OlsSalt

I worry more about the numbers of drawers and closet space. Last cruise on Konigsdam we were on two different decks - in similar cabins, but the verandah on Deck four was huge compared to Deck 8. But we were "short-drawered" on Deck Four - the drawers pulled out only half the distance as the Deck 8 cabin drawers. Something internal must have blocked the depth of that drawer space on that deck. However, everything we took for a 19 day cruise still found a place.

Good points, glad they got noticed because we oldsters do cling to them too: full 360 promenade and windows and orientation facing out to the sea. Keeping the feeling of being on a ship; not a floating hotel. To show how hidebound traditionalist I still am about the older HAL ships, I missed hearing the at-sea engine noises and vibrations on the Konigsdam - too quiet or too noisy (piped in music drowning out the sea) - so I felt I was insulated too much from being on ship at sea. Of course, this requires one to overlook my complaints about the former Maasdam when it was forced to go over 21 knots and hour, and glasses rattled off the tables and the bed felt like endless quarters had been stuffed into the Magic Fingers motel bed systems of yore..

Let me restate that - not why does one pick a newer HAL ship over an older HAL ship. You points are well taken and understood - within the HAL brand itself. But why pick a HAL newer ship over other the competing brands at similar price points and itinerary offerings, which are now limited by the sheer size of newer ship - Celebrity, Princess, etc... or even the larger cruise ships with high-level onboard entertainment. What is it about the new larger HAL ships that will generate brand loyalty ,like they did with their smaller, older ships which had little competition.

Next question, as a younger cruiser, why would you pick a HAL ship over any of the other mainstream brands? What keeps the larger HAL ships unique enough to create brand loyalty. What X-factors make HAL a re-booking choice, by brand alone. Recently on the Konigsdam, and did not feel that same HAL feeling nor understand why it would now stand out among the newer competition. It was just a generic big, busy, noisy ship in our own HAL brand loyalty experience. (Itinerary-price-intimacy of size-onboard ambiance) For us, it was easy to feel brand uniqueness in HAL's smaller, older ships, since no one else was offering the same range of itineraries and value for the same prices, and we did fall in love with the warm, welcoming HAL special service touches that we got for the price -that was our sweet spot. But it is not something the larger, newer HAL ships still offer us. Being on board felt more like "work" than a comfortable cocoon. So I am curious, what is it about the new HAL ships experiences that now creates a brand loyalty among younger passengers?

War Babies fit in-between the Silent Generation and the Boomers. 1941-1945 Born during WWII into families disrupted by fathers going to war, and many not coming back, women entering the workforce and then retreating back into the home. Raised by Depression Age parents, who passed on a solid work ethic and traditional values. We were pushed ahead by the social revolution boomers behind us, yet were still formed by the solid steeping in the values of our Greatest Generation parents. The threat of nuclear extinction permeated our early years. Our college freshman class motto - Stay Alive Until '65. ( the year 1965, not age 65) A unique sub-cohort that often got lost in all the fuss over the sheer demographic size of the much larger Boomers - but definitely not Boomers. We are the War Babies. We were a transitional generation.

Recent stay in a chain hotel Indio, Calif (of all unscenic places) was $200 a night. It did include a good, self-serve breakfast and free wi-fi. But we did have to bus our own table.

Love starting our morning looking at the bedside table tops we made from our HAL tiles - starting with this one we got on our Maasdam 2009. And looking at them as the last thing in the day when we turn the lights out.

I am seeing $149 -$449 for this cruise depending on cabin choice, with the warning -limited availability. Which usually means, there suddenly is no availability at the lower price point. You have a good deal on this cruise right now. Waiting for the "best deal" is likely not to happen. It is probably not going to get better than $37 a night. At least for four days, a bad cabin (over a noisy venue) won't be a deal breaker. Unless you can get one of the free casino cruises - and don't factor in any potential gambling losses.

I found hanging wet shoes to dry near the ceiling ventilation ducts handy too - using the heavy duty "rare earth" magnets.

Petropavlask and Vladivostok - Russia Far East - both worthy stops - now both off the map.

Losing a unique market share is also the road to BK. Not clear how Big Hal competes with the other Big Cruise Lines; because it certainly cannot sustainable attract the Old Hal customers. Best case scenario is New HAL can carry the bulk of the current debt, which allows Old Hal to keep its loyal customer base. But I recognize this is more selfish wishful thinking on my part than a sound business plan after this two year massive set-back to cruise ship operations. Shall be interesting to see what model survives this rather arbitrary forced interregnum.

I recall an old joke the best thing about Anchorage is Alaska is only 15 minutes away. Icy blue waters, lush green forests, brilliant wild flowers, snow-capped mountains and crystalline turquoise glaciers that nosily calve into the sea. Clean, clean air with dramatic cloud shows against an ever changing sky. The other old joke about Alaska, don't like the weather? Just wait 15 minutes and it will change.

Right now I can no longer generally recommend taking a "HAL cruise", without also having to caution specifically which HAL ships I would be recommending for my own favored type of cruise experience. For me that would mean only recommending HAL Vista ships and smaller, with maybe the exception of the Nieuw Amsterdam depending on the itinerary.

