newbie53

So happy to hear you are cancer free! It's great to see you posting. I'm mostly a lurker, but have enjoyed your blogs and have thought about you often. Enjoy  your cruise!

21 hours ago, Cruise Suzy said:

 

If you have a tablet or laptop, feedback and requests can also be done on those via navigator.hollandamerica.com as @richwmn suggested in post #5.

20 hours ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

You can probably upgrade your phone for free or less than the price of a pinnacle dinner. 

18 hours ago, RuthC said:

If you don't have a laptop, tablet, or other connecting device with you on the cruise, the ship provides an Internet Center with a few full computers for passenger use. 

18 hours ago, kazu said:

I have a smartphone but I far prefer my Ipad and use it to access the Navigator.  Works well (just in case it may be of help).

@Cruise Suzy @The-Inside-Cabin @RuthC @kazu

Thank you all for the information and suggestions.  I was able to load the app on one tablet, so that should work, although I will probably use the web page as well.  No plans to upgrade my phone at the moment. It works fine for everything I need except this one app, and there are plenty of work arounds for this one item.  I don't have a plan that includes upgrading, so it will probably cost me more than a pinnacle dinner 🙂

25 minutes ago, richwmn said:

You can also go to navigator.hollandamerica.com using a browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari) when connected to the ship's WiFi and get the same information as the app gives you. I have always done this on my laptop, and I just verified that it works on my tablet which won't load the app.

 

@richwmn Thanks, glad that is still available. That's what I used to use before all this app stuff.

17 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said:

You can install v4.30.0, it is compatible w/Android 10. If it gets wonky, just close it out and reopen.

https://www.9apps.com/android-apps/Holland-America-Line-Navigator/version-history-1/

@Haljo1935 Good info to know. Thanks.  I'll probably just use the web version, but nice to have this as an option.

11 minutes ago, Gunther1 said:

Personally, I mainly use it just to communicate with my husband and/or friends on the ship.

 

How DID we survive before IM 😉?

@Gunther1 I was just thinking the same thing regarding cell phones yesterday!

@FlaMariner and @iflyrc5  Thank you both!  Good to know the alternatives.

How important is it to have the Navigator App?  When I go to Google Play Store it says the app won't work on my phone. I also can't find the system requirements.

I have a Samsung A6 with Android 10 on it.  It's almost 5 years old, so I'm assuming it just doesn't have the minimum requirements.  What will I miss out on by not having the app on my phone?

So sorry you wound up in the hospital.  I've been following  your blog with great interest and was concerned that you hadn't posted for a few days.  Please feel better soon.

Sue

5 hours ago, Scrapnana said:

 When we arrived, we had a "wet landing" meaning we had to get out of the boat and wade through the water to the beach and then make our way up to Ampangorina, a fishing village.

How were you able to keep shoes dry?  Did they give you something to wear over them?

My whale watch excursion in Maui was also cancelled.  I found out when I was checking my credit card and found the credit from Princess.  Went looking to see why I had the credit, and saw the excursion was gone.

8 hours ago, JF - retired RRT said:

If the app or the web-based app won't let you, just wait until you're on the ship. It won't be a problem. We were in a suite in April and went to the Crown Grill on the first day and had no difficulty booking a first night res.

Thank you!

Hi,

We are traveling in a suite in January.  How do I book my complimentary first evening specialty dining without having to provide a credit card number?  

Thanks.

6 hours ago, beg3yrs said:

I've done this multiple times. It's pretty simple. Just go through the process to book the new flights. EZair cancels your current flights simultaneously with sucessfully making the new reservation. If the there's a problem making the new reservation, your old reservation is still there.

Thank you, it worked great.  I saved about $230.

What is the safest way to reprice my ezair flights?  It's the exact same flight as already booked, just a little cheaper.  I'm worried about accidentally losing my booked flights.   

Thanks for your advice.

35 minutes ago, scottca075 said:

 

Uber Black estimates at around $100, Uber Lux estimates at around $150, so $165 isn't far off.

