3rdGenCunarder

HAL also inflates prices, especially in small ports where there isn't much to do unless you book a tour. And they contract as many local vendors as possible, so everything is sold out before you can try to book independently. I think the smaller the port, the more they know they can charge.

Have you looked at HAL Facts? There is information about one of those cabins on Eurodam. I haven't looked at deck plans, but they're likely the same on both Signature class ships. 6001 – Eurodam | HAL Cruiser Information (halfacts.com) Signature Class | HAL Cruiser Information (halfacts.com)

I hadn't thought about that, but I think it would. Chairs certainly would not be set out. Perhaps room stewards have some kind of pre=printed note that they can put in cabins for such a situation.

Gotta side with @NE John here. His observations about cabin size matches the differences between HAL's Vistas and PInnacles. Cabins on Koningsdam are smaller than the same category on Westy, Zuidy and the other Vistas. I did not get a feeling of spaciousness on Koningsdam. Yes, there's an atrium. But its wire cage design makes it closed in, not spacious. Yes, the MDR is large and very open in the middle--all of which contributes to dreadfully noisy acoustics. Yes, there's more space by the midship pool, thanks to the double deck. In fact, the only part of K'dam that I liked was the pool area and movies at night. And don't get me started on the too-small "world stage" theater or the overcrowded spaces in the "music walk." I am booked on QA, and my itinerary is mostly sea days. I'm willing to give her a try, trusting Cunard to take the basic Pinnacle design and (except for the Prom deck, which can't be changed) make it into a ship I can be happy on. And just in case it does feel crowded, I booked PG, hoping to have quiet time on the grills terrace. Hedging my bets.

Tsk. An experience cruiser like you should know that you save your loosest clothing for the end of the cruise.

I was disappointed in the bread selection at dinner. But as the cruise went on, I decided it was a good thing, as it kept me from eating excess carbs at dinner.

Friends tried a lanai. They felt it was tight for two people but would be comfortable for one. On some cruises, the price difference between lanai and vista suite could buy a lot of wine at dinner.

Except for the cart, that's how it's done on Cunard. Tea is served in a lounge, on low tables. Waiters circulate with pots of tea, trays of sandwiches, trays of scones (with clotted cream!), trays of sweets. They usually have a harpist or pianist. One day on my last Cunard cruise, there was a guitarist who played a lot of Jobim, which was lovely. The source of "low" vs "high" tea is actually the table. Afternoon tea is served on a tea table (or coffee table or cocktail table, if you prefer those names). High tea, because it's a larger meal, is served on a dining room table, which is higher. So HAL is serving low tea on a high table.

Last month, at a rectangular table for 6, we had two of the stands. A year ago, at a round table for 8, which is what the second picture seems to show, same thing. One stand in the middle of the table. I don't know what they were thinking when they set it up that way. We did find a waiter and get more food brought to us.

This is the list from last month on Zaandam

Hard to know, as it's new. Watch the Daily to see. Or maybe ask a Lido manager if you see one. They would know the schedule.

DH would have been happy to join you. His birthday "cake" every year was strawberry-rhubarb pie.

I like that! Kind of a variation on "a balanced diet is a cupcake in each hand." Or cookie, or cocktail... You may not have missed it. It seems to be fairly new.

"Cake Me Away" was featured on the front page of the daily on my February Zaandam cruise. I had something chocolate that was good. Anything chocolate on HAL is good. But the strawberry shortcake was disappointing. No strawberries in it, just a cluster of berries and glaze on the top, all of which had been served before the whole cake was gone.

I had a good snorkel trip in Barbados on Calabaza. Two different sites, including a stop that had turtles, and a very good lunch.

I would need 42 days to plan for a 42-day cruise!!!!!

Based on my experience at Pinnacle last month, about 50% of the men wore jackets and all the ladies were dressed nicely, certainly not in what they'd worn all day.

There was a long line on Zaandam last month. They had the cakes out at 11:30, but didn't serve until noon, so people could take pictures. I didn't feel like waiting in the long line, so I just got a dessert from the usual dessert station. I went back around 12:30, and there was plenty of cake left, so no need to rush to be first in the line.

The permanent signs were very small, but I've seen signs made at home. In some cases, it's ignorance. I know there are signs by the glass doors, but people see an unoccupied chair and grab it without checking anything around them. At least on Volendam, they're all together in a row, so it should be easier to see which chairs are reserved and which are for anyone to use. It was worse on other ships. I think on Veendam they were scattered, rather than grouped, and then people were more likely to sit on loungers for a lanai, especially if there were 2 general ones next to lanais and a group of 3 or 4 wanted to sit together. Friends had that problem frequently.

There wasn't a "mariner's lunch" on my recent cruise.

I don't buy wine packages in advance. I want to see the list before I buy. If you have extra OBC, consider a pass to the thermal suite. That's my favorite indulgence on board QE or QV.

I think sometimes the age limits are imposed by the cruise line's insurer, and not the vendor. Do some research to find independent snorkel trips. I have found that ship snorkels tend to use large boats and get large groups. I had a terrible time on one in St Thomas. The crowd was too large, people bumping into each other. As an experienced snorkeler, I was shocked at what passed for "instruction" for novices. It was so bad it bordered on irresponsible. Google is a start but ask people who have experience with the ports you'll be visiting. Join your roll call and see if anyone there has found some good tours. Look at the Caribbean port of call board to see what people there are recommending. That's how I chose Sea Cow in Bonaire and it was so good in every way, I didn't want to go back to the ship and continue the cruise--I wanted to stay there to do it all again the next day.

That's how it used to work. For me, it said "welcome back." The only issue was if your Mariner tier was in or out, it could be awkward at the podium. A friend was 2 star and got in one time and not the next. They should have had a sign "Luncheon for our 3-star and above Mariners" or something like that, the number depending on the passenger makeup.

I loved QE2! The current Cunard queens are following nicely in her wake, so to speak. The waiters still walk out in a sort of parade, with their teapots, and make their way through the Queens Room. And the goodies are served generously from trays. Ohhh, now I'm in the mood for a fresh scone!!!

I think the loungers are picked up and put out by deck hands, not room stewards. They clear the deck to wash it down. I doubt HAL would say you can't have them. I love to sit on my balcony at night and listen to the sea. I would be unhappy not to have somewhere to sit. I hadn't thought about that aspect of a lanai.