LIVE Thanksgiving Review Nieuw Statendam Rome -> FLL My First Transatlantic Nov 26 - Dec 10 🦃

[Haljo1935]

1 hour ago, LouChamp said:

Aloha. Thoroughly enjoying your posts and pictures. Have been blessed to sail several Christmas and Hanukkah voyages. They are so special. Not only with family but the festive spirit, mass and services at sea, special events and dinners (love the goose lol) and santa arriving by lifeboat! Memories to cherish! All blessings 

Agree. I'm looking forward to the tree lighting early this evening 🤭

BB's looked particularly festive during this morning's Coffee Talk.

Does the tree swaying count as a festive event if it was due to the ocean motion not the music? Hopefully it's noticeable in this clip; it was obvious in person.

 

 

[FLCruiser97]

1 hour ago, Haljo1935 said:

Is it just me or do others also wish people would not use the elevators and decor as resting areas for their spent food and vessels?🤔

In other words, please don't leave your dirty dishes in the floor at an elevator or in a planter. Thank you!🙄

 

I think Deck 5 has a resident slob.

Some people!! Gesh!!!

[Haljo1935]

15 hours ago, dobiemom said:

@Haljo1935 Ques about the Thermal Suite:  Does it have a “lift” to get a wheelchair user into the thermal pool/hot tub? TIA! 😘

Hey @dobiemom there is a glare, but if you zoom in on the left side, you can see the chair lift in the thermal pool.

There is also one at the Retreat hot tub.

[FLCruiser97]

Good Morning @Haljo1935. I saw a comment from you on another thread addressing the Orange Party last night. I have not been on HAL in a long time but I saw that there was a Bar Hop. Just wondering what exactly this is. I know what bar hopping is on land but wondering if iit's the same on a ship.

[Haljo1935]

Today's Daily 

[Haljo1935]

4 minutes ago, FLCruiser97 said:

Good Morning @Haljo1935. I saw a comment from you on another thread addressing the Orange Party last night. I have not been on HAL in a long time but I saw that there was a Bar Hop. Just wondering what exactly this is. I know what bar hopping is on land but wondering if iit's the same on a ship.

It really is the same - on here, it's done on "Orange Night" starting up in Explorations Crow'sNest (deck 12) before the Orange Party. It goes to 4 different bars; cost is $25, which I think is a pretty good deal for 4 drinks.

We didn't go, but passed people on the stairs who were participating  - they appeared to be having a great time - lots of singing 🤭

[BetsyS.]

Thanks for all your updates and great pictures! The ship is very festive! 😊

The Minty Elf Martini sounds delicious!  The French themed afternoon tea should be good. I agree that people should not leave dirty dishes at an elevator or in a planter!

Enjoy the tree lighting!

[lcand1923]

Thank you so much for your posts of the Daily!  I know my friends are having a good time because the activities are things that they enjoy.

 

LOVED your sunrise pictures!

 

 

[BetsyS.]

Thanks for the video of the "dancing tree!" 😊

[CineGraphic]

5 hours ago, HappyInVan said:

 

Me too. Four times in 8 days. 

 

This happened for my entire cruise on the Nieuw Amsterdam last year.

Sad.

[mawvkysc]

Oh my. I’m thinking on an Eastbound TA we would probably want breakfast at 10:30 -11:00. (I know this is ridiculous 😉) Looks like there is nowhere to eat at that time non brunch days. I’ll be on Vista Class so no NY Deli. I was hoping for more brunch days. Oh well. Room service looks good. 👍 

[BetsyS.]

On past HAL cruises, I have seen dishes and glasses left both INSIDE and outside the elevators!  I wish HAL would put up a sign outside the elevators saying "do not leave dishes and glasses here."

[newtocruiseinblue]

3 hours ago, Haljo1935 said:

Today's Daily 

Thank you so much for sharing your experience! We are on an upcoming sailing on the ship. I was wondering, the champagne tasting or wine tasting, is there gratuity added to the price or is the price listed the total? Thank you so much! 

