oma&opa

Are these assigned times strictly enforced?  We have not cruised since pre-covid, but it used to be that 4 star mariners, which we are, and suite passengers, which we are,  had priority boarding. Is this no longer so?  Our time is long after the Welcome Mariner Lunch.  Any advice?  Thanks.

Roy (rafinmd) just got off her a couple of weeks ago. He did a live thread at the time in case it is of help.

How can I access this ???

We are new to NCL and will have this package on a Dawn cruise in December.

Please, how does it work?

Is there a place where bar menu's are available to see what is included in the package?

Thank you.

Seem to remember that we had an "in transit" card or some thing like that. We didn't have to repeat all the lines.

On Alaska cruises (maybe others too??) try the Grizzlie Bear: Kahlua, vodka, cream. I guess that's an amped up Kahlua and cream, but it sure was good when it was "free"!

Also, we weren't able to get even close to 15 a day -- so we ordered Pellegrino water in the dining room for dinner every day, and took one to our cabin for overnight. And a couple times I filled my big mug with ice, put some coffee over it in the Lido, then went to the Lido bar and added a couple shots of Kailua. We ordered the after-dinner cocktail of the day each day -- always in an interesting little souvenir glass.

We're not major drinkers -- we just tried to be adventuresome and have fun trying new things!

I made handle covers for our bags from hunter's florescent orange fleece and sewed them firmly around the handles. They serve two purposes. They're easy to spot and they make the handles a little padded and softer to grip.

I knitted something similar, thinking that the "feel" of these handle covers would alert the person picking it up that it is not his/her bag.

We were on that trip and watched the whole barge and crane operation. As reported to us: during the routine testing of the lifeboats while docked in anchorage, Boat 13 got stuck. Wouldn't come all the way back up, nor go all the way down. (We heard later that 2 winches malfunctioned.) In order to get the boat away from dangling at the side of the ship, they called for a barge with a huge crane. They also needed a cherrypicker basket to carry a mechanic up to the davit location and attach a strap through some mounting rings. Did that on one end then moved the barge, etc. to do the other end. Then they lowered a spreader bar device suspended from the crane and attached the straps with clevis hooks. Slowly the crane took the weight of the boat. Using grappling hooks, the ship crew detached the various jaws and pins to release the boat from the davits. Then they lowered the boat and it pulled away. We left Juneau at about midnight.

Captain reported the next day that technicians were flown to Juneau to do the operation, and that engineers from the winch company met the ship in Ketchikan. All extremely professional and reassuring!

On our journey thru Inside Passage, there was a medical emergency that resulted in the ship being met by Emergency Coast Guard medics to do a transfer of a patient at Campbell River.

Again, super response - extreme competence.

Holland stands proud!

Apart from the obvious: your cabin, food, service, upkeep of the ship, laundry, fuel...

have you thought about what else is funded by our fares: the salary of the personnel who are right now preparing 3 individualized welcome packets for us for our land/sea trip next week. And the rent and lights and heat and upkeep of office equipment for that process. And the landscaping and snow removal and parking lot for the office building where that's happening. And the wages of the building's cleaning staff and window washers. Ditto those expenses for the hotel in Fairbanks, the lodge at Denali, the hotel in Anchorage.

Holland America has only one income source -- the fares of the passengers. We see the obvious expenses -- and applaud or complain about the value received. But I suggest that the other expenses for providing us with our vacation experience have value to us too; we just don't see them.

Garmin

Not my cellphone !! I still have a dumb-phone -- the flip type. Looking for something that would be helpful and enriching for Kindle HD and/or my gps from the car.

Here's how we think about wine:

if we are arriving to the ship in a way that allows us to bring our own wine, we do so and pay the $18.00. We bring the wine we prefer -- and there really are no bargains on the ship. The markup is easily more than $18. However, if you want a "wine adventure", maybe one of the packages will introduce you to something new that you wouldn't try otherwise. What's the average cost per bottle of the packages? Is that worth it to you?

