New holland America cruiser

[Fkdk]

Just booked a Holland America New England/Canada cruise for June 24th. Booked an obstructed ocean view HH mid-ship. Have I made the right decision and do you think I might be offered an upgrade? Have never sailed with holland America, what can I expect?

[OlsSalt]

Just booked a Holland America New England/Canada cruise for June 24th. Booked an obstructed ocean view HH mid-ship. Have I made the right decision and do you think I might be offered an upgrade? Have never sailed with holland America, what can I expect?

 

Welcome. You can expect a very nice cruise experience, no matter where your cabin is located. This is a very nice, port intensive itinerary. Your time on board will be mainly spent dining well with a nice choice of varied settings, sleeping well in wonderful beds and nicely laid out cabins, and enjoying a smattering of onboard evening entertainment choices from staged shows, classical performances, easy listening, piano sing-alongs and more danceable music.

 

Being on one of the smaller HAL ships on this more intimate itinerary remains one of the most enjoyable HAL advantages. This also means there will be built in limitations in what a smaller ship can offer when compared to the larger ships found in other cruises lines, but that also depends on what you might be comparing HAL to or what your own personal expectations about cruising might be.

 

We particularly liked the Chez Aston poutine in Quebec, the Ann of Green Gables tour on PEI, the Fort Louisbourg tour out of Sydney, the Luneberg tour out of Halifax, and the clam chowder and lobster rolls in Bar Harbor.

 

Enjoy.

[3rdGenCunarder]

I second almost everything OlsSalt said. I would disagree with the recommendation for the Lunenberg tour, as it was too much time on the bus compared to time "on the ground." And Halifax has plenty to do right in town.

 

If you like chowdah and lobstah, you will love Bar Harbor! We did a tour with Maine Foodie Tours (not booked through HAL) and had a good assortment of tastings.

 

Is your HH booking a specific cabin or a guarantee? Typically, upgrades and upsells are offered to passengers who have booked a guarantee.

[VennDiagram]

Just booked a Holland America New England/Canada cruise for June 24th. Booked an obstructed ocean view HH mid-ship. Have I made the right decision and do you think I might be offered an upgrade? Have never sailed with holland America, what can I expect?

 

I love the HHs on those older ships. One thing to check, though, is what is above you. Some of them are under galleys, and that can be noisy.

 

 

Regarding upgrades, the most accurate answer imho is "maybe, maybe not". Keep your eyes on the prices, and if other cabins drop in price you MAY be able to move for little money to a different cabin.

[rogerd99]

When visiting Halifax a couple of years ago, my wife and I took a walking tour with a professional guide. It was an excellent experience as there is much history in Halifax and much to see. You can also take a tour at the citadel with a National Parks citadel guide. And, of course, National Parks are free this year for Canada's 150th anniversary. A visit to the Maritime Museum for an hour or so is also highly recommended.

[CAVE MAN]

We too have taken this itinerary with Holland America, and enjoyed every moment !!!! I am sure you will enjoy the many ports. We went in June and I was surprised how cold it was in Quebec. My husband ended up buying me a beautiful coat. I was thankful for the cold, because I am still enjoying that coat and it rings back many memories. I hope you enjoy your cruise !!!!

[Krazy Kruizers]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

We have also done this itinerary. It is a great one.

No one mentioned that Bar Harbor is a tender port. We did Olie's Trolley here -- 2 hour one -- loved it.

No one can predict how the upgrade fairy works. Some people seem to get upgrades and/or upsells a lot while others never get anything.