doone

Bathrooms are beautiful on the Nieuw Statendam, I especially love the showers 😀

What ship are you sailing?

GREAT, good for you, enjoy your new cabin.

I just got off the Koningsdam last month, this was not the menu we received.....hope it's not going fleet wide.......🙁

27 minutes ago, Stpatsirish said:

The new locks. It will not fit in the old locks.

Thanks, that's what I thought.....

11 hours ago, rafinmd said:

No, it has been Rotterdam with redesigned lifeboat mounts:

 

 

Perhaps they were able to refit the other 2 ships with the new mounts but I wasn't expecting it.

 

Roy

Is the Rotterdam doing the old or new locks when they sail the Panama Canal????

I prefer the crew serving me, I can't stand the thought of all those grubby hands all over those serving utensils.........people can be so gross!!!  This is one reason I sail HAL, don't change!!

My favorite is the smoked cherry old fashioned which you can order at the Ocean Bar...also called the Rotterdam VII at the Half Moon Bar on the Rotterdam..........

On 8/20/2024 at 11:15 AM, MommyAJ6 said:

Do they have the soft serve machines available 24 hours? I've only been on Carnival before, the ice cream was a big hit lol 

Yes they do in the Lido at lunch time only, served at the Sweet Spot where they are dishing out the free ice-cream.

9 hours ago, dobiemom said:

The landslide that covered the tracks was cleared on Thursday. Highway may still be closed. 

https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/2024/07/25/klondike-highway-closed-by-landslide/

Thank you...

Thank you all so very much, we are all so very excited for this amazing cruise to Alaska on the beautiful Koningsdam.

Anyone know the status of the clean up on the landslide?  I am on the Koningsdam next Saturday and have booked the train in Skagway........just wondering if I should cancel the train and book another excursion.....anyone hear anything?

I was on the NS in May as well, used the laundry service several times and never had an issue.  I like my laundry folded as well and that's how it came....sorry you had a problem.

8 hours ago, cruisin'mama said:

My TA said that it was for new bookings only and if he refared it, our cruise would cost over $1000 more. He’s been able to do stuff for me before and add stuff to our already booked cruises, so I know he didn’t just blow me off.

I was told the some thing yesterday when I called to add the gratuities to my Jan 2025 cruise, new bookings only.  I don't believe your TA is blowing you off as they would have to re-fare you and book with the going rate to add this promotion to include crew gratuities.  To re-fare my cruise, it would cost me $600 (prices have gone up since I booked) more to add the new promotion with crew appreciation, not worth it for me.

However, anyone who's cruise stayed the same price or went down, definitely worth re-faring and getting the extra perk......

Depending upon when you booked your cruise and the promotion at that time, your crew appreciation could be included already.  However, if they are not included, give HAL or your TA a call.  Sometimes to add something like this, they need to re-fare you, then you could end up paying the rate as of today, but then sometimes they can just add them.  I am going to see if they can do it for my cruise in Jan since I don't have the crew appreciation on one of my cruises.......

Quick question for the experts who sail to Hawaii from San Diego?  I have this cruise on my bucket list and was thinking January would be a good time as we like to get out of the cold weather in the Northeast.  BUT how are the seas and weather?  Warm enough to sit around the pool, which we always enjoy?  If not, what is it like in October?  Calmer, warmer??

Many thanks,

I was also on the Jewels of the Baltics this past May, I don't recall any wildlife either.  Great cruise, enjoy!!

1 hour ago, EtaC said:

So perhaps a comparison to Las Vegas casinos would be instructive. Having sailed on Carnival, Princess, NCL, and HAL and having made several visits to Vegas I think I can draw the following distinctions.

 

Carnival: Similar to Excalibur, New York New York, or Planet Hollywood. Somewhat gaudy and over the top in decor. Lots of seemingly extraneous attractions (roller coasters, jousts, etc) that are meant to draw families with children. Somewhat cheaper in fare than other resorts.

 

NCL: Flamingo, MGM Grand, perhaps Mandalay Bay. Somewhat more sedate in decor, still some attractions to draw families. 

 

HAL, Princess: Bellagio, Venetian, perhaps Cosmopolitan. More traditional and sophisticated in decor with a focus on art, and flowers. Attractions are more aimed at adults (music, dancing, some shows). Not hostile to families, but don't go out of the way to attract them.

 

Azmara, Oceana, etc: Wynn, Fontainebleau, Aria. Highly sophisticated in atmosphere. Adult oriented. No attempt to appeal to families.

 

So, my $.02 worth.

Interesting comparison, I like it and agree with you....

I have used this automated system a few times and it worked great.   HAL has been doing this for a month or so.  If you have a gift card, then the agent takes that information from you over the phone.

I normally travel with $50 $1 bills and tip a dollar or two as I go along, not only the bar staff but if I get room service, I tip a few dollars.  Like everyone said here, it is a personal preference and the wait staff appreciates it......

For me HAL is what I like.  I have been sailing with HAL for well over 40 years and are there things that they did 40 years ago that I miss, you betcha, but I don't dwell on those things they no longer do.  Things change, people change, businesses change, nothing stays the same.  I have sailed other lines and always come back to HAL feeling like I am back home when I step onboard one of their ships.

The Pinnacle Class ships, for me, are a great addition to the fleet, it gives more options for folks.  Let's face it, we aren't going to live forever so the cruise lines (all cruise lines, not just HAL) have to change so they can stay "afloat"....😉

If HAL doesn't make you happy, its great that there are so many different cruise lines to chose from, hopefully you find one that works for you.  For me, for now I'll stick with HAL.

Happy cruising everyone!!!!

Yummy, I love any kind of chocolate, dark, milk, white, bring it on...................

Bon Voyage Father.....

Inside cabins do not have a sofa.....

I have stayed in both these cabins on the Rotterdam, I have no idea what is in that gray area, but I can tell you if you were worried about noise, I have never heard anything, absolutely nothing.  As a matter of fact, those are my two cabin go to's when I book the Pinnacle Class ships.....hope this helps.....enjoy the Rotterdam, she's beautiful.