RuthC

I am bitterly disappointed as I have appreciated the opportunity to attend Mass on my HAL cruises. 
I feel fortunate that most of my cruising life has been when this program was in effect. 

I like that you have done your posts with links, instead of filling the thread with endless pictures. 
Makes the thread look so much cleaner than posting pics, and much easier to read. 

Thank you. 

7 hours ago, FOPMan said:

Leaving equipment outside the cabin presents a significant fire hazard and a major obstacle for cree and other passengers. Don’t be surprised if your scooter gets relocated and/or you get a call to move it yourself at whatever hour of the night.

Or someone banging on your door with her cane late at night because she can't get by on her own scooter. 
If that doesn't work, she might have to back up and locate a courtesy phone to call you to let you know you are blocking the passageway for others. 

I've been using a rented scooter on HAL ships for over a decade, and never needed to book an accessible cabin until I cruised on a Pinnacle class ship a couple of years ago (Koningsdam is a Pinnacle class ship). All the other classes have at least a few cabins that will easily hold a scooter, with room to turn it around to get out again, but the Pinnacle cabins are smaller than previous ship cabins in the same class. 

On the Nieuw Statendam I didn't dare try my luck in a non-accessible cabin, and booked an accessible veranda room. There was plenty of room in there, with enough room left over for a rollator and walking around. 

If you don't have an accessible cabin booked, and can't get one for the cruise, I would be making plans to contact the Front Desk to see what they suggest. Perhaps the one using the scooter can ride to the cabin, while the able-bodied person can move the scooter to an approved area, then walk back. Reverse the process in the morning. 
I found the passageways in the cabin areas on the Pinnacle class ships to be much more narrow than on earlier ships, so blocking the passageway would be quite hazardous. 

Were you docked at the long wharf area, or further away (I never knew which direction, or how far the wharf area was from where the Nieuw Statendam docked)? 
The wharf is a fun area all by itself, with a good museum right there.  

Personally, I think it's a shame that the bus doesn't drive in, and perhaps take 5 minutes for pictures, at the memorial to the plane that crashed into the sea in 1998. 
HAL's Veendam was sailing to Halifax, but was sent to the search & rescue, later the search & recovery, area to help with retrieval of debris. 

42 minutes ago, bajae said:

What is the mini bar like in the rooms w/o a refrigerator? Is there no mini bar or do they just place the drinks somewhere else?

 

As far as I know, this would be the inside and OV on the Volendam and Zaandam.

You're correct that those two ships don't have a mini-fridge. 

They do have a tray, with two glasses and an ice bucket, and two cans each of 4 different Coke products on the top of the desk. You can have the cans removed, or changed out to whichever flavor sodas you want. 
You can request ice service at both morning and evening cabin service. 

1 hour ago, jeh10641 said:

Not only streamers but on-board visitors on Boarding Day!

I remember that! 

13 minutes ago, Jensue9 said:

It is oceanview which is fine (hey I’m on a cruise!) but my question is in an oceanview cabin will I have an armchair or a couch?

An outside cabin on the Westerdam should have a couch, or at least a loveseat.
I haven't stayed in outside cabins, but am basing my answer on experience knowing the inside cabins have a couch or loveseat, depending on the category.

If the lowly insides do, the outsides must. 

IIRC, when I took the catamaran up Tracy Arm, we returned to the ship in Juneau sometime around 2:00 PM. I clearly remember reboarding the ship, putting my things away, and heading out up the main street to the Alaska Fudge Company. I had plenty of time to do that, some other shopping, probably stopped at the Red Dog Saloon, and still got back in plenty of time to catch a nap before getting cleaned up, changed, and ready for cocktail time. 

I did take the dog sled tour out of Skagway once, though, and it was great there. 

21 minutes ago, oaktreerb said:

One question asked by Roll Call members is for recommendations for books about Alaska.

Absolutely, positively, read James Mitchener's Alaska. What a thrill to read about the places and then see them.

Dead Horse Gulch was especially impressive the first time I saw it. I swear, the grass was still tamped down from all the people and horses who had walked that path. (it is out of Skagway, on the train ride up the mountain.) 
To see the facade of the Arctic Brotherhood Lodge, and know the story behind it is fun. (also Skagway; right in town.) 

4 hours ago, highscar said:

 Careless  operator.

Sorry, but that isn't necessarily true. 

Scooters don't have rear view mirrors, and the driver can't be looking backwards in every direction at once, not to mention the blind spots. One looks over one shoulder, then the other, and back and forth. In the meantime, the pedestrian isn't paying close attention to what is in front of them, and certainly not looking much lower than eye level. 
People in scooters are quite low, and beyond the field of vision of pedestrians who are not watching where they are going. 

It is critical that the drivers be careful, but it is also true that those who are walking also pay attention. You wouldn't believe the number of walkers who have cut right in front of me as if I weren't there. 

8 minutes ago, Rubyfisch said:

The lido was quiet as well - I'm not sure how full this sailing is. I was chatting with someone who booked on Wednesday.

Wow. That's close in! I'm surprised. Fewer people on the ship isn't a bad thing, though. Service should be terrific, not to mention seating availability at performances. 

1 minute ago, Rubyfisch said:

Deck four looks mostly empty....

Give it time; it's the first night. Many people are tired from traveling, haven't unpacked, and head to the Lido or eat in the dining room early. 

