Robin7

May I ask what is so special about Kushiro from a tourist's perspective?

 

Welcome b ack

Thank you!

Cruise ships don't stop there very often--just when repositioning, I guess. We took a HAL excursion called "Japanese Cultural Experience" which they added at the last minute. We visited a Shinto Shrine and a Buddhist Temple. They dressed us in traditional kimonos. And they had a whole classroom prepared where we were taught how to paint a Kanjii. We also went to a tea ceremony.

There were about 12-15 of us on the tour, and the operator assigned us helpers. Whenever I had a question, there was a girl at my elbow to help/explain. (And she was adorable and her English was perfect.)

Kushiro is a working port, not a tourist port. But there were things to see within walking distance if you were so inclined.

Besides the wonderful excursion, the reason it topped our list for favorite port was the people. A hundred or so showed up at the pier to see us off, including an adorable duo called, "The Kushiro Boys." They had a platform, guitars, mics, plus a sound system and gave a concert. They had written a song just for the ship. It was called something like, "See You Later." Those poor boys! They ended up singing it about six times in a row when the Volendam was delayed leaving due to four missing passengers. But all of the passengers on their balconies and those of us lining the Lower Promenade kept applauding and cheering and whistling so their mother/manager kept having them play it again. :')

People brought their dogs and their children. They would all wave, and everyone standing outside would wave back. They were just so friendly and seemed excited to have the ship there. It was nice to be welcomed.

~Robin

Sorry for the creases.:loudcry:

 

 

Other than that, how was your cruise ?

It was great! I am working on a review. We started in Japan and ended in Vancouver. Kushiro, Japan, wins for favorite cruise port ever. We hadn't been on HAL since 2010 so it was nice to be back.

~Robin

When you send out pants, put a note ont ghe laundry slip do NOT IRON A FRONT CREASE ON THE pants. They will come back nicely pressed and no front of the leg crease. If you don't tell them what you want, how do they know? I earned how to handle about the crease from my dry cleaner at home.

 

Whenever I brought in dh's or my trousers, they always ask,,,,,,,,,,, "crease' or no crease? :)

 

On some of dh's pants, he wanted the crease, and some not.

I did write that on the invoice the last time we sent pants out on HAL, but they still ironed in the creases. So we erred on the side of caution this time, especially since two of DH's pants were new, and didn't send them to the laundry.

We have never sent our pants to the cleaners here at home, and his suits are all creased (thank goodness).

All of the laundry they did do for us was beautifully pressed and folded and perfect. Best $20 we spent on the ship!

~Robin

We had a question about laundry while on our recent Volendam cruise (Trans-Pacific). We each managed to make five pairs of pants last for the 19 days, but we discussed sending them out. But one time I sent pants out to the laundry, they came back with a middle crease on the legs. For future cruises, is there a "best practice" for not getting those creases? They lasted FOREVER. When we donated the pants last year, they STILL had the crease marks in them.

~Robin

I'm no 'road warrior' but I do have to fly for work (nationally and sometimes internationally) as well as for pleasure. There are a number of things that one can do that help alleviate the less pleasant aspects of flying, such as:

 

-- Get TSA or Global Entry (which includes TSA privileges) to avoid having to take off shoes, take out computer, take out 3-1-1 bag, etc. when going through security. Lines are also usually quite a bit shorter -- but can be long if you travel when all the business travelers tend to travel.

 

-- Don't tote a lot on the plane. I have only a small purse and one bag; the bag goes above leaving the space beneath the seat in front of me relatively open so that I can at least move my legs and feet around a bit.

 

-- Wear compression socks to keep down swelling and reduce risk of DVT. And of course, comfortable loose clothing in layers.

 

-- If you can't sit 'front of plane' at least pay to be able to choose your seat in advance and/or if you're flying on an airline that has it, consider the "economy comfort" or "economy plus" seating with more legroom.

 

-- Eat in the airport before your flight -- quite a few airports have at least one or two decent restaurants now. Much better than what you'll get (or have to purchase) on the plane and eliminates the need to juggle a plate, drink, silverware, etc. on your tray table. If you bring a snack onboard make sure it's easy to manage -- a granola bar, packet of nuts, etc. Not a salad that has to be assembled.

