idiebabe

Bruno, so very sorry for your loss with the passing of your Dad.  He was very blessed to have you as a Son and to care for him.  Thoughts and prayers are with you and may he RIP!  

Eileen

I also miss her Posts and always enjoyed her contributions.  If I recall, she had a surgery on her hand and had a hard time typing but still managed to Post.  Hope she is well!

3 hours ago, wdw1972 said:

I was on NS 3/11 - 3/18 and BB Kings performed their 45-minute shows several times each night (except the 1 night they're off) with both male & female singers.  I have no idea if it's the same people on this week, but the male was slender and not too tall, with dreds in his hair - nice voice, quiet kind of guy.  The female was plus-sized, long braids, beautiful strong voice, moved/danced around very well for a woman her size, lots of smiling.  I don't recall their names, as I only remember them introducing themselves one night.  There wasn't a lot of interaction between them - I think 1 song they sang together one night, otherwise it was just her or just him singing a series of songs until they switched up.  The trumpet player (white guy) and sax player were outstanding musicians and seemed to be really enjoying performing each show.  

 

Sue/WDW1972

We were also on your Sailing and thought they were very good!  Agree, the Trumpet player and Sax player were exceptional!  

Zaandam for sure!  

We’ve sailed five different Ships since the restart for nine Cruises.   The one thing they all had in common was a lack of Entertainment in the Main Show Lounge.  On all the Ships the Menus are lacking and need improvement.   For example:  The one night the Menu had four Pasta dishes on it and it wasn’t a themed Italian night.  The Ships are starting to sail full now so hoping things will improve!  

6 hours ago, GeorgeCharlie said:

 

Yes - and Lima was by far the least enjoyable port on our cruise, but we're not fans of large cities.🤠

I agree!  When we were there in 2015 we had to take the Shuttle to a Park to meet our Guides. All our Tours were Private and I was really sorry we didn’t book through the Ship.   All the Ship Tours were picked up at the Ship.  
 

We were also warned about the area outside the Gates.  A few passengers were dropped off a block away from the Gates by their Cabs or Tour Guides and got mugged. That was on our first day there.  After the muggings the Captain would not allow anyone dropped off at the Gates.   In addition there was some kind of protesting going on which took so long to meet up with the Tour Guides.  

34 minutes ago, crystalspin said:

Pouting now. We had a 9-day and a 7-day back-to-back (not available as one cruise) and only got $100 per leg. Of course that is all I was expecting so I didn't try for the extra $50. As it was we had to WORK at spending the OBC, on top of the HIA benefits!

I didn't try to get it and I never expected it.  I submitted the info as I always do and listed both Bookings in the same email requesting the $100 per Booking be applied.  I was very pleasantly surprised when I received the Confirmation email that they applied $125 for each Leg.  I had the HIA, too, but always seem to find a way to spend money!  😁 

We had two  Booking #'s on our 7 Nite  B2B and received the 5 Star Perks for each Leg.  Also, when I submitted for OBC for Shareholder Credit they gave us $125 per Leg (instead of $100 per Leg) since we'd be Onboard for 14 days.  Thought that was very nice of them!

27 minutes ago, twodjs said:

The Eurodam already had machines in the Gallery Bar area several months ago. Is this article old news?

Definitely old news or it should be!   NS also had the added Machines in the room with all the Slots right before entering the Casino when we were on her in November.  In October the NA had the Gallery Bar space with all the slot machines.   

1 hour ago, horseymike said:

Hello Everyone,

Can my fellow cruise critic followers let me know what the smoking regulations are on the Rotterdam ?
Casino , etc …. We are not smokers , just want to know what the situation is on the ship.

Thanks

Smoking in the Casino at a small Section of Slots (while playing) and also at Sea View Pool (Lido Aft) on Starboard side.

11 hours ago, PACD_JG said:

Granted, I only have 14 nights with HAL, but the most egregious dress I've witnessed is a couple in their 70s who wore their robes to the Lido breakfast. Complete with open-toe sandals, exposed varicose veins on their calves, and attached oxygen tanks.  Probably 4 or 5 star mariners too.  So the pro-dressy forum members better be careful who they lambaste...

I guess you've never cruised before and haven't cruised Carnival or NCL if you think a couple in their 70's wearing robes is the worst you've seen!  🤣  Everything I'm reading it's the Non-Dressy Cruisers here that are doing the lambasting!  In all seriousness I hope someday you don't have to have Oxygen Tanks but more power to that couple that they are out still doing what they enjoy doing!  Cruising! 

On 12/23/2022 at 3:53 PM, Gail & Marty sailing away said:

I always wear a Jacket. On the dress up nights 

So does my husband!  A nice lightweight Black Sports Coat!

3 minutes ago, vino100 said:

We will be on the konsingdam and is there a way to view the CO table configuration? 

It's not that big of a room (Rotterdam's is larger).  Kazu is doing a live thread from Kdam and posted a pic of it.