[dobiemom]

On 12/2/2023 at 12:10 PM, Haljo1935 said:

Tomorrow's Daily for Ponta Delgada 

Thanks @Haljo1935 for posting these Dailys.
All: I see that Tamarind had a special Rijsttafel dinner (Dec 3). Did anyone have this?

Edited December 5, 2023 by dobiemom

[Haljo1935]

1 hour ago, mawvkysc said:

Oh my. I’m thinking on an Eastbound TA we would probably want breakfast at 10:30 -11:00. (I know this is ridiculous 😉) Looks like there is nowhere to eat at that time non brunch days. I’ll be on Vista Class so no NY Deli. I was hoping for more brunch days. Oh well. Room service looks good. 👍 

Pizza & Deli is it for now, so yes, it does look like a ship w/o that would be room service. You can write things in on room service and most times you will get them. I write in hot oatmeal and crispy 🥓 🥓 and almost always get them.

[Haljo1935]

37 minutes ago, dobiemom said:

Thanks @Haljo1935 for posting these Dailys.
All: I see that Tamarind had a special Rijsttafel dinner (Dec 3). Did anyone have this?

We did not go to it - interested in feedback, too.🤔

[Haljo1935]

1 hour ago, newtocruiseinblue said:

Thank you so much for sharing your experience! We are on an upcoming sailing on the ship. I was wondering, the champagne tasting or wine tasting, is there gratuity added to the price or is the price listed the total? Thank you so much! 

Based on other f&b charges, I would say there'd be 18% on top, but have not done any this cruise or last. I'm happy to ask.

[Haljo1935]

Good size crowd gathered for the tree lighting. All the garland is lit; tree looks a tad sad being dark. Next shot it should look better 🫣

[cruisinsince75]

8 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said:

Good size crowd gathered for the tree lighting. All the garland is lit; tree looks a tad sad being dark. Next shot it should look better 🫣

In your photo it looks like the glass covering the pool is closed.  Has it been that way for most of the cruise?  Also, are the pools heated?

 

[Haljo1935]

58 minutes ago, cruisinsince75 said:

In your photo it looks like the glass covering the pool is closed.  Has it been that way for most of the cruise?  Also, are the pools heated?

 

I have not seen it fully open, but noticed about the time the tree was lit, it was open a squidge. 

Yes, the pool is heated. Lots of people in it earlier today and every lounger was being used.

Not a good picture, but here's the tree after the lighting.

 

[Haljo1935]

Officers and other crew attended. Couple Christmas carols sung then tree lit.

Servers came through with hot chocolate and cookies.

[Haljo1935]

https://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/

https://www.arkansasrunforthefallen.org/

If you'd like to learn about opportunities to honor fallen military during Christmas, here are a couple links.

[Haljo1935]

Tomorrow's Daily.

Afternoon tea has a different theme; we keep saying we'll go, then we do something else.

Maybe we can make "The Deep Blue" at 11am; that should be very interesting. 

[Huskerchick]

10 hours ago, Haljo1935 said:

Hey hey, @POA1 Ocean Bar has holiday menu out this morning. I will continue to check other bars.

Thank you now I have a goal for next week 😉

[js1357]

On 12/4/2023 at 12:30 AM, Haljo1935 said:

I've noticed that, too. The movies seem to all be playing in the theater. We have only seen 1 movie playing on the outdoor screen - we didn't watch it, just noticed it when we were getting gelato. With the exception of 1 night, the weather has been great for outdoor movie, so it's curious. 

I just saw recent daily programs for the Rotterdam that did not include outdoor movies either.  I sent an email to HAL asking why the outdoor screens were not being used as advertised.  All I got was a link to the advertisement for outdoor movies on their website.  I responded by saying that at least on 2 of the 3 Pinnacle ships, the daily programs didn't show movies being shown.  I could understand one screen being inoperable, but 2 out of 3??...