 

-- Noise cancelling earbuds are wonderful. Use them to watch in-flight entertainment or your own entertainment (music, movies). Really helps eliminate the crying babies, loud laughers, etc.

 

-- Bring some back-up entertainment (Kindle, book); can't count how many times my particular in-flight entertainment unit didn't work (or didn't work well).

Great tips! I would also add that I never get on a plane without my own water. I carry my own (empty) water bottle through security then fill it once through. (Our airport has attachments to the drinking fountains specifically for filling water bottles.) If I forget my own bottle, I always, ALWAYS buy one.

~Robin

I am not a good flyer. I hate heights and have a fear of falling (like a kindred spirit above) but if we didn't fly, we'd never go anywhere. We live in the West where everything is hours and hours of driving away. So Ativan and Sudafed are my friends, and I fly. If I die while flying, so be it.

I've told our kids that if I die when we are going/gone somewhere, know I died happy because I was seeing something. I have always valued experiences over things. We're soon to have a new experience and will fly to Japan to get on the Volendam. Can't wait!!!

~Robin

In another thread it talks about a HAL ship that was 10 hours late docking in Vancouver yesterday. Now if that'd been our ship on May 9th (and without insurance), we'd have been out close to $600 for the already purchased airfare home, plus whatever it would have cost to replace the tickets, plus maybe a hotel for the night. So if I ever wasn't convinced of the need for insurance before, I'm certainly getting there now.

I thought I had just purchased medical coverage, but I went to print out my insurance documents (since this thread made me think of it), and I actually bought basic coverage. I remember debating about which one, and we finally decided to buy the whole coverage because it wasn't *that* much more than medical, especially considering this is a much longer trip than we usually take. I'm glad now! I'd hate for our ship to be that delayed.

~Robin

We decided to "self-insure" the cost of the cruise and the flights on our upcoming cruise, but we bought medical through insuremytrip. It was really reasonable.

My brother-in-law and his wife, her parents, and my in-laws were doing a southbound Alaska on HAL a couple of years ago. They did not buy insurance. Her dad became very ill and was hospitalized in Ketchikan for three weeks. Then, when he was stable enough, my brother-in-law had to pay for the medical evacuation flight to their home state. It was VERY COSTLY. Lesson learned for us. We will ALWAYS buy a medical policy even if we don't buy cancellation.

~Robin

However, per the ADA, a service animal can only be a dog or a miniature horse. Sorry, no salty parrots allowed.

My autistic grandson, who is a runner, will have a GREAT DANE as a service dog in about a year and a half when he (the dog) is done being trained. (His other grandma is footing the $20,000 bill for that.) But by the time this pup is done growing, I think he might be LARGER than a miniature horse! (Patch will be an "anchor dog" so my grandson, who is big for his eight years of age, cannot run.) However, we have no intention of ever taking him (the grandson OR the dog) on a cruise. The ramifications of what might happen if something went wrong are too great for us to even consider it.

~Robin

My favorite tradition is to be on deck (or a verandah if we have one) for every sailaway (from each port too). We used to need to eat early seating due to my health problems, and I was always so disappointed when we had to miss sailaway due to getting ready for dinner. (I've lost 90 pounds AND a few heath concerns so now we can eat whenever. Yay!)

We also love to watch the "pier runners" in the Caribbean.

We like to eat in the MDR as often as possible, including some breakfasts and lunches.

We always walk around the Lower Promenade after the nighttime entertainment when we are on a HAL ship. (We like other cruiselines, but that deck? No other line comes close.)

We also like to find the darkest spot on a ship and star gaze.

So many more that I can't think of!!!

~Robin

Just emailed the following to HA:

 

"An email is going around to passengers on certain ships with sailings that include April 27th, indicating that it would be nice for passengers to have something orange to wear in celebration of King's Day. We're sailing on Volendam on the 27th and have not received such an email. It would be really special to have a King's Day celebration on board that day!"

Let us know what you find out. We have not received any such email. Putting my coral shirt on the hanging rod so I don't forget it.

One of my best friends is Dutch. Both of her parents emigrated to the U.S. before she was born, but her older siblings still live there. She always celebrates the day. (I think that this year they will actually be there with her sister on the day. So fun!)

