New to Holland America? This is for you...AKA "HAL For Dummies"

[KroozNut]

On 11/23/2022 at 12:53 PM, mwj said:

This is NOT necessarily the case. On a tender-port intensive cruise there is value in club orange. More importantly, there is value in the room upgrade. We have successfully booked a lowest cost balcony room, and then upgraded to a more desired balcony room. We saved more money in the room upgrade than club orange cost.

An 'upgrade' is not necessarily and 'upgrade'. Depends on the details of the so-called 'upgrade'. Experienced cruisers will review the offer and decide if it is really worth it.

 

[*Miss G*]

14 hours ago, KroozNut said:

Being from Canada, you've probably never experienced real Mexican food.

 

Yes, because there are no flights from Canada to Mexico!  😂

[KroozNut]

30 minutes ago, *Miss G* said:

 

Yes, because there are no flights from Canada to Mexico!  😂

 

So drive! 😜

[IPB4IGO]

15 hours ago, KroozNut said:

Being from Canada, you've probably never experienced real Mexican food. 

 

We were fulltime RVers for 13 years, spending many of our winters in Mexico. A very high percentage of other 'winter Mexicans" were from Canada.

That said, you are sort of right about the tortillas. I would drive in to town in the mornings to pick up fresh flour tortillas at local corner tortillarias. Some used lard, some used a Crisco-like shortening and they are ALL superb! I always ate one while driving back to the RV park. The aroma was irresistable.

[islandwoman]

47 minutes ago, IPB4IGO said:

We were fulltime RVers for 13 years, spending many of our winters in Mexico. A very high percentage of other 'winter Mexicans" were from Canada.

That said, you are sort of right about the tortillas. I would drive in to town in the mornings to pick up fresh flour tortillas at local corner tortillarias. Some used lard, some used a Crisco-like shortening and they are ALL superb! I always ate one while driving back to the RV park. The aroma was irresistable.

I'm happy that you posted this information about Mexican tortillas.  Otherwise, I would never have suspected that Mexican tortillas might contain lard.  Lard does not agree with me (if you know what I mean).  When I have the opportunity to travel to Mexico again, I will have to learn how to say in Mexican Spanish, "Is there lard in this tortilla"?  Crisco is a hydrogenated vegetable shortening.  I could eat that.  

[senoragilbert]

1 hour ago, islandwoman said:

When I have the opportunity to travel to Mexico again, I will have to learn how to say in Mexican Spanish, "Is there lard in this tortilla"? 

¿Hay manteca en esta tortilla? ("Hay" sounds like when you name the letter i in English)

 

ETA: tortillas are not the only place you'll find lard in food in Mexico. It's tasty fat! So maybe it's better to say, "No puedo comer la manteca. ¿Qué puedo comer?" (I can't eat lard. What can I eat?)

Edited November 26, 2022 by senoragilbert
added more information

[IPB4IGO]

8 minutes ago, senoragilbert said:

¿Hay manteca en esta tortilla? ("Hay" sounds like when you name the letter i in English)

 

ETA: tortillas are not the only place you'll find lard in food in Mexico. It's tasty fat! So maybe it's better to say, "No puedo comer la manteca. ¿Qué puedo comer?" (I can't eat lard. What can I eat?)

Good point. My wife makes her delicious tamales with lard. I don't know how tamales are made in the various areas of Mexico.

[CMDE]

We received our boarding time for 1 p.m. at FLL. If we do plan on a 1 p.m. boarding, does that mean we could show up for parking at noon (I am a slightly nervous car person), check in our bags and then slowly amble over? I do forget about the process for checking in our bags.

[Nanner]

While hardly newbies on HAL, it's been a long time since we cruised and this time we have other family members joining us.  We are looking to do an evening sail excursion that will have us away from the ship (Rotterdam) roughly from 5-8 PM.  I know that will mean no MDR dinner, but I honestly don't remember when the Lido buffet shuts down.

 

Since we'll be on the Rotterdam, anybody know if the Dive-In or pizza would be an option that late? I'm pretty sure the Dive-In is closed, but what about pizza or room service? 

[Clay Clayton]

1 hour ago, Nanner said:

While hardly newbies on HAL, it's been a long time since we cruised and this time we have other family members joining us.  We are looking to do an evening sail excursion that will have us away from the ship (Rotterdam) roughly from 5-8 PM.  I know that will mean no MDR dinner, but I honestly don't remember when the Lido buffet shuts down.

 

Since we'll be on the Rotterdam, anybody know if the Dive-In or pizza would be an option that late? I'm pretty sure the Dive-In is closed, but what about pizza or room service? 

