Turtles06

Thanks Ine. Will a taxi be a good way to get to the ship?

We're embarking from Amsterdam on the HAL Rotterdam on July 1. The Cruise Port Amsterdam web site shows us as the only ship in port that day (as does cruisetimetables.com), yet Cruise Port Amsterdam shows us at the Waterland Terminal. I was curious about why this would be the case with no other ships in port, since I've read that Waterland is only used for overflow. Anyone know? Thanks, and thanks also for any advice about getting to the ship.

I don't think anyone disagrees with you; I certainly don't. But that's up to NCL, not what we all think is fair.

In case any of us booked this summer out of Amsterdam wind up in the same position, do you mind letting us know who you are booked with for that private transport? Thanks!

The perks that @itsnotjustme will receive will be "doubled" up not because they will be on board the ship for 14 days but because they are booked on a B2B -- two separate cruises. They will receive their Lats benefits for each individual cruise. On longer cruises (one booking), it's up to the ship whether you get additional perks (e.g., another free bag of laundry). There is no written NCL policy of which I'm aware that you get additional Lats perks for longer cruises just because of their length. (Happy to be corrected if I've missed it.)

Same here. On a Canada/New England cruise we took a few years ago, we decided to have lobster rolls in many of the ports, and decide which was best. (The winner was the West Street Cafe in Bar Harbor.) I also fell in love with poutine in Quebec City, and with BeaverTails. Luckily, there was a BeaverTail shop in several other Canadian ports. 😊 And I’ll give a huge thumbs up to the Holy Donut in Portland. Best donut I’ve ever had.

Yes. But it’s always good to check your account periodically (regardless of OBC).

In the event that wine is also of interest to you: last month on the Gem we found a very limited selection of wines by the glass at $15 or less. Even the domestic sparkling wine Domaine Chandon was an absurd $20/glass.

You’re very welcome. The entire forum is excellent. Lots of very helpful Brits and other local experts.

There are no "shuttles" from Southampton to London, which is about 80 miles away. There are buses and trains, as well as private car transfers. How to get from one city to the other is a regularly asked and answered question over in the British Isles Port of Call forum (so much so that there's even a pinned thread at the top of the forum); it would be a good resource for you: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/148-british-isleswestern-europe/

I'm not the OP, but I'll just note that we did the Tarcoles River as part of a private tour (with a small group from our Roll Call) back in 2017. It was fabulous. We saw lots of wildlife then. I hope nothing has changed. (Sometimes it depends on the time of day of your tour. Midday in the tropics -- many creatures with brains are taking a siesta. 🙂 ) (photos by turtles06)

Thanks for taking the time to post such a detailed and well-organized review. I'm glad you enjoyed your cruise! It was interesting to read your observations about the demographics of your cruise, which embarked in Fuerte Amador. My wife and I returned last month from B2B Panama Canal cruises on the Gem, NY to Fuerte Amador, and Fuerte Amador to NY. The two cruises had very different "vibes" and demographics. The first leg, out of NY, was older and had more Americans, and it felt to me that many people were there in large measure to transit the Canal. The second leg was more like your cruise -- younger, and more diverse in nationalities. It also seemed to me that lots of folks, coming from Central or South America, were more interested in a cruise to NY than in seeing the Canal. Each leg was fun!

Keep in mind that it’s not always the weather in Bermuda that may cause the port to be missed. We were on the Gem scheduled to depart NY on January 25 for a Panama Canal cruise, with Bermuda our first scheduled port, Because of very bad weather south of NY Harbor, our departure was delayed until the next day, and Bermuda was skipped.

There's always hope, isn't there? 🙂

I'll add some additional thoughts to the excellent comments of @njhorseman, above. First, my wife and I returned just last month from 23 days aboard the NCL Gem, on B2B Panama Canal cruises. (Yes, we were on actual Panama Canal cruises, unlike the OP.) We had a wonderful time. And in that span of 23 days, we missed only one port, Bermuda, the first port scheduled after our departure from NY. Our departure from NY was delayed, and Bermuda missed, because of honest to goodness winter weather -- in late January, imagine that! NCL's fault? Obviously not. Nevertheless, NCL made lemonade out of our having to miss Bermuda -- they were able to give us more time in our next port, St. Thomas. Instead of the originally scheduled port time of 12pm-8pm, we were in St. Thomas from 9am-8pm. Arriving that much earlier in the morning got us to the beautiful Magens Bay Beach ahead of any crowds, and we enjoyed one of the best beach days ever. And, as scheduled, on each leg of the B2B, we docked at Taino Bay in the Dominican Republic (which I mention only because of the OP; it has nothing to do with the Panama Canal). A final thought: the Panama Canal forum has for years been a wonderful source of information about the Canal, a place where I have been able to learn from Canal experts and give back a bit of my own personal experience as I have transited the Canal over the years (now four times in total), a place where Canal newbies come to learn about the Canal, etc. It has been a kind and friendly place that has escaped the contentiousness, divisiveness, and downright meanness that has infected so much of social media, including other forums right here in Cruise Critic. Unsolicited bashing of a cruise line, especially when the poster has not even transited the Canal on that cruise line, is just not in keeping with what this forum is about.

The Grand Pacific (the larger of the two MDRs) will be open.

Left out of the Manhattan Cruise Terminal on the Gem in late January. No one looked at our check in time.

Welcome to Cruise Critic! As noted above, the vouchers will be part of a card you’ll find in your stateroom upon embarkation. (They are detachable.) Be careful to go through everything you find waiting for you carefully. Remember to bring the voucher to dinner. You’ll be asked for it. Enjoy your cruise!

Here you go: https://www.bytoget.no/byer/aalesund

It's not about "sensitivity" to water, it's about preventing mineral buildup (scaling) in the device from minerals in the water, and also keeping bacteria out. Perhaps there are no minerals in NZ water? And too pure for bacteria? This is not from people who sell distilled water: "Distilled water is the best choice for CPAP humidifiers because it’s pure water that is free of minerals and bacteria. Hospitals, labs, and factories often use distilled water instead of tap water because it prevents limescale buildup on devices. Using the wrong type of water in your CPAP humidifier can cause mineral buildup, scaling, or bacterial growth. It may also irritate your airways or cause your machine or its components to break down." https://www.sleepfoundation.org/cpap/should-you-use-distilled-water-for-a-cpap-machine#:~:text=Purified or filtered water can,the purest possible water behind.

They don’t refund to credit cards from the ship. The Gem skipped Bermuda (due to weather) on our cruise in late January. No refund of port fees. (Nothing I lost sleep over.)

Thanks Helen. We’re on the Rotterdam in July. Also, we’re in a Signature Suite. Any idea if the outlets are next to the bed there?

Thanks, and if I have to do that, of course I will. My experience has been that stewards are incredibly busy on turnaround day; on some occasions, I haven't even seen the steward the first day (which is fine, they are working like crazy).

Thanks Ruth. I don’t have a TA, which is why I asked who to call. This HAL site says to contact the Access and Compliance Dept, but I have no idea whether it’s current, nor does it give a phone number. https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/accessibility/special-requirements.html

If I might ask a related question -- will HAL provide a long extension cord if requested pre-cruise? And to whom does one make that request? Thanks!