SilvertoGold

Both these EVisas are easy to do. Just get all your info, passport ready. Make sure you use the government website for both as there are agencies that will try to convince you to use them and charge you much more than the government sites. Australia: ETA Visa and NZ: NZeTA

HAL does the Panama transits very well. We've done 6 and loved each one. If and when you do this cruise, you must come back to this CC board and get some tips on how to enjoy this crossing.

I've seen the same thing. If the system is working well, some like it. Others have said they don't like to have to switch between the two methods.

Wonderful! Shakshuka made to order! Wow! Air C is not wow, I know all about that, but much, much better for long haul, like Vancouver to New Zealand: more experienced, helpful cabin stewards, lots and lots of food, seating OK. Great thread :) Love seeing photos of my town and the ship, along with your lovely writing style.

Noordam this year Happy Hour was in Crows Nest and Ocean Bar. 50% off any drink. 4 pm and 7 pm were common. Things change so make sure you read the program daily! Mocktails will be made to order, just ask. The ones I had were quite good. DH could certainly tell there was no alcohol in mine! The Noordam is a lovely ship and they do Australia and NZ well.

HAL has used tablets on and off but the waiters have said the system doesn't work well all the time. They do use the tablets once in and while. Paper and then imputing into the waiter station computers works perfectly.

Crab and artichoke dip with rolls, shrimp cocktail, lamb, cheesecake. Oink ;

Lisa: The European (substitute for the herring smoked salmon or grilled salmon, as I do because I am not a fan of herring) and Fritatta (add in bacon on the side?) are favourites, quite light and tasty.

From what we have seen, President's Club, handicapped, Suites, maybe Club O get the early slots for check-in. Like the upgrade fairy, it is a mystery.

So, it also depends on the number of ships at dock. You may be in luck and go through quickly, but still, you sit and wait until boarding opens which will be 11:30 am at the earliest unless something has changed drastically. KIndly remember not to confuse check-in time with boarding time. Have a great cruise and please let us all know how it goes!!

Depends on the port. If this is Canada Place, this may indeed be hurry up and wait.

Thanks for your thoughts :) I have no idea how many pax do more than one cruise a year (or every second year... ) We do/did different ships and the menus were... the same, with a few variations. Some of these menu items are identical to those offered pre-Covid, so it has gotten old. When we did 5 B-Bs it was a bore after three weeks of identical menus. We did start ordering not our first choices, but our second and third choices each evening.

OK, I like this game but this is the same menu, with a few name changes, as in March and April in NZ/Australia. Also, very siiliar to 2022, May through October, Alaska and Hawaii. I would love to see a new menu every 6 months or so! Salmon Chowder, Vegetable Cutlet (fantastic!), Strawberries Romanoff and DH: Cod Slider, Salmon, Brownie Cheesecake. Thanks, Lisa, for the great, detailed thread amd menus. Just like being there without the calories :)

Really excellent summary, nicely written and the whole thread was a pleasure to read. Your comment about not needing a taxi to get from bow to stern made me laugh out loud! I was a bit surprised about the numer of pax on this R class ship and know that can be a let-down and detract from the experience, especially the Lido seating. The gluten-free problems sould not have happened: HAL can do better. Glad you did have some good times and enjoyed Glacier Bay, your Suite, the Neptune Lounge and the service. Maybe some day you will find that bucket-list cruise and return :)

Excellent info! Personally I have not used the FE agents. My TA books the basics, then I fill in the Airline Loyalty numbers and chose seats. It has never occurred to me to phone FlightEase and, now, I am glad I haven't ! Why does FE give the wrong info and want to cancel flights? To give you more expensive options? HAL isn't looking that good in this.

Just go through the process of doing a booking. Your booking is not cancelled until YOU actually cancel it. Just looking is at what is availalbe is fine, no problem. I did this twice daily for our NZ cruise and I had some nice price decreases, which made it fun!

Our take on some of HAL's recent CDs: too young, too uniformed, too cutesy, too flippant, too surfer dude, too immature, too Barbie doll. What we would expect on Carnival, not HAL. Give us more mature, serious ones like Bruce Scudder and Tom Faulkner, class acts all the way. We really cannot imagine either reading such a script.

The napkin rings. Also, There are Blue and Silver nights. Some upgrading of menus can happen.

USD cash and a note to the Hotel Manager mentioning why your room stewards were so great.

Agree! Fantastic curries, wonderful ambiance!

Speaking of the Empress: do you remember when there used to be a Chocolate Buffet? It was outstanding and we would come over for the weekend espeically for this treat! Younger then and we could eat a LOT of sugar when it was made into those fabulous desserts!

Outstanding post on Glacier Bay Day! That Pinnacle Breakfast was so like the MDR meal in respect to the podium ladies. HAL seems to be working with a set plan on how to do things and only the higher up staff are empowered/gracious enough to understand pleasing the customer costs nothing and impresses. The more I read the more I think pax have to stand up for themselves in such cases. Of course this treatment should never happen in the first place.

About the generic black tea at Afternoon Tea: I tell the servers I don't drink black tea and I always, no problem, get a choice of green and herbal teas, while my DH asks for Earl Grey and gets it. Helps to know some of the servers, but there is always an Assitant DRM around and the box of assorted teas is close by.

Thanks for all the excellent posts and photos. The treat of the day! Looking forward to your next cruise on September 23 as much as you must be :)

Also keep in mind tht it depends on where you are sailing. Huge difference, for example, between wine list for Australia/NZ and Alaska.