jules815

Sorry for beating a dead horse. I filled out the special needs request form online a few weeks ago and just received this email: We have received your Special Needs form for Booking # and are placing the appropriate notes into your booking. You should know that we do not keep a supply of distilled water for CPAP machines. In order to have what you need when you need it, we recommend that you bring your own distilled water and a standard extension cord. Please note the following:• Please, never leave any battery to charge unattended, as someone must be present in the cabin.• Please hand-carry your medical devices on board and not carry them in your checked luggage.Thank you for sailing with MSC Cruises.Best Regards,Cheryl, MSC Special Needs DeskSooooo, what is everyone doing again? Yes, my husband always travels with a long extension cord for his machine, but we've never had to schlep on a gallon of distilled water before. It looks like we may have to though? The last couple of times we sailed our butler or steward brought him a smaller bottle of water that he said he got from medical.

Are there any Signature Suites with obstructed views? Any decks we should avoid for that reason? Back in the day, one of our favorite rooms was a mid-ship balcony on any of the RC Voyager or Freedom class ships. Usually deck 7 or 8. I was watching a Youtube video of a Signature suite (mid ship) on deck 7 and the balcony view reminded me of those RC cruises we took. Lately we've been staying on higher decks. Not complaining at all, but kinda miss being closer to the water. Also, is it true there's an outdoor deck you can walk that goes around the entire ship?? Another thing we've missed.

Good to know! thank you!

Agree, and this is something we've never thought to do. Noted!

Thanks for this info. Longer cruises we like a little more room. So a Signature is larger without being one of the higher ends suites? It wouldn't get the perks that high end suites get...we'd still pay for Club Orange? Maybe like a junior suite on RC?

Thank you!! What decks are the "true aft" cabins on? Any to avoid?

My husband and I are new to Holland America, but not to cruising. We've sailed many times with Royal Caribbean (our go-to when our kids were younger), Celebrity, a few with Carnival, and most recently we've been sailing with MSC in their Yacht Club. My parents used to cruise almost exclusively with HAL and LOVED it. We'll be in Ft. Lauderdale next April for a wedding and decided to add a cruise onto the end. We're currently booked on a transatlantic from Ft. Lauderdale to Barcelona on Celebrity ASCENT. This cruise sails the day after the wedding on April 14th. My fault jumping the gun and booking. Found out a few days ago that there's been a venue and date change to the weekend before. This left me scrambling to find something sailing on April 7th. My travel agent sent me options (we weren't interested in Caribbean) and the one we're planning to book is on HAL Nieuw Statendam, a 14 day transatlantic with ports that would be new to us (Yay!) ending in Rotterdam. The contract for the new wedding venue is hopefully being signed on Tuesday and that's when I'll make my move to cancel X and then book with HAL. My husband and I are recently retired (66 and 62) and ready to try some different itineraries. We've done one transatlantic on a RC ship back in 2016 from Barcelona to FLL and loved it. It was the sailing bringing Harmony of the Seas to the US for the first time. Lots of fanfare on that one. I've been doing a little research online and watching YouTube videos about Nieuw Statendam. I know really nothing about HAL's ship layouts so trying to absorb all that I can. From what I've learned so far, it probably looks like we'd book either a Vista suite or whatever the one level up from that is. We'd probably add Club Orange and a definitely a drink package (I've read about the different packages). We don't mind being toward the front of the ship or on a higher deck at all, we actually enjoy a little motion. We've never had an aft cabin before, but the one we have reserved on Celebrity happens to be an aft Sunset Veranda. It was going to be our first one and we were a little excited about it. Looking for any recommendations of decks or cabins to avoid. Things you love about the ship, HAL, and what we shouldn't miss. Thanks in advance!

We've done this on several cruises. Fun!

Yes, in the Yacht Club. It's the only way we've ever cruised with MSC. We were on Seaside in early 2019 and then on Meraviglia in 2021 (under 1000 people on that cruise, ship felt empty.) Knock on wood, so far no issues with MSC, but I haven't really had to deal with customer service yet. We love Celebrity, but think their suite pricing has just gone bonkers. I would agree that Luminae food is better than YC dining room, but those prices!

