Kay240

Very helpful information!

I used to discuss a pared down list of excursion options with my husband, but other than that, I researched and planned everything.  However similarly, I find making decisions for my house to be overwhelming, even though previously  I had eventually taken care of almost everything myself; I think the difference is knowing there is no one else but you.

I am in the process of researching a last minute cruise, which will have the most comforting characteristics I can think of:  great price for suites (in case I choose to spend most of my time in the cabin, including some meals), cruise line I am very familiar with (free laundry / less luggage), ship I have sailed on previously (familiarity / emotional comfort?), itinerary I have been to multiple times (can stay on ship if I choose to or can walk around without feeling lost, also hopefully good memories), port I have been to many times.  Only problem I can think of is getting to the port, which is a three hour drive, but @ 6 hours for a bus or flight.  Thinking of renting car, driving @ 1/2 way , staying in a hotel and then driving to the port and turning in the car nearby.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated!

We are also disappointed that HAL will no longer be sailing from Tampa; it was our yearly guaranteed cruise, as we live less than an hour away.  We have been on 7, 14 , and 21 day cruises , so it fit whatever schedule we had for that particular year.  Veendam did sail out of Tampa several years ago, but I can't remember when; I think it was after the Ryndam, which was tin Tampa for years.

We took a family cruise last summer and "had" to use Carnival. I did a great deal of research on all aspects of the ship and frequently read that Guys burgers were wonderful! My husband can eat burgers 24/7, so he was thrilled to hear that but was disappointed when he ate one! We think the Dive In burgers are much better. Wait time ranged from @0-15 minutes; port vs sea days and time of day can make a big difference.

Existence and Location of LARGE INSIDE Cabins!

Unless the tour operator cancels and you decide not to go on any excursion no matter what the reason, you lose your money. That is HAL's policy.

 

If someone else wants to go, such as from a waiting list or a last minute purchase, you will probably be able to get a refund or OBC. It has been several years since we had this situation.

So sad! So terrible! I hope it happened quickly so that they didn't suffer. My thoughts and prayers are with the families. It is likely that there were multiple members of the same family on the plane; such a tragedy!

We have been on many different HAL ships since "as you wish" began, so we have a range of experiences to share. The only nights that had a long wait were Formal nights; I suggest a reservation for those evenings. We usually ate early and had no line other than perhaps three of four couples by @6:15. Often we asked for a table for two, such as when we knew we would only eat two courses, or if we were late for an activity. One cruise my husband's tremors had grown severe and he preferred that we always ate by ourselves; the Maitre D had a table for 2 waiting for us each evening!

Hi All,

 

I'm a longtime Royal Caribbean cruiser who is looking for a change of pace. I'm looking to book the 11/30/15 Caribbean/Panama cruise on Zuiderdam. Since it is my first Holland cruise and first partial canal, I've decided to go the Signature Suite. Actually, I'm just excited to be cruising again and want to splurge:) Any info on the ship, signature suite or the canal would be greatly appreciated. I know on Royal you get perks with a suite, anything similar on Holland.

 

Thanks in advance for your help.

We will also be in a Signature Suite; this will be our third time having two sinks and room to stretch out! I like having a separate desk and dressing table, but with over 30 cruises we have often had an Inside cabin, depending on the itinerary. The biggest "benefit" to us is getting double Mariner points; we are making every effort to reach 5*!!

We cruised to the Panama Canal (on HAL) several years ago and at that time, they served "Panama Buns" on deck. Enjoy!

We are about to take a Family Cruise (15 people including a 14, two 10, a 5 and a 2 year old) Unfortunately, it could not have been arranged with HAL, where I expected to pay low prices for the younger children. I was told (perhaps on CC) that (1) there is addditional work due to diapers, etc. and (2) the children take up the space of an adult who might be drinking and gambling and increasing profit from the cruise!

Oh no! I didn't know Virgil was ill.

Trisha, Bert and I are so sorry for your loss; we sailed with you to Tahiti in 2010.

Your wonderful memories will always be with you and they will bring you comfort and peace.

Karen and Bert Harris

Changes are always happening! DH and I recently took a "last minute" cruise on the Westerdam and also sailed on a previously planned cruise on the Ryndam, both to the Caribbean. Usually, but not always, there was no lunch in the MDR on port days; sometimes we were surprised, so always check the schedule.

