Volendam 12/3/07

[Traveler 13]

I am traveling on the Volendam on 12/3/07 and am looking for recommendations for tours in Pannama and Puerto Limon, Costa Rica. In addition how is the "As You Like It" dining? I was assigned to it despite my request for late seating. Thanks

[O2B@C]

I can't answer your questions directly - perhaps someone else will chime in - but in the meantime, here are a few suggestions for places to find helpful information.

 

You might want to check the Ports of Call boards for the ports you mentioned, especially if you are looking for independent tours. That way you can get input from people who have visited those ports on other cruise lines, as well as HAL cruisers.

 

As for the "As You Wish Dining," there is a "sticky" thread at the top of this forum collecting people's reports of their experiences with it (the "what and how" sticky, not the "opinions" one). That thread is probably your best source of information on that topic.

 

There's an outside chance you can get reassigned to fixed seating by asking the Dining Room Manager as soon as possible after you board. No guarantees, but it can't hurt to ask.

 

Good luck, and enjoy your cruise!

[haligonian37]

First off, welcome to the CC boards Traveler 13! I'm on the 12/3 sailing as well, with 2 good friends. You should go to the Roll Call section and check out our thread for this sailing.....they really are a wonderful group of people and we do have a zipline/tour excursion booked for Costa Rica, if you're so inclined . Personally, my friends and I are staying on board for the canal transit but if you post over there, you're sure to get some great recommendations.

[terrydtx]

I am traveling on the Volendam on 12/3/07 and am looking for recommendations for tours in Pannama and Puerto Limon, Costa Rica. In addition how is the "As You Like It" dining? I was assigned to it despite my request for late seating. Thanks

 

Hi Traveler, welcome to this board.

 

We are doing this cruise this month leaving on the 23rd. AYWD is new to HAL and the Volendam begins it on the cruise departing on the 13th next week. So far more reports of those actually participating in it on other HAL ships have been more positive than negative.

 

In Panama all of the tours require that you get off the ship in Gatun Lake and then take bus rides back to Colon to meet the ship after it goes back through the locks in the late afternoon. I have seen several posts about the canal tours and there seems to have been complaints about the long bus trips back to the ship in buses with challenged A/C systems. We enjoy the cruising in the lake and the trip back through the locks and the cruise down Manzanillo Bay back to the dock in Colon. This way you can enjoy a nice lunch on the Lido deck while traveling through the lake and the locks and the ship will not be very crowded as about 50% of the passengers will get off for tours.

 

In Costa Rica a friend of mine from Costa Rica recommended the Eco Train and canal boat tour after looking over the list of tours available. Some of the tours like the Zip line and tram tour of the rain forest tend to get cancelled if the weather is wet, which happened this week on the Volendam.

[GmaPajama]

Just wanted to ECHO Haligonian's invitation to our Roll Call. This is a link, in case you're having trouble finding it. There are THIRTY-SEVEN pages of posts on the Roll Call, so feel free to skim your way to the last page. Hope to see you there - we have lots of fun stuff planned.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=330166