luvn2cruzzz

Wondering who the captain will be on the October 6 sailing of the Nieuw Amsterdam. Also, the hotel director and cruise director. Thanks!  

Thanks for you replies. So helpful!  Looks like I will need to make a call to HAL to get this straightened out plus I noticed that for a 14 day cruise in a verandah, I was only given $50 OBC instead of $75.  

I recently had to cancel a cruise and had used FCD.  I was told they would not go back as FCD but as FCC.  I have never had that happen before.  Usually they return to me as FCD. Anyone else experience  this?

1 hour ago, kazu said:

 

In a way, that might not be a bad thing if you are not in a hurry.  That means you should have customs or at least immigration officers on board in that port.  It may actually assist you in getting off as one of the issues is having the personnel there to clear you.  I would contact HAL and see what they say.  If you have a TA or PCC,  let them do it for you.

Thank you so much for your input.  I will ask HAL multiple times and hopefully will get the correct answer!

Sorry I was not very clear.  The preceding port is England so it may be problematic.  Prior to England, the port is France but I imagine that won't matter.  Thanks for your input.

Wondering what the possibilities are of leaving the ship earlier than the final destination.  This would be in LeHavre.  I know I would have to contact HAL to make arrangements but wondering if anyone has had this experience.  Thanks!

The best thing on the menu were the lamb chops and they have gone away just like so many other menu choices.  Lamb is expensive so let's raise the price and get less....

I filled out the military benefit form for my DH for an upcoming cruise and then scheduled a second cruise  and it did not appear on that invoice.  Tried to fill out the military information online again but no luck.  Called and was told it had  been automatically added to the second cruise but it had not appeared when I looked. She sent another invoice and it appeared there.  Lovely woman who knew what this was all about!

5 hours ago, 2inSETexas said:

Beautiful sail away:

 

Thanks, Alan!

Thank you for sharing your journey with us--I will be eagerly awaiting each post.  I was on the October 150th TA and I know how special this is.

Bon Voyage!

In case you use your own wheelchair, I don’t want you to be blindsided like I was at Port Everglades.  When we got to the terminal, I said I would need some help pushing my husband as I also had carryon luggage and couldn’t do both.  I was asked if it was our wheelchair and when I said yes, I was told no one could touch our wheelchair for liability reasons.  What?  And that person was not kidding. I somehow pushed him and the luggage through security and a person working there said she would help because she thought ‘it was a stupid policy.’  To make a very long story a bit shorter, we finally got upstairs and put our name on the list for a HAL wheelchair assist.  Unfortunately, we were at the bottom and the people waiting had been there for over an hour.  So, I decided I would take the carryons to the cabin and come back and get my husband.  I inquired if this was possible no less than three times and was told yes.  So off I went.  When I got to security, I again asked the question and was told that once I boarded the ship I could not leave.  The security officer felt sorry for me and said I could leave the carryons with her which was incredibly kind.  I re-entered the terminal, got my husband, and boarded the ship—finally.  People who were on the list ahead of us were still waiting for assistance so in the long run, even with the hassle, the decision made sense.  On board, I asked at the front desk at least three times during the cruise if this would be a problem disembarking and was told an absolute ‘no’—I just needed to get him to the Ocean Bar which is what we did and a kind HAL employee wheeled him into the terminal but then he could go no further and no one in the terminal would touch the wheel chair—again.  I complained perhaps a little loudly to someone who looked like he was in charge and he finally and reluctantly directed a terminal employee to help and through customs we went.  Wish I had known though we couldn’t have done anything differently under the circumstances. We still had a wonderful cruise on the Nieuw Statendam!

It was just on the Nieuw Statendam and if I remember correctly, it was at 7:00 in BB King.

The New York celebration included three 'shows' and featured  during the first one, the President of HAL, the head of the Ellis Island Foundation,  Captain Werner Timmers, the mayor of Manhattan, and Lincoln Center Stage playing a newly commissioned piece for the occasion. At the first of the evening, shore-side guests and travel agents were invited to attend.  It was really special!  I believe the other two didn't have all the pomp but did have the music and the Captain.  Not sure what they will do in New York on this sailing.  It may be Rotterdam will have the major celebration.  If Bill Miller is invited back to speak, you will enjoy his sea-day presentations on the history of immigrant crossings, cruise lines, and HAL, etc.  

2 hours ago, Crew News said:

 

Yes,  since the bed is next to the window.  You will have to crawl over the scooter to get to the bathroom or the closets.  I don't think there is enough room to turnaround in the room and it barely fits through the narrow area between the bathroom and closets. 

 

Scooters cannot be parked in the hallways but the ship will store them overnight for you and deliver them back to your room in the morning when you are ready to use it for the day;

 

Verandah Suite with bed blocking entrance into the room (note the narrow hallway is the same for regular verandah also).

 

Verandah Suite 7195 with parking room behind the desk chair.

 

I didn't know the ship would do that for you--store it overnight.   Have you done that on different ships?

Thanks everyone for your replies.  We booked the Vista on an upsell offer and since the bed is by the verandah, we will have a bit more room when you enter from the narrow 'hallway', so we will try it.  The scooter will be fairly small, I hope.

