leanstostarboard

I wanted to share our experience with getting our passports renewed.   We mailed the application  on Sept 10  and just received our new passports on Oct 11.  We requested expedited service and paid for priority mail return.   

I had heard many comments of 12 to 13 week turnaround and I just wanted to share our experience; we were expecting our renewal passports around Christmas. 

We used to get upsell offers pretty frequently before Covid.     We realized we haven't gotten an offer recently so last week we contacted our cruise consultant and asked that he assure that our profile indicated we will consider an offer.   Yesterday we were offered an upsell to a signature suite for our Alaska cruise sailing on Saturday. 

In the past we were offered an upsell 2 days before the ship sailed.   

I was offered an upsell once about 2 weeks before a sailing and I replied it was too expensive, call back when you lower the price.  I got a call and accepted an significantly lower price less than a week before sailing. 

I was on the Eurodam in February. Yes there are art auctions.      I think Park West did a good job conducting the auctions and being responsive to the customers. 

In May 2022 We arrived in Amsterdam to depart for a 12:40 flight to Washington DC.   The check in line for United was VERY long but my wife had bought Priority Access ($30 PP) and that reduced the line so I had only 5 persons ahead of me for check in and there was no line for security.    You might investigate if your airline supports a similar service.   It cost extra but it may be worth it for you....

My experience on several ships is that if Notes is closed you can ask at a nearby bar and the Notes bartender will be called to serve you.  

My other experience is that chatting up the Notes server usually results in a more generous pour. 

Thank you for this information.  Our first Regent cruise is Saturday Aug 20.   This will reduce our confusion and stumbling around!.

I tested positive for Covid on my last day of a Rotterdam Cruise in May 2022.   HAL placed me in isolation in a Rotterdam Netherlands hotel until I could be released to fly to the USA.   I was given a letter from HAL that sounds like what you quoted. I was also given an Out-of-Pocket Expense Guide by HAL and a Request form to be submitted to HAL to request reimbursement. HAL stated that they would reimburse me for my expenses that were not reimbursed by my travel insurance.   I have not requested anything from HAL because I have not I heard from my travel insurance.   I expect to hear from my travel insurance in a week or two.

I am not a travel agent or expert but you might try 

https://apply.joinsherpa.com/travel-restrictions

Their listing of policies and restrictions seem to be pretty up to date. With explanations such as passing through an intermediate airport does not impose restrictions but you cannot leave the intermediate airport. 

Try looking at this site for current ravel restrictions. The EU seems to be relaxing many restrictions.     This site does not list cruise specific restrictions, e.g.: what a cruise line might demand, but it is useful.  

https://apply.joinsherpa.com/travel-restrictions

A few observations on the just completed 11 day Southern Caribbean Wayfarer on The Nieuw Statendam Jan 12 – Jan 24.
-    There were fewer than 1000 passengers on the ship that is rated for about 2700.   
-    Everyone complied with the mask rules – fully masked indoors except when eating or drinking.  (It seemed to me that every time I was in a public place, I very quickly had a drink in my hand, Except for the main stage).
-    There was a nearly full crew, who were always masked.  An occasional crew member would disappear; the word was they tested positive and were quarantined.
-    Quite a few of the entertainment groups members were unavailable. Presumably from failing a Covid test. The Rock Room band often had only 1 or 2 members playing, The Step One Dancers were a person short at least one night.   The BB King group lost a couple of performers but somehow HAL managed to find some fill-ins who were acceptably good.   One night they said they would end the show with auditions from the audience to fill the vacancies….  HAL brought in a number of retired comedians who help fill out the evening entertainment. 
-    A number of the ports were unwilling to take us so we had another sea day.   
-    Some ports would permit going ashore but only to locations that the local taxi drivers knew were government OK.   I stayed onboard. 

All in all, these incidents may have limited what the passengers could see or do on any given day; but to my mind not very much.  I had a great time on the ship the crew were fabulous and the service and cuisine was excellent. 
 

I have received upgrade offers on at least 7 or 8 of my cruises with HAL.  Usually I get a email offer or  a phone call.   For my cruise next Wednesday (N. Statendam) we received and email offer to upgrade from Veranda to Neptune for $1500 per person.   Seven minutes later we got the same upgrade offer for $600 pp.   Which we accepted. 

