happyglobetrotter
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Posts posted by happyglobetrotter
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The problem with HAL smoothies is the sugar load they contain. The 'syrup' they use to make them is pure sugar, so it is very unhealthy.
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Went to Indonesia and Bali on multiple visits with HAL ships. Never applied for a visa before. HAL provides a blanket visas to all passengers for a minimal fee and it is added to your statement on board without any pain or worry. Absolutely NO need to request an Indonesia visa before your trip.
Also for the Australian ETA, the best and less expensive way to obtain it is from https://www.easyeta.com.au/
easy, fast and less than $10 USD per person. We have used their services close to 10 times already.
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Around noon, we had a knock on our door and an officer handed us two special magnetic pins with the 150 years of Holland America Line as a gift from Gus (Antorcha). The card said it was a token of gratitude for being a member of our President’s Club. Nice touch.
I read your comment about the pin. Funny that they waited so long to hand them to you. On the Grand South America, they were in out stateroom on day 1 (Jan, 3rd) and we wore them during the entire voyage. They are not available to anyone else than the crew and the PC members. The one they sell for the general passengers are also gold and dark blue but the colours are inversed. Not the same pin.
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16 hours ago, WCB said:
Report # 104 Thursday April 13, 2023 Day At Sea Enroute To Portland, England Formal Night Rain And Much Cooler 46 Degrees And 16' Swells As Well As 45 Knot Winds Part #1 Of 1.........0 Pictures
Remember when we all complained about the extreme heat and high humidity we experienced in places like Angola and The Gambia? Well, here we are at the other end of the spectrum with temperatures in the 40’s. Not only cold, we are in an area that has produced passing showers, winds at 45 knots, and up to 16 foot sea swells.
During his noontime talk, Captain Frank gave us all of the details of why the port of Brest, France had to be cancelled. He reiterated that due to the conditions we are having now, it would not be safe to access the coast of France. He also apologized for the rolling and pitching of the ship, which may be causing some folks to be seasick. He did promise that going the speed we are going (16 knots), he is providing the most comfortable sailing possible. The plans are still in place to anchor off of the port of Weymouth, England tomorrow afternoon, then wait until a berth is available to dock the ship. Currently, we heard that there is a cargo ship in our spot, and we have to wait until it is unloaded.
We went down to deck three to take our sea day walk. However, every exit was roped off. Obviously, it is considered dangerous to walk outside, although we did not hear that announced. From the moment we got out of the elevator, we noticed there was not a single person in the lounges, the shops, or even the library. All of the salespeople in the stores were standing around visiting with each other. No customers to be seen.
Our big event of the day was room service lunch with some items from the dining room menu. Then we watched a good two-hour movie, Where the Crawdads Sing. For a change, it was most entertaining right to the very end. Now we have to search for more of the up-to-date movies which we were told have been added to the old grid.
Tonight’s attire was formal. We figured there are few sea days left to have this dress code, and it appears many of the guests are glad about that. Most all of the larger tables are hosted by officers or staff members on these occasions. We had been told last night that Rene the spa manager was going to host our table. It did not happen since she was tied up with work. Previously, we had asked for a specific officer, but we did not get him. The fellow we had as a host was barely old enough to drink legally. Not that he wasn’t pleasant, we are not always comfortable with strangers. Having someone new douses the normal conversation almost completely. For that reason, we may skip the next formal evening if there is one. All of us were curious as to what the gift will be tonight, since they only show up on formal nights.
The dinner menu offered the usual formal suspects. We both had the beef skewer with lingonberry sauce. Mains were a fish plate, and one pasta plate with a side of lamb chops. The fish was full of bones, but the chops and pasta were good. It’s the luck of the draw these days. We still laugh at the tiny size of the ramekins that they serve salad dressings, sauces, gravies, catsup and mustard. They hold 2 tablespoons of product at the most. The portion control using these ramekins has to be saving the company a lot of money fleetwide. Of course, we are free to order more than one.
There was a comedian on stage tonight, but also there was an event called Casino Royale. From 7 to 11pm, there was a select complimentary games of roulette, dice, black jack, and slot machines. You could spin the wheel for discounted cocktails, which are 50% off anyway. Finally the Gallery Bar had a Murder Mystery at 9pm.
The better news of the evening was that the clocks went back one hour. That is, until we reach France the next day, and the clocks go forward once again. So confusing……
And the gift we got? Nothing. We had heard the gift would be a small collapsible suitcase, but where was it? Now we wonder if the delivery of these suitcases was in the containers that got left behind in Senegal? We’ll never see them if that was the case.
Bill & Mary Ann
We have received a small collapsible suitcase on the Grand South America. It is in a light material, grey and without wheels, It folds to nothing, so easy to take home. Not the same than the sport bag (suitcases) we have received on previous world cruises. Much lighter and smaller.
