PSR

On a slightly different topic, does Oceania put a hold amount on your credit card? If so, how much is it per day? Thanks.

3 hours ago, Storylady said:

According to photos and comments, the one place you don’t want to get tested for your flight is the Vancouver Airport. There is a test site in Canada Place, across the street at the Fairmont and at the Convention Center next to Canada Place. If you have an afternoon flight, you will be okay testing at airport. But for early flights, the comments on another forum mentioned 3 hours. Two waiting in line and 45 minutes for results. You need the results before checking in.

Do you know if you still have to stand in the long line at the airport if you have a pre-booked appointment?

3 hours ago, Mary229 said:

As a reminder to those that lose their phone the first step is to have someone call the phone. It might be in your pocket or someone nearby will pick it up and tell you the location.   I have been on one too many excursions which were needlessly turned around because someone didn’t take this simple step. 

So you've been on excursions where they return to a previous stop because someone's phone is missing? That seems rude to the rest of the travelers...😒

Thanks for this information. I did know about the new dock, but not about the difficulties. Do you know if you have to go to the downtown to go on ship-booked excursions, or do they leave from the new pier? Oops! I just noticed you mentioned "tour buses" were at the building after your walk from the ship...

You can wait until you board to apply it. Then you don't have to wait on hold.

Thanks for all the responses...I guess I forgot to mention I was cruising from Seattle rather than Europe. All the rules for Europe seem really confusing!😲

I know this has been discussed here before, but now I am getting worried because my latest cruise information from O emphasizes the "48 hour" time for an antigen test. Has anyone been challenged that their test 2 days before a cruise was more than 48 hours, such as 52 hours, and so invalid? Our test is scheduled for 10am on the Saturday before our Monday cruise. I don't know when our boarding time will be, but I'm sure it's not 10am on Monday. Oceania's original statement about the 48 hours had a chart that just said the test needed to be done on "Saturday", no time listed. Appreciate any comments/information.

14 minutes ago, Crew News said:

I carry two test kits from Optum with me in case I cannot find a test location.  There is a test location in the Vancouver airport but I have not found it yet.

 

Most passengers would gladly pay for a test while onboard if HAL offered it.

I believe the test location is near the check-in area for the US airlines near the entrance to the Fairmont Hotel. Not sure of the name of the provider, though.

16 minutes ago, Crew News said:

I asked on the Nieuw Statendam, Nieuw Amsterdam, and Zuiderdam over the past 5 months and they could not be found.  Others may have found a bulk source onboard but I could not.

Bummer...if you can't find any crackers, nobody can!!!

10 minutes ago, Crew News said:

No hope for crackers.  No individually package crackers.  I brought a box of Triscuits and some water crackers to eat with my nightly cheese snacks.

Thanks for the quick response, but that's sad to hear. Cheese needs crackers...will plan to bring our own.🙁 Isn't a cracker wrapper made of cellophane? I didn't think that had plastic in it. Maybe I'm wrong.

P.S. I just noticed you mentioned "no individually package(d) crackers". Do they provide some unpackaged crackers with a cheese plate at dinner or elsewhere?

On 5/14/2022 at 3:18 PM, Crew News said:

Sadly, the Zuiderdam does not have any cookies that can come close to those on the Pinnacle-class ships' Grand Dutch Cafe.

 

The bread pudding available on request at the ice cream station is awesome.  Some raisins would make it even better.

 

The Taco bar is just a few feet from the Dive-in burger window next to the Indoor pool on Deck 9.

 

At lunch everyday and often at the Lido Market Late buffet (10:30 PM), I ask for an empty bowl at the Salad Bar and take it to the sandwich station for a fill up of either potato or nacho chips.  If you tell the servers at both stations that Roger sent you,  you will see a lot of smiles and never have to ask for a salad bowl again.  It will be held out to you as soon as they see you coming.

Love the chip/nacho tip!! Just thought of another question. Last Fall, I believe, cruisers were reporting that HAL was no longer carrying saltine (or other types) of crackers to have with cheese/soup, etc. This was supposedly because they were wrapped in "plastic". Have crackers returned? I hope so.

Why don't you hold on to it and apply it to your account after you board? 

