FlaMariner

Awesome.....always a good day when you book a cruise! .....and shouldn't you also get the Mariner OBC bonus since you booked when the cruises were just released?

So HAL is probably saying "if you can't take flowers off the ship, we probably should not let passengers bring them on the ship". Makes sense to me. (sounds like a mess to clean up after they die and drop all over the cabin also..... so win-win with that rule!). LOL. Go HAL!

That makes sense.....Good partner. Especially since Holland America Line dropped off many of our ancestors at Ellis Island to be processed legally to enter the USA.

I know that bringing flowers, plants, fruits, nuts etc across borders is many times a big No, No because that can bring in unwanted critters that create havoc to the local agriculture.....so the policy makes sense and I would have thought that would have already been the rule at HAL. Here is the link to the rules regarding bringing plants, etc into the USA....it's restrictive and probably similar for other countries: https://www.cbp.gov/travel/clearing-cbp/bringing-agricultural-products-united-states

From the Holland America Line website: https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/dining/club-orange.html

I've read no on these board (it's all per person now) but no personal experience.

Not true based on the other topic titled Rotterdam and Masks. Go read that. (The onboard letter referenced Covid as the reason for masking) The previous cruise had Noro and they were delayed boarding so the ship could get extra cleaning. Thus the false alarm.

Good! Glad Noro has nothing to do with the masking requirement. Hoping we don't start that.

Ugh....such a minor thing but the computer rules.....Glad you got it fixed but sorry you had to spend precious cruise time dealing with such nonsense. (As I said earlier, we are not fans of flying thru Atlanta anymore....we find the airport service (Delta & vendors) in Atlanta horrible)

Gotcha...... So the concern is that if HAL gives people what they want (1x or 2x a day housekeeping service) then eventually it will become 1x or every other day or do it yourself in the future? I see it differently. Instead of slippery slope it seems that HAL is trying to figure out what the people want......And HAL has learned that they were providing a service (2x a day) that was not valued by many of their guests...(examples on this post, me included)..So good for them for adjusting to meet the guests needs (1x or 2x a day choice) and become more efficient. Same situation for the wine stewards.....HAL thought folks wanted a wine expert and a that they needed another body to pour the wine. I was in panic mode when I heard this thinking the service would be slow and I'd never see my wine before the first course arrived. It actually worked out fine for us. The waiter (at least on the last two cruises) was very efficient and all was well. And with the expansion of HIA (which many passengers embrace, but not us), many are simply being served a glass of house wine. So another good move by HAL to become more efficient and give the folks what they want. There are many examples like this....and Marriott is learning too... All good and glad we have choices with hotels, cruises and on and on........

and if wearing a mask for noro is going to become the norm then it might be "game over"...noro happens quite frequently...don't we all know it from the pre Covid cruising era.

I believe the hours are 6am to 10pm.......from memory so others may need to confirm.

Why are we bringing up an issue that does not exist? It seems this entire thread is click bait. It is clear that HAL offers 2x a day room cleaning but if people wish to opt out because they do not want/need 2x a day room cleaning and are fine with 1x a day..... Not sure I understand what we are trying to accomplish?

Her Majesty's embarkation ritual is to visit the spa after lunch and enter the drawings and then show up for the drawings later that afternoon.......She's won several times (you have to be present to win) and she drags me over as well and I've won once (and turned over the bounty to her). She's up a few hundred in treatments so well worth her time. She does not attend any of the other "clinics"...she does not need her feet analyzed, does not want to learn how acupuncture can cure headaches, her metabolism is fine and she's ok with toxins in her body and does not need them cleansed.....Modern day snake oil sales....LOL.

....bet they have a day counter in big numbers in the crew quarters......T minus 7!

Interesting. We have not cancelled anything....we do have a b2b cruise booked in November. And 2 cruises booked in 2023 (that were both previously postponed sailings). We are 3 star folks. We don't gamble. We do not go to specialty restaurants or buy internet, coffee or water.....LOL.... Not sure why they sent the survey to me but I'm proud! LOL.

