scm1848

When I can't smoke on my verandah, we will stop cruising. There are many others like us with whom we chat by the Seaview Pool. We always book Neptune Suites, and we do spend quite a bit on wine and drinks. I suspect there are enough of us for HAL's policy to continue for some time - hopefully.

I talked my husband into a BA to Santiago cruise in December 2010, right after I retired. He was very worried about storms, but I assured him that since I was a former lifeguard, he would be fine - LOL - almost! We hit the worst hurricane that our Captain Rick Krombein had seen in his 35 years at sea. After we left the Falklands, we had a 90 foot wave break over the Crow's Nest of the Veendam, and had 100 mph headwinds. We spent 16 hours, thinking from hour to hour that we were going to die because the ship was going to break apart. I posted a trip report here on CC, and there on some video's on the infamous video site (Not sure I can name it here), which do not do the horror justice.

I so wish we had gone for the prior or later cruises, all of which made it to Antarctica with smooth seas. I still toy with the idea, but I don't think I could bring myself to risk it again - and I would be going without my husband, who won't even discuss it. No getting back on the horse that threw us for these two.

I'm not trying to discourage anyone, and SO envy all of you who have had one or more great trips to this beautiful area. BUT, I'm also a realist, and this is just for your thoughts.

We particularly booked a Med cruise for next August because it overnighted in Istanbul. We have friends there that we met on a Panama Canal cruise in 2011 and then visited them in 2012 on our way to Africa. If we can't visit with them, we might switch to a cheaper cruise on the Osterdam, rather than the more expensive Eurodam.

I called Visa Sapphire to report our cruise on the Noordam in August/September 2014. I actually got a "live person", but when I said "Montenegro", she said it wasn't listed. I asked about Yugoslavia - nope. She said, "How about Serbai?" I just said, "Fine" and gave up.

I must have just been doing my daily check to see what opened up right after you moved to the PS, because and lo and behold, 5190 was now available!! I, too, made a quick call, and we moved from an SA Neptune on the side to the covered aft wrap. Given how much rain we had on this cruise, we loved it!!

Thanks for "vacating the premises"!! LOL We got a complementary upgrade to the PS in July on the Rotterdam through the fjords - it IS nice real estate!!

We love to sit and chat with other smokers by the Seaview Bar. What impact do those cabanas have on the smoking area and rules?

The Eurodam was docked next to us last month, but I didn't take a picture. Yours confirms what I remember, so thanks a lot.

We have had an aft wrap on deck 7 of the Noordam, and the lovely covered one on deck 5 on the Osterdam. We are currently booked in Neptune Suite on deck 6 on the side, but are considering changing to an aft wrap.

Decks 5, 6 and 8 are the only ones available. It appears that most of the Eurodam's aft wraps are not as covered as we are used to, except maybe deck 8. Does anyone have any experience or comments or photos that show the difference? I'm familiar with a picture site, and that does seem to show a huge overhang on deck 8.

Thanks in advance.

You have described my feelings exactly about why we never have breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill, despite several cruises in Neptune Suites and the PS. For many people, it is one of the main reasons to book a NS or PS. Like you, I love to "graze" through several small portions.

Thanks for your review so far.

I always let them know that when we can no longer smoke on our verandah, we will stop cruising.

And we're booking suite on long cruises and buying lots of wine and other drinks!!

Check out Rob's website today. News and pictures re: the restoration of the pier.

It is Zihuatanejo.net.

How did you have 2 segments on a 15 day cruise? We have a 24 day (12/12) cruise booked in Europe next August. We are 17 days short of being 4 star Mariners. Since we are in a Neptune Suite, we will receive double points and have 24 days after the first 12. Will we then get the 4 star discounts on the second part of the cruise? We are under one booking number.

Thanks.

We spend every February there. There is a website called Rob Whitehead's Zihuatanejo.com. Today, Rob said the pier is being partially restored for the holidays. That MIGHT mean cruise ships will be able to tender soon. There are long range plans for restoration, but then, it is Mexico?!?!? The local fisherman are using a very small naval/military base pier, which is unsuitable for tenders.

We had to give up our Explore4 package, but on our 24 day European cruise next summer, our Neptune Suite cost us $4700 less!! We owe you a whole bottle of wine!!!!

It's on Saturday, the 7th. That is the day we are at HMC, not Turks and Caicos. Just a heads up.

They have the swivel type of ashtray that "swallows" the butt and ashes when swirled. Your room steward will provide one upon request. In addition to that, I use a glass of water to tap my ashes off, ensuring that not one hot ash blows anywhere. I have a hard time explaining that to my steward and why I use it; when explained, they get it.

We are lucky to have a 48 year old nephew who lives nearby with his mom, and he is on disability. We have 3 cats and he loves cats. He moves into our house while we're gone. They get love, and he gets some "spare change" and a place of his own for a few weeks.

2 of our cats are 14 and showing their age. Please don't laugh, but my request to any of my past and current house sitters is that if one of them dies, don't tell me while I'm gone. Secondly, please just put him or her in the freezer in a plastic bag, so I can say my goodbyes and grieve and bury him or her myself when I get home. Weird? Works for me, although thankfully, I haven't ever had that happen while we were gone.

Sorry I didn't see your post until just now. Yes, we are in the totally covered aft wrap, and I thought it was due to a cancellation or an upgrade, because we had an SA booked for 11 days, then added 10 days on the front end just a few weeks ago. I must have booked just as your were upgraded and your cabin was freed up. Good luck for all of us!! Glad you got the PS - you'll love it. We would love to see it and compare it to the one we had on the Rotterdam.

FYI: We are meeting at 4 p.m. at the Seaview Bar on Sat., the 7th. We have a Roll Call going. Wear mardi gras beads to identify yourself. I'm brining name tags. It is not ship sponsored, so no coffee and cookies, etc. I thought we'd all just buy a drink and meet each other. Supposedly, we have about 24 to 30 people who say they are coming.

Looking forward to meeting you.

Connie and Len

We've just started looking at this as an alternative to flying to Australia/NZ. We've been through a hurricane around Cape Horn, an experience we don't care to ever repeat. We are about to embark on a 21 night cruise.

My questions: How rough were your roughest seas? Did you get bored with all the sea days? Was this your first trans-Pacific?

Thanks for any input on this!!

As someone who would no longer cruise if I couldn't smoke on my balcony, I LOVE your analogy to boom boxes. I certainly wouldn't book a cruise with Acme Cruise Line, and then spend hours and years bellyaching on a board about the boom boxes that the cruise line clearly stated were allowed.

Overall, your thoughts were concise, well-stated and logical. Cheers!!

I just checked our documents for the 21 night cruise beginning on Nov. 6, and they say 4 gala nights.

We just stayed in the Rotterdam Pinnacle suite in July. That is not it. Even if they changed the colors and décor, the walls would have had to have been moved for it to be correct. Either a different ship or a "pasties".

This year has been unusually cool in Europe the entire month. We landed in Split, Croatia one year on Oct. 6, and had 10 glorious days before the rain, cold and winds hit by the time we got to Zagreb. If you could move your departure to late September, into October, I would recommend it, unless you don't mind cooler/cold weather.