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Our week on the Big O!

localady

By localady,
in Holland America Line

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localady

localady

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My family and I returned home late last night from another wonderful Dam cruise on the Oosterdam this time. This was the first time in 4 or so years that DH and I have cruised with our college-aged kids (22 and 18). My boys have always enjoyed HAL and were very happy with their experiences on this cruise.

Well most of them, that is. My 18 yo managed to acquire the dreaded Upper GI virus the night before we arrived in PV, causing him to miss PV as he remained in his room for 24 hours after his final bout. The staff was very helpful and a nurse came to the room to check him and provide gatorade, anti nausea meds etc. The staff was helpful and he improved in time to ATV in Mazatlan. Thank goodness for youthful resilience! My only puzzlement was the delivery of a bill for medical services, (I had thought that they didn't charge for Noro cases.) it was reasonable though and was paid.

Getting my family together is difficult these days between my schedule and the kids college and work schedules, so I used the cruise to lasso them for an hour to have family portraits taken. We elected to try the Black Label Photography, which is done on black and white film. My family were not all enthusiastic about the sitting and she had them dancing by the end of it. :D The sitting itself had no cost, I knew the photos would not be inexpensive but I figured I was under no obligation to buy. Holly (the photographer) did a great job and I got the most wonderful of souvenirs on this cruise, 5 amazing photos of our family- a full family shot, a shot of DH and I, a photo of the boys individually as well as together. They will look amazing in the Family Room and I am looking forward to their arrival in 6 weeks.

Douglas Hernandez was the Hot Man on this cruise and Jerome Baijens was our Captain. Our stewards, Sat and Den were efficient and always helpful and smiling. The meals in the Vista were great and our "As You Wish" Dining was truly as we wished!! I know many here might frown, but we had an excellent experience with "As You Wish" and received superior service with all the wait staff we encountered. We also enjoyed a night at Canaletto as well as a night in the Pinnacle. I do enjoy the newer extended menu in the Pinnacle, my Sea and Land Combo was wonderful!

Joel Mason was onboard and as talented and funny as ever. The Oosterdam Singers and Dancers were also great, but the songs seemed to be taken from the "sappy" catalog. They were very talented and truly deserved better. The bands where wonderful to, the ______ and the HalCats (sorry I can't recall her name) was very talented and the musicians rocked.

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localady

localady

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P.S. I did attend the Mariners Cocktail reception and brunch. Medallion recipients were recognized, and there was no mention of the Mariner star ratings, except there was a box containing samples of the 1 to 4 star pins among the medallions.

I am officially a 4 Star Mariner now, and look forward to the free laundry service that accompanies the 4 Star status. ;) :D

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IRL_Joanie

IRL_Joanie

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Welcome home!! I am so sorry that your son came down ill:( But, as you say, thank goodness for the resillience of youth and he was able to recover quickly.

 

I may have to look into the Black Label on our cruise. Meant to do it last one in November/December, but forgot.

 

Joanie

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localady

localady

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Was Joel playing with the Hellcats? I got to sing with him back in 08, and he was an amazing person to hang out with!!

 

Actually he was doing his Elton John tribute decked out in the most extravagent multicolored feather outfit .....how does he walk in those Red 7 inch platforms???? :eek: :D :D

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LAFFNVEGAS "Live from...." Rare

LAFFNVEGAS

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Welcome Home Sher, Bob and the Boys :) I really was going to call you today but I went in at 7 this morning and was to get off work at 3:30 and would you believe that I did not get out of there till 5:45 :( Then by the time I went and got groceries.

I am so glad that that you had a good time but that is really too bad that Spence got sick. But fortunately none of the rest of you did.

That is weird about getting a bill, it was my understanding as well that they would not charge you. I am not so sure that I would not write HAL and question this.

Thanks to you I booked my third HAL cruise for 2011;)

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LAFFNVEGAS "Live from...." Rare

LAFFNVEGAS

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So - did you "wish" open seating or fixed?

I can answser this... she "Wished Open Seating" I am glad to hears she enjoyed it. She had booked this cruise a very long time ago and was confirmed Early fixed but decided with having her sons with her it might worke better to have Open Dining and switched not that long ago.

You would be suprised how many choose Open Dining and love it.:)

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kazu "Live from...." Rare

kazu

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I can answser this... she "Wished Open Seating" I am glad to hears she enjoyed it. She had booked this cruise a very long time ago and was confirmed Early fixed but decided with having her sons with her it might worke better to have Open Dining and switched not that long ago.

You would be suprised how many choose Open Dining and love it.:)

 

Actually a lot of people on the Nieuw Amsterdam liked the open dining. I heard good things about it. We've stuck with fixed (late), but now I'm wondering if we should try it. Like having the same wait staff though

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localady

localady

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Welcome Home Sher, Bob and the Boys :) I really was going to call you today but I went in at 7 this morning and was to get off work at 3:30 and would you believe that I did not get out of there till 5:45 :( Then by the time I went and got groceries.

