Crossword Puzzles & Thermal Suite

[Lazy_Triathlete]

1) Last time my wife and I cruised was before COVID on Zaandam.  In the exploration cafe area, we found photocopies of NYT crosswords and USA Today crosswords.  Cruising Rotterdam in a few weeks. Will that be available again?   Perfect way to relax on the balcony.  
 

2) Is it worth it to buy a thermal suite pass?  It was $392 for the two of us.  Couldn’t find exactly what it includes and if there is a daily time limit.  We will be using the fitness center daily but we’re not interested in massages. The wife may get her hair done once or twice as a treat.  But having a nice relaxing area with a sauna sounds like something my wife would like. 

[REOVA]

Was on Rotterdam this month and Crosswords and Soduko both were available. Either in the library or up in EXC lounge /crows nest (I forget as I was hoping for the daily trivia which they no longer do).  I suggest waiting and getting a tour of spa before buying on day 1. When we last bought spa package (many years ago) we found we never used it on short itineraries. Maybe a day pass (free for 5* mariners). Also some people have mentioned suanas/steam rooms not working on some ships so know before you pay. 

[DinkyDee67]

21 hours ago, REOVA said:

Was on Rotterdam this month and Crosswords and Soduko both were available. Either in the library or up in EXC lounge /crows nest (I forget as I was hoping for the daily trivia which they no longer do). 

 

We loved the daily trivia quizzes pre COVID - have they really gone? We are cruising on Noordam next month and will be very disappointed if they are gone.

[kdakda]

The Rotterdam has a very nice library on deck 2, stocked with a variety of books that you take and return.   There's also an area where you can Leave a Book/Take a Book, and I left a couple paperbacks I'd brought.  Puzzles were there and a few chairs (with lap robes) that looked out at the water.  

[REOVA]

1 hour ago, kdakda said:

The Rotterdam has a very nice library on deck 2, stocked with a variety of books that you take and return.   There's also an area where you can Leave a Book/Take a Book, and I left a couple paperbacks I'd brought.  Puzzles were there and a few chairs (with lap robes) that looked out at the water.  

Yes they listened to us and built the library after not having one on NS and KDam. We were surprised at the number of current books and multiple editions. 

[REOVA]

2 hours ago, DinkyDee67 said:

 

We loved the daily trivia quizzes pre COVID - have they really gone? We are cruising on Noordam next month and will be very disappointed if they are gone.

Unfortunately. But if you go to guest services they may have access to old ones and print them out. But for some reason the questions and answers were together on same page so it wasn't quite the same. Had to have DW take a photo of each and then black out the answers so I could do them. 🤭

[DinkyDee67]

41 minutes ago, REOVA said:

Unfortunately. But if you go to guest services they may have access to old ones and print them out. But for some reason the questions and answers were together on same page so it wasn't quite the same. Had to have DW take a photo of each and then black out the answers so I could do them. 🤭

What a shame 😢 

We have recently cruised on Princess and P&O and both had lots of trivia, so maybe we’ll cruise more with them to get our trivia fix.

[oakridger]

The ships all still have live trivia, don't they?  Is @REOVA only referring to a printed trivia hand out?

[REOVA]

1 hour ago, DinkyDee67 said:

What a shame 😢 

We have recently cruised on Princess and P&O and both had lots of trivia, so maybe we’ll cruise more with them to get our trivia fix.

To Clarify - There are still usually 3 live trivia games a day. The ships used to have daily trivia sheets they would put out with the various newsletters and puzzles. I know they did away with the newsletters precovid (to save paper but at least you could take them off ship and read unlike on the app now) and they have the crosswords and sudoku still but not the printed trivia. 

[SilvertoGold]

I am pleased that the Rotterdam has crossword puzzles readily available.  On the Koningsdam you had to go to the Front Desk for them.  In April, May, October there were usually long lines and they refused to set out some copies, so a long wait to get them most days.  When asked why, they said "Covid restrictions" but there were the Future Cruise Consultant's paper brochures, Hotel Manager's paper feedback forms in piles all withing 10 feet of the Front Desk. I never figured out what was so different about the crosswords!

[Charlene1985]

This is good news for me too!  Love crosswords!  

[FlaMariner]

On 11/27/2022 at 8:47 PM, oakridger said:

The ships all still have live trivia, don't they? 

 

Yes.  

[twodjs]

Just off Koningsdam - they had crosswords at both at Guest Services AND up in the Crow's Nest. No line up there. Sudoku on the back side of the page.