3Shelaghs

If you can drive, its an easy drive, with wonderful country side. Bath was great.The car allows you to explore the unique city even more. (plus Stonehenge)

All are great. If he can't crawl inside the tomb, he can take in all the external history, and inside the visitor centre. There are other important tombs nearby, (if you can talk the driver into a quick stop and hop a few fences). I visit the Hill of Tara every time I'm in country. It's very important to me even with all the sheep droppings. All the other listed areas are wonderful. The Wicklows are lovely to stroll thru, the Monastery unique, the countryside lovely. Which ever one you choose, you can be assured they are all grand and good choices.

Great info M07 ! Thanks🇨🇦

It also happened to post cruise return to Amsterdam. I'm not sure the true reason, but have read it was due to low river water level, environmental issues or sea water mixing with fresh water. Also read that the new initiation of tourist tax in Amsterdam was ticking quite a few cruise lines off?????? Our plan post cruise is to have a taxi from Rotterdam port to train station then head to Schiphol train station, or rent a car from Rotterdam airport which we are doing in Schiphol anyways. "Being prepared" If you book a post cruise transfer with cruise line you will be covered from Rotterdam should it happen. (I called re this. Also asked if this was a possibility of disembarkation changes, and was told that yes, it did happen last summer, but it is always a daily operational decision)

HAL is using the Movenpick. Both it and Doubletree Central appear fully booked when you try to do a faked booking. (As most of Amsterdam hotels do….I was told it is due to a huge cardiology convention? Under travel planning, there is a pre and post stays.that is where you book. If arriving at Schiphol train station, your transfer to hotel will be included with hotel. I think Hotel rate was around $347. pp per night by the cruise line, breakfast included. Cruise terminal is beside hotel. Hotels in area…Doubletree, Jakarta, and Movenpick.

wow.... thanks for the pics

This is what I miss... the satin envelopes for our tickets

I believe this is who we notify. In the cabin and taped to the carpet before we get there 🙂 guestrelations@hollandamerica.com

Turtles is correct... bacteria and impurities are reason for use of distilled water. DH has a Airmini for travel and it's great. About the size of the palm of your hand and uses a small moisturizer disc vs the water chamber. The disc is good for 30 days.

Are there lockers at the bus station?

Have rented a car for 10 days and it was spectacular. We rented from the international airport which is Keflavik, it is too far to p.u a rental for your time period. Be advised there is another airport in actual Reykjavik. To my understanding another rental is downtown at the bus terminal. We have been guaranteed there will be taxi's at port (we also will download the popular company's app for pick up if needed), and have them take us to the car rental location about 10 min from port and absorb the taxis costs into the whole venture (also overnight in Sept). I contacted Hertz and they said there are no pop up/kiosks at the port for renting or drop off. Rentals are expensive, tire repairs more!!! Load up the insurance and find out about parking overnight (we arent'). Pack lots of snacks to save $$ and time. The hwy gas stations have the best hotdogs, and you're not experiancing Iceland until you have one! Driving is easy. Wind is not. And the other guy....wow.... many tourist accidents weekly. Best advice I can give, is insurance, don't push the long distances, and ENJOY!!

I found out the hard way....... on the bottom of one of the first couple of pages during your fake booking, there is a little white box, where you can insert a cabin number. Ta Da.... many of the cabins on the other pages aftr you have picked "choose your own cabin", are shaded denoting cabin is not avail..... but have found many times when I type in exact cabin it is indeed available! Type it in, and it pops up to a regular booking page.

LOL... here's another twist to story. I called HAL, and was informed, restaurant has been removed at the request of the Rotterdam Caneletto staff, as they wish to manage their own reservations onboard the ship. All reservations made prior to this decision will be honoured. ( I have reservations and have received no refund, so am assuming this is correct info re honouring the dinner.) FYI... it was Guest Services who had this info... Dinner/Excursion dept told me that HAL doesn't manage the website, it's done elsewhere, so there must be a mistake.....yikes... think there needs to be some extra training happening.........

That was my quandry. I have never overnighted in Amsterdam, but also never remember passport control either 2 previous disembarkations there. LOL... gee maybe I'm an illegal?? Will rely on taxi's queing rather then prebooking one, and keep fingers crossed it's quick 🙂

Darn!#@$*($!....... last port will be Scotland. Ok thanks, will tack on time.

Looking for taxi or prebooked taxi / private transfer to Schiphol airport. Any thoughts on time needed to disembark ship? Or recommendations?

HAL Rotterdam- Amsterdam, Norway, Iceland, Shetlands, Scotland. Tenders used at Lerwick, Edinburgh, and Isafjordur.

Don’t forget to factor in Sunday shopping hours if it applies, and church services.

Same here. Under special services... Club Orange Pass ... Guests 1,2

Thanks for posting, we were worried this might pop up with our summer cruise due to water/salt issues. Thanks for info

Blarney, quaint spot. woollen mills great for shopping, kiss the stone (yuck). Kinsale pretty seaside town. Drive just under one hour. Cobh is the port, Cork is the town. Both great spots. If you are looking for something close to ship, do a Cobh tour, of Blarney, Passage West museum, maybe Kinsale and back. Killarney is lovely, but at least one and half hours from Cobh.

Best $$ we’ve spent. They know exactly who you are without showing your card. Probably facial recognition at many points prior to human interaction. Love it, and don’t give a fig what they know about me….yes us Canadians are too trusting…lol

Late return flight to Canada (thanks AC)….but surprise…it was Business class! We booked day use room at Riverside Hotel($120.)Walk past all buses lined up to right of port door, (taking booked pax, )to standing cabs. Jumped in $20. to hotel. Hotel then called a cab for airport at 4pm. $20 to airport. Checked into ticket counter, had snack, 2 hour wait for boarding, and home in bed at 0230. Facial recognition not working at port. All passports hand checked only.

I watched presser from spokesperson. She said of the 800+, most have no symptoms.

Fear is the great limiter. Follow only science based data, wear your mask, wash your hands. Plan your movements wisely and enjoy life. Don't be cavalier re basic public health rules. Our first return to cruising is in a few weeks, and we will be wearing a mask on plane and probably in theatre of ship. Outside we will simply stay away from people and enjoy the fresh air, sun and fun. This pandemic is far from over, flu season is setting in. Life goes on, and so to should your life. Just manage it a bit better to include the things you always loved, and weed out the stuff that really no longer matters. I don't think life as we knew it will ever be the same, but we can certainly enjoy it in a different manner. I've had five shots, a flu shot, and Omicron once.