ZGSCL Live from the Koningsdam: November 14th 7 day Mexican Rivera

[Caribbean Chris]

Your reports about the cabana were terrific! It sounds like the service was wonderful. Might be worth the cost just to have a milkshake delivered every day!

 

I think they’d be a great option - especially for anyone in an inside or obstructed view stateroom.

[Florida_gal_50]

7 hours ago, zgscl said:

Thank you! I made it home safely, hope you did too! 

 

Also, what was your experience with the B2B like? Did you have to just get off and back on again?

The airport was miserable.  Thought I was in Toronto for a minute.

It was easy.  Reported to the showroom.  It maybe took 1/2 hour but I don’t think tons of us did it.  Never went off the ship.

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

Zgscl,  was your non posting of pre-ordered dinner credits resolved?

[kazu]

Welcome home @zgscl

 

Many thanks for you wonderful LIVE thread.  Great information on so many things (including the cabana) and truly wonderful pics.

 

We really appreciate all the time and effort you took to share with us 🙂

 

Thanks again!

[visagrunt]

8 hours ago, zgscl said:

I feel more and more like I will not be back to the spa, but perhaps a couple months will change my feelings. 

 

 

I never saw anyone using Blend, but there was collateral on all the tables and I think they offered Blend sessions online before the cruise so I assume I just was never there at the time they offered it. Notes is still there between Billboard & Rolling Stones. I also never saw it in use but it did appear fully stocked. 

 

I will be on board on Burns' Night, so hopefully Notes will be well popular that night.  🙂

[syesmar]

Thanks so much for taking the time to do your Live Blog, @zgscl! The posts were a great read. So glad to hear things are going so well with the re-start. Sounds like it was a wonderful sailing!

Edited November 23, 2021 by syesmar

[canadianbear]

10 hours ago, zgscl said:

I sort of liked it, kind of rocks you to sleep. I am having second thoughts about Hawaii. I love the view, but 10 days at sea in the Pacific might be a bit much. 

That could be rough. Can never predict the seas.  But our one aft was a short Pacific Coastal cruise to try an aft & it was rough & hubby got sick so it was our first & last.  I loved it and bundled up in my heavy coat and blanket and sat on our balcony watching the waves!  
 

Glad to see you tried the Apple pie at the Dutch Cafe-it’s Mr Bear’s favourite!

 

Thanks again for all your posts and photos.  Really enjoyed it all.  

Edited November 23, 2021 by canadianbear

[zgscl]

Disembarkation

I was assigned Green #2 which was scheduled for 9:30-9:45 disembarkation time. The entire disembarkation process ran about 15 minutes early and we were called around 9:15. I signed off the ship and entered queue for customs at 9:21. There was a good sized line and I did not notice a separate line for disabled travelers. People who used the ship's wheelchairs did seem to get taken around the line, so if standing is a problem I would highly recommend using this service rather than on your own as there is no where to sit. 

I completed customs at 9:45, grabbed my luggage and was directed to the airport bus. We waited for more people to come and departed at 10:10, arriving at the airport at 10:26. Altogether not a bad disembarkation process but I am sure the fact that the ship was at 50% capacity helped things a lot. 

 

Overall this was a fantastic cruise. I was a little nervous going on my first solo cruise but found it wonderful. I can't wait to go on my next solo in March. HAL continues to be a really good fit for me and I look forward to seeing how things change as the restart continues. 

 

A few parting thoughts/lessons learned

1 - Avoid the spa like the plague, or at least go in with a very strong will and knowing what to expect. 

2 - I had booked specialty dining 6 nights out of 7 and ended up cancelling a couple as I found myself wanting more time in Club Orange. I will have to think about this for the next cruise. I will say that Club Orange was not universally liked. I talked to a pair of travelers who prefer fixed seating with your own server who knows you rather than having a small group of the same waiters take care of you. I found the service to be good and they all knew my name right away and my preferences shortly thereafter. 

3 - I was really unsure of what to expect for the cabana. I booked it on a whim and am so glad I did. I had shore excursions booked for every port but cancelled all of them to spend more time just relaxing on the ship. Surprisingly I received a 100% refund on the cancelled tours where I think on previous cruises there was a cancellation fee. 

4 - Neptune Suite & Neptune Lounge were great as always. It is such a nice way to travel and the concierge always takes care of everything. 

