wdw1972

Anyone who's on Zuiderdam recently (or now) - is the Gallery Bar still a lovely bar/lounge with nice seating areas? On Eurodam last cruise it had been turned into an extension of the casino, filled with slot machines - same on Nieuw Amsterdam. Hoping we'll still have the nice Gallery Bar for a pre-dinner cocktail spot in November since we won't have Tamarind Bar on this ship! Sue/WDW1972

I use aarp.org/rewards From there scroll down until you find where you can buy gift cards (rewards). I just bought 5 yesterday. Received the 5 emails almost instantly, with the order #, card # and PIN. Sue/WDW1972

I've never seen any float mats at Grand Turk. Sue/WDW1972

The $10 supplement is only for the Beecher's lobster mac & cheese. All other sides are "free" with the price of your dinner. Sue/WDW1972

I don't remember when it started, but since then it's pretty common to be showing on the first night. I tend to cruise twice a year - can only recall 1 recent cruise where it wasn't shown on the first night, and that cruise they did it on a later day but during daytime. I've seen it once - on my 2nd cruise since they started it, and on a 2nd (morning or afternoon on a sea day) showing that cruise. I felt it was well done, but not something I'd attend repeatedly. Typically first night we book specialty dining for a bit later time than we do on other nights. After dinner it's then time for BB Kings or other music venues to be getting started with their first set, so that's why I missed Origin Story until I caught it during daytime. Sue/WDW1972

May 2025 we'll be embarking in Vancouver, flying in from Florida. I've booked the 2 nights before the cruise at Pan Pacific - never been to Vancouver, may never return, so wanted to do it up nice! However, flying from FL the flights generally don't get until until late evening. The one I plan to book gets in at 10:55pm. Given the price of Pan Pacific, I don't want to pay $$$$ to arrive around midnight, so I'm planning to fly in the day before. My thinking is spend that night at an airport hotel with a free shuttle, then next morning shuttle back to the airport to catch the train to the waterfront station and walk the short distance to Pan Pacific. When searching airport hotels I came across Accent Inn, with very good reviews and the few requirements I need (free shuttle, free wifi). Anyone familiar with it? Looking for verification it's ok, or a recommendation of another hotel if Accent Inn is too sketchy. Thanks in advance! Sue/WDW1972

Thanks everyone. Turns out the flight I had hoped for has changed to one with 2 stops, so off the table. Instead it looks like a flight with 1 stop, 2.5 hours in Dallas Ft Worth will be the plan. I'm definitely more comfortable with 2.5 hours vs an hour & 23 minutes! Sue/WDW1972

That was the former Queens Lounge/BB Kings, now known as Rolling Stone Lounge. Sue/WDW1972

Definitely NO for me - same as any karoake suggestion. NO NO NO! I'm not cruising for amateur hour as the alleged entertainment. Sue/WDW1972

You should be fine doing it on the ship. As a solo, you'd be seated at a table for 2 so there's definitely room for him. Just be sure to let your server know husband is paying for his meal with his complimentary HIA credit. Yours will show as prepaid, so you're all set. You also have the option to call HAL now - if that gives you more peace of mind, just make the call. Sue/WDW1972

Thank you - that's good to know! Sue/WDW1972

If you want to bring a suit jacket that's fine, but you'll be in full compliance with dress slacks and any collared shirt on dressy nights. On the other nights even jeans are passable. The specialty restaurants follow the same dress code as the rest of the ship on that evening, so business casual would be fine. Just don't wear a t-shirt as your shirt at night. If you haven't booked all your specialty dining before leaving for the cruise, do the rest of that immediately once onboard. Sue/WDW1972

Using Flight Aware (thanks Rich), it looks like the early flight would arrive at gate C33 (very close to the train thing) and connecting flight leaves from F3. Question - when taking the train thing from terminal C to terminal F, do we have to go through security again at terminal F? If so, perhaps buying TSA pre-check is the way to go, or doing the Global Entry in advance of the trip? It looks like Delta & WestJet are using the same plane for both legs - just with their own flight numbers. I would book the Delta/Delta vs Westjet/Westjet, if that matters at all. We'd be flying on a Friday morning in mid-May. Sue/WDW1972

