HAL and Nieuw Statendam thoughts from a HAL newb

[terrydtx]

9 minutes ago, jules815 said:

My husband's referring to it as our "Caribbean Swan Song."  We've done the Caribbean so many times we're pretty burned out on the ports, so this one will mostly be about the ship. Now that we're both retired and have the time, we're looking at different itineraries. 

I am with you on this, after our cruise this next week from Florida we are so done with the boring Caribbean cruises, we have been to almost every island and port in the Caribbean. We are only doing this one next week because our 12 year old granddaughter wanted to go to beaches instead of Alaska. We are retired and now do long extended cruise/land vacations not in the Carribean. September we do 2 weeks from Amsterdam to Athens ending with a week in Santorini. Next January we have 37 days on sea and land in Australia and New Zealand. 

[Florida_gal_50]

For those that are bored with the Caribbean you should come up to Canada in January when it’s minus 40 for a couple weeks plus a foot of snow.  Guaranteed you’ll be cured fast 😛🤪.  Give me warmth over Alaska any day and yes I’ve been there a few times.

[jules815]

31 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

For those that are bored with the Caribbean you should come up to Canada in January when it’s minus 40 for a couple weeks plus a foot of snow.  Guaranteed you’ll be cured fast 😛🤪.  Give me warmth over Alaska any day and yes I’ve been there a few times.

Trust me, I know! Chicago here! Probably why I really haven't ever been interested in Alaska. I know that sounds silly, because I know it's a beautiful cruise, but just haven't been interested.  

 

 

[alyssamma]

1 hour ago, jules815 said:

This is all good. Yeah, he wouldn't be in ripped jeans. It would be basically what he was wearing to the office before he retired. 

 

Too funny about the passengers having children your age. We've been on Celebrity cruises where we've met older passengers on board who were really interesting. So that's all good too. Maybe on this cruise I'll feel young!

 

Anxiously awaiting the confirmation about the wedding date change. Now we're both really excited about trying a new line. I see you mentioned you sail on MSC in the Yacht Club. We have a b2b coming up in September on Seascape. My husband's referring to it as our "Caribbean Swan Song."  We've done the Caribbean so many times we're pretty burned out on the ports, so this one will mostly be about the ship. Now that we're both retired and have the time, we're looking at different itineraries. 

So, are you in the YC on MSC? If so, I think you'll like it. That being said, we kind of left MSC for Celebrity. We found the food better and dealing with customer service was 10x easier. Basically, MSC screwed us one too many times, so we switched.

 

But..lol, that being said, we are about to sail on the Poesia in July and then again in Sept 2024. Both because they are itineraries we can't find on any other line. We are also doing Seascape in Jan to celebrate a friend's wedding. So somehow we can't quit MSC 😀

 

I completely understand about being burned out on the Caribbean...we are too. We are looking now at more exotic itineraries and that is why we picked HAL and why we are doing the Poesia.

[alyssamma]

37 minutes ago, jules815 said:

Trust me, I know! Chicago here! Probably why I really haven't ever been interested in Alaska. I know that sounds silly, because I know it's a beautiful cruise, but just haven't been interested.  

 

 

I'm Cleveland and before that upstate NY so I understand snow. But I love it. I melt in the sun and can't stand heat. I'll take a cold snowy day over a hot humid one any day of the week.

 

And yes, I understand 99% of you will disagree with me 😀

[Cruising-along]

50 minutes ago, alyssamma said:

I'm Cleveland and before that upstate NY so I understand snow. But I love it. I melt in the sun and can't stand heat. I'll take a cold snowy day over a hot humid one any day of the week.

 

And yes, I understand 99% of you will disagree with me 😀

I'm with you on the heat and humidity, no thanks!  And I was done with the Caribbean after the first time. 😂

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I too am not thrilled with Caribbean, even though our December cruise is on the NS, we just did Eastern Caribbean on NCL Encore in the Haven in February, loved the cruise, the ship and the Haven but could have stayed on the ship all week. We are both born and raised in Iowa so we know snow and cold but have lived in Las Vegas since 1978 and actually do enjoy going to Alaska. There is just so much more Sea Life and Nature and Wild Life. But for warm weather I would prefer going to Mexico over Caribbean.  

[terrydtx]

2 hours ago, jules815 said:

Trust me, I know! Chicago here! Probably why I really haven't ever been interested in Alaska. I know that sounds silly, because I know it's a beautiful cruise, but just haven't been interested.  

 

 

Alaska and Canadian cruies look really good when its 105 in August in South Texas. 

[jules815]

1 hour ago, alyssamma said:

So, are you in the YC on MSC? If so, I think you'll like it. That being said, we kind of left MSC for Celebrity. We found the food better and dealing with customer service was 10x easier. Basically, MSC screwed us one too many times, so we switched.

 

But..lol, that being said, we are about to sail on the Poesia in July and then again in Sept 2024. Both because they are itineraries we can't find on any other line. We are also doing Seascape in Jan to celebrate a friend's wedding. So somehow we can't quit MSC 😀

 

I completely understand about being burned out on the Caribbean...we are too. We are looking now at more exotic itineraries and that is why we picked HAL and why we are doing the Poesia.

Yes, in the Yacht Club. It's the only way we've ever cruised with MSC. We were on Seaside in early 2019 and then on Meraviglia in 2021 (under 1000 people on that cruise, ship felt empty.) Knock on wood, so far no issues with MSC, but I haven't really had to deal with customer service yet. We love Celebrity, but think their suite pricing has just gone bonkers. I would agree that Luminae food is better than YC dining room, but those prices!

 

[alyssamma]

8 minutes ago, jules815 said:

Yes, in the Yacht Club. It's the only way we've ever cruised with MSC. We were on Seaside in early 2019 and then on Meraviglia in 2021 (under 1000 people on that cruise, ship felt empty.) Knock on wood, so far no issues with MSC, but I haven't really had to deal with customer service yet. We love Celebrity, but think their suite pricing has just gone bonkers. I would agree that Luminae food is better than YC dining room, but those prices!

 

We are in complete agreement.

[Florida_gal_50]

1 hour ago, terrydtx said:

Alaska and Canadian cruies look really good when its 105 in August in South Texas. 

We get warm here too.  Can be 90 or so for a couple weeks except for most people don't have air conditioning so that's fun.

Edited May 27, 2023 by Florida_gal_50