jeh10641

Btimmer,

Thanks for all the updates and photos. I think we were with you in Dec. on the Rotterdam(?). From Sammamish. Happy New Year to you and your family.

Jim 

I envy all of those leaving on Rotterdam today and in the future. My wife and I were on board for 11 days (12/01/21) and it was over way too fast.

Jim

RAS4331

You will love the new RTTERDAM. I cruised on her 12/01-12/12/2021. See my review on CC under Rotterdam - Holland America has another "dam" winner.

Jim

Copper10-8

Thanks for the photo of my first ship (Nieuw Amsterdam, 1938 version). I sailed on her again in 1966 with my parents. Had the same table steward as in 1959. His name was Carl. In 1959 I also sailed from Genoa to New York on American Export's Constitution. Stay well.

Jim

Copper10-8 - My first cruise was in 1959 on HAL's Nieuw Amsterdam (1938 model) from New York City (Manhattan) to Rotterdam. I think we stopped in Le Havre (France) and one port in England (cannot remember which one). I was on a student tour (Arista) with 30 other recent high school graduates or soon to be seniors in high schools from the New York Metro area.

Jim

Grambler

The trophy means "thanks".

To all readers: I was on the Rotterdam 12/01/21 and it was a vaxxed cruise. Did not see any kids younger than teenagers. My belief is that vaccinations will be required for 2022 and even beyond. Boosters may soon become requirement as well based on my research. Under Rotterdam reviews you can find my multipage review of the Rotterdam. Here is the link.

https://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=683921

Jim

kjcognevich

In December I was on a Rotterdam cruise (sister ship to Koningsdam). Both have Club HAL which is devoted to younger cruisers. HAL caters to an older clientele but in Alaska, it is the natural world that is most important, as well as the ports of call.

I am 80 and I enjoy the Music Walk venues - Rolling Stone (rock), B.B. Kings (blues and more) and Lincoln Center Stage (classical/international). Time constraints did not allow me to visit Billboard On Board this trip. I have enjoyed that singalong venue on past cruises.

I attended one stage show, Cantare (acapella quartet with pre-recorded music tracks). The World Stage is a tremendous venue with high tech video capabilities both for shows and lectures. The many bars were okay although drinking is not my thing. The casino had a major problem with smoking; the smoke was all over decks two and three. I have been on Costa and Royal Caribbean cruises but prefer the laid-back offerings of HAL.

The food is the best afloat. I usually do not go to the specialty dining but I was traveling with cousins and we were celebrating birthdays and anniversaries. We ate at all four extra charge spots and were really impressed with the food and service. Worth every penny.

A word of caution. When you go to Alaska in the summer, the further north you go, the later the sun sets. If sunlight is a problem to your sleeping, book an inside cabin where the sun never shines. Blackout curtains do not always block out the daylight.

Jim

THUMBS DOWN COVID 19 TESTING

     Before we embarked, we were going to spend several days visiting relatives across the state of Florida. That presented us with our first problem: How do we get tested for COVID 19 before the trip? HAL recommended QUEST DIAGNOSTICS through their health protocols on HAL’S website.

     Our boarding date was Wednesday, December 1, 2021. Our boarding time changed several times but finalized at 1 PM. We were happy with the time.  Our cousins had synchronized their boarding time with ours and were happy with the time.

     We booked a date/time for our COVID 19 test through QUEST DIAGNOSTICS.  It was on Monday November 29, 2021 at 10 AM at a Walmart drive through pharmacy in Boynton Beach on Military Trail. The night before we stayed in Port St. Lucie about a 90 minute drive from our testing site. We arrived 15 minutes early for our tests. As we sat in our car, a pharmacist supervised the testing process through the Drive Through window. We were done in about 15 minutes. We placed our test samples in the box indicated by the pharmacist. Before we left, I specifically asked the testing supervisor how long would it take to get our results. He said “24 to 48 hours”.  That meant about 10 AM on December 1, the day of our embarkation. I told him that was IMPORTANT as we taking a cruise on Wednesday. The timing was okay. This is where it all went wrong.

     Through my tablet and the hotel’s computer, I kept checking QUEST’s website and my email for written confirmation. I checked every couple of hours through Tuesday and into Wednesday morning. NO TEST RESULTS were available by 11 AM on Wednesday. Through Cruise Critic, I knew that if we had proof of testing but no results, HAL could test us at embarkation. The stress of not knowing if we would be able to board was palpable. I DO NOT ENDORSE OR RECOMMEND QUEST DIAGNOSTIC SERVICES FOR TESTING.

     Arriving at Port Everglades at Noon on December 1, we left our bags with a porter and entered the terminal. I explained our situation to the greeter at the entrance. She called over another staff member who escorted us to an area for testing. We took our tests and went to a waiting area. After 15 minutes, our name was called and we were given our test results. NEGATIVE!!!! We then were allowed to board.

     My wife finally got her test results Thursday December 2, 2021 when we were on our second day at sea. On Friday, I received a note that QUEST DIAGNOSTICS COULD NOT FIND MY RESULTS!

