VMax1700

He had plenty of practice navigating the narrow streets of Cork! 😉

That is a great zoom

Just made it online in time to see status change to 'Active' Our clocks moved forward 1 hour last weekend, so there is only 4 hours difference between FLA and us today.

Movement.

We can get a 'Passport Card' in addition to the regular passport. It is accepted widely within EEA/EU/UK as equivalent of a passport, but not for USA/Canada etc. However as it is credit card size it is easier to take ashore leaving the main passport in the safe.

Most Europeans find the early dinner hour to be 'strange'. 8pm would be 'early' for a European (generally), so plenty of time to divest of the days clothes before changing for dinner. Generalising of course!

As others have mentioned AMS Amsterdam Schiphol airport was an absolute nightmare this summer, even as late as our flights in September. I believe it is still having difficulties with the security channels and baggage handling. However as you are looking at next spring, I would take a leap of faith and book the flight. The airlines and the Netherlands Government will not permit another summer like the one just past. AMS will have to get its act together. I believe that they already are offering premiums to workers for the security lines. The flight time will probably change a couple of times between now and spring, maybe by a few minutes, maybe by an hour. If they bring it forward you should be able to get the flight changed if you feel it necessary. Take a taxi, don't wait for the HAL transfer.

Just to answer my own question 🙄, New York Pizza on Rotterdam (so I presume Koningsdam & NSD are similar) is open until midnight! (living dangerously there!) Also, @canadarocksis correct as Lido is 10.30p[m to 11.30pm.

On Pinnacle class ships are the Pizza places open until 12 midnight? I remember them being open late(ish).

You are correct. I looked at our June boarding pass and it showed the number of 'Gala Nights' but the September cruise did not mention it. Hard to keep up with all the changes. 🙄

Unlikely that the Lido will be open at 11pm. Dinner is available until 8pm and then the Late Night Snack is at 10.30 until (I think!) 11pm. The additional charge is in Pinnacle Grill (speciality restaurant) and not MDR. (At this point in time!). I would then just get my salad in Lido and take it to MDR.

The Navigator app will not update and show the real information until you are onboard. Your boarding pass will show the number of dressy nights, but not which date.

Have a great cruise and wonderful and safe travels. I am really interested in the train journey as so often we have thought about doing an Amtrak trip.

That is the absolute pits. That is not Force Majeure nor an act of God, but plain old fashioned deception.

I would think that you pay full price and receive the adjustment onboard. For a table for 7 I would be inclined to book a table for 4 and a table for 3 for the same day/time just to make certain of availability and when onboard visit the maitre d' and tell him that you require a table for 7.

For the offered menu, quality of the food and the lacklustre service and general ambience, they should be reducing the price, not increasing it. For perspective, I can visit two local Michelin starred restaurants and have a seven course tasting menu for €125.

Have a great cruise!

¡ Buenas! Jacqui, So sorry to read about your continuing difficulties. Hope you continue to improve and can still enjoy your cruise.

They don't! Only within North America. Most toll free numbers are geographically restricted to within the country of issue. For example HAL in Rotterdam has two toll free numbers....one for within Netherlands and a different one for outside Netherlands, but within EU. I cannot contact them using the 'Within Netherlands' number even if I put + 31 (Netherlands access code) infront of the number.

You are making progress over there! In 2019 I renewed my passport online in little old backward Ireland. Three days from application to receiving the passport and this was at the time when many in UK were applying for Irish passports because of Brexit. Also there is a facility whereby the applicant can use a photo booth for the picture and the images are digitally sent to the passport office, the customer receives a code which they insert in the online application. This is easier for those who have difficulty taking selfies or getting the image correct.

Beer! I am not a beer drinker so I may be wrong on this one, but I have purchased a 'bucket' of beer (for a specific purpose), which was cheaper than purchasing individual bottles. If I asked that they not be opened then I could take them to the stateroom and store them in the fridge for rationed consumption!

It continues to amaze and shock me that in the US baggage carousels are not airside, but open to the general public.

I agree with you on that one, but I don't believe that cocktails and wine will make any difference. But, what if I order two appetizers and no dessert? Will I still get charged for the additional appetizer or will I get credit for no dessert? (It really doesn't matter to me as I find the appetizers and desserts somewhere between average and mediocre.)

So was your luggage stolen or is it missing? It may have been loaded on to the wrong flight and may still turn up (somewhere!). Hopefully you put a sticker with your name and address inside the luggage. It is really upsetting when luggage goes missing (whatever the cause) specially just before you board. Hope you enjoyed your cruise in some way.

As has been repeated many times on this forum, the water from the cooler in the Lido is fine to drink and no need to purchase bottled (or canned!) water.