HALover

I doubt if very many have sailed on the Rotterdam just yet, at least not in the US. This cabin should be identical to the same ones on the Koningsdam & Nieuw Statendam so you may get a better response from someone who has stayed on those ships. From what I can tell it appears that that cabin has the same basic size veranda as the other cabins, so the difference is probably minimal. DW and I have always found the balconies on the Pinnacle class ships to be a reasonable size & quite comfortable. 

I think that I would be more worried about the view being partially obstructed by the lifeboats. Try calling HAL customer service for more information.

Hope you have a wonderful cruise on this shiny new ship!

Hello Tony & Lorna!

So glad to hear that you're giving HAL a try, I'm quite sure that you will enjoy the experience. We have had a 3 generation trip ourselves several times and everyone really loved the experience and can't wait to get back to cruising. Our grandsons were a little older (14 & 19 on their 1st cruise) and they ran all over the ship the moment that we got on. They even spent a lot of time in their cabin watching movies & enjoying room service. Great guy time together.

HAL will have a self serve soft ice cream station as well as a hand dipped selection in the Lido Market (buffet). I assume they will still offer that after COVID, maybe someone who sails in the interim can fill you in more.

As far as the specialty dining, I would advise trying to get to the restaurant by 6:00ish. The restaurants are usually excellent and you don't want to rush through the experience. The World Stage shows start at 8:00 (if memory serves me) so you will want to arrive around 7:30 to get good seats, even though there really aren't any bad seats that I've experienced.

Not sure how much company of a similar age to your grandchildren you'll see in April, but you should see at least some other children. Many schools will have their "Spring" breaks during that time, but it's kind of spread out over the month so I wouldn't expect the ship to be covered up in kids like on some other cruise lines. Again, others who have sailed during April can probably speak to this better that I can (we typically cruise over the Christmas holiday). Either way, your grandchildren will have a great time I'm sure.

Wishing you a great family trip!

Ray & Nancy Bishop

I would think that the greater burden of helping to prevent the spread COVID-19 that it will only increase prices. They are still going to have to reduce capacity on the remaining ships to accommodate any possible outbreaks. And if the US adopts the same criteria as the EU they will also have to cover the costs of quarantining passengers who have possibly been exposed once they have been put ashore. 
I believe that all of theses factors will certainly drive prices up, but by how much is anyone’s guess. 
As Kazoo said, maybe not at first, but definitely in the near future.

Yes, there will be some older folks onboard, but it’s not as bad as some would have you believe. Your daughter should find quite a few people in her age bracket, especially that time of year. 
My lovely wife is in her 50’s & I’m starting my 60’s, we’ve taken our children (30’s & 40’s) and our grandsons (18 & 23) with us several times and they all love HAL. You will love the new Ryndam, the Pinnacle class ships are amazing!

Oh, btw, we also enjoy the shows in the main theater. They are smaller than some of the other lines I’m sure. We liken them to a small off-Broadway show. Great talent in a more intimate setting & the theater itself is first rate. And the food in the MDR is usually pretty good (we’ve had a few great meals & a few not- so- great), the specialty dining is very good to great. The Lido is probably above average for a buffet (especially breakfast), everything is very fresh & the pizza place is good. I’m not a big fan of the Dive—In Burger place, it seems to have gone down hill a bit, but I seem to be in the minority about that.

Enjoy!

I haven’t done a TA yet, but plan to give it a try when I’m retired.

Things usually quiet down around 11:00 or so, mostly in the MusicWalk area (which is great, btw) and we have even danced until about 1:00 am in the BB King Blues Lounge.

The ships seem to have activities scheduled all day & into the evening. It just depends on what you like to to do. There will be several trivia games per day & card games, lectures, enrichment classes, etc. I think that what I would look forward to the most on a TA trip will he just the easy pace of everything, not having to plan around a stop every day or so, I really enjoy the sea days for relaxation.
I speak only from my experiences on the new Pinnacle class ships, but I think that the HAL vibe will be pretty much the same throughout the line from what I’ve heard from more experienced cruisers.

As “kazu” said above, you won’t have too many wild parties or anything on HAL, but people seem to have a great time none the less. HAL is probably a little more “refined” (for lack of a better word  & I don’t mean for that to sound snobby at all) than some cruise lines without being as “stuffy” (again please forgive my poor choice of words) as say, a Cunard. 
 

