Rare aring75 Posted October 15, 2021 #1 Share Posted October 15, 2021 Getting bags packed and last-minute items finalized for our October 17th - 24th cruise on Holland America’s Koningsdam. We fly out tomorrow to San Diego and then we are off on a 7-day cruise to the Mexican Riviera! Our ports are Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerta Vallarta. While I have done several LIVE trip reports for other lines, this will be my first review of a HAL ship (although it’s my third HAL cruise). I’m really looking forward to it. COVID tests done earlier today. Used the Abbot Binax-Now proctored test through eMed. Easy peasy. Now. If we can just get on our Southwest flight from Tampa to San Diego with no issues, I will finally be able to breathe easily again! 15 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canadianbear Posted October 15, 2021 #2 Share Posted October 15, 2021 Thanks for doing this! It’s one of the easy cruises for us to get to but being Canadian we are still staying at home. I’ll dream along while reading your reports. Kongingsdam is a great ship. Best lattes at the Dutch Cafe! Enjoy! Good luck with your flight. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare aring75 Posted October 15, 2021 Author #3 Share Posted October 15, 2021 Our hotel in San Diego is the Springhill Suites by Marriott. It’s located right near the port and is within easy walking distance to many restaurants. I will report back on the hotel as well. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare aring75 Posted October 15, 2021 Author #4 Share Posted October 15, 2021 1 minute ago, canadianbear said: Thanks for doing this! It’s one of the easy cruises for us to get to but being Canadian we are still staying at home. I’ll dream along while reading your reports. Kongingsdam is a great ship. Best lattes at the Dutch Cafe! Enjoy! Good luck with your flight. Thanks canadianbear! I will definitely enjoy a latté (or several!) at the Dutch Café! We have never sailed a Mexican Riviera cruise, so I’m looking forward to lots of firsts! 😁 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare roxybear135 Posted October 15, 2021 #5 Share Posted October 15, 2021 Have a fantastic time on your cruise! I will be following along since we're booked on this cruise in December. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cat shepard Posted October 15, 2021 #6 Share Posted October 15, 2021 Bon Voyage! Thank you for sharing your experiences with us! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ger_77 Posted October 15, 2021 #7 Share Posted October 15, 2021 Another LIVE . . . gotta love it! Thanks for doing this for those of us who are landlocked for a while yet. Smooth Sailing! 🙂🙂🙂 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leerathje Posted October 15, 2021 #8 Share Posted October 15, 2021 We did this cruise beginning of March 2020 and really enjoyed ourselves. If they still have it, I can HIGHLY recommend the San Sebastián excursion from Puerto Vallarta. Small group tour (only 12!) with a very informative tour guide, lunch, tour of a small, independent tequila manufacturer and some time visiting San Sebastián itself. L. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare kazu Posted October 15, 2021 #9 Share Posted October 15, 2021 Bon Voyage 🙂. Hope you have an absolutely wonderful time and so looking forward to your reports 🙂. Thanks for taking the time to do them 👍 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
librarysmile Posted October 15, 2021 #10 Share Posted October 15, 2021 I'll be on the Koningsdam on November 7. Thanks so much for sharing your experience with us! Gets me excited for my cruise and helps me plan things I want to do. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare aring75 Posted October 15, 2021 Author #11 Share Posted October 15, 2021 55 minutes ago, roxybear135 said: Have a fantastic time on your cruise! I will be following along since we're booked on this cruise in December. Thank you!! 54 minutes ago, cat shepard said: Bon Voyage! Thank you for sharing your experiences with us! Thanks! And you’re very welcome! 46 minutes ago, ger_77 said: Another LIVE . . . gotta love it! Thanks for doing this for those of us who are landlocked for a while yet. Smooth Sailing! 🙂🙂🙂 I know, right!! I love a live thread. It feels like people are so happy to be cruising again that there are more live postings than usual. I’ll take it! 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare aring75 Posted October 15, 2021 Author #12 Share Posted October 15, 2021 22 minutes ago, leerathje said: We did this cruise beginning of March 2020 and really enjoyed ourselves. If they still have it, I can HIGHLY recommend the San Sebastián excursion from Puerto Vallarta. Small group tour (only 12!) with a very informative tour guide, lunch, tour of a small, independent tequila manufacturer and some time visiting San Sebastián itself. L. Wow, great pictures! I think we are relaxing at a resort in PV, but if anything changes I’ll definitely look into that. Thanks! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare aring75 Posted October 15, 2021 Author #13 Share Posted October 15, 2021 16 minutes ago, kazu said: Bon Voyage 🙂. Hope you have an absolutely wonderful time and so looking forward to your reports 🙂. Thanks for taking the time to do them 👍 Thank you! I love doing the “live from…” for my own selfish reasons as well. It’s great to look back in them a year or two from now for the memories. Like a digital scrapbook of sorts. 