crystalspin

Agree, since the link Bruce posted is a current page from the HAL website, it does appear that the Social plan is no more. This may have something to do with upgrading the fleet to the Starlink system! Note the footnote: the $30 and $35 per day prices are for an individual day! DISCOUNT MAY APPLY FOR LONGER SAILINGS. 7- DAY SURF VOYAGE PRICING BEGINS AT $18 PER DAY AND 7- DAY PREMIUM VOYAGE PRICING BEGINS AT $23 PER DAY. For my two current bookings, I could pre-pay for premium: Premium 21-25 days, $291.99, bought pre-sailing. (about $12-14 per day) Premium 32-41 days, $395.99, bought pre-sailing. (about $10-12 per day) However since I have Surf (for two) in the HIA price, I will not be buying Premium.

@Emsybell first posted in the First-Time Cruiser board, despite her previous island cruise. The Sysops moved it to British Isles... No huhu!

Welcome to Cruise Critic! Here are photos of 5140 on the Eurodam, sister to Nieuw Amsterdam: https://halfacts.com/signature-class/5140-eurodam/ On the NA, this room is marked Wheelchair Accessible, not just ambulatory. It will have two chairs instead of a loveseat (presumably for easier re-arranging). The layout of the Signature ships (N.Amsterdam and Eurodam) is very like the Vista ships (including Noordam). The Signature ships have an extra deck of staterooms and have the additional specialty restaurant Tamarind (Asian fusion). Some of the entertainment venues may be somewhat different. Have a wonderful cruise! Many people continue to go back to Alaska -- we have been three times!

There is a place for ship's excursions: If the weather is apt to be dicey, it's easier to have cruiseline's money refunded in case of a cancellation. Some tours are just too long or take you far out from port, where any problem with a vehicle could make you miss the ship! Third-party excursion leaders make their reputation by giving you a good time AND getting you back to the ship on time. It is very rare to miss the ship! But vote with your feet if you don't feel good about an excursion. (It is also possible to miss the ship on a sponsored excursion as happened to a busload of passengers in Costa Rica not long ago.) It can also work out to not plan anything and see what is available on or off the dock. I see the powers that be have moved your topic from the general forum to the ports of call British Isles board. Browsing that board should give you things to think about! However, despite your slim cruising history, I see you are not approaching this like a newbie but have started your Roll Call. Once you get people joining, it will be likely that some are visiting at least some ports for a second time -- they will be a great resource. Have fun and go with the flow!

Hi Jilly or Alex, Here is a photo gallery of HC room 5054 on the Zuiderdam (sister to Noordam). The decor will probably be different, and the arrangement of furniture and bathroom fixtures will be left-right mirror images. https://halfacts.com/vista-class/5054-zuiderdam/ Hope this is in time to help you out!

Hi Toby! I looked back at your postings until I saw that you will be on the Koningsdam. Good luck for you! The K'dam, as a Pinnacle Class ship, has the Grand Dutch Cafe on Deck 3 (across the attrium from the Front Office). The snacks there are free, while the beverages will come out of your Beverage Package. I believe you did finally get HIA? Can't say for sure there is cheese and crackers, but there are tasty fries with peanut sauce and mayo. That was our go to. Oh, here is the posted menu: https://rogerjett-photography.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Grand-Dutch-Cafe-2021-1.pdf So no crackers (although they also have packaged Dutch snacks, maybe something cracker-y there). But several sandwiches with different types of cheese, you could de-construct...

The map is wrong. The door is far to one side of the wall and a large square-ish window is farther along. Here are photo galleries of the same room on the Koningsdam, where it is also accessible. https://halfacts.com/pinnacle-class/5048-koningsdam/

I found the photo! It is from the Nieuw Statendam but the arrangement will be the same (or the mirror image left to right). https://halfacts.com/pinnacle-class/4156-nieuw-statendam/

Not sure what you want -- REviews? or comments on the wake-view from the balcony? Anyway, you can find photos from three Aft Vista suites (called MS for mini suite) here: https://halfacts.com/pinnacle-class/ 4219 on the Rotterdam is equivalent to 4221 on the Nieuw Statendam (or K'dam).

Holland America will provide a fan if requested ahead of time. Which I did for my SIL.

I would definitely choose the Volendam over the K'dam, to get to experience Bora Bora (they are still showing that as a port of call, despite being over 1200 capacity). But the Voledam has a 51-day itinerary, and that is just too long to be away. Thirty-five days is pushing it; we may have to hire a house-sitter rather than presuming on family!