If Rotterdam is like Koningsdam, Dive In closes at 5 or 6 but NY Pizza was open until 11 seems like the sandwiches were available to 9ish when “snacks” became available-wings, pretzels, etc. As I recall pizza was always available as were salads and desserts-if they hadn’t run out of them. 

[puppycanducruise]

9 hours ago, Nanner said:

While hardly newbies on HAL, it's been a long time since we cruised and this time we have other family members joining us.  We are looking to do an evening sail excursion that will have us away from the ship (Rotterdam) roughly from 5-8 PM.  I know that will mean no MDR dinner, but I honestly don't remember when the Lido buffet shuts down.

 

Since we'll be on the Rotterdam, anybody know if the Dive-In or pizza would be an option that late? I'm pretty sure the Dive-In is closed, but what about pizza or room service? 

Room service will be available.

[alexand278]

Is there some type of quiet pool area like the Solarium on the RC cruise ships?

 

We loved that on our last trip.

 

Alexandra

[RuthC]

1 hour ago, alexand278 said:

Is there some type of quiet pool area like the Solarium on the RC cruise ships?

I don't know anything about the Royal Caribbean ships, but do know that all the Holland America ships from the Vista Class and larger have a T-pool area that is quiet; only the two R-class ships don't have it. This is a purchased option in the spa/salon area with the fee based on the length of the cruise. You can also purchase by the day, but only if there are spaces available on a given day; priority is given to cruise-long passes. 
The area also includes use of the heated loungers, and some other features I have never used, so don't know about. 

[Clay Clayton]

19 hours ago, alexand278 said:

Is there some type of quiet pool area like the Solarium on the RC cruise ships?

 

We loved that on our last trip.

 

Alexandra

On Koningsdam (and I presume all the Pinnacle class ships) there is a private paid quiet sun deck area with cabanas located on an upper deck. 

[mwj]

20 hours ago, alexand278 said:

Is there some type of quiet pool area like the Solarium on the RC cruise ships?

 

We loved that on our last trip.

 

Alexandra

https://rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/HAL-Cabanas.pdf

[jonyboy]

2 hours ago, mwj said:

https://rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/HAL-Cabanas.pdf

Okay, I'm curious.  How much does that cost?

[Mary229]

8 minutes ago, jonyboy said:

Okay, I'm curious.  How much does that cost?

Scroll down on Roger’s link and there is a price list 

[Clay Clayton]

6 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

Scroll down on Roger’s link and there is a price list 

But note those are 5 year old prices…I suspect if you do some research on the HAL website you can determine if there has been an increase. 

[Mary229]

5 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

But note those are 5 year old prices…I suspect if you do some research on the HAL website you can determine if there has been an increase. 

The prices give you an idea.  If you book a cruise for that region you will be shown the prices on you manage my cruise page. 

[mwj]

15 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

But note those are 5 year old prices…I suspect if you do some research on the HAL website you can determine if there has been an increase. 

Prices actually haven't changed ...

our 14 day is $599

our 35 day is $1434

[alexand278]

Thanks so much!

 

Alexandra

Edited December 2, 2022 by alexand278

[lavictoria]

On 12/1/2022 at 12:52 PM, alexand278 said:

Is there some type of quiet pool area like the Solarium on the RC cruise ships?

 

We loved that on our last trip.

 

Alexandra

Unfortunately the cabanas, while private and having lots of perks... don't have pool access without going down one deck to the Sun deck pool and hot tubs.

[richstowe]

On 12/5/2022 at 8:38 PM, lavictoria said:

Unfortunately the cabanas, while private and having lots of perks... don't have pool access without going down one deck to the Sun deck pool and hot tubs.

Unless you get a Lido deck cabana like we just did on the Nieuw Amsterdam . Our cabana, Corfu, was just beside the pool and $200 for the week instead of $400 for the week . Paul took very good care of us . Somedays the lack of a cross-breeze was an issue and no it wasn't very private but easy pool and food access made up for this .

HAL_Cabanas.pdf

Edited December 8, 2022 by richstowe

[lavictoria]

17 hours ago, richstowe said:

Unless you get a Lido deck cabana like we just did on the Nieuw Amsterdam . Our cabana, Corfu, was just beside the pool and $200 for the week instead of $400 for the week . Paul took very good care of us . Somedays the lack of a cross-breeze was an issue and no it wasn't very private but easy pool and food access made up for this .

HAL_Cabanas.pdf 1.71 MB · 5 downloads

Thanks! I had no idea these were a thing... guess I'll need to book more cruises on different ships!

[sheri221]

On 12/8/2022 at 9:43 AM, lavictoria said:

Thanks! I had no idea these were a thing... guess I'll need to book more cruises on different ships!

Are these by above the indoor pool?