0106

I hope everyone who posted about the Ball and Chocolate Surprise remembers to put this information on your post cruise survey. I think using the Lido pool would be nice too. Safe travels home everyone.

@Ready2go11on the Oosterdam in February, the lectures by the onboard guest lecturers for Antarctic were live streamed into The Rolling Stones lounge and were still overcrowded. After much complaining from the passengers, they were recorded and could be viewed in the cabin at a later time. The only programs that could be viewed in the cabin were the guest lecturers. No other on board program from the Main Stage was available for viewing in the cabin.

Happy Friday! I love daffodils. This photo was taken in Baltimore’s Patterson Park by Barbara Haddock Taylor from The Sun staff. I wandered lonely as a cloud That floats on high o'er vales and hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host, of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. William Wordsworth

Maybe paying for amusement park type rides on Carnival and other cruise lines?

@BermudaBound2014 Thank you for this excellent LIVE thread and your tips for do-it-yourself on Hilo. The whale watching excursion looked fantastic. What company did you use? @Breezy66We are thinking of booking a helicopter tour too. Is there a reason you booked with Viatour instead of directly with the company? What was the refund policy if the ship doesn’t make the port? I will be on this cruise in 2025 and am trying to organize my Hawaii shore trip excursions. I have HIA credit to use but prefer private excursions . If you or anyone else on the cruise have any suggestions , I would appreciate it.

I just disembarked from the Nieuw Statendam, milkshakes were included in my HIA package. Current LIVE threads from the Koningsdam and Oosterdam state that milkshakes are included in HIA too. I hope your granddaughter enjoys the cruise!

I love your socks! I wonder if there is an intentional link between Down syndrome day and Best Buddies month? Many of the students in the Best Buddies program had Down syndrome.

Happy Thursday! Watching the Today Show this morning, I was reminded that March is Best Buddies month, a wonderful organization that had an active group in the high school where I formerly taught. Started in 1993 as a one-day event, it has become a month-long celebration promoting one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, leadership development and inclusive living for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. I tended bar in Baltimore for 10 years and I’ve never heard of a Baltimore Bang. Baltimore is known for rye whiskey, not bourbon, so I think it should at least be made with rye. Positive thoughts for those who need them. Cheers to those celebrating and cruising.

I’ve seen those containers for additional life rafts. Are they open to the sea? How many people do they hold? Are they for the crew? Could you please check to see how many the tenders hold for use as a life boat. Last week on the NS, there was a running joke about elevator capacity. The one I frequently used had a capacity of 18. We were never able to fit more than 14. Once, with 13 inside, an alarm sounded and the elevator would not move. The crew said someone had to get off because we were over the weight capacity. I hope life rafts never have to be used but if there is an emergency, I hope there is room for everyone.

@Mike B LandlubberThanks for your feedback on OJ & milkshakes. I’d use the Let Us Know feature of the Navigator App to get the charge explained. $5.90 seems like a lot for chocolate milk. At the end of the day, we stock our frig with water and Perrier because we never drink 15 drinks. You could ask for unopened cans of soda or beer too.

Do you have the HIA package? If so, maybe you can help. There has been some debate about milkshakes and fresh squeezed orange juice being included in the package. Were you charged?

I heard this was happening a few weeks ago. I just returned from two weeks on the Nieuw Statendam. According to the servers, the first week there were 2600 onboard. It was easy to find a deck chair and a table in the Lido. The second week there were more than 2800 onboard and that small increase turned the ship into a mob scene: lines, no deck chairs or tables, bathrooms running out of supplies. I really felt sorry for the staff. The NS passenger capacity has been listed as 2666 with a crew of 1036. There are 20 life boats with a capacity of 150 each, so room for 3000 people. What happens if there is an emergency and the ship needs to be evacuated? I have 4 future cruises booked with HAL. I am very particular about my cabin. If I am moved before final payment, I will cancel. If I am moved after final payment (unless it is to a Neptune Suite🤣) I will never book with HAL again. BTW, on my post cruise survey, I wrote at length about the overcrowding on week two giving specific examples. I also stated that I would never sail a ship where “3rd/4th guests or kids sail free” is a promotion because of the overcrowding it causes.

Dogs in yellow? Yellow dogs? My nephew just adopted this beautiful golden retriever.But the day is really to raise awareness about anxious and reactive dogs. Hoping everyone can find some happiness today.

@Mike B Landlubber We had an extraordinary time on the Oosterdam in February. The crew and Captain Kevin were outstanding. We were happy that we had fixed dining, the servers were great and the food was delicious. I look forward to your posts.

