Nieuw Statendam 9/7 - 9/17 Review: Wait... I won a free cruise?

[cwd79]

Hi all,

Here is our review on the Nieuw Statendam 9-7-22 to 9-17-22 Canada/New England cruise. Hubby and I are in our early 40’s, been cruising solely with Holland America for the past 10 years. (Except did one Carnival cruise for three days and we said never again after witnessing a passenger peeing in the hallway in front of our room, yep we laugh about it now).

 

Pre-Cruise: We flew from North Carolina to Montreal the day before (9/6) as I had an “amazing” idea to rent a car from the Montreal airport and drive to Quebec City. Everything went smoothly until the rental car, dun dun dun dun… Got a great price under $100 from Alamo as I am a frequent renter thru Alamo. Went to the counter and they didn’t have anymore cars. What? That’s like Dunkin Donuts being out of donuts. But they said they would seek assistance from other rental agencies to get us a car. Waited about 90 minutes and got a car. This put us behind schedule as we didn’t get on the road until close to 4PM. What was supposed to be a 2-hour and 45 min drive took 4 hours. Montreal traffic is a beast. My goodness what a mess that was. My husband is a quiet man but the grunts coming out of him told a different story, his frustration was at ludicrous level. Hungry, tired butt syndrome, and slow driving will put anyone in a mood, and we were no exception. Now I hope you don’t roll your eyes at us being “ignorant Americans” but when we stopped for food, we had hoped we’d encounter someone who spoke a smidge of English... So, with Google Translate we attempted to order two burgers from McDonald’s and butchered the beautiful French language with our attempt. After we drove off and looked in the bag, we instead had a filet-o-fish and some chicken tenders. Well, that was a complete failure. Traffic significantly reduced one out of Montreal and it was a nice drive after. The grunts subsided from my husband as he ate the filet-o-fish and I munched on chicken tenders.

 

Pre-Cruise Hotel: We arrived at Hotel Cofortel in Quebec City for a one-night stay. Not much to look at on the outside but room was lovely with very comfortable bed. Super quiet and no issues. Hotel had great reviews on-line and was very affordable. Super close to airport and food. Would stay there again. I am going to be real with you all, the real reason I wanted a car was not to see any sights in Montreal or Quebec but rather to stop at a grocery store and load up on snacks for the cruise. Yep, I am one of those people. Cruise food is great and all, but I need some cheeze-its, sour patch kids, chocolate bars, pistachios, fruit snacks etc. Carbs and processed food in small doses fill the cracks of our heart. We were pleasantly surprised that there was a Wal-Mart near the hotel, and we were able to find all the necessary unhealthy food we require. No issues with not speaking French as we did self-checkout.

We then dropped the rental car off at the Quebec airport. We could see the joy on peoples faces as we dropped it off in the completely empty rental car section for Alamo. Something told me they were out of rental cars as well. Would have been interesting to see which family would win the fight over the only remaining rental car left but alas it was time to board the shuttle to the cruise port. You will see a theme here of me being an idiot and thinking we are prepared but we weren’t. I had called HAL to book the pre-cruise shuttle to the cruise port from Quebec airport. They knew we were flying into Montreal and driving and said we could still take the shuttle. Well, you can’t. Or at least we couldn’t. We realized once you walked into the Quebec airport that the people with the Holland America signs were in the baggage claim area and not outside. There was no way we could get to that area because of security etc. We asked and were told no. Oh well, plan B. We tried ordering an Uber but it was going to take 33 minutes. Nope. Plan C, we then walked over to the taxi line and were whisked away quickly. Arrived at 300 Rue de L’Estuaire and dropped off around 12:20PM.

 

Embarking: We had priority boarding as we paid for Club Orange, but it was not needed as there was no wait. (more on Club Orange not being worth it for us, later). Walked and walked and walked and got to the “Covid” line. One line of people who hadn’t gotten tested previously, and those who had which basically meant you had Verifly. Cannot stress how important Verifly is to have completely done before arriving. If you want to be stuck in a line similar to what I imagine Purgatory is like then spend a few minutes and complete the Verifly. We immediately went thru security and off to checking in. Showed the Arrivecan receipt and our Verifly again and as before was moved to a no wait section to immediately check in… While those who didn’t have Verifly or Arrivecan stood in utter despair and sadness in a line that stretched for some time. As usual checking in provides comic relief as apparently I look incredibly different from the prior cruise I was on less than a month ago and it wouldn’t accept my current appearance. After contorting my face to a smile that would frighten small children, some finagling was done, and my new horror picture was accepted. My husband who stands over 6’3 had his head cut off in the photo and basically had to get on his knees to get his picture taken. His infamous grunts reappeared but didn’t last long. Finally, we start walking to get on the ship but of course past the “picture takers”, I get it, you have a job to do. But all I want is a Midori Sour, some stir fry from the Lido and to feel the fresh air while sitting in a chair near the Sea View bar. The “picture takers” and I will have a constant battle throughout the cruise as they become determined to take our picture, but we won that battle. We know what we look like, we don’t need a reminder of what the above newly purchased bags of carbs and processed food does to you. Thanks, but no thanks.

