ExpatBride

I know. I'm looking for specific recommendations that I might otherwise overlook.

You can see it here: https://profcruise.com/25-holland-america-dining-secrets/

Thanks to a recommendation on this forum, I enjoyed a mezze plate most nights the last time I sailed HAL. I wouldn't have chosen it otherwise, and it turned out to be one of my favorite MDR dishes of all time. I even ordered a double portion and ate it for my "main" on several nights. I can see that HAL has revamped the vegetarian/vegan menu since then. Unfortunately, they've removed my beloved mezze plate. Are there any sleeper items on the new menu that I should try? I'm sure I won't starve, but nothing really appeals to me.

If it's a legit service dog and everything is in fact arranged, there should be no cause for concern 🤷‍♀️

This started happening in Denmark a few years ago. It asks if you want to add "drik penge" (drink money) to the total and all of the waitstaff I've ever encountered press "nej" (no) without asking. Before I moved here, I traveled over from the US 1-2 times a month and the taxi drivers always used to remind me that "a tip is not customary in Denmark." I love the no-tip culture over here. It's so much easier to just pay what the establishment feels is a reasonable price for whatever they're selling without the need to play the tipping game. As for daily gratuities, it's a ridiculous system but I just include it in the cost of the cruise and don't give it a second thought.

Layers! I live in Denmark and even now our weather can go between needing a winter coat to barely needing a sweater depending on the position of the sun and which way the wind is blowing. To be comfortable, it's not a good idea to dress for absolutes in one direction or the other. In these weather conditions, I usually wear a dress with tights, a cardigan, coat, and shoes that will look ok with or without tights.

You've been lucky. I used to have acrylics, which I got filled every few weeks (in the States). The nail techs nicked me with the drill and took a hunk out of my finger more than once. Did it suck? Yes. Did I make a big deal about it? No. Accidents happen even with the most skilled manicurists. I would've pushed for a resolution onboard, but wouldn't have expected more than having the treatment comped with the rationale that a manicure is supposed to make your hands look nicer and a big cut has the opposite effect.

This is the info I got from HAL when I contacted them about gala nights on my 7-night cruise, maybe it's helpful to you:

I just booked a July 2023 sailing a couple of weeks ago with the HIA, pre-paid crew gratuities, and $200+ in OBC at a very nice price. It's a 7-night sailing, so we only get one specialty restaurant (which we will use) and one excursion (which we won't use). Was I just lucky? I generally book in short time – like 90 days out or less. Would I do better to book a farther out? I'm still learning the cruise pricing game. I always book a guarantee because I don't mind walking, and I generally don't have a strong preference for cabin location, so getting a prime pick of cabins isn't important to me. I'm in Europe, but I have a US address and book through a US-based TA.

That's still about 10 years ahead of me 😅

Yes! 100% this! I'm younger than HAL's target demographic BUT the classic sailing experience is what endeared me to HAL in the first place. I'd sailed RCCL and NCL and enjoyed it, but HAL was what I'd always imagined cruising would be like. I liked the classical music, the yum-yum-man, and the guy playing us into the early and late seatings. The onboard experience matched the elegance of their white and navy ships. I was committed to HAL for that step back to a more elegant time that they provided. I haven't sailed since before Covid (personal choice) and I hope that at least glimmers of the former HAL exist on my upcoming summer sailing. Classic doesn't have to mean stodgy and outdated.

The Epic turned me off of NCL. I gave them a second chance on the Jade and they failed again, so I've moved on. I didn't like the Epic as a ship and that's on me for choosing it, but the service was not up to the usual standard and bordered on rude when I asked for things that I'd arranged ahead of time with guest services. I get that sometimes information doesn't make it to the ship, but these were basic requests that were within the crew's control given what's available on the ship. I also got sick on the Epic.

I don't love kids, that's why I go out of my way to avoid them.

I second this. I booked a sailing with the HIA within the past 2 weeks and got the answer straight from the horse's mouth and in writing that the 18% service charge is included. The only additional service charge would be 18% on the difference if we go above the $11 limit on drinks... and obviously the daily "gratuities" charge.

Few children is one of the reasons I prefer HAL to other lines. Maybe I've been lucky, but the one time I encountered children on HAL (Baltics) being obnoxious, their grandmother (I assume) snapped them back in line and told me that if I should see them stepping out of line again, I had her permission to correct them. They were good as gold after that.

Seeing food waste onboard is something I struggle with while cruising, though I think it's slightly better on HAL where they serve in the buffet vs. what I've seen on other lines. I volunteer locally to help reduce food waste. We collect food from 30 or so grocery stores 7 days a week and then redistribute it to refugees and other people in need. We also use some of the food to run a community kitchen. I've been doing this for almost 3 years now and I'm still shocked at the amount (and quality) of food that would be thrown in dumpsters if we didn't rescue and reroute it.

Let me consult my crystal ball. Who knows? Luggage gets damaged all the time.

I fail to see an ROI on kids for anyone but the taxman. Money spent on diapers and feeding them is also literally placed in the trash/toilet. The beautiful thing is that we're all free to spend our money on the things that matter to us.

The same can be said for many things. Most people have kids while all of the money spent raising them could go towards many, many luxury cruises. With your "logic," why do people pay for anything beyond basic necessities? The whole world is out to make a profit 🤷‍♀️

Always pay in the local currency. I have a multi-currency card with Wise, which gives pretty good exchange rates. The majority of my money is in DKK but I often have need to use EUR, GBP, and USD, and I find the exchange rates to be fair.

This! I would've asked if it was possible to get a pirate punch without the alcohol. English is my first language and after living abroad for many years, I've learned that fluency in a language isn't the same as speaking it natively. Therefore, it's helpful to everyone involved to keep things as simple as possible.

Port days, but probably for a different reason than most. The ship is my destination. I get on and I don't get off again until I have to. I like port days because most people are off the ship and I can enjoy the amenities and the quiet. I like some of the sea day activities, but I'm willing to forego them to have an uncrowded ship.

Whatever you decide, my suggestion is to do it privately. My ex proposed in Italy overlooking Lake Como at sunset in an outdoor dining area. It would've been perfect if we didn't have an audience – in retrospect, he liked the attention. The setting was amazing, but the proposal itself was not. This is a moment for the two of you... propose quietly, savor your secret for a few days, and then share the news.

I sincerely miss the yum-yum man 🥺

The only time I've given chocolate as a "tip" was at an all-inclusive where tips were prohibited, and even then I slipped a few bucks here and there.