crystalspin

I am not an experienced Caribbean cruiser, but I tried to look into this. It seems to me that for a Nov'23 cruise, there will be no further excursions added. We have a So.Pacific cruise booked with only ONE ship's excursion available for TWO of the ports! Especially after the shut-down, some ports simply do not have vendors to offer tours. I think you should go to the individual ports here: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/456-caribbean/ and see what others are experiencing. I know you are not looking for independent tours but to use your HIA credits, but that would give you a view on the situation.

May I suggest you (1) Determine which lines sail from your home-port or ports. Where you would like to sail from. If you don't mind flying to a departure port, you can ignore this step, but flying is a major impediment for many people, especially after the pandemic. Both in cost, unreliability (having to fly multiple days ahead of time and pay for lodging for those days, for example), and discomfort in the planes themselves. (2) look at the websites and "dummy book" some comparable cruises on different lines. and (3) come back here and browse/read the day's posts on those cruiselines' "boards" here on Cruise Critic. You may find that one board is very helpful, another all about saving money, another about the biggest party scene. Just guessing!

The Nieuw Statendam sails SEP 8, 2023 to SEP 17, 2023 Dover to Civitavecchia (London to Rome) on its 9-Day Iberian Adventure next month. That is the only Dover departure showing on the website, since the 2025 cruises are not listed.

Your Roll Call is here:

No. Originally they came with the USE OF a miniature water-feature (noise-maker), an iPod dock, and a not-new yoga mat (ew), plus some vitamin water you could drink, but I see none of those in this video from May '22. So, location near the Spa, but no included services there. Also elevator close the Crows Nest! But some people prefer NOT to be high and forward. I have speculated that HAL re-classified some cabins that were not selling well, to make them seem more desirable!

I found another video (same orientation cabin on Rotterdam deck 7). At time-stamp 19-20 seconds it shows there is a door into the closet immediately perpendicular to the room's door. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uY7uvuvrdEQ

This video is 3 doors away from your cabin, so yours will be the left-right mirror image (i.e. the head of bed will be on the RIGHT as you face the balcony). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFzWjqG2CGo

As you can see from my signature, I am at least a HAL fan-girl and sometimes called a cheerleader. I think you should choose the 7-day Alaska Explorer (R/T Seattle) on the Eurodam. You should take an excursion at Juneau that takes you to Auke Bay to see the resident pod of humpback whales. Mendenhall Glacier has retreated so much it is quite a trek to even get to where you see it across the melt-pond. But you will have a nice long day at Glacier Bay; the captain will turn the boat constantly so you can get good views from your own balcony. At Sitka, take a multi-focus tour that includes at least the otter-viewing boat ride (you will see other wildlife, too, including more whales) and the Fortress of the Bears. Ours also included the Raptor Rescue Center, which was OK; there is also an EASY forest trail with time to stroll at the end of the educational presentation. There was also time to wander into the town (there was a shuttle). At Ketchikan, if you are not wanting to drop the big bucks, you might look into a non-ship excursion that takes you to one or more of the three? totem pole parks. The state park requires the most walking but gives you a taste of what it's like outside the town. You will see bald eagles on trees everywhere, like seagulls! When to go? I am partial to June and the long hours of daylight, especially considering the late time in Juneau. The whales are SO active because they are just back in the nutrient-rich northern waters, and the babies are still "cute" having been born around Hawaii over the winter. Our last/third AK cruise was in August 2018, and we hoped to see bears in the wild fishing for salmon, but they had very disappointing salmon runs just about everywhere that year. This itinerary is published for the rest of this year, 2024, and 2025. Just click the "More Dates and Fares" below the first dates shown. https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/find-a-cruise.html#{!tag=destinationTag}destinationIds=A&{!tag=departTag}departDate=&{!tag=durationTag}duration=6-8&{!tag=embarkTag}embarkPortCode=&{!tag=portsTag}portsOfCall=SIT&{!tag=shipsTag}shipId=ED&{!tag=regionTag}regions=&{!tag=cruisetypeTag}cruiseType=&soldOut=false&sort=&group.sort=&start=0

@AKJonesy mentioned the very small space outside 6102's door, like a broom closet maybe. It runs in the same location from Deck 5 to Deck 8. It could be NOTHING (just load-bearing support for the stairwell?), and even if it is a closet, it only connects to your room behind the sink in the bathroom, totally distant from your sleeping area or even sitting area. You have a prize cabin, keep it!

