4 Day Caribbean Koningsdam

[EbayCruiser]

Just noticed the 4 Day Caribbean Koningsdam cruise has opened for booking.

 

We are booked for the 10 Day Southern Caribbean on 11/13 and I am tempted to change to the 14 Day on 11/09.

 

Do they do anything special for this 4 Day cruise? I know there will be a lot of TA and special guests on board.

 

Do you think it would be worth $1,196 to add the extra 4 days? This is $1,196 total for the two of us.

[Fouremco]

Just noticed the 4 Day Caribbean Koningsdam cruise has opened for booking.

 

We are booked for the 10 Day Southern Caribbean on 11/13 and I am tempted to change to the 14 Day on 11/09.

 

Do they do anything special for this 4 Day cruise? I know there will be a lot of TA and special guests on board.

 

Do you think it would be worth $1,196 to add the extra 4 days? This is $1,196 total for the two of us.

I placed a hold this morning to ensure that we could have the same cabin while we deliberate further. DW is all for it, but for us the additional cost is higher, almost double your amount. That's based on booking B2B rather than the single 14 day cruise pricing, as the website (Canadian version) wasn't providing any cabin options when selecting your own cabin. It's now in the hands of our TA, who can also look at whether we would lose any of our 10 day perks by moving to the 14 day cruise versus just adding the 4 day.

[grayjay]

Isn't it strange how Holland America change their prices and offers depending on the country where you live?

In my country the 14-day Caribbean cruise ( starts Nov.9th) is offered as a single cruise as well as the 4-day and the 10-day as a B2B. The price for the combined cruise is about 200 $ less for a balcony for example than if you book the two cruises separately.

I have also read on CC that these cruises will be offered with the Explore4 promo starting July 20th.

We're currently booked on the transatlantic voyage before those two cruises ( with Explore4 which started earlier in Europe) and have a cabin for the 4-day-cruise on hold.

When I asked we were both denied the Explore4 package for the shorter cruise ( not available here) and the possibility of combining these two cruises. I'm not a happy customer right now.

[EbayCruiser]

Isn't it strange how Holland America change their prices and offers depending on the country where you live?

In my country the 14-day Caribbean cruise ( starts Nov.9th) is offered as a single cruise as well as the 4-day and the 10-day as a B2B. The price for the combined cruise is about 200 $ less for a balcony for example than if you book the two cruises separately.

I have also read on CC that these cruises will be offered with the Explore4 promo starting July 20th.

We're currently booked on the transatlantic voyage before those two cruises ( with Explore4 which started earlier in Europe) and have a cabin for the 4-day-cruise on hold.

When I asked we were both denied the Explore4 package for the shorter cruise ( not available here) and the possibility of combining these two cruises. I'm not a happy customer right now.

 

Here in the US you can book the 4 day & 10 day separately which would be about $500 higher than booking the 14 day (for my stateroom category - V)

[grayjay]

Here in the US you can book the 4 day & 10 day separately which would be about $500 higher than booking the 14 day (for my stateroom category - V)

 

For cat. V it's about 240$ more if you book separately.

But it might be possible that prices are currently a bit higher in the US because of the coming Explore4 promotion.

Will you be able to cancel and re-book to get the promo? Unfortunately this is something which is not possible in the UK and other European countries - we lose our deposit and the promo...

[visagrunt]

To be honest, I'd avoid that one. It's her first arrival in Fort Lauderdale, which means that it's going to have a complete Coast Guard inspection, which will likely delay embarkation (which is probably why it overnights in Fort Lauderdale).

 

It will likely be full of North American travel industry folks being given their first look at her, which likely means that a lot of public spaces will be tied up with events, too.

[RuthC]

To be honest, I'd avoid that one. It's her first arrival in Fort Lauderdale, which means that it's going to have a complete Coast Guard inspection, which will likely delay embarkation (which is probably why it overnights in Fort Lauderdale).

 

It will likely be full of North American travel industry folks being given their first look at her, which likely means that a lot of public spaces will be tied up with events, too.

Two excellent points, especially the latter. And some of the reasons I won't consider staying on after the crossing.

I learned my lesson after the E-dam inaugural fiasco.

[Fouremco]

To be honest, I'd avoid that one. It's her first arrival in Fort Lauderdale, which means that it's going to have a complete Coast Guard inspection, which will likely delay embarkation (which is probably why it overnights in Fort Lauderdale).

 

It will likely be full of North American travel industry folks being given their first look at her, which likely means that a lot of public spaces will be tied up with events, too.

It's a scheduled late departure (10:00 PM) from Fort Lauderdale, not an overnight.

[grayjay]

Two excellent points, especially the latter. And some of the reasons I won't consider staying on after the crossing.

I learned my lesson after the E-dam inaugural fiasco.

 

Can you explain a bit? We have a cabin on hold as it seemed to be a good idea to sail on for a mini B2B after the inaugural transatlantic crossing but I still hesitate to make a firm booking.

[EbayCruiser]

Two excellent points, especially the latter. And some of the reasons I won't consider staying on after the crossing.

I learned my lesson after the E-dam inaugural fiasco.

 

I remember reading about the Eurodam fiasco but have forgotten a lot of it. This is the kind of comments I was looking for when I started this thread.

[RuthC]

Can you explain a bit? We have a cabin on hold as it seemed to be a good idea to sail on for a mini B2B after the inaugural transatlantic crossing but I still hesitate to make a firm booking.

