crystalspin

dr'spin checked the Quicken files and was shocked to find he spends over $400/mo on Medicare part B! (When everything is automatic, the details can slip your mind.) So his outlay ON medicare is less than mine without. But remember mine is really only catastrophic. FWIW he is 75 and I am 64.

OK, I remembered why driving to SF and sailing with Princess is not appealing. Then I went back to look at the September sailing with Carnival and discovered: (1) it is sold out, and (2) the cabins and rate I booked under look pretty good after all!

You don't get the Suite Bonus if you get the suite via an upgrade, whether complimentary or paid (i.e. an Upsell in CC lingo). But, yes, the maximum points earned is in fact THREE times the sailing nights.

Thanks for your experience! I was going to ping you bc I thought I remembered you having recent info on this. I am *counting* on 3x sailing days on upcoming B2B. Otherwise (OH NO) I'll have to find another cruise to make up the 12 or so points that we'll be short for 4*.

Make sure it doesn't have a surge protector which is a fire risk for ships' electric.

Of course, an ocean beach may be quite exotic if you're from Alberta!!! Here is a thread on walking self-tour in Mazatlan: We're going to do that one of our two stops on a B2B. (The other will be a HAL "tour" called Salsa and Salsa where you learn to make salsa and to dance salsa!) ETA: these will be our 2nd and 3rd visits to Puerto Vallarta. First time we took public bus to the north end of the Malecon and walked to the bridge, possibly missing the Zona Romantica? where we bought margaritas and sat on the beach (loungers) under an umbrella -- all for the cost of the drinks! We may do it again at least one of the stops, and possibly take the bus the other way on the other.

That's got it! The Cellar Masters Package is the top item on the Wine Packages entry (which I quoted above).

Before -- it shows as "complimentary" credit until used up. You may have to check the box...

Gillian, don't know why the link isn't working for me. Roger posted elsewhere that the Cellar Masters is: "Cellar Master Packages - Two wine tasting events conducted by our Cellar Master, two evenings of fine dining in the Pinnacle Grill, six bottles from the sommelier cellar #1, a Holland America Line commemorative bottle and wine gift are included for on board enjoyment. (Mariner discount not available on the Cellar Master Packages) Single Occupancy 11+ Days: $300.00 Single Occupancy 7 – 10 Days: $280.20 Double Occupancy 7 – 10 Days: $358.12 Sommelier Suite Cellar No. 1 - Wines:" per Crew News' link in prior post.

Of note is that your carry-on SIZED luggage does not have to be carried on -- it can be tagged and checked with the porters at the entrance to the port. Just have a tote with any medicines, valuables, and anything else you could not stand to lose or have be delayed until after dinner. If you are driving and there is port parking (not a given), one person could be left off with the case of wine on a trolley, plus a six-bottle carrier and the above mentioned tote, while the other person parks the car. After transferring the suitcases to the porters that is.

As the quasi-organizer for two Roll Calls (back-to-back for me), I received confirmation info from the ship's Event Coordinator, which included the following: "Holland America Line Travel Agent partners are no longer permitted to place signage on guest stateroom doors during any voyage (including Grand Voyages, World Voyages, etc.)." I'm pretty sure this is boilerplate with the confirmation and not directed at me. What I don't know is what it means to the "Travel Agent partners" -- no advertizing, or no decorations on doors?

The website wouldn't let me "input everything"; it would not accept our credit card! nor print anything without it. I forgot to call today (Monday) to get that over-ridden.

It's poorly worded but note the "except" as @VMax1700pointed out. Wine or champagne, 750ml standard bottles. The corkage is $20/bottle, which works for very low-priced or somewhat high-cost wines but winds up being sixes for us mid-value drinkers. Especially since we had our first SBP, we no longer carry on. Speaking of which, if you ARE bringing wine on board, it must be in your carry-luggage. Even if it is a case, you must navigate it through the checkpoints yourself. You will then be directed to the pay-up desk for the corkage, and each bottle will get a sticker. After which you can drink it anywhere on the ship, and they will even keep the bottles in the "cellar" to be brought to you. As far as NYE, where will you be cruising? We will be off Cabo San Lucas, and my husband will wear a very crisp Mexican Wedding Shirt -- so not black-tie but not grungy at all!

