pmcubed

I'm in the westernmost county of New York state and  just recently our numbers started climbing.  We had an outbreak at a food manufacturer plus the local colleges opened up.  Now, just last week we opened up our K-12 schools. 

It seems that NY state should be operating in regions.  When we shut everything down in March we had NO cases - now that they are climbing we are opening up our schools. 

We are both retired so we stay close to home and only order take-out now and then.  Our June cruise was canceled and we scheduled one for June 2021 - still waiting for the FCC - I just hope we actually get to cruise again. 

More importantly than whether we can ever cruise again is the sadness at all the lost lives and livelihoods. 

Pat

Our airfare, port fees, pre-cruise, hotel, etc was credited to our HAL account.  The FCC is still on hold with them for our June 2020 canceled cruise.  We already chose another cruise for June 2021 (fingers crossed) and I am assuming (hope I am not wrong) that the credit with HAL will pay for new flights for new cruise.  The FCC will cover the cruise portion. 

This hit everyone so hard I pray the cruise industry comes back from this. 

I try to focus on the fact that we are healthy and our family is healthy.  We are retired so it really hasn't hit us financially so many

others are hurting.  So, I hang on to hope and try to be patient.

Pat

Our June 7th cruise was canceled.  We chatted and picked another cruise for June 2021.  I contacted our PCC and we got all signed up.  She didn't ask for a deposit - and said when our FCC was available it would be applied.  

At first when I signed in to the website it said a deposit was due on April 30th, but after two days that disappeared.  So, we have a cruise booked - HAL still has our money for our flights and some other things, but I am sure it will all be worked out.  

Pat

We were on an Alaska cruise in 2018 and found that yes, the dress in Alaska is much more relaxed than a cruise in Europe.   But still dressed business casual you will fit right in.  

On the first night they even let my husband wear his shorts, but told him "only tonight". 

I have always booked through HAL (and if a flight is delayed or canceled it has worked out in my favor each time) and as soon as I have the airline locator number I have always been able to pick our seats.  

So I have no idea why this is an issue for you - unless it's a WestJet thing.

I agree with Wyobean - Do the Land portion first - it is jam-packed and wonderful.  Then you can relax on the cruise.  Also - skip the food package - way too expensive.  We did double Denali last summer and would do it again (maybe triple next time) in a heartbeat - or when we win the lottery.  It is the first cruise we did that no sooner were we on the plane home my husband said - "we have to go back".  

18 minutes ago, Hawaiidan said:

 it is a great wonder why people would want to pre pay when they do not have to thats all and receive no tangible benifit.   Before or after yes you get the same points.. but after you still get the same without having to give your money  for someone to hold. That seems to me very un wise

The longer they have  someones money the more  things  that could go wrong.. based on everything I have  recently experienced.     

 I guess I am sensitive as I have been very distrustful of HAL  in all my recent dealings. as they continue to try to  change rates, fees and so on...   

I have seen in a 2 week period prices go up  then down then up as much as $700....  Sorry. I am a bit gun-shy about dealing with them.

I am still mystified why a beverage card can not be used for all beverage charges like wine bottles. and maybe corkage...   .... Again sorry for venting...        

Then, my question is, why are you on the HAL board?  To warn us all away?  I have never had ANY trouble with HAL.  And I like to leave a cruise ship NOT owing any money to anyone.  I enjoy the feeling that my vacation is completely paid for when I walk off the ship. 

Depending on the length of the cruise I just fill a bag (stuff) it about 6 days in.  It comes back nice and neat.  People in the past scared me that they use hot water and everything shrinks.  I have never experienced that.  

I also don't worry about ironing everything - we are all on vacation and clothes get wrinkled. . . I figure everyone else has the same problem.  

We just did Alaska last July.  I had one big suitcase for the ship with a duffel bag inside and my day pack.  After the first night they asked if we wanted to send a suitcase ahead that would meet us on the ship.  I packed what I needed for the rest of the land portion in the duffel and kept that and sent the big suitcase on.  It made things a lot easier and lighter for the land portion.  Each night that we were in a new hotel - my duffel was there.  Once I got on the ship - my suitcase was there.  