There is a basic "package", but I would guess there would be flexibility due to the number of couples renewing their vows and the captain's preference.

We received a flower arrangement; there were many phone calls and a letter, so that we knew what to expect. I was told there would be a group ceremony and then we would have the opportunity to say private vows, but there were only two or three other couples and each had a separate ceremony. We each received a boutonniere and had champagne and hors d'oeuvres prior to the actual ceremonies. Afterward, photos were taken and wedding cake was served. Later, we received an album with the photos, a certificate, and a copy of the beautiful service.

YOUR DAILY SERVICE CHARGES; they really add up with a 26 day cruise!! ENJOY!

Looks like it was the $2040 hold that they tried to put through 5 times. Guess it didn't go through the first time and they just resubmitted it until they decided to contact the OP.

I agree; mathematically and logically it was the probable cause of the "$10,000 hold".

As you can see below, DH and I have taken many cruises, about 2/3 on HAL. As mentioned previously, we all have different tastes and opinions. I just want to point out a few things: Price comparisons can be very misleading, not just because of sales, but also based upon port of embarkation and itinerary. The size of the cabin is VERY IMPORTANT; the labels are misleading (we were on Celebrity in what was called a "mini-suite" at the time, that was later renamed "Veranda"). Carnival's Inside and Outside staterooms are usually 185 sq ft, HAL's are 182 sq ft; check out the sq footage for other cruise lines!

We were on the Westerdam in December and although some areas had new "soft goods", others needed chairs reupholstered or replaced. The peeling wallpaper in the passageways was terrible, but it might have already been replaced on another deck. I will also say, that although we saw cleaning and maintenance day and night, it seemed to be less than usual.

We will be on the Carnival Pride this summer for a family cruise to the Bahamas. The price is far more than I expected, based on my Caribbean cruises on HAL from Tampa or Port Everglades, but we couldn't get our schedules together for HAL and the young children (ages 2-14), will probably enjoy it more!

Hope my photos work!

Magnificent photos!! Thanks for sharing.

It's always SO EXCITING to plan your cruise; I usually start a packing "spreadsheet" about 3 months in advance! :D

Cloth "single use" hand towels in all public rest rooms

Chocolates still in Explorer's Lounge BUT, not as "yummy" as years ago

Cookies and ice cream in Lido from lunch time through dinner time. GELATO available in Caneletto Restaurant (SO good!!).

Robes still in cabins

Refilled fruit bowl in your cabin (you order what you prefer, such as bananas and green apples)

I have requested and received recipes (and used them too:D)

Iced tea all day; seems to me, recently that there was lemonade and / or fruit punch too

Shampoo, conditioner and shower gel in big dispensers on shower wall

Have a WONDERFUL cruise- they are addictive! ;)

In our earlier days of cruising, when every port was a "new one", I loved to wake up and immediately be able to enjoy the view. :) Now, that we have been to many of the ports multiple times, we usually book a large inside cabin and enjoy the luxury of the additional floor space!

Now, that's annoying. I hope better service comes along with that. On the Eurodam, the tamarind had great service some nights, less than great others. The last time I was in the pinnacle at night was on the Noordam the service was pathetic. That's the only time I've gone in at night and not tipped,

 

Thx for the heads up Thebes.

We recently cruised for 21 days on the Noordam. We dined at the Pinnacle Grill five times and had wonderful service (except for two slow water refills).

WONDERFUL! Thanks for posting; I gained 5 lbs. just looking at your photos!

This last week on the Eurodam has proven that HAL is abandoning it's brand. DH stormed out of dinner one (smart casual) night to complain about a man that entered the dining room wearing cargo shorts, a margaritaville T shirt and flip flops. {I do not want to start a discussion here about dress code}. DH and I spoke in depth with 2 of the asst dining room managers as well as the head of guest relations on board, and ultimately the Hotel Manager.

 

We were basically told that this is what to expect now from HAL on the 7 day Caribbean itineraries. They have no choice. Rooms for last week were as low as $399. At a little over $50 per person per day - you get people on the ship that want a cheap quick get away, the beach, and all you can eat. They don't look at or care about the cruise line they are going to be on. They want their beach and food. The clientele are dictating the mood of the cruise.

