TXCruiser10

We did a partial transit in 2014 and did a kayaking excursion on Lake Gatun. It included a tour of the Gatun Locks. If you are interested in doing something active, I highly recommend it.

Great info! Did you contact the hotel directly to make a reservation? Can that be done on-line? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

I can appreciate your comments but I disagree with you when you say HAL is for older people. My husband and I first sailed HAL when I was 39 and he was 37. That was seven years ago. We absolutely love HAL. We've sailed RCCL and still prefer HAL. It could be because we have no children but I found that RCCl had way more older people than I have ever seen on HAL. We were on the Koningsdam last December and I spoke with the manager of the Tamarind while I was out and about one day. HAL is indeed moving to more of a family style of sailing and they are making major efforts to make it more "kid" friendly. HAL might not be the right fit for you now, but maybe in a few years it might be. Best of luck to you!

My husband and I did that exact cruise in December 2014. We're both in our early 40s. We loved it. We did white water rafting in Costa Rica (best excursion ever), we went kayaking on the Panama Canal (actually, it was gatun lake), and did the beaches of Aruba on our own. While on board we did the Pub/Bar crawl and had the best time ever. It's all what you make of it. On longer cruises, there does tend to be an older crowd because most younger folks don't have the time for a longer cruise. So, your son will just have to start the party! Enjoy!

YES, everything on your bill, including excursions you book prior to boarding or while on board, are counted toward your on board spending credit.

A little bubbles never hurt anyone or anything...all things in moderation i say!

Breakfast at the Lido on Koningsdam is not really set up like with the other HAL ships. I searched high and low for eggs Benedict on our December cruise aboard the Koningsdam. I am used to seeing a section with poached eggs along with eggs benedict and then several 'international' varieties of eggs benedict. That was not the set up on Koningsdam. The food you are used to is there, just not in the format you may be used to. Anyway, lovely ship and food was great. We always have a great time on HAL.

Well, how much togetherness can you handle? Inside rooms are going to feel small to begin with. Personally, I could not do it. I can see 4 people in a verandah (balcony) but I would dread having to do an inside with 4 people. But if you don't plan on spending much time in your room other than to sleep, then it may not be so bad.

I believe on your bill you will notice the discount. So, you pay in full up front and then you get a discount (or credit) on your bill.

We're sailing the Veendam and have booked category EE427, an ocean view but the EE420, 418, 427, and 429 are larger than other ocean views. You might consider these.

We vacation in Mexico during the summer and take a cruise in December, so I can tell you what my packing for both is. In Mexico, I pack swimsuits, a few shorts/pants, a few tops, and very light sundresses for dinner along with 1 pair of tennis shoes, 1 pair of sandals, and 1 pair of flip flops. I find that at resorts, I spend most of my day in a swimsuit or swimsuit cover up. On cruises, I have to add nicer dresses for dinner, formal dresses for the formal nights and all the matching accessories that go with that. I also find that I am not in my swimsuit all day so I pack more tops and capris. So, overall, I pack much more for a cruise. And the ships can get cold and it is also cold at night, so it is helpful to take a light sweater or fleece top to wear inside during sea days.

Great info! thank you so much for sharing.

Great question! I'm booked in 429 for December and wondered if the cabins are noticeably bigger than regular OV. The deck plans make them look bigger.

Thanks for the discussion everyone. I called Journeys Ashore ( aks the Excursions desk). The price for the clamshell rentals is $39.95 and they are not new or improved in any way. 2. I asked about these "sun shaders" rental for $11.95. The agent had never even heard of them. Literally argued with me for a bit but I insisted I was reading straight from my excursions booklet. He had never heard of them and could only share what was in the brochure. I wanted to get a picture and he promised to ask them to try to post one.:(

That seems pretty steep considering that you aren't at HMC for many hours anymore.

Agreed. That's why I was shocked that the price doubled--for lounge chairs??

Here's a suggestion--bring your own shower puff. I don't like using towels to lather up.

Used it in December on Koningsdam. Loved it! Will definitely use it again.

Howdy! I was looking at the excursions booklet for our cruise in December. For Half Moon Cay, I noticed that the clamshell rentals were now $39.95. We sailed just a few months ago and I could have sworn the prices was $19.95. Has anyone else noticed? This is essentially double the price and I'm wondering if anything else has been doubled.

Dress code for either venue is like main dining room. However, we have been to both many times and do dress up a little more just because we decided to make it a bit more special for ourselves. Many of the folks who go to the Pinnacle do seemed a bit more dressed up. I'm sure you'll be find either way. Enjoy--Tamarind is my favorite!

I do not care for the coffee served at the Lido. Don't really like the coffee they offer after dinner either--both are very bitter. I have ordered coffee with room service and like that better. Specialty coffees--the kind you pay for--are always good.

Howdy! I was on the Koningsdam in December. The main pool and aft pool are not heated. The only heated pool is the hydro pool in the spa. The Lido does serve eggs benedict but you will have to hunt for the section that makes them. They are not easy to find and they also only do one kind of eggs benedict--the traditional way. I've been on other HAL cruises where they served different international versions of egg benedicts. They were still just as yummy!

This did happen to me. We were booked for a Mediterranean cruise for this summer. For a variety of reasons, we decided not to do the cruise and instead book one in December. We simply wanted to transfer the deposit and any money we had already paid to the new booking. We used a travel consultant with HAL. We were told we would lose out on $600 ($300 deposit for each of us) because we had booked using a promo. I don't remember being told we would lose the deposit if we cancelled (and we cancelled in March for a July cruise). I do know that we used a promo but I was simply allowing the travel consultant to book the best deal. Anyway, we went back a few times and in the end HAL gave us an upgrade on our December sailing in the amount of our deposit ($600). It was not ideal because we wouldn't have normally booked anything higher that we already did. BUT, it was a compromise we were willing to live with. Maybe your TA can at least get you an upgrade?

Clamshell rentals are $19.95 and include 2 loungers with the clamshell. This is really your best option for shade while on the beach. There is also bar service on the beach but it is quicker to just go to the fake pirate ship and get your own. BBQ is delicious. You will love it!

Yes, you can. As you disembark from the tender, there is a small little area with a few shops and I think now they added a bar. The beach is right next to that. The beach section closest to the tender area is more kid friendly because it has kid activities. Further down are just the rows and rows of lounge chairs. After that you will see the private cabanas all lined up and near the big ship that serves as a bar. On the beach in that area are more lounge chairs. If you continue to walk past that, the beach area becomes much less crowded. So, if you are willing to walk further, you will find more of a quiet area but it is not more private because you are still easily visible to everyone else and I don't remember there being any loungers either. Having said that, don't miss the BBQ lunch they serve on the island. I have been there several times (most recently last December) and HMC is literally, my favorite spot in the world! :)

How much Is it for the hydro pool for a week?

 

 

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Usually it is $199 (when booked on board) for 2 people for a 7 night cruise. We have booked the thermal suite package (hydro pool, thermal ceramic loungers, etc.) each year since 2011 and that has always been the price. Of course, that doesn't mean that will always be the price moving forward. Worth every penny!