LAFFNVEGAS "LIVE" from the Nieuw Amsterdam, First HAL Ship to Sail!!

[LAFFNVEGAS]

1 minute ago, ArizonatoFlorida said:

Enjoying your posts.  Sounds like there are a few kinks to be worked out. I almost cried over the picture of the bread pudding.  My favorite!  I’m also a fan of the Chateau Ste Michelle Riesling.  Do you know if it is covered by the glass with the drink package?  Thank you!

Yes it was a total shock to me that the Chateau Ste Michelle Riesling is included in the Regular Signature package. In November 2019 it was not so instead of upgrading I bought bottles and then it was under Cellar 2. It is now listed under Cellar 1. But last I looked on line Hal was selling it pre order for something like $74 a bottle but the Chateau Ste Michelle Chardonnay was 50 something, lol I think they are using the dart board method of pricing.

[aliaschief]

Now there is Nami Sushi which is a pay for what you order restaurant. We have done it several times on Pinnacle Class ships and in our opinion very good.

Edited July 27, 2021 by aliaschief

[zelker]

7 minutes ago, aliaschief said:

Now there is Nami Sushi which is a pay for what you order restaurant. We have done it several times on Pinnacle Class ships and in our opinion very good.

Since you've eaten there, I assume you can answer the question of whether 4 and 5 Star Mariners get a 50% loyalty discount there?

[aliaschief]

12 minutes ago, zelker said:

Since you've eaten there, I assume you can answer the question of whether 4 and 5 Star Mariners get a 50% loyalty discount there?

It’s been awhile but I believe you pay full  price what you order like a regular restaurant. I will leave that question for some one else.

 

See my next post.

Edited July 27, 2021 by aliaschief

[aliaschief]

Google is my friend.

 

https://travelingwiththejones.com/2019/02/23/nami-sushi-menu-on-holland-americas-nieuw-statendam-cruise-ship/

 

So yes a discount unless that has changed!

Edited July 27, 2021 by aliaschief

[Snorkeling Tootsie]

7 hours ago, RGEDad said:

This "Free Service" is clearly an attempt to get you hooked on baggage transfer service for every cruise henceforth.  If you think you will go back to the days of being a pack mule and hauling your luggage bags through the ports and trains, and cab, and airports after this "Free Service" think again. 

Just like when they "Gave me a really low cost upgrade to a suite" on one cruise. I had no idea how much that Low Cost Upgrade would cost in all the following years of cruising. You can never go back...

 

I read the service was organized by the Seattle Tourism Organization to iencourage you to spend more time visiting before your flight out. We have a late flight and want to go to Chihuly Gardens. Would be difficult to do and drag luggage around. Glad service is available.

[Himself]

Lisa:

 

Thank you for keeping us up to date with this live post.  I watched the sail in on the Camera in Juneau.

[AncientWanderer]

24 minutes ago, Snorkeling Tootsie said:

I read the service was organized by the Seattle Tourism Organization to iencourage you to spend more time visiting before your flight out. We have a late flight and want to go to Chihuly Gardens. Would be difficult to do and drag luggage around. Glad service is available.

 

Yes!  Just this.

We've used the service and it worked seamlessly.  I hope the idea expands to other cities.

[Copper10-8]

9 hours ago, ger_77 said:

I wonder if the stewards don't slip into your cabin while you're at dinner and leave the next day's When and Where along with the pillow chocolates?

 

Smooth Sailing!  🙂🙂🙂

 

 

 

You didn't know? They are aware when you go to powder room inside your stateroom at night! They know this by sensors placed in strategic locations. Extremely carefully selected/hand picked HAL room stewards in a team known as R.E.A.C.T. are faster than a speeding bullet! The REACT boys (+ some very fast girls) sit as a group in the "ready room" of each pax/guest deck of the vessel (you know, those blank/white spaces you see on each deck on the deck plans) during evening hours on a nightly basis, kinda sorta like a Formula Uno pit crew, waiting for the status board with room numbers on that particular deck to light up which is their "Go" signal.

 

The sensor goes off (again, meaning the occupant is utilizing the facilities inside his/her stateroom) and the designated team sprints to your cabin at a speed the likes of Usain Bolt would be jealous. They then do a "turn down" of your billet at that same lightning speed (if the other occupant happens to be in the cradle, they are specially trained to go to "super silent" mode, known as "Condition One," to perform the turndown with him/her inside the devonport dreaming of the next glorious day on a blue hulled beaut, without awakening said individual from their slumber), leave a premade towel animal (nice minke!) and a pair of refrigerated pillow chocolates (refrigerated, so they don't melt inside your ear when you, not expecting such confectionary, wind up sleeping on them) and, when they hear the commode flush (the sign to, as Los Lonely Boys sing in their only hit "Heaven,"  vamonos, but picture that command in the Bahasa-Indonesia language, something like "ayo pergi, orang gila"), exit the stateroom stage left (or stage right whatever the case might be) and sprint back to the ready room where the next designated team is already in the starting blocks, awaiting their turn.