 

The Hotel Manager told us that a few weeks ago they had a man walk into the dining room on formal night without a jacket or tie - they offered him a jacket - he said "get out of my way" - they asked him to change, take the jacket or go to the lido and he punched out the dining room manager. The HM said to my hubby and I "how far do we go, what lengths must we take to enforce the rules?"

 

And it wasn't just the dress code - loud music at both pools, drunk and all-around inconsiderate people, babies crawling on the floor in front of the bathroom.......

 

The staff have a meeting the week before they head to the Caribbean and remind everyone what they can expect for the next few months. They take a few deep breaths and head south - counting the days until they head back to Europe.

 

We were assured by multiple people on the staff - from every level (HM, bartender, dining room mgr, future cruise consultant....) that this does NOT exist on longer cruises or cruises in other areas of the world (except maybe a little in Alaska with rates dropping there too).

 

It's sad really.

 

 

Yes it is sad!

We are leaving on the Ryndam on Sunday for a 7 day Caribbean cruise with friends who have never sailed HAL; we booked this cruise ONE YEAR AGO. We selected it for convenience and the opportunity to be on the Ryndam for our first time. We have not taken a 7 day cruise in at least a few years, but are also planning to book an interesting 7 day itinerary on the Eurodam (never sailed on her either) in 2012. The type of behavior you described is part of why we left Carnival many years ago. We like the elegant, more traditonal and sophisticated atmosphere we were having on HAL.

Let's say you could sail the identical itinerary, at the same cabin price on Princess, NCL, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and HAL. Which cruiseline would you choose and why?

Some of us may choose a ship based on a previous very pleasant experience. Others wants more -or less- "night life". Some people prefer a larger ship, others smaller. Some like certain types of activities or programs.

In other words, there are a myriad of reasons each individual chooses a particular cruiseline and ship. We always used to cruise on Carnival because they had larger OV cabins, however we began to feel somewhat out of place, based not just on our ages, but on the entire ambiance. Our first trip on Hal was pure chance, because it was an Alaskan Cruise via a tour company. We took our 19 and 20 year old children; our son was "bored silly", our daughter had a good time (she was asked out by two crew members), and we felt like we had found a "home".

Given any cruiseline, ship, itinerary, dinner, etc. there are a vast variety of reasons certain choices are made; then we evaluate those choices. Two people could share the exact same meal with one loving it and one hating it. Just as a quick example: I love lots of butter in my mashed potatoes, but my son-in-law will not eat anything made with butter.

So, what I am saying is that each cruiseline / ship develops its own "culture" and we are attracted to it -or not- by MANY reasons. What we liked yesterday, we may not like tomorrow, and it does not necessarily have anything to do with our age or any changes the cruiseline makes. Will I stop cruising with HAL if they raise prices? No, but I may cruise less frequently. Will I stop cruising with them if they eliminate Formal Night? No, although I always "dress" for dinner when we are cruising and I do enjoy having a chance to wear my "party clothes". Will I stop if there are more or less activities and programs? No because I participate in just what I want to do anyway. Just like everyone takes the same dinner menu that lists several choices for every course, and puts together an individual (and perhaps unique) dinner, we all can create an individual cruise that suits our individual "appetite". As far as attracting new cruisers goes, I would guess that "word of mouth" probably brings as many, if not more, than advertisements do!

Excellent!! Thanks for a great start to my day. I especially liked this:

 

We are working on the problem sir, and Engineering has suggested a possible solution until the problem can be fixed. They will send a technician up to your room at 8:00 AM, 1:00 PM and 8:00 PM. If you can time your use of the toilette for those times you won’t have to make anymore of these calls. This has happened before and they call this their “No rush to flush” program.”

 

:D

First, I want to say how much I enjoyed your review! Like everyone else, I expected complaints.

We really could relate to the "NO RUSH TO FLUSH" program, as we had a similar "situation" 4 or 5 years ago. I look forward to more reviews from you...maybe you could write a book and deduct the cost of the cruises as a "Business Expense". :D

I just "won" the 4* WESTIN Seattle for $75.+ tax. PL was showing a "recent winning bid" of $95, so I knew I didn't have to spend more than that. I figured if they were offering it for $95, I should try for less: $80. At the last minute, I changed to $75 because the reservation was for 2 rooms / 4 nights and less than a month away (5/27 - 5/31). I went to the hotel's web site and did a room search for those days: minimum price $186+ tax.:D:D I also splurged on insurance for $5 per night, per room.