I would like to know if a motorized scooter fits in a Vista Suite on the Pinnacle class ships.  Thanks!

1 hour ago, highscar said:

Don’t tell anyone but on the Eurodam one year my scooter handle left a black smutch on the wall at the bottom of the bed.  Following that cruise the Eurodam went into dry dock. The following year I had the same cabin and my autograph was still on the wall.  Shhh

Ha!  Thanks!  When you say three-wheel--is that standard for a rental scooter?

On 11/12/2022 at 8:47 PM, RuthC said:

Depending on your cabin, you can probably find a place to put it without folding it. Just lock the wheels when not in use. Then, if it is in the way, unlock, move it, and return it to the place later. Rollators are easy to deal with in a cabin; it's scooters that are tough in non-accessible cabins. 

If there's an end table next to the sofa, then it can fit in the aisle there. Or fit it in the aisle next to the bed, then leave it at the foot of the bed when you retire for the night. 

The stewards will work around it when they clean your room. 

Wondering if a scooter can fit in a non-accessible verandah cabin or is a Vista suite needed?  Thanks.

4 hours ago, IPB4IGO said:

The recent problem we had was a result of a change in testing requirements. When I first entered our cruise, a test was required. After that requirement was dropped, VeriFly said "Action Required" but it had the testing requirement flagged as "complete". There was no action that I could take to clear the "Action Required" flag.

 

It was not necessary to uninstall the app to solve the problem. On the advice of another CC member, I simply added a "new trip", using the same booking number. All the information I had previously entered was carried over to the "new" trip. I simply had to upload our vaccination card images again, and it was done.

 

VeriFly saved us from needing to stand in the long line for vaccination verification at the pier. We were directed around it to the "Priority" line.

What is exactly the 'priority line'?  Is that priority boarding and if so, what does that mean?  Thanks!

4 hours ago, VMax1700 said:

Yes, the airport is very well signed. You need to head to Departures 3 so you will take an elevator up one floor. There are plenty of elevators.  If you arrive to Arrivals 1 it may be a bit of a walk to the elevators, but it is inside and comfortable.

Here is a link to the website for staxi. 

https://www.staxi.nl/en/pickup-locations/schiphol-airport-pickup/

If you scroll down the page you will see the instructions for meeting your driver.  The driver may call you, but he uses Whatsapp for the call, so no cost to you (just stay inside the terminal to ensure the wifi signal!)

I was a little apprehensive when I booked them, but after our experience from the airport to Rotterdam, I went ahead and booked them for the return journey at the end of our cruise.

I booked with 'Cash Payment to driver'

 

p.s. the Rotterdam is a great ship!  You will surely enjoy it.

p.p.s. Verifly is worth the effort!  It certainly speeds up the boarding process in Rotterdam.

Thanks for your information.  I come in to Arrivals 3 so sounds like that is closer.  I sailed on her maiden voyage last fall and loved her and thanks for the verify information.  Also, how much are they adhering to boarding times?

4 hours ago, VMax1700 said:

There is free wifi at Amsterdam Schiphol airport.

Use WhatsApp for contact as it does not need 'an international cell phone'.  

We booked a car with staxi.nl and driver contacted us by WhatsApp.

The instructions from staxi.nl were clear and precise and all worked well.  (It is necessary to go up one level from arrivals to departures to meet the car.)

Otherwise use the train. The train platforms are below the airport terminal.  Tickets can be purchased in machines or the ticket office within the terminal Plaza area.

 

Thanks for your information. Is it clearly marked from the baggage area how to get to the departure level?  

On 9/5/2022 at 5:08 PM, FreestyleNovice said:

I would not recommend a taxi for a single person unless you have mobility issues or other urgent reasons, the cost is just too high in my opinion. The point to point is convenient but getting on the train and off the train at Rotterdam is easy. Perhaps a taxi (from the cue) at Rotterdam Central Station to cruise ship I would agree on, not having to deal with the metro. The total costs would be a quarter or third of the whole journey by taxi.

 

The NS (Dutch Railways) are heaving some difficulties at the moment but nothing can beat the direct train to Rotterdam; Intercity Direct with a 26 minute non stop connection.

Single full fare 2nd class: €13,60, single full fare 1st class: €22,71. Add 1 Euro fee for a paper single use OV Chip Card if you don't have a plastic OV Chip Card.

 

It's reliable, safe (safer than an all stop service..), there's 1st class, etc. At Schiphol the train platform is below Plaza (were you exit the baggage hall) and even before you enter the taxi line. At Rotterdam you will see a line of taxis outside the station.

There are three of us traveling together and we have booked our car service from Schipol to Rotterdam hotels.  Thanks for your input.

9 hours ago, GeorgeCharlie said:

Have you tried 1-800-628-4771?

 

You may get forwarded to a regular HAL agent, but they should connect you with a Flight Ease agent.

Thanks, trying it now.

Just found out from the airline that my ticket has never been confirmed by HAL and that I need to contact them to have them do that.  I sail in 39 days.  Is there a direct number for FlightEz? Thanks.

Looking for recommendations from Schipol to Rotterdam that is NOT by train.  Since ships are leaving from Rotterdam now rather than Amsterdam, perhaps someone has used a car or taxi service.  Thank you.