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4 hours ago, mwj said:
If we are reading your statement correctly, that Vista Suite does not qualify for double points, our experience on a recent Zaandam cruise is contrary. We definitely received double points for our 16 day Zaandam Vista Suite booking. No, we did not have HIA, as it was a mariner 'private fare' booking. We received 37 points for our 16 day cruise.
The extra points you received have to be for spending while on the ship. They are not suite points, look at your Mariners's history in your account and see if they are under suite or spending credit points. Vista suites on ZAANDAM do not give extra points. I am absolutely sure. You can also verify with your TA, unless it it an error.
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Just make arrangements at the front office. We have had left over bottles between cruises on 2 different ships. We have done it before. When you check in on the new ship and the X ray attendants see your wine through the X ray machine, they will send you to the desk to pay the corkage fee... but with previous arrangements, they will have your name on a list and they will allow you to just walk on, with your wine bottles free of charge. Based on previous experience.
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9 hours ago, Steirisch said:
Thank you for asking this question, Grumpella. I had no idea you had to get tender tickets. I still have a lot to learn about HAL. Of course, this is IF you don't have a shore excursion booked through HAL, right?
All Mariners with a 4 or 5 stars status or above, suite people and Club orange passengers, also do not need a tender tickets and can usually just walk to the tender platform. However, on some cruises with a lot of 4 and 5 stars (like more than half the ship as it happens on grand voyages or longer cruises), sometimes, the 4 and 5 stars also need to pick up a priority tender ticket. Then there are 2 designated locations to pick up the tender tickets. One for priority, the other for regular passengers. I have seen this happen.
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As confirmed on a previous cruise by the Pinnacle manager. The Mariners' discount is for the specialty dinner regular cost (charge), not applicable to any upcharge, extra charge or surcharge.
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When a stop of the itinerary is cancelled, it is mostly because the port authority do not want the ship to stop there for any reasons (security, health safety, size of ship, or any operational reason they may find). The title of your post is unfair and unjustified. HAL is not welcome in Key West on the day you were supposed to go, why blame HAL. Key West cancelled the HAL stop, nothing to do with the fact that you booked at the same time.
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The Maasdam that had been purchased by a Greek company spent 2 years docked... But now it will be starting a new life in France. It will sail mainly from Marseille and Le Havre but first will undergo a massive multi millions euros refit. Recently acquired by Compagnie de croisières de France.
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5 minutes ago, Boatdrill said:
I
Thanks for asking. I'd like one 5 star Mariner pin, please.
I am not the front office LOL
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If the crew is not coming back to any of the ports using this currency, it is a useless for them. Please pay in USD. Keep your change for your own cruises if you ever return. not forget that small quantity of a foreign currency is expensive to convert (for you and for them). Much more appropriate to give them money they can easily send home or spend on the ship.
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6 hours ago, Boatdrill said:
What's this about a magazine for 4 and 5 star Mariners ?
I never knew.
Became a 5 star in April, no recognition what so ever, sailed again in July, still
no comment from HAL or the ship.
I emailed Mariner Society, and was told a pin would be put in the mail. Address checked and confirmed.
Welcome to September...still no pin, and now I find out there have been magazines.
Who's running this outfit ?? 🙂
How many pins do you need or want ? Just ask for one at the front desk on your next cruise. If you qualify, you will get one on the spot.
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On 9/2/2022 at 6:58 PM, KroozNut said:
No.. the pandemic is over!
You should try yo convince all the passengers on quarantine on many HAL ships right now that the pandemic is over.... Variants are more and more contagious and some people still get sick from C all over the world.
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5 hours ago, Murray's Pop said:
I know that there is a supplement for caviar, but is it now $70??
The good news is that you do not have to purchase it.
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15 hours ago, terrydtx said:
We had 6 days between cruises in Florence and Venice. We tested in Venice the day before we boarded the Oosterdam, all negative. My wife got sick on day 10 or 11 of the 14-day HAL cruise, so most likely we got Covid on the ship. I heard that over 100 people had covid on the ship and we only had 1100 passengers, so close to 10% got covid. That doesn't account for the many other coughing passengers who probably never reported symptoms to medical like we did. All of the Covid isolation cabins on Deck 4 and 6 were full of Covid positive passengers. I would guess there were many more covid positive passengers who never reported to medical their symptoms. So, I would guess that the chances we got Covid on the ship is over 90%. Stop defending HAL, they did very little to mitigate covid while onboard they were negligent in their efforts to sanitize the ship and the Lido self-serve venues and tables. I never once saw any crew members wipe down and sanitize tables in the Lido between passengers using them. HAL is guilty of total covid malfeasance, in my opinion.
