HAL Koningsdam 10/10/2021 Coastal California Trip Report LIVE(ish)

[nimi17]

On 10/14/2021 at 6:04 PM, OceanPatter said:

Nice photos of San Francisco, nimi17! When working out on the roof of our sports club yesterday (across from the port), the Koningsdam was in prime view. I was so excited to see the trend towards normalcy. Earlier in the week, the Majestic Princess was docked here, representing the first cruise ship in San Francisco since the pandemic started.

 

We’ve been on the Koningsdam twice, once on the Baltic itinerary. Great memories.

Safe and pleasant travels to you.

I was trying to figure out where your gym would be and am wondering if it was in this general direction? 😆 What an amazing vantage point you have though of all the ships cruising into town. 

 

And thank you so much! We wish we had more time to eat our way through SF but alas two days is probably what my waistband can manage before I need to size up 😅

 

 

[nimi17]

On 10/14/2021 at 7:07 PM, san diego spartan said:

Thanks for all the information, photos, dailies, etc.  It has been fun to read and informative.  I think for most of us we all wonder what getting back on board is going to be like after a long hiatus.  Sorry there have been a few missteps along the way, but hopefully it is just the crew getting back into the swing of things and not a trend going forward.  We will see on our 10/31 cruise.  

 

 

You’re welcome! I honestly hope the MDR food gets better by the time you get onboard and that capacity remains low. Please be sure to share your thoughts and experiences when you get back on land. Cheers and safe travels! 🥂🛳⚓️

[nimi17]

On 10/14/2021 at 8:18 PM, Florida_gal_50 said:

Yeah the mdr has been so so in my mind for a while.  The gala nights are anything but.  If I’m going to spend extra money getting something I’ll be going to the specialty restaurants where I feel it’s money well  spent.  Surprised about the lido.  I just have such a hate for it it’s hard to get past it.  It’s more about the crowds and people having to think what they want on their salad for 10 minutes that drives me nuts. Maybe with less peeps it won’t be so bad.

I felt so bad for the poor guy at the salad station after having multiple guests of the kind you mentioned that I just went with one of the salads they had on the menu. Unfortunately, he did not know what the components for the salad were and had to ask someone else for help.

 

But yes, it wasn’t bad at all because the lines weren’t more than 3-4 people long depending on the station. 

 

 

[nimi17]

On 10/14/2021 at 8:28 PM, PSR said:

 

Did I miss something? Which dining room had sushi AND prime rib?

It was the MDR 😆

[jhsocal]

By any chance have you visited the spa? know there is a cost.

[PSR]

26 minutes ago, nimi17 said:

It was the MDR 😆

 

Thanks! Do you remember which night that was on your cruise? I like sushi AND prime rib; I looked back at your menu postings but could not find one from the MDR that had those 2 items, but maybe I missed one....

[Marion B]

Hi nimi17,

   I have been trying since last week to thank you and bonstersd for the very helpful information you provided re covid testing in San Diego, but the cc gremlins had other ideas.

   I enjoyed this thread and found it very helpful in planning my future Koningsdam sailing,  I hope you have another cruise in your future and would definitely follow along.

[Boatdrill]

On 10/13/2021 at 9:12 PM, Lee-Shari said:

Thank you so much for the information. We will be boarding on Sunday and were wondering about dress code in dining room on non gala nights. We have never cruised HAL. We just came back from Alaska on RC ship and we were casual in dining room. Do we need to avoid the dining room if not dressing up?

Thank you 

Have you read the "Know Before You Go" info on the HAL website ?  https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/faq/know-before-you-go.html  

[Sir PMP]

17 hours ago, nimi17 said:

2nd Gala night’s menu was meh so we started our night with champagne at the Crow’s Nest and finished it at the Lido Market

 

 

be sure to keep an eye out for Leigh Frenchman,  chef de partie at the Lido. He was so much fun and took care of everyone who stopped by his station. He promised the bread pudding would be “life-changing” and it was 😉

 

Final night we stopped by the Lido again for some amazing roti and chicken tikka masala 🤤

 

Some menus from Lido

I don't know but looking at these pictures, you're drinking a nice expensive bottle of champagne but

to be served a meal like that, which could be KFC on a bad night, is disgusting for a gala night dinner.

 

 

[Hogladyrider]

@nimi17......did I miss a posting in your review, if so I apologize for this question.

 

Did you visit BB Kings...how was the live entertainment....our favorite nite spot on HAL.

 

As for food, we prefer the variety and unending choices at Lido to the MDR.  We usually eat in the MDR on lobster night but we are not fans of the time it takes for the entire meal, we've got things to do with our time!

