Mary229

I think my upgrade was some sort of HAL credit my sister, also my TA, received and applied to my sailing. It never showed on my invoice. I wasn’t informed of the details but when I arrived I had a an upgrade from inside to Vista.

Maybe it was the HIA I had not considered. I included all of the other expenses. I will have to go back and see what I paid for the HIA and see if that is the difference. Offhand I don’t recall my accounting but at the time I did account and couldn’t figure it out

Yes and as much as the DH would like to be there I would rather wait to the initial rush passes unless there is a nice sitting area. With the Covid protocols they make you stand in line. I am not sure I see the benefit of standing together in line as opposed to sitting comfortably. I guess Covid doesn’t land on people who are standing and miserable. This time I will try for early

I look forward to your reports and joining you July 2 in Montreal

My age has made me a fan of convenience, it is my number one luxury.

Easy is the HAL transfer. Currently the airport is having huge backlogs and waits are tremendous. I was just on their website and they are recommending arriving 4 hours prior to flights. Consider that HAL transfers usually don’t leave the ship until 9 or 9:30, allot 30 minutes to get to the airport. Taxis are pretty pricey by North American standards, expect to pay $75+ for a taxi/Uber. I prefer staying at one of the airport hotels and leaving on the early flights the next day (10-2). In that case you could take the HAL transfer with a tour or do your own driver with a full day tour

More or less everyone enters from one area then the airport spokes out from that central hub. Here is the official map. On the left hand frame click services then scroll to assistance/departures. it will highlight the assistance kiosk https://www.schiphol.nl/en/airport-maps

You are right about that. No complaints here.

It was years ago, 2016, HAL did give me double points for a free upgrade to Vista and it was on the Zaandam. I got a bunch of unexpected points on my last cruise that I could never figure out the reason.

So you flew KLM? I have only used them Intra-Europe. When with mother we have used Delta, American, British and France and there was always assistance. Never an issue. Of course much of this is airport dependent and AMS is a nightmare this summer

Grrrrr. Which airline?

Another hint - ask your driver to drop you at the proper kiosk. The drivers know everything

This is true. I waited in line for over 2 1/2 hours and never saw a single wheelchair come through. Schiphol is a mess

PS. If you still want to use HAL transfers go down and kindly ask for an earlier transfer but in my experience most of the transfers do not begin until 8:30 at the earliest, which might be good enough.

I highly recommend getting off the ship as early as possible, very early. Hire a driver or taxi and get yourself to the airport. Contact your airline for wheelchairs assistance, that is where it is usually done not through HAL. Your TA should have taken care of this not HAL. Don’t wait, do it yourself. The lines are long at Schiphol. I have used airport assistance for my mother with all of the major carriers and I arrange it on their website. It will help to get you through the lines faster than other passengers but do not expect speed.

Hi everyone, if your are interested USA Today is having their annual polls for best cruise lines, various categories. HAL has links on their home page. Many choices to vote for

I have used the transfers before. Maybe it is just my perception but they don’t seem to leave until at earliest 8:30. If you are docking in Amsterdam the taxi/Uber will likely be $75 with the fuel up charges and about 30 minutes. You can also book a driver through some of the better taxi services, this is handy as they usually allow latitude in timing in case you are delayed leaving the ship. You can cancel the transfers once you make a decision.

If the meat is chewy then send it back. My husband had a chewy filet one night and I insisted he send it back. The second one was excellent. Sometimes you just get a trim cut.

When are you going?

I understand this. Every single friend of mine has bought me a mascara. No, my eyes are going to water so just quit! as a former runner I learned that bad shoes hurt more than feet, they hurt hips and knees. Find good shoes and don’t wear them past their prime.

I usually don’t get there in time for lunch. I am traveling with my sister and I think she would like MDR lunch first day. Thanks

Great review. Thanks for sharing.

One thing is the Covid testing. Last time I was going to fly in 2 days ahead but due to Covid testing I chose to take my tests at my local pharmacy and arrive there only one day early

I would be concerned about the geopolitical situation more than the weather. But that’s me

I don’t know your timing but be prepared for at least 3 hours. I was business class and yes there is a line but it does not function as you imagine. There is one person on this thread who is traveling from Rotterdam with a wheelchair. She never did say the time of her flight, only said early. I have my doubts. Once you miss the flight you are at square one adding: I guess if you have really good travel insurance you can not worry