 

Ship: I previously cruised on the Koningsdam for an Alaskan cruise in August 2022. That ship was great, but the NS was fantastic. Even though they are basically identical, the vibe, service, food was phenomenal. And we can easily say this was the best cruise we’ve ever been on and a huge part of that is because of the ship. The ship was clean and beautiful. Classic and simple. We didn’t notice any issues on the ship that needed updates. We often saw areas being cleaned, power washed, painted etc. Loved the eclectic pictures and statues on the ship. Every floor had unique artwork that was different.

 

Smokers: My hubby is a smoker. I am an enabler. If you want to meet amazing people, go to the smoking section. It’s a small section near the Sea View Bar on deck 9. I don’t smoke, but I often sat with my husband, and we made great friends with the other passengers there. The bar servers, specifically Hedrick and Oscar were fantastic. They went above and beyond on this cruise and their service was impeccable.

 

Room: I will admit we usually stay in Neptune Suites. Only because we purchase a verandah and always get upgrade offers to Neptune. Always. In the 10 years of cruising with Holland America, every cruise we got an offer. But this cruise we wanted to try something different. Hubby and I tried an interior room for the first time. I can hear the gasps and see the wincing of your faces. Calm down, it’s ok. We knew it was going to be small. Very small. But we wanted to see if this cruise we could spend less on the room so we could spend more on other things. This was the first cruise we didn’t get an offer for an upgrade, and I am glad we didn’t. We stayed in cabin 5071. Midship but closer to the Forward elevators. We were nestled in between other interior rooms and never heard a peep out of our neighbors. You could sometimes hear people in the hallways and behind the wall of our room as that is where the secret passageways are for the stewards. But never heard anything at night. Yes, I call them secret passageways because as an adult my imagination has only gotten better and more vivid, and I imagine a quite spectacular land of happiness and unicorns with people braiding each other’s hair and singing Kumbaya behind those walls.

We were usually in bed my 10 -11PM. We might be younger than the average cruiser on HAL, but we like our sleep and are early morning risers. Only a couple times could I feel the movement of the ship. I am prone to motion sickness, and I brought all the med’s you can imagine but didn’t have to take anything. Midship is key in my opinion. There were only about 8-10 channels on the TV. But lots of movies to watch, mostly movies from a few years ago or older. We probably stay in the room more than the average bear. We like our naps. The overall size of the room was bigger than we thought it’d be. Lots of storage, no couch but we really enjoyed the room. The small fridge stayed cold. We had our stewards clean out the mini bar so we could put my waters and hubbies red bulls. Bathroom is small. We aren’t small. We have extra padding and then some, but we worked out a system to make it work for us when it came time to showering, changing etc. So, it wasn’t an issue for us. We would stay in an interior room again, in a heartbeat. Our room stewards Made and Sum were great and their attention to detail was spot on. I am sure HAL doesn’t like the idea of a previous Neptune Suite passenger being converted to an interior room passenger but the amount of money we saved and will save on additional cruises has tipped the scale over to interior rooms.

 

Activities/Entertainment: Opinions vary on this subject. Much debate has been made on what HAL does great and does not. Hubby and I like being ON the ship. We often don’t get off the ship when we port somewhere. Since we like being on the ship, we do wish there was more going on. Now, we aren’t party people. But during the day not much going on. But we get it, most people are off this ship on port days.

We love trivia and are constantly reminded how dumb we are when playing. But every lightening trivia, general knowledge trivia and music trivia we were there. Our only gripe is the music trivia, would it be a crime to have some 90’s music in the mix? That music was 30 years ago. I know we are slightly younger than the average age but throw us a bone.

I had done Coloring For Adults and Origami on another cruise and hubby wasn’t interested. We wish there were more options.

The music row is great at night. Some bands and singers better than others but wonderful night life. Wish there was Karaoke, or some classes on sewing, card playing etc.

The library was small, but the daily crossword puzzle was my morning routine and again showed me how I’m not as smart as I thought I was.

