Mekka

My wife and I are considering a cruise on the Amsterdam to South America.  I know that HAL has abandoned Ballroom Dancing on many of its ships.  However, on the web site it says that there is Live Music and Dancing in the Ocean Bar in the evenings.  Is this still true?  Are they still playing music suitable for ballroom dancing?  We have sailed on the Amsterdam many times in the past and the dancing was quite good.  However, it seems they are moving away from this and we don't want to have the wrong expectations.

Thank you in advance for this information.

My wife and I have never sailed on Princess, but are looking at a Princess cruise that fits our plans very nicely. I'm trying to decide whether or not Princess is a good fit for us.

We have mostly cruised on upscale lines (mainly Silversea and Crystal). We are thinking of booking a Princess cruise that will bring us home from a land trip in Europe. It would be on the new Sky Princess, which I understand is similar to the Royal, Regal and Majestic. We've never cruised on a ship anywhere nearly that big and are concerned that it might seem extremely crowded and impersonal. I have a tentative booking in an Owner's Suite on the Sky Princess and am trying to decide if I should keep it.

If you could help with a few questions, we would really appreciate it.

1. What suite amenities does Princess offer? Is there a special lounge or dining area? Is there a butler? Are there any other perks that are worth noting? Does the Owner's Suite have any special arrangements?

2. Does Princess offer ballroom dancing?

3. How crowded is the gym?

4. Is laundry included with a suite?

5. In general, how crowded is the ship? I really don't like waiting in lines or feeling rushed to get a good seat in the theater or on an excursion. I'm concerned that a big ship may create a feeling of competing for scarce resources all of the time.

Thank you in advance for your help.

I can't see why anybody should care about the topics that others would like to discuss. But I do see a problem with having any kind of conversation in a loud and disruptive manner... regardless of the topic. I am extremely interested in politics, but I would consider it rude to have a loud and disruptive discussion in a public place where others are trying to enjoy a relaxing vacation. The same would be true for a discussion about football, abortion or your favorite flavor of ice cream. If there is a problem here, the solution isn't to censor topics, but to be respectful of the fact that others are sharing the same space. When we choose a cruise vacation over other types of trips, we are subjecting ourselves to a high density environment where we have to adapt our behavior to the presence of others. Unfortunately, some people aren't very good at this. I agree that others should be more quiet during the Captain's noon announcements (instead of raising their voices in order to be heard). But we are stuck with tolerating this type of behavior when we decide to take a cruise. It's not my favorite aspect of cruising, but I accept it as part of the total package.

We are wondering the same thing. We love to do ballroom dancing before and after dinner. Is this still possible on the Westerdam and Osterdam?????

It is such a non issue. Just wear what you want, MYOB, and have a good time. If you want to go into policing or etiquette then forget clothes police and being a miss or mr manners critic.

 

Consider a career in law enforcement or write a best selling book on cruise ship etiquette.

 

We are only on this earth for a fleeting minute. Enjoy yourself, forget about the naysayers and the debbie downers, and first and foremost don't waste your time sweating the small stuff. This world already has enough miserable people, we don't need any more.

Right on.

We've traveled quite a bit on HAL (5 star) and I wear a tux because I think it's fun. I honestly couldn't tell you how many other people are wearing tuxes, jeans, baseball caps, flip-flops, beaded gowns or anything else on gala nights. I don't notice because I don't care. Dress how you wish and don't let anyone else's preference ruin your experience. Life is way too short for that.

We are doing our first Pinnacle Suite trip on the Westerdam this fall. Are there any perks or privleges that come with the Penthouse that are beyond the ones you get in a Neptune Suite? We would like to take advantage of staying in such a nice cabin, but I don't see any specifics on the web site.

They are running the January/February schedule (I'm on one of those as well), but there doesn't seem to be anything after that. For the fall 2018 and spring 2019 season, it looks like they have repositioned the Oosterdam & Westerdam. Do they have something else in mind or are they abandoning the market?

Is HAL backing out of the Mexican Riviera trips from San Diego? They had substantially increased their frequency during the last 2 years, but there is almost nothing scheduled next year. Am I missing something?