Thanks - you've clarified that the customs stuff will be after getting off the plane in Vancouver. I'd like a 2-hour layover, but that wasn't an option (at least not as of now - I realize whatever I book could change several times before the actual trip...grrr). Arriving at nearly 9pm when it feels like midnight to us, and then doing the customs stuff doesn't sound very appealing. I'll have to study the Atlanta airport & get a feel for where we'd be arriving, where we'd have to leave from, etc. If I do the earlier flight it means leaving my rinky dink airport at 6am (likely the first flight of the day) for the short hop up to Atlanta. You'd think that would be safe - and it should be, but nothing is guaranteed when it comes to flying these days. Sue/WDW1972

In May of 2025 we'll be flying from Florida to Vancouver to board Nieuw Amsterdam for the northbound sailing. There's actually a flight from our little airport around the corner, which would require changing planes in Atlanta before flying to Vancouver. This would be on Westjet/Delta. The more attractive flight would get us into Vancouver at 11:17 am and the layover in Atlanta is 1 hour & 23 minutes. The other gets in at 8:58pm and has a layover (Atlanta) of 2 hrs & 40 minutes. We're flying in 2 days prior to the cruise. Question - not knowing what extra process/bureaucracy/inspections are needed due to flying international for the 2nd leg, are those layover times "safe"? I'd appreciate any feedback from the many travelers more experienced than us! Sue/WDW1972

A swimsuit coverup would be appropriate. The poncho looks ridiculous (no offense intended towards you - it's just the honest truth), and bathrobes are always inappropriate outside of your stateroom. Dry off as well as you can with towels, then slip the coverup on to head back to your stateroom (or wherever). Many look a lot like dresses, but none look like bathrobes 😉 Sue/WDW1972

I don't watch the show, but did watch this episode. It sounds to me like this was not the finale - the finale is next week. Will that be on HAL as well? Sue/WDW1972

It changed a year or more ago. The last to lose it (for Rolling Stone Lounge) was Eurodam & Nieuw Amsterdam, just after my Nov 2023 cruise . The Vista ships made the tradition earlier than that. Sue/WDW1972

Thank you for your blog - and love your approach to things! Sue/WDW1972

Yes - like anything else, "you snooze you lose" or "early bird gets the worm" 😉 If something matters to me, I take care of it as early as I can, so I don't have to worry about not getting my desired date/time/venue/etc later after everyone else has made their selections. Sue/WDW1972

Thank you - great information! My reservations will all be refundable rates - and not prepaid. Sue/WDW1972

I'm doing the opposite - flying into Vancouver to do northbound. We plan to fly in 2 nights prior - assuming all goes well we can play Vancouver tourist for a day. Son & DIL plan to arrive the next day (1 day before cruise). Vancouver hotel prices are ridiculous, but like you said - they're all crazy high, so might as well stay where it's most convenient. It's only money, and I can spend my son's inheritance anyway I see fit 😉 Now the next decision - since I'll be paying an astronomical rate for a "regular" view, do I spend the extra and go for the harbor/waterfront view. Compared to the initial room rate the extra is peanuts, and it's doubtful I'll be cruising from here again, lol. Sue/WDW1972

Thanks - I plan to! From your experience, are there certain times of year they're likely to run a lower room rate promo? I'm currently booked for our room at $799 (CAD) plus taxes - just the basic deluxe king room (city view). I still need to book a room for the 2nd night for my son & DIL - it'll be their anniversary gift. Think I'll see anything significantly better than $799/room/night? Sue/WDW1972

I see no reason to take so much stuff I would need to check my luggage, so I take it all onboard with me. "All" means a carryon sized rolling suitcase and a big tote bag - plus slim electronics backpack on my back. It helps that I cruise HAL, where the staterooms are ready by 11:30am, so I drop my stuff, possibly unpack a bit, then head to lunch before hordes of passengers have gotten onboard. There's no risk of lost or damaged luggage, either. Sue/WDW1972

Not any longer. This past week HAL changed their practice, now limiting the catholic priests to grand/legendary and long voyages. Specifically not in Alaska, Caribbean, and several other regions. I've never understood why they provided priests in the past yet ignored all the other religions, and since I gave up the whole catholic thing as a teenager I never attended. I did however think it was unfair to the jews, protestants, muslim, hindu, southern baptist, etc. No religion should take preference over another, and since clearly you can't have them all catered to the best approach is to let the faithful practice their religion privately vs as a ship-sponsored activity. I know many disagree. Sue/WDW1972