RuthC

Your cruise went up because you moved to a more expensive area of the ship. Whether your cabin has a tub or shower only has nothing to do with it. It's location that makes the difference.

Holland America has a bad habit of using the same term for two different things. Often it's necessary to determine what someone is talking about from the entire context of the post.

Smokers have one small area on one very large ship. Hardly 'more privilege' by any standard.

You're not required to go there if the odor will bother you. You know where the smoking section is, so it should be very easy to avoid it.

It looks to me that it will be your choice every night. I believe that cabin is just outside the BB King range of influence.

I hope you are successful getting the shower only cabin. In case you are not, it may be helpful to know that the sides of the tub are about the same height as the usual tub in a home, and that there are grab bars getting into/out of the tub. Showers have grab bars, too.

Good point about the noise coming down from BB King's on some port side cabins! There are a few cabins very close to the atrium that are fine, as well as many others more forward; about 3-5 to stay away from to avoid BB King's sound. Unless you like to stay out late, of course! Don't be fooled that since the entrance to that lounge is on starboard, you should avoid that side. It doesn't work that way. The entrance may be on starboard, but the bandstand is on port side.

Yes, there are some super large I-cat cabins on the Vista and Signature ships; a friend was in one once. They are ever-so-slightly larger than the J- and K-cabins on Main Deck. The large I-cabins are on one particular deck; I just don't remember which deck he was on that cruise. One thing I have done on cruises is take a tour around some of the decks to look inside some cabins when the stewards have the doors open for cleaning. Sometimes you can get a really good idea of where you do (or don't) want to book next time.

The J- and K-category cabins on Main Deck are huge. Yes, they have a couch which comfortably seats 2 people; can probably seat three if they don't sprawl. There is a/are some I-category cabins that are as you describe, but I don't know which one(s) they may be.

No harm in trying! $250 OBC is nothing to sneeze it. Hope it can be processed in time. Perhaps you can put an alert at the top of the submittal, and plead for mercy that someone bumps it to the top.

No! Please don't do that just because someone wants to take the fun out of getting and wearing a medallion! Don't let anyone steal your joy.

When was that? Perhaps my memory is failing (no 'perhaps' about it; my memory is failing), but I simply don't remember that being a standard practice. I certainly don't remember (memory isn't failing THAT badly) wearing my medallion for embarkation or days other than the Mariners' Reception. Would it have been before I started sailing HAL regularly?

Is there an Explorers Lounge shown on the deck plans? That was always the venue for the classical performances on ships before the Lincoln Center affiliation.

Most of the ships in the fleet are mentioned in this overview. If you feel the ones that are missing should be added, please, feel free to do a comprehensive description as Doug did. It would be helpful.

Agreed, based on my experience on all four S-class and all 4 R-class ships. That includes one of them after the conversion to Lanai, when the desk became remarkably smaller.

I agree with regnig that connecting doors shouldn't be a problem. I have been on more than a few cabins with connecting doors and only heard it once---when the person next door was having a screaming meltdown. The immediate area could hear that, though, so it wasn't the doors that were the problem. But you won't necessarily have an SZ cabin, remember. You haven't been assigned a cabin yet, and the SZ cabins are only 2 possibilities out of a good deal more cabins. SZ is the default category for a guarantee Signature cabin.

Since you are on starboard side, you should be good. I have been in the next cabin aft (on one or the other ship in the same or similar class), and it was fine. Not so far forward that the piano duet should be heard, and on the opposite side from BB King's. Actually, I have been in several cabins up and down that entire passageway on all the Vista and Signature ships, and never heard a thing.

Inability to get late dining may have had as much to do with short staffing as anything. Also, if there were more Europeans on the cruise (considering the area), then they tend to dine later. In general, there are fewer diners at main/late seating the last several years. There was a time late seating was full every cruise.

I don't take bets I can't possibly win. 😉

Yes, you pay and then can get reimbursed. However, getting reimbursed is something you likely will have to be proactive about. First, let the Maître 'd know as soon as possible that you are 5*, and want the dinner you booked to be fully comped. I usually do that the day I board. Then, when you go to dinner that night, remind the steward that the meal is supposed to be no charge, due to your 5* status. Keep track of your billing that the money charged has been refunded, and refunded in full. On at least one occasion I have had only 1/2 the money credited back (as if I were a 4* Mariner). IIRC, that took 2 or three trips to the Front Desk before it was finally straightened out. They didn't even understand how I believed I was short-changed, as if they had never heard of that particular 5* perq. This was not when 5* was new, either.

Then you haven't been assigned to anything, including an SC. Think of SC as the default 'assignment' for a guarantee Neptune Suite. Your cabin assignment will come close to the sailing, about 10 days out (more or less).

Almost 20 years ago HAL started the early boarding at 11:30, but cabins continued to be available about 2:00 PM. So, HAL started a storage area for carry-ons near the Lido pool. But there was no charge, and it was secure. I think it was a year or two later when they started with the delivery system. And then eventually the cabins were (normally) ready by 11:30, and we could go directly there after boarding.

You're right! I did think of it myself for next time. Likely will bring more than one old bottle. 😉 But others may not have, so posting it was still thoughtful on your part. Thank you.

I don't know about anyone else, but I prefer to use the lotion while sitting on the bed. It's so much easier to reach all those distant places, and to twist to reach the nooks and crannies. Having the large bottle of lotion---attached to the wall at that!---in the bathroom is useless. That's especially true in a handicapped cabin where the bottle is attached to the wall by the sink, but the bench to sit on is a few feet away in the shower.

Pot calling the kettle black and A fine kettle of fish