Taters

A taxi from an airport area hotel to the Amsterdam Cruise Terminal is around 35 euros. We always ask the driver what the rate will be before we get in the car. One guy tried to charge us 60 euros. We've told him goodbye and got a different cab. Most of the drivers are honest, but not all.

Hi Susie, we purchased HAL transfers from the Santiago to the port in San Antonio, Chile (around 80 km) next month. This is our first time using the HAL service instead of a taxi. Our preliminary cruise documents became available about 10 days ago and the instructions on meeting the transfer are included there, but are very vague. They state that we are to meet up with a HAL representative outside of the Customs area in the international terminal, but they don't say when. I am hoping for more thorough instructions when our travel docs are finalized. For our upcoming Norway cruise from Amsterdam we are going to have our hotel call a taxi for us. It's what we've always done when cruising from Amsterdam. Cheers!

Have fun everyone!😊

All of these choices are great! If price and time away from home are not an issue I would have to book them all. If I had to choose just one I would go for the cruise that offers the most value - Which itinerary offers the best cabin prices and the best options for Have It All? I just booked a Canada & New England cruise that included gratuities! That is always a great option for my husband and myself. Have fun choosing!

Hi Jacqui: Yesterday I booked a 14 night cruise on Volendam, The Atlantic Coast. Montreal to Ft. Lauderdale October 5 - October 19, 2024. Saw a deal and grabbed it! 😊 Thanks, Annie

Who is the current captain on the Oosterdam?

We like the cabins that are midship on deck 6. Our last 2 cabins were in 6099 and 6093.

Hello from Fairbanks! A couple of other hotels downtown are Springhill Suites by Marriott and a boutique hotel called the Bridgewater. I hope you are able to get a room at the Westmark, though, as it would definitely be the most convenient for you.

You can always go up to lido to pick up a pastry.

There are actually a lot of itineraries that don't include the map view, even though the Map View icon is still there.

It depends on the region that your cruise is in. Different countries have different Covid policies.

Thank you so much for this feedback! I truly appreciate it. 🙂

Yes, I have looked into the different places we'll be visiting and so far I haven't been able to find any reference to proper footwear. I will continue to look periodically. I appreciate your constructive input.😊

Thanks very much for your input. I appreciate it. I have a pair of black suede Pumas that I often wear to work. They are definitely sport shoes, but don't really look the part. None of my tennis shoes are white, and they are all made of suede. Maybe the black ones will be a good fit for this excursion. For those who think I am being disrespectful of local customs - I am not. Here in Alaska it is considered rude to wear your shoes into someone's home, so I am well accustomed of what to do and what not to do when it comes to entering different dwellings, and always try to make myself aware of local customs when traveling abroad. Since there have been so many snarky comments regarding my question, I will explain my situation... I had a sudden, total hearing loss in 2012, leaving me completely deaf. It was like a light switch. Boom. Deaf. In an instant my life changed. I'd had no prior history of any hearing loss. So somewhere in that moment there was trauma to my inner ears, which is where equilibrium is managed by the brain. I've lost that. I have terrible balance. I am in a constant state of dizziness and I need good traction. Shoes without good soles are almost impossible for me to walk in, especially where there might be cobblestones or uneven surfaces. I intend to comply with the rules of the tour, but when they say no sport shoes, I envision dressy shoes without any traction. I don't wear those kinds of shoes. I don't own those kinds of shoes. It's dangerous for me. So again, I would love to hear from someone who has been on a HAL tour that had this type of disclaimer and learn about your experience. I will not book this until I am sure that I can attend and participate. Thank you for your time, everyone!

Thanks for all the replies. I will probably just have to wear my Birkenstock sandals. I prefer my tennis shoes when a lot of walking is involved. I will dress appropriately, of course. This topic was never about how to dress for the excursion, but whether anyone has had personal experience on a tour with a disclaimer like this.

I realize that, but I've seen this "no sport shoes" requirement on several HAL tour descriptions in several different ports around the world over the past few years. I've been to plenty of cathedrals and have always dressed appropriately, so I am wondering if someone with experience going on one of these tours can chime in. Thanks!

I would really like to book a certain HAL shore excursion in Callao (Lima), Peru, that goes to a cathedral, a monastery, and an historic home. This is the disclaimer: "Photography is not allowed in the cathedral or at the convent. Modest attire is required for visiting churches or cathedrals; knees, shoulders and midriffs must be covered; shorts and capri-length pants are not allowed. Sports shoes are not allowed." I can understand the modest attire requirement, but not the shoes. I prefer to wear tennis shoes when on excursions as it gives me the best traction. Has anyone been turned away from a HAL excursion for not adhering to this requirement? TIA for the feedback.

Thank you, thank you, thank you! We are packing today and fly away late tomorrow night. We'll be spending several days in the Netherlands prior to boarding the ship. We are so excited about this special sailing, and have 4 friends already onboard. Can't wait to get there! Cheers, everyone! 😊

You can buy keratin treatment at the grocery store for a lot less than $147. I do this for myself at home periodically. I have long hair and it really makes it feel healthy and soft.

I had my hair cut for the first time in a ship's salon in May onboard Rotterdam. My cut was fabulous, and they will style your hair almost any way that you might like. I was not pressured to buy anything after I told them that I did not care for anything more than the shampoo/cut/dry/style. I loved the cut so much that I've made an appointment for boarding day on my next cruise which is Rotterdam's 150th Transatlantic Anniversary cruise beginning October 15th. My friend is onboard now and got her hair cut/styled yesterday, and she loves it! I highly recommend this service.

We cruised on the Rotterdam for 14 nights in Northern Europe in May and it was a last minute booking. We also prefer late dining, which was full. We were given Anytime Dining and actually loved it! We never had to wait for a table and it was a wonderful experience. Late dining never opened up for us. Please consider that occupancy was only at 35% for our sailing.

If I were in this situation I would just go ahead and take a test. Easy peasy and there would be no stress. That's just me, though.

Hello from Fairbanks! I cannot answer your first question. For the second - taxis are kind of hard to come by these days, but they do exist! There are 3 main cab companies here: Eagle/Yellow - 907-455-5555 Arctic - 907-455-0000 Alaska/King - 907-452-2222 Taxis are usually lined up outside of the baggage claim area of the airport, but if those get claimed, then you might need to call for one, or ask one of the drivers you see if they can call one for you. Since the pandemic began, the taxi business in Fairbanks is like so many other businesses across the country who cannot find enough people to work. Uber and Lyft were here for a short time, but the market here couldn't support them, so I believe that they no longer exist in Fairbanks. I hope you enjoy your visit!😊

This link is only for members. I don't have access.

We cruised a 14 day Scandinavian itinerary on Rotterdam in May and there was no Sunday brunch.