electro

My sister and I both bought 2 vases each on out cruise in June. When we got home and she used hers, she found that one of them leaks. It looks like the bottom seams were properly glazed so the water seeps through the pottery. Anyone else have this happen? Is there anything she can do to get a replacement? Thanks Lois

Maybe it's up to the chef? We were on a different ship, the NA. If we do another Alaska cruise and DH want to do this again, I'll make sure he has the picture with him to show the chef! Regardless of presentation, I hope you all enjoyed the salmon. Lois

Wow, That is quite the difference! My DH was given a sheet to fill out for how he wanted it cooked and which sides to serve with it. It was cooked and presented beautifully and the sides were served family style. I would be disappointed with the way you were served your fish. Did they bring the rest of the fish or did you just get a piece each?

Get your lobster in one of the Canadian ports. You will pay 3 times the price in Bar Harbor.

You are right about repetitive but HAL did have a new show on the Volendam for the Canada/New England cruise in June. It is Breton Thunder and it was fabulous. It was music of Cape Breton and the East coast. I am on the Oosterdam in Oct and I'm hoping they have some shows related to the area it is sailing in as well.

It has been on every sailing I've been on, starting sailing HAL after covid. I have never seen it and have no desire to. I don't think it should be main stage evening entertainment. Keep it to afternoons or in the theatre that they use for movies.

Thanks. Did you get the sheet several days before the cruise or before the excursion? How much time did you have to complete and submit the form? We leave for Athens on the 5th, get on the cruise on the 10th and the excursion will be on the 16th. Would we have it before we left home on the 5th do you think?

Has anyone done the private car/van rentals offered by HAL? What was your experience? Were you able to arrange an Itinerary ahead time? How flexible were they? How was the guide? I'm looking at doing one in Izmar, Turkey. The full day van rental for up to 10 is a very good price. Thanks for any insight. Lois

Thank you for posting this. Other Canadians on my rollcall are saying that they were told by the cruise line that the cruise will handle the intransit visa and Canadian do not need to acquire one. As you say , the embassy is not going to tell you that they are denying military and police. Actually, I'd be happy if they just dropped the port from the itinerary. I've been before and have no desire to go back. We booked this cruise for the Turkey stops. Do you mind telling me what cruise line you on? Thanks Lois

On my very first cruise, they had a passenger talent show. There happened to be 2 students from Julliard on that cruise. No other talent show has ever lived up to that one so I eventually stopped attending them.

I will when it gets closer to the cruise. In the mean time, I'm trying to get some real life experience from Canadians who have had a port stop in Egypt. If they are categorically denying military (I'm sure they wont tell me that) or if I don't need it, I'd rather not spend the money for nothing. If I do need it but can't get it, I'll have to make arrangement to stay in Greece while the rest of my family does the cruise.

If that is the case, there is zero advantage to getting a beverage card, not that there was much of an advantage before. And if they can't be used for happy hour it is less than zero, it is a negative to buy one as you risk spending more money and not being refunded.

I am booked on a cruise in Oct, out of Athens, Greece that has a stop in Alexandria. It has been reported several times on this thread that military and retired military are being denied visas. Trying to figure out if the rest of my party (3 others) should get visas, or if it is something the cruiselines are taking care of. Will I be denied boarding if I don't have one.

anyone have any recent experience with going to Egypt on a cruise? Did you need to get a visa or are cruiser exempt?

I got the "your cruise has departed" msg this morning for my sailing tomorrow. I'm really getting tired of the issues with HAL's website. I have never seen a cruise line website this bad before. (I don't use any other carnival lines so I don't know if they are as bad). NCL, Celebrity, Royal, even MSC have been better than HAL by a wide margin.

thanks everyone. I'll look into a few of these.

Is there anything to do, see that is in walking distance from the port?

Yeah, I got that as well. I really wish they weren't leaving so early. Don't really want to stay on board in Boston since that is the only day there and we have 2 days everywhere else on the B2b, but I might. I don't know if there is anything to see within walking distance to the ship.

Thanks for that info. I know on some other lines it's 2 hrs. I like to get on early so I never worried about it, but since this is like a port stop for us with an early sail away I was hoping for a bit more time.

Actually, just want to go to lunch in little Italy. Worried about traffic getting back to the ship if we have to be on for 1.

That makes it hard to plan anything in advance. I will check on the ship but I would like to have some idea before the cruise.

I've not been on the Westerdam but mine didn't fit in the bathroom outlet on the Zaandam and the Neiuw Amsterdam, my plug was polarized, the socket was not. I have since got a rechargable waterpik for travel.

When on a B2B, on turn around day, do you have to be on ship at the same time as those newly embarking passengers, ie 2 hr before sailing, or is it 30 min as on a port stop day? I've been on B2B's before but have stayed on the ship on turn around days so never looked into this. This time is in Boston and sail away is at 3 pm.

True Story!! My daughter lived in Japan for 3 years and she would send us kit kats quite often. The matcha and the caramel macchiato were delicious, the mashed potato and the corn on the cob, not so much!

You probably mean the Alexander Graham Bell Museum.