I hope this helps and that you both enjoy your TA cruise whichever line you choose!

Dunmore2,

I neglected to respond to your question about cabins & their locations.

It kind of depends on the ship, but as a general rule look for cabins that aren’t directly under the Lido Market, the chairs are heavy & are moved constantly throughout the day & evening. I would also stay away from the pool area & most of the public spaces due to noise & traffic in the hall area.
As far as size goes, most of the Verandah cabins are basically the same square footage (with some small exceptions), you can check HAL’s website to see the locations and what they might be near. I’m speaking specifically about the new Pinnacle  class ships, but I would think that this is generally true on most ships. 
I’ve also heard to stay away from the Lanai cabins on the older ships due to their being located right on the Prominade Deck, people are always walking right by your doorway & using your deck chairs for themselves.

I’ve found Costco’s website to be helpful as well, we usually book through them anyway & get a little more OBC!

That’s about all I have, others will have more insight than I do.
 

Thanks for that, that seems it would be just the kind of package to get us to switch! When we can return to cruising, we will definitely give them another look. 

Sorry to hear that you are leaving HAL, and I agree about the Club Orange format. It seems to work better on the new Pinnacle Class ships, but I still think that it’s way overpriced for what you get. 
The Signature Suite is really just an upgraded cabin and while it’s nicer than a standard Verandah cabin, it’s probably a stretch to refer to it as a suite, in my humble opinion. 
 With that being said, I just haven’t been able to pull the trigger yet on trying Celebrity. My wife & I were very interested in trying the new Edge ship when it came out but we just couldn’t justify the increase in price. Maybe one of these days we’ll splurge.

I will be interested in hearing from you in the future about your experiences on Celebrity as compared to HAL.

Happy cruising!

Thanks so much! My whole family really loves Holland America, we’re so bummed that we won’t be able to cruise this year for the first time in years. 
it’s so good to see some activity on CC, I hope that it’s a sign of good things to come. Stay safe!

I, too, have fallen victim to this “deal”. Drink selection aside, you need to be prepared to start drinking early in the day to get your money’s worth. With an all-aboard time of 4:00 you need to be in line by about 2:30 or so for the tenders back to the ship. Also, several of the bars start packing up earlier than that to make it back to the ship.

I believe that this may become less of an issue once HAL has completed their new  pier which will eliminate the rush to board the tender boats.

Other than that, enjoy your time in that little slice of paradise called Half Moon Cay!

1 hour ago, lolaletu said:

Hi:  My husband and I are booking a HAL cruise next month.  We have been on over 65 cruises, but never on HAL - we figure it is time.   We usually do RCL, Celebrity, Princess, NCL (in that order).   Usually I have no trouble booking a cruise, but because I'm not really educated on HAL I am hoping someone can help me.  I am 65 and my husband is 77 - we are active, but we do not need the waterslides, rock climbing things like that.  At night we usually do the show and then just walk around the ship.  I love to walk out on the deck after dinner and just look at the ocean.    I am looking at the Veenham?  I also like to listen to music.  Would the Veenham be a good first choice for going on HAL???  Thank you.

Hi Lolaletu,

 It depends on what you're looking for in a ship. Our last 4 HAL cruises have been on the Koningsdam and Nieuw Statendam. We've never been on the Veendam,  these are newer, larger ships than the Veendam. We have never felt crowded or cramped on these ships, and there are all kinds of places where you can get away for some quiet time. Also. HAL caters primarily to a more "mature" age clientele, though you will also find a good mix of ages, especially during the holidays.  

My wife and I weren't interested in all of the water slides, go kart tracks, etc. either, and we have thoroughly enjoyed our cruises. The entertainment is excellent, though they don't don't have a show every night in the World Stage (which is an amazing venue), but they have the Rolling Stone Rock Room, the B.B. King Blues Club, Billboard OnBoard piano bar, and the Lincoln Center Stage for music. These are all first class entertainment venues with outstanding musicians. They also feature some BBC Earth screenings in the World Stage that are quite interesting, accompanied by live music.

All HAL ships have a Promenade Deck that is excellent for a late night (or any other time) stroll. You can also enjoy the breeze and look at the stars on the Sun Deck.

