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Ah ha! Pea soup and a Bossche Bol! Getting the party started the right way! 😉 The rubber ducky store is some cruiser's dream....not for me.....but some cruisers!! Thanks for doing this Live From @Mike B Landlubber! ~Nancy

More info

Your question is answered in this current thread, I believe. ~Nancy

I asked on another thread but didn't see if anyone answered.....are there any other mass market cruise lines that have a priest on all sailings? (I know Crystal usually has a priest, but it isn't mass market.) Thanks, ~Nancy

@BEAV I haven't taken the ferry across to Tiburon or Sausalito in years! You have given me a great idea! Thanks!! 🙂 ~Nancy

@GottaKnowWhen Your pictures were fantastic and brought back recent memories of Norway from this June! Thank you. ~Nancy

@Btimmer Oh darn! I hope your ship can avoid any unpleasant seas from the storm. Glacier Bay is great, but Hubbard Glacier is very prone to impressive calving. Wishing you a wonderful day in Glacier Bay! ~Nancy

Welcome to Cruise Critic @Safdax! If you are looking for someone to share meals with on your cruise, then the place to do that as well as share all kinds of other info specific to your cruise is on the Holland America Zaandam Roll Call threads. You can also request to be seated at a table sharing with others when you go to the Main Dining Room (MDR). If your cruise is this year from September 30, 2024 to November 20, 2024, then this is your Roll Call: Have fun! ~Nancy

There are always new "Sales" coming in the future! ~Nancy

The current All-Inclusive Upgrade also includes all gratuities and $200 OBC. "All-Inclusive upgrade — with Wi-Fi, unlimited wine, beer and cocktails, and all gratuities — plus a $200 onboard credit per stateroom" ~Nancy

@kool kruiser I will be reading along as your report unfolds. Thank you for writing this for us! Last time I cruised Crystal in 2019, the sparkling wine offered (not Champagne) was Roederer Estate Brut. I thought it was good and have bought it at their winery here in California. It's about $25 at my local Total Wine store. Your taste is yours so certainly drink what you prefer! I'm glad a good French champagne, Jacquart, is offered on board as well! Do you remember what the sparkling wine they served is? Is it still Roederer? ~Nancy

I'm with you! The flowers I have had in my cabin have always been very nice and festive! ~Nancy

Copied today from HAL "Know Before You Go": " For the safety of all guests and crew, scooters and other mobility equipment need to be securely stored and charged in the guest’s stateroom and not in hallways or elevator lobbies. Scooters left in these areas could restrict people needing to travel through these areas in an emergency, particularly other guests using mobility aids, since they would have no way of getting by a scooter left in a hallway. " ~Nancy

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Maybe I'm just paying closer attention to the afternoon snacks, but they seem to be much more inventive than what I saw posted even a year ago! Almost all of them we have seen in the last couple of weeks look very tasty to me! Thanks for sharing the pictures. ~Nancy

Does anyone know why HAL doesn't use a better hotel in Anchorage? Is there any hotel that is better? All hotels in Anchorage are expensive, even for "standard" types of accommodations.

Thank you, Lisa! ~Nancy

@Cruise Junky Can you elaborate a bit on why you were disappointed in the drinks? You can order all kinds of "proper cocktail" drinks that don't contain sugar with the drinks package. (The menus only list the special drinks they have at that bar.) For example, you can get martinis, rum and coke, gin and tonic, straight whiskeys, shots, etc., as well as beer or wine. What would you like that you couldn't get? Just curious! Thanks, ~Nancy

Oh, how interesting! I didn't know it was possible to see even a picture of the aurora with the phone camera. It really works!! Thanks for this! ~Nancy

@LAFFNVEGAS I always appreciate your Live Froms with lots of good info and pictures! On the Zuiderdam Trans Atlantic in May 2024 the waiters did the march through the dining room on one of the last nights. It's the first I've seen on HAL and I'm not a fan actually. Seems kind of cheesy for a line that caters to a more well-traveled/seasoned demographic. Am I just a party pooper or do most folks on HAL enjoy the marching around? 🤷‍♀️ ~Nancy

Your HAL specific questions can probably be answered by what @syesmar suggested. The "Whatsinport" site has lots of general port information worldwide. Japan cruise ports of call in Japan (whatsinport.com) Have a wonderful time! ~Nancy

@ryndam Thanks for the tequila info! I have not bought liquor overseas before because I also don't want to carry a heavy bottle back. It's good to know that CA prices are lower than those Walmart Puerto Vallarta prices for anyone who thought they could get a deal there! 🍹 Also, can you please tell us what that lower snack is in your picture. It looks like some kind of smoked fish to me. ~Nancy

"Gelato Shovel" 😁 @ryndam I'm enjoying the detailed report! Thank you for the observations and pictures! I'm looking into my possible first return to Crystal in 2026. After the abrupt shutdown I had made my 2024 and 2025 big travel plans already......like many folks I suspect. ~Nancy

I also don't see how both lines would share the island because of the drink charges, as mentioned, but also the crew from the ship are the ones bringing the food and drinks over from the ship and staffing the food and bars. Sounds too confusing and crowded for sure! ~Nancy

Yes, there is a separate line for US immigration when leaving YVR to return to the US. There was a separate line also at Canada Place pier, but I was last there two years ago and I believe things have changed a little since then. A recent cruiser will hopefully answer that one. I last used Global Entry coming back from Norway to SFO in July and I sailed right through immigration with my facial recognition on Global Entry line....which didn't actually have a line! Well worth having! Have a great trip to Alaska! ~Nancy