terrydtx

When booking your shore excursions put them all in your cart then when you check out the HIA shorex credit will then be taken out of the grand total. If you book and pay individually, you can lose some of your credit. For example, if a shore excursion is for $90 and you use the $100 Shorex credit the left over $10 is lost. I found this out the hard way on our HAL cruise last year. If you have multiple excursions in your cart the full $100pp credit is deducted from the grand total.

We boarded the Koningsdam in San Diego last November. We had CO priority boarding and there was a line to check in for CO, Neptune and Pinnacle suites and 4* and 5* guests. We had np problems using that line and checking in, then we were directed to the special waiting area for those groups to board when boarding began. We got to the terminal at 11am and boarding began about noon. We were on the ship by 12:15pm.

We use a TA, always, and when we booked our upcoming Volendam cruise last year, she booked us in a B category Vista Suite, added CO and then our upgrade was to an A category VS at the B price. No problems at all.

They are back because of the huge amount of revenue the cruise lines make from this unethical company that has taken advantage of unwary passengers for years. Closing the Crows nest every night is ridiculous and should be unacceptable by passengers. There are plenty of other ship venues that could be used that are not as popular by guests,

I see you did a cruise in 2013 on the Zaandam, the sister ship to the Volendam, how did you like the ship for that cruise? We have sailed on the Volendam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Eurodam, Noordam, Oosterdam (twice) and Koningsdam and found each ship to be very different and we liked them all. When we book a cruise, our first priority is the itinerary and then the ship available for that itinerary. That is why we are booked on the Volendam in August.

Last November on the Koingsdam we booked CO, fortunately for us, as the lines ever night to enter the MDR were down the hallways past the CO dining room. The most we ever waited to be seated in the CO dining room as 10 minutes. The cruise was 100% booked and there were crowds everywhere. We would never sail on a Pinnacle class ship now without CO for that reason. We will be on the Volendam in August, and we booked CO for the cabin upgrade, but we may enjoy the special lines for CO to enter the MDR.

That actually says 140-319 sqft. If you cruise much you should subscribe to Cruise Deck Plans. Its cheap for lifetime and has much more information on cabins and decks along with actually pictures from past guests who post on the site. I use the site to check out any cabin before we book. Cruise Deck Plans, Ship Layouts & Room Details - Cruise Deck Info

According to the Cruise Deck plans website, on the Volendam Interior cabins have 182 sq ft and the OV cabins have 197 sq ft.

We got the midship Vista Suite we would have booked without CO by booking lowest level of VS and the difference in cost paid for the CO add on cost.

We booked our upcoming Volendam cruise with CO for the free upgrade and other nice amenities, not having the CO dining room was no problem on this cruise.

We had the same location on the Koingsdam last November and loved the location. Never noticed any smoke and noise was never to the level to be bothersome. I would book the same cabin again. The only smoking issue we had on the ship was from the casino which was so bad we never could enter the casino and the stairwell next to it.

I agree with you about only sailing on the PC ships with CO. Last November on the Koningsdam we had CO and every night the line to enter the MDR was running down the hall past the CO dining room. We were so glad we had CO. The food and service also seemed to be much better than the MDR.

Oceania has much smaller ships and they are not that much more expensive than Celebrity and Princess. We are booked on the Oceania Marina for an 18 day cruise for $200PP less than the 14 day Celebrity cruise that was canceled after we booked.

Are you on the August 20th Boston to Montreal cruise with us?

Not totally true, the Volendam does have verandah cabins called Vista Suites on deck 6. We are booked in one in August from Boston to Montreal. We love the smaller ships of HAL, no crowds, fewer kids and exceptional service. The smaller Volendam is perfectly suited for the NE/Canada cruises as she can get into ports the bigger ships can't.

If you look on your invoice from HAL you will have something like this that shows all of your HIA amenities.

Glad I could help. We will be on the Volendam in August in a Vista Suite. Our first HAL Cruise was on her in 2007.

Here is a picture of the tub shower in a Neptune Suite and a diagram of the suite.

Sorry my bad it seemed to be evaporated canned milk.

We usually get the HIA with surf internet and I upgrade to the premium but my wife doesn't have to.

My DW ordered cream for her coffee on room service on out last cruise and swore it was canned condensed milk.

On our Kongingsdam cruise last November from San Diego there was only one check in line for NS, PS, 4 & 5 star and CO passengers. After we checked in, we all were directed to a special priority waiting area for boarding. As I recall handicap passengers in wheelchairs and scooters boarded first, then PS and NS, then 5 star, then 4 star and CO was last. Each group was called separately, and their express boarding passes were checked before they left the waiting area for their grouping. Priority boarding did not begin until a few minutes after 12 noon for that cruise. Our assigned check in time with CO was 11:00 which is about the time we got to the terminal. After all in the priority groups had boarded then they began the general boarding by assigned letter codes, with A being first. The letter codes were assigned by the check in times assigned the week before the cruise by HAL. As to be expected many non-priority passengers disregarded those assigned times and showed up well before noon and then grumbled when they were assigned letter codes that would not let them board until their times was called.

Not sure where you get $15 pp per day? Our upcoming 11 day Volendam cruise in August CO was $25pp per day.

Not the way it works,4 and 5 star along with Neptune and Pinnacle Suites and CO guests are all checked in together and sat in the same priority waiting area to board.

Welcome to Cruise Critic. I do not think anyone was being vitriolic in their responses but given you the answers you asked about. Unless the 4 of you are in the same cabin priority boarding is generally not offered to non priority guests in different cabins.