crystalspin

Only the Premium Internet can be bought before sailing. Since installation StarLink on some ships and the removal of Social as an internet level, I have not seen the on-board prices for Surf. So many people are getting it with HIA... I believe the on board, per-day prices are US$29.99/day for Surf and 34.99 for Premium (can't find the page that shows that, it is late here), but the cost per day drops off significantly if bought for whole or remainder of cruise.

You cannot prepay for Surf, only Premium. So many people are getting Surf with HIA that I don't think anyone has posted their Surf rate. You can figure it will be less than Premium prepaid, but not by a whole lot! As far as a "single device" be advised that is a single device at a time. You can use more than one device and more than one person can use the plan. Just one at a time. ETA: the second person trying to log on will have the option to kick the other person off! No warning for the first person!

Yes wait until tomorrow at least (after Labor Day holiday).

If I'm understanding correctly, the Navigator app is immaterial. You can share a single Premium plan if you can live with one person on at a time.

You have more than made up for the $71 vs $50 pppd HIA with the gratuities and $200 OBC (I calculate that that makes the rest of the HIA $44 pppd). That doesn't take into consideration the Premium Wifi (with audio and video sites/apps not blocked) and the Elite Beverage Package. You can ask for better brands (but most you could already have asked for) per Roger's website: https://rogerjett-photography.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Beverage-Package-Contents.pdf The wines are really where the Elite stands out.

Pre-pandemic and pre-StarLink launch, when there were three levels of wifi, Premium bought pre-cruise was just a little more than Surf bought on board. While I don't know if that is still true, you can check the rate for Premium on your cruise: Under the "BEFORE YOU LEAVE / 321 Days Until Departure find * Purchase Packages & Gifts (click) Under PACKAGES & GIFTS, click Internet You will see Premium Internet Plan (Price) and Multi-Device Premium Internet (price). Do not be fooled to think you need the Multi-Device if both want to access as long as you can live with not using AT THE SAME TIME. The only Mariner discount is Up to us$30 credit toward any internet package for Five Star only.

Midnight to midnight was always my understanding, BUT we got espresso drinks before leaving the ship on last morning. I didn't notice if there were charges for them. Maybe someone else can say for sure? Cold water from dispenser in the Lido, just use a glass to transfer the water to the bottle. Or use the water from your sink and put in the fridge overnight, or add ice from your bucket. It is all the same water! You should be able to take your friend's card key and get them a drink on it at the same time. Especially after the first time when they will get to know your pattern!

I washed everything myself on a 26-day TransAtlantic + Mediterranean, including man's khakis, before I learned from @kazu and others on here, about how good HAL laundry is. Can't wait to try the hang-dry option on our 35-day cruise next year! Just allow for hang-dry to take an extra day to be returned to you.

You can usually if not always take sealed snacks like granola bars ashore, or back on board.

Roger @Crew News has a wonderful website with this page: https://rogerjett-photography.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Beverage-Package-Contents.pdf

The large (tub-length) shower in our Vista Suite on K'dam did have the pull-out clothesline. Pic #5 in this gallery shows it, way up high: https://halfacts.com/pinnacle-class/4111-koningsdam/ I don't remember if the short/square shower-only on Observation Deck of Zuiderdam had a clothesline option.

I believe it is all the launderers. The added dollars with the personal laundry may also be pooled. Don't know about the unlimited, as we never bought it. Maybe the service charge is built in to the cost per day... That would be somewhat out of character for HAL, but it could be true!

Pete! Thank you so much for your well-reasoned explanation. I think our former difference in opinion on room service waiters is resolved -- we only get room service on early-excursion port days! I have also (as you noted) encountered our MDR waiter on the gangway, welcoming us back at Sitka AK. It was quite a relief, actually, as I was able to ask if "little Mama" (my step-mom, as opposed to "tall Mama", my mom) had come back aboard -- as she had gone off to get coffee and not been on the last shuttle with us. She had gone on ahead! Whew. I actually do leave $10 for a single-night stay land-side (and $5/day + $10 for the full-make-up last day for extended stays), but your math is sound. I will keep it in mind on future cruises!

Thanks to Roger, our @Crew News, I have this breakdown of where the Crew Appreciation goes. As of six years ago (with no reason to think the allotment has changed), the percentages were: 30% Room Steward(s) 30% Waiters 40% Those who work behind the scenes supporting the passengers (laundry, cooks, cleaning crews, etc.) Non-passenger support crew (lifeboat drivers, engine folks, etc.). While looking for that breakdown, I came across a post by @kazu two years ago that cited an announcement from HAL that they were adding an 18% service fee to Specialty Restaurants and added charge items in other venues including Room Service. It read as if it didn't apply to no-charge Room Service, and I will continue to tip (quickly) the Room Service volunteer! As far as additional tipping, 30% of either $16 or $17.50 is about $5, times two persons. I add $20 each per week for the (usually) two room stewards. I do not favor the chief steward over the assistant! they both work so hard and LONG. We have decided that eating in the Lido (or specialty restaurants) suits us well, and mostly do not develop "relationships" with the wait-people, but I do remember the names of particularly pleasant ones for the Let Us Know opportunity! I add a dollar or two daily to the slips for coffee and/or bar service (in addition to the 18% the Beverage Package covers). Now that we have unlimited laundry, I will be putting a couple USD in the bag! When we have travelled with family, we chose early seating in MDR, and did tip our regular servers above the automatic. But I don't remember how much it worked out to. All of this is just our approach. As long as you don't remove the Hotel Service Charge (as it was once called), and recommend those who positively influence your experience, you will be doing fine.

