rajkr74

Some pictures of the Koningsdam in Puerto Vallarta Mexico today and last week.  She came in early in the morning at 6:40am and leaves in the dark in the evening.  Sorry no daylight pictures of her sailing in or out.

14 minutes ago, Cruzmama said:

When you get off in Cabo, Mazatlan, or PV, is it safe to order a pina colada or something with ice cubes at a local bar?

We have gone to Puerto Vallarta twice on cruises besides traveling there a number of years during the winter for 2+ weeks at a time.  We drink tap water with no problems since PV upgraded their water system a number of years ago.  Never heard of anyone getting sick in our unit in PV from the water.  Can't answer for Cabo or Mazatlan.

Here is the link to the CC Oct 2, 2022 Roll Call for the Baltic.  You can ask this question there for cruisers that will be on this cruise along with you.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2770772-oct-2-2022-13-days/

Also a link to the Oct 15, 2022 TA Roll Call.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2769225-rotterdam-vii-15-october-2022-15-day-150th-anniversary-transatlantic-cruise/

There are a few pages to read to catch up on both threads.

We are on both of these cruises. 

Yes, the late night buffet is more casual which allows us the ability to talk to staff and servers.  In general about 60% crew (Performers, casino workers) and 40% guests visit late night.  We go to get coffee and to see what is being served.  We always have early dinning in the MDR so trying some items is ok. Sometimes they serve regional food items which is nice to sample.  But the best is taking some ice cream back to the cabin!  

Outstanding "Live" report on your cruise on the NA from Seattle!!!  Great pictures and detailed commentary. You must type 70 words per minute to provide all the information on your posts, great job.

Again another outstanding "Live From The Nieuw Amsterdam" report.  Thanks Lisa for taking the time to report on your cruise, post great pictures and answer dozens and dozens of questions readers have posed to you.  Very unselfish of you to take the time out of your cruise to keep us all informed on the startup cruise for HAL....Thanks.

Rick & Joyce

Boy are we looking forward to your LIVE from the Nieuw Amsterdam cruise from Seattle!!!

It's going to be fun seeing how HAL reopens cruising.

Good luck and I hope you have fun on the cruise.

We had our anniversary in the Pinnacle and were not aware of the cake they would bring us at the end of the meal. We politely declined the singing the staff would do.  Here are pics of the food we had along with the warm Volcano Cake, not pictured.  Then...out came the Anniversary cake!  Boy..... did not have the room for that cake also. We ate a bite each and the staff wrapped it up in foil and we took it back to our room and we ate on it the next day. Very nice evening and the staff was great.

Caesar salad to start 

Jumbo shrimp cocktails.

Filet Mignon and side dishes

Rib-eye steak

Finally the Anniversary cake....wow.

Since everyone is posting pictures of Nuku Hiva thought I'd post some we took when on the Maasdam in July 2019.  We were on the ship Alischief that cruise.
 

Morning sail in to port Nuku Hiva

Looking down on  town on far side of island

Church on far side of island

Beach on far side of island

Maasdam in harbor

Statue up on hill.

Manta rays next to ship in harbor.

3 hours ago, kazu said:

 

My struggle with the deer is unending.  They have now decided to eat rhodendrum.  My rhodo has been there for 24+ years and never on their menu.  Not this year.  😡 Thankfully I have one in my fenced area.

 

The ironic thing is that it was so sick 2 years ago after a hard winter that DH wanted me to dig it up.  I refused and coddled it.  No flowers last year but this year:

 

 

 

 

 

Jacqui

It's not deer that are eating your rhododendron it's a classic case of root weevil.  Deer do not tend to eat rhododendrons or azaleas.  We have dozens of rhodies in our yard and deer have not been a problem.  Yes, we do have notched leaves from weevils on a few of our plants.  Some rhodies are more susceptible to weevils than others.

