mightycruisequeen

52 minutes ago, Sir PMP said:

Nice itinerary, wrong ship..

I agree.  I don't dislike Koningsdam, but I loved HAL's older, smaller ships on that itinerary.    The Statendam, the old Rotterdam and the Maasdam were pretty darn perfect for cruises to the South Pacific.  

We did a variation of this itinerary for the first time in 2012, we were thinking it would be a one-and-done check off the bucket list, but we keep going back.  It's just flat-out wonderful, and the best snorkeling ever!  Too bad it doesn't include Bora Bora or Rangiroa anymore, but glad to see Fanning Island is still on the itinerary.  

42 minutes ago, Seasick Sailor said:

We sailed 35 day Hawaii/Tahiti cruise in Feb/March. No visas or vaccinations required. 

Exactly what I wanted to know, thank you so much!

2 hours ago, RuthC said:

This goes back quite a few years, but I will tell the tale. 
I joined a Cruise Critic Group Cruise where Cruise Critic chose the travel agency. I would not use them if I were booking a cruise otherwise. 

My most frightening part of the experience was that the agency charged the fares to itself on my credit card, then sent in all the payments from their own account. No other agency I have used before or since has paid it that way; the payment has always gone directly to the cruise line. 
Fortunately, everything did work out all right on that score, but the agency funneling the money through them is considered a red flag.  

We were also supposed to get a group cocktail party, but when the time came there was just either some wine, or a few selected cocktails (I don't remember which). I do remember that I wasn't able to get my drink of choice without paying for it. 

I remember that agency, and actually used them once shortly before they went belly-up.  

Have a great cruise!  I really like your screen name! 🤭

In my experience, a good TA gives much better prices than PCCs, and the OBC from the TA is just icing on the cake.

Whenever we've  cruised on that class of ship, we've always booked an outside cabin on the lower promenade deck, usually under the main dining room.  It's not a bad view, and it's so handy to go right outside to walk laps, or just watch a sunset. 

2 hours ago, KroozNut said:

 

Again, I am a nonsmoker now (quit about 12 years ago). So I have personal perspective from both sides of this issue. From my own experience as a former smoker, and from observations of smoker's behaviors today (aboard ships and otherwise); the vast majority of smokers follow the rules regarding where they can and cannot smoke.

So they're not in the habit of 'insisting they should be allowed to stink up the inside of HAL's ships', or anywhere else for that matter. They are simply appreciative of being allowed to smoke somewhere, and will follow whatever smoking rules are in place for wherever they happen to be at any point in time (aboard a ship, land-based venue, etc.)

HAL's current smoking policies are what they are, and smokers will comply with those rules. When/if HAL updates or changes smoking policies aboard their ships, I'm sure that smokers will comply with those updated policies, as they always have (again, based on my own personal experience/observation).

Yeah, a lot of us were once smokers.  I remember the intense discomfort of not being able to smoke in more & more places; it was a big problem for me, and it was one of many things that led me to the decision that I needed to quit.  As a smoker, though, I was desensitized to the smell, and didn't understand why non-smokers were so put off, but the past twenty years of being a non-smoker have educated me about that.

I think pretty much everyone is aware that secondhand smoke is harmful, including the smokers on this forum, most of whom probably don't even smoke inside their own homes.   But then, they come on here, and insist they should be allowed to stink up the inside of Holland America's beautiful ships. Go figure.

But pushing back is how the rules get changed. It happens in increments, but it happens.  We've come a long long way from the days of trying to eat in the same dining room where smokers were allowed to light up!  

One comedian named Ken Boyd whom we saw on a Nieuw Amsterdam b2b never even repeated the same show twice in the same night!  You could go to his early show and late show, and they'd be completely different.  He told very few actual jokes through his shows; he mostly just messed with the audience members, and he was absolutely hilarious.

If Holland America had more acts like Ken Boyd, they would really up their game with onboard entertainment. 

9 minutes ago, wannagonow123 said:

I understand I am supposed to utilize this forum to ask where the smoking areas are on the Rotterdam. I really don't want to scan 33 pages to maybe find the info I am looking for. If someone could please answer me, I will let you continue to chastize me. 