 

Now you know! It's a thing of beauty, I tell ya! 

Edited July 27, 2021 by Copper10-8

[zgscl]

4 minutes ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

You didn't know? They are aware when you go to powder room inside your stateroom at night! They know this by sensors placed in strategic locations. Extremely carefully selected/hand picked HAL room stewards in a team known as R.E.A.C.T. are faster than a speeding bullet! The REACT boys (+ some very fast girls) sit as a group in the "ready room" of each pax/guest deck of the vessel (you know, those blank/white spaces you see on each deck on the deck plans) during evening hours on a nightly basis, kinda sorta like a Formula Uno pit crew waiting for the status board with room numbers on tat particular deck to light up.

 

The sensor goes off (again, meaning the occupant is utilizing the facilities inside his/her stateroom) and the designated team sprints to your cabin at a speed the likes of Usain Bolt would be jealous. They then do a "turn down" of your billet at that same lightning speed (if the other occupant happens to be in the cradle, they are specially trained to go to "super silent" mode, known as "Condition One," to perform the turndown with him/her in the devonport, without awakening said individual from their slumber), leave a premade towel animal (nice minke!) and a pair of refrigerated pillow chocolates (refrigerated, so they don't melt inside your ear when you, not expecting such confectionary, wind up sleeping on them) and, when they hear the commode flush (the sign to, as Los Lonely Boys sing in their hit"Heaven,"  vamonos, but then in Bahasa-Indonesia), exit the stateroom stage left (or stage right whatever the case might be) and sprint back to the ready room where the next designated team is already in the starting blocks, awaiting their turn.

 

Now you know! It's a thing of beauty, I tell ya! 

I had always wondered how they manage it. Thank you for the insight 🤣

[aliaschief]

John amazing revelations! Never would have known. We have always just placed the clean our room tag on the outside door.

[Copper10-8]

3 minutes ago, aliaschief said:

John amazing revelations! Never would have known. We have always just placed the clean our room tag on the outside door.

 

Inside secrets Chief! They rarely are divulged but there you have it! Child bearer is the word !

[aliaschief]

Just now, Copper10-8 said:

 

Inside secrets Chief! They rarely are divulged but there you have it! Child bearer is the word !

Now that secret is going to cost me another Wang Wang!😁

[IslandThyme]

41 minutes ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

You didn't know? They are aware when you go to powder room inside your stateroom at night! They know this by sensors placed in strategic locations. Extremely carefully selected/hand picked HAL room stewards in a team known as R.E.A.C.T. are faster than a speeding bullet!

Please tell me you are making all this up, and have a great career ahead of you as a cruise-fiction writer! I know they turn down when you're at dinner, and have wondered how they know, but I assume they see the dining room check in screen. 

[cruzn single]

And we always wondered how the "magic" happened!

[Lido deck main]

40 minutes ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

You didn't know? They are aware when you go to powder room inside your stateroom at night! They know this by sensors placed in strategic locations. Extremely carefully selected/hand picked HAL room stewards in a team known as R.E.A.C.T. are faster than a speeding bullet! The REACT boys (+ some very fast girls) sit as a group in the "ready room" of each pax/guest deck of the vessel (you know, those blank/white spaces you see on each deck on the deck plans) during evening hours on a nightly basis, kinda sorta like a Formula Uno pit crew, waiting for the status board with room numbers on that particular deck to light up which is their "Go" signal.

 

The sensor goes off (again, meaning the occupant is utilizing the facilities inside his/her stateroom) and the designated team sprints to your cabin at a speed the likes of Usain Bolt would be jealous. They then do a "turn down" of your billet at that same lightning speed (if the other occupant happens to be in the cradle, they are specially trained to go to "super silent" mode, known as "Condition One," to perform the turndown with him/her inside the devonport dreaming of the next glorious day on a blue hulled beaut, without awakening said individual from their slumber), leave a premade towel animal (nice minke!) and a pair of refrigerated pillow chocolates (refrigerated, so they don't melt inside your ear when you, not expecting such confectionary, wind up sleeping on them) and, when they hear the commode flush (the sign to, as Los Lonely Boys sing in their only hit "Heaven,"  vamonos, but picture that command in the Bahasa-Indonesia language, something like "ayo pergi, orang gila"), exit the stateroom stage left (or stage right whatever the case might be) and sprint back to the ready room where the next designated team is already in the starting blocks, awaiting their turn.

