What to expect on HAL TransAtlantic

[Dame Delilah]

We've done many cruises, but are new to HAL. We are mid-60's and have booked TransAtlantic in April '07. A few questions for you long-time HAL cruisers.....

1) How many formal nights on an 18 day TA?
2) What can we expect as far as activities?
3) Any ideas on special items we should bring?
4) I understand HotSpots are aboard--tell me about them?

Any other help or advice would be greatly appreciated. -- Thanks! DD

[grannynurse]

Hi Dame Delilah,
We were on the Rotterdam transatlantic cruises in 2003 and 2004.
On our 17 day we had 4 formal nights, 3 informal and 10 casual. On the 35 day, we had 8 formal and 20 casual. The number changed from the plan on the cruise documents while on board as we had some bad weather on both trips and missed some ports. Plan for at least 4 formal nights.

Hal does a marvelous job on transatlantic and European cruises. You didn't mention the ship you'll be on but the at sea days can be as full as the in port days. We are team trivia players, and also love the piano bar. We wander through the art auctions but don't stay long. We like the wine tastings and love the "enrichment" series usually held on longer cruises. These are a series of lectures given by guest speakers on art, history, cultue, geology, gems etc. There is usually a theme like "Voyage of the Vikings" or "Fire and Ice". We don't go to many of the port shopping talks but love the lecture series.
On S and R class ships there are fewer hot spots than on Vista class which have internet access in the staterooms. We don't bring a laptop but many of our friends do. Sometimes on HAL crossings there are problems with internet access especially around Iceland, Greenland and fiurther north above the Arctic circle.
Hope this helps you,
GN

[SabreSailor]

We were on the Noordam in April for the transatlantic and you are in for a treat next year.

We like ballroom dancing, and most of the transatlantics are designated as Big Band Cruises with a 40s big band aboard (we had the Guy Lombardo Orchestra). They were on for a few hours almost every day. On days at sea (I think there were 8), the dance hosts had a midday dance class featuring a different dance each time. One day, there was a midday tea dance, with the string quartet playing for dancing.

We had four formal nights, 3 informal, and the rest casual. Most of the formal nights were at sea.

Activities are very similar to those on the longer, non-ocean crossing cruises. The ever-present bingo, art auctions, culinary arts classes, bridge tournaments, all sorts of lectures including a candid chat with the Chief Engineer and another with the Captain, boat building contests, afternoon teas, etc., etc. We brought several books thinking we'd crash on the verandah and read, but they (like the sweaters we brought) spent the cruise in a drawer.

The only real negative I could mention is something HAL has little control over - and that's that you have to lose 6 hours on the eastbound crossing. We lost one hour in the two-day crossing to Bermuda, and then three nights in a row between Bermuda and the Azores we saw the dreaded "turn your clocks ahead an hour" note along with the piece of chocolate, as though they were trying to placate us into submission! After the third day, we succumbed to sleeping almost until lunch - and we normally are up before 6am. I wish there were a way to do the time change all at once, as you do in air travel, but since we stopped at ports in different time zone, that wasn't in the cards.

I can't think of anything special to bring that you wouldn't bring on any other cruise. Depending on your port of embarkation and disembarkation, April can be a weather-challenging month, so a layering of clothing is a good idea. We took vests with zippered pockets (like the photography/fly-fishing variety) which helped with this, and also with protecting valuables in some of the countries where the crew warned us against pickpockets.

Do remember to check with your airline(s) about weight restrictions. Most international airlines restrict you to 23 kilos (about 50 lb), which adds up very quickly when you consider 16 days, 4 formal outfits, layering, etc., plus many of the newer suitcases weigh in at over 10 lb empty!

I hope you enjoy your cruise as much as we did ours. We've been on 6 HAL cruises all over the world, and this was the best so far.

[ANSalberg]

We are just back from the May crossing and Baltic cruises on the "Amsterdam" and here are a few things we found helpful ON these boards [ from other folks- not ME!]
1. a NIGHT light that we kept on after bedtime in the bathroom [ and if it gets to rolling- remember to keep the bathroom door closed so it doesn't FLOP around]
2. loaded the refrigerator with "Fruit2O" our favorite drink from home rather that either alcoholic or carbonated; we brought 2 6-packs in FT Lauderdale as we were flying in from Colorado.
3. flourescent PINK "Post it" notes [ a gazillion uses!]
4. Formal night. I have a long black cotton eyelit-lace skirt plus velvet pants in black also. I use both of these with various tops rather that try to take complete "outfits". Even on a 2 month cruise last year - what I had was MORE than adequate for mixing and matching -and right now "Prom" type dresses are on-sale -you should be able to get some bargains!
5. We take paperback books as we are both readers -but Dick enjoyed a crossword puzzle book as well. More "at Sea" days mean a bit more crowded in the public places - we LOVE sneaking back to "our" retreat/cabin for the quiet!
Hope this helps! Anne

[Opinions]

We are considering doing a Trans Atlantic combined with a Mediterranean...Would a balcony be as useful on a Trans Atlantic compared to the port intensive Med. cruise?...Cost is a factor.

[SabreSailor]

I think it ultimately depends on something over which we have no control - the weather! On our transatlantic on the Noordam in April, it was near 90 on our sea day to Bermuda - almost too hot to be outside for me, anyway.

The four sea days to the Azores were cooler and overcast with a bit of rain once in a while, and breezy. We did spend some time just unwinding after all the activities aboard on the verandah during these days and really enjoyed it.

There were two remaining sea days (Azores to Cadiz, Cadiz to Valencia) which were fine to be outside.

In speaking with other passengers who had experienced prior transatlantics, some talked about horrible seas (we ourselves had an overnight squall in the Med where the TV screen said we had sustained 60 kts) and others said the crossing was like being on a mill pond. So I think it is the luck of the cards.

We have always had an inside room up until this point with HAL, but we splurged thinking that we'd have more time to spend outside vs. a port-intensive cruise. We'd do it again. It was really lovely.

One thing. If you're going eastbound (spring), go for the starboard side of the ship since it will be facing whatever sun you get on the crossing.

[bruceh4]

4) I understand HotSpots are aboard--tell me about them?

Any other help or advice would be greatly appreciated. -- Thanks! DDI see nobody has answered the question on hotspots yet. For information on wireless hotspots on the HAL ships go the the following website which is HAL's internet provider:http://www.mtnsat.com/digitalseas/hal.htm

[Dame Delilah]

Thank you all for your replies.

1- We changed our cabin to the Starboard side so we would get more sun--

2- We now anticipate 4 formal nights (I was expecting 3)--

3- I understand how the Wi-Fi aboard operates--



AND MOST OF ALL--

I see that you are all great people who I'd love to travel with! We've been to Europe several times, but there are some ports on this trip we've not visited, so--I can't wait until they post the shore excursions for the trip!

By the way, we will be on the Apr 1, 2007 Tampa to Venice TransAtlantic aboard the Veendam, Cabin 199. If you have any further info to share, I'd love to hear from you! -- TheDame