3rdGenCunarder

Wow, that's impressive. I hope it expands to other ships. Eurodam didn't have all that. It was a partial canal, so we did have a few documentaries about the canal, but that's about it. There were rooms set up with games, which I don't play. Otherwise, it was infomercials for the spa and the shops.

Supermarkets around me have signs up warning about supply issues. Last week it was one of the specialty milks. Before that, frozen French fries were in low supply. It's always something. I can't stay up late enough to find out when the cut-off is!

Here's the long thread about it.

Your list of items are reasons I like HAL. So I think you'll be happy with your choice.

I can see charging for a second main course, but not an appetizer. I wanted two appetizers, but I was NOT going to pay $7 for three strips of bacon.

That's correct. I think when it wasn't being used for cooking demos, it was a bar.

Shh! Don't give them ideas!

Me too. I sat in one of those chairs and my back said NO! I immediately asked to be seated at a regular height table.

Some of the single cabins on QM2 have a fainting couch. A friend had one of those cabins and said the couch was very comfortable.

I agree that the dinners aren't free. The value of HIA depends on how much you use the offers. The biggest variable is if you can drink your money's worth on the beverage plan. I'm not a big drinker, and because HAL cancelled a tour for HMC and there was nothing else good available, I'd say I didn't come out ahead. So yes, I paid for my dinners. (Ironically, when I tried to calculate the value of HIA, I forgot that my specialty dinners are half price because I'm 4*.)

Thanks for the link. This one looks good. I trust that you would know what's okay. But the description says it protects against, among other things, "over charging, over current, over voltage." That isn't some kind of surge protector? (I see similar wording for other "no surge protector" extensions)

I think Amsterdam had a similar ladies room somewhere. With the vanity tables and chairs it's like the ladies room in an elegant classic hotel or an upscale department store, like Saks. And that library!!!! Ahhh, bliss.

It's sort of like taking the training wheels off your bike. You build confidence with that extra help until you're ready to go on your own. I like your comment about being alone all day. Having adjusted to that makes solo travel easier. You learn to be good company for yourself. Enjoy your cruise!

250 titles is an improvement over a dozen books in cube shelves, I suppose. I think there was a session on coloring when I was on Eurodam. I will continue to travel with my own books and my knitting. I'm glad my next two HAL cruises will be port-intensive.

I agree that shipping a bag can be a good idea, although it gets expensive if the shipping is international. However, that is NOT what Luggage Direct is. Luggage Direct is a service that takes your luggage from the ship to the airport for you. It's offered in only a few places--Fort Lauderdale, Seattle, maybe others. The shipping service HAL uses (or at least has used in the past) is Luggage Forward. Edited to addd: oops, didn't see your correction in the second post.

Oh...I thought you meant at the terminal. Nobody asked there. I can't remember online checkin.

I'm tempted by the NY-SF leg. I wish there were a few more ports, though. But she'll have to go through the new canal (I think), so that's exciting.

Do you mean the plug that just adapts for shape (the white ones in post 25)? That's true, they do not change the voltage. But many chargers are 110-220, so the physical shape change is all that's needed. I know my laptop charges on either current, and I think my camera battery charger does, too. Not sure about my phone (that print on the plug is soooo small to read!).

I do that if it's a port I've been to often and don't really care for. I don't need to go to St Thomas again, but it's a fairly common port stop, so I give it the been there, done that treatment and stay on board. I love the peace and quiet of days like that. I can get a lounger by the pool without having to get up at 6 AM!

Fred Olson's business model is based on buying "pre-loved" ships. They've been successful for many years. Perhaps because their passengers know they'll be on an old (but well kept) ship, they don't expect too many bells and whistles. So many people want the newest and biggest with the most restaurants and amusement rides. I don't mind an older ship. I always said QE2 was the love of my traveling life, and she was nearly 40 when I said goodbye to her (and cried).

Cunard has been doing this for years, with several different options in rotation. Like Canaletto, it's in a section of the buffet that can be closed off from the rest of it. I have two long (for me) cruises on Zaandam next year. 21 days and 24 days. I would love to be able to have some version of Tamarind available.

Just a place holder???????????? If that's all it was, they should never have taken full payment. I can see doing a deposit on a cruise that might happen if it's special. Cruise lines sometimes do that for a maiden voyage when a new ship is joining the fleet. But only a deposit, and it's always refundable. You can complain to whatever agencies you want, but your best move is to dispute with your credit card. Stories like this make me nervous about my cruise in June. AQV sounds like Jeckyl and Hyde. IF your cruise goes as scheduled, it's great. IF they cancel, you have to scratch and claw to get your money back.

I didn't upload a pic. I think the kiosk took it because nobody else did.

Carnival corp has a history of re-using designs. HAL has 4 Vistas, Cunard has 2, Costa has some (sadly, minus one). I don't know how many others are out there. And the Signatures (not Pinnacles) are basically stretched Vistas, not a start-from-scratch design.

I wasn't asked about vaccinations, although I did carry my card just in case.