alyssamma

Hi, I was hoping someone could give me some feedback on my itinerary and also answer what I suppose is a pretty basic question. For the itinerary, I just wanted to know if this is good for someone who has never seen the fjords and is unlikely to return to see them. I read about Flam and Geiranger and unsure how they compare to what this itinerary has. For the question, when we sail the fjords, is the view coming in (super early morning) the same as the view leaving (evening). For example, cruising Sognefjord at 7 or 8am to get into Skjolden...will we see the same things when we leave at 6pm? Obviously it is the same body of water, and I'm assuming because of the time of year the "daylight" will be the same, but unsure if there is a reason to see at one time over the other. Thanks in advance! Itinerary Date Port Arrival Departure Sat, Jul 01, 2023 AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS BOARDING TIME TO BE ASSIGNED VISA REQ FOR SOME -- 4:00 pm Sun, Jul 02, 2023 AT SEA -- -- Mon, Jul 03, 2023 EIDFJORD, NORWAY VISA REQ FOR SOME 7:00 am 5:00 pm Mon, Jul 03, 2023 SCENIC CRUISING HARDANGERFJORD CRUISING ONLY -- -- Tue, Jul 04, 2023 SKJOLDEN, NORWAY VISA REQ FOR SOME 9:00 am 6:00 pm Tue, Jul 04, 2023 SCENIC CRUISING SOGNEFJORD CRUISING ONLY -- -- Wed, Jul 05, 2023 ANDALSNES, NORWAY VISA REQ FOR SOME 10:00 am 8:00 pm Thu, Jul 06, 2023 TRONDHEIM, NORWAY VISA REQ FOR SOME 8:00 am 5:00 pm Thu, Jul 06, 2023 SCENIC CRUISING TRONDHEIMSFJORD CRUISING ONLY -- -- Fri, Jul 07, 2023 AT SEA -- -- Sat, Jul 08, 2023 HAMMERFEST, NORWAY VISA REQ FOR SOME 8:00 am 6:00 pm Sun, Jul 09, 2023 HONNINGSVAG, NORWAY VISA REQ FOR SOME 8:00 am 6:00 pm Sun, Jul 09, 2023 SCENIC CRUISING NORTH CAPE CRUISING ONLY SUBJECT TO WEATHER -- -- Mon, Jul 10, 2023 AT SEA -- -- Tue, Jul 11, 2023 AT SEA -- -- Wed, Jul 12, 2023 BERGEN, NORWAY VISA REQ FOR SOME 8:00 am 5:00 pm Thu, Jul 13, 2023 STAVANGER, NORWAY VISA REQ FOR SOME 8:00 am 6:00 pm Fri, Jul 14, 2023 AT SEA -- -- Sat, Jul 15, 2023 AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS VISA REQ FOR SOME 7:00 am -- Please Note: Cruise itineraries are subject to change

Thanks for your detailed description. I'm looking at taking my first Norway cruise and had a question about the fjords. Do you have to be up early when the ship is pulling into the town (and sailing through the fjords) to get a good view, or does watching in the "evening" (quotes because it will still be daylight) give the same views? I'd rather not be up at 5am if I can help it 🙂

What's the hi/low on number of forums this question will be posted on? I guess any time any line does anything every other thread needs to get the will "insert line" do this too. Has X raised gratuities before? Yep. Will they do it again? Yep. Prices go up...it's what happens.

And yet another FAQ says: (this FAQ I clicked on their FAQ link, then Shipboard Life, then scrolled to page 5) https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/faq.shipboard-life.what-are-my-beverage-package-options.html Note, this FAQ appears to contradict the Signature Package info in the other FAQ...but the Elite info is the same. The Signature and Elite packages have a daily limit of 15 alcoholic beverages, which includes all alcoholic beverages with a menu price of $15 or less (Elite Beverage Package), or $11 or less (Signature Beverage Package). The Quench Beverage Package includes unlimited non-alcoholic beverages and bottled waters 500ml and under.

Yeah, not quite solved yet. Go into their FAQs and navigate to: https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/faq.shipboard-life.how-do-i-order-beverage-packages-and-cards.html This is not through a Google search. I clicked on their FAQ link, then Shipboard Life, then scrolled to page 4) The Elite package has a daily limit of 15 alcoholic beverages with a menu price of $15 or less. Unlimited non-alcoholic beverage.The Signature package has a daily limit of 15 alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks with a menu price of $11 or less.The Quench Beverage Package is limited to 15 non-alcoholic drinks daily.

Well, they really need to fix something because this link... https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/onboard-packages/beverage-packages.html Says... A stunning array of premium spirits, cocktails, and wines $15 or under, including Dale DeGroff’s Original Cocktails and all the benefits of Signature & Quench. 15-drink daily limit, unlimited non-alcoholic beverages.

See post #23... The important part is... Hmm...edited for the below from their site: Enjoy beers, spirits, cocktails and wines by the glass priced at $11 and under, plus everything from our Quench package. 15-drink daily limit for alcoholic & non-alcoholic beverages. So it seems you need Elite to get unlimited non-alcoholic and that, of course, is $10pppd, correct?