 

Now you know! It's a thing of beauty, I tell ya! 

I know of that  R.E.A.C.T group of staff.  The room engineer awesomeness customer (cabin)  technicians group.  Very efficient, the group does a great job, if you blink you might miss seeing them.

[syesmar]

1 hour ago, Snorkeling Tootsie said:

I read the service was organized by the Seattle Tourism Organization to iencourage you to spend more time visiting before your flight out. We have a late flight and want to go to Chihuly Gardens. Would be difficult to do and drag luggage around. Glad service is available.

We did this in 2018 after an Alaska cruise and it was such a wonderful day! When we visited, Chihuly also had a baggage check, so we put a small carry on in there while we were at Garden and Glass. Took the rail from near there to connect for the airport. Loved having our boarding passes in hand after the cruise.

Edited July 27, 2021 by syesmar

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Good Evening from the Nieuw Amsterdam in Juneau 

It’s been a relaxing day just staying on board the ship. Since we will be back here 6 weeks from today we figured we would take advantage of a quieter ship. 
I had a 75 minute massage after our exciting arrival in Juneau that we were able to share with all of our Cruise Critic Friends. Definitely lots of fun 😃

 

Then this evening we had reservations in Tamarind. 
I will post all the menus, from both Tamarind and Nami Sushi. Now interestingly enough they gave us the actual book menus for both, did not need to to the QR. Plus they said I could order off either menu. I thought they would charge me for the Alaska Crab Legs Appetizer but I don’t think they did, we waited for a bill. I had prepaid for Tamarind and because we are 4 star they had already credited back 50% of what we paid. I remember we were all assuming the gratuity added would stay the full amount but that is not the case we were refunded 50% of what we paid.

the Tamarind menu is missing several items from the past. The Fortune Cookie dessert is definitely gone 😢

Another interesting tidbit/ comment that maybe someone might come up with a logical reason. On the bar menu for Tamarind Bar there were several drinks I wanted to try but they kept coming back to tell me that they did not have the ingredients but they have arrived today and would be able to offer tomorrow. 
I heard earlier today the shops were expecting supply of cosmetics, the Spa told me they were expecting lots of supplies today and now Bar ingredients. 
Question, why get all these supplies in Juneau instead of Seattle? And bigger question why were these items not supplied several weeks ago? Curious minds want to know. I would think shipping to Juneau would be far more expensive or is it that port stevedores are less costly here in Juneau for getting supplies on the ship?

 

ok below are some menus, then I will post pictures of tomorrow’s When and Where. I am excited for Glacier Bay we are actually going to all three Glaciers. First up Lamplugh Glacier, then John Hopkins, this one is a surprise because normally it is closed off till September due to pupping season. Unless we are just going by the entrance which is also possible. Than last Margerie Glacier.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Here are pictures from dinner in Tamarind 

[LAFFNVEGAS]

More pictures from this evening 

 

[atexsix]

10 minutes ago, LAFFNVEGAS said:

More pictures from this evening 

 

Going to watch for you when the ship turns around to leave, hopefully there'll be enough daylight... probably the one time I want it to leave a bit early it won't

[LAFFNVEGAS]

1 minute ago, atexsix said:

Going to watch for you when the ship turns around to leave, hopefully there'll be enough daylight... probably the one time I want it to leave a bit early it won't

It is currently only 8:23 so we are not leaving for another hour. Scheduled time is 9:30. Have to admit by then I will have my jammies on and in bed reading 😂😉

Although not dark out the sun is behind the mountain. 

[atexsix]

1 minute ago, LAFFNVEGAS said:

It is currently only 8:23 so we are not leaving for another hour. Scheduled time is 9:30. Have to admit by then I will have my jammies on and in bed reading 😂😉

Although not dark out the sun is behind the mountain. 

Have a good evening!

[zgscl]

One question for those onboard- I notice the same comedian most nights with one show only. I am assuming they are doing a different set each night as they have in the past. 

[canadianbear]

Your dinner photos look scrumptious!  We enjoy the Tamarind and I always get the wasabi beef tenderloin (without the wasabi, lol).  
 

I’m sure you’re  exhausted and will sleep well tonight.  Thanks as always for all your information and photos.  Really feel like we are right on board with you.