We aren’t gym people or spa people. I have had one massage my entire life and it was on a Holland America cruise a few years back. I couldn’t stop laughing from being tickled and acted like a five-year-old. Never again. We also aren’t pool people as that requires a swimsuit and possible turning into one of those robe people (not that there is anything wrong with that) and I’m saving humanity by not showcasing my non-swimsuit ready body.

We did watch several performances on the Lincoln Stage that had classical music and the talented young musicians were amazing. Beautiful and well done. Highly recommend.

 

Casino: I could have put this under activities/entertainment, but it needs a section on its own. We are casino people. Hubby plays Craps and between you and I, he plays like crap hahaha. I am a slot person. We were there every evening, and the casino was loads of fun. Great atmosphere, busy, people smiling and laughing, winning, and losing. The casino is run by Jovan and Jem and they run it very well. All the casino staff were excellent, great service. Especially Sandra. She showed me the ropes on several machines I never played and was so engaging and fun. Great customer service and overall wonderful human. Hubby said all the Craps staff was awesome. We were disappointed that there was no poker. Looks like HAL really is going away from that. Bartenders and servers were all wonderful and drinks were great.

The Casino folks also run the ever-popular Bingo. Bingo is my favorite. But on this cruise, it was the highlight, only because I won a free cruise. Yep, you read that correctly. It was the Bingo raffle so not a Bingo game. They butchered my name but that’s ok, you can call me whatever you want if you’re going to give me a free cruise. I was ecstatic and my grunt filled husband cracked an elusive smile. He was pleased. Have a year to schedule it. 7-day Caribbean or Mexico cruise.

 

Food: By far the food was the best on this cruise. We ate at Pinnacle Grill and the steak was cooked perfectly. We do miss the cheesecake they used to have. Canaletto was good, love the chicken parmigiana. We did order off the menu a regular salad since I am allergic to beets. Appreciate them being accommodating. Tamarind beef was cooked great. Our server was so sweet. We never ate in the regular dining room and you’ll read below in the Club Orange section what we thought of that. Dive In was awesome as usual. Loved the hot dogs, burgers, and grilled chicken. Don’t get me started on those fries. Yum. We had Gelato once and it was decent. We had subs and pizza at the NY Deli & Pizza place. My husband really liked it, I thought it was ok. Most of the food I ate was in the Lido, specifically the Stir Fry area, fried rice with chicken or beef. I ate that religiously sometimes twice a day. So good. Loved the big salads in the Lido. Breakfast in the Lido was fine as I am a raisin bran person but sadly not every day was it available. The pretzel rolls and the white chocolate macadamia cookies was also a favorite of mine. Yum Yum. We didn’t do any room service. But all in all, the food was fantastic

 

Shops: We stopped by the shops a couple times. One to see the snack section, which is like the Koningsdam snack section, almost non-existent. Very small selection so I am glad we loaded up with snacks before getting on the ship. Hubby did purchase one carton of cigarettes and mentioned it was a great price. Outside of that no other purchases in the shops. I am not a jewelry or make up person, so I didn’t make a stop in those shops.

 

Have-It-All Package: We went ahead and purchased the HIA at a significantly reduced price that was hard to pass up. We don’t drink wine but hubby is a scotch drinker and I prefer a Midori Sour. Yes, I realize that is a very unsophisticated drink and I’m stuck in the “OMG I’m a sophomore in college” drinking stage but it’s literally the only alcoholic drink I can stomach, and I love it. Cristane at the Lido bar was the only one who made it the way I liked, and he was fantastic. Loved the easiness of handing card over and not having to sign for the drink or get receipts to track. I knew I wasn’t going anywhere near why 15 drinks a day limit, so I had nothing to track. They did run out of the cans of water by the second day or least that is what I was told, and they started giving me the large glass bottle. No extra charge on those. They fit in the fridge in the room FYI. The wi-fi was fine the first 6-7 days of the cruise, but the last three days it hardly worked. The shore excursion credit wasn’t of great value to us because majority of excursions were sold out. The free Pinnacle and Tamarind was good value. The real winner of this package was the drink package. We’ve decided it was worth it to us and have added it to our next cruise in November.

 

Ports: Like I mentioned above, we often don’t get off the ship when we port somewhere. Only if the port truly interests us. We booked the cruise within 60 days of the cruise date so basically all excursions were already sold out. We were put on some wait lists but outside of one, no spots opened. On this cruise since we had an overnight in Quebec City, we walked to Mary’s Popcorn Shop to get some caramel popcorn. It was worth the 20-minute walk uphill. Despite the hubbies’ grunts. But outside of that we didn’t do anything else in Quebec City.

