Zeno

Currently HAL's "Plan" portion of their website is a mess right now - displaying program field names rather than correct headers and comments.

It does not reflect well that they apparently do not test changes or check to see screens after changes have been made. I hope they fix it soon since anyone thinking to plan a cruise would NOT be impressed.

Thx for info!

Does anyone know if any of the resorts on Palm Beach offer Day Passes?

Hi:

We will be in Aruba early in Feb 2016. I am recovering from Knee surgery and water exercise is really the best for me (I walk in the water and do exercises). I am looking for a beach with little if any "step down" going into the water AND fairly calm water. Is their a beach like that?

Thx

Well-trained legitimate Service Dogs doing their jobs are never a problem. I know - I used to work with a man who had a service dog and she was NEVER a problem or an issue or glared at. As others have pointed out a legitimate service dog is scarcely noticeable BECAUSE they are actually doing a job and have been thoroughly trained in public behaviour.

Poorly trained Pets masquerading as service dogs - BIG problem. (Although the real problem is their owners.)

For this cruise, I set several goals for myself: update all of my website menus, eat at least two bags of popcorn and two chocolate chip cookies each day, eat Steak Diane, spend $1800 of OBC, learn the Casino rules for using OBC, visit interesting locations, get good photographs, and meet new friends.

 

 

First - I enjoyed your report immensely! Especially since we will be on the Oosterdam in Jan 2016

I loved your goals! And being a popcorn addict I was glad to hear that popcorn may be ordered from Room Service

A question - what is your website - I am desperate to see those menus!

Happy Sailing!

Well DUH ! I just found the website and menus....

We took an Alaska cruise on Aug 22 2014 and were prepared that there would be more kids.

Actually we found that there were not as many as we had anticipated - I would guess maybe 20-30. I think the very last cruise of summer would have had more.

Like to ask what you all thought of the buffets in HAl

thinking of a cruise on the ms Volendam for Alaska

done cruises with Carnival and NCL. Just like to ask thoughts? on buffet. better or worst, and food options overall on ship

I have cruised on NCL (mostly) HAL (not wildly different from each other) and some miscellaneous ships (definitely lower end but adequate food). All this is strictly my opinion - food is very subjective.

Buffet food - overall I would rate HALs the best but NCL was fine. In my opinion, HAL had better breakfast offerings (I LOVED the various poached egg options and the waffles). However NCL had the best bread-like products (especially croissants).

For Lunch I liked HALs select-your-own sandwich options and I loved the taco bar but I felt NCL had better salad options and ice cream.

For dinner overall I rate HALs best. I liked the fish and meat options a lot. However the NCL dessert options were way better (especially on the Pride of America - the crepes were to die for). NCL also had excellent veggie main options.

So for breakfast HAL definitely won and really for lunch too (LOVED that taco bar). Dinner was more of a toss-up. HAL seemed to have better meat and fish but NCL desserts and salads and veggie mains were good. The best pasta I ever had was actually on one of the miscellaneous low-end ships - every day at lunch they had a chef doing a fresh pasta of the day - simply delicious.

Handicapped AND their traveling companions board first. Of course those on scooters can speed to board before the wheelchair folks.

I now have this strange picture of scooters and wheelchairs racing each other to get on board

Related Question:

I will be requesting a wheelchair for boarding (I am not seriously disabled BUT I have had a recent knee replacement and standing for any length of time can get pretty painful). so my question - as a rule do people using wheelchairs board earlier or later? Either way I WILL be using a wheelchair but I am curious. Also would it be better for us to arrive at 11:00AM or noon?

Oosterdam Jan 28 - Feb 08 2016 10 day Southern Caribbean

Great blog!

I finally decided and booked a day room

Some people seemed to have missed the point of my questions. I certainly don't intend to delay anyone or interfere with the crew. I just wanted to know the approximate latest time it is appropriate to get off the ship. Too bad about thru strictness concerning flight times. It looks like we will be stuck at the airport for at least 4-6 boring uncomfortable hours.

In general (I know this can vary somewhat but in your experience).

Our cruise on the Oosterdam is scheduled to arrive back in Port Everglades at 7AM and we will be in absolutely NO hurry to disembark (flight not until afternoon). In your experience with HAL cruises (does not have to be specifically the Oosterdam), around what time will they expect you off the ship by ?

Also kind of related - if we decide to do one of HAL's post cruise shore excursions, how strict are they about flight departures. their website says flight must leave after 3:30. The flight we will probably take leaves at 3:15. (it's to Toronto).

Is anyone aware of any Fort Lauderdale Hotels that offer day rooms?

Zaandam - 2014 -Alaska

Lovely video - thx

Well - DUH - me! I measured the bag WRONG (don't ask - I feel like an idiot) - it's actually about 22 inches long by 16 inches wide - so I think I am OK.

Thx for answering everyone

We prefer to carry our own luggage on board (as opposed to getting it delivered to our cabin).

Can anyone tell me what the maximum size is for carry-on luggage on HAL?

None of our suitcases are big - but I would rate one as medium sized (about 32 inches by 24 inches).

Thx for any info.

Hi,

 

Yes they can have lunch in the dining room and they, I believe, can take you with them! Others will chime in if I'm incorrect. We board fairly early - 11:30 or as soon as they open - and we haven't found the Lido to be too busy at all at that point. We go to our cabin, drop off our bags, orient ourselves and head up to lunch. We are done eating by the time it starts to get busy.

 

Karen

That's good to know (Lido not being crowded early). We should be there pretty early (depending on ferries - we will be coming from our friend's place in Sechelt).

Oh well I will miss lunch in the dining room but I can cope. (I don't like buffets on Embarkation Day because in my experience they tend to be overcrowded on that day.)

Another question - the friends we are travelling with have been on HAL before - can they have lunch in the Dining Room on Embarkation day.

We will be cruising for the 1st time on HAL (the Zaandam) soon and I have an embarkation day dining question.

Will the Main Dining room be open at lunch time? If not - what lunch time choices are there likely to be?

Thx to Avalon for responding.

I got an email from my friend late yesterday yes it was the Luminary. She has returned quite ill (She is seeing a Dr. today) - so I don't know when I will be able to actually speak to her. (hopefully by tonight)

I WILL email her with the message from Avalon (once again thx so much for your response Avalon). Personally I feel a bit better now that I can pass on some useful info to her.

Thx to everyone here - I really felt quite helpless and upset for her and as you know it is so hard to be truly useful when you don't have a lot of info to work with.

To answer some of the questions:

1. they were in Europe - Danube cruise from Budapest.

2. From what she has said in her emails - the ship went out of commission shortly after the cruise began and they have been bused around since then. I don't know specifically which ship.

I have asked her to contact me as soon as they get back and will fill in the details when I get them.

I think a lot depends on if you have ever been to Hawaii before - the cruise is a good way of finding out which islands you would like to return to.