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Keep her healthy as we travel on her next January to Hawaii. Jim

We try to book different ships but from the same company. We also try to find new to us ports of call. We are running out of options. I want to go to Alaska even though I spent six weeks a year there for 20 years for my publishing job. Madie has never been there. I traveled to such exotic cities as Nome, Kodiak, Petersburg, Wasilla, Kenai and Homer as well as most of the big-ship ports of call (Fairbanks even though ships do not actually go there). Jim

To Mary229, I found the link (below) to my Rotterdam review. I hope you can open it. Let me know. Thanks. Jim Holland America Rotterdam Cruise Ship: Review, Photos & Departure Ports on Cruise Critic

Hi, Mary, I will stay in touch. I will look for my review of Rotterdam and try to give you a link. Jim

Hi, Mary, Our only other Pinnacle class cruise was on Rotterdam in December 2021 when she was only six weeks old. Koningsdam will be our second trip on this class. My only complaint on Rotterdam was the smoke from the casino rising up into the Music Walk, at times almost overwhelming. Now, I am complaining about the lack of Lincoln Center and country music (the latter may be baseless according to some comments I have on another thread). As always your comments are most welcome. Jim

What great explanation. Thank you for this detailed answer. Gold stars! Jim

I heard that HAL is still offering twice a day cabin service. Is that true? Or does it vary by ship/ market? Jim

Despite record sales and profits, most the major companies are saddled with Billions of dollars of debt due the Pandemic. Whatever paper profits are being made most of it is going to pay down debt. Thus the shortages of staff and purported lack of service and food quality. On our Royal transatlantic trip in October I saw no lack of anything. Food and service were excellent. Jim

Is it possible that the "outside passage" is more applicable to sailings into Victoria and the "inside" route is more for Vancouver port calls? Jim

Yes there is a reason. It shows up better on my computer so I can read what I write. Jim

hi, Mary, I did not mean your whole name. I hate writing to "Hey you". just a first name. Jim

We are Koningsdam January 28, 2025 to Hawaii. Most reports that I saw this winter from cruisers was mostly positive. Jim

To Peajay, HAL sails in Europe so you can use the future cruise there. You did not say how much your FCC was. I see HAL cruises in Europe for US$500 or 600 so a hypothetical credit of US$100 amounts to a pretty good discount. To all responders, why do you not sign your names to comments? I always do. Jim

I am happy to hear that Classical music has returned to HAL. Does anybody know if Koningsdam has it? Thanks in advance if you can report on that. Jim

I like that idea. Even if there was no "branded" name attached, I would be happy. Jim

Talk about a small world. Jeff helped us design our first house in Green Township NJ (near Newton in Sussex County). Do you know if he is still around? Jim

Hi, ontheweb, We saw the Oak Ridge Boys in concert years ago (last century!). I won tickets to a Gatlin Brothers show via a radio station at a venue that involved taking a ferry to reach (this century). The total trip was about 2 hours each way plus the concert. I was a lot younger! We are not big fans of concerts, too expensive, too many people. We have a Folk Life Festival in Seattle on Memorial Day with many types of folk/country music. We used to go every year when it was free. Hordes of people, usually in good weather, brought our own seats. Now, they charge and it is beyond our budget (retired seniors). I have been a country fan since 1950 (9 years old) living in suburban New York. There was a country music station in Paterson, NJ and the wake-up show was called Barkin' with Larkin (the host). I used to listen while getting ready for elementary school. It was a very sad day for me when it was announced that Hank Williams had died. I did not want to go to school. I had a good friend in Liberty, Jeff Sternberg, whom I had met on a HAL cruise in 1966. His family owned a lumber yard if I recall correctly. lost track of him when we moved to Seattle in 1975. Jim

Hi, FlaMarina, I do feel very deprived. First, Lincoln Center is gone. Second, I now find out that there actually may have been some country music I missed. Woe is me! My parents had retired to Fort Lauderdale and my wife's to Del Ray. We have a lot of family and friends still in Florida. Jim

Thanks, I will. Is your charter thread easily found on Cruise Critic? Jim

Hi, FlaMarina, On our several HAL cruises, we never heard a country set at Billboard. Hopefully on Koningsdam in January 2025, there will be a Billboard musician who can add that dimension. Jim

Oh My God! What a lineup, including the Grand Ol' Opry. We have been to Opryland and the Ryman Auditorium a few times. Thanks for the information. Jim

I booked the wrong January 2025 HAL cruise! If only I had known about one...! Jim

Roz, I have a cousin in Nashville whose husband is a country musician. He plays in backup bands. Jim

Absolutely, culturally deprived. Jim

Thanks for the suggestion. I will do so! Your advice is always welcome in my world. Jim