(Koningsdam, Nieuw Statendam, Rotterdam

• Sea View Bar area
• Casino-smoking is allowed in designated areas for active players only and only when outside of 12NM from the Netherlands

58 minutes ago, Linaeve said:

 

People keep saying this as though no one realizes that. Of COURSE we all understand that. No one is claiming they cease to exist so stop being pedantic. It doesn't create any additional point except that you don't have a logical one. 

Smoking is not illegal, it is not banned on the ship in full. ADDICTION IS A REAL THING. Until and unless there is a full ban on smoking then get over it. Smokers have only two small places to take part in something they enjoy or are addicted to. And a lot of ships it's really only one place. 

I'm not a smoker and I also don't cesease to exist just by avoiding tiny places to accomidate people who are just trying to enjoy their life. I also hate gambling but I'm not going to demand a casino no longer be on the ship. I don't drink anymore and I'm not going to demand there be fewer bars because I don't want to be around intoxicated people. 

It's almost like you could mind your own business and avoid the very limited areas that there may be smoke. It's like magic! Or you know, just being a grown adult. 

Hope that little tantrum made you feel better...🤭

14 hours ago, cwd79 said:

 Smokers essentially have two small areas to exist. 

Smokers essentially have two small areas to  smoke.  They won't cease to exist if they can't smoke.

The real question is why would Holland America want to make their casino a place that a good 90% of its customers want to avoid like the plague (instead of going there to make donations), just to accommodate maybe 10% of its customers?  This is a question that non-smokers should be posing to Holland America, instead of arguing with people who are addicted to smoking, and will evidently use any ridiculous argument in order to keep as much dedicated smoky space onboard as possible.

So glad that you get to go on your cruise after all; have a wonderful time!

My understanding is that they're keeping the classical musicians, but just phasing out the "Lincoln Center" room on the ships, and relocating their classical performances to the main theater.

On 4/12/2023 at 11:15 AM, Sir PMP said:

They should get rid of them.

So glad you had a happy ending, and your mom is okay!  Thanks for sharing your story. 

Thanks, also, for the reminder to always, always, ALWAYS buy travel insurance!

Just now, HELENPSL said:

I’m sure you understood exactly what I was saying.  Next time I’ll use shorter words so it’s clearer.

Everybody understood what you meant.  That whole smoking thing really paints people into a corner, doesn't it?  I remember.

2 hours ago, HELENPSL said:

I am a smoker and we are limited to that one area. 
Helen

Smokers are not limited to that one area; they have free run of the whole ship, just like non-smokers.   Smoking is limited to that one area.

(If only the smoke would stay right in that area.💩)

24 minutes ago, RuthC said:

No one on the ship is forced to sit in an area where smoking is allowed. You don't want to be near the smoke, don't go near the smoke. It's not like the smokers can go elsewhere. 

Sure they can; they just can't smoke elsewhere.

11 minutes ago, FlorenceItaly said:

Ours is still there but perhaps it is because ours is a Transatlantic cruise???  ETA:  Now it is check in complete!

Non of our future HAL bookings have the Health Assessment anymore, not even the 35 night Hawaii/Tahiti/Marquesas sailing for next Winter.

1 hour ago, robotpony said:

I'll never be a fan of smoking areas, but it's a trade-off of freedoms: the right for people who enjoy it versus the slight inconvenience it causes me. And this is from someone who suffers from severe asthma, who grew up in an era where smoking was much more common than it is now. My experience on HA so far has not been significantly impacted by people smoking, though I have noticed it.

 

It's funny to think about drinking under the same lens, which is very roughly as bad for folks as smoking. There are certainly several drinking venues around the ship, and you even occasionally see the side effects of drinking; slurred words, bad jokes, the smell of alcohol, and occasional behavioural issues. I enjoy a few drinks on a cruise, and I'm glad for that freedom. I'll do my best to minimize the impact on others, but some personal enjoyment is good for us.

But no one in the vicinity of the drinkers is forced to take sips of every glass of booze being consumed around them.

No more HEALTH ASSESSMENT to answer in order to complete HAL's online check-in!