luvn2cruzzz

It's official!  Enjoyed the ceremony and hope to sail on her soon.

1 hour ago, Copper10-8 said:

This music video production from Nieuw Amsterdam's crew was made on April 22, 2020 at the height of the pandemic. It is entitled "We'll be Back" and was filmed when/while numerous cruise ships from many different cruise lines were "loitering" without pax, but with pretty much full crew at the Great Stirrup Cay anchorage in the Bahamas (as well as at many other anchorages throughout the world)

 

Via "baby steps," many cruise lines, including HAL and Nieuw Amsterdam effective 24 Jul 21, will be back showing that there is a light at the end of the tunnel we've all been stuck in! 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for sharing.  That was wonderful and hopeful!

We are four star mariners and receive absoluely nothing from HAL.  As someone else stated, they know where to send payment reminders but that is it.  Would love to see what they are sending others.  Are you all President's Club?  

That was just wonderful!  Thanks for posting this for us to see.

I tried to book an excursion on the HAL website and was unable to complete the transaction as it required the credit card expiration date but had no place to add it.  Anyone else have this problem?  Their office is closed today so that is not an option.

I am wondering if afternoon tea is still offered on HAL specifically the NS.  I know the royal Dutch tea hasn't been offered in quite some time but my last experience on the Koningsdam, it was at 3 each sea day.

I am wondering if they also did away with the Planet Earth film and the Lincoln Center Stage musicians playing the soundtrack live which was most spectacular in the Koningsdam theater.  Have heard no mention of it for some time so I am thinking it is a thing of the past as well.

I have submitted the form to HAL and since it is a transatlantic, I am wondering if that will be at all possible since we are not returning to the departure port.  I guess I will find out!  If not, thanks for the Walmart suggestion.  Would never have thought to look there.

Thank you all for your suggestions!

On 8/28/2019 at 9:12 AM, Crazy For Cats said:

The link for the Koningsdam Mighty Cruise Ships appeared today in my feed.

 

 

Thank you so much!  We enjoyed it immensely.  

I may need to use a wheel chair while on board the ship due to some tendon issues.  Can walk but not long distances and don't need a motorized scooter which I am aware you can rent but have never heard anything about wheel chairs.  Does any one have any first hand knowlege about this?  Thanks!

On 8/21/2019 at 9:51 PM, *Miss G* said:

 

Oh that’s wonderful!  We really loved it.  The shops and restaurants are about a 10 minute walk from the hotel.  It was less than 10 minutes to the beach bar “Gigi’s” if you want to google map it.  We just wandered all around.  Bought Prosecco for the ship.  Ate some really good pizza.

 

It’s difficult to know how to answer whether someone with mobility issues can do it.  I guess if you get to the beach and find it’s too much for that person then maybe sit on a bench with a gelato then head back.  At the beach bar there are two streets to choose from.  Both have good shops and restaurants but you may want to stick to the one on the right since there’s a minor hill with the one on the left.

 

Have you landed at FCO before?  If not, when you come out into the main terminal you will see all the drivers standing behind a railing holding the name of the person they are picking up.  Our driver got stuck in traffic so when we didn’t see him inside we found him outside.  Make sure you have the email address or phone number of the hotel handy just in case you have trouble.  Worse case scenario is you just get in the cab line outside if you can’t find your driver.

 

Oh! And the “secret” garden is up the stairs to the left as you’re looking at the hotel from the seafront restaurant.  It’s easy to enter from the hotel entrance side if you don’t want to use the stairs.  Beautiful landscaping and a breezy covered area with nice seating if you get too hot in the sun all overlooking the water.

 

Hope this helps!

Thank you so much for all of your wonderful information.  Very helpful!

18 hours ago, *Miss G* said:

For accommodations near the port, and something completely different, I highly recommend Hotel Villa Della Palme.  The hotel arranged for transportation from the airport and then to the port (less than 15 mins away).  It was a lovely clean hotel with great staff and food (and a hidden garden that no one found but us) next to a beautiful beach and within walking distance to a great downtown area with lots of shops.

 

So happy to read your post.  We are staying there the night before our cruise and have read fabulous reviews.  We are also using their transportation.  I do have one question if you don't mind answering it.  How long a walk is it to the shops?  If someone has some mobility issues is it doable?  Thanks so much!

An update, the above mentioned hotel has waived the additional cost for early check-in so we decided to stay there.  They have been most accommodating after all.

This is one of my favorite venues on the ship.  I am drooling looking at the picture of the Koningsbol!  Yum!  Can't wait until October.

Yes, you are correct!  It was in 2018 and in 2017.

16 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

They could be checking Internet/ e mail using the ship's wifi.

 

There really isn't a cheaper way...when you are on board, and away from land, you are limited to the ship's systems.

 

You could just put the phone in your safe...you are on vacation. Has worked for us for 22 cruises.

I hear you!  Wish for me that was a possibility!  As for those passengers, they said it was not connected to the ship in any way and was a plan they had and they would spend much time on their phones talking to their children while sailing.  Perhaps they were greeted with an immense bill upon returning home!

Thank you for clearing it up for me.  We have been on the Koningsdam twice and Lincoln Center had a dedicated space across from Billboard Onboard so hearing it was moved on the NSDAM,  its new locale gave me pause.  It is my favorite part of any HAL cruise and knowing that there is theater style seating is wonderful.

This was a brilliant post!  Thank you for putting into eloquent words what I have often thought.  As my children would say, these are first world problems and how grateful we should be.

1 minute ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

Yes, there will be, possible with a new title

I guess I will just have to wait and see how this unfolds!

6 minutes ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

Capt. Sijbe de Boer

HD Don Habets

CD the big unknown

Thank you so much!  The question is--will there be a CD?

I will be sailing on the Nieuw Statendam soon and was wondering how the new arrangement for Lincoln Center Stage is in the Queen's Lounge on this ship rather than the dedicated space on the Koningsdam.  It would seem to be a much less intimate.  Do they set up chairs theater style?  Is it now a quartet rather than a quintet?  I read that somewhere and I was wondering if that was an error.  Hope so!  Needless to say, for me this is one of the highlights of my cruise.

Will be doing the Nieuw Statendam's transatlantic in October.  Who will be at the helm, cruise and hotel director?  Thank you so much!

My question is this--I have been on ships when passengers are on their phones, say they are not hooked up to the ships internet, and call and check email frequently.  What am I missing?  With ship internet so expensive on Holland America, I am looking for more cost effective measures on the ship.  Do they exist?

On our last HAL cruise there were almost no activites except trivia, which we like, and those that were selling something which we don't.  I have been a HAL loyalist but this may make me jump ship in the future.  We have a transatlantic coming up in October on the NS so I better download extra books!  I am hopeful something will change.