Live From Nieuw Statendam Nov 28 - Dec 12, 2021

[mrspeck]

An absolutely beautiful day in HMC today!

[sherryf]

6 hours ago, Infi said:

 

Not Crew News, but we have sailed HAL over the holidays since 2013. There are special Christmas Eve and Christmas day menus; the one posted here will be served the night of 12/25. Christmas day is usually a gala night for dress code. It is likely you will only see one of the typical gala night menus earlier in the cruise and 12/24 and 25 will be the special menus for the holidays. I hope this is helpful.

According to Navigator, our Gala nights are 12/20 and 12/24, which are the sea days. In my experience, the last night of a cruise is never formal/gala since people need to pack. 

[vegas-c]

On 11/29/2021 at 1:27 AM, Crew News said:

I will do a temp test in the next few days and report.  The temp indoors is cool and the transition to outside is a big jump in temperature.

THANKS!  I packed both a light sweater and a sweat shirt jacket for casual nights.

[rkacruiser]

6 hours ago, SilvertoGold said:

Goose is especially good :

 

😱  Not for me!  Much gastric distress that night after consuming that goose!  

[dobiemom]

On 12/1/2021 at 6:14 PM, Crew News said:

I have noticed fewer passengers washing their hands in the Lido sinks than pre-Covid.

I was on the NCL Bliss last month. Staff were posted at the entrances of the Garden Cafe (aka Lido buffet) and you had to wash you hands before entering. I noticed no problems with compliance. BTW the Garden Cafe was self-serve. 

[Crew News]

As promised, here is a link to the holiday menus for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Years Eve 2021 with the three menus at the top:  Holiday Menus

[SilvertoGold]

Roger:  Delightful!  Thank you for putting your superior sleuthing skills to work to get these menus :)

Edited December 5, 2021 by SilvertoGold

[leerathje]

Roger, I heard lots of complaints from people about the wifi in Alaska.  How is it in the Caribbean? We will be on the Nieuw Statendam in February with HIA and am curious.

 

L.

 

[78232]

Just wondering...do you know if chocolate covered strawberries,  champagne  and fresh fruit

 are served to cabana dwellers on a daily basis?

Marcia

[Crew News]

28 minutes ago, 78232 said:

Just wondering...do you know if chocolate covered strawberries,  champagne  and fresh fruit

 are served to cabana dwellers on a daily basis?

Marcia

sparkling wine

 

[Crew News]

42 minutes ago, leerathje said:

Roger, I heard lots of complaints from people about the wifi in Alaska.  How is it in the Caribbean? We will be on the Nieuw Statendam in February with HIA and am curious.

 

L.

Internet is not as slow as Alaska but there are spotty disconnects.  I use Team Viewer to help someone with their Doctorate Degree and the lag is too bad to type fast on the other computer.  Download test 0.59 Mbps slooooow.  I have 12000 Mbps at home.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

8 hours ago, Crew News said:

As promised, here is a link to the holiday menus for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Years Eve 2021 with the three menus at the top:  Holiday Menus

Thanks for the info .

 

Edited December 5, 2021 by Gail & Marty sailing away

[*Miss G*]

9 hours ago, 78232 said:

Just wondering...do you know if chocolate covered strawberries,  champagne  and fresh fruit

 are served to cabana dwellers on a daily basis?

Marcia

Pre-covid, I asked to see the label as I was curious, and it was champagne. Current cruisers are reporting they are still getting the chocolate strawberries and frozen grapes, but I read of the occasional cheese plate too. 

[Florida_gal_50]

10 hours ago, 78232 said:

Just wondering...do you know if chocolate covered strawberries,  champagne  and fresh fruit

 are served to cabana dwellers on a daily basis?

Marcia

It not something that I can eat but yes they did have it on the koningsdam anyway on the nov 14/21 cruise.  I’m sure it’s the same on all ships with cabanas.

[Comptech]

Any word on GC? And how often do you have to take a Covid test?

 

[Crew News]

11 minutes ago, Comptech said:

Any word on GC? And how often do you have to take a Covid test?

 

Testing on day 5 or later if Canadian.  Nothing on GC yet.

[Himself]

Roger, Thank you for taking on your voyage.  I did not always comment but followed faithfully.  

[Crew News]

49 minutes ago, Himself said:

Roger, Thank you for taking on your voyage.  I did not always comment but followed faithfully.  

Seven more days of question and answers still to come.

 

Turnaround was quick once everyone decided to appear at the gathering point.

[iflyrc5]

10 minutes ago, Crew News said:

Seven more days of question and answers still to come.

 

Turnaround was quick once everyone decided to appear at the gathering point.

Did you get off the ship as a group or did the govt officials come on board?

 

[Crew News]

29 minutes ago, iflyrc5 said:

Did you get off the ship as a group or did the govt officials come on board?

 

Contrary to other threads, we never left the baggage area /terminal nor approached the Customs booths.

 

We gathered in the BB KIng Lounge and proceeded as a group down the escalator, to a single facial recognition scanner in the baggage area, waited in line until the ship was cleared, faced the camera, and then went back up the escalator to the ship.  Nobody looked at passports or our intransit cards.  Elapsed time 30 minutes from the time we left the ship as a group; until I was back in my stateroom.  Smooth operation once started.

 

The group could not move until all were present at the initial gathering location.  15 minutes after the stated meeting time, still 45 missing.  45 minutes after the stated meeting time, the final two appeared but only after a ship-wide announcement of their names.  This is typical.

[Florida_gal_50]

1 hour ago, Crew News said:

Contrary to other threads, we never left the baggage area /terminal nor approached the Customs booths.

 

We gathered in the BB KIng Lounge and proceeded as a group down the escalator, to a single facial recognition scanner in the baggage area, waited in line until the ship was cleared, faced the camera, and then went back up the escalator to the ship.  Nobody looked at passports or our intransit cards.  Elapsed time 30 minutes from the time we left the ship as a group; until I was back in my stateroom.  Smooth operation once started.

 

The group could not move until all were present at the initial gathering location.  15 minutes after the stated meeting time, still 45 missing.  45 minutes after the stated meeting time, the final two appeared but only after a ship-wide announcement of their names.  This is typical.

I want to say this was the same as my last turn around in Florida except that we had to wait for some special people that felt they didn’t need to follow the instructions.

[ger_77]

1 hour ago, Crew News said:

The group could not move until all were present at the initial gathering location.  15 minutes after the stated meeting time, still 45 missing.  45 minutes after the stated meeting time, the final two appeared but only after a ship-wide announcement of their names.  This is typical.

Doesn't that just drive you crazy!?!  We did one turn-around where a couple showed up about 45 minutes late and received loud boos when they came into the theatre.  They looked surprised and the woman said "Oh, were you waiting for us?  We didn't know!"  Argh!

 

Smooth Sailing! 

[taxmantoo]

14 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I want to say this was the same as my last turn around in Florida except that we had to wait for some special people that felt they didn’t need to follow the instructions.

Small world ... I think they were on our ship a few times also 😉

[canadianbear]

4 minutes ago, taxmantoo said:

Small world ... I think they were on our ship a few times also 😉

Lol….us too but only once.  Other turn around days have been pretty good.  

[Benny42]

We had a similar experience - this really late guy thought he was being cheered, so he proceeded to "moon" the group as he came down the ramp and then tried cutting in one of the long lines.  There was no way the group was going to allow that.  That's when security came and took him away.