I would say that you should 'shop' a couple other lines, just to determine if your first impression was valid! We have sailed on three major lines that are still in business: Holland America seven (with three more scheduled), NCL and RCI one each. The latter two cruises were decided by itinerary and price, while the HAL sailings were of course picked by itinerary and the calendar, but more to making OUR schedule fit theirs! We will be 4-star Mariners on HAL with the back to back we have this coming month, and the free laundry and half-price wine packages are somewhat enticing, especially with at least one longer trip on the horizon for 2024. But we would never have stayed with a line that wasn't pleasant and welcoming just for the points! Not wanting to hex your NCL trip, but I hated the Norwegian Star. Lots of people say I shouldn't judge the line by an older smaller ship, but I think a line should either keep all of their ships up to par, or sell them to someone who will! Our Royal Caribbean transAtlantic on the Rhapsody OTS was just fine and more like HAL than dissimilar. I would sail with RCI/RCCL again, but they have forgotten me and do not send me any kind of communications so I never remember to check their offerings. I have also booked with Princess a number of times, but something always happens that it winds up cancelled, not the least being two cancelled by the Pandemic. Post-startup they are not sailing R/T Alaska out of Los Angeles -- only Carnival is -- so we are booked on Carnival next September, and I have to say, I am not excited. It's starting to look better to drive to San Francisco to sail R/T with Princess! Hanging out on a line's Cruise Critic board is an unappreciated way to see if the ships' culture will mesh with yours! Certainly all of the cruiselines have their fans or they wouldn't be in business!

$375 for the Allstate and $161 for the gap policy. But then my husband pays $228 for Medicare Supplemental plus something for parts B&D. So it won't be a big change when I hit 65.

I am 11 years younger than my husband and when he retired we lost the ability to insure me through his medical corporation. We went with National General with Get-Me-Care to cover the $5000 (!) deductible for catastrophic illness or injury. Things like vaccinations (COVID, flu shot) and routine screenings are not covered. It was and is considered a short-term policy but was renewed at the end of the first year, and I will age-into Medicare before the second year expires. Allstate bought National General but it was seamless as far as my plan; just got new cards to carry.

CC's got an app (oops, board) for that! https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/499-cruisetravel-insurance/ At the top is a Q&A sub-forum with Steve from the TripInsuranceStore. He is probably the most knowledgeable person for the subject on the planet -- I guess -- although we did not use his service when we bought PRE-PANDEMIC a year-long subscription to Geo Blue. (I used some other comparison site, can't remember.) My husband retired 12/31/19. We travelled to South America in January on an escorted tour. In February 2020, we had SIX cruises booked over the next 18 months, and at the time were still planning to take guided land tours as well. We all know what happened to those plans! Subsequently we let the GeoBlue plan lapse...

Welcome to Cruise Critic! You may want to browse these other boards for topics of interest, although you may look hard and long for people doing quite like your plan: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/2474-transatlantic-transpacific-repositioning-trans-ocean-cruises/ https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/674-world-cruising/ https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/279-solo-cruisers/ Additionally some topics that are more about Solo Cruisers end up in the subtly-different Singles Cruises: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/85-singles-cruises/

That is the Cruise Critic convention, but the cruise lines call them Paid Upgrades and Complimentary Upgrades and as @Florida_gal_50pointed out, @Charlene1985was not wrong.

With the deckplan in front of you, find a cabin on the same stretch of hall on HALfacts. Assume the direction of furniture placement swaps every other room. Note that both Verandahs and Vista Suites are designated "V" on the Pinnacle page, except I see one Vista that is labelled MS. Also some parts of some decks on the Rotterdam are numbered differently that the K'dam and NS, due to extra cabins being shoe-horned in! https://halfacts.com/pinnacle-class/

The ships have similar scanners to the airports. You can bring almost any number of checked bags (ldubs has provided the actual poundage). The 'charges' are only tips to the handlers, which are not required but some pax feel a little grease in the palm keeps their suitcases from ending up in the drink! Assuming you'll be flying to your embarcation port, anything you can get to said port with, you will be able to take on board. Also, belated Welcome to Cruise Critic!

Now you have me greasing my wallet! "My aunt went to Mazatlan and all I got was this T-shirt"? "Hey Gringos!"?

It appears there is no Roll Call yet for your cruise: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/search/?type=forums_topic&search_and_or=or&search_in=titles&nodes=461&q=Jun June Your options are to keep checking OR to start the Roll Call! "Find your Nieuw Amsterdam Roll Call by choosing your sailing month from the drop down menu below. Don't see your sailing date on the list. Use the START NEW TOPIC button to add yours. Please format your sailing date in this fashion January XX, 20XX to be sure it is easily searched"

I think not, only items from the room service menu for delivery (possibly expanded if you are quarantined). As far as Princess -- as the customer relations person said to me, the last time I used the Big Box Store's credit card and found out there was no coverage for travel companies' insolvencies, although there would have been if I had used my bank card: "That is a different product."

I am liking this site! I would like and use the set of three zipper bags. Looking at some of the large regular shoppers for my more artsy relatives... It's a little late for these holidays, though.