sprockie

Rent a car and go to Glace Bay to the Miner's museum.  It's great.  We then went to a lobster shipping place on the pier and asked them to boil us 4 lobsters which we ate on a nearby picnic table.  Excellent day.

This would be great.  I'm not keen on being in Florida whatsoever any longer and also not wild about cruising out of NYC either. Cruising out of Boston would be grand. 

56 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

 I agree if it was chartered I would think it would have been chartered long ago.

I

Just wondering if anyone has any insight about the May 13th Koningsdam Alaska cruise.  I was looking at it and there were lots of cabins left in suites and balconies then suddenly it is sold out.  Can't think of a reason why something would sell out so quickly when it seemed there were so many cabins left? 

I had 4041 and 4043 booked for Alaska. Then changed my mind because 4043 has no window and you can't see out from the main area's of the cabin.

Can anyone tell me if the balcony dividers open on Sun deck deck 11.  We are traveling with our kids next door and want to make sure the divider opens on that deck

17 minutes ago, OlsSalt said:

Did not passengers going on this shore excursion also have access to weather reports? And chose not to cancel on the outside chance there might be weather trouble.  Does signing up for a shore excursion obliterate all independent judgement.

 

Well people do put their faith in HAL for making a judgement call as to whether an excursion should proceed as planned  - especially since if you decide to cancel yourself you are not refunded.

 

Agree, there is comfort signing up for these excursions assuming HAL will cautiously monitor their viability; but they are not the sole source of judgement in these matters, which are now eliciting so many continued wounded howls and demands for extraordinary compensation ...for "good will".

Just now, OlsSalt said:

 

Why did you try to link your independent shore experience with the HAL shore excursion promise, when you chose to malign HAL policies?

I didn't.  I meant when one is not able to make it back to the ship - whether it is though a ship sponsored excursion or not - HAL is not that useful or helpful or generous in the aftermath.

5 minutes ago, Level six said:

Well for everyone defending HAL in this case, saying that HAL did all they could.  Imagine if it were you in that man's position......would you feel they did all the things right and all that they could?  It is easy to comment when we were not the ones who were affected. 

If that were my husband, not only would he have been miserable, I would have too.  Face it, this ruined their cruise, no amount of nice hotel, first class plane can make up for being on the cruise you planned for along time being derailed like that, no amount.  They should have gotten more compensation or a make up cruise free.  Giving them a makeup cruise would not cost HAL a penny.  They have empty cabins all the time.  They should have given the OP the option of a few free cruise dates and they could have either taken it or not.  

Totally agree.  HAL should be responsible and accountable for all it's tour partners - just like a General Contractor is responsible for their subtrades.  HAL should have stepped up and compensated these people far more than they did.  After all, they give away (or practically give away) cruises to gamblers all the time.  The compensation should have been much more significant.

34 minutes ago, Sea42 said:

Were you on a HAL excursion? Because if you were I would have thought HAL would pay for your flights.

No, we were on our own.  

I thank the poster for bring this to my attention.  I've always been under the impression that "they won't leave you if on a ship excursion" - part of the marketing strategy I suppose.  We did miss our ship in the early 2000 in St. Thomas.  It was due to very heavy traffic and and delays getting back into port.  We were scheduled to dock, but then had to tender at the last minute which changed the all aboard time.  Trip insurance covered the cost of the missed portion of the cruise and our expenses to fly back to Florida and wait for the ship to come in (3 days).  However, HAL washed their hands of us - were absolutely 0 help to us and initially refused to allow us back on the ship in Florida to pack up our cabin.  They were going to pack our stuff up and send it out to the pier.  Finally, after many calls shore to ship, they finally agreed to let us back on to pack up.  We had only our ship card and a Visa (in those days they told you to leave your passport on the ship).  We still sail HAL because we like the cruise line the most.  However, we do so knowing that they don't care about you whatsoever if something were to happen on shore - including a medical emergency or accident.