The next stop was Baie-Comeau, Quebec. We stayed onboard.

The next stop was Havre-Saint-Pierre, Quebec. Again, we stayed on board. I can hear your moaning and groaning. I know, I know. Like I said we prefer being on the ship. I am sure we missed many, many amazing sites, but we REALLY like being on the ship.

The next stop was Corner Brook, Newfoundland, you might be thinking “let me guess, you stayed on the ship”, well you’d be incorrect. I jumped at the chance to see Newfoundland. Although I constantly say it wrong, and it drives by grunt filled hubby up the wall. We did a nice bus tour all around Corner Brook. It was worth getting off the ship.

Sadly, due to Hurricane Earl the next two stops in Newfoundland were scrapped. That’s ok cause that just means we need to cruise this itinerary again and surprise, surprise, get off the ship for St. Anthony and St. Johns.

So, since those stops were changed, we stopped in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. You will be happy to know we did get off and walked around, enjoyed some food. I love PEI. Beautiful place.

Next stop was Sydney, Nova Scotia. Well, I would have preferred Halifax but oh well. We did not get off the ship.

Then Bar Harbor, Maine. The winds were crazy high this stop, and the tender process was stopped early so we didn’t get a chance to get off the ship. But we both had been there previously so not a total disappointment.

Then we stopped in Portland, Maine. We did do an excursion and saw the lovely Portland. What a beautiful town.

Then lastly, we ended the cruise in Boston. We’ve both been to Boston many times so there was no sightseeing, only airport. If you were looking for tons of detail on each stop, sadly this part of the review is disappointing. We are ship people.

 

Club Orange: Was it worth it or not? The perk of priority embarking wasn’t needed. We were on the ship within 20 minutes of being dropped off at the cruise port. Priority disembarking also wasn’t needed because we had to self-disembark. We didn’t get an upgrade to our interior room; I’m assuming since we were already midship maybe that is why? We stayed in 5071. Another perk is upgraded bathrobes. Well, we didn’t take them out of the package. We aren’t bath robe people. I am 5’2 on a good day and those things are huge and I always feel like I need a crown and scepter to complete the look. Also, we saw more than enough people in the Lido wearing robes and not much if anything at all underneath them. Trust me, I wasn’t looking to see anything, but if something plops out, it’s like a car wreck, you are required as a human to look fast and then look away. We got a Club Orange tote bag which promptly stayed in a cabinet, and we forgot about it. Priority tendering was also a perk but the one day we tendered we had an excursion, so it wasn’t needed as we went with a large group. 24-hour concierge that we never utilized. And lastly, the Club Orange dining room. I will preface this: we had never done Club Orange previously. The first night September 7 we decided to do dinner there. Again, first night, never done this before. Husband is wearing nice khaki shorts and a collared shirt. Well, he was “short-shamed”. I should have been prepared and known that there was a dress code. I felt awful because he can take things personally like that. After the “dressing down” they still allowed us to eat there. Thanks. But now we know there is a dress code. Well, that was the first and last time we ate there.  Hubby only brought one pair of nice dress pants for the specialty dinner places and didn’t want to wear them for every dinner in the Club Orange. He likes to be comfortable which I get. The dinner was ok, but nothing amazing. Our server was great.  I think the embarrassment from the dress code issue soured the dinner for him and he asked if it was ok if we didn’t go back. I was fine with that. But we did notice several short wearers when we walked by from time to time, and we chuckled about it. So, what did we learn? Club Orange isn’t for us. The cost about 25 a day per person per day doesn’t make sense for how we cruise and the perks you receive. I am sure it is fantastic for many, but the way we cruise it wasn’t worth it.

 

Disembarking: We were nervous as our flight was at 11AM which mean it would board around 10:30AM. We usually take afternoon flights, but this was the cheaper option. We had previously booked a post cruise shuttle to the airport with HAL, and they had all our flight information but mid cruise we got a call from guest services that they would need to cancel the shuttle as they couldn’t guarantee we’d make it on time and suggested we self-disembark. Well, we knew we had priority disembark thru the Club Orange perks, but the perk of priority disembarking also wasn’t needed.

We did some reconnaissance work super early on Saturday September 17^th and saw a line forming around 7AM on deck 2 midship for the self-disembarks. We got in about 20 people deep and ship started letting people off at 7:30AM. We had heard horror stories about getting a taxi or Uber outside the Boston cruise port, but we found a ton of taxis waiting and there was no wait for one. Again, whisked away to an airport and got to the airport within 10-15 min. Flight was on time and security took about 20 min. Flew back to NC heavier but happier from a fantastic cruise.