Snorkeling is REALLY BIG on these islands! The only OV cabins without a loveseat are the Accessible ones, which have two chairs (additional to the one at the desk), presumably for easier re-arranging. For views from the Partially Obstructed verandah cabins, check here: https://halfacts.com/pinnacle-class/ You can view any of the Deck 4 "PO" cabins, many show the view from balcony. While there is a slight difference depending on whether you are over a lifeboat (forward) or a tender (aft of midship), mostly you will NOT see the water below, but will see the sky and perhaps at least some of the horizon. The Deck 4 PO cabins are over the outside Promenade, and partly over various public spaces. Including the casino and main galley, but being over the Galley is far better than being under! You can compare the deck plans to approximate what is under you. The more-important what is over you -- will be other staterooms.

I think she will be fine with the Surf Plan (part of Have It All if you are booked with that package). OTOH if you are not with HIA, but paying for just her plan, you can book the Premium pre-sailing for a discount that is only a little more than Surf bought on board. The internet is the same; only fewer apps/sites blocked. Voice phone calls may be dicey with either, depending on where in the world you are!

When I last checked, you got a couple bottles of Vitamin Water, and the USE of a yoga mat (that someone else had used before) and use of a white-noise maker or maybe it was a iPod dock. Also there may be a little water-feature thingee in your cabin. Choose by location and possibly the furniture arrangement, which you can verify on the HalFacts website.

Wow that is a hard one! We have been on the Zaandam for two separate 14-day cruises (Cape Horn and Alaska). Have most recentily sailed sixteen days (B2B) on the Koningsdam to Mexican Riviera x2. I would normally/automatically say the longer cruise, but with your stated conditions, I have to vote for the slightly shorter cruise in a verandah, with more venues (not to eat in, but that too), but simply to relax and perhaps have a coffee or adult beverage. On the Pinnacle ship, we enjoyed Crows Nest, Dutch Cafe, and the Lincoln Center Stage (whether or not there was music). And you would have your own balcony. On the Zaandam -- no balcony and fewer places to sit/people watch/imbibe. And more potential days on a semi-deserted ship. Good luck with your choice, but surely more to do on the Rotterdam! I suggest a mid-ship cabin location, even with it not being a mega-ship.

Welcome to CC! I have done multiple Meet & Mingles (no officers expected) on HAL and never provided door prizes nor have there been games. I provide Avery 2x3.5" labels and Sharpies to fill them out with CC ID and first names, then let people mingle. I did attend one RCI M&M that was coordinated by the ship. No chance to meet fellow passengers at all. There were drawings for prizes (I guess). We left early, it was not that fun. If door prizes and games are a Carnival thing, you might want to post there: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/133-carnival-cruise-lines/

There does not appear to be a Roll Call for this cruise. To start one yourself, go here: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/228-oosterdam-roll-calls/ And follow the title conventions.

To @yuhu -- you should pre-pay for Premium. Then it costs a scant bit more than Surf. The speed is the same, but the date caps are more and blockages are less. I think Premium is necessary for video anything.

We were on the K'dam B2B over last NYE. LOVE the slips. Every third slip or so, I would add a dollar or two additional tip. Gone are the days of sprinting around with five dollar bills on the last day of the cruise trying to find the most helpful bar servers. Made the vacation so much more relaxing.

Yes but not the daily specials. Which used to be in a column on the left... No lamb and no gnocchi. I has a sad!!!

In our 32.5 years of marriage, we lived in a 1200sqft unit, a 1500' house, a (2-story) 2500' house, and now, 2.5 years in a 3500 sqft single story custom home! So I guess I can't speak to downsizing, although every time we moved we did purge...but you could say we failed spectacularly at downsizing! There is a book, Rightsizing Your Life, by Ciji Ware. Currently only available in used paperback but on eBay for $9ppd. She speaks (allbeit seldom) to times when "rightsizing" can mean sizing UP. But she also has examples of people with collections that they don't want to break up, finding homes for those things. You might be inspired by her examples. I think Ciji coined the phrase or at least brought it to common usage, but if you search AMZ for "rightsizing" or "right sizing", you will find a number of books, several specific to retirees.

Very nice tradition and solution to the "small table" dilemma. Like @newtocruiseinblue, we commonly only get breakfast delivered when going ashore. But next cruise will have a lot of sea days, might have to try something new!

The raised area is 1.5-2" from the edge, the amount of the depression is only about 1/4". The first photo in this HALFACTS' gallery shows it pretty well due to low lighting. https://halfacts.com/pinnacle-class/4102-koningsdam/ Calling it a coffee table is a stretch, it is a cubbie good for holding a coffee cup or glass of wine! On its side it might be 10% larger but it would also be 10% lower...

Breakfast in bed has a long cultural history of pampering the recipient.

We are on this itinerary (sub Hilo and Kahului) in 2024. Thanks for the snapshot of the So.Pacific! Saving to my cruise planning folder!