HAL Newbie questions

[swimstef]

Hi! We're cruising for the first time this January on Eurodam and are very excited. Browsing this forum has been helpful but a few answers are still fuzzy - any help would be appreciated!

 

It looks like it's possible to bring some alcohol on board - I read that wine and champagne are ok but no BEER?? My cruise companion is disappointed about this. What about soda? Is it the cans that are a no-go? Any advice?

 

We're really not fancy folks, yet don't want to be party-poopers on the "formal nights." The "smart casual" line (we won't look like scumbags) is more our style. Many other threads mentioned that they saw a lot of different outfits walking around. Is formal attire necessary only for dining in the main (or certain) dining areas? Should we remain sequestered in our rooms on formal nights if we don't dress up - and would we be missing out on other activities if that's the case? We'd like to avoid the whole bringing/renting a suit coat deal.

 

Is there any way to find specific entertainment schedules for the cruise? I haven't seen them online - is this information shared upon boarding or on a nightly basis?

 

How does boarding work? Our boarding is listed at 1:00 with 5:00 departure. Does everyone show up at 1? Can we get there earlier/later?

 

Thanks!

[SwissMyst]

Hi! We're cruising for the first time this January on Eurodam and are very excited. Browsing this forum has been helpful but a few answers are still fuzzy - any help would be appreciated!

 

It looks like it's possible to bring some alcohol on board - I read that wine and champagne are ok but no BEER?? My cruise companion is disappointed about this. What about soda? Is it the cans that are a no-go? Any advice?

 

We're really not fancy folks, yet don't want to be party-poopers on the "formal nights." The "smart casual" line (we won't look like scumbags) is more our style. Many other threads mentioned that they saw a lot of different outfits walking around. Is formal attire necessary only for dining in the main (or certain) dining areas? Should we remain sequestered in our rooms on formal nights if we don't dress up - and would we be missing out on other activities if that's the case? We'd like to avoid the whole bringing/renting a suit coat deal.

 

Is there any way to find specific entertainment schedules for the cruise? I haven't seen them online - is this information shared upon boarding or on a nightly basis?

 

How does boarding work? Our boarding is listed at 1:00 with 5:00 departure. Does everyone show up at 1? Can we get there earlier/later?

 

Thanks!

 

Welcome, we all have similar questions when first cruising so keep asking away.

 

Formal dining attire are suggestions only for the main dining room so you can enjoy your time elsewhere on the ship in your casual attire. Though some men just put a tie on with a white shirt and that counts these days as "formal". There are some surprisingly excellent silk ties for $10 in the ship store so you can think about this more once you get onboard. Women often just wear some sort of sparkly top and that is good enough for "formal" as well and the ship shop also has some fun costume jewelry sets for $10 also that can add a little dressier boost for those evenings.

 

It is not meant to be strictly formal, but a variation in the traditional main dining room scene. They dress up the dining room as something special and the waiters all look great and the menu is just a bit more out of the ordinary so don't commit yourself to never wanting to experience this if at least you pack a few basics that could work. Yes, people do wear gowns and black tie because it is that kind of a setting that celebrates still being able to "dress up" but this is personal choice these days has interpretations of "formal" have become far more "casual".

 

We bring soda and not sure why no beer, but I do believe that is the one alcohol restriction. I bring non-alcoholic ginger beer which comes in bottles that look like beer bottles in the scanner and have never had any problems. So not sure how or why there is this beer restriction. Maybe it was intended to cut down on "young partiers" or something.

 

The evening entertainment is held twice typically after each dinner seating. We have 8pm dinner and the show would usually start at 10pm, but there would have been an earlier one for the 5:30 dinner crowd probably at 8pm? So if you go to the Lido buffet or room service you can also go to the 8pm show with no problem. The 10 pm show gets a little late for us, but we are "older" so we often miss the shows, particularly on port days were we are tired out by then.

 

We typically start boarding around 11 am, but your rooms won't be ready until early afternoon. The Lido buffet will be open if you get there earlier for lunch or you get to go to the main dining room if you are a repeat passenger qualifying for the HAL "Mariners" club. Which you will be after your first cruise so many like to board earlier than when the rooms are ready. Kind of makes it a hassle for your carry-on but that is just part of the first day experience. Additionally, the first few days are often "code red" which means all buffet food will be served by staff and not self-serve which slows down the buffet lines a bit, so it gets a bid crowded right at first. One reason it is nice to get the option to go to the main dining room for lunch that first day.

