VMax1700

On Rotterdam two weeks ago and we had both 'Refundable' and 'Non Refundable OBC. The non refundable was from HAL booking credit, using FCD credit and stockholder credit. I watched our account and as the Crew Appreciation charge was applied to our account, the Non Refundable balance was reduced by the amount of the Crew Appreciation. So, yes you can use OBC for Crew Appreciation.

The separate CO dining room. Smaller, less noisy, more personal.

3 cruises in the last 12 months, all with HIA and didn't have to sign. Nor did we receive any paper slip. However there is a current thread which mentions the Westerdam presenting paper slips for signature recently. So, as is to be expected with HAL, the answer is yes or no!

I think that "service charge" relates to the 18% service charge on drinks, but not to the daily "Crew Appreciation".

What about their rights of Freedumb! 🙄

There is no flat rate to Fort Lauderdale area. Your best bet (if Uber/Lyft is out) is to book Larry's Limos who will meet you at the airport and take you directly to your hotel. We use them from MIA to PE hotel and have them collect us at ship to return to MIA. Also if we stay in Miami pre cruise we have them collect us from our hotel and take us to PE on embarkation day. Reliable and clean.

I will give times from our recent Rotterdam cruise in Europe. Breakfast in MDR 6.30am to 8.30 am Breakfast in Lido 5.30am to 9.00 am Disembark times from 6.15 am (self assist) to 9.00am (for late independent). Disembark times for Club Orange, 4star and 5 star was 6.45am to 9.45 am. We disembarked at about 9.35am and the ship was almost deserted and there was minimal lugguge remaining in the luggage hall.

Premium is no faster than Surf, but yes it does permit wifi calling.

you are right! I didn't read the small print. Fill out the form!

This is where it needs 'joined up thinking'. Arriving 4 hours is ok, but if the checkin desks are not open or do not accept bags until 2/2.5 hours before departure, then problems will continue. If we could have check in 4 hours before our flight and proceeded 'airside' then we would have spent money in the shops, however we and many others had to pass them by.

This is Spanish Governments official website. It says that you only need a certificate of vaccination, certificate of recovery or certificate of negative test results. https://www.sanidad.gob.es/en/profesionales/saludPublica/ccayes/alertasActual/nCov/spthRequisitosEntradaEspana/home.htm#

April tends to be low season (unless you will be there Easter week +/- 1 week 😉) The old town of Ibiza is really a must see. Narrow streets filled with cafes, restaurants (think freshly caught fish) and wonderful artisan shops full of all types of art and bric a brac (and clothes). Over the years we have taken numerous holidays on the island and always made sure to visit the old town of Ibiza. We always stayed on the South East coast area ( Santa Eulalia/Es Canar). We visited San Antonio once......enough said!

I really do not have a problem with that, but then having to sign a piece of paper!! Do they not trust me? or do they not trust their own systems? 🙄

Perhaps a more relevant question would be "at what time can we no longer eat a relaxing breakfast"? All facilities close early on turnaround day and since Covid, room service breakfast has not been available. On our recent cruise Lido closed at 9am sharp! (very sharp!) MDR closed at 8.30 am

However they are creating a new and unnecessary source of waste on one hand, while, on the other hand, trying to eliminate other sources of waste.

The 'people watching' that I am referring to is the flow of pax down the passageway to anytime dining on deck 2 aft. It is not really possible to look into CO through the windows as they are semi opaque.

Just off Rotterdam and no signing there. It doesn't make sense to ban plastic bottles of water because of the rubbish in the sea etc; to remove saltine crackers etc from the cheeseboard because of waste/single use plastic etc, etc, but to re introduce papers to sign! Now that is wasteful of resources.

It is a great spot for 'people watching' 😉

We were there Sunday too, but our flight was 9.40pm. It eventually departed an hour late because the pilot kept delaying so that passengers could make it to the flight. (It was the final rotation of the day for that aircraft) Pax were arriving to the plane in various states of distress including tears. Eventually they had to offload some luggage as the passengers did not arrive. Stories of two and a half to three hours for security.

The information is on the website. Why would anyone call for information that is readily available and more important......printable?

There are windows between CO and the deck 2 passageway between Half Moon Bar and MDR, but they do not have ocean views. There are also pax sitting at tables (serviced by Half Moon Bar staff) along the passageway and looking out to sea!

Venice hotels are not great with early check-in as they are so busy. You will be able to store your luggage and then go sight seeing for a few hours. This season the buses from Venice to Tieste departed at 11 am from the Tronchetto area of Venice, so you will not have any time in the morning of departure unless you are a real early riser.

Here are the disembarkation instructions for a cruise ending in Rotterdam. It was similar for a cruise ending in Italy.

It works in reverse too! Well, except for #3! I think next couple of years will see more cruisers staying in the own back yard, as airfares are very expensive and airports are a nightmare.

No slippers (or beach bag) on Rotterdam last week. Verandah room. There was an umbrella.