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VTcruisenut

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Posts posted by VTcruisenut

    TOURS TO ARCADIA NATIONAL PARK

    in Canada/New England

    Posted

    12 hours ago, ilovesparky13 said:

    I was planning to do this exact thing this upcoming October. So you found 4 hours to be enough for Acadia National Park? We would probably only do the loop and stop at the visitors center. 

    We thought it was just right!  could stop where we wanted to and had time to drive around the town and get lobster rolls!  The visitor center/gift shop was very busy, I wanted to go into the restaurant and get a famous popover, but it was too busy!

     

    Opinion on Pinnacle Class ships, particularly Nieuw Statendam - did you find it too large/crowded?

    in Holland America Line

    Posted

    I was on the Nieuw Statendam 2X in February/March cruises to Caribbean.  Ship was full.  Under staffed, they do all they can, but way understaffed.  MDR was very slow for breakfast and some dinner time slots.  Ended up missing the shows due to dinner taking so long.  It is a beautiful ship, but there is a distinct lack of seating for those with mobility issues in the areas you have to wait ~ Guest Services, MDR, at elevators. no benches or seating.  long lines for everthing it seems.  The tender process in Cayman was horrendous due to the rough water, we decided to just not get off the ship as our excursion was cancelled.  They are doing the best they can, but I still prefer the smaller ships!

    • Like 2

    Viewing Purchases pre-cruise?

    in Holland America Line

    Posted

    Just now, REOVA said:

    We print out the daily itinerary a few days before cruising (after booking dinners and excursions, etc) and print copy onboard to keep track of days and also add notes or private excursions to it. Makes a handy quick view if you need port times, restaurant schedules and proof of reservations. 

    Me too!  I'm an over planner and don't rely on my phone 100% for everything!

    • Like 1

    Viewing Purchases pre-cruise?

    in Holland America Line

    Posted

    8 minutes ago, REOVA said:

    Did you get a confirmation email with booking number on it when you booked the cruise? That will list what was included in the purchase. If you bought things after the initial booking, you should get an email to confirm what was purchased and bring that on the ship so there isn't any issues while inboard. Also if you go to Navigator App under Account and Profile it should list OBC not part of a HIA. If you don't see what you are looking for call your TA. If you don't see it your kids should check their account and also would need to call HAL since they purchased the credits. 

    Thank you!  someone on FB told me about checking the Itinerary day by day, and the purchases do show up there.  We never use a TA, we do everything on our own.  I just wanted to be sure my daughter used the correct account and Mariner numbers as we both have cruises booked!

     

    • Like 1

    Viewing Purchases pre-cruise?

    in Holland America Line

    Posted

    How do we see our on-board credits, internet package purchase, pre-paid gratuities, etc. once we have paid for them?  I can't find this info anywhere on the HAL website.  My kids bought on-board credits for our February cruise and are concerned they didn't go to the correct account as they are Mariners as well!

    New crew appreciation rate

    in Holland America Line

    Posted

    When I first read this, I too was very disappointed, but then realized how else would they know who we had as wait staff with open seating?  Or the bar staff?

    I think the tips should be distributed amongst the staff each cruise, not utilized for bonuses.  But, they don't ask us do they? Like any large corporation, they set policy and the employees must abide by their contracts and compensation.  I do leave cash for my cabins stewards as they work very hard and I know the daily gratuity just isn't enough.  To not pay the daily gratuities sends a message to Corporate headquarters yes, but what does it say to those hard working individuals that we see and interact with daily?  Not their fault by any means..............

    Activities on NS for teenagers?

    in Holland America Line

    Posted

    15 minutes ago, AFNavigator said:

    It would be very good to discuss her expectations prior to the cruise.  She needs to know HAL cruises aren't structured to provide non-stop entertainment throughout the day.  They definitely have way less structured entertainment during the day than Norwegian and Princess.

    Oh she knows!  This is a Casino offer cruise, and I asked them to come along, paid just port fees and taxes.  They will be fine with the activities, and the pool, beaches etc.  

    Activities on NS for teenagers?

    in Holland America Line

    Posted

    10 hours ago, Crew News said:

    They will have so much fun, you might only see them for meals.

    Not sure how their parents will feel about them being out and about on their own, but I feel the ship's crew/staff and passengers are pretty observant!  We have to trust them at some point..............they are really good kids.  One has traveled and cruised, the other hasn't.  It's my grand daughter who has been on Norwegian and Princess with all the bells and whistles that I am afraid will be bored.

    Need basic info on how to use tele-testing

    in Holland America Line

    Posted

    On 7/28/2022 at 12:30 PM, NattilyAttired said:

    We bought the BinaxNOW Covid-19 Ag test kits online (that is the very specific name for the telehealth version of the Binax test) made by Abbott Labs. When you purchase the kits, the price includes the online test fee; it's built into the cost, so you won't have to pay again.

     

    An affiliated company/service called eMed does the test supervision. Before you take the test, download the Navica app on your smartphone and register. That is where your test result will be sent. When you are ready to take the test, log in on your laptop, iPad, or cell phone to start.emed.com. It's an internet connection, not a phone call. The connection will use the camera on your device. Hint: a laptop is easier because it can be angled to show the table in front of you as you take the test and it has to stay focused on your test for 15 minutes. It is harder to do with an iPad or phone, but not impossible.

     

    You will be connected to a test administrator over the internet; you will hear the administrator but not see them. They will see you, however.  They walk you through the test, including watching you open the test kit, so you must make sure it remains sealed until you start the online session. You will take the test and they will verify that you did it correctly. When you have placed the drops in the cartridge, the administrator will start a 15 minute timer and then they will sign off. However, you must keep your camera focused on the test cartridge the entire time so they know you have not switched it out.  After 15 minutes, another administrator comes on and asks you to hold the cartridge up to the camera so they can see the result. They will verify if the test is positive or negative. Once that is determined, eMed will send an email to you with your results, as well as sending a QR code to your Navica app.

     

    It may sound complicated, but it is in fact super easy (with a laptop.) We have used the tests twice, once at home before departing on a cruise, and once in our hotel in Rome before returning home. It worked flawlessly.

     

    Hope this helps.  Happy to answer any questions.

    the box the tests come in were crushed in shipping and the little plastic seal on the box popped................the contents are still sealed.  hopefully we can still use these?

     

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