider aft or forward elevators or just allow a little extra time. Enjoy the trip- you should have mostly nice weather. ☺

@ExpatBride I have personally done the following process on 3 most recent cruises (3 different ships), so I know it works. There are 2 types of OBC (refundable & non-refundable); they're identified at the bottom of the statement (on TV or in Navigator) - be sure you watch the balance of each. 1) Prepay online for excursions you want. Must be done at least 4 days before sail date. 2) Once onboard, immediately go to Excursions Desk and have them move the charges from pre-pay to OBC. It's very important you don't try to do this yourself by canceling and rebooking as you run the risk of missing out on full excursions (exactly what you're trying to prevent by buying early). The Excursions Desk can (and will) rebook you on sold out excursions if all you're doing is changing them from pre-paid to OBC. You cannot do this at Guest Services, it has to be Excursions Desk. 3) Check onboard statement to see the refund. You can use it as you would other OBC or it will be refunded to the credit card you have on file or you can take it in cash. It only goes back to the original CC used to purchase the excursions if that's the same one you have on file for the cruise as the refund goes to the card on file. 4) Enjoy those sold out excursions even more knowing you paid for them w/OBC! 🙃 No hoop jumping or unnecessary spending, IMHO.

Link for Orange Party has everything you need to know 😊 As others have said, there are no "Formal" nights, they're now "Dressy." We were on Eurodam to AK April 29 - May 6 and saw men in everything from slacks w/collared shirts to tuxedos, women wearing pants w/nice shirts to long gowns. There was a real broad range and nobody looked out of place. Even at Canaletto on dressy night we saw a ypung couple in full on formal (tux/gown/corsage) at a table next to a family of 5 that ranged from suit/tie (boy about 10 yo) to pants/dress shirt (teenage girl). Other than shorts or swimsuits, I say do what you're comfortable with and what allows you to have the experience you want to have. This is for Dressy nights; Casual nights, anything goes. 🙃

Feb NA unlimited was $49/7 days, $20/bag. This month Eurodam was $59.50/7 days, $25/bag. It is same price paid in advance or onboard

@vino100 Itrstno1 nailed it, unfortunately. We saw priority signs in random places, but as we entered the tangled maze, nobody asked us if we had priority, were Mariners/PS/NS... so we were not directed to the priority line. Eventually HAL rep heard husband say something to me about us waiting for priority and they directed us to a shorter priority line. With that said, that is only for boarding - you still have to get through the customs cluster first. I would not wait but would go early - better to wait on the ship rather than in the hall. Enjoy your trip - safe travels!

@MisterMatthewWe were on Eurodam rt Seattle AK April 29 - May 6 - no need for VeriFLY even though HAL sent us reminders to complete it. What you have listed is what you need, along w/completing the health assessment on the Navigator app. Peugeot Sound was stunning, Sitka Sound was gorgeous, Glacier Bay was rainy but still beautiful. Enjoy your trip!

Seriously wouldn't count on a better experience in Vancouver - the customs process really bogs down the boarding process. It's been that way since at least 2018. It's so bad, many people say "never again." Your cruise, though, should be awesome. Love Grand Dutch!

I believe the rock slide is still impacting wait times in Skagway.

@Grandma7as 3rdGen said, there are loungers available for just hanging out- I always see people reading. Just be sure you're doing the bulk of it in the loungers by the hydro pool (again the sloshing water is quite relaxing) or in the tranquility waiting rooms (awesome views) as the heated ceramic loungers are meant for 15-20 min at a time. Making the rounds of all 3 would be nice 😊

@Barwick Cruiserwe have done both early season (May) and end of season (Sept) but never peak season, so all we know are cooler, wetter days. But considering much of the area is located in a temperate rainforest, we expect the rain, lol. We really like the snowy peaks, and even light snow, we see/get in May; although we know we're too early for salmon running. We have been blessed with bears, though, especiallyin Sitka and ISP/Hoonah. We very much enjoy the beauty of the active waterfalls in Sept, so both are great times for us.

@Barwick Cruiser we did AK April 29 - May 6, so returned just shy of 2 weeks ago. Rained most days (all except Ketchikan) - no bugs, no mosquitoes, no flies, no ticks but there were some pesky gnats, lots of snowy peaks and glorious views! Oh, and some whales, otters and birds 😀