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Yes

The topic of this thread is about how to communicate with others when on the ship, not emergency contact by people who are not on the ship.

Your phones will work while you are in an Alaskan port. When you are cruising, it will depend on how far you are from a US cell phone tower. As a US state, you can use your phone in Alaska just like you can in Hawaii and the lower 48 for no additional roaming charges. Calls within the US are included, as is texting. Data comes from your plan . In some areas you may see ROAMING on your phone but it is not an additional charge. This info is from my provider, Verizon. I would check with your carrier but I believe you will be able to use your phone with no roaming fees while in port.

You are going to be in Alaska. If you all have US cell phone numbers you can just call each other like if you were home in Colorado.

You will receive an email from HAL asking you to submit your excursion reviews. I received them one at a time, between 2 and 3 weeks after my cruise in February.

I will happily celebrate all of the days. I love butterflies and have plants in my garden that encourages them to visit. I have planted milkweed especially for the monarchs. I love potato chips but rarely buy them because of I do, I eat the entire bag in one sitting. For my many Math teacher friends… @marshhawk Last night, you asked about a $110 special dinner on your NA cruise in May. I believe you are on a Culinary Cruise. Here is some info from the HA website: Learn to slice, dice and sauté like a master at live cooking demonstrations, attend coffee chats and exclusive chef-hosted dinners*(this is probably the $110 dinner your friend is referring to), and taste their signature dishes. Share your passion with other aficionados on board. Return from your journey with new recipes and a new appreciation for a well-crafted meal. Here is some info about the chef on your cruise from the HA website.Chef and Culinary Council member Andy Matsuda joins an Alaska voyage departing May 7, 2023. His delectable sushi is offered at Nami Sushi, Tamarind and Lido Market. Chef Andy also teaches aspiring chefs about Japanese cuisine. Try his Seared Albacore Tuna and Fried Soft-Shell Crab at Nami Sushi. I would love to be on a Culinary Cruise!

I loved our cruise o the Rotterdam int” the beginning of February. Unfortunately, the Seaview pool was leaking and the bar was frequently flooded. Was that problem resolved?

Here is an excellent live thread that includes the Daily Programs. Here’s a thread about vegetarian meals. Check out the other info from “Crew News” posts for more menus. You do not need to pay for coffee or tea when you get room service for breakfast.

@GeorgeCharlieThank you for your detailed trip report. I appreciate your private tour info. We are thinking about booking a cruise on the Oosterdam which includes Antarctica in January 2024. What do you think is a better embarkation port, Santiago or Buenos Aires? I was wondering if east to west or west to east made a difference in the Drake channel too.

Deck 8 aft is my favorite location. If you are in your room and something is spotted on the other side of the ship, you can run up one deck to view it. You are under the Seaview Bar. The only time I hear noise from above is when the pick up the chairs in the evening and put them back out in the morning but it was brief and not when I was trying to sleep. Your verandah is covered, no problem with privacy and you will be somewhat protected from the wind and weather.

Here is the rest of Maya Angelou’s quote where she reflects on the meaning of life. She was a very wise women, a fabulous poet and writer. I’ve always had the feeling that life loves the liver of it. You must live and life will be good to you, give you experiences. They may not all be that pleasant, but nobody promised you a rose garden. But more than likely if you do dare, what you get are the marvelous returns. Thank you @StLouisCruisers for getting us started and the fabulous pictures. Several of you have been talking about an Antarctic cruise in 2025. I just got a Private Fare offer for the 2024 Oosterdam Antarctic cruises that is a really good price. I am trying to decide if I should begin the cruise in Santiago or Buenos Aires? Which direction is better? West to east or vice versa? I was specifically thinking of the Drake passage. TYIA

Sending all who read the Daily warm wishes on Plant a Flower Day. Flowers bring us happiness, love and smiles. This picture was taken at Longwood Gardens last week. Yesterday, I planted spinach and lettuce seeds in window boxes. If there is a threat of frost, I’ll bring them in. I usually wait until May to plant my annuals outdoors.

Noordam was last refurbished in March 2022. This info was posted by @VMax1700

You can use the Navigator app to book excursions and to avoid standing in line after you board. I book the HAL excursions that are most important to me using my HIA credits prior to boarding. As soon as I board, I use the Navigator app and my OBC to book additional excursions. You can use your OBC to pay for your crew appreciation.

Good Morning! Thanks to all who make the Daily a great way to start my day. I appreciate @dfish posting the recipe for homemade Za’atar, another wonderful Middle Eastern spice blend. Spices blends really wake up your taste buds! I recently saw a phone booth in the ER of our local hospital. I actually stopped and did a double take. I agree with @kochleffel that awesome is an over used word. I only use it when something inspires awe. I think this full rainbow over St Lucia is awesome. Positive energy to those who need it. Cheers to those celebrating and cruising.

