Quasi-Live Westerdam Oct 1st Japan

[bennybear]

I’ve read that Fall colours are more in November.   We’re hoping to see them too one year, I’m sure they’re spectacular.   There are some maps put out like they do for cherry blossom time.  
 

In our experience we found it very easy to use credit cards, even in the convenience stores.   We also found if you needed cash the ATMs in 7 -11 were at a fair exchange rate. 

[bennybear]

[cruisemom42]

18 hours ago, LAFFNVEGAS said:

We were there in mid October 2016 and had hoped to see some fall foliage and did not. This cruise went to Akita and we took the Shinkansen several small towns out heading north. Had we gone to Hokkaido I think we would have had a better chance of seeing some color in October. The next trip was in September 2019 we did get to Hakodate but of course way to early, but that cruise also got us to the Southern region of Japan which was quite warm. We want to return and are actually booked for March 2025 but that is peak season and costs for air, hotels and cruises are higher than the September October time period so we are rethinking our 2025 plans.   

 

I suspect if I want to see fall colors it will have to be a land trip in mid-late November. Someone onboard a Celebrity Japan cruise now posted a link to a handy infographic for predicted fall foliage for 2023:

 

https://n-kishou.com/corp/news-contents/autumn/index.html?lang=en

 

Edited to add:  Oops, @bennybear beat me to it!

Edited November 1, 2023 by cruisemom42

[MomentsNotice]

Thanks for the thread. Sorry if I missed it but was there any/how was the classical music now that Lincoln Center is no longer onboard. Please elaborate what is currently offered. I will be embarking on Westerdam next month. Thanks in advance. 

[Ferry_Watcher]

28 minutes ago, MomentsNotice said:

Thanks for the thread. Sorry if I missed it but was there any/how was the classical music now that Lincoln Center is no longer onboard. Please elaborate what is currently offered. I will be embarking on Westerdam next month. Thanks in advance. 

 

There was no live classical music on our Westerdam cruise (TP and around Japan Oct '23).  Classical music was piped into (I think) the Explorer's Lounge at least during the daytime hours.

[MomentsNotice]

10 minutes ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

 

There was no live classical music on our Westerdam cruise (TP and around Japan Oct '23).  Classical music was piped into (I think) the Explorer's Lounge at least during the daytime hours.

 

Very disappointed to hear that. My Rotterdam cruise in October did not have any classical music either. I was told it is/will be ship specific. I missed Lincoln Center State and this will likely be my last HAL cruise if they dont reinstate. 

[Hlitner]

1 hour ago, MomentsNotice said:

 

Very disappointed to hear that. My Rotterdam cruise in October did not have any classical music either. I was told it is/will be ship specific. I missed Lincoln Center State and this will likely be my last HAL cruise if they dont reinstate. 

With HAL, "ship specific" might be a one night show on one ship, once every 10 years.  HAL is a cruise line full of promises...many not kept.

 

Hank

[J&Dhighdesert]

 

Don’t give up on HAL yet. Presently on the Zaandam,  we are having classical music played before early seating dinner. Although it isn’t listed in the Daily.

 

Jo