SilvertoGold

I have Android with the 4.17 version. I have a ton of info for my next cruise on this app and version. How to date and will updating destroy what I have on the older version? Thanks!

Congrats on your imminent 4 star status! With your sense of humour and and excellent writing skills you deserve those perks :) Thanks for the good ideas and the fun read. We think Package 2 is a better buy, better wine choices, but you know what you like - enjoy!

Keep the bottom copy of the form for checking off items when they are returned. HAL should know about your purchase. Room attendant doesn't care about this. The Front desk places the charge (or not). They will need to look up your account and I hope they get it right the first time :) Take your receipt for having bought the package! First day is fine, may take a couple of days for return, or not! HAL uses quite harsh detergent and I like to wash my delicates myself. Hot water + hot dryer can "tighten up" some items and "loosen up" others. I pretty much have to throw out my DH's woven undies after a month cruise since the inch wide elastic stretches out. Have a lovely cruise!

Haha! I know about that from teaching in university :) You rock!!!

I miss the chocolates and coffee drinks nightly in the Explorers Lounge. Not that I need the calories, but it was a very elegant room and service then.

Yes, you would think so! Too many newbies who are not well trained could be part of it. That this type of accounting problem is so persistent I find embarrassing for HAL. If they made these errors consistently with cruise reservation accounting I am sure they would get it fixed!

Thank you for this post! Fascinating, hilarious, scary and disgusting all in one. You are very long-suffering and how you handle this so stoically and politely impresses me!

Interesting thread. 10 years ago on a HAL Australia/NZ cruise our bar server was telling us he had been up until 3 am when his bar finally closed. A lot of drinking on that cruise and HAL was keeping guests well supplied! Things change!

I wonder if this varies by ship/itinerary. The ships know their statistics and if they have an older pax load they would maybe plan earlier closings. A younger crowd might see more open later if the demand is there.

No one thought it worth the extra charge?

Lobster at Sel on HAL is very nice, even the appetizer! But nothing all than special, though.

This is so true. We found the beef dishes were large: if you wanted more rather than less, we knew to order beef. Fish, vegetarian, past were smaller portions. Inconsistent, definitely!

Extra charges are upsells. In MDR lobster, surf and turf; in Pinnacle caviar, Delmonico steak, lobster mac and cheese, lobster are examples of the extra charge options

Noordam? From what I am reading and the photos I see even HAL's World Cruise is having a lot of cut backs, small portions, extra charges, etc. That said, I agree we were well-fed in the MDR last year over several cruises on three different ships. LIke you I see no need to stray from the MDR! BTW: I note that the pricing for Canaletto just increased from $19 to $25 + 18%.

The app for a late March cruise notes Canaletto $19 + 18% and then further in it notes $29.50 (which may be $25 + 18%). Pinnacle dinner remains $39 + 18% = $46.02

No, great time to sail and you get too see Johns Hopkins close-up and enjoy the many seals. This happens only after September 1.

OP is "original poster". Sorry about that!

I would suggest the 14 day on the Noordam or N Amsterdam. A better overview of Alaska That or the back-to-back 7+7 day on either ship: this gives you double dockings at the ports so you can you have two chances to see it all.

Not sure what OP means exactly but cruising over Christmas or not, timing and choices for air flights, hotel arrangements would all be a consideration, too. If it were me, with R/T air so far, I would do both and have a very Merry Christmas :)

We plan to, as long as you don't clean out the stores :)

Oh, yes, that is a very good point. Hoping to see all three areas there, so spectacular a day it will be even if it rains. I know just the place on the ship to be outside and covered from any rain. Thanks for the help!.

Hi, Jean Lovely post, very helpful overall. Really hope your weather starts to behave itself, for your tourism and for you long-suffering Kiwis. You have been through so much! Sounds as if Napier is on the port list still and we will be shopping and buying all those cookies there!

No one has asked about HAL but with the cutbacks, extra charges at the Pinnacle for dinner (only one of appetizer/soup/ salad or pay US$7 + 18% for an extra), many upsells and smaller portions the pricing of US$39 + 18% = US$92 per couple with no extra charges or wine is not worth it. Add on the exchange for us = CND$124 and we will be going for lunch only :)

Jean! Any idea about rain? Is this the time of year when we could expect a lot of rain or none? Appreciate all your help, you have been a huge resource in planning for this adventure.

Can we expect much rain/showers/drizzle last week of March and first week of May? Auckland, ports down east coast and over to Australia.