3rdGenCunarder

Thanks to both of you for the entertainment info. I didn't expect much on the stage. I know there are no more production shows, and I won't mind if Step One isn't there, as I've seen them several times. It sounds like Zaandam's offerings are more to my taste than I had on Eurodam was last winter. I was lucky to sail before Lincoln Center was dropped. That was my main source of evening entertainment.

The Nov date is wrong. I was able to submit my request via email in Mid-December.

Was this just for your cruise or all cruises?

I just logged in and I was able to see excursions, dining, and even my itinerary. I did have to watch the spinning circle of doom for about 10 seconds, but then it worked OK.

If anyone has been on Zaandam recently, I'd appreciate hearing about the entertainment choices. I know the smaller ship has fewer options, so I'm not expecting much, given how HAL has diminished the entertainment. Also, I should know this, but how many gala/dressy nights are there on a 14-day cruise? It's a 2-week cruise, not two 7-nighters back-to-back. I think it's likely to be 3? And does HAL do anything special for Mardis Gras? It's a sea day, so I hope that will be one of the gala/dressy nights. Even if it isn't, I'll probably dress up a bit more. Finally, has anyone seen Pinnacle offer a special Valentine's Day dinner? It's about $80. Kir royale, lobster and caviar starter, soup or salad, veal chop with king crab leg or black cod, caramel mousse or creme brulee. I'm not doing it, as I sail solo and like the regular Pinnacle menu better anyway. I just looked at the "sample menu" again, and I guess this is something they do each year because the menu is dated February 14, 2020.

I am trying to be hopeful that, although QA is a Pinnacle ship, Cunard will make better use of her spaces than HAL does with its Pinnacles. It isn't just the arrival of the Pinnacle ships that has diminished (I won't say "destroyed") the experience on HAL. It's their reduction of entertainment. I don't see that kind of change happening on QA. The "jumbotron" doesn't have to be a constant annoyance. We'll have to see how Cunard uses it. I know some lines have it glowing all day--at night, it's what you see most clearly when there's a Carnival or Something of the Seas in the distance. HAL does keep the screen on, but when I was on K'dam 4(?) years ago, there was no sound in the daytime. And the movies at night were great. The promenade deck...can't find a hopeful note there, no matter how hard I squint.

The walk into town is more than I want to do. More the heat than the distance. I'll probably just get a taxi at Amber Cove and then see what I can get when I come down from the mountain. Thanks for your help!!

They always try to herd people to the Lido, especially if you're in the first group to board and cabins aren't ready yet (yes, they're supposed to be ready but sometimes they aren't). No point in asking if the MDR is open, because they'll tell you no. I just go at noon, and except for one cruise when a bunch of local travel agents were being entertained, the MDR is open. It's the only day I go there for lunch. I'm happy with a good Lido salad most days, but the first day I reallyl enjoy the quiet of the seated lunch.

When the website is being weird, I use Chrome in incognito mode and that works for me. The other day, using MS Edge, I could sign in and look at excursions, but when I clicked on itinerary, I got an error message.

I applied via email two weeks ago and it went through. Took a few days to get the confirmation email. In the past, confirmation was faster than that.

Thanks for the suggestion. I do use Uber. I'm concerned that the port security won't let Uber drivers onto the property, so it could be a hike to get back to the ship from the gate. I've seen that in other ports, and it kind of forces people to use the taxis. But at least I know I have two options for getting back to the ship.

We were at Samana about 7-8 years ago. I don't know what the port is like now, but we tendered to a small dock outside of town, and there was a walkway into the town. Not much was open in the town, so it was a short visit for us. I did find a beautiful larimar pendant in a street market, so I was glad we went ashore.

My cruise doesn't offer any tours to the gardens (I would prefer the cable car over a mountain road!), and I can't find anything from independent companies. There are lots of tours with multiple stops, but all I want is to ride up the mountain, see the gardens, and ride back down. I'm traveling solo and I don't speak any Spanish. I know I can get a taxi to the cable car at Amber Cove. What about getting back? And is it safe to walk around alone?

Remember, animals that travel with their owners are supposed to be service animals. I have never heard of a service cat. Cats expect to be SERVED, not do the serving! As for the one smuggled onboard, stupidity?

DH felt the same way. A suit wasn't complete without a tie.