Here is the same cabin location (and same number, which isn't always true esp. with the Rotterdam).

Try asking here: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/47-south-america/ And here: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/16-celebrity-cruises/ Welcome to posting on Cruise Critic! I hope you get answers.

Did they call them "Upsells"? While it's been awhile since I got an offer (as I said above), I thought HAL used "paid upgrade" and "complimentary upgrade", and that Upsell was a Cruise Critic term.

I found the "package" but no pics. I would rather spend the money on floral arrangement of my choosing, let the photographer(s) all around the ship (especially on Gala nights) take any number of photos, and buy the one or ones I like free of the "$15 photo credit". But that's just me!

Welcome to Cruise Critic! As @navybankerteacher said, there wouldn't be a fixed answer due to variations in price between sailings on the same ship, etc. However there ARE answers about larger cabins within the same category on a particular class of ships, such as the larger Inside cabins on the Holland America Signature Class ships (just for example). The cruiseline may figure out a way to charge more for them, such as by assigning them a more desirable sub-category!

Hi Kazzy, It appears that the Noordam has an upper deck that is not secret. It is called the Observation Deck (although it is on the Sports Deck 11 and NOT the Observation Deck 10). It is reached from a stairway just aft of the aft corner of the Crows Nest (formerly known as the Captain's Corner), Deck 10. Photos on CruiseDeckPlans.com show LINES of empty deck loungers!

Here is a gallery, with written details, for a similar cabin one deck up on the Koningsdam (sister ship to the Nieuw Statendam). https://halfacts.com/pinnacle-class/6127-koningsdam/

I would not have expected elevator noise nor even the BING noises to come through the walls. And in fact on CruiseDeckPlans, someone in your neighboring inside 5108, reported "Very quiet location but sofa not usable for seating." There are photos of the sofa with room for a person's legs just the depth of the width of the nightstand. Possibly the approach to that space may have been too tight for easy access?

When we were on the K'dam last January, the cans were 12oz (or appeared to be) and were pop-top with no re-sealing. We will be taking personal bottles to pour them into for convenience, esp. for excursions!

I would have to say, SOMETIMES. I guess it would be obvious -- they must have better rooms available! We did get and take a "paid upgrade" offer on the Zaandam in 2014, that was great for three adults from an OV to a Vista Suite. Next HAL cruise was through a mail-order travel agency that probably would not have contacted us with any offers. Subsequently we have always marked our reservations, NO UPGRADE, because we book the cabin we want.

Yes, the coffee drinks and beers have a cost or use of your drink package. The fresh food items are complimentary! (I noted "fresh food" including cooked food, because I noticed they do have some packaged Dutch snacks or candy for sale as well.)

You have to watch and call/email your PCC or have your TA handle it. Re-faring is actually re-booking without the risk of losing your desired cabin, so there have to be available rooms in your catagory. AND, perks will be the current ones which may be different to what you originally booked under.

Did you read post #303?

There are additional fee entrees, but I read that the fee for a second starter has been removed.

The OBC in my profile is dated Aug 9 (the Sail By date is Aug 9 2027 anyway). I thought I registered my AARP number quicker than that. I have two cruises booked after June 24'23. Guess I'll get my PCC to look and see if I can apply to them!

There is no way to edit a post older than a few minutes. Many people put their cruise history and/or future booked cruises in their signatures. See mine below! This is accomplished via your profile in the top right corner of most CC screens ON THE COMPUTER. I am on my phone and do not know if it's possible from here! If you can't find it by just looking, I or someone else will come back with the step-by-step.