BlackJack2

Highly recommend the EXC excursion - Canal Experience from Gatun to Colon.

Thank you so much for all of the information.

Thank you for the information. Do you recall the prices on the internet packages?

First time on the Prinsendam - how is the internet onboard? Is it slow like the rest of the fleet or has HAL updated the internet on the Prinsendam? Is it unlimited or by the minute?

Thanks for all the great advice for this port.

What is the name of the beach?

We will be in Terre-de-Haut, lles des Saintes, Guadeloupe in November. Does anyone have any information on this port? Has anyone done any private tours from Terre-de-Haut? Is it easy to walk from the tender dock into town and walk to Fort Napoleon? Any information would be greatly appreciated!

Can anyone give some advice on tour companies in Manaus? Looking at the tour companies Do Brazil Right and Amazon Eco Adventures Tours. Has anyone used either company?

Did you customize your tour or was this a standard offering? Four hours seems long for a walking tour. Did you tip additional? Also, did you go to lunch anywhere?

You can coordinate a tour with Cubaoutings. The four-hour walking tour seemed like it was going to be too much, but in reality it was just right. Our guide went at a slow pace because he was pointing out so many things to see. We could have gone to lunch, but chose not to so we could see more sites. FYI - we went at the beginning of March so the weather was very pleasant. Mid 80s and very little humidity.

How much?

160 CUC or $160 for four people.

We used Cubaoutings for a six-hour shore excursion, from the Veendam, in Havana, Cuba and they were EXCELLENT! One of the best tours we have ever had! We set up our tour with Gloria, who was very prompt answering emails and helping to arrange our tour.

Ray was our guide for the day – He took us on a four-hour walking tour of Old Havana and Central Havana. He was extremely educated about all things Havana and Cuba. He pointed out many everyday things that were uniquely Cuban and had an extensive knowledge of the history and culture of Havana. After our four-hour walking tour, we jumped in a convertible classic car for a two-hour driving tour around the rest of the city. Ray did such a good job showing us around that we want to return to Havana in the near future.

We recommend Cubaoutings for a private tour in Havana.

 

In Cienfuegos we also did a long-distance HAL tour to the UNESCO town of Trinidad, but those who wandered around on their own were pleased with what it had to offer.

How was your HAL tour from Cienfuegos to Trinidad? We are debating on this HAL tour or a private tour to Trinidad.

Thanks!

We are on a TA from Tampa to Rotterdam. Then we are off the ship for 12 days touring Germany. We then board the Rotterdam again for a 21-day Norwegian Fjords cruise. Would Luggage Forwarding work for us, for storing or holding our luggage for those 12 days in between cruises?

Thanks for the info on cabin 1939.

Need help with information on Cabin 1939 on the Rotterdam. I checked with Halfacts, but there were no photos or information. Since this cabin is so far back, on the Dolphin Deck, how noisy is the cabin from below and from across the hall?

Hi Michelle,

yes, Antarctica on the Zaandam was our best cruise ever! HAL did post excursions for our March 17th cruise for Cienfuegos, and the selections look good, especially Trinidad. I have a book that has wonderful photos of Trinidad...very historical. No tour in Havana has exactly what I want, so I will have to settle for the all day tour.

 

Karen

Hi Karen and Michelle - That was a great cruise to Antarctica! Wish we were all on the same cruise to Cuba this time around. Karen - thanks for the info on Cienfuegos - I just checked and HAL has posted the tour to Trinidad on our Feb. 28 sailing. ~Betsy

Thanks to everyone for their informative responses. At the bottom of each shore excursion, in Havana and Cienfuegos, there is a blurb from HAL:

RegulationNotes Regarding Tours:

Pursuant torecent changes in U.S. regulations with respect to people topeople travel authorization to Cuba, guests who made cruise reservations on orafter June 16, 2017, and wish to disembark in Cuba, must participate in afull-time HAL-guided group program. Guests who made cruise reservations priorto June 16, 2017 are not required to participate in a full-time HAL-guidedgroup program, and may travel in Cuba under the "self-guided" peopleto people authorization.

After guestshave completed their required full time schedule of people to peopleactivities, they are welcome to explore Cuba on their own or participate inevening HAL excursions (not designed to be people to people programs).

This tour isdesigned to be in compliance with People to People guidelines.

The communityproject associated with this tour is included to promote further understandingand interaction with the Cuban people. As is the fluid nature of communityprojects in Cuba, the location and type of community project visited may varyto provide the best experience for our guests.

I spoke with a HAL rep about Cuba and she said thatyou must take an 8-hour tour, (HAL or private) in order to go back ashore onyour own. Then I spoke with a HAL shoreexcursion rep and she said that after an 8-hour tour that you could NOT leavethe ship and go ashore on your own. Shealso said that every guest onboard had to leave the ship, while in Havana, anddo an 8-hour tour. All the shore excursionsposted for our sailing are no longer than 7½ hours long.

Who is correct? Can anyone shed any light on this or clear up the confusion?

Thanks for the updates!

We have been on a couple of cruises over Halloween and a lot of people dressed up in costumes. I think it depends on the cruise and the passengers on board.

Perhaps best private tour I have taken in my 130 cruises. Read about it here:

http://********************.blogspot.com/2017/09/mariner-of-seas-asia-repositioning.html

 

I do recommend.

Hi SleepyGuy - can't open your blog page. Can you repost your blog info?

Thanks for your responses. I will check the storage capacity at the Rotterdam train station.

Has anyone received an upsellwhen booking through a membership warehouse club’s travel department?

We will be arriving inRotterdam on the Rotterdam in late April 2018. We will be traveling in the area for 12 days, post cruise, and thenreturning to Rotterdam to embark on the Rotterdam again after those 12days.

Is there luggage storage atthe Rotterdam cruise port?

Will Holland Americastore one piece of luggage on the ship (Rotterdam) for those 12 days?

Who would I call at HALto find out the answers to these questions?

Thank you!

Thank you for your responses.