Hogladyrider

Hoping that newcomers are welcome here. I have been reading and following for some time now but have never posted. I so enjoy reading every morning and if newcomers are welcome I would like to join. @DeniseT I remember your excitement over your first HAL cruise. Hope Fiona is on the mend soon. Curious what the vet prescribed for the UTI. I am 71 and had my very first UTI ever in my life and didn't even know I had one! For humans as we age it is pretty common. As with all infections being a TKR patient I have to be super careful with any infection. @Quartzsite Cruiser I got a chuckle out of your comment regarding traffic in Yuma on a Sunday. We are full-time RVers who have wintered in the Foothills for 5 winters and the traffic this time of year is YUCK! Reminds me of when I lived in Florida. Thankfully we don't have to be out on the roads much because it is like you take your life in your hands! Hard to believe it has been so long since the Pandemic was started. It seems like yesterday to us. Definitely trying times for sure.

We just were on Koningsdam to Hawaii and with HIA we were not charged for food or beverages at Dutch Cafe....and I confess to having two of those DELICIOUS chocolate bombs in 18 days and many capaccinos!

@WhiteOptima...chiming in here, check out Honest Kitchen pet food, made in the USA and worth every penny!

Happy Cruise Day....here is to a SMOOTH boarding so the FUN can begin!

I was also on this sailing and I agree 100%. My body needs 70 so I brought a lightweight coverup that I wore mostly on the ship. First few days were windy. Temps at ports were perfect!

Yes we had a "service dog" on our cruise. This dog was in a stroller all the time....seriously! I feel bad for these dogs that have such irresponsible owners.

You are more than welcome. I forgot to mention that in our opinion the passengers were the ones with the attitudes and sense of entitlement. Don't get me going on stuffing the elevators ..we took the stairs mostly.

We were on Koningsdam 18 day to Hawaii Jan til Feb 18. We only encountered one grumpy bar tender back at Sea Aft Pool. It was very obvious he did not want to be doing his job. On the other hand all the employees at other bars were outstanding and very friendly. We ate most meals in Lido and can't say enough for those employees, especially considering what they have to deal with passengers. All servers were very friendly as well even in World Stage! Dutch Cafe employees were outstanding and very friendly as well. Now we dined in Pinnacle and Tamarind. Tamarind the service was TOP NOTCH as was the food. Pinnacle not so much and we were very underwhelmed with the food in Pinnacle. He had rib eye, loaded with fat; I had fish, good but honestly I had better on Lido. Our room stewards were over the top and made sure we named them in our survey as well. We also had room service every morning, coffee at 6:30 and they never missed a beat and were friendly even at that crazy hour. HAL is still our favorite cruise line and we are only 2 Star.

@pirate4me2....so glad you opted for the Live....heck you haven't even left home yet and you are up to page 3....see you are loved! Final work day will go by, remember you are on the east coast, time change this weekend, but not here in Arizona!

@LAFFNVEGAS...looking at the pics of those yachts looks like "Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous"! Enjoying your review looks like great weather as well!

@TravelBluebird...yikes 7 ships in port, not my idea of fun, but then I AM OLD and love being OLD!

Recently returned, February 18, 2024, from an 18 day Hawaii cruise and laundry per bag was $25, fast service and worth every penny! We were on Koningsdam and the bags were very roomy!

@pirate4me2...this is gonna be LOTS of FUN....nothing like girl time for sure! Years ago I did the Fury catamaran excursion, lots of fun and lots of rum punch!

Well for me I only purchased chocolates I know what is in the box....ha ha!

@TravelBluebird...this cruise is definitely a different dynamic from your previous cruises. Some "me" time is definitely called for and required to recharge!

We just recently returned from 18 day cruise on Koningsdam and I was amazed at how many guests utilized Lido tables ALL day and evening for their cards, etc. The table right next to where you place your order for Dive In is a table for 4 and 2 folks were ALWAYS sitting there playing cards no matter how many people were around looking for places to sit. There are many open seats up on 10 why they feel the need to utilize the tables on 9 is beyond me. The Crow's Nest was also ALWAYS full and it was nearly impossible to find a seat. We found relaxation on deck 3 outside the Dutch Cafe quiet and pretty much always available. Now back to our regularly scheduled program!

@TravelBluebird...the vibe on a cruise with a group is certainly a bit different than solo or just a couple. Hoping you will be able to use the app to keep in touch. I also have noticed a difference in vibe from Caribbean cruises vs Mexico or Hawaii cruises. The longer cruises seem to be less party cruises. We just got home from an 18 day Hawaii cruise, our longest cruise to date and we loved the length. The seas to Hawaii were really rough, coming home smooth as silk. Of course we were on a ship with only 2600 people not a crowd like on Jubilee. I remember way back when being on my first cruise and it is definitely overwhelming!

@TravelBluebird..geesh one day I forget to check the Carnival Boards and you are already 3 pages into your review. Problem resolved I am signed up and following. Really enjoyed your HAL Live this one should be interesting as well since you are with a group. Been there done that, thankfully it is in the past, a lot of work and trying to get folks to agree yikes!

@BermudaBound2014...enjoying following this sailing. We were on the 18 day Hawaii sailing prior to your cruise. We really enjoyed the group in BB Kings. We attended Rock Room and while the music was enjoyable, the female drummer was the BEST, the rest just eh! They didn't seem to gel....but it was still enjoyable entertainment just not as well oiled at BB King. Glad you have settled into a routine it makes for a fun cruise for sure.

I agree. We were on the sailing prior to this one and we noticed the final couple of days up on Lido HAL had an employee stationed near the hand wash and Purell station and mentioned to every guest to please wash/sanitize. This had not been happening earlier in the cruise so I took it as a "sign". We had no issues with noro but one of us departed with cruise crud and is now recovered. I prefer the handwashing station over Purell anyday! Those hand washing stations are wonderful!

Safe travels looking forward to following along! You are true troopers just to get to the start of your cruise...Bon Voyage!

This topic is of interest to me as well. We just returned from an 18 day Koningsdam Hawaii cruise and we walked every day. I am a slow walker, due to knee replacement. I keep to the right always. What I find frustrating is people coming up behind me and not saying something like "coming up behind you"....etc. I used to walk in a class and that is what we were taught. I would not want to hold up anyone who is faster than me. I am going at a pace that is comfortable to me. Plus we had some really rough rolling seas and it was often a struggle to walk in a straight line. I found myself often looking over my shoulder to make sure I was not holding anyone behind me up from passing. A simple statement comping up behind you works wonders. Keep on walking folks!

Yes I booked direct online $25 pp. About a mile uphill walk from pier. We opted for Uber both ways, bad knees! Brand new brewery you are driven in one of their transport vans.

Lucky you! We were on the previous Koningsdam Hawaii sailing and we were not able to visit this port due to high winds and seas, so the Capt took us on a cruise along the coast which was beautiful and stunning as seen from our balcony with adult beverages in hand! Looking forward to hearing about your day in port!

@Jamman54 another outstanding review! Jeff, you and Patti are an awesome team and a class act together. I have been following your reviews for years and they keep getting better and better, just like the both of you. Still hopeful someday to meet up on a cruise! Looking forward to your future travel reviews!