LAFFNVEGAS

All my bags are packed

I'm ready to go

I'm standin' here outside your door

I hate to wake you up to say goodbye

But the dawn is breakin'

It's early morn

The taxi's waitin'

He's blowin' his horn

Already I'm so lonesome

I could die.......Words by John Denver

Well, the first two lines are true :D Tom is totally packed and all I have left is cosmetics and last minute stuff in the morning. And YES I will make sure he packs his shaver this time.

We have a 7:15 flight to ATL, then a bit of a long lay over but will take off from ATL about 6:35pm and arrive in Rome at 10:15am Thursday morning.

We have unlimited wifi on the plane so at the airport and on the plane will most likely check in from time to time.

For those that do not know me I am a long time HAL cruiser 4 star that is on the other half toward 5 star. Although in recent years have not done nearly as many HAL cruises, we sort of discovered we like NCL Suite Life so we started to split up our cruising time between the lines, that and I started working a second career which limited my vacation time :o I thoroughly enjoy doing Live From's. It makes for a good diary of sorts ;) I like to post frequently during the day and evenings as well as post lots of pictures.

Through the years the one thing that Tom and I have always wanted to do is to do an Inaugural HAL cruise. While this is not quite like HAL has done in previous ships we still feel excited about being the first paying passengers on board. The other thing we have always wanted to do was to do a Mediterranean Cruise. The timing of this Premier cruise worked out when they first announced they had to move the date from the original February date of the first sailing of the Koningsdam. So this is our first Med cruise, this is Tom's first time to fly across the pond and I have not done this since I was in my teens :o All of our 40+ cruises have been out of North America. So for many reasons we are so DAM excited :D

Wish me luck in attempting to get some sleep tonight before my alarm goes off at 3:15am :eek:

Jacqui, thanks for posting the internet info, I am so hoping that the Koningsdam will offer one of these unlimited plans, I would even pay the $199.00 for just the 7 days if it was unlimited. :o

New video released by Fincantieri: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6TD6R6ahIw&feature=youtu.be

Nice!!! :) Thanks for posting this........ I can hardly wait :D

Beautiful!!! Wish we were going to Venice.

I agree! But where are the prices????

 

Is there a cruise at the moment? I thought the 8th was the start date??

Brad, took those photos from the digital reader board, unknown what the prices are, should find out soon about that.

Yesterday Holland America Employees.Sales Reps for Marketing and vendors were invited to be part of a mini shake down cruise. So it basically is a practice run till actual paying passengers board this Friday in Rome :)

Great photos on his Twitter page. Wonder which cabin he has? huge balcony :-)

5113 :) Big DAM Balcony :D

 

My concern is the size of some of the public rooms. The World Stage appears to me to be overly large while the Queen's Lounge, the Hydro Therapy Pool and Thermal Suite, and the Ocean Bar area seem too small for the number of guests being carried.

 

Time will tell, of course.

I have had pics text to me today from the ship and trust me the Hydro Pool is far from small, I would say it is easily larger than previous just round and far more seating :) Because I do not have permission I am not at liberty to post the pics at this time but every pic was WOW!!!! I am so blown away already.

I cannot answer your second question either but as far as a balcony goes we have used our balcony far more going to Alaska than we do the Caribbean. We usually go in May but have gone early June several time. The days are longer that first week of June so after 9 at night you can still see daylight and that is often times when the whales are most active. We have done some great whale watching from our balcony. Been late getting to dinner because of using our balcony. The ease of having your own balcony for viewing is a must. Especially if they announce seeing whales granted you have a 50/50 chance it is on your side of the ship but if you have to leave your cabin to run to an open deck you can still easily miss the action :D

I love the design but I love sterile, scant, thoughtful, innovative and light airy design. Despise dark and heavy:(

I work in a clinical setting......maybe that has something to do with it ;):o

While I do not work in a clinical setting I am loving what I am see of the Koningsdam. Light and Airy. The old HAL ships looked OLD and dreary. Like I was stepping back into the 70's :D I am so thrilled to see fresh young looks with modern touches. The days of Brass and Mirrors and Disco Balls are long gone.

I was sent some text pics this afternoon that I was just blown away with. :cool:

Yeah for us!!! Would love to see sample menus.....hint hint;)

I will do that as well. Fortunately we was blessed by the Upsell Fairy so have a suite so as long as HAL is delivering menus to those in Neptune Suites I will have copies and will take photos and post them.

Please report everything:D

Oh I plan too :) Will Start my Live From on Wednesday morning with our Travels to Rome.