 

Overall: It was spectacular, and we cannot wait to cruise on Holland America again. What we love about cruising is relaxation and the ship. We learned that interior rooms can be your friend and not to fear it. We learned Club Orange isn’t for us. The HIA package is totally worth it if you can get it on a reduced price. The casino is so much fun and we will continue to be casino people until they ban us. People can really win the Free Cruise bingo raffle, woohooo. Time to plan our next cruise adventure…

[albingirl]

Very nice review, thanks.  I love the NS; we've sailed on her twice and will be on again this winter.  My experience is different than yours but the ship is truly beautiful and the staff is exceptional.  Congrats on the free cruise and no, not everyone thinks and interior cabins are awful.  We don't get them but I do get the price difference that you pointed to.  Gives you a chance to spend money elsewhere and hey, why not?  

[Florida_gal_50]

Thanks for your review.  I’m pretty sure the dress code does mention long pants are required.  I can tell you every pair of pants I have is just as comfortable as shorts.  I think it’s a pretty low bar to obtain. Did he wear shorts in the specialty restaurants? I’m surprised that he was short shamed since hal never likes to offend anyone. I find it so bizarre to have colouring as an activity.  I know that was a thing years ago but it’s just odd to me.  I love the nieuw statendam.  It’s definitely my favourite.

[Andi Land]

Great review! Thanks for reporting back. ☺️ As an FYI, you can wear jeans in club orange. None of the dining rooms allow shorts but jeans are fine. 

[PasadenaDave]

This was opposite to our experience, service was atrocious and our worst cruise ever.  This evaluation was made many days prior to our getting sick on Thursday.  Crowds, incorrect room service orders, lack of information.  I will do my own summary later.

 

Prior experience with Princess and Viking, I think we are done with ships that carry more than 1,000 passengers 

[cwd79]

50 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Thanks for your review.  I’m pretty sure the dress code does mention long pants are required.  I can tell you every pair of pants I have is just as comfortable as shorts.  I think it’s a pretty low bar to obtain. Did he wear shorts in the specialty restaurants? I’m surprised that he was short shamed since hal never likes to offend anyone. I find it so bizarre to have colouring as an activity.  I know that was a thing years ago but it’s just odd to me.  I love the nieuw statendam.  It’s definitely my favourite.

Hmm didn't see a dress code anywhere for the Club Orange dining area. But again it was the first night. He had dress pants for the specialty restaurants, that wasn't the issue. It was the way it was handled. But no biggie. Had an amazing time. 

[cwd79]

42 minutes ago, Andi Land said:

Great review! Thanks for reporting back. ☺️ As an FYI, you can wear jeans in club orange. None of the dining rooms allow shorts but jeans are fine. 

Good to know for next time. He didn't bring any this time, but we will remember that. Appreciate the tip. 

[cwd79]

20 minutes ago, PasadenaDave said:

This was opposite to our experience, service was atrocious and our worst cruise ever.  This evaluation was made many days prior to our getting sick on Thursday.  Crowds, incorrect room service orders, lack of information.  I will do my own summary later.

 

Prior experience with Princess and Viking, I think we are done with ships that carry more than 1,000 passengers 

Oh gosh I'm sorry your cruise was not a good experience. I hope you feel better. 

[Florida_gal_50]

Just now, cwd79 said:

Hmm didn't see a dress code anywhere for the Club Orange dining area. But again it was the first night. He had dress pants for the specialty restaurants, that wasn't the issue. It was the way it was handled. But no biggie. Had an amazing time. 

They don’t have it posted at any restaurants but generally they will mention it at restaurants.  Just for further info the only place you can wear shorts at night is in the lido.  I’m surprised that this wouldn’t have come up before if you have sailed hal like it sounds you have.  I would have thought the cruise would have been on the cold side so I’d be wanting to wear pants pretty much everywhere.  At one point I believe you had to wear a button down shirt and pants.  Hal keeps making the dress code less and less stringent but it still seems hard for some to obtain.  If they don’t draw the line somewhere will the next thing be shorts and tank tops for men because a shirt is too restrictive?

[wdw1972]

Loved your review - and your sense of humor!  I have a grunting hubby as well, which is why 90% of my cruises are taken without him 😉 He'll be joining me on the Eurodam in late November - hopefully we'll survive (well, he probably will since he's too heavy for me to foist over the railing) the 10 days!

