jimmy2x

Did 21 days on an aft Deck 6 cabin. Perfect 

All of you have given me much to think about. I truly appreciate it 

So, I’m having a bit of a difficult day trying to decide whether to choose the Rotterdam or the Eurodam for a 21 day cruise next winter. I tell to lean more towards the Rotterdam have been on her for for the 21 day B to B two years in a row and we really enjoy the ship. However the 21 day cruise on the Eurodam has a more appealing itinerary (at least to me ). Any advice would be appreciated. 

Ok, I guess I’ll be the dumb one. We are booked for 21 days on the Rotterdam commercial 2/15. Booked through an online TA and paid in full. I will have a paper confirmation with me at boarding time. Other than our passports, I do recall ever having to show anything else to board. FWIW, if anything we are 4 star. 

44 minutes ago, cbr663 said:

It's great that you had an enjoyable experience on the ship.  It is also quite possible that the passenger removing the tips did not and the removal of the tips was warranted.

If you don’t have a good time on a Holland America cruise, its your own fault. 

Ship and date would help 

So, we are booked for a b to b 21 day cruise on Rotterdam next February. The booking (thru a TA) has us listed for anytime dining. If you were us, would you try to get it changed to fixed?

We will be on the Rotterdam for three weeks this  winter. Aft cabin on Deck 6. Am looking forward to it. No matter how pronounced the vibration is, it will be nothing compared to being on the stern of an aircraft carrier. And the view will be grand. 

2 minutes ago, 0106 said:

I agree that aft means “towards the stern” or the back of the boat.

 

My understanding was that you used aft when you were referring to the inside (onboard) rear of the ship and stern when you were referring to the outside (offboard) rear of the ship.

 

I am just interested in how the words are used.

I agree….Wake, wake, wake.

 

You are pretty much there. The bow is the pointy area at the front of the ship. The stern is the roundy area at the back of the ship.  If you’re are heading toward the bow, you are moving forward. If you are heading toward the the stern you are heading aft. 
20 years USN. 

2 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I’m definitely not paying a few extra dollars.  Hal needs to stop giving out free cruises like candy to a few chosen ones.  I pay plenty for my cruises so some can coast.  When you see someone say they want a world cruise for a hundred bucks I just shake my head in disbelief.  That’s what you get for giving out too many free cruises.  It’s never enough. 

Disbelief is the key word. We’ve all come across pathetic people who like to appear smarter than everyone else. The vast majority of your fellow cruisers have paid a price that they are content with. And don’t discuss it with relative strangers. 

A cruise is supposed to be a special event. We are booked for 21 days on the Rotterdam in February. I will be very disappointed if, barring a serious COVID return, the normal level of service has been compromised. 

We are 4 star with HA all through TA’s. . Before booking our Feb cruise, thought I’d give giving a PC a shot. Could never get the same person twice. Back to my online TA. Who ALWAYS calls me back the same day. And gives both good service and a good price. 

We are in are in at $11,100 for 21 days on Rotterdam in February not including insurance. Cat VS stern deck 6. Booked last January. Pretty much incudes drinks (15/day) gratuities,  $625 onboard credit, 3 excursions, and WI-FI. May not be the best deal, but we are happy with it. 

17 hours ago, seagarsmoker said:

Yes, the gift shop sells single cartons.  They usually only have name brands and discounts on buying 3 or 5 cartons in a bundle. 

Thank you and all of the others that replied. 

Does HAL still sell cartons of cigarettes aboard?

Never. 

Thank you all for the insights. We will probably pass on the cabanas. Our stateroom is one of the Deck 6 balconies on the stern. I suspect that if we want to get away from the crowds at the pool area, the balcony will suffice. 

I contacted HAL by phone yesterday and got the $100 credit easily. We are booked on Rotterdam for a 21 day B to B next February (Cat VS) so it is a relatively small amount, but every little bit helps. 

Will be interested in seeing the results. USN, Retired 

Well, somebody has to be the contrarian here with reference to the Embassy Suites. I will freely concede that the rooms could stand some “updating “, but the beds are very comfortable and we enjoy having the balcony with access to some fresh air. The included breakfast has just about everything one could want including made to order eggs. Have always enjoyed the evening happy hour and it’s a nice way to meet fellow cruisers. 

49 minutes ago, dockman said:

15 drinks a day? really?  even with water and coffees who the heck would ever drink that much UNLESS they are hell bent on getting their moneys "worth"....talk about a package that encourages people to overindulge....

For the record, at 75 I’m way too old to consume that much fluid in one day. But it’s nice to know that we can have what we want when we want it without having to keep track of additional charges. It was a very good deal through my TA back when few folks were booking anything. 

1 hour ago, Sailnsurf said:

Could not agree more with the views expressed. HAL' new Pinnacle class ships are moving in the wrong direction. I will only sail in the older smaller ships. Hope HAL is listrning.

I really do disagree. The Pinnacle ships (aside from the skinny promenade) are far superior to the older ships. Much better entertainment. Larger pools, with some decent shady areas. The size of the ships allow for more dining choices. Our first HAL cruise was many years ago on the old Ryndam and we loved it enough to return to HAL repeatedly. 

How many shares must one have to get the credit.?  How much is it?  We are doing a B to B for 21 days next February. 

I appreciate the replies. Maybe it is time to switch things up. My wife and I did  stay at the Riverside a number of years ago and it was fine.

On 6/10/2022 at 9:46 PM, George C said:

Embassy suites has really gone downhill, last stay was terrible, I also had liked it in the past.

Could you please be a bit more specific?  Have stayed there many times and am aware that it is an older property. Have always enjoyed the morning buffet and the later afternoon drinks.  Has something drastically changed?