SetAnOpenCourse

I'm considering the Zuiderdam's 12/15/22 sailing, her first after dry-dock.  Is there typically more work being done, perhaps painting or varnishing for which time didn't allow (during dry-dock)?  My particular concern is fumes, or work being done on the promenade.  I know one can encounter such work at any time - I'm just wondering if there's likely to be more of it on this sailing.

Do you know if the $1000 must be a single charge?  I don’t (yet) have Amex, and my upcoming booking will be under that amount.  At the end of the cruise, adding gratuities etc., total of all HAL charges will be over 1000.

3 hours ago, TiogaCruiser said:

90% back. It came back as credit in my credit card account

It would seem the big box shared your credit card number with HAL, which surprises me, although it is in your best interest.

35 minutes ago, TiogaCruiser said:

I’m confused. Are you talking about

I’m talking only about CPP and if there’s a difference (booking direct with HAL vs. TA) in the form of reimbursement (FCC vs. credit card refund) for a cancellation where the CPP (platinum 90%) is applicable.

Does HAL refund money when booked directly with them, and only give FCC when canceling and booked through (some?) TAs?  A big online “Vacations*” TA (specializes in cruises) is telling me that HAL Platinum CPP would be FCC if I cancel.  At the same time they’re saying the CCP works exactly the same as if  I got it directly from HAL.  Plus, they’re saying the FCC in such a case would simply expire (no refund ever).

Any insight?

9 hours ago, MISTER 67 said:

a thing of the past except

As you probably know, other lines  are an option for finding promenades.  I mention this mainly for people who are interested and may find this thread when researching.

Thanks, all.

There’s a sailing on the Nieuw Amsterdam that works for us, after all.  This was good information, though!

6 minutes ago, trk_koa said:

Yes. You can walk all the way around. It gets a little bit narrow in places. 

Thanks.  I guess the pictures I saw were of points where the path turns 90 degrees, giving the appearance of a dead end.  I’ll assume a full wrap is true for all the Pinnacle sisters (if it isn’t, please correct me).

Due to time limitations, cruises on HAL’s other ship classes doesn’t work for me this year.  I may opt for an RCI ship which has a better promenade than the Pinnacle ships.

Can some confirm that you can walk ALL the way around the ship?  I just saw some pictures which really seem to show that you reach a point where it simply ends.

On 8/1/2022 at 6:39 PM, QuattroRomeo said:

the wraparound deck

Just in case there’s noise, you could use a white-noise app (e.g., Rain Rain) and perhaps a small portable speaker (there are some which are quite small if packing space is an issue).

Having a full outdoor promenade on Volendam would make choosing her a no-brainer for me.

On sea days I enjoy the sea.  That is why I cruise, and why a full promenade deck is essential for me.

On 4/14/2022 at 4:54 PM, AryMay said:

 

Here is the notice we received just prior to our cruise on the Zaandam:

 

This is to advise guests who've booked Ocean-view staterooms on board Zaandam
that during the April 2018 dry dock, the bathrooms in the below staterooms will
be updated to a shower-only configuration:
Lower Promenade Deck: D3331 - D3370
Main Deck: C2564 - C2647

 

Thanks.  I’m looking specifically at Zaandam and Volendam for my next cruise, and I DO want a bathtub.  Now I know to choose my cabin carefully.

Some of HAL’s ships have fabulous outdoor promenade decks.  Some Princess ship have good ones, but not the steamer chairs.  I don’t like the outside  movie screen going throughout the day but for me that area is somewhat avoidable if the ship has one of these outdoor promenades.  Then again on HAL one could also find the music in the pool area disagreeable.  It comes down to the design of the ship for me.

6 minutes ago, fredmdcruisers said:

You need a TA. They can see all open cabins.

Thanks, I'll consider your advice although I don't know how to choose a TA.  I am still curious as to what's going on.  And of all the people booking on Royal's website, there must be many assuming that the cabin selections it shows reflect real availability.  So, regardless of whether I need a TA, I'm still curious about what's going on.

Unless the expert advice has changed, the biggest benefit of people wearing masks is so they don't spread the virus (not so they don't contract it).  True concern for the crew should include the possibility of the pandemic taking a turn for the worse and the crew facing the financial impact of another shut-down of cruising.

Depending on the spread of the covid surges in China and Germany (at least), crew wearing the mask under the nose may be... just maybe at this point... doing damage to the image of Royal Caribbean.

Doing some fake bookings to see about potential upgrades that may interest me (for a cruise I'm booked for, past final payment), I was seeing just two or three balcony cabins available, when entering 2 when it asks how many guests.  On a whim I went back and entered 1 guest, and it suddenly showed a half dozen cabins in the same category and section of ship (and not, of course, single-occupancy cabins).  That's pretty weird.  Any ideas as to why?

4 minutes ago, shipgeeks said:

If you carry on, your cases will have to be small enough to go through the xray scanners in the terminal.

Here is a reply on another thread regarding dimensions that will fit through the scanner.

...and, although I can't vouch for it, other comments said scanner dimensions were the same industry-wide.

On 2/25/2022 at 1:46 PM, Ocean Boy said:

Agree. I think the decreased capacity has made a huge difference. It will be hard to go back to a full ship.

Is Royal limiting capacity to a certain percentage?  Is it regional?  Based on the count of cabins booked (not beds I hope, which would be fairly meaningless)?  I'd love to know, for my cruise on Brilliance later this month.

10 hours ago, Ombud said:

When Grand Cayman was canceled on my December cruise the ship overnighted in Cartegena. Didn't know that until a few days beforehand. Could it overnight in one of your ports?

I don't know, but the schedule showed Falmouth the day before Grand Cayman and a sea day after.

Anyway, this cruise was an alternative to what I was already booked on, and will likely make final payment on tomorrow, a four-nighter on Royal (Brilliance).  I look forward to my next cruise on Princess, though.  I just wish they'd have more options from Florida (I won't consider Regal, due to it's truncated outdoor promenade).

9 hours ago, ONECRUISER said:

I been up there after Dark many times in past doing this later after Dinner and Show. Few times they have blocked it for Private Gatherings right before Dark or Sail away

Do you recall if it was a sea day when you were up there after dark?

I see the Caribbean Princess sailing on March 13 had a port of call cancelled, Grand Cayman.  What has been people's experience with a cancelled port (without a port substituted) - does the ship dock early at the next port or call, sail at a much slower speed to "kill time", or what?  I like sea days, but no so much if we're moving at a speed of a few knots.