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Yesterday was the last day of our 42 day cruise.  We had an excellent time and as always the crew members were OUTSTANDING.  The entertainment for the most part was good.  The Step One Dance company is excellent but we have seen these same shows (I have seen Humanity 14 times) since 2018.  The 2 singing groups (The Runaround Kids and The Knights) were excellent - looking forward to seeing them again on a DAM ship.  The food was good in both the MDR and Lido.  Pinnacle and Tamarind were very good but I still don't understand the reason for an upcharge if you want soup and salad in the Pinnacle.  I can have 3 or 4 appetizers in the MDR for no extra.  The one thing that HAL can improve greatly on is the shipboard process on turn around days.  When we turnaround in Port Everglades and CBP requires all passengers to get off the ship and go through customs (I don't really understand why but it is a requirement).  The issue we had on all 3 turn around days was that on the ship we are required to meet at a stated location (World Stage on this ship).  Instead of scanning our ship cards when we entered guest services personnel were there with paper lists to check people off.  This was a very slow process and on all 3 turn around days the line was all the way back to the BB King lounge.  The scan our cards  when we order as the NY deli, the Dive In, and the Gelato bar so you would think that they could scan us in for turnaround day.  They do it on other HAL ships so why not on the latest ship?

Again - overall a great cruise with a great crew and looking forward to our next 3 cruises on a DAM ship.

Sea day #1 of 2 heading back to Port Everglades.

Here is the daily for Friday - Feb 24.

We went to see the musical group "The Knights" again tonight and they are excellent.  They will be on board for the Feb 25 sailing so make sure you see them.  They are doing a 3rd show on our last night of the cruise.

Sunny and low 80s today in Aruba

Here is the daily program for Thursday - Feb 23

Today we had a sunny and warm day in Bonaire - left at 1045pm headed for Curacao

Here is the daily program for Fat Tuesday - Feb 21.

Today was a sea day heading to Bonaire - sunny and low 80s

Here is the daily for Feb 20 - our day in Bonaire

We went to the 9:30pm show of the new on board singing group "The Knights".  It was a packed house and they were very good.  They will be doing a second show in a few days.

Here is the daily for Feb 19 - day at sea heading to Bonaire.

18 hours ago, Iloveretirement said:

We are sailing on the Rotterdam Feb 25. Have there been any mechanical difficulties with the ship that caused you to miss any ports.? Our last trip to the Caribbean , a problem with one of the engines caused us to miss the first port. High winds prevented our ship from docking at two other islands ! .Is there a piano bar on board ?  Thanks. Enjoy the rest of your trip.

The Bill Board on Board is the piano folks - the old fashion piano bar is long gone.   No mechanical problems except on our first stop at Grand Turk several weeks ago they found a rope wrapped around the port Azipod prop that the had to bring it divers to remove.

Sunny and low 80s in Grand Turk today

Here is the daily for Feb 18 - Amber Cove - We have a new singing group on the World Stage

On our way to Grand Turk

Here is the daily for Friday 17 Feb - Grand Turk

On 2/15/2023 at 4:01 AM, Ipeeinthepools said:

We had the same question about water depth.  Are you sure the water depth wasn’t an effect of the tide?  Low tide was at 8:23 am and high tide at 1:40 pm.   What time were you in the water?

We have been to HMC many times and were there Jan 26, Feb 14 and again today.  When talking to a life guard he said they have a bad storm on Feb 12/13 that washed out the beach sand.  In some areas you can be out by the ropes and it is only waist deep.  When there today they have opened up the section that was closed on Feb 14 - probably because we had 2 large ships in at the same time.

Today was turnaround day in Port Everglades.  We had about 600 guests stay on board for the next cruise.

Here is the daily program for Thursday Feb 16 - Half Moon Cay

We have been on the Rotterdam for 4+ weeks and my wife takes a light weight sweater to the MDR and World Stage and often uses it.

1 hour ago, leerathje said:

 

That's funny! That was me, trying to explain what a "cruising duck" was to the person holding the duck in the 30 seconds I had before the elevator came! Did you keep it?

 

L.

We hid it again so probably still on the ship

We didn't get the daily program for Wed which is our turn around day in FLL so can't post it but we did find a traveling duck this morning after breakfast as we were leaving the lido.  Also the beach at HMC had substantial erosion from a storm that went through Sunday and Monday.  A section about 100 yards was closed and lots of sand had been pushed out into the water.  In some areas you could go out to the rope area and still be only in waist deep water.

We are currently on the Rotterdam doing a B2B2B2B and actually we are scheduled to leave at 3pm Wednesday.

Sunny and smooth sailing on the Rotterdam today - pools were packed.

Here is the daily program for Valentines Day - 14 Feb - also Half Moon Cay.

Here are a few photos from the 3pm Tea on the Rotterdam last cruise.

The Rotterdam crew put on a nice party by the lido pool for the Super Bowl tonight.

Here is the daily program for Feb 13 - sea day on the way to HMC

The Rotterdam is docked at Havensight today as usual.

2 hours ago, Catlover54 said:

With premium internet , can two users from the same cabin have access at the same time?

 

If not, can you pay (and if so, roughly how much pp/day) for that privilege?

 

Only one device connected at a time unless you pay for a second device and I believe that the second device is the same price at the first.

Here is the daily program for Sunday Feb 12 - Super Bowl Sunday

In St Kitts today and found ice cold Carib beers - 3 for $6.  As you leave the terminal building go straight ahead until you get to the "No Rush Bar" - when angle to the left about 45 degrees - go about 300 feet and as you enter an open area  on the left you will find Mrs. Moore's Eat to Live.  Carib and other beers are 3 for $6.  Several tables and lots of shade - a good place to people watch too.

Today was Martinique and we had a small rainbow as we passed Mt Pelee.  The CD did a nice narration as we sailed past.  Here are a couple of photos

Also the daily program for Saturday - Feb 11 - St Kitts

On 2/9/2023 at 3:50 PM, Suzanne123 said:

Can anyone tell me how long the Early Booking Bonuses will be available for Alaska 2024 cruise? Thanks.

The future cruise person on the ship told me the bonus is good for 60 days following the posting of the cruise on the website.