crystalspin

1156 is the port-side opposite of 1147, so each of these photos should be reversed right to left to be equivalent to yours: https://halfacts.com/pinnacle-class/1147-koningsdam/ I *think* that means your Pullman will be over the sofa (that pulls out like a double bed). IOW, your bed, sofa, and pullman will be on the RIGHT as you come in the room and look at the window. Now, we don't know why some pullmans are over the main bed and some are over the sofa, so the rule of thumb that opposite cabins are the same except right-left mirror images MAY not hold true. But there you have it!

@kluv2cruz Here is the uTube to go with those four cabins that sunviking linked to:

I bought the three pack @dobiemom shows above. I haven't used them yet, but they seem perfect. In fact, I'm reminded I want to try one at my wine-pouring nook here at home, so I don't have to turn on the dining room light!

Symphony OTS. Because the ABC Isles are on my bucket list and 2 of the 3 is better than none of the three! I have only sailed Rhapsody OTS with RCCL, a smaller ship, but still lots of fun.

As this fully made up for five people picture shows, even if the pullman is over the sofabed, it will not be like upper and lower bunks, because the sofa pulls out like a bed from the wall. https://halfacts.com/pinnacle-class/1157-koningsdam/

Here is our own @rafinmd explaining the pull-down bunk's placement: https://halfacts.com/pinnacle-class/1021-nieuw-statendam/ Unfortunately, his theory doesn't hold for the five K'dam Family OVs which have 3 over the sofa (either shown or described), and two shown over the bed, and not all of the placements are near the window. https://halfacts.com/pinnacle-class/ So it looks like it's the luck of the draw unless you are in one of the five in the halfacts galleries. Where it is still luck but you will know in advance!

@daddyslittle girlYou do not have to go inland, and you certainly do not have to take a cruiseline cruise-tour. While we did take my mom from Seward to Fairbanks, renting a car for two weeks and staying in Seward, Palmer, and Healy (for Denali), our next two trips were cruise-only and we took a total of seven other family members in addition to my mom, between those. We only went as far as Fairbanks bc there was a volcano spewing ash that was causing flights to be cancelled from Anchorage and we needed to get home after three weeks! Holland America and Princess are the two lines with the longest and most history in Alaska. I recommend HAL because their cabins are much more comfortable -- you have to book at least a mini-suite to get a small sofa on Princess! If possible, choose a longer than 7-day cruise, one that visits Sitka. At Sitka do the Otters-and-Eagles-and-Bears (oh my) shore excursion. If your cruise calls in Skagway, take the train-one-way, bus-back-down excursion -- then you can get a feel for the extent of the land, as well as the history of the gold rush. I do not know if HAL is offering a cruise that does both Sitka and Skagway... And it would be hard to choose... At Juneau take a whale watching boat trip. At Ketchikan, if you are not affording a pricy excursion, take one to a totem-pole sites and/or the native village one. Glacier Bay is very special, but my family that experienced both GB and Hubbard Glacier were nearly divided on which was better. Hubbard Glacier is very blue!

Yay for you! You have thought this through, including your St.Louis trial train trip. I hope it all goes well and put you back NearTheSea!

I will suggest reading on each of your short-list cruiselines "boards" on Cruise Critic. I have been able to form opinions about the culture of the clientele that way. I won't say it's going to be 100% accurate, but it helped cement my guesses that were formed from the lines' advertisements! ETA: Welcome to Cruise Critic!

Cross the bridge when you get your assignment. My family has stayed in the H-category 3372-3380 on the port side midships and even though they are under white galley space, it must be deep storage as we heard nothing on either Zaandam or Volendam. There are only four H oceanviews fully under the galley 3388 3383 3398 3393 as well as ten under the forward theater. There are also E and EE under the galley as well as HH. 3403/3406 and aft are under the dining room and no worry.

Ols, is this not true, then, of Pinnacle Class ships? I just semi-scolded (well, informed) someone on my RollCall that leaving her aft door open to hear the wake, would affect the HVAC for the whole section... What about the Vista Class ships?