Dress in layers.  I have a packable winter coat - which I did use on the ship when it was windy along with a winter cap and gloves.

Layers and rain gear (which we were lucky, we didn't need).  

And HAVE FUN!  Alaska and Denali National Park were AWESOME!

I would go again in a heartbeat!

PAt

I am curious, planning my 2nd trip to Alaska, knowing that both HAL and Princess do a fantastic job with their sailings and land tours in Alaska, which cruise line is better in Alaska?

 

What about the hotels HAL uses for their land tour of Denali, etc, I heard a couple of complaints and that Princess hotels are better, anyone have an experience with that?

 

Interesting - we are leaving in a few for our first HAL Alaska and they moved us to the Princess Lodge in Denali - I guess that will be a good thing if the above is true.

Pat

You're most welcome.

After the 2nd time my husband said, "geez, HAL is going to think we do this on purpose - just for the stays in the hotels and such." I turned to him and looked at him with the CRAZIEST of eyes and said, "does this face look like I'm having fun!"

It is SO STRESSFUL to go through this - even though in the end HAL does take care of you.

When the kind young man met us in Copenhagen with a sign with our name on it (after traveling for over 24 hours) I couldn't decide if I wanted to hug him or cry!

Pat

Always buy your flights through HAL - just for these situations. We are becoming experts on missing the ship. Once due to our own failure to fly in the day early (and weather) and the 2nd totally weather-related.

In the first case, HAL put us up in a hotel and had a limo take us to the airport the next morning and fly us to Grand Cayman. We saved our food/hotel receipts and they gave us full credit for all once we were on the ship.

Word to the wise - when the HAL reps meet you at the airport and tell you all that is going to happen now that you missed the ship - Make sure you get the port agents phone number for where you are going to land. We didn't on this one - and there was NOBODY waiting for us and NO hotel booked for us on Grand Cayman. My call to HAL said - oh yes, at the Westin. So, the guy dropped us there - and there was no room for us. Fortunately, the Westin let us call HAL - and finally I just said to the 15th (yes, exaggeration) person - "listen, we are supposed to be on Half Moon Cay and I am looking at a beautiful beach here in Grand Cayman. We are booking a room and you are PAYING for it." And it all worked out.

The 2nd time was due to an electrical storm on the East coast so no way to get to Europe. The next day, they routed us through Paris 2 days after the bombings in Nice - nobody made their connections. So, when we finally landed in Copenhagen (28 hours after our planned arrival) - they already had flights booked for us to Bergen, Norway. I told the wonderful HAL employee what had happened in Grand Cayman so he gave us the port agent's phone number - which of course I had to use because our flight to Bergen was 3 hours late. But when we finally got there - and got our ride to our already booked hotel all was great. And the hotel included breakfast and dinner each day. We didn't have to show any receipts when we got on the ship because we didn't have to pay for anything!

I probably will NEVER not buy my flights through HAL. In the 2nd scenario I also purchased separate insurance which I had to use for the hotel near the airport for the next day's flight and the pre-booked (and paid for ) hotel in Copenhagen.

I hope this answers some of your questions - I know it was long.

Pat

I also turned down an offer from our veranda room for a neptune suite - because we have already invested so much in our Alaska cruise on Westerdam. In hindsight (although I don't remember how much it was) it was probably a good deal - just can't afford it.

Our info says we will not get to Seward from Anchorage until 5:30. Wow! Just in time for dinner. I mentioned to our PCC and she nicely said, "there will be food you can purchase on the train". REALLY, HAL?

We are already paying an arm and a leg for this Alaska experience and we have to PAY for lunch on the train - when others can get on the ship (that didn't pay for the Denali experience) earlier and eat lunch at lido or Dive-In?

I'm still not happy about that.

The Explore 4 includes gratuities??

