CruiserBruce

Welcome to Cruise Critic! You are more likely to find people with knowledge if you post on the Australia boards, here: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/564-australia-new-zealand-cruisers/ https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/48-australia-amp-new-zealand/

Commonly recommended here, and on the Private Island board, where HMC is discussed heavily, is to prop up the back of the clamshell with a book, shoe, etc, to improve air flow.

Just do it through the ship. You are on vacation. Let someone else do the work!

Almost any of the "Live from" threads have menus on them.

Not aware any do the combo. Going through a TA is a good idea, if you are not comfortable or experienced enough to do it on your own.

Been there, done that.

HAL, and other cruise lines do a 3 day, 2 night excursion that departs the ship at one port, and rejoins the ship at another port. For example, this excursion: https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/shore-excursions/CA2/25143.html

Yes.

Only been happening for a couple decades. There are logistical limitations. HMC is a short sail from Ft Lauderdale, so visits are scheduled the first or last full day of a cruise. HMC cannot be inserted into the middle of a cruise starting or ending at Ft Lauderdale.

Yes. That is the official vendor.

The Alcatraz Ferry is directly next to the Cruise Ship Terminal....so your walk is about a block. Occasionally fog or tides are a small issue. Booking a 9am trip to Alcatraz is plenty of safety margin. Make sure you are booking at the ONLY official Alcatraz site.

If you look around, it is discussed frequently. First, sailing out of Vancouver, you get to sail east of Vancouver Island, what some call the "true" Inside Passage. Very scenic. Seattle sailings go to the open ocean west of Vancouver Island. Second, with a couple rare exceptions, you can only sail roundtrip cruises out of Seattle. Out of Vancouver you can sail one way Vancouver to Seward or Whittier, (or back), which opens up more locations and scenery, plus more land options when you get off the ship in Seward or Whittier.

I am sure access will be arranged. Thousands, if not 10s of thousands will be going to the port, plus dozens of trucks supplying the ships.

At the dock tour purchasing is rare in Euope. No way I would plan on it.

The dress code is casual all over the ship on the first night. Always has been. There isn't a separate dress code for the extra charge restaurants. No complimentary wine that I have ever heard of on any night in a specialty restaurant.

The drink package has always included tips, not the included tips part.

The Roll Call would be here: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/52-holland-america-roll-calls/

Did you ask on the NCL board, here: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/64-norwegian-cruise-line/

Better to ask on the Celebrity board. Mods will probably move there.

I would start by asking on the NCL board, here: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/64-norwegian-cruise-line/ There are many reasons a port may be canceled in advance...too many to list here, and I am sure I don't know them all. If you were sailing to Grand Turk, the port there was built by Carnival Corp, and their ships get first priority. Not saying that was the reason...but maybe. The pier only takes two ships.

The "across state lines" issue is much more complex in this case, as opposed to shipping fruit or vegetables from New York to an adjoining state. Hawaii, being an island 2500 miles from the rest of the US, is an entirely different ecosystem, with much different problems. Nobody wants pests and problems from Hawaii arriving on the mainland, or vice versa.

As discussed in the other thread you are on, there is a Maritime museum, and the Midway (aircraft carrier) to tour. Check out Google Maps. The port area is wide open and easily walked.

Yes, it counts. Discussed here many times.

Never had a hotel refuse to hold luggage for an incoming reservation. There are dozens of threads here on hotels in the San Diego area. There are 6 or 8 hotels within easy walking distance of the cruise terminal, and a short taxi ride...less that $20 with tip...from the airport. Take a look around the board.

Curious how you know a credit card has been compromised due to HAL charges?