I don't think it does. The neck comes up high enough to protect the neck from an itchy (wool) jacket collar. As someone commented above, they're usually cotton. Sometimes a cotton/synthetic blend. I prefer them to true turtlenecks because they're less constricting around the neck.

I've done the HMC snorkel by boat, and they take you to a reef with a fair amount of fish. Of course, you have to pay for it, but I've found it worth the cost. I travel with my own snorkel and mask and just borrow fins. But for those who don't have their own, the gear on the boat has always been good quality. Last winter, HAL took bookings online even though they knew the boat was going to be out of commission for a few months. I was disappointed when I learned of the cancellation on board, because there were no tours left that I wanted to do. So that wasted part of my HIA credit. I hope the boat is running again, because I've booked the tour for February.

Right, the closed loop (depart from and return to the same port) is the exception to the requirement for a distant foreign port. Since OP is asking about San Diego to Seattle, that isn't a closed loop.

If you take HAL's insurance, that gets increased automatically when you add CO. My TA said that HAL treats adding CO like a fare increase.

@Coral is right. Alaska is expensive. I haven't done dogsledding, but I've done whale watches in several ports. In Juneau, I've gone with Gastineau guiding two or three times, and loved it. I've heard good things about Harv and Marv, too. Do your research and go with a company that takes small groups on small boats. If the pictures show people on a two- or three-level boat, don't go. The website pictures never show how crowded they really get.

Yes, I worry that one day they will spot that loophole. I've done well with CO upgrades as a solo, especially on the older smaller ships, where the price jump from lowest to highest balcony ("vista suite?") is considerable.

Yes, Cunard are definitely making sure people know about the policy. I have three Cunard cruises booked, and in November, I received a separate email for each one of them pointing out the need to inform Cunard of mobility issues. I thought the rule that scooter users must book a HC cabin was not new, but I could be mistaken on that. Here's what the email said: At Cunard, we do everything possible to ensure our guests have the best experiences on our voyages. We want everyone to enjoy their time on board and make the most of the wonderful worldwide destinations we offer. Recently, there have been instances of guests arriving at the terminal with specific on board needs that they did not make us aware of in advance. Unfortunately, to ensure we have sufficient capability to support all our guests at all times, this meant that those guests were unable to board the ship and begin their voyage with us. We’re reminding you that you must inform us of any mobility or accessibility requirements when making a booking or as soon as possible after your booking is made. This is still the case even if a carer or companion will be supporting you during your time on board. Failure to notify us of these requirements may result in you being denied boarding at your own expense at the cruise terminal. It's vital to inform us if, in the unlikely event of an emergency, you would need: a) An evacuation chair – this is a mandatory requirement for anyone who is unable to use the stairs due to mobility or other circumstances, or for anyone bringing a wheelchair or mobility scooter. or b) One-to-one assistance – this is a mandatory requirement for anyone who requires someone to guide and steady them on the stairs, due to mobility or other circumstances. For anyone who uses a mobility aid, such as a walking stick or walker, this is the recommended level of assistance. Please visit My Cunard for more information and, if necessary, to complete the questionnaire or provide a new one if your situation has changed. Please note that you must complete a new questionnaire each time you sail with us, so this applies for all future bookings that you have. You can email access...@carnivalukgroup.com for further guidance, or if you have booked through a travel agent, your agent will be happy to help. For any further queries, please contact the Cunard Customer Contact Centre on ‌1-800-728-6273 (local call charges apply). We'd like to wish you a wonderful voyage. Thank you for choosing Cunard.

It's Cunard. You're looking for logic????? BTW, for anyone thinking about Nordlys or the Alaska popup that sounds similar, DO IT! I think Nordlys was the best dinner I had on QV.

Same old, same old. I was hoping for some more variety, too. I'm not surprised at Miami being the port. Carnival Corp recently renovated one of their terminals and they're working to get their money out of it. My HAL cruise for this February was changed from FLL to MIA.

That is so awkward! They try to concentrate everyone in one area, so I can understand that there might not be a 2-top left, but you'd think they would find a better place to seat you. I always go to the embarkation lunch and sit at a large table and I've never had that problem, so give the embarkation lunch another try. It's a nice quiet start to the cruise, and it's the only day I have lunch in the dining room.