crystalspin

$150 per booking, shown as $75 per person.

Slight correction: The ship will PROBABLY wait. But if they have to leave you (due to tides or other factors like the Panama Canal schedule) -- they will take care of getting you to a later port. There was recently a road closure in Costa Rica that stranded pax from a cruise ship (maybe Princess?). There was a ship's tour and at least one private tour cut off from returning. The private tour had to figure out their own way back or home! (They all missed the Canal.)

Did you upload a scan and email it?

Here's Roger's latest, dated 2024! https://rogerjett-photography.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Wine-List-2024.pdf Thanks @Crew News!

Mixed drinks are priced by the liquor in them HOWEVER! the most recent bar menus that @Crew News has made available only show a few select drinks per location! Not the list of brands that used to be in print. Captain daiquiri is $9.75 at the Pool Bar so I infer that a Captain and Coke will be the same. I do not know if you will find Bumbu rum on board! It is not listed (at any price) on the Beverage Package list, here: https://rogerjett-photography.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Beverage-Package-Contents.pdf

Weekend time does not count in the 72 hours. Booking on the weekend probably was not the best thing either! But that's done. AARP OBC showing up without asking has not happened for me. Well, I didn't actually ASK the Pricing Specialist to apply it, she volunteered (!). But I did reference that I would be getting it. Any OBC will probably not show on website; you need to request a new email confirmation -- it will be a PDF attachment down at the bottom -- save it to your computer; you can print it anytime before your cruise. It should show in Navigator once you're on the ship or maybe a day or two early (someone correct me!). You want to make sure the Navigator/onboard account agrees with the confirmation email.

Do the verification form first. Oh I see you were not actually members at the time of your booking! That may complicate or result in denial. The process is (1) belong to AARP, (2) get verified, THEN (3) make your booking. You can TRY forwarding the verification email to Reservations_submit@hollandamerica.com with your booking number and an explanation; you may or may not get the OBC.

Note the solid box on Roger's laundry form. You simply check the Unlimited Package. No matter when you first turn it in you are charged for the entire voyage days, so using it right away is a great idea! Also, you do have to check off the clothing items/numbers even though you're not paying individually, for their records and to get it all back!

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en/us/cruise-deals/community-appreciation-cruise-offers/aarp-member-benefit-offer You should get an email confirmation from SheerID. It will have a button to click to make a new booking. (IOW, You are supposed to have done the confirmation before making the booking.) My confirmation says to wait two days before clicking the button. I did not use the button! What I did was forward the confirmation to my PCC; assume you could do the same with a TA... As far as the three that were just applied -- I had not remembered to have them applied on making the bookings (with my PCC), actually I assumed I would have to apply again to prove active membership in AARP for booking in October of 2024 -- I was re-faring those bookings to take advantage of the Cyber Sale and was connected to the Pricing Specialist (my PCC is out of the office). I mentioned my OBC, she said you have no OBC, I remembered it was AARP and not applied for... she could see my SheerID confirmation in my records and volunteered to apply them! THAT is good service! How did or will you make your booking?

Assume that all beverages will be counted (the computer does this). If you and a partner are getting drinks together and your steward/bartender is willing to take one keycard for two persons' drinks, be sure to alternate cards. Assume the wine-pours are 5oz (my sommelier SIL says that is industry standard), but they may push 6.

Apparently not, Andi! I just think it is so odd that I can't find the thread! I wanted to tell her that there are two "Shower Only" cabins on the Vista ships, not noted on the deck plans and they are the "Insides with a Window" on the Observation Deck.

There are no chairs or loungers on the Promenade. It is a full circle walking track, though! It appears that the Panorama Deck (10) has loungers looking out to sea (through glass or lucite windows) with their backs to the backs of the half-circle sofas that overlook the Lido pool. The photos on cruisedeckplans.com show a roof for shade. Do not know how quiet you will find it at the area is open to the pool and adjacent to New York Pizza & Deli, and the Panorama Bar... ETA: there are also loungers on Sun Deck (11) mid and aft -- but no shade.

Called my wonderful PCC yesterday to re-fare two cruises with the Cyber Sale. Her voice recording said she was out of the office and NOT to leave a message because no one would return it. To press 0 to be connected to someone. That person was presumably at the Philipines Call Center and took all my information, then transferred me to a Pricing Specialist without giving her any of the data he had asked for (!). She however was wonderful. I just wonder if my PCC is gone for good...

I don't know about my page, it still shows old price of $50 for HIA (now $55pppd).

I think that changed... Both beverage packages are 15 total drinks: https://www.hollandamerica.com/en/us/onboard-packages/beverage-packages

I believe K'dam was the first of the fleet to get Starlink (all HAL ships will have it by end of year). Like REOVA, I haven't yet sailed with Starlink, but it should be very reliable with far fewer dead zones. Here is a discussion: https://www.travelagewest.com/Travel/Cruise/wifi-on-cruise-ships#:~:text

I was just reading a dis-jointed thread and someone asked about Oosterdam showers that are not within tubs. I clicked out to check the deckplans and now I CANNOT find the thread. Help!??

I know and it's always so random! Sometimes different browser works, usually an incognito browser window works (but not always!) -- today I worked out you have to use a FRESH incognito window -- HAL's own cookies seem to cause their website to malfunction!

The Koningsdam will be very similar to the Rotterdam, not as much like the Westerdam or Oosterdam. K'dam and R'dam are sister ships.

A "pricing specialist" just applied numbers 3-4-and-5 to my bookings for 2024! So rather than *any* supervisor, ask for someone in Pricing.

I can remember hearing of this situation before the pandemic, and just as you described. With cruising recovering, sooner or later on some line or other, move-over offers will eventually happen!

All I can guess is poorly written code!

You need to reach a supervisor at HAL and have them "Manually Apply" your credit(s). Their term. Call your PCC or HAL help (sic) line. Not AARP, once you have your Shear verification they are out of the loop. AFAIK.

We were on the Koningsdam with non-Starlink internet for 16 days last New Year (and many cruises before the pandemic), and I cannot recall hearing/overhearing an audible phonecall. That is what texting/messaging is for! When my husband had to join a conference call, we went to the cabin.

The Dublin HoHo bus is well-worth it. This is not always true (in other cities). We stayed about a week and used the HoHo to get many places, sometimes missing the last bus of the day (Guinness Storehouse looking at you) and hailing a cab for the trip back to center. ETA: this was a few years ago, Colin may be able to add some details, like the time a circuit takes. @VMax1700