I hope that you and and your husband enjoy your HAL cruise on whichever ship that you choose!

We sailed on the NS last December. They usually close the roof at night & lounge chairs are turned to face the movie screen. The staff also place blankets on the chairs In case you get cold, Popcorn is available to complete your movie experience.

You can change your dining options in the MDR. We have chosen the Anytime Dining option for the last few years and our average wait for a table has only been a few minutes, if that helps.

2 hours ago, Lindylou08 said:

Hi.. I’m hoping this is the right place to be asking this question ??  I have just booked the Jewels of the Baltic and Viking Sagas cruise for June next year on the Zuiderdam. The price included the ‘signature beverage package’ which states  for beverage items $9 and under.. Are there wines , cocktails , beer etc available for  that price ??  Thanks 🍷

Yes, this will cover most alcoholic drinks with the exception of "top shelf" items. I believe that someone has posted a drink menu somewhere in one of these threads but I can't seem to find it. Unless you only drink "the best", then you should be fine.

23 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

Yes, all HAL ships have a buffet. KDam has a number of food stations.

 

No On Demand movies that I recall, but that is not something we usually pay attention to.

 

Yes, KDam has movies in the pool area. However, the roof over the pool is close-able, and, depending on weather, probably will at least be partially closed.

 

Some reading around the board will get you lots more info.

 

Yes, k-Dam has on demand movies. The poolside movies are nice. You can get popcorn at the the NY Deli & they have blankets for the lounge chairs while you watch the movie.

The Lido Market is a buffet with multiple stations, but you do not serve yourself, they will serve you your food & hand it to you, part of HAL’s cleanliness program for which they’re famous. 

I’ve sailed the K-Dam the last two Christmases, it’s a lovely ship, you’ll enjoy your cruise!

Does the ship feel crowded at all? Is it difficult to find a seat at the music venues in the evening?

 

 

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No.

Are the showers nice and roomy? We have a larger gentleman that usually travels with our group, and that is always a concern of his.

The shower is larger than what I have at Home! Very nice size for a cruise ship.

(sic) Please reassure me as to whether I should go on this ship with all its "flaws"........

Go, you'll love it. All ships have some minor flaws & trade offs, a lot of these complaints are what I consider to "minor". The Koningsdam is a beautiful ship with many excellent features. I've sailed it twice and I took along 9 other family members last year, they all LOVED it.

I agree! I love this ship. Going on her for the 3rd time in a couple of days. I can hardly wait.

 

 

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I agree as well, we've sailed on the Koningsdam twice and loved everything about it. Fantastic ship and we're trying the Nieuw Statendam this December, can't wait!

Looks like the walkway from a tanker ship! and then of course no lounge chairs to sit and watch the ocean go by! NO movie theatre???? Talk about a step backwards!

 

I thought someone mentioned exc. in the crows nest. I don't see it on the deck plans unless it in the exploration café. I had been thinking about maybe doing Koningsdam for an upcoming TA. Without a nice promenade, movie theatre and with 2600 people (way too many for me) I will be scratching this ship off my list!. I actually have a cruise booked on her in Jan. Looking at those pictures makes me less and less interested.

My wife & I enjoy walking on the Promenade, there are some good views as you go along, especially the aft portion. My understanding is that this was done to increase the number of veranda suites available, not sure if that's accurate. We've looked at some of HAL's smaller ships & we didn't care for the lanai suites, having the promendae right outside of the room. Just personal preference I guess. They do show movies at the Lido pool in the evenings along with popcorn, very nice setting especially if they leave the rood open.

We've sailed on the K-Dam twice and absolutely loved it, never felt crowded. Sailing on the Nieuw Statendam in December.

I'm new to HAL. So please forgive the silly question but is room service free?

Room service is included in your fare. Enjoy!

HAL also has a couple of really cool hand washing stations at each entrance to the Lido Market. Very nice touch!

We sailed on the Koningsdam the last 2 Christmases and loved it. It's just the right size and not too crowded. Last year our 3 year old nephew was with us and he had an amazing time (Santa came to visit him on the ship)!

We're sailing on the inaugural cruise of the MS Nieuw Statendam this Christmas and can't wait.

It sounds like HAL could be exactly what you're looking for, lots of great entertainment without it being a "party boat".

Hope you give it a try!