We booked with our PCC by phone and this is what my paperwork, sent through e-mail says on page 2:

Special Services

Description Guest Included

Signature Beverage Package Promo 1

Promotional Pinnacle Grill Dinner 1

Signature Beverage Package Promo 2

Promotional Pinnacle Grill Dinner 2

1 refers to me - I booked

2 refers to my husband

We booked our cruise, flights, hotels and transfers all through Hal. We made a deposit at booking and made the final payment this week which included all that was booked through Hal. One payment, now all we need to take of is what we spend for tours expenses and the expenses we incur on the ship. We look at that as having peace of mind concerning the costs.

Not only peace of mind concerning costs - but also if there are problems with the flights. . . HAL takes care of you if you miss a flight or "heaven forbid" the ship! We were victims of this flying to Europe - yes, we were flying in days EARLY but between storms and terrorist bombings in Europe still missed the boat. We were flown to the first cruise stop and put up in a lovely hotel for the night - all on HAL's dime. The only thing I had to do was submit to our insurance the hotel we had already paid for at the embarkation port.

Ouch, that sounds nerve-racking! Well you didn't miss anything important in the beginning at least. Did you have time to see Cph after the cruise? What did you like most of the ports/ cruise? We thought the Faroe and Shetland Islands overall were the best/ most pretty ports, but we also liked Blue Lagoon and the waterfalls and geysers of Iceland.

 

/Henrik

We LOVED Blue lagoon. We enjoyed the Shetland and Faroe islands. Okay, we loved ALL of the ports. We had the whole day in Bergen the day before the ship arrived and loved it. We also enjoyed walking around Alesund. In Isafjordur we did the Vigur Island tour and wow! It was fantastic!

My husband really wants to go back to Norway.

It was nerve-wracking getting to the ship - but Holland America takes SUCH good care of us. Plus we got re-imbursed for expenses from our travel insurance.

It was such a GREAT cruise - I would take it again.

Hi everbody,

 

It's a bit late but nevertheless... We went on the Northern Isles cruise on July 16 2016 onboard Zuiderdam - roundtrip from Copenhagen to Norway, Iceland, the Faroe Islands and the Shetland Islands. The cruise was great but the weather wasn't very good. Anyway I have uploaded

,

and

on YouTube - if anyone is interested :)

 

/Henrik

For posting this! We were on the cruise also. But, although we were supposed to arrive in CPH 28 hours before the cruise left - we arrived 2.5 hours after - due to storms in the NYC area. So, we boarded in Bergen. You're right, the weather wasn't the greatest - but it was a fabulous cruise!

Thanks again,

Pat

It was a 12 day cruise and I was charged $149 for one person for the Thermal Suite. The hydro pool is wonderful - so relaxing and usually not crowded.

The ceramic loungers were wonderful too.

The spa is probably my favorite part of a the ship - since I am there to relax.

Pat

Thank you all! We are really looking forward to this adventure!

Pat

I had a balcony guarantee and the website showed sold out - but 3 weeks out got my first upsell offer- 16 days out - 2nd upsell offer. 12 days out I accepted the third one.

So, one never knows.

Good luck.

Pat

We sail in 11 days. Today I got an e-mail on an upgrade - it's the 3rd one we've been offered - but today the price was right.

So we had a VF guarantee and we are now in a SS - our first suite.

yay!

Pat

To the negativity, please.

Before our first cruise on Zuiderdam there were several negative reviews and I, too, was a bit nervous. We had a fabulous cruise and many of the things people complained about I didn't even notice.

IF you're looking for something bad, you'll find it. If you go with an open mind and plan on having a great time - you will.

I heard this from another traveler once and it stuck with me, "something WILL go wrong on our trip. It's how we handle it that can make or break the vacation"

Enjoy!

Pat

We love San Juan - the forts to explore

wandering - you feel like you're in an older european city

there is a LOT of history there.

We have done a zip line excursion there. You can do the beach, but we have enjoyed wandering Old San Juan.

And added bonus? Where the piña colada was born!

Pat