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Sarah,

Like many others I've been following this tale since you first posted. Since I had nothing to say to help you I've kept quite until now.

HIP HIP HURRAY, your mom has her bag back!!!

How fortunate she is to have a daughter who worked so hard to track it down. JOB WELL DONE!!

Sorry Pam, leave it to me to show up late for the party! ;) My sister is currently on "chemo vacation" so she and my B-I-L spent several days with us and I did my best to do nothing but enjoy her company.

As always your pictures are wonderful. This is the same route that the Princess Star made in 2003. That's the trip I took Mom on (gala photo) so your pictures are really bringing back warm memories.

Keep posting please.

Hugs, Barb

Thanks for the information! I have no motion issues on any other ship but it is it an issue on this size ship?

 

Does anyone know where the balconies might be a bit larger than standard?

Port and Starboard Veranda staterooms on Deck 4, Upper Promenade, are 7.5 ft. in depth making them the deepest ones on the Vista ships. The only larger ones would be some of the aft facing staterooms.

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My next step will be to compare the agonies of pre-booking Internet and laundry. Thankfully, this site has provided lots of info regarding costs, exchange advantages, etc that just aren't available on HAL's site and don't seem to be covered by other sites.

Observations are welcome!

If you are considering the "Unlimited Laundry" just call Ship Services at 1-800-541-1576 and they'll take care of it in advance for you. Your Mexico trip will be $7 a day and that includes washing, drying, pressing with items either folded or on hangers. Your Med trip will probably be $8 or $9 a day.

Tax/Fee/Port expense – big edge to the Seafarer (anyone know why Sunfarer would be over $200 higher?)[/size]..................

Extra Tax/Fee/Port expense is to cover the Panama Canal.

Ships are sisters so it should really boil down to where you want to go and see.

Are smoothies available using the Explore4 program?

Yes... I counted them as part of my daily intake of fruit each day. :D

You can definitely have them make a custom sandwich. The premade choices are there to help the grab-n-go customer, or for those people who can't make up their minds.**

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**I should mention that these people manage to strategically locate themselves directly ahead of me in line. Not that I'm bitter.***

***Except when it's the ice cream line. The choices are on the board people. Stop asking for flavors that aren't there! I swear.... I will beat you over the head with an ice cream bowl -- and they're hot!

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Those people in the ice cream line asking for unavailable flavors are closely followed to those who, just as you've reached the front of the queue, step right in front of you to help themselves to the cookies. Wouldn't mind that so much but then it takes them hours to figure out what kind they want and then of course they have to ask for a bowl to put their 3 dozen into. EKE!!!!:eek: Is it okay if I also deploy that "hot bowl" weapon? :D

Verandah cabins have the tub/shower combination. .......

While the tub/shower combination is the normal configuration some staterooms have just a shower (no tub). They are clearly marked on the deck layouts so you will need to check that for the ship & deck you are planning on booking.

I actually travel with my own very firm solid foam pillow. I use one of the "space bags" vacuuming the air out at home prior to my trip and then just rolling it when packing to return home.

Ditto as to the Mariner info being gone. I can still see our reservations if I enter through "booked passengers" and then go to online Check-In but if I go into the Mariner page and give it the booking number the system can not locate it.

Wonderful, just wonderful IT department they have! :eek: Don't they ever beta test any of the changes they implement???? :eek:

There was speculation a policy change would be announced second quarter, 2015. That timeframe has come and gone. Buyer beware, smoking is a problem especially if you book a balcony. We've been "smoked off" our balcony. We don't spend any time in casinos but we've been "smoked out" of adjacent areas to the casino.

sammiedawg I'm sorry you encountered such problems but as you can read that is not always the situation.

For those who reassured me that HAL is not the "Ashtray of the Seas", I want to thank you! Your prediction of not being bothered by smokers was absolutely true. We had no issues at all on our balcony, nor was walking through the casino a problem. I was very pleasantly surprised as I did expect a large number of smokers especially since we were cruising in Europe. This thread certainly gives one a very skewed view of the reality out there.

Danni3ll3 I'm personally of the opinion (I know folks, you don't need to remind me) that the "skewed view" is due to the fact that those who don't smoke and have been bothered by it (or think they might be) are the most vocal on this thread while those who like you were not bothered or are themselves smokers remain quite.

Sorry to be insensitive. I'm not young by any stretch of the imagination. (I'm not just older than dirt. I knew dirt when it was a rock.) :)

:D LOL :D

or as my neighbor says ..... "Moby Dick was a minnow" ;)

While the majority of the Fields & Select teas just make pale tasteless water the Earl Grey actually added a tad bit of taste that was just horrible. It reminded me of the odor of paint thinner and really made me nauseous. :(

Until HAL goes back to Bigelow or perhaps Twining's BRING YOUR OWN TEA BAGS!

I've never noticed two drawers under the sofa..Have made a mental note to check for them when we're on the Eurodam..