~Robin

Volendam has a retracrtale roof over Lido pool hat they open and close per the weather. Don't rule out the chance that you may be able to swim. :)

I forgot about that! Thanks. We are also thinking about snorkeling in Ketchikan. (I know. It's crazy.) Adding swimsuit to my list before I forget!

~Robin

I used to be a bit of a germophobe, but I have changed. I love tubs. I love hot baths! Especially on vacation. (I worked as a hotel maid one summer a long time ago, but I've gotten over it. Ha.)

I also love pools that are fresh water. Not so much the salt water on HAL.

My kids have worked as lifeguards and been on swim teams. For three summers running, we were at the local pool for three hours a day. We did get ill one summer with cryptosporidiosis when it was rampant in public pools in our area that year. And I blame that on having a four-year-old because he got it first, and even though I washed, washed, washed my hands and bleached the bathroom and wiped all the knobs, I got it too. (My other two boys did not.)

But we live dangerously now. On RCI on our last cruise, we spent a fair amount of time in their hot tubs and pools. But salt water makes me itch, plus it's a cold cruise for us so I doubt I'll be using either of those on our upcoming Volendam cruise. But if my stateroom hasn't been renovated (which I don't believe it has), I will be taking bubble baths. Calgon, take me away!

~Robin

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You didn't get an email like this yesterday, Robin? I didn't bring it up in our roll-call because I assumed everyone had gotten it.

I did not. I checked my spam too. Weird! I didn't book direct, though. We used visa points to defray the cost. Maybe it went to the Wells Fargo travel arm, and they didn't forward it??? Strange.

~R

We are booked on Volendam this summer, in an Oceanview. Received email from HAL overnight, summarizing shower changes to aforementioned cabins. I have copied the relevant info from the email below.

 

 

This is to advise guests who've booked Ocean-view staterooms on board Volendamthat during the November 2017 dry dock, the bathrooms in the below stateroomswere updated to a shower-only configuration:

 

Lower Promenade Deck: E3327 - E3392, EE3319 - EE3391, EE3394, EE3405 - EE3414,H3302 - H3428, and HH3300 - HH3426.

 

Main Deck: DA2538 - DA2677, DD2674 - DD2707, E2520 - E2537, E2704, E2709,G2501, and G2508 - G2711.

 

Dolphin Deck: E1830 - E1928, EE1816 - EE1958, F1822 - F1950, FF1951, FF1953,FF1960, FF1962, and G1808 - G1815.

 

Please note, this change does not affect all Ocean-view staterooms, only thespecific staterooms noted above. We thank you for your attention to this matterand look forward to welcoming you on board.

Thanks for posting this. We leave in a few weeks, and I was looking forward to the tub and then found out it might have been taken out. According to this list, our stateroom is not one of the renovated ones. I will pack my bubble bath!

~Robin

I do pack a stiff HDMI cable (Twisted Vines) and a Universal Remote. The cable is stiff enough that I can push it into an otherwise inaccessible HDMI connector without it bending, so long as the path to it is straight. Disabled inputs are definitely something I can't get past though.

 

I guess we shall see what we shall see (or not ;) ).

Considering the lack of current information about the Volendam post-drydock, I'm betting we shall see when we get ON the ship. :')

~R

When we were in Haines we saw their "Hammer" museum - don't laugh, it was incredibly interesting. My husband went nuts over it......

We have been there. It was so fun!!! My husband and sons thought it was THE BEST. (We drove the Alaska Highway and took the ferry from Skagway.)

~Robin

Actually we spent 10 days watching the whole series of Downton Abbey! We still call it our Downton Abbey cruise!!!

Hahaha. We don't have time to watch TV at home much, especially together. Our experience is that after the show on a HAL cruise, there is generally not much happening that we care to do. Also we have six sea days on a cold itinerary. So we are uploading all of the DA seasons to our Mac (which we are bringing anyway) and taking an adapter and cord and hoping we can watch on the TV. If we can't, then we have headphones and a splitter so we can watch on the computer.

Our Trans-Pacific cruise next month will be OUR "Downton Abbey cruise"!

~Robin

Ah, but you see, I hook my laptop up to the better TV via HDMI and all my movies and stuff are already on there. No need to lug discs around (or go searching for titles at reception).

