Booked first HAL sailing on Koningsdam...California Coast

[motheroftwocats814]

We just got off Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas..and never before have we seen soooo many children..to the point where at the end of the week we were done.

We have been wanting to book HAL for a while, and the Wonder sailing sealed the deal.

We understand there may be some kids on this sailing, but not a ton.

We are booked on the Koningsdam March 29, 2025. Yes, 2025.

Starting in San Diego and ending in Vancouver.

We are HUGE music fans, namely the blues, so we are really looking forward to BB King's.

Anyone have any tips or experience with HAL and Koningsdam?

[Banditswife]

We sail Koningsdam next month.  Looking forward to our 1st time on the K, specifically, but we have sailed her sister- Nieuw Statendam.  We love the Grand Dutch Cafe on this class of ship- a must try IMO.  Free pastries, light lunch offerings, & several types of sweets included at no additional cost.  Love the coffee they serve there for a small fee.

Music walk will have a variety of music to enjoy.

There are usually a few kids onboard, but are usually well behaved.

Cruise critic is a good place to get ideas of what is available on HAL vs other lines.  Enjoy your cruise

[CruiserBruce]

26 minutes ago, motheroftwocats814 said:

We just got off Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas..and never before have we seen soooo many children..to the point where at the end of the week we were done.

We have been wanting to book HAL for a while, and the Wonder sailing sealed the deal.

We understand there may be some kids on this sailing, but not a ton.

We are booked on the Koningsdam March 29, 2025. Yes, 2025.

Starting in San Diego and ending in Vancouver.

We are HUGE music fans, namely the blues, so we are really looking forward to BB King's.

Anyone have any tips or experience with HAL and Koningsdam?

Been on KDam 3 times. Great ship and crew.

[Mary229]

If your travel dates don’t coincide with spring break there should be very few children. It is too soon to predict the future entertainment and even though the music walk is undergoing changes it has been so popular I am sure there will be some incarnation of BB Kings.  The HAL crews are superb always.  The ships are clean.  The K has many modern amenities.  The only shortcomings I found on the K was the wait for anytime dining.  That can easily overcome by now signing up for fixed dining. 

[motheroftwocats814]

54 minutes ago, Banditswife said:

We sail Koningsdam next month.  Looking forward to our 1st time on the K, specifically, but we have sailed her sister- Nieuw Statendam.  We love the Grand Dutch Cafe on this class of ship- a must try IMO.  Free pastries, light lunch offerings, & several types of sweets included at no additional cost.  Love the coffee they serve there for a small fee.

Music walk will have a variety of music to enjoy.

There are usually a few kids onboard, but are usually well behaved.

Cruise critic is a good place to get ideas of what is available on HAL vs other lines.  Enjoy your cruise

Thank you!

[motheroftwocats814]

25 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

If your travel dates don’t coincide with spring break there should be very few children. It is too soon to predict the future entertainment and even though the music walk is undergoing changes it has been so popular I am sure there will be some incarnation of BB Kings.  The HAL crews are superb always.  The ships are clean.  The K has many modern amenities.  The only shortcomings I found on the K was the wait for anytime dining.  That can easily overcome by now signing up for fixed dining. 

Our cruise date is March 29,2025. So maybe the tail end of spring break. I am not expecting no kids, but hoping a few. KDAM as of now has BB Kings, Rolling Stone and Billboard. Plus I think some others. Of course a year and half a lot can change. But looking forward to trying HAL. 

[oakridger]

2 hours ago, motheroftwocats814 said:

BB Kings

 

I would like to clarify that the current version of the BBKings room has been very enjoyable for me and many others, but they don't really play "blues".  They play more Motown and other older dance music.

 

~Nancy

[OlsSalt]

It will be interesting to see if your original itinerary holds by 2025.

 

Recent "California Coastal" had two ports taken away at the last minute, with two less attractive substitutes added to the surprise of many who had originally signed up. It was still a good cruise, and SF turned out to be the real surprise - it remains a special city with only smaller parts of it having fallen into a truly degraded state. 

 

On this most recent  Noordam cruise, Monterey and Santa Barbara at the last minute were changed to San Pedro(LA)  and Catalina. 

[booinla]

17 hours ago, motheroftwocats814 said:

We just got off Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas..and never before have we seen soooo many children..to the point where at the end of the week we were done.

We have been wanting to book HAL for a while, and the Wonder sailing sealed the deal.

We understand there may be some kids on this sailing, but not a ton.

We are booked on the Koningsdam March 29, 2025. Yes, 2025.

Starting in San Diego and ending in Vancouver.

We are HUGE music fans, namely the blues, so we are really looking forward to BB King's.

Anyone have any tips or experience with HAL and Koningsdam?

I, too, have booked my first HAL cruise. On the Koningsdam. In 2025 (January). And I'm very much looking forward to trying a new-to-me thing as well! I'll be on a San Diego round-trip to Mexico/Sea of Cortez.

 

I guess that means we are in a club now 😉

[Susanmaz]

Keep in mind that Santa Barbara and Monterey weren’t “taken away”. Those two ports have decided they don’t want cruise ships coming into their towns.  As they decide who can or cannot visit whenever, changes and substitutions are made as needed. My two cents - go with flow and enjoy you trip. 

[OlsSalt]

19 minutes ago, Susanmaz said:

Keep in mind that Santa Barbara and Monterey weren’t “taken away”. Those two ports have decided they don’t want cruise ships coming into their towns.  As they decide who can or cannot visit whenever, changes and substitutions are made as needed. My two cents - go with flow and enjoy you trip. 

 

Monterey did ban all cruise ships after they designated  their marine sanctuary. So this port was in contention at the time, but still marketed with Monterey  shore excursions offered for this recent California Coastal cruise offering.  The roll call for this Noordam cruise was full of shore excursion suggestions for both cities. 

 

However,  cruise ships still come into Santa Barbara - a shoulder season stop that continues.  In fact I believe the Konigsdam in scheduled for November. Will check, but other lines still make this stop. 

 

So no, Santa Barbara has  not "decided they don't want cruise ships".  It is  currently proposed to require more restrictions on cruise ships after 2025 - size, numbers, speed, and pollution controls.

 

May turn out to be a de facto prohibition, but Santa Barbara has not yet banned of cruise ships.  Lots of crazy talk about cruise ships abounds in this town, but there is also a need to produce tourism industry dollars as well - and cruise ships help support the city's Harbor Enterprise zone.

[OlsSalt]

2023 - Santa Barbara cruise ship visits:  https://santabarbaraca.gov/things-do/waterfront/cruise-ship-visits

[DaveOKC]

Generally HAL cruises have few kids, but 7 day ones when school is out and just to CA will likely have more (but not as bad as the other lines).  

[Banditswife]

6 hours ago, booinla said:

I, too, have booked my first HAL cruise. On the Koningsdam. In 2025 (January). And I'm very much looking forward to trying a new-to-me thing as well! I'll be on a San Diego round-trip to Mexico/Sea of Cortez.

 

I guess that means we are in a club now 😉

Ours is in 4 weeks- 10 days-Sea of Cortez on the K, add me to your club, LOL

[motheroftwocats814]

9 hours ago, booinla said:

I, too, have booked my first HAL cruise. On the Koningsdam. In 2025 (January). And I'm very much looking forward to trying a new-to-me thing as well! I'll be on a San Diego round-trip to Mexico/Sea of Cortez.

 

I guess that means we are in a club now 😉

I suppose so! Lol! Enjoy