cccole
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Strange signing for drinks question......
cccole replied to DShier1a's topic in Holland America Line
0106 - I respect both of your reasons for not signing. I hardly ever carry a purse, if it doesn't fit in a pocket I don't have it. And a good solution for not using a common pen is putting a plastic glove in your pocket. This comes in handy in many situations on a cruise ship. The HAL staff, including the bar staff, are always happy to accommodate passengers' preferences. It is amazing how wonderful they are. Cherie -
Taha'a drift snorkeling option with other sites
cccole replied to debway's topic in Pacific Islands, All
We did a drift snorkel on Taha'a and loved it. Are you close to the coral? Yes. Should you just float and enjoy the ride, yes. I think a very large person may have to be careful. Just our experience. Cherie -
Strange signing for drinks question......
cccole replied to DShier1a's topic in Holland America Line
It wasn't a big deal to us in January. Sometimes we signed and sometimes we did not. It just wasn't a big deal. And as previously posted this inconsistency has been talked about so we were prepared. If I didn't want to sign with a "common" pen I would have had one in my pocket. Inconsistency was just part of the cruise for us. Cherie -
Gamblers who get free cruises on HAL earn star status?
cccole replied to a topic in Holland America Line
But...if your goal is to be invited into the President's Club your free or discounted cruises apparently do not qualify. They may give star status but not President's Club status. Cherie -
Gamblers who get free cruises on HAL earn star status?
cccole replied to a topic in Holland America Line
I understand that, but if it's a goal to achieve why worry about why or how anyone else has it? Just enjoy it. If it's a casino cruise and HAL is benefiting somehow from this and makes your cruise price more reasonable, who cares. Let them lose money in the casino and benefit everyone else. As has been said on this thread numerous times... casino freebees are not really free for most. As has also been said, why would you know how much someone pays for their cabin? Cherie. p.s. I agree that free laundry is HUGE. -
Gamblers who get free cruises on HAL earn star status?
cccole replied to a topic in Holland America Line
I just read this interesting thread. There was also a recent thread about passengers who were not invited to join the President's Club because their days were not fully paid HAL days. Apparently casino and other discount fares did not qualify. I also thought the casinos were another company, like the spa and art store, and all money spent there does not go to HAL. VMax1700 There are also slot tournaments that are organized by passengers and are not $25,000. Yikes, that's serious $. mcrcruiser I have two coffee mugs from the Sands Hotel that my parents brought home when I was a child. Las Vegas was really a glamorous place. I don't really care what someone pays for their cabin and I think we overpay because we want specific cabins. But we also get the same benefits of those with 5 star status without 5 star status. Who cares who is a 2, 3,4, or 5 star? JMO. Cherie -
RuthC, If you do not get a pass for the entire cruise can just one in the cabin purchase a day pass? I understand if you do not know the answer. Thank you, Cherie
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Anytime Dining - can reservations be made
cccole replied to acctgtogo's topic in Holland America Line
The only time I noticed a long line for the MDR was on port days where everyone came back from a fun day, changed for dinner, and showed up for later dining. Early fixed diners who had missed their dining time were now in this line. If you are on a port intensive cruise I think that early dining may become a problem. We never had a problem with anytime dining getting a nice table, but we did not go to the dining room before 7:15. Doesn't anytime dining mean that you do not want to commit to a certain time for the entire cruise? But some want to confirm dining reservations for whenever they choose for the entire cruise? I never thought of choosing Anytime dining and asking the dining room to give me a table for my entire cruise for the time I want. Awesome. Cherie -
You are welcome! You'll love the Oosterdam if you enjoy a smaller ship, we did. You might check out amazingvoyages2.blogspot.com. Jeff's photos and port reviews are amazing. They are on the Oosterdam and have recently been in the Med, Cherie
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Oh, sorry. Yes it would make a difference to me that it is not an aft cabin and I would consider it. But I will say that we loved Deck 8. Great views from our balcony, it's an easy walk up to the Lido to grab a quick bite to eat or bring back to the cabin, and also the aft pool bar was wonderful. On your Med cruise you might be enjoying the pool which we did not use but I loved the location. Cherie
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We were in an 8th deck aft wrap on the Oosterdam and I was worried about noise from the pool area but the only thing we heard occasionally was chairs. Noise from other passengers is the same as cabin neighbors. Friends of ours had one of the other deck 8 afts and chose the cruise because of it. They had previously been on the Oosterdam and he had gone down to the same aft on deck 4 and asked the occupants if they liked it. They said "never again" and showed him the view of the window washing machines that were always there. I think I recently saw an aft photo of the Oosterdam on Jeff Farschman's blog and the window washing machines are there. I would not choose deck 4 and we have another deck 8 aft wrap booked for 2026. I will however keep my eye open for a deck 6 or 7 if one becomes available. Hope this helps, Cherie
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2024 Grand World Voyage with The Inside Cabin
cccole replied to The-Inside-Cabin's topic in Holland America Line
You are getting so many questions towards the end of your cruise. Please do not respond to this until you are happily home. Is it possible that HAL can give a best price guarantee because no other tour can guarantee that the ship will wait for you? This would be an easy out for them. I use your tour recommendations and thank you for such detailed posting. Enjoy every nano second of the sunset of this cruise, Cherie -
Sail Standby for $49 a day- new program
cccole replied to BermudaBound2014's topic in Holland America Line
Hooray!!! Have a great cruise. Cherie