Here's an article from the American Rhododendron Society, of which we belong, that will help identify and remedy your problem.  Good luck

https://www.rhododendron.org/v55n4p195.htm

8 minutes ago, LAFFNVEGAS said:

This was last updated for April 2021, I believe there will be some changes when it updates on Monday. US Cruises will be slightly different than Europe Cruises. Most of this is correct but there will definitely be some changes.

You are probably right with all the turmoil going on.  I got this from our TA a few days ago.  Our TA also said HAL is a little slow updating the new drink/wine requirements so the App and some website pages still have old rules i.e. corkage fee. 

Looking forward to your "Live" thread in July from Alaska.

Just now, rucrazy said:

Thank you! 

Hope it opened for you?  This is the first time I tried to put an attachment in a post.  Fun reading...lol

Here's a copy of the new HAL Cruise contract.

HAL Cruise Contract (Domestic) - Restart 15APR2021.pdf

On 6/2/2021 at 11:38 AM, MrsS471 said:

We are booked on the Rotterdam, supposedly sailing on September 19th for a 21 night Viking Saga and Jewels of the Baltic cruise.  The highlight for us will be a 2 day visit to St. Petersburg.  Firstly, we're worried the cruise won't actually happen because of the travel restrictions due to Covid.  Secondly, if the itinerary has to be changed and St. Petersburg is excluded, we wouldn't want to take the cruise.  Any thoughts or insider info of this sailing?

 

Thanks so much.

Glad you have booked the cruise, please join the Roll Call for the Sept. 19th 2021 cruise, here is the link.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2767501-rotterdam-september-19-26-2021-viking-saga/

We are the hosts for the Sept. 19th cruise Meet & Greet.  Our recent contact with our tour operator in St. Petersburg verified that tours are already operating and things look promising.

Rick & Joyce

We received a copy of the new HAL Cruise Contract from our TA and there are some changes concerning what and how much Non Alcoholic beverages you can bring on board.  Corkage fee is now $20 USD per bottle.  This is  the paragraph dealing with this.

Guests agree not to bring alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages on board for consumption or for any other use except as follows:

• For Guests of legal drinking age, an allowance of two (2) bottles of wine or champagne (750 mL in volume or less) per stateroom may be presented to security during embarkation.

• For world cruises, or cruises with consecutive voyages, this allowance can be multiplied by the number of segments that comprise the complete sailing. Items for future segments/voyages will be held by the vessel and delivered on the first day of each segment. Guests should present their documentation for any consecutive sailings to security on boarding day.

• A US $20.00 corkage fee (which is subject to change without notice) will apply to each additional bottle (750 ml in volume or less) beyond the two (2) bottle allowance. Limitations apply. Wine brought in quantities deemed to be excessive by the vessel or security will be refused.

• Guests are also prohibited from bringing water, sodas and other non-alcoholic beverages on board that are packaged in bottles. A small quantity of non-alcoholic beverages (i.e., sparkling water, sodas, juice, milk) packaged in cans or cartons may be brought on board on embarkation day, only if carried on in Guests’ hand luggage (not in checked luggage). A small quantity is considered a maximum of 12 sealed, unopened cans/cartons of 12 ounces each or less per person. Guests will be asked to discard open beverages in plastic containers prior to boarding.

3 hours ago, zelker said:

We are continuing our discussions with government authorities in the United States and Canada, and remain hopeful that an agreement will be reached to allow roundtrip Seattle cruises to Alaska later this summer. 

 

They only mention cruises out of Seattle which means minimal exposure to Canada - basically all the roundtrip cruises stop at Victoria vs mainland BC, but might they just dock at Victoria as a Service Call, which would then satisfy that stupid foreign port requirement (with nobody getting off the ship)?  

We think you are spot on with your analysis about doing a "service" stop in Victoria.  That would meet the "stupid foreign port requirement" for cruises out of Seattle.  Besides docking in Victoria is usually later in the day and it's quite a walk to get to downtown Victoria so you are not going to be able easily to take any major excursions.  Just do a "touch and go" landing to meet the requirement. 

