12 days on the Westy

[PathfinderEss]

Melodie,

 

Thank you for reviewing your Westerdam cruise.

That dessert sounds horrible.

Oh, trust me it was. I love souffle's but what they are serving as souffle's in the Pinnacle has me rethinking that.:eek:

[erewhon]

Oh, trust me it was. I love souffle's but what they are serving as souffle's in the Pinnacle has me rethinking that.:eek:

 

Not sure why they would put fruit in the base?:confused:

[PathfinderEss]

Not sure why they would put fruit in the base?:confused:

Well I kind of understand the piece of chocolate put in the center of the vanilla souffle, that kind of covers both vanilla and chocolate souffle's, which in itself seems strange, cost savings I guess. But yes your right about the fruit, stranger yet. Oh and you get no sauce for putting in your souffle either, I guess chocolate covers that too.:eek:

[sapper1]

Melodie, you mentioned that there was no code orange. Did you mean that self service was allowed during the first 48 hours of the cruise?

[jbhcw]

It's a musical band usally including a girl singer.

 

 

 

Hi qsuzi, coming down from Vancouver or Seattle to San Diego is usually a pretty smooth ride (south) and the Westerdam handled the seas beautifully. I find going the other way (north) from SD to Vancouver is usually the rougher of the two rides but to me Hal ships handle most sea's fine.

We have done around 10 repo cruises, most have had relatively calm sea's. I love repositioning cruises as they are a good sampling for those cruisers who have never cruised before and can be reasonably priced. For us we usually do a continuation cruise after the repo cruise, so it works well to lengthen out a 7 day cruise by adding on 4 or 5 more days.

 

They do not stocked liquor in the Neptune but they can get you liquor for your cabin.

 

Thanks so much for your review...was also on this cruise...my second repo...both from Vancouver South. I actually thought the seas were a bit rough one night but the Westerdam rode them well...no one in our party got sick..but you definitely knew you were in the Pacific and not doing a Caribbean cruise where the water is sometimes just like glass...you don't even know you are on a ship!!

 

I love the repo's because I can combine a short cruise with a visit to brother and sil in San Diego....wishing they had a five day for next year:mad:

[qsuzi]

I find going the other way (north) from SD to Vancouver is usually the rougher of the two rides but to me Hal ships handle most sea's fine. They do not stocked liquor in the Neptune but they can get you liquor for your cabin.

We are doing a 4 night from San Diego to Vancouver so we will be prepared for rougher seas going North. Sounds like the Neptune Lounge is like the RCL Concierge Club minus the alcohol and soft drinks but with ???Internet??? If there is Internet is it the same price as the Internet Cafe (or whatever it is called on HAL)?

 

We are both so very excited to be trying HAL. I love traditional cruising, teak decks, and the hospitality you find in traditional cruising.

Edited October 15, 2014 by qsuzi

[Alberta Quilter]

Melodie, you mentioned that there was no code orange. Did you mean that self service was allowed during the first 48 hours of the cruise?

 

Yes, at least for the first 5 day segment that I was on. I assume, from the Pathfinder's review, that this was true on the second segment, too.

 

The taco bar was open on embarkation day and one could help themselves to anything and everything from then on, in the Lido area, too.

[Alberta Quilter]

We are doing a 4 night from San Diego to Vancouver so we will be prepared for rougher seas going North. Sounds like the Neptune Lounge is like the RCL Concierge Club minus the alcohol and soft drinks but with ???Internet??? If there is Internet is it the same price as the Internet Cafe (or whatever it is called on HAL)?

 

We are both so very excited to be trying HAL. I love traditional cruising, teak decks, and the hospitality you find in traditional cruising.

 

Internet pricing is the same in the Neptune Lounge as on the rest of the ship. The internet cafe is called the Explorations Cafe.

[sapper1]

Yes, at least for the first 5 day segment that I was on. I assume, from the Pathfinder's review, that this was true on the second segment, too.

 

The taco bar was open on embarkation day and one could help themselves to anything and everything from then on, in the Lido area, too.

 

You know, I'm rather glad to hear that. It was quite a nuisance. Perhaps their stats showed it was really not as effective as they hoped and not worth the diversion of manpower.

[thetexasaggiecruiser]

Thank you for your review - clear, concise and informative! We'll be boarding her in just a few weeks and we will avoid the souffle.

[Cruising-along]

Thanks so much for your review...was also on this cruise...my second repo...both from Vancouver South. I actually thought the seas were a bit rough one night but the Westerdam rode them well...no one in our party got sick..but you definitely knew you were in the Pacific and not doing a Caribbean cruise where the water is sometimes just like glass...you don't even know you are on a ship!!