Your Military credit should not have to be reverified, as once you have been in the military, and left, you have always been in the military and are not likely to have gone back. 

AARP is something else altogether, though, as you have to pay the dues to remain a member. Membership does need to be reverified periodically. 

16 hours ago, Jensue9 said:

Forgive me if this is a silly question but we are sailing on westerdam out of Auckland to Sydney. What currency do I tip in? I don’t mean the normal gratuities I mean things like room service etc. Australian dollars? US dollar? NZ dollars? 

The crew is used to US currency, so if you have that available fairly easily, it would be easier on them if you tip in US$. Otherwise, use what you have, and they will appreciate that, too. 

OBC is used on board, and not in advance. Unfortunately. 

There are some instances, for example Have It All dinners in specialty restaurants, or HIA shore excursions, that the computer does make available before boarding. But use of cash OBC? No. 

An 'aft view' would be a cabin on the stern of the ship. This, as CruiserBruce posted is a cabin that faces directly backwards off the ship. One can see in three directions (port, starboard, and behind the ship) in an 'aft view'/stern cabin. 

I would take a stern cabin over a spa cabin any day of the week. 

I have returned to the airport to catch the HAL shuttle, although I was there only one night, so stayed at a hotel near the airport. 
It worked out well. I took the airport shuttle from the hotel, which let me off at departures (not a surprise). I was able to get a luggage cart, took the elevator to arrivals, and found the HAL rep. They are always holding a HAL sign, so are easy to spot. 

I had listed my flight arrival info as the same flight I took, just a day later. Worked out perfectly. 

10 minutes ago, Jensue9 said:

Firstly please forgive me if this has been answered. I am reading through this thread from page 1 and there’s now hundreds of pages 😱. I have cruise quite a few times but never with HAL. My question is about the muster still using a mobility scooter. We will be sailing on westerdam out of Auckland. I have read on this thread that muster is done standing outside. Due to a back injury I am unable to stand for long periods of time. Am I able to use my mobility scooter at muster? 

In a word 'yes'. 
A longer explanation is in order, however. 

Muster drill isn't the all gather at the same time, stand for the entire presentation, then get dismissed at the same time process it used to be. 
Now, you watch the procedure on the TV in your cabin, then report to your muster station to check in. There is an extended period of time over which this takes place, so fairly speedy and comfortable. 

On the Pinnacle class ships, the muster is inside, so using your scooter is easy. You drive up to your station, park, and stay put until dismissed. 

On the other classes of ships it is outdoors, at the lifeboat. You can ride your scooter all the way out, and sit during the drill. The problem (for me) has always been that there is a lip getting from indoors to outside, and the rented scooter usually has low clearance and gets hung up on that lip. If you can get up, and have someone lift the scooter over (in both directions! leaving is always so crowded) that lip, you are fine. 

I have always found an alternate, indoor muster station. 
There will be someone in charge near the doorway to get outside, and that person can probably complete the check-in without you needing to go to your actual lifeboat. 

38 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

But the OP is on a Pinnacle class ship and club orange may be the source of his confusion 

I'm sorry. I should have just pointed out that it is only those three ships. You are right. 
I apologize. 

I do know there is a lot of confusion about dining when you have CO, both as to which ships have a special room, and whether or not there is a special area on the ships without the separate dining room. 

5 hours ago, Mary229 said:

There is also Club Orange which if purchased has a separate dining room and a few specialty menu items.

The first part of your post, and people are continuing to post that, so others are believing it. It is not accurate! 

It is only the 3 Pinnacle class ships (Koningsdam, Nieuw Statendam, and Rotterdam) which have the separate dining room. The remaining ships have a separate line for CO passengers, which effectively cuts them to the head of the line---IF they are open seating. 

1 hour ago, cwd79 said:

Thanks for the info. Wouldn't the cabins in 1019/1015 hear the Billboard Onboard music? 

I don't know as I have never stayed that far forward on starboard side. 

Every HAL cruise has an Orange Night. 

Your Navigator will adjust and list two 'dressy' nights closer to the cruise, or when you board. 

I have never seen tables for 11/12. Ask for two tables for 6, next to each other, then mix it up every night! I have done that with various groups of friends several times, and it is a lot more fun that way. With 5/6 at a table, you can actually talk to each other. Changing tables each night allows you to sit and chat with everyone. Being next to each other allows for some chatting back and forth. 

53 minutes ago, cwd79 said:

Hi. Anyone have any insight on the J Cabins on Zuiderdam on Main deck? Specifically 1019/1015/1018. Those are considered Mid Ship even though they are closer to the outside elevators and super close to the Main Stage. Main concern is the noise from the Main Stage and the Casino above. Thanks for any insight. There will be three of us in the room. 

I've been in many of those cabins, on all of the Vista and Signature ships, many times. I was on port side, probably under the Casino once; all the other times I was on starboard. Most of the time I try to book closer to the mid-ship elevators. All the cabins you mentioned are well aft of the exits to the showroom; shouldn't be any noise from there. 

I have never had any problem with noise, although friends on port side, under what is now the Rolling Stone Lounge, heard noise a great deal until that bar closed. There are about 5 cabins, on port side, that hear that reverberating Boom-Boom-Boom; starboard is fine. 

I've stayed in J-1043 several times on the variety of ships, and love it there. I wouldn't want to go much further forward than the next cabin (J-1037).