5 - I did not have too many billing issues. I did learn from the concierge that Mariner discounts are supposed to be applied on the last day by the accounting department based on what you actually used. It is a little crazy to me that they don't do this until the last day which makes it hard to review. Mine were taken care of but I know the concierge reached out to accounting to make sure it happened. Hopefully HAL updates the website to take mariner discounts into account at the time of booking which would solve a lot of the problem. 

 

Thank you all for following along on my journey!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 23, 2021 by zgscl

[zgscl]

4 hours ago, Caribbean Chris said:

Your reports about the cabana were terrific! It sounds like the service was wonderful. Might be worth the cost just to have a milkshake delivered every day!

 

I think they’d be a great option - especially for anyone in an inside or obstructed view stateroom.

 

Yes the daily milkshake was great! I really was not sure if I would like the cabana or not but I am so glad I did it. A lot of the people up there were in inside cabins and then used the cabana for their outdoor space. $399 for a 7 day cruise is probably less in most cases than upgrading to a balcony and you get all the personalized service. 

[zgscl]

3 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

The airport was miserable.  Thought I was in Toronto for a minute.

It was easy.  Reported to the showroom.  It maybe took 1/2 hour but I don’t think tons of us did it.  Never went off the ship.

Oh no fun! I got to the airport around 10 and most of the craziness had quieted down. Although I had a long wait, it was very relaxing. I was glad I didn't get up at 5 am and try to make an 11 o'clock flight. 

 

Glad to hear the B2B was easy & glad you made it home safe and sound. 

[zgscl]

2 hours ago, SJSULIBRARIAN said:

Zgscl,  was your non posting of pre-ordered dinner credits resolved?

It was! The credits posted around day 5 or so. The concierge said they are usually done the last day of the cruise by the accounting department but of course if that doesn't happen then you must wait in the massive line on disembarkation day at guest services to resolve. Apparently they are working on discounting at the time of purchase so hopefully that happens soon. I still like to preorder so that I can make sure to get the times that I want. Other than PG most of the specialty restaurants had a lot of availability but the ship was at only half capacity which you obviously can't count on.

[zgscl]

1 hour ago, kazu said:

Welcome home @zgscl

 

Many thanks for you wonderful LIVE thread.  Great information on so many things (including the cabana) and truly wonderful pics.

 

We really appreciate all the time and effort you took to share with us 🙂

 

Thanks again!

Thank you so much! Looking forward to the next one in a couple months 🙂 

[zgscl]

29 minutes ago, canadianbear said:

That could be rough. Can never predict the seas.  But our one aft was a short Pacific Coastal cruise to try an aft & it was rough & hubby got sick so it was our first & last.  I loved it and bundled up in my heavy coat and blanket and sat on our balcony watching the waves!  
 

Glad to see you tried the Apple pie at the Dutch Cafe-it’s Mr Bear’s favourite!

 

Thanks again for all your posts and photos.  Really enjoyed it all.  

The good news for us is we don't really get seasick, but 5 consecutive days of it if the weather is bad could be a bit much. I will have to think about that between now and April 2023! The cruise circles the islands and it looks like you get viewing of land from both sides of the ship at various points so the aft wrap is best from that standpoint as you can see  no matter where the scenery is. 

 

The apple pie was so good. Thank you for recommending it! 

[RuthC]

Thank you for your replies to my questions about shade in the cabanas, and your comments about assistance to the disabled. Since I am disabled, and arrive/depart alone, it can be very tough boarding. Some ports are easier than others, of course, but I am always interested in the part HAL plays in it. 

Looking forward to your next trip! 

[akeka]

Thanks for the wonderful review!  I'll be sailing Koningsdam from my hometown for a change in March.

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

3 hours ago, zgscl said:

Oh no fun! I got to the airport around 10 and most of the craziness had quieted down. Although I had a long wait, it was very relaxing. I was glad I didn't get up at 5 am and try to make an 11 o'clock flight. 

 

Glad to hear the B2B was easy & glad you made it home safe and sound. 

 

We were told there were 79 in transit passengers, but some did go off the ship for the day.  It was the easiest screening.  We waited in the showroom for immigration to arrive.  They scanned us in out seats using facial recognition.  Once scanned, we were free to leave.

