mahi mahi

You would think walking to another bank of elevators would work but not this time! Ditto for trying to go down rather than up! They were packed solid….some people were absolutely irate especially those who humped their bags down a deck thinking that would work. it was a crowded ship, the most crowded I have seen on a HAL cruise. We were never able to make a reservation for the MDR, ever. First time for us! That was the only real disappointment we had in an otherwise great cruise.

On our Rotterdam cruise over Easter everyone had a noon boarding time. Priority boarding included Neptunes, 4 & 5 star mariners and club orange (I believe they were last on that list but not 100% sure). It seemed disabled passengers were also allowed to board anytime and there were quite a few. We arrived just after 10:30 and were assigned group 12 in regular passenger group (it was a full ship, 2700 passengers) but boarding was well organized I thought. Once onboard we hit a wall with the elevators and there were some frayed tempers from people forced to wait as long as 20 minutes! We really noticed how the absence of those 4 glass elevators added to crowding on a full ship.

We use a small battery operated candle, enough light to see the “commode” in the middle of the night but not enough for an assault on the retinas.

Pillows on HAL are a pet peeve of mine! They seem to be in need of replacing on every ship we’ve been on in the last couple years - either lumpy or overstuffed to the point of being hard as bricks. I have asked our stewards for replacements and had them looking at me like I was from another planet. Any replacements offered were not an improvement. I have considered bringing one with me but we are flying. We always go in a day early so I may just buy one before I board and leave it there this time!

We had 8033 on NS last year, 14 day to Norway. No noise issues whatsoever (and we are light sleepers). Loved the location, always took the stairs up to Lido. No motion issues either.

Does anyone know if the rule about passports being valid for six months following disembarkation from your cruise uses calendar months or 184 days to determine validity? our cruise ends April 7 and my passport expires October 15.

We did the 14 day Norway on NS last month, North Cape from Copenhagen. We had a fantastic time, loved every minute of it! Ate in the MDR every night except one dinner in Tamarind (also great) and there is really no need to go to specialty restaurants as the food was outstanding. Loved that they brought fresh fish on in ports. Cruise and travel director Clare Adams was really good as was Amanda the entertainment director. Don't miss the fun in Ocean Bar during the daily happy hour! We were told by Clare that HAL is bringing back some classical music starting this month and I believe it has already started on this ship, something we used to look forward to on previous cruises.

We did inside passage in June last year and I can tell you there is a LOT of daylight this time of year! I clearly remember getting up around 3 am with the sun coming up and standing on the balcony in awe. There is nothing like sailing very slowly almost silently along, so close to spectacular scenery. Breathtaking. Contrast that experience with Princess in September on what was supposed to be inside passage - it was not. Turns out the ship was too large.

We did Alaska last year twice, Zuiderdam in June and Majestic Princess in September, both out of Vancouver. We had such a wonderful time on Zuiderdam we couldn't wait to go back and had to use up a credit on Princess. We much prefer HAL for their smaller ships and despite Princess billing Majestic as 'inside passage' it did not cruise the east side of Vancouver island therefore not nearly as scenic. We had last cruised Alaska in 2008 and at that time we booked an obstructed ocean view cabin, figuring we would not be using a balcony because hey, it's September in Alaska! A couple of weeks before sailing we were offered a balcony for $99 each and thought why not. I so remember sitting on the loveseat in our cabin and seeing a whale spout not far from the ship and my husband and I practically tackling each other to get out the door for a better view! Food on HAL was hands down much better than Princess (we have been disappointed in the food on every Princess cruise but hey, food is subjective and Princess cheerleaders will disagree I'm sure!). We love that HAL opens the bow for viewing in Glacier Bay and Hubbard, just bundle up - it's worth it. They also serve pea soup out there to warm you up. As another poster pointed out, room service is always available and you can order room service even at dinner. We did a fantastic ship excursion with HAL in Skagway that included wonderful hike in the rainforest that was spectacular as well as the train ride. We actually had to tender with Princess in Skagway. You will love Alaska, however you get there. There is something very humbling about it, that there are still places on the planet that are still unspoiled. Days are long in June. There is nothing like being out on the balcony as the sun rises and watching pristine scenery drift by as the ship moves almost silently along (thank goodness for drapes that block those 3 am sunrises if you're not an early morning person!) It's all about the scenery - as they say "that's why you're here". Enjoy!

Strongly suggest you go to the podium outside either MDR or Pinnacle once you board and make reservations if you know you prefer to eat at a certain time. We prefer to eat early (I realize this isn't for everyone) and have the same table and waitstaff. Our table for 2 was near the main entrance and we witnessed long lines at times and several upset people who weren't able to get tables when they wanted to dine. And yes, you can switch once on board from fixed to any time and vice versa but no guarantees. We also saw people in the anytime dining room being escorted upstairs to the fixed dining room - they must have had space there to accommodate the overflow.

I second that....have done it both ways. First time took the train on our own, 2nd time booked a tour with Rome in Limo which was excellent. We were 4 couples in a roomy van that whisked us into the centre of Rome (first stop was washroom right by Pantheon). Guide booked a private guide for the Vatican that allowed us to skip the line. We were able to hit all the highlights in one day and never felt rushed. Can't say the same for our first time doing it on our own with the stress of worrying about train schedules (and strikes!) not to mention finding our way around all those confusing streets!

We sailed Zuiderdam in 2006 and again in 2022. Crew is fantastic. Yes, decor in MDR is a little dark but we honestly prefer that style to the newer, open design of the newer ships. Much more intimate and way less noisy atmosphere. Our cruise to Alaska on her this past summer was one of the best we have ever done - food and service were outstanding! Totally agree with the comment re signature suites. There are a lot of them and they are very roomy with great balconies and really not much more money than a regular balcony.

Your pics bring back fond memories....we were on the same sailing! We thought the food in MDR and Tamarind was outstanding - we ordered many of the same things you did! Service everywhere was excellent and the ship was spotless! We had a signature suite and spent many a blissful hour on our balcony reading and watching for flying fish, it was so quiet!

The policy regarding bringing wine on board changed some time ago. You are allowed a "reasonable quantity" to carry on with you at embarkation but no one really knows what reasonable means. For a 7 day we brought 3 bottles onboard for each of our last 2 cruises, we find that sufficient for our needs, i.e. 1/2 bottle a night for 6 nights. They have a table set up after you go through security to register the wine and you will see a $20 charge per bottle on your stateroom account. Doesn't matter where you consume it.

Just got off the Nieuw Amsterdam on Sunday and I would definitely not switch just to experience the GDC. We had a wonderful cruise - service was wonderful and food in the MDR was outstanding. The ship was full with a lot of families with children but it was a very civilized group. I much prefer the MDR on this class of ship, you can actually carry on a conversation whereas the newer ships have that vast open space that becomes very noisy. We generally sail in balcony cabins but last summer on the Zuiderdam to Alaska we opted for a signature suite which was well worth it for the additional space. Same this past trip. We spent many a blissful hour on our balcony reading and watching for flying fish and it was so quiet! You go to Alaska to experience the wonder of the scenery and wildlife, not for the GDC! I should add that they also serve the famous pea soup on deck while the ship is sailing in Glacier Bay.