I have high standards for food and am very happy with my recent experiences on HAL. We had fixed dining on the Oosterdam November. Ate in the MDR 12 nights. Food was very good, for my meat loving DH and for my pescatarian diet. After the first night, the waiter knew our preferences and made suggestions about what we might enjoy on the menu. Often suggested entrees that could be made without meat. Provided extra vegetables for me. Enjoyed every meal. Loved Canaletto, DH particularly, Osso Bucco. Pinnacle was average, steak good, no large scallops, ordered halibut, it was ok. Ate 9 breakfasts and dinners in Club Orange on the Rotterdam in February. Sat in the same section, with the same waiter every meal. Food was extraordinary, particularly the Peruvian chicken and the scallop entree (which was better than the scallops I had in the Pinnacle) Meals were customized to our taste. One bad entree (beyond meat coconut meatballs) was quickly noticed by waiter, whisked away and replaced with a new dish in less than 5 minutes. Tamarind excellent (as always), Pinnacle good. NY Pizza, excellent, and Deli excellent if you request extra meat. Grand Dutch Cafe, very good.

The “meal suggestion” and the recipes @dfish provides always inspire me. Shawarma is dish that requires Middle Eastern spices; it has a very different flavor profile than a Greek gyro. It is easy to prepare your shawarma spice mix. Here is a simple blend: ¾ tablespoon cumin ¾ tablespoon turmeric powder ¾ tablespoon coriander ¾ tablespoon garlic powder ¾ tablespoon sweet Spanish paprika ½ teaspoon ground cloves ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, more if you prefer My family knows I love to cook and often gift me unique kitchen ingredients and utensils. This year, receive a subscription to Piquant Post. Each month I receive three spice blends from a single region, as well as recipes that are easy and quick to cook. You can also view additional recipes online and reorder the spices. My box introduced me to shawarma and it is a delicious blend. I frequently use it on chicken for my DH and mushrooms or cauliflower for me. Find ecstasy in life; the mere sense of living is joy enough. Emily Dickinson is one of my favorite poets. I agree that we should find joy every day, in the simple things. Holding a grudge, get over it. Don’t panic, take a deep breath. I hope everyone is able to find some JOY today.

As an English teacher. I am impressed with the quality of writing on this site. You obviously celebrate proofreading every day. I celebrate International Women all year. For the cat lovers… For the children.., For smiles… I will follow @dfish and celebrate kindness instead of nastiness. Did you get a email from HAL introducing Legendary Voyages? Several have piqued my interest. Positive thoughts to those who need them. Here’s to those celebrating and cruising.

@kochleffelIn my opinion you have no reason to worry about your upcoming YA. DH and I had a wonderful time on the Oosterdam Spanish Farewell in November 2023. We enjoyed our stay in Barcelona prior to the cruise. The ports were fantastic. From Cadiz we took a tour to Seville and toured Barrio Santa Cruz, the historic Jewish quarter and the Royal Alcazar Palace, a wonderful mix of Christian, Jewish and Muslim architecture. My favorite port was the island of Madeira, I could go back there for a week. The ship was not crowded, we took a very reasonable upgrade to a Signature Suite. The staff was extraordinary. The food was good. We had an excellent guest lecturer and daily cooking demonstrations on sea days. The ship was in fine shape. @kazu did a live thread of our sailing and @ger_77was on the trip too.

Anyone currently onboard who could comment on changes or up grades made during the dry dock? TYIA

Good Morning! The sun is shining and it is another beautiful day in MD. I’m ready for Spring. We went for a nice hike yesterday, had to take our jackets off as the temperature rose to over 60 degrees. Just catching up from yesterday’s Daily. Thank you @cat shepardfor the wine reviews. Domaine Ste. Michelle Brut, is my go to when sailing on a BHB. Today’s white blend looks delicious too. For those looking for a wine lighter in calories and alcohol, I recommend Osmosis. I really like their Sauvignon Blanc and it is very reasonably price, $14 at Total Wine. Oreos are my DH’s favorite cookies. Oh my, have they increased in price. Thanks @dfishfor the fried rice recipes. Here is an important tip, use leftover rice, freshly cooked rice is to moist. As always, I really appreciate the port pictures. I hope to get to New Zealand ( and Australia) some day but my DH hates those long flights. Positive thoughts to those who need them. Cheers to those celebrating and cruising.

@HELENPSLYou have mail.

I’m waiting for a sale which includes crew appreciation.

When the Eurodam was in dry dock, what happened to the service staff? Is there an all new crew on today’s cruise? Just wondering what happens to the the servers, bar staff and cabin attendants when there are no passengers.

@mikebsxmI see no reason for you to add CO. When I add CO, I book the least expensive verandah cabin(obstructed view) and upgrade to the highest verandah, the cost of CO is less than the cost difference for the upgraded verandah. I also like the CO dining room on the Pinnacle ships. The Oosterdam does not have a dedicated CO dining room,