oaktreerb

Thermal Suite on my 7 day cruise is 15 minutes for $149. Is it worth it? Do you have to pre-book a 15 minute block of time every day? I guess I would need a swimsuit??? I have OBC to spend and this would be a totally new experience for me. Any advice about using the Thermal Suite? Tell me about your experience with this HAL indulgence so I can decide if I want to try it.

The 21 day Alaska cruise out of San Francisco was wonderful. New ports like Wrangell, Valdez. Lots of EXC activities with locals onboard to educate the passengers about life in Alaska. The 14 day cruises went to Kodiak and Homer and into the port of Anchorage. HAL modified the Yukon land tours to make them more efficient by adding flights where the bus trips covered large land areas. I’m not convinced that was a good move. HAL invested a lot of funds to improve the McKinley Chalets at Denali. HAL invested (as part of a group) in the White Pass railroad in Skagway. Things were looking really good for HAL in Alaska before the Covid shut down. I don’t care for the switch from Seward to Whittier but I suspect they had plans to develop that port. It did improve the train access to Denali. Princess has been sailing out of Whittier for years and Seward was taking on more and more ships as more cruise lines moved into the Alaska market.

I really like the Koningsdam. It’s the newest ship we’ve been lucky enough to get on the West Coast. What’s better about the Nieuw Statendam (other than it’s newer).

Before Covid they were beginning to innovate again in Alaska. Covid changed the dynamic.

The brochure I picked up covered 2022 and 2023. As far as itineraries go, nothing new for 2023. Same brochure, same itineraries for both years. HAL may add some EXC type experiences but the cruise itineraries do not set them apart from the competition. I hope for better offerings for 2024 like repeated 14 day round trip itineraries. HAL is very focused on the cruise tours which are the best in Alaska (including the Yukon) but even these have become less inclusive through the years. I’m hoping for some innovation in 2024. The 2023 itineraries are published and for sale.

I’m really surprised that you took so long to speak up. I think HAL should put a “call bell” at the Club Orange location.

I went to a promotional “Cruise Show” in the San Diego area yesterday, Viking, RCI, Celebrity and Princess were there . Holland America was represented by a video promoting Alaska 2023 and a display and table set up by the Princess rep. promoting only Alaska. No other brochures. Other cruise lines had the equivalent of a Cruise Atlas. No one was there from Holland America to ask about the Fall 2023 offerings. Holland America is the only cruise line that sails out of San Diego. The others sail out of LA. I’m not concerned about Fall 2023 since there is a charter out of San Diego in November so I think they will eventually fill in the gaps for the Koningsdam. I am more worried about the future. What is the vision going forward for HAL!

If you are on a guarantee CO will allow you to choose your stateroom. If you have tender ports you won’t need to pick up a tender ticket (you go when you are ready). The CO dining room is smaller but if you get a good table in the dining room the CO advantage goes away as far as I’m concerned.

New Guess for HAL posting West Coast Fall 2023 itineraries: October 12/13, 2022

Koningsdam, Nieuw Statendam, or Rotterdam would give you the most dining options.

What a beautiful and colorful Fall day! 44 degrees, 6:25 sunset

Maybe maintenance. Last week a ship at the AS dock had the forward lines tied up way forward on the dock. I noticed a small boat hanging around as the ship came in and it took the lines that were cast to the forward dock securing area (the camera did not show where they actually tied up.)

4173 Nice cabin, big balcony with a view, you’ll be close to the dining room.

Per @VMax1700 recent October 2022 Charters posting: Fall 2023 shows a Legendary R & B Charter 10/28/23 to 11/4/23 Mexican Riviera 7 day round trip from San Diego. So, the K will be sailing out of San Diego in Fall 2023. HAL just needs to publish the schedule for the rest of us.

This is a new promo. Not the same as the previous Military OBC promo that could be added to existing cruises.

Look online at the deck plans for the Eurodam. The deck 4 staterooms have a star type icon for shower only. Cabins far forward and aft on deck 4. You might want your TA to find a shower only stateroom for you. You could also book a handicap stateroom. The tubs are high and might be an issue for you.

HAL has been offering 10 Wednesday specials recently. Not that these offerings would be considered specials but Wednesday would be a good day to promote new itineraries. 🤔

Talk to the “maitre’d” at the entrance to the dining room the first night you are onboard. It is much easier to do if you arrive at 5:15/5:30 pm.

Did you find out how she managed to get on without being vaxed? I guess maybe 95% had to be vaxed. If her bragging caused problems for the crew the Captain should have told her to quit bragging. I think I would have used the Navigator App to “let them know” about her presence and attitude.

I really like having the Koningsdam sailing out of San Diego. I’d like to book my 7 day Koningsdam November cruise for 2023 and I don’t care if it’s Mexico or Pacific Coast. I’ll be happy to cruise in the US especially if it’s on the K. I keep watching for new offerings. Maybe they’ll show up on a Wednesday. Maybe HAL is trying to project international cruising prospects for the season but I’m not flying to a foreign country (Canada not included) for a long cruise. I hope they keep the Koningsdam in San Diego and don’t send it to Asia!

2-3 days is not much time since distances are vast. You might skip Denali and spend your time in the Seward/Anchorage/Turnagain Arm area. Kenai Fjords, Exit Glacier, Seavy sled dog tour, Wildlife Conservation Center, Sealife center, Girdwood (Alyeska). Look online at what this area has to offer.

In past years there has been a “hop on hop off” bus to the Fortress of the Bears and the Raptor Center. It picks up at the Convention Center where the cruise ship shuttle drops you off. and runs a circle route through the day. Probably cheaper and more versatile than a taxi . I have no clue what a taxi would cost but it’s been awhile since you posted and you may not get a response.

HAL decision making re: Covid isolation will most likely be the policy across the fleet. I was just on the Nieuw Amsterdam and couldn’t tell you which areas were closed off but I know for sure where the closed corridor was on the K. We were right next door.

Good to know since we booked one of those “quarantine” rooms in the 4th deck firewall corridor for our January cruise on the Koningsdam.

We had a 10:30 check in time in Vancouver and went through the check in and immigration process and also had to sit with the group before being allowed to board also around 11:30. I did have to point out that we were 4* so that we were directed to sit with the group that would board first. No problem for me because I knew that later in the day those lines to check in would be long and I would be onboard having lunch. I knew there were bus loads of people coming around 2 pm and I was amazed that everybody was cleared and the ship was pulling out right on time at 4 pm. Did you go to the dining room when you got onboard? The HAL greeters will direct you to the Lido or to your room (which should be ready when you board) but the dining room may be open. It was on our cruise. The great thing about the current early check in times and the short wait before boarding is that your room should be ready which means the Lido is less crowded. People aren’t waiting around in the Lido for the rooms to be ready.