The 3-day pre-inaugural cruise was filled with the big brass from Seattle & CCL corporate, TAs, press, and some paying passengers.

The paying passengers were treated as if they were in the way. A real nuisance.

One evening the start of the show was delayed quite a while so Stein could hold court at his table. he, and his entourage came in their own sweet time while paying passengers cooled their heels.

 

Now, if the 4-day Caribbean cruise is also a press/TA/big shot event, then I wouldn't want to risk the atmosphere being the same.

[Fouremco]

The 3-day pre-inaugural cruise was filled with the big brass from Seattle & CCL corporate, TAs, press, and some paying passengers.

The paying passengers were treated as if they were in the way. A real nuisance.

One evening the start of the show was delayed quite a while so Stein could hold court at his table. he, and his entourage came in their own sweet time while paying passengers cooled their heels.

 

Now, if the 4-day Caribbean cruise is also a press/TA/big shot event, then I wouldn't want to risk the atmosphere being the same.

In the case you are citing, was it before the inaugural cruise or before the inaugural North American cruise? I only ask because the Koningsdam's inaugural cruise is in April and she will have several cruise under her belt before arriving in the US. I wonder if it will offer the same PR value 7 months after the ship's first cruise.

Edited July 14, 2015 by Fouremco

[RuthC]

It was the inaugural and pre-inaugural in Europe.

That's why I was very careful to qualify "if" the North American arrival has the same type of TA/press/top brass festivities. That's the great unknown.

 

However, my memory is that there were also some festivities when the E-dam came to New York after her first European season.

[jtl513]

Now, if the 4-day Caribbean cruise is also a press/TA/big shot event, then I wouldn't want to risk the atmosphere being the same.

We were on the first 3-day cruise of the Eurodam out of FLL in Oct 2008. It was obvious that there were a lot of TA's aboard, but aside from one 2 or 3 hour meeting in the main showroom I don't recall them interfering with our enjoyment of the cruise at all. We were able to eat at the Tamarind for dinner twice and once for lunch. I never felt I was a "second class" passenger in any way.

 

A lot of people (including many CCers) had booked a B2B of the 3-day followed by a 7-day, but then HAL chartered the ship for the 7-day period. The result was that most of that group canceled the 3-day, and the ship was only about 2/3 full.

.

Edited July 14, 2015 by jtl513

[RuthC]

We were on the first 3-day cruise of the Eurodam out of FLL in 2008.

Didn't the E-dam go to NYC first? Then do a NE/Canada or two, before it went down to Florida?

I thought it was in NYC that there were some events to welcome the E-dam to North America.

[innlady1]

Yes, ruth. Carol ("mamaofami ") did that cruise. As I recall, it wa $ over Labor Day Weekend.

[jtl513]

Didn't the E-dam go to NYC first? Then do a NE/Canada or two, before it went down to Florida?

I thought it was in NYC that there were some events to welcome the E-dam to North America.

Right. They did a cruise-to-nowhere loop out of NYC that I think was just one night. (Mamaofami can tell you about that one, 'cuz she was on it IIRC.) But we were on the first out of FL. True, the Coast Guard did not have to do a big inspection because it was not the first US port.

 

edit: Simul-typing with you Sheila! :)

Edited July 14, 2015 by jtl513

[Pompein]

I,too, was not the EDam 3 night cruise. Mets lots of travel agents, no brass, and we had a great time. And was lucky to score upgrades to Neptune cabins for myself and friends. We are hoping to repeat, but now they are spoiled and only want the Neptune suites!

I asked and the 4 night will not be on Explore 4:mad:

Hoping prices will drop, but may book now anyway to secure connecting cabins.

[Boytjie]

Didn't the E-dam go to NYC first? Then do a NE/Canada or two, before it went down to Florida?

I thought it was in NYC that there were some events to welcome the E-dam to North America.

 

Yes, ruth. Carol ("mamaofami ") did that cruise. As I recall, it wa $ over Labor Day Weekend.

 

Correct. We were at a Mariners Brunch on the Eurodam that weekend.

[innlady1]

That's right! I remember that, Peter.

[mamaofami]

Yes, we were on the 3 night inaugural north American cruise from NYC. We had a great deal of fun, an enormous turnout for a meet and greet, and no issues with press or VIP's. We did get a wonderful send off from airplanes overhead which dipped down in salute to the cruise and then there was a water works display as we passed Lady Liberty.

:):):)

[RuthC]

Thanks Carol & Peter for refreshing my memory.

I'm happy to know that the NYC greeting for the E-dam wasn't as elaborate as the one in Europe. Perhaps the Koningsdam will have a more subdued initial North American cruise, too.

 

One can only hope so for the sake of the passengers aboard.

[grayjay]

Thank you for all that information! I think we'll just bite the bullet , book the cabin and hope for the best i.e. lots of festivities and a great short trip to the Bahamas.

I think the worst time in Fort Lauderdale will be the long wait to leave the ship in the morning before we can embark again!

[Crazy For Cats]

Thank you for all that information! I think we'll just bite the bullet , book the cabin and hope for the best i.e. lots of festivities and a great short trip to the Bahamas.

I think the worst time in Fort Lauderdale will be the long wait to leave the ship in the morning before we can embark again!

 

 

Hi grayjay, we will be joining you on this short cruise. We booked it last night. Looking forward to the adventure.

[kiwijohn]

Hi grayjay, we will be joining you on this short cruise. We booked it last night. Looking forward to the adventure.

 

 

I look forward to joining you all on this cruise to get some sunshine after the Transatlantic