MaxeyMom

I would love to see the thermal suite if you visit the spa.

I love the Pinnacle. It is a wonderful area to enjoy a delicious dining experience. Wonderful food and service. The beef filet is divine.

We had a thank you for sailing with us credit that we had to use by next week. It is a long way off (August 2018) but we are booked on the Koningsdam and will be overnighting in Scotland for the Tattoo concert.

You will love the Tattoo. The bands are fabulous and the backdrop of the castle with lighting quite dramatic. I loved the bagpipes.

The Pinnacle Grill Filet medium rare---Nirvana---perfect happiness!

Thank you so much for the picture.

Beautiful photos complete with commentary! Thank you so much for spending time to sort and post your wonderful photos.

I see from the scans of the Daily Activities that the cooking classes are listed as classes from the Culinary Arts Center. I assume that means that the Eurodam has not converted to the future America's Test Kitchen. Any rumors as to when that will happen?

Do you plan to eat/drink at the Tamarind? Hope to hear a review if you do.

Thanks for all your diligent research for those of us stuck in the frozen temps!

I didn't think the insurance company would have any idea of the answer.

 

Did you pay any additional in June when you bought the insurance or just the $100?

 

As long as you have the booking date, I don't see any problems. You insured the full cost and bought it at time of booking.

 

I agree the HAL coverage wouldn't meet my needs.

 

Have a great trip and hopefully you won't have to use the policy at all :)

I was not certain of the trip when I used the FCC to reserve a cabin. By the time the time I paid for the trip it was way past the 14 day window for pre-existing medical problems.

This sounds like a space I would enjoy. I cannot wait to experience it and the new test kitchen.

I cannot get a definitive answer from the insurance co on this matter.

FCC was $100.00 and applied in June of 2016. Final payment of $4000.00 was due this week.

The insurance that HAL sells is expensive when you figure in that you will only get back 90% of your fare plus the $10,000 medical cap and 50,000 dollar cap on medical evacuation is deficient, IMHO. Yes you can cancel for any reason and they exclude pre-existing but then they do not cover enough.

Hope I remain healthy and do not need to use the insurance.

Thanks to all

Thanks so much for all the advice. Will update when I speak to the insurer.

I always buy trip insurance but have never had to use it. I was wondering about the pre-existing condition clause and if using a previously purchased Future Cruise Deposit would keep you from qualifying.

To make myself clear

You reserve a cruise months in advance using a Future Cruise Deposit purchased on a cruise two years ago. When it comes time for the final (and only payment) for the cruise you desire to purchase trip insurance--not from HAL from another company. That travel insurance company states it will wave the pre-existing condition exclusion if you purchase the travel insurance within 15 days of the original deposit, etc. etc. Will they call the 100 dollar FCD your first payment and thereby not allow preexisting conditions? Has anyone (Heaven forbid) had a medical issue and had to deal with this issue to get coverage?

Hope I made the issue clear. Any experience appreciated.

Thank you so much for the info on Sel de Mer. It sounds so yummy.

Now, have you visited the thermal suite? Early reports were negative but the pictures I have seen are wonderful. We are on TA with 8 sea days so I think I would really use it. Several people commented on how access was not controlled so lots of people just walked in and used the heated pool. Was it crowded?

What does the gelato cost?

Ice cream in the Lido--do they still have several flavors?

Can you remember the nightly non-fish specials at Sel de Mer? Are they posted ahead somewhere?

As I remember there was a card in the stateroom and I made reservations after boarding.

Booked with HAL for my TA in the fall. The one way fares online were crazy expensive. The HAL fare for the exact flights I wanted was about 25% of what I could buy online. Amazing.

I also booked through HAL for the FLL flight in the spring. I know I will get miles credit with American because I have already been able to link it to my FF number on the American website with my locator #. The American site also let me choose a seats.

I still need to solve the trip and medical insurance question for the Europe trip. With the HAL flight booking they are included in the HAL insurance but it is not very good on the medical side so I am pricing others and you only get 90% of your cost back.

The lamb special looked really good! Do they post the special for the other nights of the week ahead of time?

What does the gelato cost?

Thanks for all the posts on your cruise.

IMO you should stay with the aft facing cabin. It rains a lot and you will be protected. You will be able to see almost 180 degrees and it will be a great view if a big container ship enters behind you. We did move around the ship during the transit and did not leave the ship for an excursion.

Try the Panama buns!

I did see a Neptune suite on the Koningsdam and I thought it was quite roomy. I don't think having the beds separated would be a problem space wise. It was a nice cabin - wish it had been mine!

So good to hear. I admit I am spoiled by the space of the Neptune suites.

Hope they have a "special" when we board. $350 per person sounds steep but it would be so nice to have a place to relax my tired joints at the end of the day. I loved the heated loungers in Alaska! Just the ticket after a long day.

We will have to see what happens over the next year with the ? change to America's Test Kitchen.

During the cabin crawl did you visit a Neptune Suite and could you comment on the space if bed is made up as two twins rather than just one large bed. I am traveling with my niece for the TA and would rather have twins but the space looks tight on all the pictures I have seen. I posted the question here on CC but have not received an answer. May need to post again.

Thank you so much for the time and effort for such a detailed review.

It will be so helpful for me and others on future Koningsdam cruises.

Did any of you use the spa? I am wondering about the large heated spa pool and how it was.

Was there any mention of America's Test Kitchen beginning on the K?

Do you remember what you paid for the pass and how long for. Thanks for the information - very tempted now.

The first day there is an open house and a special price for the Thermal Suite and other treatments. I cannot remember the price but I connected with someone on my Roll Call and we split the couple's price. Very easy to do and the ladies just bill half the price to each of you. Go to the spa and have a look on embarkation day.

After a day or so they know you so you just walk up to the desk and exchange keys.

I loved relaxing there in the evening. It was never crowded.

"I have read the discussion about tipping in advance and the cash vs gift arguments. I always went with the traditional cash tipping after service, but I thought I would test both the gift and in advance methods and declare it an utter failure on our part. Our steward did not know what to make of our gift - an 8 by 10 color glossy portrait of us in a plexiglass frame with magnets. I figured that the magnets would let him stick our portrait on the wall next to his bunk and would not take up any room. Maybe I should have gone with the sterling silver frame, he looks like he may have expensive tastes."

Quick question about the "gift" for the steward. Did it come with it's own set of darts or would you have to purchase those separately? Such a thoughtful gesture on your part.

Following all your info closely as my first TA is next year.

I bought a pass last year for my Alaska cruise. I used it everyday to relax after the cold shore excursions. Those heated loungers were so perfect for my aching joints. I was so relaxed I kept falling asleep.

The panel of windows that looks out over the bow is an added perk especially when you get close to one of the glaciers. There is also a very small outdoor viewing area.

I loved it!

Just another reason to ditch the cruise line cards in favor of a cash back card. Very straight forward. No points to worry about. Cash can be used anywhere. Cash never expires. And, you can get 3% cash back on cruises on any cruise line.

This is how I have always felt about the cards with "rewards" and have always just used my cash back cards for everything. The only thing I like about the HAL card is the double points on HAL purchases but now if they expire then forget it.

If you do not use the points within 180 days what happens to them?

If you pay for a cruise with points and then must cancel at the last min what happens? Guess I may have to wait until November to figure it out.

I did notice that you can buy a Pinnacle Grill dinner for 2500 points which is good since the dinner is now 35 dollars.

Thanks