Another THANK YOU! I especially appreciated the menus that will useful for a later cruise this year!

Apparently there is testing near the checkin area for the US airlines at the Vancouver airport; I think the test is pretty quick and you can/should make reservations. I don't have a link but it should be online if searched. 

20 hours ago, Crew News said:

No 5-second rule for escargot?  A simple request for butter sauce should be honored.

I probably would've picked it up and thought about the rule, but I couldn't find the piece 🤔 . It blended in with the worn wooden floor of the restaurant.

3 hours ago, Crew News said:

There are three Gala Night menus.  The blue menu is only seen as the first menu if there will be three Gala Nights.  The escargot is on the Gold menu, served on the last Gala Night.

 

I checked my last 14-Day Alaska cruise and there were three gala Nights.

 

From my analysis, there are actually five regular menus for a 7-Day cruise plus two Gala menus (silver menu first and gold last day).  14-Day cruises repeat the 7-Day menu the second week.  That leaves one yet-to-be discovered menu for the second week.

 

FWIW there should be at east one Rudi's Sel de Mer night and that menu has escargot as an appetizer.

Thanks very much for the clarifications! So the pattern for 14 days should be: Blue menu, Silver menu, Gold menu. Also, I have seen that Rudi's menu has escargot, but have read descriptions of it not being "traditional", so not sure if they would have the usual garlic butter dip. Pictures of Rudi's escargot show simple shells on a plate with no "sauce" of any kind. I have had that style before, but the butter sauce was still included on the side. Funny story: one time I was picking a snail out of it's shell and it flew off my fork onto the restaurant floor...bummer!😲

Love 'em! In January tried to get one at a hotel bar in San Diego...no Clamato on hand; maybe we can blame it on the pandemic???🙄

On 5/1/2022 at 2:27 PM, Crew News said:

If you look at the second Gold Gala Night menu, just posted for Day 05, you will see escargot is on the menu.  Bon Appetite.

After my reply yesterday, I realized that since I am on the 14-day New Amsterdam cruise this September (with you, I believe), the Gala escargot appetizer will probably not be on day 5, as your current one is a 7-day cruise. Do you think the escargot will be on a probable Gala #2 or #3? I would guess #3, since that would be the last Gala dinner. I am assuming there are 3 Gala nights as usual on a 14-day cruise. Thanks.

10 hours ago, Crew News said:

If you look at the second Gold Gala Night menu, just posted for Day 05, you will see escargot is on the menu.  Bon Appetite.

Fantastic! Just checked it out; now I just have to make sure I haven't already made a specialty restaurant rez for that day. Thank you!

17 hours ago, Crew News said:

Tomorrow is the deadline to sign a statement that I have completed my ArriveCAN submission.

 

Ans so it was April 29, 2022.

Which port was this for? Victoria? I am a little confused about the ArriveCAN submission. I know you have to submit one to enter Canada to board a cruise ship in Vancouver, and also another to "reenter" Canada at a second port, but I also am not sure about your itinerary.

Thanks for any into.

I have been gone a few days and just read the menu for the first GALA night. It can't be true that there is no Escargot Bourguignon (sp?)! That was always one of the appetizers I enjoyed on the first gala night and was planning to have again after a long time of no cruising. I am disappointed, but I guess many people do not care for it, so perhaps it's been discontinued.😢

4 hours ago, Crew News said:

Here is a link to the first evening's menu:  Alaska MDR Embarkation Day Menu

Thanks so much! I guess the "Kings Day" specials won't be on later cruises...😉

Crew, Have you added MDR dinner menus yet? When I click on your link, I get a lot of other menus, etc. for 4/25/22, but no dinner menus. Am I doing something wrong? Thanks.

On 4/26/2022 at 2:35 PM, StLouisCruisers said:

 

 Error...🙄 Sorry

1 hour ago, StLouisCruisers said:

 

I see it in his signature at the bottom of his post.  Black lettering  "HAL Menus & More Link"

I've forgotten how to access the "signatures" at the bottom. Can you give us a hint of how to add that feature? Thank you.

P.S. Just found it by going into my ACCOUNT SETTINGS then "Signatures" and clicking "view signatures" or something like that, then "Save".