HAL needs to decide if they want to be a cruise line for global travelers and concentrate on unique itineraries and the more in depth travel experience. Or, compete with the larger mass market cruise lines for the more current on board entertainment, routine bus trip model. HAL is now trying to do both, and the newer addition of only larger ships with more onboard entertainment model of cruising, is making the current line and its brand schizophrenic. There is an inherent problem when at a recent critical juncture CCL let the HAL division get run by someone who had never even been on a cruise ship before. At which time it appears many of these floundering new decisions were made. Remains to be seen what "roots" HAL will return too under new (old) management. Even the new onboard production documentary "150 Years of Holland America" was confused and left no appealing branding message. New builds of smaller ships for the old HAL model are probably not feasible, but selling off many of her venerable old global-traveling grand ladies forecloses the old HAL model as well. Poor HAL.... alas, I knew her well.

Agree, any deck midship and near the elevators would be the best choice to cover all bases. It is a hike to get from one end of the ship to the other. We just got off two very crowded holiday cruise segments, but found the elevators were never crowded nor much of a wait. We also learned when we needed to traverse from one end of the ship to the other, it just felt easier to take the elevators one of the the main promenade activity deck to cover that distance, than walking down the very long cabin corridors .Exact same distance, but it just felt easier. The one area to avoid on your way to Club Orange's the entrance to the lower main dining room at the start of the 5:30 as you wish dining time - the lobby filled with waiting passengers which spilled out around the hallways all the way down to Club Orange. So getting access to Club Orange by not using the rear elevator bank that puts you into the main dining room lobby would be one suggestion. We were on both Deck 4 -with the extended balcony (nice) and also Deck 8 - closer to the Lido deck - (nice) - one location did not stand out over the other, since some things were close an other things were not in each case. But were we to do it again, we would pick something more in the center of the ship rather than either end. And we would pick Club Orange too. So you are off to a good start.

Lots to see from the ship itself, including wildlife. Bring binoculars. Never forgot my first sighting of bald eagles - what were all those white spots in the trees! Dress warmly to be on deck. Stay inside and enjoy the sights from the Crows Nest or the toasty Lido "sun room" -when all the chairs are now placed to look out the windows instead of towards the pool. The ship will slowly view whatever glacier bay is on you itinerary, even turning the ship around so both sides of the ship get full views. The towns are compact so short walks take you to most sights if you are not on an excusrion. (Depending on where the ship actually docks -some are right in town.) Alaska is the treat - surprisingly green and can be full of flowers - mainly rhododendrons and rain forest vegetation.

Collection of wry insights about "burning bridges": https://sayingimages.com/burning-bridges-quotes/

The HAL alcohol policies are clearly spelled out in their literature. Are you signed up for a cruise, or just exploring HAL?

Our second favorite cruise line was Voyages of Discovery that used the old "Love Boat" sister ship the former "Island Princess", renamed the Discovery. Old, battered, clunky, unmodern, military barrack style ensuite bathroom, heavy with painted over rust, limited dining and public space facilities, but just enough to be serviceable for basic needs - food, shelter and global travel. But what itineraries it offered. Small enough to get prime downtown docking rights, but seaworthy enough to travel to the far corners of the world. What wonderful enrichment programs it offered. It was a very beloved cruise option and we sorely miss it. So if this is one of the fundamental changes in direction for cruising - very on low frills, but very high on travel and enrichment, we will be happy cruise customers for years to come.

I wonder how many passengers pay HAL extra when its value exceeds their expectations - and I don't mean staff tips I mean sending a check to HAL and tell they they underpriced their cruise, because you want to make good on their exceptional delivery.

Highlights about Japan on our own : ---very clean public bathrooms everywhere; ---vending machines for water and other items everywhere; ---excellent public transportation to virtually everywhere. ---clean, helpful, safe with a good tourist infrastructure ---large variety of dining, fast food and snacking choices - included 24K gold plated ice cream

We did pretty much a Circle Japan for 2 weeks, as part of one the final Maasdam InDepth cruises (SF - Alaska - Russia Far East - then two weeks around Japan ending in Tokyo) This was before everything was shut down. Many of the ports are small, and very welcoming with special local greetings. Can't remember any mainly "industrial ports", even Yokohama was in a scenic setting with ready access to public transit that can take you anywhere you want to go on your own. We do mainly HAL shore excursions so this may be affecting my memory. All of the HAL shore excursions were excellent and we like taking the ones that offer more out-door and long distance experiences. The ferry trip to the island that makes soy sauce was a highlight. The worst thing about that wonderful Madam InDepth cruise package was it ended up in August and the summer in Japan was just unbearable for us. The one day we expected to visit Kyoto on our own, we ended up riding the A/C train to Nara instead and just wilting in Nara for the few hours we did spend there. Luckily we had been to Japan before during Cherry Blossom Time, so we were able to have a total experience after all. It is an intense port-port-port itinerary. But there is not much distance between the ports and each port provides another picture of Japan- modern, ancient, rural, and reconstructed.

Lima excursion - the Larco Museum showcasing their stupendous Moche artifacts, with lunch in their garden patio, was such a lovely, gracious oasis in this increasingly troubled city. Hope you can at least see that in complete safety, since it is not downtown Lima..

We also did a Christmas/ New Year's back to back on the Konigsdam- 2022-23. First cruise - no tiles available, with apologies. Second cruise - the New Years, we did get our Pinnacle class tile. So they must have been delivered in San Diego on the B2B turn-around day.

Most likely not, but my memory of this may be limited today. I would say North Cape is little more than a shore excursion event, if you dock near by and visit the spot - or somewhat scenic, as you cruise by, due to its rocky promontories and being this geographical spot on the map of Europe. But it is just not in the same category as cruising into the glacier bays of Alaska or chances of seeing wildlife which also abound in Alaska. However, there are options for naturalist-led shore excursions on Norway cruises - try the hike to Pulpit Rock out of Stavanger is you want a classic, and very rugged, outdoor Norway experience.