PDXgranny

Thank you all! We're really looking forward to our first trip to Aus/NZ!

We had a corner aft cabin on Rotterdam for Canal transit. We went forward early in morning and watched our approach to first lock. Then walked promenade deck to get all the vantage points. In afternoon we, along with our friends, went to our cabin balcony and drank nice cold beers and champagne and had room service bring up appetizers. Watched locks close behind us from our aft balcony. It was great!!

Would like to know what to expect weather-wise this time of year at sea.

Is it typically pretty calm/warm?

I received an email from Celebrity a few days ago after making full payment with link to page for us to check in to our Alaska cruise next month. Link takes you to a page that says it no longer exists. So I just logged on to our account at Celeb. website and for the life of me can't find where we check in to this cruise! Guess I'll call them. We have 2 more cruises booked on Solstice for this Fall. Hope they fix it. I was able, however, to reserve and pay for a specialty dinner.

Hello complete newbies here! We are debating buying a beverage package. Can anyone give us an idea of prices so we can determine if the package makes sense

- glass of house wine

- rum and coke

after diner liquor like baileys or kahlua

 

And can we

Doesn't sound like a package would save you anything. A 7 day cruise would be about $450 ea for bev pkgs - $900! If you're drinking 3 alcoholic bevs a day (about $8-11 ea if you're not into top drawer stuff) you're looking at about $24-33/day. But the pkgs also include non-alcohol bevs too.

We get to experience Aft-Facing cabins next week.

4 weeks! The whole way from Buenos Aires through the Panama Canal to Miami. Excited.

You will love aft balcony transiting canal! We did 15 night Canal cruise earlier this month. First cruise ever for us. On Holland. Deck 7. Corner Aft balcony was kept spotless by our stewards - never had soot and they washed down glass doors and balcony glass every day. Corner aft balconies are larger. Plenty of room for our 4 friends to join us in late afternoon for apps & champagne and view the locks as we finished Canal transit. Practically no wind. Very quiet & private.

This ship had aft elevators, but we always walked to forward elevators just for the exercise.

We have 6310 aft booked for 12 night Sydney to Aukland 10/30 on Solstice. Aft cabins were sold out on 17 night Solstice Honolulu to Sydney 10/2 or we would've booked one! Enjoy!!

On board Nieuw Amsterdam now. The best internet package is 1000 minutes for $250.00.

How is wifi speed?

No need to take your passports (unless HAL tells you differently ;) ). Never have in those ports.

 

You do need a picture id. If you have a photo driver's license, that works or a colour copy of your passport has worked too :).

 

I always take colour copies of our key passport pages "in case".

Thanks! We have color copies of everything. :D

I've searched and can't find an answer:

When we reboard Rotterdam after excursions ( Mexico, Central America) can we get back on ship without our passports? I'd like to leave passports in cabin safe and take a photo copy of passport info page with me. Will HAL accept that?

Thank you!

Considering an April 2017 cruise on Empress -- wondering typically what sort of weather could be in April??

Cool & rainy.

Another try at loading the menu cards

For some reason the image is very blurred. Are the cocktails 7.75?

Thanks for replies! I'll throw it into our carry on.

It's not clear if regular electrical extension cords are allowed in cabins. It says only HAL approved outlet strips are available if you request them, but we just wanted to use an extension cord. I think Celebrity doesn't allow them. Anyone know if HAL does? Specifically on Rotterdam.

They could have presented a Certificate Of Live Birth issued by a hospital and that would not have met the the requirements of government issued BC.

The birth certificate must be government certified copy (in U.S., its from the county in which your born).

great story! It wasn't our first cruise but my husband packed my disembarkation outfit in our luggage on the last night of our cruise. I had everything i needed draped over one hanger and he just threw it all into the suitcase. I had to borrow a pair of capris from someone we met at the meet and greet and i wore my husband's dirty polo shirt from the night before. Lovely.

ouch!!!!

Just got off last week. Apparently only some of the suites were done up - new patio furniture I believe. Only real changes from the drydock were the new alcoves on the lawn and some new chairs for around the mast grill. And also the photo gallery and art gallery were changed.

Thanks!!

Do try to move around and experience the canal from a variety of viewpoints.

 

And enjoy that trans-Pacific.

 

Roy

The plan is to get up at 4a & go to bow to view the entrance.

Has anyone sailed on Solstice since refit recently? Would love to know what improvements/changes were made. Any refreshing of cabins?

What a nice pick for a first cruise. Not only are our CC member and those on board escaping the winter, they are going to see one of the wonders of the modern world along with some fun ports. Wishing everyone on board safe travels, fair winds and smooth seas.

 

 

Bon Voyage to Rotterdam - 15 day Panama Canal:

PDXgranny - enjoy your 1st cruise

 

 

 

Bon Voyage PDXgranny!!!!!

Have a great cruise and a WONDERFUL time!!!!!

Thanks for great send off! We're so excited! Even upgraded to an aft cabin - thought it would be cool to have during Canal transit.

:D

Prepare to come home hooked on cruising (and maybe with another already booked;)).

 

Smooth sailing!

Thank you! Yes - we already have another booked this Fall. I don't like flying much, so we're cruising to Australia. :D

How in the world can you call a ship w 4000 pasengers a small ship. In my opinion, it is an over-sized monstrosity. The biggest ship I have ever cruised on was about 2500 and I thought it was absurd. My best cruises have been on much smaller ships and my 2 best were on a ship that held 22 people and one that held 50 people.

 

When all the smaller ships get taken out of service, I will stop cruising. My next cruise is on the Azamara Quest. She holds 690 people. Plenty big enough for me.

 

DON

I wasn't referring to a 4000+ ship as small - I was using it as an example of a quite large ship. And because I've never cruised before, it's a size ship that astounds me. I think my dislike of huge crowds kicks in. It's probably a class of ship I may prefer to avoid. Thanks for your opinion:)

Went to the "Art Auction" and won a $50 credit, ended up spending $200 on art. I blame the free champagne.

May I ask what type of art is offered at these auctions?

Is it the cruise, or the destination? For us it's both. There is so much to do on sea days ( or not ) on the larger ships which we love. They are also usually newer and that matters, we find there is also a bit less motion on them. Bottom line, it's a personal preference, but I recommend trying the larger ships once to make your own determination.

 

 

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Will be on Solstice this Fall - not a whole lot larger than Rotterdam, but will be interesting to see how much difference there is.

Our first cruise is in a few days. HAL Rotterdam appealed to us because its a smaller ship.

Has anyone here sailed on one of those 4000 pax+ ships? Do you prefer them?

We've been to Beale St club a few times. Guess I expected same on board.