shippmates

I do not think Holland is thinking about selling the Volendam. It is going into drydock in October and will be back in service for the 42 day Med America sailing. That will be my first sailing on her and looking forward to seeing the ship. I do enjoy the smaller ships more so than the larger one. The Rotterdam was a beautiful ship and I did enjoy my sailing on her.

Volendam is going in dry dock in October and will be back in service for the November 9 sailing.

Not sure how many cruises I have done on each line but have close to 40 cruises on Carnival, Holland, Royal Caribbean, Princess, Celebrity, and Cunard. They have all been a great adventure since 1999.

I had friends that were told they could not bring a scooter on board unless they had a handicap cabin. I would make sure you tell them you will be using a scooter when you book your sailing. There are not very many handicap cabins available so book early.

I am doing my first TA on the Anthem next month. I am looking forward to experiencing it as I have done several TA's on the QM2 out of NYC. I will be getting off the Anthem and returning to NYC on the QM2. I always try to plan my trips so I can cruise back as I do not like to fly and I avoid all jet lag. The sea days are my favorite part of any cruise.

I know this is not Royal but the Queen Mary 2 has a regular TA schedule all year long. They sail roundtrip from NYC to Southampton every 2 weeks. You are able to book the roundtrip or you can book either of the segments separately.

I would do it but then I love the ship. You will get a fair idea of what the ship would be like. I suggest you don't try to do everything in these two days. Explore the ship, attend the tea in the Queens Room, enjoy your meals. I am sure you will want to book a longer sailing in the very near future. TA are just wonderful to do. They are my favorite as I so enjoy the ship and all the sea days.

I have several cruises booked in the next two years. I love being on a ship so for me the longer they are the better I like it. The shortest sailing I have booked for this year is on QM2 and it is only 7 days. You will become addicted and a 7 day cruise will not be long enough. As my husband would say, "I will not unpack for less than 10 days". He so enjoyed his time on the ships watching the ocean go by. I will be on the Anthem for 14 days next month and then 11 days on the QM2. These are all b2b.

I like the fish and chips for one lunch and my nest go to for lunch is the cauliflower leek pie. My two favorite lunches in the Golden Lion.

I am having lots of trouble getting my confirmation that the stock benefit has posted. I have had to submit it 3 times to stock perk and they keep telling it will be sent to Cunard and I will hear in 5 days. I have been dealing with this March 1st. I have emailed and they say, please resubmit due to issues with the processing.

If you are considering getting a scooter for onboard, please let the cruise line know. You are not to leave your scooters in the hall for safety reasons. I know that many people do and it is frustrating trying to get in some halls. Hope you enjoy your cruise.

They are yours to take home. When I was on the Rotterdam, I got a nice canvas bag and on the Eurodam I got a plastic bag. It is like one you would buy in a grocery store.

I have not had this experience on HAL but had a burial at sea on Queen Mary 2. It was so moving for me. It was planned through the cruise line in international waters and calm winds. The Captain did the service and gave me a certificate with the coordinates, I had to have a biodegradable urn and the travel papers from the funeral home. I was surprised with all the ship did with the captain, memorial programs, flowers and just the comfort I felt in Cunard handling of my husband's burial without any charge to me. I am sure that Holland would offer the same level of service.

That is sad to see. When I was on the Eurodam in January, it was standing room only for the dueling pianos. Once you found a seat for the first show you stayed until the end unless you had to go to dinner. The duo that were playing that week were great. I can not remember their names. The one had just come from the Rotterdam at the beginning of our cruise. He was from the midwest and the other was from NYC. Hope they bring the dueling pianos back before my next cruise on the Volendam.

Welcome to Hal. Here are a few answers to questions. The OBC and shore excursions are only good to be used on each segment. You will get information regarding your in transit day in your cabin. I usually tell my cabin attendant I am staying on for the next sailing. If you have to change cabins, they will move your hanging clothes but you must pack your other clothes and toiletries.

I have been dealing with sugar for many years and cruise 4 or 5 times a year. I request a special low carb diet/no sugar diet prior to boarding the ship. I select my menu the night before and most of the time everything can be cooked to my needs. For example I love French onion soup so when I order it they do not put the bread or croutons on and not as much cheese. I also walk and do stairs. Most of the time after a cruise my A1C is much better than when I am at hope. The doctor always want to know what I did different, I told him I was on a cruise and he just laughs. It does take some getting use to but don't be afraid to ask questions.

The Volendam is going into drydock in October and will return to service on November 9 2024. Hope the A/C issues will be solved along with the sewage smell.

I am glad to see that the yum yum person is returning. I can remember in the early 2000's my husband chasing him down so I could get my picture taken with him. Every time I saw them it brought a smile to my face. Hope to see them in November on the Volendam.

So if I am reading this correctly on my 42 night sailing with HIA I will get a spending bonus of 42 days. Sure won't take me long to get to 4* at this rate.

I would do the longer cruise. Bermuda is very expensive and since the Liberty is small the port charges and taxes are divided among less passengers.

Sorry you are having such issues getting a response from your PCC. I am wondering if you could find a local travel agent that would be more helpful and also in your time zone. Hope you get the answer that you need.

Why not pour your drinks in your cabin and take them to a public area?

You are able to notify Cunard prior to boarding with any of your dietary needs. Go into your account and submit the request or have your travel do this for you. They are really good at dealing with your needs.

I was able to find a list of the available cabins for this sailing. If the only category that is available is guarantee they do not show any cabins. You may check with a travel agent as they may have more available cabin than Holland America's website. Every so often the website is down and will give you no information at all. Try clearing your history and see if that helps.

I am arriving in Southampton on Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas on May 12 and transferring to the Queen Mary 2 in May 2024. I am wondering what is the best way to get from one ship to the other. From what I can find Anthem of Seas is at the Eastern Docks and the Queen Mary 2 is the Mayflower dock. Any information would be a great help. Thank you