 

The old TVs I have to get from HDMI down to crappy RCA composite using an adapter. Gross! :halo:

I just bought an adapter from amazon. Sigh. I wish they would have the new TVs, especially if I do not have a tub now. With six sea days in a row, I'm hoping to get the DH to watch "Downton Abbey" with me.

~Robin (who is currently shirking homework)

I've seem the "______ (fill in the name of the cruse line) is going downhill and ain't what it used to be" posts on most of the boards here. The cruise lines are generally filling the ships and giving the market what it demands. If everything was kept the same as it was in the "good old days," I believe prices would have to be significantly higher than they are today.

 

We can decide to continue to sail, switch to the so-called premium or luxury lines (the complaints are there as well), take other types of vacations or just stay home. We keep cruising!

I did the math a couple of weeks ago. Our first cruise was on HAL's Westerdam--the OLD one. It was 1991, and the ship held about 800 people. :eek: It was AWESOME!!! We fell in love with cruising.

BUT the reason we booked with HAL? They were the only ones at the time who offered a double bed. Not even a queen size! A DOUBLE. And we had to upgrade to a porthole to get one. For a double bed and a porthole.

Our next cruise was 1992 on the (old) Regal Princess when it was new. Oceanview with a newfangled thing called "convertible beds." It was a HUGE bed compared to the Westerdam.

However, for both of those cruises? We paid in today's dollars about $1800 per passenger. For a porthole and an oceanview (window). I don't know about anyone else, but our dollars get us A LOT more today comparably.

And cruising is still our favorite vacation. We are no longer brand-loyal. We have cruised HAL, Princess, Carnival (gasp!), and RCI. They all had their good and their not-so-good things. Whenever anyone who hasn't cruised before asks us about cruising, we ask them what is most important to them, and then we talk about the cruiseline we've been on that best matches their wants.

Can't wait to try Celebrity and all of the other ones we haven't been on yet. What drives us now is itinerary.

Happy cruising! (I take Sundays off from homework. Ha.)

~Robin

I just have to jump in and say, "Thank you!" I am an online college student. I appreciate teachers who teach online!

(Also I am following this thread as it has been four years since we have been on HAL.)

~Robin

A few stray comments. Juneau has a state museum and a community art center which are worth the visit.

 

I've done Japan to Vancouver twice. Once with the "Ralph" bags out at the elevators and really rough seas and then with much less motion of the ocean. In Kushiro there is a small art museum. We ate lunch at the restaurant on top of the ANA Crowne Plaza Hotel. Local sake and decent food. You don't need a tour there to have a good time.

We've been to the museum in Juneau. We liked it a lot!

Also, thanks for the tip about Kushiro. We are going to do it on our own, and I read that there is a trolley system. I will look at that restaurant too. Thanks!

~Robin

The one concern that I have is that because we will stop in Juneau and Kodiak so late in the Season, many shops and venues may have closed for the Season already.... On the other hand I once was in Alaska with the last cruise of the Season and there were great bargains to be had... We shall see

My son was a bus driver for land tours for HAL a couple of summers up there (out of Fairbanks). I went up and drove back with him one year in September. (We camped IN A TENT. A cruise it was not. Heh.) In Skagway, most of the shops were closed already even though there was still a ship in town. I wonder if Juneau and Kodiak will be that same way? I suspect Kodiak might, but I'd think Juneau would still have things open as it is a larger town.

~Robin

I find the Tasman Sea to have a different motion than the North Pacific. Lots of crew have trouble with that area, but with no other.

 

Considering what you have written, even with 25 foot waves in the North Pacific you should be OK!

 

Have a great trip and please do write a review. This crossing is a fav of ours, so would love to read about your take on it.

That's interesting about the motion being different. It was certainly rocky suddenly. We were on the Voldendam and in the main dining room for dinner, and trays were being dropped all over the place. (No kidding. I'd never seen that on a HAL ship.) The dining room cleared out suddenly, including my inlaws and brother-in-law and his wife. We were left alone at the table. After we finished, we went out and found a free-standing rack in the liquor-shop had tipped over, and there was alcohol everywhere nearby on the floor. :eek::eek::eek::eek: I think the captain had been caught unaware.

It was an adventure!

~Robin