😁 13 minutes ago, librarysmile said: I'll be on the Koningsdam on November 7. Thanks so much for sharing your experience with us! Gets me excited for my cruise and helps me plan things I want to do. You’re welcome! Reading through all these live postings has helped me too. I truly appreciate everyone who has taken the time to share the up-to-date information as we get back to cruising. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggieq Posted October 15, 2021 #14 Share Posted October 15, 2021 Thank you for posting this review. I don’t frequent the HA board that much but sure glad I did today. Safe travels! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare aring75 Posted October 15, 2021 Author #15 Share Posted October 15, 2021 4 minutes ago, maggieq said: Thank you for posting this review. I don’t frequent the HA board that much but sure glad I did today. Safe travels! Thanks! Suitcases are packed (except for tomorrow’s last minute items). Not long now! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprinkles Posted October 15, 2021 #16 Share Posted October 15, 2021 26 minutes ago, aring75 said: Wow, great pictures! I think we are relaxing at a resort in PV, but if anything changes I’ll definitely look into that. Thanks! Please report back on your port days (especially taxis and resorts). We will be on her November 14. Have a great trip. Tammy 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Florida_gal_50 Posted October 15, 2021 #17 Share Posted October 15, 2021 (edited) Can’t wait to hear all about it. Thank you for doing a live from thread. Have a wonderful time. Edited October 15, 2021 by Florida_gal_50 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heartgrove Posted October 15, 2021 #18 Share Posted October 15, 2021 (edited) We are on the December 5 sailing and celebrating our 20th anniversary. Back in 2016 we sailed this same cruise aboard the Westerdam. If HAL advertised a "party" cruise, this would be it! Hopefully they still have the onboard entertainment of the "Mexican Ambassadors," and the outdoor barbecue by the Seaview Pool while leaving Cabo. Edited October 15, 2021 by Heartgrove 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare aring75 Posted October 15, 2021 Author #19 Share Posted October 15, 2021 40 minutes ago, sprinkles said: Please report back on your port days (especially taxis and resorts). We will be on her November 14. Have a great trip. Tammy Will do. I’ll let you know what we do in port and any other info we come across. 23 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said: Can’t wait to hear all about it. Thank you for doing a live from thread. Have a wonderful time. Thanks!! 11 minutes ago, Heartgrove said: We are on the December 5 sailing and celebrating our 20th anniversary. Back in 2016 we sailed this same cruise aboard the Westerdam. If HAL advertised a "party" cruise, this would be it! Hopefully they still have the onboard entertainment of the "Mexican Ambassadors," and the outdoor barbecue by the Seaview Pool while leaving Cabo. How fun! I can’t wait to see if they do the outdoor barbecue. That sounds great! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare BSR Posted October 16, 2021 #20 Share Posted October 16, 2021 Have a great cruise! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare aring75 Posted October 16, 2021 Author #21 Share Posted October 16, 2021 11 minutes ago, BSR said: Have a great cruise! Thank you!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare aring75 Posted October 16, 2021 Author #22 Share Posted October 16, 2021 Running to CVS for a few last minute things. Gotta have my Sudafed to fly and, would you believe it, I forgot until just now. Can’t get too many things though. Pretty sure not much else will fit in our suitcases. I’m a terrible packer. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Crew News Posted October 16, 2021 #23 Share Posted October 16, 2021 25 minutes ago, aring75 said: How fun! I can’t wait to see if they do the outdoor barbecue. That sounds great! Unless something has changed recently, outdoor cooking is no longer allowed on HAL ships. Health inspection results allow cooking only in fixed facilities. Serving food should not be a problem but not quite the same as the smell of charcoal. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisinteach2 Posted October 16, 2021 #24 Share Posted October 16, 2021 Enjoy your cruise! In Mazatlan, check out Stone Island. Easy access from the pier. Has some great restaurants for lunch, authentic Mexican food and ceviche 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare aring75 Posted October 16, 2021 Author #25 Share Posted October 16, 2021 56 minutes ago, Crew News said: Unless something has changed recently, outdoor cooking is no longer allowed on HAL ships. Health inspection results allow cooking only in fixed facilities. Serving food should not be a problem but not quite the same as the smell of charcoal. Awww…that’s too bad. Not to worry though. I’m sure we’ll find lots of other fun things onboard. 47 minutes ago, cruisinteach2 said: Enjoy your cruise! In Mazatlan, check out Stone Island. Easy access from the pier. Has some great restaurants for lunch, authentic Mexican food and ceviche I think Stone Island is the plan! I’ll definitely let you know. All that sounds great! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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