 

Sue/WDW1972

[oaktreerb]

I enjoyed your humor and the structure of your review.  You had some new experiences and thank you for your review of the results!

 

 I’m surprised Club Orange allowed your DH to enter in shorts.  We had a similar experience in the MDR on a Mexican Riviera cruise a few years ago and DH returned to our stateroom to change to long pants.  (We prefer not to eat in the Lido for dinner.)  If CO says “no shorts” but still allows people in shorts to eat there anyway “one time” you will see people eating there in shorts and others will assume it’s ok!   

 

Great review!

[cwd79]

15 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

They don’t have it posted at any restaurants but generally they will mention it at restaurants.  Just for further info the only place you can wear shorts at night is in the lido.  I’m surprised that this wouldn’t have come up before if you have sailed hal like it sounds you have.  I would have thought the cruise would have been on the cold side so I’d be wanting to wear pants pretty much everywhere.  At one point I believe you had to wear a button down shirt and pants.  Hal keeps making the dress code less and less stringent but it still seems hard for some to obtain.  If they don’t draw the line somewhere will the next thing be shorts and tank tops for men because a shirt is too restrictive?

This was the first time doing Club Orange and being in that dining area. We've been cruising with HAL for ten years but we have never eaten in the regular dining room so we would have probably made the same error with him in shorts if we had eaten there as well. Majority of the time we eat in the Lido and do a specialty restaurant here and there and he always dressed up for that piece. We were uneducated on the Club Orange dining area dress code and that was our fault. But now we know.

[oaktreerb]

@cwd79  You mentioned a couple of times that you got a significantly reduced price on HIA.  Our next cruise is without HIA but they are promoting it as half price at $49 pp per day.  We have lots of OBC to spend onboard so adding $700 to the price of the cruise doesn’t make much sense to me.  We did add Club Orange for the room upgrade and for the smaller dining room.  

[cwd79]

11 minutes ago, oaktreerb said:

@cwd79  You mentioned a couple of times that you got a significantly reduced price on HIA.  Our next cruise is without HIA but they are promoting it as half price at $49 pp per day.  We have lots of OBC to spend onboard so adding $700 to the price of the cruise doesn’t make much sense to me.  We did add Club Orange for the room upgrade and for the smaller dining room.  

I had called HAL to find out what it would cost to add the signature beverage package on its own for us and it was going to cost more than the $700 for HIA. Add on the free specialty restaurants and the Wi-Fi and shore excursions then it was worth it for us. Even if all that other stuff wasn't included it was still cheaper to get HIA then purchase the drink package separately. We got most use out of the drink package. Now if the pre-paid gratuities were part of that then it would have been an even better deal but that wasn't included. We had some OBC that covered that piece. Really depends on what you think is worth it to you or not. In regards to Club Orange, probably the best part of that is the upgrade in room category but we didn't get an upgrade. We picked 5071 when we booked the cruise before we added Club Orange later on. I am assuming that was the highest level room for interior so that benefit didn't apply sadly. Now, if we had gotten a guarantee interior then we would have seen the benefit. If we ever decide to add Club Orange again we would do a guarantee and then upgrade to the highest room level in the same category. 

Edited September 18, 2022 by cwd79

[Florida_gal_50]

7 minutes ago, cwd79 said:

I had called HAL to find out what it would cost to add the signature beverage package on its own for us and it was going to cost more than the $700 for HIA. Add on the free specialty restaurants and the Wi-Fi and shore excursions then it was worth it for us. Even if all that other stuff wasn't included it was still cheaper to get HIA then purchase the drink package separately. We got most use out of the drink package. Now if the pre-paid gratuities were part of that then it would have been an even better deal but that wasn't included. We had some OBC that covered that piece. Really depends on what you think is worth it to you or not. In regards to Club Orange, probably the best part of that is the upgrade in room category but we didn't get an upgrade. We picked 5071 when we booked the cruise before we added Club Orange later on. I am assuming that was the highest level room for interior so that benefit didn't apply sadly. Now, if we had gotten a guarantee interior then we would have seen the benefit. If we ever decide to add Club Orange again we would do a guarantee and then upgrade to the highest room level in the same category. 

Definitely do it that way.  Buy the cheapest room in the category and you’ll be able to upgrade to the best available within that same category. That said, if you were to buy a cruise a week before or wait until the last minute to buy club orange the choice will likely be less. 

[canadianbear]

@cwd79 You WON a cruise!   Congratulations! 