I feel sorry for anyone who falls for this scam.

Shame on you HAL.

We are sailing on the Westerdam next month in a Neptune Suite. Does anyone know the hours for breakfast in Pinnacle? I assume the menu is still the same as the MDR. Thank you.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone.

We are sailing on the Westerdam in January and we have always enjoyed Ballroom Dancing in the Ocean Bar. I realize this is being phased out, but would like to know what the current status of dancing is on the Westerdam. Is it now a piano player in the Ocean Bar during dinner hours? Does he/she take requests that are suitable for dancing (rumba, fox trot, cha cha, etc.) ? Is anybody dancing, or is it just for listening?

I would like to hear from someone who has sailed in the last few months to get the current situation. Thank you in advance and Happy Holidays.

Holland America has really gone downhill in the last few years. It's a shell of its old self. They ask the crew to clean more rooms, wait on more tables, serve more drinks, etc. They do their best, but it's a losing battle. The food has deteriorated badly. The service is strained to the limit. They eliminate every activity that doesn't turn a profit. What a shame for a fine old line.

How does that compare to 7151 on the Westerdam? Is the veranda the same size? Is it covered?

I spoke to the Mariner Society representative and she confirmed that you should receive full benefits for each leg of a back-to-back trip.

I think it is good advice to confirm this understanding at the front desk on the first day of the cruise. We have found that it is sometimes necessary to request Mariner benefits in order to receive them.

If you have back-to-back cruises with different booking numbers, are you eligible to collect your Mariner benefits twice?

We are 5 star Mariners and should receive things like a day in the Thermal Suite, Wine Tasting and a Cooking class. Do we get them twice? Or will they limit you to one time only during the back-to-back cruises?

Thank you.

We are booked on 2 back-to-back cruises next year. I know you are allowed 2 bottles of wine as carry on per cruise. Are you allowed to bring 2 more bottles on the second part of your back-to-back booking?

Thank you.

We have cruises on the Westerdam and Osterdam coming up in the next few months and are wondering if there is still Ballroom Dancing in the Ocean Bar. It appears that HAL is cutting back on musicians and dancing and we are hoping they have not eliminated it on these ships. Does anyone know what the current state of affairs is in the Ocean Bar?

I find HAL cruises to be fairly easy to maintain weight control. The food really isn't very good and the main task is to avoid eating tasteless courses of food that are still heavy in calories. This is a big risk in the Lido and I avoid going there as much as possible. The same problem exists in the main dining room, but you can control your intake by careful ordering. My rule is: if it doesn't taste good with the first bite DON'T EAT IT. It's tempting to eat things that are staring at you from the plate even if they are tasteless. A lot of HAL food is really bland or overly salted. It's a pity that the quality of the food has gotten so bad, but one advantage is that you can more easily avoid gaining those extra cruise pounds.

Has any cruise line made it to Copper Canyon during the last few years? I'd love to go, but it seems like the Topolobampo port always gets canceled.

Very impressive and hats off to you but may I ask when did you have time to relax and enjoy your cruise? :D Did you tour at all, see any of the various ports, sit by the pool, etc?

 

Of course, we all enjoy our cruises our own way but wow, this sounds like such a regimen you could have done it at home. :eek: :D

 

We do the same kind of workouts at home as well, so it wasn't much of a change for us. We visited every port and arranged a private tour in most of them. We don't like HAL tours at all, but we did a fantastic excursion in Lima that allowed us to swim with sea lions. I'm sort of a type A person, so sitting by a pool doesn't have much appeal, but we usually worked in an afternoon nap and found the cruise quite relaxing.

I might be an example of "excessive" workouts.

My wife and I are exercise junkies at home as well. We work out every day and try to follow a healthy diet. I still run marathons, but used to do Ironman triathlons as well. Last year we finished hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (2,650 miles).

We also do a lot of cruising. We cruised 87 days in 2015 and have 157 days scheduled next year. We are 5 Star on HAL (and pretty far along on 2 other lines). I feel that if you cruise that much, you can't justify letting yourself go, despite the obvious temptations. It's totally different if you're just cruising a couple of weeks.

