TiogaCruiser

Platinum is part of the older medallion system

Last cruise DH reached 3 star ( no fanfare nor pin expected or received) and I hit copper medallion. DH answered a knock on our door and our steward handed him my medallion and told him it was for me. DH is now looking forward to me reaching free laundry.🥴

We’ve noticed a trend in the past couple of years that the hotels are taking microwaves out of the rooms and offering one per floor or in a common area. That has occurred in several Marriots in the LA area, and we noticed it on a recent trip to Northern California and Arizona.

I attended the watercolor class on volendam last April. It was free. We watched a video ( I think it was a HAL video) on how to get pigment to flow off the brush. We got 2 dots of watercolor pigment to work with and the project was a jellyfish. No color theory, nothing but a quick introduction to applying watercolor to paper.

In the past you just sent them to storage (just like when you buy liquor) and it’s delivered to you the night before you disembark.

He’s not a pax. He works at the port.

Some fares are not compatible with the OBC. I ended up emailing and calling before I found out ours wasn’t. So it’s sitting in my account

You’ll have to take that up with HAL.

My gosh, of all the vegetables it could have been.

Bon Voyage Jacque! Wishing you safe travels.

The cost of Platinum is roughly 10% of the cruise fare (only).

As opposed to a REAL promenade deck like this:

And I thought there might have been some naughtiness involved….

We sailed to Mexico (Oosterdam 12 day) and had Ambassadors onboard for cultural activities during sea days and for sail away in 2022. This past spring we did Panama Canal Volendam and had no special speakers. The CD ( or whatever the current title is) did do a lecture on the history of the canal that he wrote. He also did a presentation on where to be during the transit. But that was it for lectures. It might depend somewhat on class of ship but that really has no baring on whether lecturers CAN be provided. R and S class ships previously had lecturers. Our cruise to Antarctica in 2013 had at least 3 lectures a day on pertinent topics by the 4 man team. That was on Veendam, a smaller ship. So size isn’t an excuse.

Precovid (2019) we stayed at Monet Gardens and loved it. We purchased the room with breakfast option and enjoyed a lovely breakfast in their garden room.

We did the same with the HAL logo towels. I requested to purchase one and DH decided he wanted one too.

Was Japan part of the original itinerary? If not, how do they deal with visas?

@oakridger brought up an important point- Vista Suites are different based on the class of ship. I don’t see where OP stated which ship(s) they are considering.

Agree with the others, way too small. And what would happen should someone(s) get sick and be confined to quarters….

Roughly 10% of CRUISE Fare ( only) but also covers flights booked through Flightease and pre-/post cruise tours booked through HAL.

Back in January Pete @The Inside Cabin posted information on the guest lecturers. ( as this is a screenshot that I sent to a friend, the “link” won’t work.

Thank you for taking us along with you-again!

We did a 17 day Panama Canal on volendam in April and the only thing remotely close was a well done original lecture by the Travel Director ( or whatever the CD is called now) and another lecture about where to be while going through the canal. He also provided commentary while going through the canal. If you haven’t read/ heard A Path Between the Seas it is well worth it. It’s available on Audible.

The cellist also- I enjoyed watching her expressions. I thought they were quite balanced.

Correction on this- it was Volendam.