 

I love the repo's because I can combine a short cruise with a visit to brother and sil in San Diego....wishing they had a five day for next year:mad:

 

I'm sure you remember my experience exactly one year ago when I took my friend on her first cruise. :eek: Vancouver-San Francisco, worst storm in a long time. Cruises were canceled. We went (Zuiderdam) but the decks were closed due to weather and we hung on for dear lives. First time I have ever gotten seasick. :eek:

 

I sure wish there was another 5-day next year too!!

[Alberta Quilter]

I love the repo's because I can combine a short cruise with a visit to brother and sil in San Diego....wishing they had a five day for next year:mad:

 

I sure wish there was another 5-day next year too!!

 

Did you two notice that there is an interesting repo on the Noordam next fall? A three day cruise, round trip Vancouver, with long days in Seattle and Victoria. Then the following cruise is a four day cruise, Vancouver to San Diego, stopping only in Astoria. I would do it but I think I'm going to be tapped out for vacation time with two other cruises next year. I may have enough to do one of the two segments and will if I need a few more days to get to 4* status. Maybe we can meet up again next year on the Noordam!

[jbhcw]

I'm sure you remember my experience exactly one year ago when I took my friend on her first cruise. :eek: Vancouver-San Francisco, worst storm in a long time. Cruises were canceled. We went (Zuiderdam) but the decks were closed due to weather and we hung on for dear lives. First time I have ever gotten seasick. :eek:

 

I sure wish there was another 5-day next year too!!

 

I do remember that Carolyn!! Sure glad it was not that rough this year....it only bothered me one night...it was a great cruise:)

[jbhcw]

Did you two notice that there is an interesting repo on the Noordam next fall? A three day cruise, round trip Vancouver, with long days in Seattle and Victoria. Then the following cruise is a four day cruise, Vancouver to San Diego, stopping only in Astoria. I would do it but I think I'm going to be tapped out for vacation time with two other cruises next year. I may have enough to do one of the two segments and will if I need a few more days to get to 4* status. Maybe we can meet up again next year on the Noordam!

 

I am three days away from 3 star:eek:...and the Noordam is one of the Hal ships I have not been on...need to look at dates....sailing to Bermuda in October and doing an Easter week with family in San Diego and Baja....so not sure if it's doable but that sounds great!!! I really loved this past coastal...it was just a great cruise!!

[Krazy Kruizers]

I love the Cellar Master dinners, can't imagine how disruptive the Hal Cats would be. Very surprised they use them for that dinner, more appropriate would be the Adagio's, I would think.

 

 

The Cellar Master's dinner was held in the front of the Pinnacle Grill.

HAL Cats were right above us in the Ocean Bar.

Now we ask where the Cellar Master's dinner is going to be held and if they say in the front of the Pinnacle dining area -- we will not sign up for it.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you so much Melodie for being so descriptive and informative. Will you please comment about how the Westerdam does on coastal waters which can be rougher. One cabin review I read mentioned because of the size of the ship they noticed more ship movement (they mostly sailed NCL and don't know what NCL ships they had been on). We haven't got sea sick yet in rough seas but regardless of size I have been on some ships where you do feel more movement.

 

Also, can you purchase alcohol in the Neptune Lounge?

 

 

We have often had the concierges order a bottle of alcohol for cabin consumption.

Otherwise, there are no alcoholic drinks sold in the Neptune Lounge. Many people think that since it is a "lounge" -- bar drinks can be purchased.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We are doing a 4 night from San Diego to Vancouver so we will be prepared for rougher seas going North. Sounds like the Neptune Lounge is like the RCL Concierge Club minus the alcohol and soft drinks but with ???Internet??? If there is Internet is it the same price as the Internet Cafe (or whatever it is called on HAL)?

 

We are both so very excited to be trying HAL. I love traditional cruising, teak decks, and the hospitality you find in traditional cruising.

 

 

Not all ships have a computer in the Neptune Lounge and then there is only 1 there. And some ships have a printer -- others don't.

I see that you will be on the Westerdam - 1 printer and 1 laptop in the Neptune Lounge.

[Cruising-along]

Did you two notice that there is an interesting repo on the Noordam next fall? A three day cruise, round trip Vancouver, with long days in Seattle and Victoria. Then the following cruise is a four day cruise, Vancouver to San Diego, stopping only in Astoria. I would do it but I think I'm going to be tapped out for vacation time with two other cruises next year. I may have enough to do one of the two segments and will if I need a few more days to get to 4* status. Maybe we can meet up again next year on the Noordam!

 

I need to look at that, thanks for the heads up. Other than the all day in Seattle (we live half an hour from Seattle) it sounds great. Of course we could use it as a sea day :D:D

 

It would be great to meet up again on some dam ship!

[PathfinderEss]

Melodie, you mentioned that there was no code orange. Did you mean that self service was allowed during the first 48 hours of the cruise?