If you missed it:

 

 

Thanks so much for posting these, to bad she is not visible from the Live Webcams right now. She is looking great!! We will be on aboard in about 114 hours :D

Wishing Aloha and Bon Voyage to all the Westerdam Cruisers!!!:cool:

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Good web cam catch Glen :-)

Holland American decided to call the initial April 8-15 voyage a premier voyage, and the longer 12 voyage that will depart directly after the 15th of April will be called the maiden voyage. I'm was on the initial voyage of the Westerdam from Venice and it was a lovely experience. The local Venetianso dressed in exquisite costumes, there was music dancing and tug boat spraying and tooting their horns as we left the port. I wonder if there'll be a celebration for both the premier and maiden voyages of the Koningsdam.o

I will be boarding next Friday and would like to see a bit of festivities but in all honesty not expecting anything and if there is something it will be a pleasant surprise :)

Thanks, Peter. I will be watching though sadly it won't be like the FLL sailaways, webcam-wise.

I wish PTZWebCam could set up a WebCam for San Diego. Not sure what ever happened to the original one there was while it was not nearly as good it was far better than what San Diego now has. We used it for many years for the first Web Cam Waves that were done on CC.

Lisa there are a few of us that are hoping you get to see the aft cabin that you originally were booked in.

Yes, I do plan to go check it out, :D would have loved to get an SB Corner Aft Suite but I feel very fortunately to get a good location for an SA. I plan to know on the door of the cabin we would have had ....Excuse me would you mind if I take pictures of this cabin, this was going to be mine till a week ago. :D:eek:

Awwwww I was hoping to get your aft feedback!

 

But who knows, maybe that fairy will visit me ....

I do plan to go knock on the door of the cabin we were to have and ask if I can see their cabin and take pictures lol Hope that will not be too forward on my part :o

I heard from that Up Sell Fairy this afternoon :D and Of course i told her YES. I will no longer have those aft views but will now have an Expensive Coffee Maker in my cabin ;)

So excited! May I made a request? Would you mind photographing if possible the Dutch Cafe, NY Pizzeria and Deli menu boards?

:) Will Do!!

Thanks Everyone :)

Wishing all my Fellow Koningsdam Cruisers safe travels to Italy!!

Tom and I will fly out on a 7:10 flight Wednesday morning.

Yes I will be doing a Live From :D I plan to post frequently starting from McCarran Airport prior to boarding and evening maybe a time or two from the flight since we have free Wifi on the plane;)

We are staying a night pre cruise in Rome and next Thursday night will be meeting up for dinner with some of the HAL employees who were on the pre- shake down cruise that boards tomorrow.

Still working today, as well as I have to work on Monday and Tuesday but Tom starts vacation this evening. I will be starting to pack this weekend..... the Cats are going to be upset :eek:

Congratulations that is fantastic [emoji1303]

I had hoped there would be more pics of "handover"... :(

I always pose with my "new car"...

I am confident that when Captain Albert posts a bit later today that we will see lots of picture of the hand over :)

Have been searching for an answer both on Cruise Critic & on the deck plans, for a Friend, but not sure of the answer..:confused:

 

On the Koningsdam deck plans for insides, outsides & verandahs in print it states "shower" .. For suites it states whirlpool bath & shower & also lists those cabins with roll in showers only.. No where except for suites do I see a tub listed..

 

In the stateroom symbol legend it has a * which indicates shower only.. I can't find any (stars) * on the inside, outside or verandah staterooms.. Do they have a tub in these bathrooms with the shower, or are they all showers only?

 

Haven't been following many of the threads on the cabins, & don't want to give my Friend a wrong answer..

 

If there are only showers, I might even consider this ship too, as find it very difficult to get into the HAL tubs without help from DH, since my Hip replacement..

 

Thanks..:)

Hi Betty, the Koningsdam will be the first HAL ship to not have a Bathtub till you get to a Signature Suite. Even the Vista Suites have a shower only. I am actually OK with this and it appears they will be larger in size than some of her competition such as Princess. But totally unknown at this point. But I do plan to take LOTS of picture and the various cabins and bathrooms on my Live From thread. Tom and I are in an aft Vista Suite so we will have just a shower.

They tell you immediately if you are approved but it has nothing to do with your passport.

Actually at the interview the digitally apply your approval and Known Traveler number. At my interview was a lady that forgot her passport and her husband and to drive to the airport to bring it to her. They do scan your passport and that is applying the information to the passport.