My First HAL Crusie!!!!

[cluelyss18]

:DSo this afternoon, we made a downpayment for the October 2, 2011 sailing out of NYC to Bermuda.

I am so excited to have another trip booked! I have been to Bermuda once before on Celebrity, however it has been years!

 

Sooooo I am hoping that if anyone has any words of advice or tips..please don't hesitate to pass them along.

 

A little about us. So far there are 4 of us traveling. Myself (28) my boyfriend (39) my mom (62) and my dad (69). None of us are very picky, we find fun anywhere we go, we love to play card games and trivia. I have heard people say that HAL is an older cruise line..I don't really care how old people are, as long as I'm on vacation.

My parents went back to Bermuda last year on NCL and were less than thrilled with the ship's docking location...especially since we have previously docked in Hamilton and have been pleased with that.

 

Am I correct in thinking that we are allowed to bring bottles of wine with us on board? Anything else we can bring? I LOVE to get dressed up, will I look out of place if I wear a gown or extremely fancy dress for formal night?

 

I thank all of you in advance for any tips, advice, or other info you can provide. This site has been an awesome find for me, planning my last cruise was a breeze thanks to everyone's expertise. :D

[kazu]

Welcome to the HAL board. if you like trivia, you are going to have a blast on HAL:D There are trivia games and fanatics so have a great time.

 

Yes, you are correct, you can bring all the wine, water or soda you want on board to drink in your cabin. anywhere else and you pay a corkage fee. Cabin is fine with us :D Corkage fee was $18 last time I cruised.

 

You can also bring it on at each port, not just at embarkation.

 

You'll love the fresh squeezed orange juice in the morning:) if you like eggs benedict, there are at least three kinds in the MDR and 6 in the Lido.

 

It's a rough life on HAL. Let us know how else we can help and we are more than happy to do so. and don't worry about the age thing - it's in the mind of the person. I suspect you will find a good mix on your cruise and honestly, those 'older' people are very interesting:)

 

You'll have a great time I am sure

[catl331]

You can bring on as much as you like of any beverages except beer and hard liquor.

 

On formal nights you'll see about 30% tuxes and fancy gowns, 60% dark suits/cocktail dresses, and the rest at the least formal end of the range.

 

We board the Veendam the day you get off, so please have her back in NYC on schedule! :D

[May4]

Take it from someone who's enjoyed many happy sailings, you are going to have a wonderful time.

 

Bermuda is on my list of places to visit one of these days. Maybe soon;)

[cluelyss18]

Ohhh thank you for just adding to my excitement!! I like the idea of being able to bring on my own wine and soda...I don't mine where I drink it, as long as I can save money! (I don't want to sound cheap, however I am frugal, this allows me to enjoy more trips a year) How about juice?! Can I bring some juice too?

 

AAAAnnnddd I just found a bus line that will pick us up in Providence(5 minutes from home) and drop us off in NYC for $2.50 a person! Anyone have any experience with MegaBus?

we love trivia!! My parents will go to local pubs or restaurants on certain nights specifically because they have trivia.

 

Also, we were able to score some sweet OBC, so I'm guessing a meal at Pinnacle Grill is in order? Worth the extra money?

 

 

 

catl331----If I'm enjoying myself, I may not ever let her return! ;)

 

 

 

p.s.---I apologize in advance, I may have a ton more questions, I don't like not being prepared.

[catl331]

How about juice?! Can I bring some juice too?

Yes.

You can bring on as much as you like of any beverages except beer and hard liquor.

[V'sGirl]

A friend of ours booked MegaBus sixty days out from Knoxville to D.C. and paid $1! He said it was a great deal and similar to flying coach.

We sail away for Bermuda two weeks from tomorrow, and I can't wait. I think you will feel perfectly comfortable getting all dressed up. We have met some really interesting people on HAL, quite a few with whom we continue to keep in touch. We have never been disappointed in the food, the service, or the ships themselves.

 

I hope you love HAL as much as we do!

[matondo]

The fact that you stated you find fun wherever you go and you like to dress up for formal night, makes you a perfect fit for HAL! We love HAL and DH won't even look at another cruise line. I found a wonderful deal on Princess and he bribed me with my first suite on HAL an SY but a suite never the less.

 

I hope you love it as much as we do. Lots of material on the boards to get you ready for the cruise. Make sure you have afternoon tea at least once and get room service several times. SIGH.....DD has two more years of college...unless a windfall arrives there will be no more cruises for us until after she graduates. Oh well..HAL is soooo worth the wait.

 

Bon Voyage and be sure and tell us what you think when you get back.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Congratulations on booking your first HAL cruise.

 

We don't worry about what others wear -- we do dress up for formal nights -- DH does wear his tuxedo.