SUCCESS LEADS TO BOARDING

     I mentioned to the crewmembers greeting us on board that I felt like getting down on my knees to kiss the deck. I said that if I did, I would need a lot of help to to stand up. They laughed. However, it was true.

     From the time we dropped off our bags at the terminal until we actually entered our cabin (1146, Main Deck, Inside), a total of less than 40 minutes had elapsed. Holland America deserves much credit for their handling of the testing and boarding process. It was an awesome start for what turned out to be an even better cruise. ROTTERDAM VII lived up to its hype.

Wiener schnitzel: one of my favorites. Not offered during my Rotterdam cruise on 12/01/21. Would have ordered it. In Vienna in 2016, my wife and I found a local gasthaus near our hotel and ordered what turned out to wiener schnitzel that was as large as the 12-inch plate on which it was served. Went back a second night and shared ONE.

Jim

richwmn,

We were on Rotterdam VII from 12-01-21 to 12-12-21. The entertainment you saw sounds like the same we saw except for the comedians. Both of ours were really funny and appeared in B.B.King/Lincoln Center. On our cruise we saw Cantare in the World Stage, a great acapella quartet with prerecorded music. Thanks for the instant memory recall of our trip. Happy New Year.

Jim

Hi, All,

I always use a travel to book a cruise. They have always been able to tell me if a specific cabin is available. It does not cost anything to use a T.A. Sometimes they can get you better deals than the cruise ship website (on board credit, free specialty dining, etc.)

Hello, cruzin4us,

We had a boarding time of 1 PM on December 1 (Wednesday) on the Rotterdam in Fort Lauderdale. We took our tests through QUEST DIAGNOSTICS in Boynton Beach FL at a Walmart. We took the tests at 9:45 AM on Monday Nov. 29. However, QUEST FAILED miserably in providing our results. HAL was able test us on boarding day in the terminal. From baggage drop to enter cvabin, including the tests, the total elapsed time was under 40 minutes. DO NOT USE QUEST is my recommendation.

Jim

Good to know about the Menorah lighting. Looking forward to seeing and participating (a little bit).

Jim

Hi, All,

I prepaid for WiFi and was charged about $151.00 on HAL's website.

nimiq- Thanks for the Keto tips.

Jim

Having not yet boarded a cruise (12/01 is my date), I can only speculate based on watching dozens of You Tube cruise bloggers. What is good today may not be so next week, next month or next year. Keep looking.

Hi, All,

My wife and I have been on a Keto friendly eating plan for more than two years. When we have sandwiches eating out, we get them without bread. We have each lost a lot of weight and have kept it off. We do not ourselves any type of food as long as we can "have it our way". Papa Murphy, a take and bake pizza chain, offers crustless pizzas. Just the toppings and they are terrific.  At NY Pizza, we will probably scrape the toppings of and just eat them (if it cannot be served crustless).

To all, a Happy and Healthy Thanksgiving on Thursday.

Jim

Hi, All,

I worked for Martha's publisher for twenty years and had many opportunities to work with her here in the Seattle (WA) area. A delightful woman. I used to have to send her Walla Walla Sweet onions from the Pike Place Public Market in downtown Seattle. She could cook for me any time, any place and it would like Heaven.

Jim

Hi, All,

I have booked a test through HAL's partner Quest Diagnostics in Boynton Beach, FL (Walmart pharmacy, fingers crossed). We are arriving 5 days in advance of our 12/01 Rotterdam cruise so we need to get tested there. It was easy to book (about two weeks ago). Several You Tube Cruise Bloggers have videos on doing a home test. Very informative. I do not own a smart phone and could not risk the hotel having effective WIFI for my tablet so no home test for us. I saw the same link NOCL posted in answer #7 above.

Jim

Hi, All,

On Embarkation Day, you could also try NY Deli and Pizza and the Dive In Burger Bar. I do not know they will be open but you can check onboard. I might try them myself!

Jim

Btimmer,

Thanks "neighbor" for the Inside Cabin photos. We are booked 12/01/21 in an Inside Cabin, 1146, so the heads up was good.

Jim

I always check with TripAdvisor for places to visit in each port or city or country I visit. Then I check with HAL to see which tours cover those places. I also check with TripAdvisor on their recommended tours.

Jim 

Cafe Bruno,

Thanks for the great answer as to why we prefer wild salmon. I had worked for a book publisher that had published a book on the "wild" versus "farmed" salmon.  You boiled down hundreds of pages into a couple of paragraphs.

RGEDad,

Farm raised trout do not affect the wild population as do farm raised salmon. I have eaten both farm raised trout and fresh caught wild trout and find no appreciable difference in taste or texture. Nor do farm raised trout affect the ability of fishermen to catch wild salmon.

Jim

Hi, All,

Changed my font to normal because of readability issues in iPads. We are 80ish but will not let the added protocols stop us from cruising. We are just allowing more time to accomplish the same things that were brief in the past.

Jim

Thanks for the feedback. I will use a basic font since I do 99% of my typing on my desk top with Windows 10.

Jim

Thanks Seasick Sailor. Nobody has said thing before this. Does it come through differently than what I see? Here are two samples, same font size, side by side:

 The quick brown fox...

The quick brown fox...

Jim