I try to be very careful with exercise and diet. For example, we did the 30 day South America cruise out of San Diego last Spring on the Statendam (great cruise, by the way). Before I left, I made a spreadsheet to track my workouts and the goals I set for the month. My goal was to work out every day, avoid alcohol, minimize desserts and bread, use only stairs and to dance every evening. I didn't have 100% compliance, but I came close. I had a few drinks, a couple of desserts and missed 2 days of workouts when I caught a cold at the end of the trip. I kept track of my mileage and averaged 8.6 miles of running per day and 14.1 miles of biking per day. I usually spent 3 hours in the gym on sea days and 1.5 hours on port days. I did manage to dance every day, use only stairs and eat no bread, but those things are relatively easy for me. Overall, it was a wonderful cruise and we had a great time.

I've done quite a lot of high altitude mountaineering (altitudes over 20, 000 feet) over the last 25 years and would basically agree with most of the info posted here. I'd like to add a couple of comments. I've also done the Inca Trail trek and would strongly recommend a visit to Cuzco and Machu Pichu.

Mild altitude sickness is very common and you should expect to feel some effects at elevations over 10, 000 feet. Unless you are medically fragile, this will most likely take the form of headaches, fatigue or slight nausea. These symptoms typically pass within a couple of days and shouldn't stop you from seeing one of the great wonders of the world. At the elevations of Cuzco and Machu Pichu, you really shouldn't expect any major problems. Many American ski resorts are that high.

I've used Diamox at higher altitudes, but it never did much for me. Some people swear by it.

Anybody can suffer from altitude sickness, regardless of age or physical fitness. Some people are remarkably immune to it and others get very ill at 10, 000 feet. I've learned from personal experience that it can affect you differently from trip to trip. I've been over 20, 000 feet several times with no problems, but have gotten quite ill at lower elevations, despite taking measures to acclimatize gradually. Earlier this year, I went on a trip to the Galapagos and had a layover day in Quito. I arrived from San Diego and on a whim went on a hike up the large volcano (Pichincha) nearby. Pichincha is over 15, 000 feet high and I expected to experience significant altitude problems. I climbed it without any symptoms, despite arriving from sea level the night before. You never know.

One caveat. Altitude sickness can occur in a severe form of pulmonary or cerebral edema. Those are deadly and if you suspect there's any chance you are experiencing them, descend immediately. The symptoms are the same, but much more severe.

If you have any doubt, check with your Doctor. But I hope you don't miss the trip.

If you have the time and energy, there's a nice climb up Huaynu Pichu (the prominent small peak) at Machu Pichu that gives you a fabulous view over the entire site. There's a trail to the top, although it's somewhat eroded. Have a great trip.

We've pretty much given up on HAL excursions for this exact reason.

Many thanks to everyone who took the time to give us advice. Those photos look great. I also have aPanasonic Lumix, but so far have been afraid to take it underwater. I think I'll have to give it a try!

My wife and I are booked for the Galapagos in February and are starting to think about packing. We've looked at the packing list that Silversea recommends and had a couple of questions.

Do you need real hiking boots or can you get by with river sandals (like Chacos or Tevas)?

They provide a waterproof/resistant backpack. Their website is a bit contradictory on this. Is the backpack the OR daypack that they sell on their website? In one spot they describe it as waterproof and elsewhere as water resistant. Is it sufficiently waterproof to protect gear during Zodiac rides or do you need to bring along dry sacks as well?

We are taking them at their word that the dress code is informal all the time. I hope this is true, as we aren't planning to bring anything dressy.

Were there other things you wished you had brought that were not on their packing list?

In the Setting Sail Guide they recommend that you bring binoculars. On the website they say they will provide them. Do we need to bring our own?

We are planning to bring as little as possible and use just a carry on bag for the flights. Are there any laundry facilities on the ship or just their service?

Is there a boutique/shop on board? I don't see one on the deck plan. We have quite a bit of cabin credit to spend and I'm not sure how to use it. I guess we can always opt for massages.

Thank you in advance for any advice you can provde.