Haljo1935

I've had it go both ways, but definitely worth a call. Please update us on the outcome. We're rooting for you!

Oh, be sure you don't miss the Terrazza Sea Day Brunch. It's in the Steakhouse. They will call you to set your reservation but you can also stop in and book it there. It's no charge, great menu, limited to Terrazza pax only.

Congrats on the cabin! We were on deck 7 with one of the larger wraps, but the cabin was tiny - no sofa for us. Deck 8 is the smallest balcony, 9 is largest & covered.

Picked up so much good stuff from your TA and AK Lives - along for this ride.

Whichever way you go, you have a great cruise in your future!! For Pearl Harbor, if the Memorial is important to you, find out if the HAL excursion goes to the Memorial first or the Missouri. We had a very disappointing experience in Jan.

That worked for us Nov and Dec. We avoided Billboard. Safe travels- enjoy your cruise!

We did not have the madness when boarding K'dam Dec 2022. I was shocked at the difference Dec 21 2023. Don't know what changed, but It needs to change again.

I would give this program a try if I were near a port; sadly, I am 20+ hours drive to nearest HAL port. It's unfortunate 7 days has basically become 1 day notice, but people signing up now can go into it with a different set of expectations due to the painful experiences of those who jumped in at the start. Hopefully HAL will adjust either the wording or the execution as I think the concept is good. And big congrats to those getting verandah assignments!! Nice win for the pain and effort.

Congrats! Safe travels- enjoy your cruise!

Yes, we do try to negotiate a lower rate on upsells. Success, I believe, depends on how full the ship is and what the cancelation rate is. We're not always successful and sometimes it takes a couple calls before we land on an acceptable price, but the answer is always "no" if we don't ask. We do try to be reasonable with our offers. With that said, I have not had an upsell opportunity since they started the $49 standby program, so I don't know what impact that might have on successful negotiations.

Fabulous penguin 🐧 pictures!! Was the wine good? There's no escaping the butternut squash. 😉

And to CCL since the requirement originated with them. I have to think whatever fees they're paying to Stockperks is more than the cost of doing it internally. Especially since there seems to still be considerable follow up needed on their part handling all the missteps.

Congrats! That is a huge win - especially nice for AK. We also had an unexpected free upgrade last year on Eurodam to AK - went from fully obstructed to Signature Suite.

And you can print boarding passes rather than accessing on your phone.

Little Italy is nearby for a great lunch. Yes, later is better to avoid the madness. And maybe take an umbrella JIC. You have a great cruise in your future!! FWIW We also sailed K'dam out of San Diego Dec 2022 and things were the usual fine, just walk on. So I was surprised to read about (and see the pictures of) the chaos Dec 2023. No idea what changed, but indeed it was insane.

I do not recall having one Dec 21 - Jan 6. Is your cruise around Mardi Gras?

Grand Dutch Cafe is my happy place! I don't eat pea soup, but I agree theirs is fabulous.

@misguy this is the menu from K'dam Dec 21 - Jan 6. We also had more than one- this was the 1st one. Our selections

I was just thinking of this as I went into the living room and saw 2 of my 3 fur babies snuggled up. I just shook my head and wanted to hug them. The comment really bothered me.

@aliaschief ouch on the arm. Beautiful photos - that water is so clear.

I imagine - you see SWA is clearly listed as a participating airline for FLL. Not Miami, though.

I wanted to bathe in it!! And it was pretty.

Same - have deck plan handy so you can select the cabin you want from the ones they offer - it will not be a TBD if you're paying. Using a TA, you can have them loop you in when they call HAL so you can hear the cabin #s and make selection w/o the delay of back and forth. And remember, prices are negotiable on upsells. Congrats - enjoy your upsell!

😊 So happy to hear you ❤ HAL laundry team - they are the best!!

I have not done an inside cabin to AK as I live for the views, but will be on there with you!!