Good to know, thank you.  Curbsideexpresslax quoted me $85, but that didn't include tip.  That would put them around the Uber Black estimate, with the advantage of curbside pickup.  The downside to them is you pay at booking, and if you cancel, you just get a credit, not a refund. 

Just now, PacnGoNow said:

That seems high.

I thought so.  That's why I questioned it.  

6 hours ago, PacnGoNow said:

What did they quote you?

Total including tip was just over $166 

1 hour ago, PacnGoNow said:

I’m trying Curbsideexpress dot com. Check them out. 

Thanks, I'll check them out.

2 hours ago, scottca075 said:

Quality is like buying oats. If you want nice fresh oats you have to pay a fair price. If you can be satisfied with oats that have already been thru the horse, that comes a little cheaper.

 

You aren't just paying for curbside service, you are paying for a higher quality vehicle, a higher quality driver and a higher overall experience.

 

The only other service I'd check is Uber Black.

Oh I agree with paying for the quality, etc.  The question is, what is a fair price for that quality?  I don't know what that would be in the LA area.  From my house to the airport (about the same distance as LAX to San Pedro) for a nice limo service, it is about half of what I was quoted.  So how much more should I expect the cost to be for LA?  Just trying to understand what the going rate would be for this type of service.   I really don't want to have to go to LAXit.  I'll be pushing DH in a transport chair, as well as trying to juggle a walker, suitcases, and carry on pieces. 

Thanks for the feedback.

Hi, I am looking for a limo service that will pick us up curbside and take us to the Crown Plaza in San Pedro.  I got a quote from GOLANSKY that was suggested in this thread, but it seems rather high, more than double a taxi fare.   I don't mind paying a premium for curbside, but it seemed a bit much.  I've tried googling other services, but they seem to have mixed reviews - some that rave how great they are along with those that hated their experience.  Any suggestions?

Thanks.

On 8/6/2021 at 11:06 PM, newbie53 said:

We did not request expedited service, as we had no plans for travel this year.  Mailed them Priority mail on May 13, tracking said delivered on May 16.   Checks cashed and "In process" status on June 8.  At that time it was said processing time was 10-12 weeks.  Not sure if that was supposed to be from May 16 or from June 8.   Current status is still "In process".  No idea if we can still expect 12 weeks, or if we are now 18 weeks.

We received our passports on 8/20,  so 10.5 weeks from the date the check was cashed.  It would have been a few days sooner, but they were forwarded from our old address to our new address.  Side point - I followed the instructions on how to notify the agency of a change of address during passport processing (after being on hold for over an hour).  Form with the new address was sent to them 4 weeks before they were approved, but they were still sent to the old address.  

We did not request expedited service, as we had no plans for travel this year.  Mailed them Priority mail on May 13, tracking said delivered on May 16.   Checks cashed and "In process" status on June 8.  At that time it was said processing time was 10-12 weeks.  Not sure if that was supposed to be from May 16 or from June 8.   Current status is still "In process".  No idea if we can still expect 12 weeks, or if we are now 18 weeks.

Cards will still be available for those that don't have or wish to purchase a Magic Band.  Disney has already stated that they will be adding the new functionality for Android phones, just no date for it yet.  

I faxed mine, but it might have been a bit longer ago, 3-4 weeks?  I don't recall.  Anyway, it was posted within a few days.  

Add me to another of those dedicated followers of your blog.  I've lived vicariously through your exploits, as it is something I will never be able to do.  I know it isn't something that can go on forever, but I hope that maybe there will be some cruising/blogging in the future, even if it isn't an entire season at sea.  What ever you choose, all the best to you and G, and thank you for sharing with us.

I looked at my booking confirmation for when I booked this year's VOV, and it's dated Oct 9, 2017.  I know we booked as soon as it came out, so I would think 2021 should be any day now.

Sue

24 minutes ago, newbie53 said:

 Smiling, greating us always, cheerful. 

Greeting, not "greating"