MekesMom

I enjoy travelling by myself whether it is Las Vegas or cruising and when I show up at the dining room for open seating at whatever time I'm ready for dinner, I always say I want to sit with others and sometimes add...as long as they are nice people who enjoy wine with dinner. I don't mind the looks I get when I walk in with a bottle of wine I've brought from home but it can be a little awkward when I'm the only one drinking at the table. Easy conversation is asking what everyone did during the day and what they have planned for the next day. I take reading material to breakfast and lunch but I've always been more social at dinner.

Yea! I'll be on my lunch break so won't have to * sneak a peek* but can have the webcam open on my monitor. Flying to FLL for the first, but not last, time two weeks from today.

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Thanks for posting. I'm getting more excited about doing that cruise two weeks from tomorrow.

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I'm arriving FLL thanksgiving evening from SFO and chose a restaurant on Open Table.

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I order just appetizers both on land and at sea. Sometimes I have to emphasize that I don't want them at the same time but as separate courses.

I did it in March on the Oosterdam in the South Pacific. I drink better wine at home and the menu selection is pretty limited. The gift was a set of wine glass charms. Pinnacle is enjoyable. The social aspect of the tastings was fun and it was interesting to try the food pairings with the different wines. but I don't think the cellar master was particularly knowledgable. I would probably sign up again my next cruise that is more sea days than port days. It is a good way to try some of the wines on the menu before buying the bottle at dinner

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If I am reading the schedule correctly, Veendam won't be back in FLL until the end of April.

I'm boarding her 2/21/15 in FLL for a cruise to San Diego

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Bar soap for the sink

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Very cool. This is my first sail away. I'll be boarding on 11/28

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I don't see that happening. Especially if there's even a moderate possibility of at least one more of these (HAL has never BUILT only one in a class).

According to Captain Albert (see my post #263 in this thread), 2018 is the next ship due date after Koningsdam.

We will be sailing in Nov... on the Noordham... have sailed HAL once

before.. but have not taken advantage of the FCD... will someone tell me how much that is when you do this on board... and also is there a time frame to have to use it??

We have taken advantage of this while on Princess, and love it.. so wondering if HAL is about the same procedure. thanks for your help.

For shorter cruises (under 14 days?), the deposit is only $100 pp and you have up to 4 years to use it. You can cancel or transfer deposit to another cruise up to the cancellation date without penalty. I know some people place a deposit without booking while on board.

Just curious. Are you spending a month in Europe?

 

Roy

Good question but, unfortunately, no. When I'm retired and no longer have Meke to deal with, I would love to do some back to back to back to back... itineraries

They are not suppose to stop you when you have only 2 bottles as the rule indicates that each adult is allowed to bring on a bottle of wine without paying the corkage fee.

I understand your assumption, but since I'm a single adult...

I was on the Maasdam September 13-20 and we had Solo Guitarist Gary and Piano Man Tom. Sorry I didn't get last names but I enjoyed drinking in the MIX bars and listening to both of them most evenings.

Arrived somewhat early to Black Falcon terminal in Boston on September 13, and security could see my two wine bottles I'd brought from my home cellar and were all set to point me to the wine check-in area but no one was there yet so they just sent me through with a shrug. I just gave my room card in the dining room to pay the corkage as I had in the past.

I've never bought internet minutes on a cruise but I would be interested in flat rate on Zuiderdam in November instead of adding international data to my phone.

I'm often a do it yourself online planner but when I'm on a ship I take advantage of the FCC and her knowledge and the speed with which she can provide the info needed to make a decision. Earlier this month my TC and I were all set to book a cruise for next September after first discussing it in June but ended up booking another one instead when we found there weren't any cabins left in the category we wanted. Also, I've not had trouble making a deposit/booking a cruise for someone not on board with me. Just gave the name and phone number to confirm and she could get the Mariner # on file.

I was on the Maasdam in Canada when new name was announced. Sailing toward Quebec City on Sept. 18, I walked briskly from the Captain's Lunch so I could attend the On Location talk on HAL History given by Captain Albert Schoonderbeek in the Showroom at Sea. One of his last slides showed the new ship (that I knew from facebook) and then TBD(or was it TBA?)...dam 2018. Would have loved to hear him talk more but some people wanted to play bingo.

16-Sep-15 Prinsendam 12 day Iberian Explorer

29-Oct-15 NCL Escape Maiden Trans-Atlantic Southampton to Miami

For those of us who enjoy the coastal repositioning cruises, they are now showing the 2015 sailings on HAL's website.

I will look for discounted availability next March/April. This year I booked *last minute* on the Westerdam from San Diego to Victoria and enjoyed my first Neptune Suite. I got the impression that many passengers stayed on from FLL but there was still much available. In Victoria, I think HAL lost some money because not enough passengers booked the airport transfer and they put us in separate taxis.

Merci! Taking redeye from SFO Wednesday night. My first time cruising the east coast. Don't have a real camera but will be using iphone and a small notebook to document my trip as much as possible.

This 10-day maiden cruise is out of Southampton, UK, to Miami, Florida, USA, fall of next year:

 

NCL is running a special single supplement waived throughout--don't know when it will end or even why they are doing this...maybe they need to start paying the shipbuilders by this weekend?

 

Studios are 1200

 

Insides start at 1100

 

Balconies start at 1440

 

Family balconies start at 1500

 

Port fees: 87.00

 

NO PORTS except embarkation and debarkation.

 

Good luck.

 

HS2U :D

So happy I saw this last night. I made a deposit on a balcony today. Thrilled to not have have to pay extra as a single.

I got started cruising with Mom after Dad died so I've been going where she wants to go. I've just started venturing out on my own and booked the TA maiden voyage on the NCL Escape with no single supplement. A bit intimidated by the size of the ship but am looking forward to checking off some bucket list items.

Maasdam 9/13/14 Boston - Montreal

Zuiderdam 11/28/14 Fort Lauderdale Panama Canal Sunfarer (first solo cruise other than San Diego to Victoria this past April)

Veendam 2/21/15 Fort Lauderdale to San Diego with Mom

I enjoy a cocktail or 4 while cruising and my experience has been that I'm the only one ordering a bottle of wine at dinner every night while everyone else at the table is drinking water. I don't buy excursions whether I'm traveling solo or not. With my job I don't have the luxury of last minute travel but when I'm retired and wanting to travel solo I will be looking at opportunities on other cruise lines.