17 minutes ago, S&B said:

I do not understand his thinking.  What is going to happen when a ship goes in to port and the Port Authority says......   Is everyone on your ship vaccinated including passengers and crew?  If not your ship cannot dock here.

  We are on 2 cruises in 2022 and I can very easily see that happening.  I believe Iceland has already said that everyone has to be vaccinated.  Please correct me if I am wrong.

I think the CEO is making a big mistake!!!  I agree with S&B's thoughts about ports denying port entry if guests and staff are not vaccinated.  Also if one unvaccinated guest comes down with Covid 19 that probably would end the cruise for all passengers.  That doesn't mean that vaccinated passengers couldn't come down with Covid 19 but vaccinations reduce that chance.  I also think the chance for doing private tours or doing ports on your own is to prove to port authorities that the full ship is vaccinated.  We are very disappointed that this may cause us to have our 6th cruise canceled in 2020 thur 2021.  😟

My Account Information, Current Bookings, Cruise History and Future Cruise credits are back up.... I can see everything.  Just as a lot of you thought, HAL was probably doing IT updates.  😀

Crossing our fingers that we'll be on board in Sept.

It's not Monte Carlo without a view of the harbor.

Can you spot your yacht there?

On 1/9/2021 at 4:17 PM, Papadog said:

Hello, 

I have noticed reading this, that someone mentioned an active roll call, I found no roll call, and actually stated one today!, could you please tell me

where to find this.

thank you

Lucille

I think the TA Roll Call you are looking for is under the heading Rotterdam VII.  You posted on the OLD Rotterdam heading.  That ship got sold and is not running under the HAL name.  I saw you opened a new thread under that heading.  Here is a link to the first page for the Rotterdam TA Oct 20, 2021.  At present it is a 45 page thread.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2757354-rotterdam-ta-oct-20-2021/

Thought we'd add another picture of the Osterdam from 2005 off the beach in Puerto Vallarta MX when she was anchored outside the old cruise ship harbor before the harbor was improved.  The harbor now can dock up to 3 ships at a time.  One of those super sunsets of a lifetime and by luck we had a HAL ship in the picture.

Th other photo is the Koningsdam and the Grand Princess still at anchorage in Puerto Vallarta MX as of Dec. 14, 2020.

Riick & Joyce

Well the Nieuw Amsterdam left Puerto Vallarta yesterday Dec. 13, 2020 after spending only one day in the cruise ship harbor.  About 4:10 LT it sailed past the Koningsdam and the Grand Princess anchored out side the harbor.  As the Nieuw Amsterdam passed the Koningsdam they tooted her horn and the Koningsdam replied with a sequence of toots.  Pretty cool.  Sorry I did not get it on video.  It appears the Nieuw Amsterdam is headed to LA Calif.  As it got out further to sea it was really trucking doing 18+ knots.

The 3rd photo is the Koningsdam at sunset at anchorage Puerto Vallarta.  Had to wait for the Koningsdam to turn her lights on so taking it in the dark was challenging. 

Rick & Joyce

Another day in Puerto Vallarta and another HAL cruise ship. The Nieuw Amsterdam came  into dock on Sun. the 13th of 2020.  The Koningsdam pulled out of the harbor last night around 7:10pm LT and anchored with the Grand Princess just out side the cruise ship docks.  All the ships have been using Dock 3 the northern newest dock in the harbor.  The condition of the hull on the Nieuw Amsterdam looked better than the Koningsdam but its pretty hard to comment  on the overall condition of the ships as we viewed them from the beach and street.  Have no idea how long they will stay here in Puerto Vallarta as both are scheduled to start Alaska cruises in May from Vancouver.

Not so easy to get good shots in the predawn light.

Rick & Joyce

Kazu, hope you are feeling better.

25 minutes ago, rafinmd said:

Welcome to the Daily.

 

Roy

I've been reading but haven't been posting.  Finally had something to post today.