Ty...I figured it out, but good to post here for others 🙂

Hi, on deck 4 these seem to have very large balconies. I understand there is a metal wall instead of glass, but any other negatives to this room? Not worried about location wrt motion/seasickness. TIA

Thanks...this is why CC is great...I would have never known any of this otherwise...

So you think whoever from HAL wrote this in an email is wrong? Hmm...edited for the below from their site: Enjoy beers, spirits, cocktails and wines by the glass priced at $11 and under, plus everything from our Quench package. 15-drink daily limit for alcoholic & non-alcoholic beverages. So it seems you need Elite to get unlimited non-alcoholic and that, of course, is $10pppd, correct?

New to HAL, but I don't understand this. Is the $15 limit *any* drink or *only alcoholic* drinks? I've never seen a drink package on any line where sodas and mocktails count towards your daily limit. From their website: SIGNATURE PACKAGE Only $54.95 per guest/per day* Our Signature package includes everything from our Quench Package along with your favorite premium beers, spirits, cocktails, and wines by the glass priced $11 and under. QUENCH PACKAGE (NON-ALCOHOLIC) Only $17.95 per guest/per day* Quench your thirst with our nonalcoholic package which includes an unlimited variety of premium coffees such as espresso and cappuccino, juices, Coca-Cola™ products, our signature mocktails, Red Bull, and bottled waters 500ml and under. Also, from a 2019 post here... The correct answer is you are limited to 15 Alcoholic beverages. I had HAL send me a letter on official letter head confirming it. Below is a portion of that correspondence. "Thank you for your recent correspondence with Holland America Line regarding our Signature Beverage Package and Elite Beverage Packages. You are correct in believing if you were to purchase either of these beverage packages, that they would include unlimited non-alcoholic beverages and bottled waters 500ml and under."

I''ll be there with you. These new rules are confusing af. I'm hoping it is an error on their website, otherwise we need to test the day of the cruise. That's what's confusing...how can X enforce that? It's not realistic for all pax to test that morning and I assume they're not doing rapids at the pier...so how can they deny boarding?

Maybe, maybe not...I'm sailing Beyond in Oct but not TA...it's a 9 day out of NJ...and it stops at Bermuda. Personally I'm hoping this all changes before that 🙂

Thanks...what about the test? It seems you may need to test once onboard...so if you just don't test and don't plan to get off is that fine?

What happens if you decide to stay on the ship...do you still need to do the testing? And do you still need to pay the $40 for the travel auth? TIA

Thanks...you actually said what I meant to say in a better way 🙂

Yeah, I think you need to relax a little. You aren't the only one who has people in wheelchairs. My father in law is paralyzed and my niece has mobility issues. My original comment was *clearly* about *older* people with mobility issues - not younger, or people from birth. If you go back and read that, I think you'll realize that. As for longer itineraries, a TA or other longer itinerary on *any cruise line* will skew older because of vacation time/retirement. How many 20yrs olds go on RTW cruises vs 7 day cruises? But Celebrity skews older *independently* of cruise length for the reasons myself and others have mentioned. Nothing to do with cruise length, which will make all lines skew older. You seem to be triggered by anyone not recognizing naturally (i.e., age) occurring mobility issues vs those occurring from accidents or other things. Not sure what to say/do about that, other than to again point you back to my original comment which clearly wasn't about that. My point was, and still is, while X is an older crowd, you don't see the scooters and walkers like you might expect to see.

LOL, feel like I'm talking to Captain Obvious here. Are you saying there are people under 50 in walkers and wheelchairs? I didn't know that. And X's passengers tend to be older not because of the length of the itineraries, but because a) little to no activities for kids, b) entertainment is more sedated, c) slightly more expensive than Carnival or RCCL.

Yeah, I thought it was obvious but I guess not. On just about any cruise there will be *some* people in scooters. The point is that although the crowd is older, it doesn't feel older. I will amend my statement to say the vast majority weren't in scooters or walkers.

Crowds on Celebrity definitely skew older, but it is a "lively" older (i.e., no scooters and walkers) My wife and I are late 50s and we felt young on the Apex 🙂 But it was the best cruise we've ever taken and we booked 4 more on X. We like Royal too...just did Symphony in April and doing Harmony next month...but X is our line of choice now for the reasons @Misbehavin8175 listed

This is probably the best, and most straightforward answer. I would only add that I find food to be much better on X.

I guess YMMV and maybe depends on carrier, ship, and where you are cruising. I've only used it in the Caribbean, but have had zero problems with it (and that goes for my family and the many friends we've sailed with). Again, not doubting your experience, just saying it's the opposite of mine and everyone I know.

That's *a* way, not the *cheapest* way. Airplane mode + text over wifi is just as cheap and doesn't require anyone to download any apps.

This may be Android vs iPhone (I'm Android), but I have no problems turning wifi calling on in airplane mode. So no reason to enable it before your cruise. I have never experienced this issue. My wife and kids all do this on cruises and never had problems. This is technically true, but it's like saying most users don't have airplane mode turned on. When you go on a cruise, you have to change your phone's "normal" settings. 100% true, and what I said above. However, the only problem with this is that it requires the other user to have that app. If some people have WhatsApp and the others have FB messenger, you can't do group texts, for example. Also, if you need to text people for work, it may be more "formal" to use a normal text instead of FB. That being said, it is definitely the easiest if everyone you want to talk to has the same app.