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Glad you made it safely. We are planning a few days in Amsterdam next year prior to this cruise. I am glad to hear the recommendations for Banks Mansion. looking forward to hearing of your Amsterdam adventures! joan

Have a great trip and safe travels to you! We will be on this TA in 2024. Looking forward to your story.

We have done this 3 times and it took about 1-2 days for the TA to receive the bookings . I would call HAL.

Last week, Osco gave is a sticker with the vax info to place on our card..where ever there was room..it fit over the fine print of the card.

That sounds delightful. How did you find this houseboat listing?

What was your day like...did you do an excursion?

Great video, thanks. Just curious, was there an extra charge for this Octoberfest event?

in a perfect world, yes. Sigh not to continue off topic, but my personal favorite on one of the FB groups..was from someone who stated: "I read on the HAL website that there is a corkage fee for each bottle of wine we bring onboard... is this true???"

Holland America does not own or manage any of these FB sites except for the official HAL site. Even the Mariner FB page sited here is not a HAL site. HAL won’t be seeing or reading all/any of the social media sites on FB,of which there are dozens started by anyone who wants to start one.

I agree , especially on FB...many people belonging to these FB groups seem to thrive on spreading issues that are not issues at all... and like that old change the story as you spread the word routine. I get frustrated just reading some of these threads.

Thank you. This sounds great . Unfortunately during the timeframe we need, there is a 7 night minimum stay. We need just 3 nights.

To connect your iPhones with iMessage you need paid wifi...it does not work with the ship's intranet.I message does not work with the phone in airplane mode.

@VMax1700 Thank you for taking us along. We will be on this cruise in 2024 with TA. Very much looking forward to your narratives and any suggestions in different ports. Have a wonderful cruise!

We will be on the Rotterdam next September for the Baltic . We have not yet sailed on the Rotterdam but we have sailed on the Koningsdam, her sister ship and loved the ship. Enjoy the music walk!

We would welcome Baltimore or Norfolk as a departure port for HAL. I see RCCL and NCL use Baltimore but we prefer to sail HAL. Our first cruise ever was on RCCL's tiny Song of America.. then the big ships happened..🫣

I purchase Cellar # 2 when on board. As mentioned, currently as a 3* , the discount is 25% . The cost of wine per glass from the bar or a separate wine bottle purchase is much higher in the long run. The package is a great option. So far I have been able to get my favorite Meomi in the package and keep one of the bottles in the cabin as well.

Interesting that he snores while using a CPAP. My DH has been on a CPAP for over a decade and the snoring stopped once he started using it.

@bundtkate We have sailed Alaska 3 times and never seen excursions discounted. The best suggestion is the AARP gift card at 10% off. You can use the gift card as your payment online pre-cruise. The Lumberjack show is literally a stones throw from the pier. Easily done on your own and save money by doing so. The White Pass , Lake Bennett and Yukon experience is our favorite and worth every penny. The best scenery, in my opinion is between Carcross and Fraser. The last car is the best because you can step out on the back platform ..think "aft balcony". Amazing experience, especially if the weather is nice. but it is a full day affair. The best HAL Alaska excursions sell out fast, never too early. Be sure to read the reviews (most recent).

@TeaBag, I suggest you clear your cache/ cookies , maybe even reboot and and try again. The website has been quirky lately. I assume you booked directly with HAL? If you used a TA perhaps they could assist by contacting HAL from their end. Don't give up on HAL because of this. You will have a great cruise!

@kazu, this is a point well taken,thanks. That is where we are headed this fall..If we buy a bottle in a foreign port , will it be taken from us upon return to the ship? Joan

Well, it would depend...domestically (USA) , yes...in a foreign port city probably not....unless i got to taste it first Before the pandemic, truth be told, we did schlepp

We have been lucky so far...my favorite wine has been available on my last 3 cruises..keeping fingers crossed for our upcoming med /TA 🍷cheers!

I agree . The wine packages on board , in the long run, will run about the same cost...less if one has a mariners discount.

We were in 2536 OV on a Panama Canal cruise. Climate control was excellent. This was a very quiet room until 5 AM. I investigated what was going on on the promenade deck above this cabin...Turns out there is a large storage bench directly above the cabin on the promenade deck. The crew started prepping the deck at 5 AM and each time they opened the storage bench they let the lid drop and it was very loud..I was generally up and about at this time and DH wears ear plugs when sleeping so generally speaking it wasn't too much of an issue except the the times it worked as an alarm clock. I wondered if people walking on the promenade deck above could be heard but we never heard people walking...just the 5AM wake up call .😳

I never considered bringing my "air sucker" pump with me but I may on my upcoming cruise. I only have a glass with dinner and one bottle can last 4 days, and I know they dont suck the air out..I am sure that would be too time consuming but after day 4, you can tell. I may bring mine for my stateroom bottles. Thanks for the tip!