[Krazy Kruizers]

HAL's policy is that you can bring as much wine, champagne, bottled water and soda (can or bottle) as you want to onto the ship -- no limit.

Hard alcohol and beer are not permitted.

Show times can vary by ship -- some ships the shows are at 8 and 10 PM -- some ships the shows are at 7 and 9 PM. The times will be listed in the Explorer (new name for the daily program) -- which you get the evening before so that you can plan your next day's activities.

We are among those that arrive about 11 AM. If you arrive that early you will be given a number. Boarding usually begins around 11:30 AM. You can board when your number is called.

[DRWhit]

We'd like to avoid the whole bringing/renting a suit coat deal.

I don't think that's much of a hardship, but if it is, you could always just bring a tie. They do not take up much room. I have read that every now and then they will enforce that a male diner have at least either a tie or a jacket. But for goodness sake, I wouldn't suggest you miss a night out on the ship because of a jacket or tie. You only have a few nights, and you should enjoy them to the max.

[1jade105]

DH & I are on the 15 Jan. Eurodam.

If you are on 15 Jan. Eurodam sail, you are more than welcome to join the roll call.

If you choose not to do formal nights in the MDR you also have the option to order

MDR menu from room service during dining hours. Menu will be posted after lunch

or you may ask at the dining room for a menu.

As others have suggested white shirt and tie for males and a dressy top for females

is adequate, but relax and enjoy your cruise your way.

Have fun!

[duke4ncsu]

Hi all. Heading out on Eurodam tomorrow can't wait to celebrate DH 40th on Tuesday. This is our first Hal cruise though we have a Mariner's number already due to our cruises on Carnival and Costa.

 

Question: what beverages are available free of charge in the MDR and buffet?

 

Where would I go to reserve a spot for the Italian resturant?

 

I read on one of the threads about buying 6 packs of soda during the 2 for 1 specials anyone else have experience with this?

 

Thanks can't wait a few more hours.

[SwissMyst]

Hi all. Heading out on Eurodam tomorrow can't wait to celebrate DH 40th on Tuesday. This is our first Hal cruise though we have a Mariner's number already due to our cruises on Carnival and Costa.

 

Question: what beverages are available free of charge in the MDR and buffet?

 

Where would I go to reserve a spot for the Italian resturant?

 

I read on one of the threads about buying 6 packs of soda during the 2 for 1 specials anyone else have experience with this?

 

Thanks can't wait a few more hours.

 

Coffee and tea in the MDR, and ice tea, coffee and tea in the Lido is the best i can recollect that are free, but fresh squeezed orange juice and other fruit/veg juices are free at the Lido for breakfast and MDR. (And room service) DH always orders an espresso at dinner and that was free in the MDR.

 

The Italian "Canaletto" is a portion of the Lido that is a bit more formal and set apart which is used during the day for regular seating but is then used only for the Canaletto seating in the evening. Sorry, not sure where you make reservations but this will be easy to find and you can always use the phone in your room to make dining reservations.

 

Happy travels and not to add to your travel stress but I think there was a thread a while back discussing all the things many of us had forgotten when we too were packing for our cruises - and wish we had not forgotten. Extra pair of eye glasses if you wear them, is critical. Medications. But mostly anything else you can replace either on the ship or in port or find you can actually live without. One of the unexpected items is clothes for wild changes in temperature. Our first cruise on the Maasdam had us leaving from "sunny" Florida going to the "sunny" Caribbean but when the wind came up on the deck as we were leaving, we both hit the ship gift shop and bought HAL jacket and HAL fleece hoodies. Still bring them and use them on every cruise so they were a last minute thing we did not have but now carry on every trip.

[Taxguy77]

On the Rotterdam, we did not enjoy the MDR so went to the Lido (buffet) and had the same food, plus an ocean view and great beverage service. The Lido was more crowded on formal nights!

 

HAL has an area near the Lido to check your carryon luggage while you eat and wait for your stateroom to be ready. Very nice touch we've not seen on other lines.