We did not have a code orange on either cruises sapper, so the taco bar was available from day one. Also you could serve yourself in the Neptune. It really was a nice change.:)

[PathfinderEss]

I'm sure you remember my experience exactly one year ago when I took my friend on her first cruise. :eek: Vancouver-San Francisco, worst storm in a long time. Cruises were canceled. We went (Zuiderdam) but the decks were closed due to weather and we hung on for dear lives. First time I have ever gotten seasick. :eek:

 

I sure wish there was another 5-day next year too!!

 

Yeah, I heard about last year excitement. I guess we have been very lucky, all our repo cruise have had fairly calm seas. Most have been going from SD to Vancouver but we have had about 4 doing the opposite.

 

Thanks so much for your review...was also on this cruise...my second repo...both from Vancouver South. I actually thought the seas were a bit rough one night but the Westerdam rode them well...no one in our party got sick..but you definitely knew you were in the Pacific and not doing a Caribbean cruise where the water is sometimes just like glass...you don't even know you are on a ship!!

 

I love the repo's because I can combine a short cruise with a visit to brother and sil in San Diego....wishing they had a five day for next year:mad:

I find that so interesting, some of the rougher seas we have incountered were in the Caribbean. Get a nice tropical storm going there and it can get a little rough.

I agree, we love repo cruises, they work well for us too.

[PathfinderEss]

The Cellar Master's dinner was held in the front of the Pinnacle Grill.

HAL Cats were right above us in the Ocean Bar.

Now we ask where the Cellar Master's dinner is going to be held and if they say in the front of the Pinnacle dining area -- we will not sign up for it.

Now I understand KK. Never had the Cellar Master's dinner held in the front of the Pinnacle Grill, always in the back area, no wonder you were inundated with the noise of the Hal Cats. Doesn't anyone ever think about those things?:confused:

When we were on the Zaandam last spring we were eating in the Pinnacle and got overwhelmed with the smell of popcorn every night as they were fixing it for the theater. The Pinnacle manager tried talking to them about it but with no results. We finally talked to the HD and guess what, it got resolved, so we could enjoy the taste and smell of our wonderful dinners. Don't get me wrong I love popcorn, just not when I'm eating a nice steak dinner.

[footer6]

It's a musical band usally including a girl singer.

 

 

 

Hi qsuzi, coming down from Vancouver or Seattle to San Diego is usually a pretty smooth ride (south) and the Westerdam handled the seas beautifully. I find going the other way (north) from SD to Vancouver is usually the rougher of the two rides but to me Hal ships handle most sea's fine.

We have done around 10 repo cruises, most have had relatively calm sea's. I love repositioning cruises as they are a good sampling for those cruisers who have never cruised before and can be reasonably priced. For us we usually do a continuation cruise after the repo cruise, so it works well to lengthen out a 7 day cruise by adding on 4 or 5 more days.

 

They do not stocked liquor in the Neptune but they can get you liquor for your cabin.

 

OK, that sounds harmless enough

[Cruising-along]

Yeah, I heard about last year excitement. I guess we have been very lucky, all our repo cruise have had fairly calm seas. Most have been going from SD to Vancouver but we have had about 4 doing the opposite.

.../QUOTE]

 

Of the 5 repo cruises we've done (all south bound) that one was the only one that had rough seas. But it was a doozy!

[PathfinderEss]

Yeah, I heard about last year excitement. I guess we have been very lucky, all our repo cruise have had fairly calm seas. Most have been going from SD to Vancouver but we have had about 4 doing the opposite.

.../QUOTE]

 

Of the 5 repo cruises we've done (all south bound) that one was the only one that had rough seas. But it was a doozy!

I remember reading about that, when I think 3 of Hal ships got stuck up in Vancouver and Seattle. Heard it was not a great trip for those on the one day cruises either, all because of bad sea's and weather.

 

[Lizzie68]

It's a musical band usally including a girl singer.

 

 

 

Hi qsuzi, coming down from Vancouver or Seattle to San Diego is usually a pretty smooth ride (south) and the Westerdam handled the seas beautifully. I find going the other way (north) from SD to Vancouver is usually the rougher of the two rides but to me Hal ships handle most sea's fine.

We have done around 10 repo cruises, most have had relatively calm sea's. I love repositioning cruises as they are a good sampling for those cruisers who have never cruised before and can be reasonably priced. For us we usually do a continuation cruise after the repo cruise, so it works well to lengthen out a 7 day cruise by adding on 4 or 5 more days.

 

They do not stocked liquor in the Neptune but they can get you liquor for your cabin.

 

I agree, the southbounds in Sept/Oct are usually much smoother than northbound in April/May - though I do recall one year reading a southbound blog where they never got into any ports because of rough seas!

 

I enjoyed your review, Melodie. I'm on the Westerdam for the first time in April for a repositioning cruise, so it interested me even more-so.