BigMattT

I appreciate what you're saying here, @BermudaBound2014 -- and I'm very impressed with this thread staying on topic and helpful for discussing cruise travel on HAL. Can you link to something supporting the statement that comorbidities are a stronger predictor than unvaccinated status for hospitalization or death? I just browsed a small sample UK study and the February 4 "SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Hospitalization Among Adults Aged ≥18 Years, by Vaccination Status" report, which I'm still understanding as suggesting otherwise. Re: refusing everyone with comorbidities: since the number and severity of comorbidities is the bigger predictor or hospitalization among vaccinated breakthrough cases... I would hope people with multiple and severe comorbidities would evaluated their fitness to travel rigorously. I'm not sure there is a comparable degree of risk to calculate for unvaccinated status. Or looking at this from another perspective... If HAL has a ship of passengers where EVERYONE has a comorbidity and IS vaccinated... and NCL has a ship of passengers where EVERYONE has a comorbidity but is UN-vaccinated... which ship, according to statistics, will have more patients requiring medical care facilities onboard or hospitalization? And which ship do I want to be on?

Traditional /conventional / original / authentic lasagna is layered pasta, bechamel, and bolognese. I think Americans "invented" the ricotta style. I'm sure someone has made a youtube video or something cataloguing the evolution. What!? I'll have to remember that!

The burgers are totally different between MDR and Pinnacle Grill. The Pinnacle Grill burger tasted freshly ground and meticulously stacked. The Chef that came by was very proud of it. (The fries are the same all over the ship: bafflingly bad, coated, from a bag things.)

Sounds just ghastly!

I'm so sorry to hear Notes was a disappointment on NS. In contrast: it was our favorite experience on the Koningsdam in October. Had a wonderfully educated leader of tastings, who seemed very passionate about production methods, aging, regions. It's also a pretty darn good collection. We participate in tastings and flight offerings regularly when we travel, and we were introduced to three new Asian whisky products on that cruise which we now stock at our bar at home. FYI - the standard bar menu does not include the selections at Notes. Many of the "tasting" pours are covered by the $15 limit on the Elite package. The bottles in stock seem to change though.

Yes, you will hear the club at times. I had an oceanview guarantee cabin on Koningsdam in March, and I was assigned a cabin directly below. The good news is: it is an *extremely* convenient midship location, which I wouldn't hesitate to book again. I heard music (and muted cheering) on only 3 nights: 2 nights I heard nothing after 10pm; 1 night music was until about 11:30pm. I'm pretty sensitive to noise when sleeping, and the dull thudding of bass was A) not bad enough to keep me awake without earplugs, and B) not audible with earplugs. I strongly recommend always packing earplugs while traveling, but especially cruising. There are any number of sounds that ships make (rattles, bangs, creaks) aside from the music. For what it's worth, I find the lido chairs scraping above at 5am, is FAR far worse than any club or show music.

Thank you— resolved. Amazing what happens when one logs in to the correct account. I did receive Mariner points!

Hmm... I have not received Mariner points for "free cabin" casino cruises.

There is no hot tub in the Koningsdam retreat. I used the (awesome) retreat a couple months ago.

That’s awful they wouldn’t honor the language you booked. Without the 12oz screw top bottles, the package makes even less sense now.

Same here. Although by the time my PCC called me back the next day, the Verandas were gone. Booked an inside… but slightly bummed about no Verandah for our first crossing.

I was in 4156 in October. I think every extra inch of that Vista will be a great thing for your party of 4. (Plus no risk of the occasionally reported loud 1am sounds from the stairwell on the other side of your cabin wall.) Yes, the aft elevator bank is usable. As is the midship hallway on the other side. Once you walk into the aft elevator bank lobby, the forward port side doorway is closed is all. You get used to it quickly 😉

Curious why you roll it on a pencil?

The curry is one of the best I’ve ever had.