crystalspin

But Carnival is saying this is the only way we get our benefits???

We won't have the answer to your question until the day you leave! (That's when we get back from So.Pacific,) I see no Roll Call for either leg of your Collector cruise. If you want to start Roll Calls, be aware that Cruise Critic's rule is that each segment (that can be booked alone) needs to have its own Roll Call, i.e. one for March 23, and one for April 6.

The Navigator will not allow you to reach anyone off ship. You put your phone in Airplane Mode and open Navigator, similar to a Local Area Network or intranet.

It doesn't appear so (so far). As the cost was not different by the ship during these months when some did, some did not, have the new capability. "Social" level is no more, so I guess you could say the minimum package ("Surf") is probably more than it was. https://www.hollandamerica.com/en/onboard-packages/cruise-ship-wifi

I read somewhere -- The entire HAL fleet will have Starlink by the end of 2023. ETA: the "somewhere" was probably a discussion on Cruise Critic!

Cabin is above the carpeted dining room and not the galley (kitchen). In general, being UNDER noisy area is much worse than over (especially galleys). You should be fine! Enjoy your cruise!

In our K'dam Vista Suite last New Years, I believe they were in the cabinet that defines the sleeping from the sitting room. Unless I moved them there! But definitely in the room.

We stayed in an "inside with a window" on the Zuidy before shutdown, and really liked the location on the Observation Deck. So we are booked in a Verandah on that deck for the Zuiderdam Voyage of the Vikings 2024. The balcony is small compared to many others, but we're good with that. (It was a $240pp upcharge compared to the lowest forward Verandah). I think you should pick an aft Verandah to move up to! You know you like it, as we know we like ours.

Just a shot-gun mailing I think. Of my six bookings, only one doesn't already have HIA. But it's a 35-day cruise (Voyage of Vikings), so $5pppd is $350 that I'd rather spend somewhere else on board! So I will be meeting this deadline and not waiting to see what Black Friday holds. Clever idea at HQ!

OBC = On Board Credit I don't get the outrage.

I'm going with this guess. HAL and weekends often equal frustration!

From the first FAQ: "Items such as sodas, energy drinks or other non-alcoholic items are not allowed on board in any form. Plastic water bottles are not allowed. However, an allowance of six liters, twelve (12) cans or cartons (500 ml in volume or less) or six (6) cans or cartons (1 liter in volume or less) of water are allowed per stateroom. Any amount in excess of this allowance will be not be allowed onboard. Water in plastic bottles will not be allowed onboard in any quantity, including in ports of call. Guests will be asked to discard open beverages in plastic containers prior to boarding."

Welcome to Cruise Critic and to the Holland America board! We have cruised mostly on HAL and have made use of (about equally): ship's excursions, private tours, and "just wandering around" including hailing cabs. We have had excellent experiences with all of those variations, and only a few bloopers. Which can happen on your own, too! For example, the Hop-on-Hop-off buses in Cartagena Columbia, Barcelona, and Monte Carlo were tremendous wastes of time. Despite having used them very successfully in Dublin and Copenhagen when staying land-based on our own. What itineraries are you thinking of? There is a section on CC that can help with most: Ports of Call divided by region -- https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/2-ports-of-call/

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en/us/onboard-experiences/suites-staterooms

I believe the Navigator smartphone app lists the cruise's MDR menus a little while before sailaway. (Roger @Crew News can you help me here?), at which time you can adjust your specialty reservations. Also be aware of the new Canaletto nightly specials, esp. on longer cruises. The cycle starts on the first full day (Canaletto is closed on embarkation day, currently) and runs: three days Fish, two days Beef, two days Scallops, three days "chops" -- which may or may not be Veal-Lamb-Veal, chef's choice -- and then start again. Good luck getting it all worked out!

We were on the Kdam over the past New Year and celebrated our anniversary on NYE at Rudi's. You make me very happy that my husband did not give into my cajoling to have the sole! He had either catch of the day or sea bass, and it may say something that neither of us remembers which. I had lamb because I always have lamb where available. I think we had one each of the hot and cold smoked salmon for first course and something-something (not the souffle) for dessert. Not a particularly notable dinner, even without your disasters! One and done. PS, the best lamb on the ship was in Canaletto. Where the officers prefer to eat.

For real? Because Holland America (a Carnival subsidiary) has Platinum cancellation protection with some medical coverage that covers any age, any condition, and CFAR as far as not being able to make the cruise, up to and including sailaway.

Hi IslandWoman! You do not have to spend $300 in one day, but rather the sum at the end of your cruise is totalled and applied to the first two persons in a cabin (third does not get spending credits). See my preceding message to BlackDuck, if you have HIA or a beverage package. The first time you send in laundry, you can check off "Unlimited" and it will be charged for all of the days. So no need to hold out, send away! You will still need to itemize each bag you send to help them keep everything accounted for.

Hi Blackduck! My observation is that SBP (or HIA) is figured as if you had drunk the full 15 drinks per day (x2) at the full $11/drink. Since that is $330/day for two in a stateroom, no other spending needs to be done as $-days cannot exceed actual days.

That's what we had to do on the Rhapsody of the Seas in 2018. An oversized plastic glass although maybe not Big Gulp big. It was cumbersome!

Yes, on or just before the gangway, with a backdrop. Now that I know they get paid on # photos snapped and not sold, I have decided to let them shoot away (unless the wait is too long).

July 20, 2024 Zuiderdam 35 day Voyage of the Vikings (Boston RT)

Hi Shiner! I only saw your thread after it had been re-named and moved. I saw at once that you meant saving space on the plane (not managing space in the cruise cabin). My tricks for carry-on-only airline travels are: (1) only liquids and pastes go in the 3-1-1 bag. This means separating your toothbrush from toothpaste, razor from shaving cream, detangler comb from shampoo. BUT the solid items can go it a sturdier, larger, non-ziplock bag! (2) just because you can bring 3oz (3.4oz to be exact) of any one thing, that doesn't mean you should. I have 1-, 2-, and 3-oz go-toobs, and several go-tubs (much smaller) for specific things. Not sure how much shampoo you need? Fill the middle-sized tube and put it in your shower, mark the calendar! (3) MEDICINES -- guaifenesin and dextromethorphan are available in tablet form so you won't have to try to purchase cough syrup onboard or in ports! Final thoughts: it is not only when flying that deleting extra things makes sense. We will be driving to our next (35-day!) cruise, but I still plan to pack slightly over one-week's clothing for each of us, and use the ship's laundry. (HAL has VERY good laundry, following special-care instructions.) Everything you pack, has to be re-packed! And, it seems to grow!

Are you using an incognito browser window? That is what most of us have had to resort to. You can also clear your cookies, but it crashes your other signons and wears off very soon.

I do not eat foie gras. Last winter on the K'dam, I tried the lamb in all four specialty restaurants, and the Canaletto had the best flavor and texture for chops/rack. The lamb rogan josh curry in the Lido was good. Watched on the app for the MDR to have lamb; when lamb shanks were on the menu -- we couldn't get a reservation before 9pm at a shared table! So we missed that. (Did not understand that half the As You Wish tables were saved for walk ups. Would try that now, but not hold up much hope.)