[nimi17]

On 10/14/2021 at 9:05 PM, mbiggers said:

I’m ready to add my 2 cents worth. There have been good and bad points to this cruise. First the good:  1- we’re in a Neptune Suite which is lovely, and our stewards are also Bagus and Agus. They are so eager to do a good job and always asking if there’s anything else they can do. They’re very quick and have our cabin done within minutes of our leaving for breakfast or dinner. 2- food quality has been excellent in the MDR, Club Orange and Lido Marketplace. Really delicious and nice and hot. We haven’t been to any of the shows because of one of the negative sides. 
here are the downsides which our group of 7 has decided get down to lack of management. 1- absolutely unacceptable waits in the MDR. So far every night we have n seated promptly but then wait at least 30 minutes before being acknowledged aside from being asked to order cocktails. They eventually come out in a haphazard order. Last night DH and I got our wine but nobody else got there until the appetizers arrived 20 minutes later. After a half hour of being ignored we tackled someone and begged for some bread and water. Since not all of our party has access to Club Orange we’ve been eating in the MDR mostly but one night we decided to try our luck in Orange. Our party off for was seated immediately right next to the hostess. After 30 minutes we asked her if there was a server assigned to that table. It is absolutely ridiculous. Because of these long waits we haven’t been able to make it to the shows because it’s too late when we finish. They have gone away from the waiter and assistant waiter format, plus there aren’t Head Waiters walking around to notice a table without bread and water. We’re not asking for a lot. The waiters seem to be running around like mad but good usually comes out in spurts. That was improved last night, but the  first night one of our group ordered Soup for her entrée. After everyone else got their food the waiter told her that the soup got cold so he had to get another bowl. The rest of us were finished before she got her meal. 2- it’s true that quality of food is great, but the variety is downright dismal. The same things keep showing up. I and one other woman in our group have to eat gluten free and after 3 days of salmon and flan we rebelled. The next night they made a wonderful flourless chocolate cake. Last night there were no gluten free desserts at all. No GF buns at the Dive In and no GF pastries or bagels in the buffet for breakfast. They do have bread and packaged blueberry muffins. I have always appreciated HAL’s GF options, but again, this cruise is totally unacceptable in that area. They aren’t having us order ahead of time like they used to. Management lacking in that area.

3- lots of glitches like getting in the shower and noticing that there’s no shower head- just a pipe sticking out of the wall, no bathrobes until we asked for them, and we have to check our statement daily because of so many errors. The front desk is very apologetic but it’s getting old. 
sorry this is so long. Let me wrap it up by saying I’m a 4 star Mariner and have always really liked HAL. For one couple of our group it’s the first time on HAL, and I’ve been wondering what they must be thinking. I’m willing to give HAL another chance and am hoping that they get back to their pre-pandemic level. 
Michele

Thank you for sharing your experience, Michele.

 

It’s shocking to me that something as basic as a shower head was missing in your Neptune Suite! 
 

Regarding the statement errors, did you happen to have the all-inclusive fare? Or was it a matter of being billed for things you didn’t charge at all?

 

I also wonder if the lack of GF items was due to a supplier issue (like the Grand Dutch Cafe not getting a delivery in time which left us without afternoon snacks).

 

I’m happy to hear that you also had Bagus and Agus as your stewards 😀 They made the cabins such a warm and lovely place to retire to at the end of each day.

[nimi17]

On 10/16/2021 at 11:01 AM, westcoastsue said:

No one has mentioned the shopping on board. Is it that bad, or are there just so many other things to do?

For me, I found the hours inconvenient which is why I didn’t visit anything other than the liquor department and a vintage boutique (Gucci, LV, Chanel, etc.). I didn’t buy anything but it was fun to windowshop 🛍

[nimi17]

On 10/17/2021 at 4:53 PM, mbiggers said:

West Coast Sue, shopping seemed pretty normal except the 4 star Mariner discount on Logo merchandise isn't available because they have a new supplier and haven't negotiated the discount (?).

After my previous rant I'm happy to report that the MDR service improved on day 5. We actually had appetizers at 30 minutes instead of begging for bread and water! I hope that the first 4 days were just the staff getting back into their jobs.

We disembarked this morning.  They are not giving final statements any more.  We had the "Have It All" package and kept track of our account because lots of inappropriate charges kept showing up.  Our friends didn't check, and she just called to say she checked her credit card  and found HAL had charged $813, almost none of which are legit since they also had the Have It All benefits. So, if you're cruising soon, be sure and stay on top of your account.

