35 Days to the South Pacific with The Inside Cabin - Live from the Zuiderdam

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Tonight's  menu.   Our final dinner of the cruise.   We are completing the longest single cruise in the industry since the restart (per the Captain).  
 

The cruise was wonderful.    Much more detail coming over the next week as I get home and have time to focus on writing.    
 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

The Orange Party was a lot of fun 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 3, 2022 by The-Inside-Cabin

[boze9999]

13 minutes ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

The Orange Party was a lot of fun 

 

 

 

 

 

Tell us more please!

 

[TiogaCruiser]

I hope some of the good food gets left over for us😀

[The-Inside-Cabin]

10 hours ago, TiogaCruiser said:

I hope some of the good food gets left over for us😀

I suspect the longer cruise may have had a different,  enhanced menu program.    I think the shorter cruises will have a different experience.   
 

 

[Florida_gal_50]

That seemed to go fast.  I’m very happy to see hal successfully completing this long cruise.  Lets hope this is a step forward to normality.  I’m sorry your cruise is over.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Disembarkation day room service is no longer available except for guests in Neptunes.    
 

Ok

 

But it was difficult to get a straight answer last night about what's  the actual policy.  
 

Everyone is eager to please and make an exception "for you" but It appears that disembarkation day room service is no longer part of the standard service level.   
 

The "new" service standard around pillow chocolates, turn down service, towel animals etc is not well defined.   Based on other peoples reporting the standard is inconsistently delivered across the fleet and seems to be based more on guest requests and individual crew members initiative  rather than the team delivering a consistent product to an established standard.  
 

I can accept whatever the new service standard may be, but we need to understand the new service standard and whether it is temporary due to COVID or a permanent change.  
 

Granted these are minor points in an overall outstanding cruise experience but attention to details is what separates the best from the rest. 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

8 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

That seemed to go fast.  I’m very happy to see hal successfully completing this long cruise.  Lets hope this is a step forward to normality.  I’m sorry your cruise is over.

We had a wonderful time.    Hopefully immigration goes smoothly.   There are three ships here now.   

[Florida_gal_50]

1 minute ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

We had a wonderful time.    Hopefully immigration goes smoothly.   There are three ships here now.   

Yes I bet it won’t be pleasant.  It’s really been great embarking and disembarking in November and in March from San Diego.  There was 2 ships in March when I disembarked but I’m not sure if they let off passengers or not.  I hope it goes well for you!

[akeka]

15 minutes ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

We had a wonderful time.    Hopefully immigration goes smoothly.   There are three ships here now.   

I hope it does go smoothly but I wonder if they have enough staff to handle 3 ships.  When I got off the Koningsdam in March we were the only ship and it was slower than I'd experienced in busier Florida ports recently.  They didn't use facial recognition and each and every person had to personally have their passports checked.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

2 minutes ago, akeka said:

I hope it does go smoothly but I wonder if they have enough staff to handle 3 ships.  When I got off the Koningsdam in March we were the only ship and it was slower than I'd experienced in busier Florida ports recently.  They didn't use facial recognition and each and every person had to personally have their passports checked.

The unknown factor in San Diego is the staffing level of Customs and Immigration.   Terminal and cruise ship staffing is always fine.   What is inconsistent is what service you will get out of the San Diego Customs and immigration team.    Unpredictable and unfortunately HAL gets blamed when it goes slow.   

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Immigration going very fast.    7 agents on board.     Started on time at 7:30 

 

 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

We are off the ship.   Immigration line was 12 minutes long.   Very smooth arrival.   Raining in San Diego.   Only rain anywhere for us all cruise.  

[realnice46]

3 minutes ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

We are off the ship.   Immigration line was 12 minutes long.   Very smooth arrival.   Raining in San Diego.   Only rain anywhere for us all cruise.  

I so enjoyed your posts these 35 days. It 

seemed to go by so fast. Looking forward to any follow ups. When is your next cruise.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

1 minute ago, realnice46 said:

I so enjoyed your posts these 35 days. It 

seemed to go by so fast. Looking forward to any follow ups. When is your next cruise.

Viking Orion - April 17 to 25.   Vancouver to Los Angeles.         I will be posting on my blog and maybe Viking Board.   There will be much more detailed information coming soon on this cruise on my blog.   Detailed port and excursion reviews etc etc.    Follow me there.   www.theinsidecabin.com or on Twitter or Instagram 

[canadianbear]

@The-Inside-Cabin

welcome back and thank you so very much for taking us all on this journey with you.  Really appreciate your posts and photos.   So glad your departure from the ship was so smooth and quick.   

[The-Inside-Cabin]

I will be here this pm taking pictures of her departure. 
 

 

[Nancy&Frank]

@The-Inside-Cabin loved following you on this cruise.  Looking forward to your next cruise 🙂

 

[tgetz]

I am so surprised you are going on a Viking  ship since they have no casino.

Thanks so much Pete for your, as always, wonderful descriptions of your trip. We are on the 21 day Noordam from Fort Lauderdale to Vancouver on April 24th  and really hoping since it will be a "longer' cruise we will see some of the menu items you all enjoyed. Looked wonderful. gives me great hope that the world cruises will still be special.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

4 hours ago, tgetz said:

I am so surprised you are going on a Viking  ship since they have no casino.

Thanks so much Pete for your, as always, wonderful descriptions of your trip. We are on the 21 day Noordam from Fort Lauderdale to Vancouver on April 24th  and really hoping since it will be a "longer' cruise we will see some of the menu items you all enjoyed. Looked wonderful. gives me great hope that the world cruises will still be special.

I have wanted to try Viking Ocean for a while.   When I saw the trip from Vancouver to LA - I jumped  on it - only 8 days and not much travel.    Looking forward to enjoying their cruise experience.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

I just realized we never got a cruise log - sticker or otherwise - can't say I missed it much since it took me 8 hours to realize I never got one.......

[cruzingnut]

@The-Inside-Cabin,  Thanks so much for taking us along!  Your updates and tidbits of info bode well for our WC next January!  I thoroughly enjoyed your post!

 

Linda R.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

1 minute ago, cruzingnut said:

@The-Inside-Cabin,  Thanks so much for taking us along!  Your updates and tidbits of info bode well for our WC next January!  I thoroughly enjoyed your post!

 

Linda R.

When were are in Amsterdam next year - it is going to be the Mother of all World Cruise overnight parties as we will celebrate the 150th anniversary of HAL plus the first World Cruise since the restart and being in the Netherlands.   No details other than its going to be something very special.

 

[cruzingnut]

9 minutes ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

When were are in Amsterdam next year - it is going to be the Mother of all World Cruise overnight parties as we will celebrate the 150th anniversary of HAL plus the first World Cruise since the restart and being in the Netherlands.   No details other than its going to be something very special.

 

 

So that will be where our "Special Night" will be?  Wonder how they can top the Rijks Museum for a location or will it be there again (2019)!  Should be interesting, to say the least! 

 

Another major party should be when we sail AWAY from Fremantle!! 

 

Linda R.

Edited April 3, 2022 by cruzingnut

[dmcfad2]

1 hour ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

I just realized we never got a cruise log - sticker or otherwise - can't say I missed it much since it took me 8 hours to realize I never got one.......

We got one. 🤷‍♀️ I was on this cruise.