 

 

 

Betty I didn't find them myself :o our travel mates did on our 1st HAL cruise.

 

Since we drive to the port I take my own thin velvet covered clothes hangars..

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Although I have an ample supply of those same type hangers the ones I take on cruises are the thin plastic ones that the department stores are always more than willing to leave your purchases on. In fact, when I pack I leave the majority of my items on those hangers, covered in clear plastic bags, so that all I have to do is take them out of the suitcase and hang them up. When packing for disembarkation :( if I've purchased a tad bit too much "stuff" I don't think twice about leaving those hangers in the closet. The other time saver for me anyway is to match tops & bottoms when packing and again using the plastic pants hangers from the store hook it into the tab on the top hanger. Really saves room in the closet and any brain cells that I shut down immediately upon boarding. :D

Anybody know when we are going to be able to book the listed 2017 O'dam cruises out of Tampa?

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One of my tips is that on the Signature class ships (maybe on all HAL ships) there are two decent size drawer's under the foot of the bed. I am sure they have been there before and I missed them being they are under the bedskirt. Found them last year on the Eurodam.

And do not over look the two equally large drawers under the sofa/love seat.

If you want to pay for it in advance just call Ships Services at 1-800-541-1576 and they will bill it to any CC you want, send you an email confirmation and have a card awaiting you in your stateroom too. And no, since they will probably ask, you do not need to also purchase the "pressing package" as your items will be returned to you pressed anyway. I'm guessing that no one has ever told the good people that handle the laundry that HAL also sells a separate "pressing package". ;)

We cruise every spring with dear friends separated by many miles and always want side by side staterooms and we are rather picky as to location. As such we have taken to booking while on-board with the future cruise consultant who automatically turns them over to our TA. As a result we have never gotten a “Thank you for cruising Holland America” email with the ZPM offer. My question is “Has anyone ever had any luck in having the ZPM OBC added after the fact to an existing booking?”. I’ve learned here that the FCD and ZPM OBCs can be combined. Additionally, since we’ve never gotten the email can someone tell me exactly what ZPM includes?

Many thanks in advance for your answers! :D

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Top priorities for me in terms of the Verandah:

Privacy - I prefer not to see others above or below me, and prefer not to be seen.

Views - unobstructed for sure.

Close to water - I like lower decks, but not necessarily the lowest.

So I have been poring over the pictures, deck plans and prices of the Koningsdam. Here are my observations/questions:

1. On deck 4 mid-ship, the Verandahs have life boats right in front of them, correct?

Yes the life boats will restrict your view downward.

 

2. On deck 4 fore and aft, are the Verandahs larger than on other decks? That's what it seems like if you look at the drawings of the deck plans.The drawing of the deck plans appear to show that Deck 4 mimics those on the Vista class ships and if that is correct then the Deck 4 verandahs will be wider than other decks. If that assumption is correct then I would recommend Staterooms portside 4152 thru 4182 or starboard 4173 thru 4209. The lifeboats will not block any views.

The folks above you can see the outer two feet of your veranda but the rest would be private.

 

Hope this helps a bit.

Nope, but you will find that laundry sent out to the Westy's laundry will be returned wonderfully.

The reason you may not receive emails, Mariner Magazine, etc is that you have directed them not to send. If you have an on line account, "My Account" under preferences, there is a spot that you click yes or no to receive mail, emails and phone calls.

Even that doesn't work. My account has always read "yes" and I've yet to ever get my Mariner Magazine or notification of any sales. :(:confused::(

Can someone tell me why I don't get these mailing from HAL? I get lots for her sister companies but nothing from HAL. Additionally I indicated on-line that I wanted email notification of "specials" (or whatever the verbiage said) and I've yet to get any of those either. :(

Additionally, while not available 24/7, HAL has a station in the Lido that serves real ice cream with the flavors changing each day. You must try it as it is soooo much better than soft serve.

On HAL you will have access to your stateroom as soon as you board. Anything that you will need or want immediately just put into your carry on bag. The delivery time of the rest of you luggage can vary but normally we have ours before Muster.

When we have gone ashore at HMC we have never had a delay or problem with the tenders. That being said, we have never wanted to be the 1st passengers off the ship either.

Welcome to HAL! :D

Both we and our son and GF have the dining package but these are part of different promotions. Ours was Explore 4 and theirs is the Anniversary Sale. Since the TA is supposed to have linked the reservations do you think we will all get the same dining times in the Pinnacle and Canalletto?

As long as your TA has linked your cruise reservations together you should be just fine. The 1st time we used Explore4 we were part of 4 staterooms (all linked together by TA) and we were assigned the same date/time and they had a table for all 8 of us.

If you normally want more than 2 small cups of tea order 4 cups and they will bring you 2 of the thermal pots of hot water and 4 tea bags. If you want milk for your tea also make certain you ask for it too. Room service is great :) but if you don't ask for something you won't get it.