TakesNotes

This is great news and heartening to me. Can I have a few more details from someone familiar with the arrangement on the Kdam?

Adagio Strings (duo) traditionally play between 5;00-9:00 in the Explorer's Lounge with beverage service. With Lincoln Center, what are typical performance times? How many days on a 12 day sailing? Is it lounge seating or theater style? Is there good beverage service in the venue?

Thanks!

Can someone who has been on a Kdam sailing please help me out?

I've always enjoyed the Adagio Strings (duo) who traditionally play 5:00-9:00 in the Explorer's Lounge. How does that compare to the classical musicians in Lincoln Center Live? How many musicians, what hours, how many days? Is there beverage service in that venue?

Thanks. This is an important element of HAL for me.

While everyone is different in temperament and outlook, I've done about 25 solo cruises and enjoyed each one. In recent years, I've settled in with Holland America. Sometimes the single supplement is 30% and I'm willing to pay as much as 50%. With HAL, you may discover that the least expensive sailings tend to charge more than 50% as a supplement, so....sometimes the more expensive cruises will cost less for a single passenger.

I understand and sympathize with those whose mindsets prevent them from cruising solo. I have worked to overcome that. Last thought, I suspect that crusing solo at holiday time would be stressful.

I'm working on a booking for one of the single "OO" cabins on the Koningsdam April repositioning. Casual shopping has revealed them in the inventory. Today, I spoke with a big box travel agent because the cabins did not appear on their website. She called HAL Seatle and was told that these cabins have been removed from availability by the Ship Inventory Department. He speculated that they are held back until the last minute. Any evidence of this or was this just a less informed agent and a less informed HAL weekend guy?

I've had e4 on several cruises. At dinner, every wine steward was able to take an order for three glasses of wine, three varieties, at the top of the meal. A different wine would arrive with the appropriate course. It was great, and I was on open seating with different wine stewards each night.

My anthropologist friend says that it is genetically ingrained in most people to circle counterclockwise in order to "defend" ourselves from attackers using our dominant right hand. (she had a longer explanation that involved wagon trains circling counterclockwise to defend against Indians).

For what it's worth, I'm left handed, I like to walk fast, and I tend to stay inside going clockwise. I've NEVER seen a sign on a HAL ship suggesting that one direction is preferred. No one has ever said anything to me about being "gauche."

I've sail solo quite often. About two years ago, I could not be accommodated at fixed late, so I was in open. I found that I enjoyed it and now UI always book open. Note....if you make a reservation as an open, you may well be put at a large table and have to wait for others. If you have no reservation and show up, you usually can be accommodated with others instantly. This even applies to the "busy time" of 6:45-8:00. I recommend that solos give it a try.

When I sail solo, which is much of the time, I always try to go to the single's lunch. Usually there are enough singles to take up more than one large table. Often the "social host" who is part of the Cruise Director's team, will spring for wine. Sometimes ideas emerge, such as to meet in one of the lounges on a daily or occasional basis. The lunch is a nice way to make some casual acquaintances. They tend to be more active on repositioning cruises with lots of at sea days.

I guess that the bed is a regular queen that CANNOT be "converted" to twins. and that is a neat feature. The room size does seem to vary a lot. I guess I'll book an "oo" gty. and hope for an up grade or an upsell offer. It would be neat to hear if anyone got either on the first sailings.

Some of my favorite HAL sailings have been enhanced by the "Explore 4" pricing promotion. I don't follow the pricing and promotions continuously, but I wondered if "Explore 4" happens at set times (someone suggested every April and October), or if it's just when HAL is seeking some additional bookings on cruises a long way out.

I welcome comments from those who watch these things more than I do.

On what basis are the eligible itineraries selected for "Explore 4"?

Are there usually lower fares that exclude "Explore 4" while the promotion is on?

Great thread but I can't go through 58 pages. So can anyone tell me about the Internet policy (costs?) on their ships. Is there any unlimited [ackage you can purchase? Thanks!

HAL is experimenting with a new unlimited internet time program on the Westerdam. The cost per day or per voyage is based on if you want total internet, or only access to some social media sites. On all of the other ships, you purchase a package of "minutes". Plan on the internet to be painfully slow, especially if you use their computers. Your own tablet will be much faster.

.....It was a surprise to me that this was a big band cruise with the "Harry James Band" on board and playing nightly.

My overall impression is that a huge component of the sailing was that the pax were just about all "happy campers". I did not encounter one complainer in 13 days.

I was a bit disappointed that the on-board contractors started dismantling the ship three days before the cruise end. We lost the "sun area" outside of the Crows nest, and on the last day of the sailing, we were banned from the Fitness Center late in the afternoon.

I've been on several TA's the went to dry bock and this was the first where so much work was started before the cruise ended.

So.....I'll be on another next year because they are such a bargain!

Especially as they do help to pay for the things we do enjoy...

+1 on this comment. If the on board revenue outlets are humming (bars, casino, art sales, shops, spa) the revenue to HAL helps make the cruise prices lower. So, do what you like on the cruise, and remember that the slight inconvenience of "sale tables" etc. are saving you money. They also meet the needs of travelers who like bingo, art, etc.

I've only been a shareholder for two years, but I've been very happy. On an Oosterdam sailing this month, it was the first time I heard the Future Cruise Consultant" mention the CC for Carnival Shareholders in her presentation to the Pax on board. I mention it to everyone I talk to on board.