Kate45

Thanks for all the replies. Here's another one......how much are the mandatory tips and gratuities that are added to your account each day? I realize I can prepay these and I just might, but haven't cruised with NCL for a number of years and know that they have gone up. Just trying to get an idea of final dollar pricing

Thinking about this cruise in the fall 2024.... Vancouver to Alaska to San Francisco to San Diego. Wondering if the booze pkg is a good deal or not. Taxes and grats for the 12 nite cruise are $360 pp. What is the average price of say a beer or a crown royal. How many can you drink before you are ahead of the pkg price?

As a ppast travel consultant, and as a Canadian, you need travel insurance anytime you leave your province. Some provinces will give you SOME coverage but usually not. We did this cruise in September....Montreal to Boston by way of newfoundland. Bought full coverage for all 11 days. It's not cheap but well worth the peace of mind.

We know to put towels on floor of bathroom when w e want them replaced and to hang them up when w e will re-use them. But the towels left on the couch in a heap were from the towel animal that fell apart when we moved it off the bed. The glasses were empty, brought back from the ocean bar filled with ice so we could have cold water (that we purchased in cans) when we went back to our cabin at night. Mostly to take pills. They stayed on the counter empty for 3 days. Our garbage can went for 2 days without being emptied. After 17 cruises, we know what is what as far as us and them, and they dropped the ball this time.

As I mentioned, we did not receive the checklist. Did not get ice any day, wasn't asked how we wanted our bed configured and saw/talked to our cabin Stewart exactly twice. He was waiting when we first got to our cabin and once mid cruise passing in the hallway. Don't get me wrong, our cabin was made up every day once in the morning and turn down service at night, but not really "cleaned" as soda cans, garbage and towels were left in the main area for 3 days before taken away. We soon learned that if we didn't put the cans in the trash, they weren't picked up. And we had canned water sitting on the desk every night, yet no ice. We managed, but it is the worst cabin service we have ever had in 17 cruises on 6 different cruise lines!

It's very interesting reading your posts and comparing them to our experiences. We were on the cruise before you. We did not have a Checklist in our cabin when we arrived, only got Chocolates and towel animals twice for our entire 10 day cruise, and our cabin steward was basically MIA. Didn't clean up used glasses, or garbage for days at a time.

We were just off the zaandam on Wednesday. Had 2 ports cancelled- one for weather (St Anthonthy, Nfld,) and the other (Bar Harbor) because of work needed on stern thrusters. We received port charges refunded AND a $75/pp obc. I am assuming this was because we lost a day because of a mechanical issue by HAL? Not sure, but we ended up with enough credit to pay our grats!

We don't have a HAL confirmation as we booked thru a incompetent TA! How can I find out because my TA doesn't reply or know and takes weeks to respond

OK. So alot of chatter here about wheth3r you tip extra or not and where you like to do your drinking. But...I would like to know whether the HIA in includes the tips. I just checked all my paperwork from HAL, and nowhere does it say it includes it in the drink pkg or the two inclused a la carte dinners. We cruise Sunday.this info would have been nice to know before now. I just assumed it was included

Don't count on much fall colour in September. We did the repo cruise in 2019 on the Zuiderdam over the Cdn Thanksgiving in October from Quebec City to Ft Lauderdale. There was a bit of colour, but even then, in October, not much. This year the weather has been wonky all across Canada, so who knows?

Just heard on the news today that Montréal airport will have construction and closed roads around it beginning this Sunday. For our fellow canadian friends from there, is this going to be a problem getting a cab to the cruise terminal. We fly in to Montreal on Sunday, Sept 3. Can we expect another email from HAL suggesting we purchase a HAL transfer like we did for departure in Boston?

Maybe they'll let me play! Although it will be on church and wedding music (classical music)

Here's a question for past Zaandam cruisers or any on the ship now.....does anyone actually play the organ in the atrium? Or is it just piped in music? I play....used to play at church and for weddings and I'd love to see someone actually playing it. Another question....is there somewhere in my docs that give me a complete itinerary of my cruise including the shore excursions and dinner reservations we have. I saw it once a month or so ago but can't seem to find it now.

Here's a question for past Zaandam cruisers or any on the ship now.....does anyone actually play the organ in the atrium? Or is it just piped in music? I play....used to play at church and for weddings and I'd love to see someone actually playing it. Another question....is there somewhere in my docs that give me a complete itinerary of my cruise including the shore excursions and dinner reservations we have. I saw it once a month or so ago but can't seem to find it now.

Looking forward to your comments. We get on the day you get off. Hope you have a great cruise!