13 hours ago, Crew News said:

My experience R/T Vancouver is that the first Gala Night has been on Day 02 (sea day) and usually Day 05 (Glacier Bay).  Here is a link to my Alaska 2022 cruise daily activities to give you an idea of what to expect and port times:  Alaska 7-Day 2022 Daily Activities

Sweet!  Thank you kindly.

Thank you.

We have never cruised in Alaska.  I see the port days are lengthy.  Could anyone guess which nights would be formal nights?  Are they the nights we cruise the inside passage going north and returning south to Vancouver?  Any thoughts?  Thanks in advance.

Alaska on Koningsdam in May.  I am not familiar with Vancouver airport or port.  Would an 11:25 flight be too early the morning we return to port?

Can you tell me what you would recommend for a post cruise flight time?  I've done as early as 11:30 in Fort Lauderdale, but we haven't been to the Vancouver airport.  

I just booked with HIA and one of my kids is 21 and the other 16 so I am curious to see how that works.  

1 hour ago, leerathje said:

Here's a video of the Koningsdam's 4074, VH obstructed, and you can see at about 54s the dividers and they do open.

 

Here is a video of the Nieuw Statendam, 4070 VH obstructed, and you can see the balcony divders at 10m 46s and they open as well. 

Okay, thank you for the info!

 

 

Hoping someone can answer me here.  Does anyone know if the balcony dividers open for certain between cabins in the VH category on Deck 4 of the Koningsdam?  Thanks

2 hours ago, Alberta Quilter said:

In Vancouver, at the cruise terminal, prior to check-in/embarkation.

So we're Canadians - flying from Ontario to Vancouver, ship leaving from Vancouver and returning to Vancouver but obviously visiting Alaska.  Do we go through customs when we get off the ship in the terminal?  

1 hour ago, CruiserBruce said:

Immigration is what you need to worry about. Customs will be minor.

Why is that?

We're flying within Canada to Vancouver for an Alaska cruise.  When and where would we have to go through the customs process?  

Just wondering about this - thinking about booking an Alaskan cruise in May - our first since we took a break for Covid.  

We've been sailing HAL for 25 years and I've seen the transition from big band and show tunes to a really enjoyable experience in the way of music for my family.  I LOVE the dualing pianos and the RSRR.  I won't book a cruise on a ship without those venues.  We are so glad HAL is moving to please the middle aged and younger crowds.  

On 9/22/2022 at 2:15 PM, Suzy Bell said:

My husband and I were on that cruise and I also became ill and tested positive for Covid, my husband had no symptoms and tested negative.I didn't have to move to an isolation cabin since there were only 2 days remaining of the cruise.My husband couldn't leave our cabin either. He was retested and still negative.

We received no proof of our tests, no documentation as to the dates my quarantine should begin and end. Being from Canada which requires a 10 day quarantine we are having an extended stay in Boston. 

I also received the letter on Friday night with the suggestion to use a different Marriott Hotel in Boston. No transportation assistance provided by HAL. Took taxi to hotel to find no reservations made, HAL had never notified them about any passengers needing rooms. There were several other quarantine passengers there in the same situation.

Fellow passengers tried various other hotels only to be told no rooms were available anywhere and if they heard Covid mentioned they wouldn't take you period.

The front desk clerk at the Marriott Hotel managed to find accomodation elsewhere and ordered 2 taxis to take 5 of us. However it was far from downtown Boston out on a highway and it is not the best place we ever stayed. After spending 2 nights there we were able to book another place, requiring another taxi ride back into Boston.

Our travel agent booked us flights to go home this Sunday, the 25th.

 

We also are double vaccinated, wore our masks except when eating, avoided crowds. This was our first cruise since 2019. We have always cruised with Holland America.

This experience was very frustrating to say the least.

 

I hope your wife is feeling better and that you stayed well.

 

 

 

 

 

In our experience, HAL is quick to wash their hands of passengers as soon as possible.  A whole different story and set of circumstances, but we missed our ship in St. Thomas about 20 years ago and even then HAL wouldn't help us whatsoever.  After numerous calls to the ship, their only offer was to pack our cabin up and send our luggage to the pier.  I see similarities in this story with the treatment of Covid passengers.