Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

LAFFNVEGAS "LIVE" from the Nieuw Amsterdam, First HAL Ship to Sail!!

LAFFNVEGAS

By LAFFNVEGAS,
in Holland America Line

 Share

Recommended Posts

madera1

madera1

Posted
Posted

So excited to finally read a Live From post!  Looking forward to hear what life will be like on the ship once again. Curious as to what changes you experience. We will get to actually meet you on the September 4 sailing!

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites
katrina915

katrina915

Posted
Posted

Have a great trip! Sailing vicariously along with you.  Looking forward to your reports and being on the 8/21 sailing. 

 

I know how you feel about packing.  Unfortunately, some of my Alaska clothes are tight! Someone must have shrunk them!

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
RGEDad

RGEDad

Posted
Posted

I made a big mistake in moving my cruise selection from this first cruise to mid-September.

I coulda, woulda, shoulda been traveling/boarding already - now I have to wait a month and a half...

I did not think the waiting would be sooooo hard. 

 

Vicariously cruising leaves a lot to be desired - but it is way better than nothing at all (as we all know by now).

 

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites
atexsix

atexsix

Posted
Posted
4 hours ago, LAFFNVEGAS said:

Good Morning from Harry Reid International Airport, formerly known as McCarran International Airport and for most just Las Vegas International Airport. 
Thank you to all of you, I cannot tell you how excited I am to bring you this LIVE FROM. I will enjoy writing this as much as you will reading and cruising along with me.

I probably got about 4 hours of sleep last night but feel excited, it will probably hit me tonight.

we will start boarding our flight in about 20 minutes. The airport is packed and it appears our flight is as well. 
I will check in later once we are in Seattle, we are staying at the Sheraton Downtown reserved through Holland America so they are supplying our transportation to the hotel from SeaTac.

Signing off till we get to Seattle.

Oh Lisa!  What a blast of a roll call it was, and it's been very quiet this morning in roll call land now that most of you have left for Seattle.  I will switch now to your Live From until you return.  You've probably already landed, this is the first chance I've had to check the main HAL forum, lots of questions to answer for people and my usual sources have left for a cruise, darnnit 😁  So have fun on your first day here, and enjoy dinner tonight, that was a great choice and close to the hotel!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
atexsix

atexsix

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, RGEDad said:

I made a big mistake in moving my cruise selection from this first cruise to mid-September.

I coulda, woulda, shoulda been traveling/boarding already - now I have to wait a month and a half...

I did not think the waiting would be sooooo hard. 

 

Vicariously cruising leaves a lot to be desired - but it is way better than nothing at all (as we all know by now).

 

We would have booked this one too but it was sold out fast!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
LAFFNVEGAS "Live from...." Rare

LAFFNVEGAS

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Good Morning again, this time from the Grand Sheraton in downtown Seattle.

Our flight was to arrive at 9:40 but we were actually landed by 9:10. It was a good flight We had purchased air through HAL prices were running about 10% to 15% less booking with Hal rather than direct. About 6 weeks ago I was able to purchase premium economy for $39.00 pp for each way on the Alaska Air website. Although I have seen it vary between $29 to $59 pp each way at least from Las Vegas. With the premium seats you can get adult beverages and WiFi. Unfortunately WiFi was not working. Definitely not the first time that has happened on a plane and not the last. The other good thing was no crazy people refusing to wear a mask. Possibly it helps that most do not drink early in the morning. Or they were hung over from their trip to Vegas 😂

There was a HAL Rep waiting for us to take us to our ride. The luggage arrived extremely quick like Alaska Airlines guarantees. Our HAL Rep was named CeCe, she said she was thrilled to finally be working again. 
Lots of people in the airport were actually arriving for the first Celebrity sailing today.

CeCe took us to level three in the parking garage. Our instructions stated we would be taking the transporter but they decided on something new last minute. Evidently they contracted with a company that pays the taxi drivers and includes the gratuity of $6.00. I actually did tip him more which I think he was surprised with. CeCe had handed us off to another very nice Rep that had explained this to us. Unfortunately it took them 6 different taxi drivers to be asked and finally the 6th was willing to take us. This driver was told to leave his meter off. Very friendly gentleman but we think he had the same driving school as our son. They all drive like Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride.😬

I want to say it definitely took less than 30 minutes to get to the Sheraton . For those staying here through HAL, you will get Bonvoy Marriott/Sheraton points if you are signed up and will have free internet.

we are going to take off and get an early like lunch near Pike Market, then this evening we have early reservations at Capital Grille.

 

Signing off till later……..

 

 

 

5D36429F-72E1-4521-AFFE-43007E35A4BF.jpeg

FE7302F2-89D6-4A4F-9BA8-49C5562614D8.jpeg

41BA910F-D993-4B9A-B35D-62CE029626E8.jpeg

  • Like 32
Link to comment
Share on other sites
atexsix

atexsix

Posted
Posted
6 minutes ago, LAFFNVEGAS said:

Good Morning again, this time from the Grand Sheraton in downtown Seattle.

Our flight was to arrive at 9:40 but we were actually landed by 9:10. It was a good flight We had purchased air through HAL prices were running about 10% to 15% less booking with Hal rather than direct. About 6 weeks ago I was able to purchase premium economy for $39.00 pp for each way on the Alaska Air website. Although I have seen it vary between $29 to $59 pp each way at least from Las Vegas. With the premium seats you can get adult beverages and WiFi. Unfortunately WiFi was not working. Definitely not the first time that has happened on a plane and not the last. The other good thing was no crazy people refusing to wear a mask. Possibly it helps that most do not drink early in the morning. Or they were hung over from their trip to Vegas 😂

There was a HAL Rep waiting for us to take us to our ride. The luggage arrived extremely quick like Alaska Airlines guarantees. Our HAL Rep was named CeCe, she said she was thrilled to finally be working again. 
Lots of people in the airport were actually arriving for the first Celebrity sailing today.

CeCe took us to level three in the parking garage. Our instructions stated we would be taking the transporter but they decided on something new last minute. Evidently they contracted with a company that pays the taxi drivers and includes the gratuity of $6.00. I actually did tip him more which I think he was surprised with. CeCe had handed us off to another very nice Rep that had explained this to us. Unfortunately it took them 6 different taxi drivers to be asked and finally the 6th was willing to take us. This driver was told to leave his meter off. Very friendly gentleman but we think he had the same driving school as our son. They all drive like Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride.😬

I want to say it definitely took less than 30 minutes to get to the Sheraton . For those staying here through HAL, you will get Bonvoy Marriott/Sheraton points if you are signed up and will have free internet.

we are going to take off and get an early like lunch near Pike Market, then this evening we have early reservations at Capital Grille.

 

Signing off till later……..

 

 

 

5D36429F-72E1-4521-AFFE-43007E35A4BF.jpeg

FE7302F2-89D6-4A4F-9BA8-49C5562614D8.jpeg

41BA910F-D993-4B9A-B35D-62CE029626E8.jpeg

Looks like they put you in the newer tower, glad you had a safe trip in!

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Loreto

Loreto

Posted
Posted

Looking forward to your reports, Lisa!  Glad you didn't have to take the transporter bus, that stopped at many other hotels, that was a downside of booking the Sheraton with HAL.  Taxi would be better.

Have a great cruise!

Karen

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites
kazu "Live from...." Rare

kazu

Posted
Posted

Thanks Lisa -nice to hear you have arrived safely and your plans for today & this evening sound lovely 👍 

 

Enjoy your day and evening and tomorrow’s embarkation.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...