Unless you are doing a sail-by to Antarctica, you will probably not see very cold weather. It will be like September to Alaska. We did Santiago to BA in November; like May in the northern hemisphere. I bought down-vests for the three of us to layer. They were never worn! I wore my long-john shirts around the ship as a single layer (they were bright colors), because I had packed them instead of "regular" shirts. Layers are always good, but look up historical weather and don't make the same mistakes I did!

You didn't provide your cruiseline. Probably you should have and the topic been moved to that board. We did a 16-day back-to-back on Holland America last New Years Eve and January. Honestly did not notice anything that could be put down to cuts. Yes, we were asked would we like the single make-up of the cabin to be morning or night. Realistically, I only make my own bed once a day at home! We were so happy with the comfortable venues all around the ship. As far as the music -- we enjoy classical and understand that genre has been halted for now -- less a matter of cuts for COVID and more for the exorbitant fees of Lincoln Center. We can't wait for our next 35-day cruise on the same ship!

Four in a standard room would certainly be cheaper. But it should be a no-go for four adults! Look for two connecting rooms -- made up as twinbeds. You will each have a bed NOT four inches from the ceiling, and only sharing the bathroom (and storage) with one other person.

As far as I know, you can only purchase Premium (not Surf) before sailing. When there were three levels, pre-purchasing Premium made it just a little more than Surf. You can purchase either on board, but I don't know the prices for the whole cruise length. I have three 35-day bookings. One with standard HIA, one with Premium HIA, and one with no HIA (yet). All three show Premium available to purchase for the whole trip (under Packages) -- for $395.99, or $11.31/day. Far less than the $35/day shown in the link I embedded above! I have heard you can upgrade the Surf plan to the Premium onboard, for either $5/day or $10/day. But have not done so. My February cruise has the Surf plan; I will try to remember to check what the upgrade would be!

You might ask in a new thread. The "veering" of this thread just has more people singing the praises of the Tamarind!

Hi Di and welcome to posting on Cruise Critic! If you are looking for independent tours, that discussion is limited to Roll Call threads. Unfortunately no one has started one for your cruise segment. That means you have this very active World Cruise Grand Voyage thread to comb through! https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2798924-zuiderdam-jan-3-2024-grand-world-voyage/#comment-61736826 To make it easier, you can search the thread only, for ports you are interested in. Search field is top right and the default is "search this topic" meaning thread.

We have a Fashion/Beauty board where you might like to post the question: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/107-cruise-fashions-amp-beauty/

Pete, I think highly of your contributions, but I think you are wrong here. My understanding is the (at least breakfast) room service is provided by volunteers from the dining crew. I know I have opened the door to find our NIGHTTIME dining steward pushing the breakfast tray. I do not believe they get any additional "tip pool" for this but volunteer in the hopes of additional tips. Even though they do not linger with plaintiff eyes! That's why I always have the dollars (1-3?) on the ready.

Hi Cat! and welcome to Cruise Critic! I just love that you two are late 40s and have alternative presentation. Although I am about to turn 65, I think I don't dress it! I have gone through multiple styles (including 50's shirtwaists with cardies! and about a decade of wearing salwar kameez) and currently wearing pocket leggings and rayon tunics most of the time. I am also so happy that you got solid direction from @Cruzaholic41 just above this. I have not sailed any of your three short-list lines. I was going to suggest you lurk on the sub-boards to see if you "felt welcome". Viking Ocean is here: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/689-viking-ocean/ We are HAL-fankids ourselves; we did take my older 30's half-sister along with my stepmom, to Alaska. They had a blast. But -- my sis could make friends in a coal mine! We had one cruise on RCCL, on a smaller ship, the Rhapsody of the Seas -- I think you would have liked it! The Elite Loyalty crowd was snooty but kept to themselves. There were a number of alternate life-style couples that we met, and the Attrium entertainment was much more upbeat than HAL.

That is right. Cruise Wi-Fi Plans & Internet Packages (hollandamerica.com) ETA: as Ruth supports

I have speculated that they break down the allocation of HSC (Hotel Service Charge aka gratuities etc) and if you don't appear on MDR or a specialty restaurant, they assume that you ate in the Lido... but perhaps I give their IT too much credit!