The new AARP on board credit only applies to new bookings. Not sure about the Military one.

199 to San Diego (Hawaii/Tahiti).

My good friend from back east (and her husband) spent the summer last year as "camp hosts" somewhere in New Mexico and LOVED IT. I need to drop her a line and find out where they are this summer. They have a Casita, FWIW, not a big rig.

White-out your account number but NOT your address (which must agree). What a difference an Oxford comma can make.

@sailing canary -- I meant to point out that both my husband and I are people of size. If you are not, OR can find trousers that weigh less/pack thinner, you might get another full outfit (bottoms and two to three tops) in there! Or as my life-sized sister said about our petite half-sister -- "She could pack a different dress for each day and fit them in a band-aid box!"

@mjcooks201 You should read what @PACD_JG has to say about the difference between Vista Suite and Verandah cabins.

It is obstructed by a tender (tenders are larger/taller than lifeboats). And you would be in the middle of the tender, so not much if any looking at the water. Lots of sky! This gallery of pics of a nearby cabin: https://halfacts.com/pinnacle-class/4142-nieuw-statendam/ Has a note that it was quiet and the tender blocked the wind. You would be centered on the tender, while they were a little closer to the front of the boat.

Welcome to Cruise Critic! It seems you are all in, from your screen name. Holland America is the pickleball cruise line and has a pretty nice Mariner Society loyalty program. No benefits for a naval history though, if that is what you mean by Sailor. https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/mariner-society.html

Phone calls over the phone will be more expensive than buying internet... which may also be a bit spotty so far from the equatorial satellites. But if you get ships internet, be sure to get Premium for any audio or moving-video apps: Cruise Wi-Fi Plans & Internet Packages (hollandamerica.com)

Cherie: The only way you are supposed to bring wine on in ports is (I believe) one bottle per person IF you go on a ships tour of a vineyard/winery. If you buy wine (or other alcohol), you can surrender it and have it returned to you on the last night for packing.

My husband and I are not particularly joiners of activities. On sea days he has breakfast (Lido) while I sleep in, join him to get espresso drinks at the Exploration Cafe (in the Crows Nest) then relax there, reading our Kindles, until we get restless. Then we might go to the Grand Dutch Cafe, or a walk around the Promenade. Then back to the Crows Nest to drink boat drinks (!). On the K'dam, the trivia was held in the "Music Walk" (the Rolling Stone Rock Room and/or Billboard Onboard), which made the Crows Nest SO much nicer. So I let your questions simmer on the back burner while I made dinner and visited with my mom, then came back to think of THE TRUE ANSWER. Roger Jett has the When-And-Wheres (the daily programs) for a Caribbean cruise on the Rotterdam no less!!! Thanks to @Crew News I give you: https://rogerjett-photography.com/specialty-2/on-locations-specific-cruises/ms-rotterdam-7-day-western-caribbean-when-where-2022-23/ As far as age group. My husband says "HAL markets to 55-60 year-olds (he is 76 hahaha). What do I primarily see? I am not very good at judging, but I would say 60... plus or minus 30 years. Sorry I can't be more specific! But I can say, either there are very few children, or the kids' clubs are back in the swing and keeping them busy.

The bag will be in your closet in the basket. It is a pretty good size and canvas, and there are no limits to what you can send, if it fits the bag. You need to list what is in the bag. This is what we got in a bag:

If you're looking for "help" deciding between the two ships, they are both Pinnacle Class (the largest and newest in the HAL fleet). The experience will be very similar. It appears (1) the website is not showing me all the choices -- no 17 days, only longer combined cruises, and (2) one ship will leave from the Mediterranean (Rome?) and the other from the north of Europe, likely Rotterdam. You should make your choice depending on where you would like to spend a few days pre-cruise! If that is still a draw, the longer cruise always!

Thank you! I thought it was just me...