Sometimes these offers can be negotiated; we received an offer once that I declined and said if you lower the price I will reconsider.  I got called a few days later with a lower price upgrade offer which we accepted.    I believe that HAL has a list which they use for upgrade offers; you may be able to ask to be put on the list.  

You need to be careful. We were on the Eurodam some years ago and on April Fool's Day there was a different day of the week rug in every elevator!

The notice listed below is not correct.   The new Statendam is sailing  from Barcelona to Rome in Sept 15 2021

 N Statendam - 17-Sep-21 - 7 day Canada & New England Discovery
crunchii & Zarmengar

We are sailing from Barcelona to Rome in Sept 2021, it appears that that cruise will actually sail. I called HAL yesterday to ask them if I can get a covid test on board to meet the US airline requirements for flying home. I was told YES, HAL offers the tests for free on cruises that disembark in  foreign port.   

The agent I spoke to aid that this information is available on the HAL website; I said that I could not find it on the website which is why I called.  He said it is on the HAL website but did not provide a hint how to find it. 

Thank you for the prompt answers to my query.   I apologize since it seems that I touched a sensitive topic.  

We have just booked our first cruise on Regent, for August 2022.

I see that Regent does not charge for gratuities, but do passenger tip?    We have sailed Holland America often and we tip selected staff members based on our experience with them while in the cruise.   Are those kinds of tips common on Regent? 
 

Here is some detail information about Piraeus.....

https://www.whatsinport.com/Piraeus-Athens.htm

some of it may be a bit dated.

Piraeus is  the largest and most important of Athens ports, about 10 km south of Athens city center.  There is a train from Athens to Piraeus but it is an inconvenient walk from the train station to the port entrance with luggage.   I suggest find a good hotel in Athens and hire a can from Athens to the port. 

We are scheduled on an April TA on the Nieuw Statendam.   We booked Rudi’s online for $40 pp and assumed we would get a 50% 4Star discount.  Today we checked the cost of Rudi’s on a midsummer Baltic cruise and it is $49 pp.  When we double checked our April TA Rudi’s can still be booked at $40 pp.   I believe HAL is honoring the original pricing but charging the higher price for new reservations.  We will wait and see what discount we get….

You need to do some research on each port. A good first start is to look at the excursions that HAL offers in each port.  I am not recommending HAL excursions but just use them as a list of what is generally available in each port.    If you have little experience in the Baltic region you will find that English is understood in most of Scandinavia and in Germany.   Another easy place to look is Tripadvisor.com just enter the name of the city and look at things to do.   You did not indicate what interests you: history, museums, shopping whatever.  I have walked around a number of Baltic and Scandinavian ports and just visited highlights without much expense.    St Petersburg is a special case and usually requires an excursion; there a several reliable companies that are much less expensive than HAL excursions.  

I have returned from a Caribbean cruise on January 26th.    Since then I have received several messages from the HAL Navigator that are reservation reminders. The latest was yesterday on Feb 2 reminding me that I have a Pinnacle Grill reservation for 6:00 PM.   I have not touched the Navigator since we got off the ship and I certainly did not make reservations for days I am not on board.
Has anyone else had this experience?
 

I appreciate the heads up to check the fares.    I checked my fare from the pre-Thanksgiving private sale and discovered my Baltic cruise was now $1100 (for two) cheaper.   East to get the fare adjusted.  Thanks! 

In 2016 we had a full day tour for 3 of us from contact@ephesustours.biz which is part of a larger Turkish tour company whose name I cannot recall.  We were met at the dock by a guide a driver and a comfortable car. We had arranged in advance for a full day tour of Ephesus and some additional stops.  They were excellent and I would use them. 

We tried Blend on the Koningsdam in March 2019.   We only did it because it was a sea day, we were a little bored, and the price was half off.   We are reasonably knowledgeable about wine and we came away with a decent bottle of wine we enjoyed at home. The experience was fun, but I doubt we will repeat it. 

I have enjoyed upsells from Veranda to Neptune several times by hopefully waiting for an email or phone offering.   Last time I wanted an upsell, I called HAL before they started upsells on that particular cruise and requested that I be considered; I later received and upsell that I thought was too expensive so I a said 'call me when the price drops again'. A week later I received and upsell offer that was about half of the first offer and I accepted.