1. Since I had no problem using my iPhone with the basic surf package, I do not know her “secret good spots” but I do know she frequently sat on the balcony of our deck 8 aft cabin and successfully made WhatsApp calls. 2. I did not pay extra for any drinks. I drank Domaine Ste Michelle Brut and Grey Goose and soda. Some frozen drinks are $12 in which case you would pay the $1 difference plus 18% gratuity = $1.18. IMO upgrading to the Elite beverage package is not necessary, just pay the difference. Also, if you book early the HIA package includes the upgrades. Here is my statement for a 14 day cruise.

Happy International Read to Me Day! Our local library has a wonderful program where children read to dogs. More than one out of five students in primary school is reading below their expected grade level. Research has shown that reading out loud to another person can improve overall reading performance for poor readers. Reading out loud to a dog improves reading comprehension even more than reading to an adult. The learning process is really simple. The child gets to choose a book at their current level of competency and sits and reads to the dog out loud. The dog provides a nonjudgmental and socially supportive presence, and by staying near and paying attention to the child the dog provides positive reinforcement that improves both self-esteem and motivation in the child. Sending you all good wishes.

I am an iPhone user. I had HIA which included the basic “surf” internet on three recent cruises: the Rotterdam in October, the Oosterdam in February and the Nieuw Statendam this month, I was able to FaceTime, iMessage and send pictures to other Apple users. I was able to do the same on WhatsApp to non-Apple users. Actually had a 30 minutes WhatsApp call while in Antarctica where internet is sometimes spotty regardless of the package. YMMV: Last week, my roommate struggled with her Android phone but eventually found several good connection locations on the ship to use WhatsApp with the included basic Surf internet.

@rwethereyet1969 !. I have never had a problem getting a drink for myself and my DH at the same time. . They would both be deducted from the card. FYI- a “key card” needs to remain in the slot by the cabin door in order for the lights to work. Some people bring an old hotel room key or something similar but we find it convenient to store our actual key card there. 2. Is there a headphone jack on the stateroom TV for wired headphones? Never really looked but I don’t think so. 3. The small coffee table between the sofa and window be moved around the room. I see no reason why the small balcony table couldn’t be moved inside the stateroom. We often had food placed on the desk but ate at the coffee table although it is a bit low. I hope you enjoy your balcony. Bring a warm jacket and rain coat. Have a wonderful cruise!

Good Monday morning and back to the real world for me. I will celebrate Global Recycling Day. This information is from their website. Every year, the Earth yields billions of tons of natural resources and at some point, in the not too distant future, it will run out. That’s why we must think again about what we throw away – seeing not waste, but opportunity. Recycling is a key part of the circular economy, helping to protect our natural resources. Each year the ‘Seventh Resource’ (recyclables) saves over 700 million tonnes in CO2 emissions and this is projected to increase to 1 billion tons by 2030. There is no doubt recycling is on the front line in the war to save the future of our planet and humanity. Global Recycling Day was created in 2018 to help recognise, and celebrate, the importance recycling plays in preserving our precious primary resources and securing the future of our planet. It is a day for the world to come together and put the planet first. The mission of Global Recycling Day, as set out by the Global Recycling Foundation, is twofold: 1. To tell world leaders that recycling is simply too important not to be a global issue, and that a common, joined up approach to recycling is urgently needed. 2. To ask people across the planet to think resource, not waste, when it comes to the goods around us – until this happens, we simply won’t award recycled goods the true value and repurpose they deserve.

Happy 4th Anniversary to the Daily. I appreciate all the dedicated posters. I particularly enjoy the recipes and the port pictures. It was a busy day in Half Moon Cay as the NS and the Rotterdam shared the island. We are currently sailing toward Ft Lauderdale, 13 days have flown by.

Just received this note

Just received this…

Currently on the Nieuw Statendam sailing the Caribbean. There’s a sheltie onboard, not even wearing a vest. We were docked aft to aft with the Carnival Celebration yesterday in St Thomas. I was napping but the sound of barking dogs woke me up. When I went out to the verandah, I could see 2 dogs on different verandahs of the Carnival ship barking at each other. Honestly, I have never heard a true service dog bark unless alerting the owner about a problem (diabetic alert). I appreciate every thing true service dogs do for their owners but this is getting out of hand. (Should we retitle this thread “service dogs”? Sorry @Haljo1935 I appreciate your live thread. We are doing this cruise in 2025.)

A lot of good info on this thread. I was unable to move up even though I turned 4 star after 1 day on a 2 week collector cruise.

@Haljo1935 I spoke to guest services on board. They said my status would be updated 7-10 after I retirn d from my cruise. I paid $25 for a bag of laundry. @pmjnhGood luck. Enjoy your cruise!