oakridger

Lido cabanas are on Nieuw Amsterdam. I’m currently on board and saw them!

The cruise to Alaska last week on Nieuw Amsterdam didn’t have a catholic priest but on this cruise to San Diego then FLL I see mass being offered. I’m assuming that a priest does the mass. (I’m not catholic but I thought only priests offer mass 🤷‍♀️) Today is a sea day and it was at 8am. ~Nancy

I’m on the First day of the second leg of my B2B on Nieuw Amsterdam. The Pinnacle called my room to tell me that my Rudi’s for next week was no more and did I want to book a Pinnacle Grill dinner on this segment. I went to Pinnacle last night and the food and service was very good! I had the halibut. Lobster bisque was better than the time I had it many years ago! Only niggle is next time I’ll ask for hotter soup. It was just above being too cool for me, but I didn’t send it back. I’ll be proactive next time because it tasted great! ~Nancy

I’m on Nieuw Amsterdam now. Last week there wasn’t a closed corridor on deck six. I didn’t go on other decks. If I remember, I’ll look at deck 4and 5 and report back. ~Nancy

I just got the info from the Pinnacle Grill supervisor on Nieuw Amsterdam tonight. There are no more pop up Rudi’s on any of the ships as of October 1st. ☹️ There will only be the stand alone Rudi’s on the Pinnacle class shops now. Bummer. ~Nancy

Yes, the automatic 18% service charge for specialty dining is new since the restart. Have a great cruise! Oops! Posted at same time as kazu.

I’m On Nieuw Amsterdam now in Ketchikan. Lincoln Center Stage music is playing on this cruise! They are off today but played yesterday. Don’t know about any Panama Canal cruise changes. See you onboard!

Aw come on Tim…..what’s the rush? 😁

I’m on Nieuw Amsterdam now in Ketchikan. I got my mariner tile in my cabin yesterday. (Day 4 of the cruise). I don’t collect them so will return it to the guest services desk. I just wanted people to know that they seem to be up to date getting them now, at least on this ship.

Beautiful picture Roy! My nephew worked at Philmont for a couple of years. What a great spot for scouts to visit and learn about back packing and hiking! He works at the Maine scout back country place now.

Just to clarify, you can eat in the MDR by yourself at a table if you want to. I do it often.

No. Check the “Know Before You Go” section of the HAL site. I can’t post the link at the moment. Have fun!

The pictures in the link above take me to pictures of a Pinnacle class ship. The room configuration/TV etc. sure look new. Not sure what you see? Oops. Posting at same time!

Yep, need the test. I'm here in Vancouver now and not only did I have to do the rapid antigen test today for boarding and ArriveCAN, but I also got selected to do the Canadian government random testing when I arrived at YVR yesterday! That was a PCR taken at their approved test site today. Antigen is negative so I'll be boarding Sunday! ~Nancy

@Clay Clayton I'm a US citizen and used the free US government provided test kit from iHealth. I just did my online test from my hotel in Vancouver Canada with the lifecenters.ca site and it was quick and easy....and I was Negative!!! Yay! ~Nancy

I filled out the paperwork online then went to the Shoppers Drug Mart on Davie Street in Vancouver which is one of the approved test sites. It was a $9 CAD plus tip taxi ride from The Fairmont Waterfront Hotel (across from Canada Place). No appointment is required, and they were very efficient getting people in and out. The pharmacist gave a swab PCR test, and I was out of the store in about 15 minutes. They said results will be emailed within 4 days max, but no need to wait for results to board the ship on Sunday. It was neat that I met a woman while waiting that is going on my cruise so we will look for each other onboard! I still had to take the rapid antigen Covid later this afternoon to satisfy the Arrive CAN requirement! I took it online in my hotel room using the US government free test. Negative! Now I'm good to go (after finishing downloading results to ArriveCAN and HAL health attestation). You can be sure I went and had a glass of champagne after it all!!! It was a hassle but it's done! ~Nancy

Hello WCB! I just arrived in Vancouver from SFO today for my Nieuw Amsterdam cruise on Sunday. I got the email after I arrived at my hotel that I had been selected for the random entry Covid testing!! Dang! I then spent the next hour signing up on the government site and finding out where to get the test at the nearest approved testing facility. There's a Shoppers Drug Mart on Davie Street I'll have to taxi to tomorrow by their 5:30 closing time. That changes my plans for the day tomorrow. 😞Now I hear that most likely, these requirements will be stopped on September 30th! Missed it by a week. I'll be in your same ports next week, so I am enjoying getting the latest info on what is happening there. Thanks again! P.S.- A&H Limo Service was great yesterday! I will use them again. ~Nancy

It's Canada's cruise rules. I just arrived in Vancouver today from the US and got the email saying I have to go in for random Covid test by the end of the day tomorrow! It looks like I'm here a week too soon. Messed up my plans for tomorrow. ~Nancy

I’m getting it for just me but I’ll come back on Friday afternoon Vancouver time and let you know.

I went to OnPoint today and it said it’s “sold out”! So I followed advice from our Canadian friends and booked an appointment for Friday with lifecenters.ca. Done and done! CAD $20=$14.95 USD.

Oops, replied at the same time as @Btimmer!! Hello @margail1. Are you embarking on the Panama Canal cruise on the Nieuw Amsterdam or Noordam on October 2nd? I'm getting ready to leave early tomorrow, so can't dig deeper to help you but start here: If you are vaccinated, Canada will also accept a rapid antigen test within two days of embarkation. (See the ArriveCAN official Canada requirements in the link below.) You could do one online with your own approved covid test which is what I'm doing. ($18 plus test kit cost which was free from US government at OnPoint Testing site) or go to one of the covid test sites in Vancouver. Google will list them. The rapid antigen tests are much cheaper than PCR. COVID-19: Cruise ship travel requirements – Travel.gc.ca Travel to Canada: Requirements for COVID-19 vaccinated travellers Here's a link to the roll calls for Noordam and Nieuw Amsterdam. If not already on it I suggest reading it because it should have lots of info on the requirements for ArriveCAN and the pre boarding testing info. Good luck and if you are on Nieuw Amsterdam, I'll see you on the 2nd!! ~Nancy

Oh, okay, thanks. I wasn't looking at the Navigator App. I will never take a one day cruise, but I was just curious too! ~Nancy

I don't understand. Can you elaborate? Can one get a one-day beverage package....yes or no?

When I sit by myself in the MDR I people watch a little and I bring a book or Kindle to read. I have learned that very few people are really interested in looking at me, they are busy with their own dinner and companions! I love cruising solo and I have also met some really interesting and fun people on board. ~Nancy

That's a really nice one in Australia Roy!