FlaMariner

LOL...that would not be "paying me to cruise"....that would be more like "chaos at sea"......I could see major dissatisfaction surveys after my first attempt at taking MDR orders.....and then of course, there is the tray full of plates that must be brought from the galley......CRASH. .....but if I could only get HAL to pay me to be a cruise passenger.......

They should pay me to cruise. LOL.

We've been on 3 TA's 2019, 2021, 2022.....We do not need/require/buy/use internet when cruising.......but we always hear our fellow passengers complaining about slow/no internet on these TA's. And many of these complaints revolve around having to do stuff for work....... I suggest that no-one put their job at risk or their sanity by relying on ship internet. Things happen....or as they say...ship happens. You have been advised.....so if the internet is fine, so be it....but if it is not, you were warned. Enjoy the journey.............regardless of the internet connection. Because, like the weather, it is unpredictable and there are no guarantees.

Our favorite things about HAL: crew food (from MDR to dive in....always tasty and a highlight for us) crew clean ships (spotless, everywhere....always cleaning) crew calm atmosphere (no rock climbing wall, etc.) crew mid-sized ships (no condo of the seas for us) crew price (allows our retirement budget to cover lots of ground) crew entertainment (love the live music venues) crew ports (bucket list ports that we are working thru) crew history (love the Dutch legacy) crew fellow passengers (except the chair hogs and lido line skippers...but they are few) crew loyalty rewards (we would still sail without it but so nice to be rewarded and recognized as we spend most of our travel $$$ w/HAL) crew Also, the crew is a major plus....Always.

The 3 Pinnacle class ships have the Dutch Cafe......Koningsdam, Nieuw Statendam, Rotterdam........ It is nice. Try the pea soup.

The "no plastics" mandate did no last very long.....was waiting for my paper key card but looks like that is not coming now......hope they got some good press on it before ditching it.

Wow. Never knew that nor never offered that. We will inquire on our 10/1 cruise! Thanks for sharing.

Yea, I was familiar with that feature........was not aware of a discount for the thermal suite if you buy other spa services......

Any intel on this? Since Her Majesty frequents the other spa services, there might be a price break for the spa pass? Enlighten me as I do not recall that deal.

That's 15 bucks a day.....per person......You will have to go early and frequently to get your money's worth.....One can only drink so much cucumber water and sit but so long on those nice hot chairs....lol.

Yep, Her Majesty considers signing us up for the raffle and attending the embarkation drawing an important part of our boarding ritual. It's been a thing on our 4 cruises since the unpleasantness. She's won $$$ off several times (you must be present to win). On our last cruise, 19 day South America (March/April 2023), they had the raffle twice....one on embarkation and again mid cruise (that was a first).....Her Majesty will get the facial if she can get a price reduction. Otherwise, too high price, she says.

My pet peeve is similar......again, fellow passengers..... I have no use for chair hogs.....We watch them mark their territory with books, sunglasses and towels while we are eating breakfast by the lido pool and then we watch those prime pieces of real estate being hardly utilized all day. (dealing w/both of those situations has to be a "no win" for HAL....not sure you can create a rule for common courtesy.....it's a learned behavior taught by Mother...or not taught, IMO)

The price has gone up since dropping the couples pass. I just looked at our 10/2021 Rotterdam TA folio (14 day cruise) and we paid $429 for couple. So that's $214.50 each person. At $299 per person today, that's a 39% price hike. Looked at another way, that's $21 a day. We've loved the thermal suite and it's been our big splurge but the new higher price has us second guessing and we did forgo the thermal suite on our last couple of cruises....."Lots of sea day" cruises help justify the purchase for us.

My bad....thought she was there with the clipboard when we were at Schipol....and Santiago...and Rome.....Either way, she's easy to spot. Just keep moving. You will see her.

Agree. Lately, the pass has been the same price onboard as pre-board....(that was not the case pre the unpleasantness). Using OBC makes sense. I've never not been able to buy the pass on embarkation day (including lots of sea day TA's). Also, sign up for the raffle why you are there, Her Majesty has won spa $$$ several times. Enjoy the journey......and use that spa pool every day!

We've always seen the lady with the HAL clipboard in baggage claim.

According to the recent fine print I've read (I'll have to search for it again, perhaps) but the Sommelier Wine Packages are for wine to be consumed in the dining venues and the stateroom......The fine print says not at the bars....We do take our wine glass with us when leaving the MDR (the waiter switches out the wine glass) and we do finish around the ship....Not sure how that is being enforced now but in the past (March 2023) I could ask for one of my bottles and/or leave one behind at the billboard onboard bar.

This is the primary reason we wait and buy onboard with our MDR waiter.....I want him to get credit for the sale...He has to do most/all of the work. Also, we are happy with package #1 (the cheaper package) and when they are out of a certain bottle (which, in our experience, seems to be frequently for package #1) they sub up. (Our math never works for HIA....so we enjoy the wine packages)

I hope they are confiscated......Sounds like a fire hazard on a ship. Here is the official answer from HAL's website FAQ's. Electrical devices such as small fans, power strips, multi plug box outlets/adaptors, and extension cords without surge protectors are allowed onboard when used with proper caution. However, if such devices are determined to pose a hazard they will be confiscated. Confiscated prohibited items are to be returned to Guest(s) ONLY on the actual day of disembarkation/end of voyage and ONLY after guest has scanned off at the gangway. Item(s) to be returned at a designated location shore-side (whether this be inside the terminal, a tent or table on the quay …) against and after verification of Confiscated Items Receipt and Guest’s Signature confirming return.” The above list is not exhaustive. The SSO/Staff Captain are authorized to make a professional judgment as to the legality of any item declared, detected or discovered on board.

I hardly smelled it when we walked thru the casino....never smelled it when outside the casino. We've been on the Nieuw Statendam, Koningsdam and Rotterdam.....

Agree. We've got the card but we have other cards that are better. I wish HAL would review this card and kick it up a notch......

e-bay has them for sale for $8.50!

My math shows the same answer.....you need to save up for 160,000 points and that is only for a 2.5% "refund" which is not competitive enough compared to our other "cash back/refund" cards. but here is the real kicker....If you accumulated your 160,000 points by spending $80,000 on HAL cruises (HAL purchases get you 2 points for every $1) then doesn't that make the "refund" 5%? Someone please check my math. In that case, that's a good "refund"....especially if I was booking the world cruise.

I still have and use the blue faux leather holders for all your travel docs that Holland America Line would send you along with your paper tickets and baggage tags included but that was many, many years ago.....When we travelled with lots of paper. That's long gone if that is what you are referencing...... Welcome back onboard......

Yep, that's your receipt......The stateroom attendant had to train me to tear off the last page and keep it. ...but thus far, we have never had anything lost....even that sock that disappears in the dryer at home someone does not get lost in HAL laundry.