 

Really enjoyed reading your review and laughed several times.  I am sorry that your husband

was shamed though-that is so unlike HAL.  Usually the maitre de will pull a person aside and

quietly ask them to change or to dine at the Lido.

 

Interesting to read about your inside cabin.  I would love to be able to do that to save money for other things too but am claustrophobic.  We usually book Neptune suites as well but lately we try for either a regular balcony, vista or signature.  Doesn't matter any more as long as I have a balcony I have gotten used to it.

 

I agree Montreal traffic is not fun at all but is like any major city traffic.  Our daughter lives about 30 minutes away from the airport there and thankfully in a quiet community but most places we went to all speak English as soon as they know you don't speak French.  Funny about your McDonald's experience, lol.

 

Thanks again for your detailed review. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PasadenaDave]

I mentioned in an earlier comment how we were disappointed in our cruise.  I kept a tally on Issues with HAL and Good Thing in Notes on my Phone.  Prior to listing here, I will summarize our experience pre cruise.

 

We saw this in an advertisement in February and the three stops in Newfoundland hooked us.  Those three spots if done via flight and car involve days of driving.  I have also always wanted to go to Quebec in summer as I have been there three times skiing in February.  My wife had never been.

 

First disappointment was when flights at 11:00 from LAX was discontinued and we had to fly at 0730 which required us to stay the night before at an airport hotel.

 

Second disappointment was Halifax disappearing being replaced with Portland where I grew up!

 

We traveled on Saturday prior to Wednesday boarding to spend time in Quebec.  My sister and niece joined us for two days as she drove up from New York State.  We stayed two nights at Chateau Laurier enjoying excellent food and hop on hop off bus.  We then stayed two nights at the Chateau Frontenac using frequent flier miles.  I also had dinner with a friend who was a roommate of mine 37 years ago and he and I climbed the Grand Teton together in 1987.  He lives in Quebec City.

 

Issues We had with HAL, This list is in no particular order other than when I jotted them down

 

Lack of answering the phone pre cruise, on cruise for guest services, room service and later medical

Wrong breakfast order almost daily 

Wheelchairs stored in hallway, we were on deck 11 and it might have been a disabled floor.  multiple mobility scooters stored by elevators and in hallway which might be a maritime law issue on emergency exiting

Not easy getting excursions, that was understandable at some ports

Hotel where we stayed had a pre-excursion staying there,we were encouraged to buy the bus transport to ship as cabs would be busy, $30 per person. We took a cab, no wait $10 for the two of us, much easier and cheaper than HAL transport

25 minutes to wait for shuttle to town, this was even worse in Baie Comeau

Long two hour dinner at Pinnacle Grill good, food but very slow, painfully slow

8:44pm hear loud music from band in our cabin and it went on until after 10:00

Buffet closes at 8:00 does not open until 6:30 am

Crowds on board and long queues for leaving ship via gangway or tender

 

Good Things

 

Good food normal or smaller portions

Quick delivery of distilled water to room

Easy embarkation we arrived by cab at 11:20 for a 12:40 boarding and had no wait for security or Identification check

Good replacement of ports when weather caused two missed ports

 Room attendant was helpful and caring.

 

Illness

 

I started feeling poorly Tuesday night, I get allergy induced sinus infections on most trips to the east coast.  I tried calling medical on Wednesday but the phone was never answered.  Thursday they answered and ordered us in room and came with Covid tests, four hours.  I was negative my wife positive.  They told me I could go ashore to see Urgent Care.  The winds came up and that caused me not to go ashore.  I did go to Medical at 5:00, they answered the phone and when I spoke to the nurse she was furious that I left my cabin against orders.  I reminded her of our phone conversation and she backed down telling me she gave me wrong information.  I am to remain in cabin with wife with presumed Covid.  Friday wife took proctored Covid test as we had a strong signal in Portland, negative.  They came and gave me a PCR test and I was positive.  We are on lockdown.

 

We had continued room service but dinner on Friday night was to be delivered at 5:30, at 6:45 I called and they said they would look for it.  We followed up at 7:30 no answer on phone, at 7:45 cabin attended came by when she heard about food issue she had guest services call us within 10 minutes and we finally got dinner at 8:30!

 

Saturday morning when guest services called at 8:15 to say that our escort would be by at 9:00 they inquired about our breakfast order and they were shocked when we told them it had not arrived and we told them the issue from the prior day.  We got coffee and toast at 8:45.

 

We joined other Covid people in a holding area and they finally gave us our passports which was the most troubling issue of all, no one could give us an answer on the passport issue, very frustrating.  The gathering of other Covid people was  a huge complaint session with various levels of misinformation given to all by Guest Non-Services.