[Florida_gal_50]

3 hours ago, zgscl said:

 

2 - I had booked specialty dining 6 nights out of 7 and ended up cancelling a couple as I found myself wanting more time in Club Orange. I will have to think about this for the next cruise. I will say that Club Orange was not universally liked. I talked to a pair of travelers who prefer fixed seating with your own server who knows you rather than having a small group of the same waiters take care of you. I found the service to be good and they all knew my name right away and my preferences shortly thereafter. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I felt the same about club orange.  I wonder if some people don't like it because they like sitting at a large table.  I loved the food was always hot in club orange.  My favorite used to be the Tamarind but more often than not the food is lukewarm.  I had sate and spring roll for an app on my last night and they brought them together which I don't care for and the spring rolls were lukewarm.  When I have club orange again I won't book so many specialty.  The food is for sure on par with the specialty restaurants the 2 nights I was there.

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

4 hours ago, zgscl said:

It was! The credits posted around day 5 or so. The concierge said they are usually done the last day of the cruise by the accounting department but of course if that doesn't happen then you must wait in the massive line on disembarkation day at guest services to resolve. Apparently they are working on discounting at the time of purchase so hopefully that happens soon. I still like to preorder so that I can make sure to get the times that I want. Other than PG most of the specialty restaurants had a lot of availability but the ship was at only half capacity which you obviously can't count on.

Thanks for the above and for the fabulous "Live From". So enjoyed your photos and commentary. I now wish my February cruise on the Konigsdam was sooner. I guess I'll have to just dream for 3 months!!

[zgscl]

2 hours ago, akeka said:

Thanks for the wonderful review!  I'll be sailing Koningsdam from my hometown for a change in March.

Which sailing? I will be on March 6th

[zgscl]

18 minutes ago, SJSULIBRARIAN said:

Thanks for the above and for the fabulous "Live From". So enjoyed your photos and commentary. I now wish my February cruise on the Konigsdam was sooner. I guess I'll have to just dream for 3 months!!

The count down goes faster than you realize. It seems like just yesterday I was at 80 days or so and the time just flew by! I am now at 105 days and hoping for similar results.

Edited November 23, 2021 by zgscl

[zgscl]

1 hour ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I felt the same about club orange.  I wonder if some people don't like it because they like sitting at a large table.  I loved the food was always hot in club orange.  My favorite used to be the Tamarind but more often than not the food is lukewarm.  I had sate and spring roll for an app on my last night and they brought them together which I don't care for and the spring rolls were lukewarm.  When I have club orange again I won't book so many specialty.  The food is for sure on par with the specialty restaurants the 2 nights I was there.

I thought that too. I am very good at entertaining myself and don't mind dining alone but I know a lot of people who really like the group dining setup. What I do miss is having the same waiters every night as they always got to know you so well by the end of the cruise. I have to think about what I want to do on the next one. I think I will probably do one night each in the specialty restaurants and the remaining in C.O. Of course I am not opposed to dining twice if needed 😀

[zgscl]

1 hour ago, Quartzsite Cruiser said:

 

We were told there were 79 in transit passengers, but some did go off the ship for the day.  It was the easiest screening.  We waited in the showroom for immigration to arrive.  They scanned us in out seats using facial recognition.  Once scanned, we were free to leave.

That is really great to hear! I would love to do a B2B but time wise it usually doesn't work for me as it is a challenge to take more than a week off at a time. Planning ahead for Hawaii in 2023 though fingers crossed it all comes together. 

[zgscl]

2 hours ago, RuthC said:

Thank you for your replies to my questions about shade in the cabanas, and your comments about assistance to the disabled. Since I am disabled, and arrive/depart alone, it can be very tough boarding. Some ports are easier than others, of course, but I am always interested in the part HAL plays in it. 

Looking forward to your next trip! 

Always happy to share information with others! From what I could see San Diego didn't appear to be set up super well for a solo disabled passenger, I think Seattle had more seating and wheelchairs readily available. 

[triiip42]

2 hours ago, Quartzsite Cruiser said:

 

We were told there were 79 in transit passengers, but some did go off the ship for the day.  It was the easiest screening.  We waited in the showroom for immigration to arrive.  They scanned us in out seats using facial recognition.  Once scanned, we were free to leave.

 

Did you have to be  rapid tested before the end of the first leg or on the turn-around day? Or did they test at all for the second cruise?

 

Thanks

[SilvertoGold]

Thanks, Zach, for the info on how the ships do the Mariner discounts. Having had a lot of experience pre-Covid with this, I would like to see some rationality and reasonable accounting used. Mostly I would like to see the way they do it at the Explorations Cafe: run the room card and the proper discount is applied on the spot.  Maybe there is some hope :)  

Your thread has been a joy to read - much appreciated!

 

Edited November 23, 2021 by SilvertoGold