terrydtx

We got lucky and snagged the very last aft facing cabin on our Koningsdam cruise last November We added CO when we booked and there was not a higher meta category cabin to upgrade to, so instead of the upgrade we got from HAL, $100 OBC which was gravy, we booked CO for the CO dining room which we absolutely loved.

RCI is not part of the group that owns HAL, Celebrity which is part of RCI allows water to be brought aboard. Also Celebrity bev packages have no limits on the number of drinks both alcohol and non-alcohol per day.

Our cruise on the Volendam next month is 100% sold out and I suspect we will see similar offers. We are in a Vista suite with a balcony and there is no way we would volunteer to downgrade to an obstructed OV cabin. Looks like HAL has oversold most of the Volendam Canada/NE cruises for the next two months.

On the Koningsdam last November we got fresh squeezed OJ with our CO room service breakfast menu at no charge, it was also available in the CO dining room for breakfast.

We will be on the Volendam next month with the Elite BP, will be interesting to see if this policy has changed.

The aft facing verandah cabins are usually the first to get booked for the reasons you mentioned. Getting one with a CO upgrade is not very easy to snag.

This is correct.

HAL only sells a limited number of CO per cruise, once they are sold out that is it unless they have cancelations of booked cruises. CO is even more limited in the Pinnacle class ships as the CO dining rooms are small and limited in capacity.

I understand the debt problems, but in 2022 they had the same debt issues and were telling customers, like us, that the Marina would receive the same refurbishment as the Riviera received post covid. It just leaves a bad taste for our first Oceania cruise and is the same type of issues that caused us to leave cruising with other lines. If they are so worried about debt maybe they should cut down on all of the mailings they send out, we on average get 3 or more Oceania brochures in the mail every week that go directly into the trash.

We will be in an A3 cabin on the Marina next March. When we booked this cruise almost 2 years ago, we were told by Oceania that the Concierge cabins would get totally refurbished before our cruise including adding walk in showers in the bathrooms. We are very disappointed but will not cancel our cruise, just feeling like we got bait and switched.

I agree, we never eat dinner in the Lido, we want to be served and treated like we are in a fine dining restaurant. I have had the scallops in the Pinnacle Grill and agree they are not very good as I suspect they are frozen which ruins the taste and quality. We have 2 nights in Boston pre cruise, so I hope to find some good scallops there. We are staying in the Hotel Indigo next to Boston Garden. The only HIA that includes gratuities is the Early Booking Premium HIA promo, which we have since we booked almost 2 years ago for our cruise next month.

I am with you on the HIA package. We are on the Volendam next month for the 11 day Boston to Montreal cruise. We booked early and got the Early Booking HIA bonus with Elite drinks, premium Wi-Fi and prepaid gratuities for the same standard HIA package price. Add in the shore excursion credit and specialty restaurant credits we will come out way ahead with this promo Premium HIA package. To @teacherman thank you for your review. You mentioned the poor beef quality but how were the other entrees including the seafood ones? Did you have a New England seafood night in the Lido? I have seen it mentioned and we are interested in trying it.

If it was me, I would bring my own favorite tea just in case, it wouldn't take much room to pack. Not sure about HAL, but Celebrity cruises from the UK and northern Europe will provide a hot water kettle upon request to accommodate the large number of UK passengers. Good luck and have a great cruise on the fabulous Rotterdam.

Welcome to Cruise Critic. 1) no just a regular rubber soled shoe used anywhere is fine for the Gym. 2) You will find a very wide selection of teas onboard. You can request from room service a full pot of hot water with breakfast for your tea.

That has been my experience as well. On our Oosterdam Italy and Greek cruise in 2022 we were allowed to bring wine onboard from wineries we visited on any HAL shorex that included a winery visit. We usually try to take 2 bottles with us when we board.

The 270 days has to include the return dates not just the departing dates.

The only Edge class ship we didn't like was the Edge, there is no bar in the Retreat lounge like the newer E Class ships. The retreat staff have to go into a small area behind the lounge to make drinks and bring them out to you. You are right the Retreat is a joke on the non-E-Class ships and not at all worth the inflated costs.

You can order onboard but it will cost $2.95 a gallon.

While on the Equinox last year in the Retreat I was told by the Retreat Manager that Celebrity has no plans to finish the sun deck anytime in the future. They have crew members who will get drinks and bring them to you, but by the time I got mine the ice had melted, and the drinks were watered down and warm..

Too bad they didn't finish the Retreat Sun deck that only got partially done in 2019.

No you can't, only Oceania sponsored excursions can be used for SM credit.

100% agree and this has been our experience as well.

I have no idea, I was doing a mock booking which would be the same as booking for real for a new booking. May be different for cruises already booked. I just looked on our March 6, 2025 booked cruise online and I can't find an option for booking air, might be that we booked without air to begin with.

No, with the new air online option you have a place to choose Economy of FC/BC pricing. No phone call is needed. There is not anywhere I could see to choose your dates and any flight deviations, that I could find, I assume you do this when you book by calling.

Most of Vikings included excursions tend to be more shuttle bus drive by or walking city tours type excursions, which we did not want. We were one and done with Viking Ocean in 2019. I much prefer the SM excursion credit as we can then chose and book excursions we are interested in.