 

I am so glad that that you had a good time but that is really too bad that Spence got sick. But fortunately none of the rest of you did.

 

That is weird about getting a bill, it was my understanding as well that they would not charge you. I am not so sure that I would not write HAL and question this.

 

Thanks to you I booked my third HAL cruise for 2011;)

 

Lisa- I am sooooo envious of your new cruise. I am so glad it all worked out!! We will chat soon, no doubt! :D

One thing I did find odd is that we received no preliminary bill at all. :confused: The only bill presented was early on disembarkation morning. Makes it very very hard to question charges while still onboard. :confused:

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localady

localady

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Actually a lot of people on the Nieuw Amsterdam liked the open dining. I heard good things about it. We've stuck with fixed (late), but now I'm wondering if we should try it. Like having the same wait staff though

 

We really enjoyed the "As You Wish", there was never any need to hurry up and change for dinner, we just went when everyone was dressed and assembled.:D Only one night did we wait, and that was because I requested a table for 2 for Bob and I, the boys ate upstairs that night. The wait was minimal (10 minutes) and the only surprise was that the beeper they handed us, started talking to us "Your table is ready".....:eek:

I thought only the GPS lady had that nasally tone....LOL

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monakayk

monakayk

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Thank you for your great review and happy to hear you all enjoyed the Oosterdam. The DD and I will be sailing on her in a couple of weeks.

 

:confused: I have a few questions:

 

:confused:What night was the pool/deck party (port of call)?

 

:confused:Did they serve Escargot or Duck-Pate in the main Dining room?

 

:confused:What ports did you have to tender too?

 

Thanks!

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localady

localady

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Thank you for your great review and happy to hear you all enjoyed the Oosterdam. The DD and I will be sailing on her in a couple of weeks.

 

:confused: I have a few questions:

 

:confused:What night was the pool/deck party (port of call)?

 

:confused:Did they serve Escargot or Duck-Pate in the main Dining room?

 

:confused:What ports did you have to tender too?

 

Thanks!

 

Pool Party was the night we were in Puerto Vallarta. It was a fabulous night, with a stunning pink sunset.

Duck Pate was served one night as my son enjoyed it. We where not in the Vista, the 2nd formal night, so I don't know if it was served or not....sorry...

Only tender required is in Cabo. Found it to be really easy, I guess we were earlier than most cruisers as we literally went get tickets at the Queens lounge then directly on to the Tender.

Hope this helps! Have a great trip!

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monakayk

monakayk

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Pool Party was the night we were in Puerto Vallarta. It was a fabulous night, with a stunning pink sunset.

 

Duck Pate was served one night as my son enjoyed it. We where not in the Vista, the 2nd formal night, so I don't know if it was served or not....sorry...

 

Only tender required is in Cabo. Found it to be really easy, I guess we were earlier than most cruisers as we literally went get tickets at the Queens lounge then directly on to the Tender.

Hope this helps! Have a great trip!

YES....THANKS for this info...it was wanted I wanted to know! :D

 

:confused: BTW...we have an excursion (booked it on our own with local company in Cabo) and will need to get to the tour by 9AM..so how should we go about getting tender tickets so we can get off the ship as early as possible? I have never had to worry about doing this cruising with Princess because we always just walked off the ship at ports when we had a tour there.

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localady

localady

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YES....THANKS for this info...it was wanted I wanted to know! :D

 

:confused: BTW...we have an excursion (booked it on our own with local company in Cabo) and will need to get to the tour by 9AM..so how should we go about getting tender tickets so we can get off the ship as early as possible? I have never had to worry about doing this cruising with Princess because we always just walked off the ship at ports when we had a tour there.

 

If you are in a SA-SC suite you get priority tendering. If not, just be sure to be down to collect your tender tickets early. We were early and just walked off, but I don't know if that is normal or a fluke. Enjoy your cruise!!:D

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RuthC

RuthC

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I was wondering how HAL handles tipping?

HAL adds a service charge of $11 per person, per day to your on-board account. Drinks in any lounge, Explorations Cafe, or the dining room, have a 15% service charge added.

You may tip individuals above that amount, should you feel service deserves additional. If you left the service charge intact, that is, you did not reduce or remove it, the individual may keep your tip. If you did reduce/remove your service charge, the individual you tipped is required to turn your tip money in to the service charge pool to be distributed.

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tea4ular

tea4ular

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For the more "exotic" items like duck pate, lobster tails or escargot etc do they also offer those inthe Lido those nights or only at the formal MDR?

 

In our experience, only in the MDR. In fact on "lobster night" we (and a larger table of 10, sitting next to us) all tried to have Canaletto's serve us lobster in addition to their menu...for the first time ever we were all turned down for our request (my 12th cruise, I have never been turned down for any reasonable request). In fact Canaletto's was not booked solid that night (probably because it was lobster in the MDR), but the head guy was simply not going to budge, even for 14 people. :(

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