If HAL is guilty of something, al lot of passengers also are (I see it daily on our cruise right now). They are guilty of 'I do not care it is just a cold'... which is not true for quite a few people. If there are 5 persons in an elevator, all wearing masks (and obviously more careful about being sick), why would a non-mask wearer just push his way in without asking the others if it is correct for him to so so. Impolite, careless and rude in my opinion. HAL is recommending masks, and it means they suggest that you wear one and they they want you to wear one. And for those of you who say that masks do not work, it is because they are not worn properly, not the right type, etc. Medical staff caring for Covid patients wear masks. People walking around a ship should wear masks because there are a lot of sick persons.... You mention 10%, it could easily be more. And then, you want HAL to continue to pick up the bill entirely for all the people who do not care... this is not possible. Many many persons do not think they will catch it and act as if the threat has disappeared. The real true story is different and vacations can be ruined especially on B2B cruises or longer voyages. Covid malfeasance is very common with passengers.
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On 7/13/2022 at 7:18 PM, rkacruiser said:
VOV is a special voyage. Red Bay, I participated in a shore excursion that was not memorable (meaning, I don't remember what I experienced), but, I can add Labrador to one of the Canadian Provinces that I have visited. The tour must have been OK. Nothing negative to remember.
No offence but Labrador is not a province. It is part of Newfoundland.
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Who is the hotel director on Zaandam right now ??? We will board Zaandam beginning of Sept.
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Generally speaking, the WIFI connection is much better crossing the Atlantic than crossing the Pacific ocean. Last March, on our way to Hawaii, we lost service for almost 3 full days, both ways.
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16 minutes ago, NCTribeFan said:
I'm booked on the Rotterdam TA for next April (the one that was changed from 14 nights sailing 4/15 to 16 nights sailing 4/3).
My original booking was in a J category. I'm sad that these ships don't have those fab Large interiors that I love on Vista and Signature classes.
But the "I" category cabins appear they are a bit larger. My concern is that most of the cabins that aren't HC modified back up right against an elevator bank. I don't want to end up hearing elevators all night for 16 nights. I like the location (midship) and would probably pick one on Deck 5, if available. I'm waiting for this cruise to be on the website so I can see what cabins are available. When I initially booked, there weren't many open.
Does anyone have any first-hand knowledge about possible elevator noise in these cabins?
Thanks!!
Have spent 3 world cruises on verandah deck, our door exactly in front of the entrance to the elevator lobby, never heard a thing.
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1 hour ago, Tampa Girl said:
However, Zaandam's balcony cabins are called Vista Suites, which is what she booked. I would think that she is entitled to the double points.
Even if called vista suites on Zaandam, the regular veranda are not suites per se and do not produce double credits. We have done many world cruises on Amsterdam, same as Zaandam, in a veranda *vista suite* as they call them but this type of cabins on the R series DO NOT double and they are not included in the double points. On Zaandam, double points start with Neptune suites.
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On 6/23/2022 at 2:50 PM, glutenhab said:
Will be a 4 Star Mariner after our Oct/22 cruise & have NEVER been offered an upsell or gotten an upgrade. WHAT’S UP WITH THAT?
It also depends how much you have paid for the cabin. If you have a 'deal' price, upsells are more expensive or just go not happen.
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11 hours ago, crystalspin said:
We paid for an upsell OV to Vista Suite on the Zaandam, and got only one set of points. In 2014.
Good luck!
You only get double points for a suite when you pay the posted or advertised price, never for an upgrade or an upsell regardeless of the amount paid. You are correct again.
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9 hours ago, Mary229 said:
What I paid for HIA, not what I paid for my cabin. HIA has a value
Crystalspin is correct. Everything you get on a ship which normally has to be paid for is added to your stateroom bill with an immediate minus amount if they are complimentary (as in your case with HIA). Example: you get a $9,95 drink. Free with the HIA but it is still added to your account as a 'purchase' and immediately substracted, There is a different billing system for HAL internal accounting as compared to the one you see on your statement. Another example, you get the 'free' wi-fi package under HIA or otherwise (because of Mariner status or cabin grade) and the special 'internal' bill includes $269 purchase even if your own bill statement does not show it. So the credit days you get in the end are based on 'revenues' even if you do not have to pay for them because you prepaid them or get them complimentary. Is that clearer for you ?. You can always go to front office and ask to see that 'different' bill. I have seen them before and they include all 'expenses and revenues' even if you do not have to pay for them, and even if they do not show on your own statement.
PS Sometimes though, your bill may still show laundry $0.00 or in-room service $0.00. It is very generous of HAL to give you the non-paid expenses to add for your day credits and Mariner's status.
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Mariner discount on surcharge items?
in Holland America Line
Posted
Same thing for us. 4 stars (200 day credits) get 25% off Rudi's Sel de mer, we get exactly the same 25% with close to 4,100 day credits. And no discount on any surcharges or any pop up restaurant, including Morimoto, even as a President club member. Basic meal price only is discounted.