This link should take you to a wine menu with prices:

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Dining-Room-Wine-Bottles.pdf

Has anyone brought their GPS device to track the ship as it moves thru inside passage?

We're on the Noordam in a couple of weeks. Wonder if she's still flying her RED flag?? Anyone heard anything recently? We are preparing with extra hand cleaners and our own salt and pepper. Any other Code Red hints for us?

Here's a great link that answers a lot of my questions:

http://www.hollandamerica.com/assets//cruise-destinations/Tour_Tips.pdf

Thank you -- that is most helpful in our planning!

We will be on Land portion for 7 days, then cruise for 7 days (HAL), arriving Fairbanks. How does it work that luggage with cruise clothes goes from airport to the ship with no additional handling by us?

sorry I did this twice!!!

We are doing 7 days land, followed by 7 day cruise on HAL. How does that work that your cruise clothes luggage goes to the ship from the airport (Fairbanks) with no additional handling by us?

these were posted recently:

http://gallery.cruisecritic.com/ships/noordam-362/

Emailed my TA and she emailed me back an hour later and I got my OBC!!!! Plus my explore 4 for my april cruise!!......thanks guys

Ditto for us for July to Alaska. That's $300 for each of us for the 7-days on the ship! Thank you for the heads up!

Knitting Lady: There are neat yarn shops in Skagway, Ketchikan, and Juneau - if I remember correctly. Much is locally grown and hand-spun and dyed, so it's a little more expensive than the yarn down here -- but it's beautiful and a wonderful souveneir! Also you can get that [extremely pricey!] quiviut (sp?) wool -- or just feel it, if that's all you can afford!

Sorry, I don't want to seem dense, but....I'm not understanding this. We will arrive in Fairbanks, spend an overnight, then travel to Denali for 3 days, then another 2 days/1night travel to Anchorage. And we can do that, with Layers for changeable weather, wet weather clothes, hiking gear, cameras, etc. in a carry-on? Which have just been reduced in allowable size. I sure would like to hear from someone about what to pack for these Alaska land days. The sea days are easy -- and I'll be in a place with a controlled indoor climate and laundry facilities. But I admit I'm baffled about the 6 day, day-bag. Please help.

Who will ask, and when will we be asked, to have a "day bag" apart from the rest of our luggage? With airline luggage fees and restrictions, etc, I sure would like to have some reasonable and cost-conscious advice about how to pack!

(edit) With 6-ish days and nights between Fairbanks and the ship, do we really have to do that with just a day bag? I assume that means a small bag that fits under the seat of the train ??? For a week, with the changeable weather !!??

There is a wealth of information in the trip reports; many photojournals with lots of detailed information.

The first line generally indicates the date, ship, cruisetour/DIY, and who travelled. I think I posted a Princess photojournal for you previously. There aren't as many cruisetours reports so it won't take you long to look thru the list.

Here's another good one but from RCI:

http://lclavette1.blogspot.com/2014/05/vancouver.html

 

There are also books specific to Alaska cruises ... Ann Vipond has Alaska by cruiseship and Fodor has Alaska Ports of Call. Perhaps your library has them. They will help you learn about the ports; the sights & activities available at each one.

Please, how do I find the section "Trip Reports" ? Is that in Cruise Critic? I am looking for details of the 3 day part of 14 day land first cruise on HAL.

Thank you

Does our "cruise" begin in Fairbanks?

That is, our room accommodations and three meals a day are included?

Because we have booked a suite on the ship, are there differing accommodations in the hotel and lodge?

Sorry if this is a repeat question. These two statements from HAL's online info do not seem to say the same thing to me:

"The Signature Beverage Package value of US$1,400 is based on a 14 day cruise and has a daily limit of 15 beverages, which includes all beverages priced $7.00USD or lower including service charges with the exception of wines priced at $8.00USD or lower. "

"Signature Beverage Package has a retail value of US$50 per person per day, including service charges"

Is it that I am receiving 15 beverages of my choice (under 7 bucks) and all the associated gratuity, or $50 of beverages plus gratuity (as in $6.00 drink plus 1.50 tip = $7.50 used) ?