 

We promptly got off the ship and to the airport in under 15 minutes in taxi, much more efficient than a HAL shuttle.  I know Boston so I knew there was no need for ship provided transport.

 

Two easy flights home. masked up all the way.

 

We have been decent during Covid and on cruise with masks on elevators, crowds etc.  Today other than being tired which is typical after two weeks and cross country flights with time change.  This supports that vaccines and boosters work.

 

I have been on seven or eight roundtrip flights during Covid always masked including to Europe.  My experience since June  has been that less than half mask on flights.  That tells me that there are likely a half dozen or more asymptomatic unmasked positive people on each flight, the chance of spread from a positive person to another if both masked is not great and if one is healthy and boosted this is not an issue, look at all the healthcare providers continually exposed but masked they are good.

 

We were on Viking Ocean in May and spitting into tubes daily wasn't a burden and prevented spread.  We won't be back on HAL and likely stick to cruises with less than 1,000 people from here on.

 

Before you respond, remember the Cruise Critic guidelines.  This is my experience.  Your mileage may vary, I don't care what you might think of my travel in the condition that I was in yesterday. I felt pretty good, just tired, and I was masked.

 

 

[oaktreerb]

@PasadenaDave  Sorry to hear about your Covid experience.  This is a difficult epidemic for all of us and everybody seems to try to do what they think is best for them.  Employees of cruise lines are probably doing their best amid changing rules and regulations.  

 

RE:  food availability on HAL.  There are voids on some ships where food can not be found.  There may be no food between breakfast hours and lunch hours and lunch hours and dinner hours in the Lido.  Even the Neptune Lounge has times where snacks are not displayed, much to my surprise.  I did address these issues with HAL on my last cruise.  I was reminded that room service is always available (not instant food that I need when I’m hungry!).  FYI:  the time between 8 pm and 6:30am is not a complete void.  The Lido opens again around 10 pm when the entertainers are ready for a snack after their performance and the guests who haven’t retired to their rooms can enjoy a late night hearty  snack.

 

 

 

 

 

[Andi Land]

5 hours ago, oaktreerb said:

I enjoyed your humor and the structure of your review.  You had some new experiences and thank you for your review of the results!

 

 I’m surprised Club Orange allowed your DH to enter in shorts.  We had a similar experience in the MDR on a Mexican Riviera cruise a few years ago and DH returned to our stateroom to change to long pants.  (We prefer not to eat in the Lido for dinner.)  If CO says “no shorts” but still allows people in shorts to eat there anyway “one time” you will see people eating there in shorts and others will assume it’s ok!   

 

Great review!

The dining rooms will allow shorts on the first night due to the fact that not everyone has their luggage yet to change. We learned this the hard way in 2019 when our luggage didn’t show up until day 2. 

[Florida_gal_50]

54 minutes ago, Andi Land said:

The dining rooms will allow shorts on the first night due to the fact that not everyone has their luggage yet to change. We learned this the hard way in 2019 when our luggage didn’t show up until day 2. 

That may happen but I sure wouldn’t want to count on that.  With so many people claiming they only travel with carry on that shouldn’t even be a problem.  I know I’ve been belittled on this board for admitting I travel with a suitcase plus a carry on.

[PasadenaDave]

13 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

That may happen but I sure wouldn’t want to count on that.  With so many people claiming they only travel with carry on that shouldn’t even be a problem.  I know I’ve been belittled on this board for admitting I travel with a suitcase plus a carry on.

We check bags and have only had them misplaced on our way home

[VMax1700]

17 hours ago, cwd79 said:

clean out the mini bar so we could put my waters and hubbies red bulls.

Did you bring water and Red Bull onboard?  

 

Congratulations on winning the cruise!

[VMax1700]

14 hours ago, PasadenaDave said:

Buffet closes at 8:00 does not open until 6:30 am

All the HAL ships that I have been on, have a 'Late night snack' normally between 10.30 pm to 11.30pm in the Lido.

Edited September 19, 2022 by VMax1700

[cwd79]

39 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

Did you bring water and Red Bull onboard?  

 

Congratulations on winning the cruise!

Thanks!!! We did not. We ordered them at the bar and stocked the mini fridge over the course of a few days. 

[VMax1700]

1 hour ago, cwd79 said:

Thanks!!! We did not. We ordered them at the bar and stocked the mini fridge over the course of a few days. 

Thank you!

It was a genuine enquiry for the sake of clarity! 😉