Trust me, I know! Chicago here! Probably why I really haven't ever been interested in Alaska. I know that sounds silly, because I know it's a beautiful cruise, but just haven't been interested.

This is all good. Yeah, he wouldn't be in ripped jeans. It would be basically what he was wearing to the office before he retired. Too funny about the passengers having children your age. We've been on Celebrity cruises where we've met older passengers on board who were really interesting. So that's all good too. Maybe on this cruise I'll feel young! Anxiously awaiting the confirmation about the wedding date change. Now we're both really excited about trying a new line. I see you mentioned you sail on MSC in the Yacht Club. We have a b2b coming up in September on Seascape. My husband's referring to it as our "Caribbean Swan Song." We've done the Caribbean so many times we're pretty burned out on the ports, so this one will mostly be about the ship. Now that we're both retired and have the time, we're looking at different itineraries.

Thanks for posting. My husband and I have never sailed with HAL, but there's a very good chance we'll be booking the April 7, 2024, Ft. Lauderdale to Rotterdam transatlantic very soon. We have a wedding in Ft. Lauderdale that was supposed to take place on April 13, so we're currently booked on a TA on Celebrity Ascent. Just got word that there's been a venue and date change to April 6th, so now we're looking at HAL, and tbh, we prefer this itinerary, which would be all new ports of us, including Bermuda. I'll be all over this forum in the next couple of days because I literally know nothing about HAL, other than it skews older, which is fine with us. (66 and 62). Question about Club Orange. Dress code for men? My husband isn't against dressing up a little, but for packing purposes, would a nice pair of jeans and a button down or polo work for dinners?

Tea drinker here as well and completely understand the "boiling" thing. Unfortunately when they bring the water for tea via room service, it's not as hot as it is coming out of the very hot water at coffee stations. And while that water isn't boiling, it's probably the best you're going to get on board.

Maybe a few choice words after I laughed at them. 😆

We sail in suites with RC and if another passenger was asking to see my card like they were security or something, there's absolutely NO WAY I'd show them my card.

Oh thanks! I'll have to make sure I've done this.

Thank you for all of this information! Now I need to look at the GeoBlue Trekker policy. Still haven't made a decision yet.

Yeah, I wasn't planning on it. If I'm doing my research correctly, it looks like the best plan for us now at this stage in our lives (newly retired and planning on traveling more) is an annual travel policy. More economical (not cheap) and will cover all of our travel for a year.

This is exactly the name of the company I came here looking for. Goal today: Purchase travel insurance for our 2 upcoming trips.

Interesting.

Interesting posts. My husband and I (66 and 62, good health) have a 2 week cruise (B2B eastern/western Caribbean) coming up in September. Not sure how it happened, but this is the first time I haven't purchased trip insurance thru the cruise line while booking. Starting to think I should, however, have been looking at benefits provided with our Chase Sapphire Preferred card and wondering if that may be enough. We have another trip next year, a transatlantic on Ascent with some time at the end in Europe, and I definitely plan on getting additional insurance for that one. Also, a while ago, I think it was someone here, posted a link to a travel insurance provider that sold a policy specifically for air evacuations. I seem to have not saved that link. If anyone knows what I'm talking about and can post it, that would be great. thanks!

I don’t get the obsession with soft serve I’ve cream on ships. Lol I’ve maybe had it a handful of times between all our cruises. SAME!! 😃

I don't recall which ship you were sailing on. Our last YC cruise we were on Meraviglia out of Miami. If you're at a hotel near the port, our rule of thumb has always been to be getting into our Uber or Taxi around 10:30. If you're in the YC you really don't have to pay attention to those assigned boarding times.

I've never used any of the spa/salon services on board MSC. Is it possible to get a no-chip manicure? (I'm aware it will probably cost more than one on land.)

This 100%. Our next cruise is a B2B in September on MSC Seascape in the Yacht Club. This will be our third time sailing with them and loved our other YC cruises. Our next cruise with Celebrity is a transatlantic on ASCENT (I think that's the name of their new ship), April 2024. Retreat prices were insane, but we know being outside of suite class we're still going to have a very nice cruise experience.