When we ate in CO on Nieuw Statendam it was "Open Seating" with people coming and going.  Since you have a large Group you probably would want to talk to the Manager to let him know what time you plan on dining.  I would think they'll need to know that in order to ensure they have the tables available to push together for your Group.

36 minutes ago, LMaxwell said:

 

I don't know why I had to get the runaround lies from 3 different people in the spa at all. Won't happen again for me; these tactics are very scummy and designed to get people to pay more. 

I'm not sure what you mean by tactics being scummy and designed to get people to pay more? 

We actually received a Coupon each that they put in the Mailbox that had $70 off the Spa.  We paid the difference plus the Gratuity and we chose the Fire and Ice one.  My Daughter also received one in her Mailbox and since she already had a Pedi she used it toward a haircut.  The Coupons were only good on Port Days.  We went off the Ship in the a.m. and went to the Spa in the afternoon. 

I'm sorry to hear and don't know why you had a problem with getting an appointment.  They had two Stations and two Gals doing the Pedicures.  

@LMaxwelland @Banditswife  I’m not sure why you were told Pedicures for Women Only.  We were on November 5th and my Husband and I both went together and had a Pedi.  My Husband was done before me and a man came right after him for a Pedi.  

We do Late Fixed and have never eaten Dinner in Lido.  If it’s just the two - four of us, depending on what we order it’s a 1 - 1 1/2 hr experience.  When we Sailed in May and were a Group of 8 it was usually 1 1/2 hrs.  No complaints here and find it no different with timing than when we go to a nice Restaurant on Land.  

4 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

A show? 😱  Is this something new? 😉

It must be!  🤣

The HAL Promos are non-refundable.  I was told by my PCC that HIA can be added anytime up to 2 days before Sailing.  

13 minutes ago, mightycruisequeen said:

It's pretty funny how many posts you'll see here about people supposedly not properly dressed in the main dining room .  Honestly though, on the ships, most people are just enjoying their cruise too much to get worked up about what others are wearing to dinner.

It's a slippery slope and HAL, sadly, is heading in the same direction as Carnival. First the Jeans allowed, then Shorts Allowed and then no more Tablecloths.  There will be debates over the Tablecloths and how the upscale restaurants no longer have them, etc. and in the meantime the Menu, etc. just keeps eroding.  Ironically, the same people that can't put on a pair of "big boy" Pants (Khaki's) or the Gal who wants to wear her Spandex shorts in the MDR (although Obese) will complain that there's no more Lobster and how the Menu went downhill, etc.  I saw this happen many years ago on Carnival and my last Cruise on the Nieuw Statendam felt just like a "Carnival Cruise"! 

59 minutes ago, KAKcruiser said:

Is this a joke?

I thought the same thing!  🤣

2 hours ago, JeffElizabeth said:

Interesting.  Our cruise to Hawaii on the Nieuw Amsterdam in October had the crew fully masked. Captain's decision? 

Yes, Captain’s decision to have them put the Mask back on.  They were so happy to have them off for the two days.  

10 hours ago, deliver42 said:

Thank you very much. We just booked this ship yesterday, and was curious.

You can also smoke in the Casino if playing.  There are a few Smoking slot machines which are on the side by the Bar.   

We were Onboard  the NA when the Captain made the announcement the Crew would no longer be required to wear Masks.  It lasted two days when they were told to wear them again.  This was in October for the PC Transit and they wore them all the way to Port Everglades.  The Flu was going around on that Cruise and towards the end we could hear so many coughing around the Ship. 

This is Flu and Cold Season and it's on land so it's going to be on the Ships, too.

19 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

In the pinnacle, but they do charge for shrimp cocktail in the MDR now. 

 

On the koningsdam that I just got off of Saturday they had buy one get the second drink for 50% off. Some people have reported 25% off on some ships.

NS is Buy One get 2nd One at 25% off.  We were on NA two weeks before NS and it was similar to Rotterdam with 50% off any drink.  SMH

1 hour ago, WriterOnDeck said:

Just to note that Covid cases may be in isolation in their rooms if they are in a verandah (rather than moving to a separate area), and they are instructed to put their trays outside the door, as no one may enter their room, and call for pickup.

I was on NS the week before and Debarked on the 12th.  We had  2500 Onboard.  When you walk into an Elevator and drinking glasses or an ice cream bowl is on the floor and they are also left on an Artwork base it has nothing to do with Covid.  We had someone down the hall from us and they were putting their Trays out and they were coming and going from their Room.  They weren't Quarantined.  On some of the other Lines they are told to put them out in the Hallways and Carnival is one of them.

We didn't have 400 kids Onboard our Cruise but the 7 Night Sailings on HAL, IMO,  have now mirrored Carnival's. We saw more boobs and butts hanging out of their Bathing Suits to last me for quite sometime.  I'm still trying to get the vision of some of them out of my head! Yikes Chair Hogging was out of control, too!  

We have one more booked on a Pinnacle Class Ship and then we're back to the other Class Ships and longer Itineraries.  No more quick 7 Night Get-a-way Cruises on HAL!