Overall you'll enjoy your time on the Koningsdam. We're happy that we went! 

Thank you for keeping us updated. I hope they remove those extra charges and refund you all in a timely manner! 🙏

 

I’m glad to hear that your final dinner in the MDR went smoothly. We gave up after being served a melted sundae for dessert halfway through the cruise and just dined at the Lido or elsewhere the rest of the time.

[VacationCharlene]

nimi17 I am taking advantage of seeing you were recently on board.  Could you answer ANY of these questions post-covid please 🙂

Do they still have a happy hour and what are the terms.  Was buy one and get the second exact same for $1 or $2 more.   Do you remember what the prices are for the Pinnacle Grill for LUNCH?  Laundry by the BAG still $20 stuffed?  Do you know if they had a whisky tasting?  THANKS

[nimi17]

On 10/18/2021 at 2:29 PM, Florida_gal_50 said:

Thank you for all the menus.  I just wish hal would get rid of gala night, including the dress up.  I used to dress and and will to a point, but when others are dressed in less than smart casual it's hard to make the effort.  Just speaking for myself.

 

Thank you for the wonderful thread and all your effort.  I really appreciate it!

 

I know what you mean. DH feels the same way about dress codes and the lack of enforcement especially on something like a gala night. 

 

And you’re most welcome! I look forward to reading about your future travels here and hopefully may have more trip reports  to share myself next year 🤞🛳🍹

[nimi17]

On 10/19/2021 at 5:52 PM, canadarocks said:

What a lovely message for your DH! And great towel animals too. 🙂

 

Thank you ☺️ It will be hard for future towel animals to compete with Bagus’s bear, that’s for sure!

[canadarocks]

5 minutes ago, nimi17 said:

Thank you ☺️ It will be hard for future towel animals to compete with Bagus’s bear, that’s for sure!

Isn't it cool how some of them you just LOVE? First time we got a monkey hanging from a hanger in our room, I was just floored! 🙂

 

[nimi17]

On 10/19/2021 at 6:43 PM, jhsocal said:

By any chance have you visited the spa? know there is a cost.

Hi, we did not get any massages but we did book the couples’ thermal suite pass and highly recommend it. Book online as we booked onboard the first day and found the price higher (no promos unfortunately).

[canadianbear]

2 minutes ago, nimi17 said:

Thank you ☺️ It will be hard for future towel animals to compete with Bagus’s bear, that’s for sure!

I personally love seeing the towel animals before we turn in.  On our 19 day Panama Canal cruise (seems years ago now) I had put the towel animals up on the ledge behind the couch (we were in a Neptune so lots of room)-they kept adding to it everyday never taking them down until just before we got back to Vancouver.  I took a panoramic photo of them all lined up.  Was so cool seeing all the critters in a row, lol.  

[nimi17]

On 10/19/2021 at 7:07 PM, PSR said:

 

Thanks! Do you remember which night that was on your cruise? I like sushi AND prime rib; I looked back at your menu postings but could not find one from the MDR that had those 2 items, but maybe I missed one....

Sure, no problem! It was the fourth night. I’ll attach here as well.

[canadarocks]

That's a great idea canadianbear!!

[canadianbear]

3 minutes ago, canadarocks said:

That's a great idea canadianbear!!

I actually couldn’t get them all in the photo, ha ha.  

[nimi17]

10 hours ago, Marion B said:

Hi nimi17,

   I have been trying since last week to thank you and bonstersd for the very helpful information you provided re covid testing in San Diego, but the cc gremlins had other ideas.

   I enjoyed this thread and found it very helpful in planning my future Koningsdam sailing,  I hope you have another cruise in your future and would definitely follow along.

Thank you. I’m glad to hear you found the info useful, Marion.

 

You’re most welcome and I hope you have a wonderful cruise. Koningsdam is a gorgeous ship and the Grand Dutch Cafe is a must do (no matter the hour or how full you are 😅). 

 

We’ll be taking another HAL cruise next year and are hoping to explore the Rotterdam 🤞🛳⚓️
 

Cheers! 🥂

[kazu]

1 minute ago, canadianbear said:

I actually couldn’t get them all in the photo, ha ha.  

 

Love it.  I did that on the window on the P’dam and the desk had the oriagami we were created every night.

Memories ♥️ 

[canadianbear]

Just now, kazu said:

 

Love it.  I did that on the window on the P’dam and the desk had the oriagami we were created every night.

Memories ♥️ 

Such wonderful special memories of the “good old days” of HAL.  So much has changed.