+1 We've been on 2 cruises since the unpleasantness and in both cruises, the room stewards were ready, willing and able to clean our room 2x a day.....We asked them to only clean in the am and we said around 10am if that worked for their schedules. I'm glad we have choices.

That's what I'm thinking also..... By the time they think there is a Covid crisis onboard, we will be dis-embarking.....Longer cruises have more risks...thus that is why I think they masked up....... I am going to keep thinking that, anyhow.

From what I have read on here..... Masking is required on the Rotterdam now as she is on a long Tran-Atlantic cruise. My hope (and prayer) is that masking now on the Rotterdam has nothing to do with future cruise masking requirements. The fam is set to spend Thanksgiving on a 7 night Nieuw Statendam cruise and we are not interested in masking at all. And I do not want to be the "head Dad in charge of travel" and tell our crew that masking is required. That will end them ever setting sail with me again....I'm certain.

Agree. We've enjoyed TA's where we fly to Europe, touring an area (Florence, Paris, London, Amsterdam, etc.) and then head to the port (Rome , Amsterdam or Barcelona) for a relaxing TA HAL cruise with a port or three stops.....We have more of these cruises to take/enjoy. We are heading for South America for the first time in March.....Flying to Lima and going to spend a few days climbing Machu Picchu and then flying to Santiago to catch the Oosterdam 17 night back to Fort Lauderale. In October, we are doing our first trans Pacific to Japan and then plan for 5 days in Japan before flying home. Australia/New Zealand, Southeast Asia, India, Africa, Middle East come to mind as places HAL cruises and we want to go. We are at a point now where we need ships going to places other than the Caribbean and Alaska. We are cruising the Caribbean this fall but doing so because it is an easy way to enjoy HAL and taking the fam on this one over Thanksgiving (give Her Majesty a break and let HAL cook the turkey this year). We have never been to Alaska and our plan is to hold off on cruising Alaska (staying in the USA) until we are older and have to stay "closer to home". Same for Hawaii. We have a lot of places in the world left to see before the bucket is kicked.....We need HAL to have itineraries that get us there...... I'm glad HAL asked my opinion.

I may have found the answer in the FAQ's....very frustrating.....seems like "bait and switch" Masks are recommended, but not required, in most onboard venues, though you may need to wear them in select venues or certain situations on your cruise.

Looking around on the HAL website for their info on masking.....this is what I've found....Any idea where in the T&C or elsewhere where they say they can require masking? Seems like false advertising if this is the policy yet masking is required? What am I not understanding? Mask PolicyMasks on board are recommended but not required indoors or outdoors*. We highly recommend guests wear a mask in the World Stage and other entertainment areas, casino, spa treatment rooms, Club HAL and during other congregate events. For more details, view our FAQs.*Masks are required on the ship indoors on Alaska cruises that sail between Whittier to Vancouver and on buses/trains on Cruisetours.

Good experiences for the kids.....Ours grew up "ordering off the menu" themselves on cruise ships (never the kiddo menu) and they learn to love fish, escargot, duck and other items that are not burgers and chicken fingers. Also, which fork to use and all those other things about fine dining......napkin in the lap.....how do you want your steak cooked.....how to eat soup......LOL and on and on.... They will enjoy and thank you later......Have a blast!

I last disembarked from a HAL ship 12/21.

Just looked up our cruise record..... We had HMC as a port call 11 times since 2003. We were unable to dock once (12/2021, NA, weather). Our "successful docking" percentage is: 91% As an aside (or off topic posting) Ponta Delgado, Azore Islands, Portugal we have a lower docking percentage....We've been scheduled on 3 TA's and we made it only once. So that "successful docking" percentage is: 33%. If you want to go there, you should not book when Her Majesty and I are onboard!