CruisinTexans

Thanks, Diane. Just got caught up with your writings this morning and really enjoyed it. Saw John's photos of the Cathedral of Thorns and found it very interesting. Glad you gave a little more details here. I'm pretty jealous that HAL has upped their game on Special Events and Gala Nights. I hadn't expected much in 2023 because of finances, but glad to see they are getting back on track to make the WC more like it used to be. Keep reporting about all you see and do. Love it!

2019 World Cruise

We did our first world cruise on the Prinsendam and have loved her ever since. Hated it when Captain Gunderson retired, but she was still a wonderful ship.

Got a email from Holland about our February Rotterdam cruise and it will have the vaccine and testing requirement and the mask mandate. Was hoping some of the requirements would be lifted by then, but guess not. We'll see how it is on our November 7th Koningsdam cruise.

I love the idea of more overnights or even 2 nights in a port. We used to do that in Hong Kong, but that was when we were docked at Harbour Mall so transportation was easy. I wish they would add some excursions that were just transportation to and from shopping venues in ports. We've been to most of the ports so many times we've seen all the sights and I love to shop. My husband wouldn't worry about me if he knew I had a ride back on a ship sponsored bus, and I would be happier going by myself if I knew I had guaranteed transportation there and home.

Steve, thanks so much for your response. I will contact Travel Guard directly to see what they say.

leslie & handler

Steve, we're in the same situation as Gail and Marty, just with a different insurance co. (Diver's Alert Network underwritten by Travel Guard). We insured our initial $2000 on the world cruise in June of 2019 in time to get the pre-existing waiver. At that time we don't think we had any pre-existing (can be interpreted differently by different companies). That said, we are interested in keeping the same insurance so we have the pre-existing. DAN is not writing insurance now, but said it might be possible to add the the existing policy. We are using the FCC from the 2020 World Cruise to pay for the 2020 and I think our agent has already had Holland apply it. DAN has not been able to give me a definitive answer on whether they will insure a FCC and the clock is ticking. Do most insurance companies insure FCC? I'm doubtful the 2021 world will even sail, but on the off chance it does I'm nervous to go without medical insurance.

leslie & handler

I'm not seeing any deleted posts?

You may feel he just did his job, but he did it with such grace and composure, it's the only thing that kept me sane that last week on the ship.

We are following you, so want details, especially food even on shore. Really glad the fires decided to give you all a pass. I think there is more storage in the outside cabins on Dolphin than the balconies, so I'm happy with an outside. Handler doesn't agree, but he's not trying to find a home for all those purchases I make on the way. Do you think main seating dinner on the world will be 7:30? Give everyone we know on the ship a hug for us and tell them we'll see them in January.

Sometimes they run out of the cloth bags and have to use the paper bags. This happened on a world cruise a few years ago. The demand was higher than they anticipated and ran out of cloth bags.

We've done the donkey cart twice. It is a really jarring, rough ride, think stone washboard. If you have back problems it would really hurt. The first time we only took the cart back up. It costs the same one way as round trip. Last time we were there about midway through my husband's knees (he was 81 at the time) balked so we engaged donkeys to take us back to the Treasury where we caught a donkey cart out and back to the top. The donkey ride wasn't very comfortable, but it beat walking for him, and we did get to see a lot of stuff. As I remember the donkey cart was $40 and the donkey ride was $10 each. The donkey's minder walks along beside you, so it is fairly safe. They also have camels that you can ride, but they are mainly for picture taking, I think. Petra is amazing, so you shouldn't miss it.

leslie

I don't think they will fit under the bed. I store stuff under the bed in file boxes that are 10.5 inches high and can slide them in and out from under the bed frame. There may be a little more head room under the bed than the actual frame, but doubt it would be enough for a 12-inch or so high case of wine. If it would fit the room stewards could lift the bed up when you needed to get another case out, but doubt if they would want to lift the bed up every time you needed one bottle.

leslie

Love seat probably, because the Lower Prom cabins are a couple of feet shorter than the regular outside cabins.

A lady who had never been on a ship did the whole 2009 world cruise and had a ball. I think she was in her late 70s or early 80s. She was really cute and energetic. Even climbed down Jacob's Ladder in St. Helena.

Hope your friend loves it as much as that lady did.

We just got back a week ago, and we did a private tour, no problem. You just need to mark "support of the Cuban people" on the affidavit.

We just got back from a 7-day to Cuba on the Veendam. I thought it was in great shape. Wish the Amsterdam cabins were in as good shape as the Veendam's. They have redone and updated the bathrooms and the furniture in the cabins. The only thing I didn't like is they took out the old hair dyers in the bathrooms, thus eliminating the plug for electric razors that I always use for my electric toothbrush. Food in the dining room was really good. I didn't think the Pinnacle was as good as on the Amsterdam (our main ship), but all the other food was as good as on the Amsterdam and they even have the New York Deli/Pizza. I didn't get a chance to try it, but if it's anything like on the Konigsdam it should be good. Crew was outstanding, as on all Holland ships.

Best crew and officers of all the Holland ships, we think.

leslie & handler

You all are really making us homesick. Sounds like you're having a wonderful time. Enjoy, and see you next year.

leslie & handler

Thanks so much for sharing. We really appreciate it.

leslie & handler

Hey, just now saw you were posting from the Rotterdam. Wish we were there. I love the Med and pizza. Give Bill, Jane, Woody and Susie hugs from us. Don't hug Woody until he is well though.

We're doing 11 days on the Konigsdam at the end of this month, mainly just to get out of town and visit with Jeff and the girls.

leslie & handler

Thanks for posting, especially the books. I'll be trying to locate the children's books for gifts. Hate to see another traditional captain go. It killed me when Gundersen retired. He was the best.

leslie

Umm, I think you have to be doing the full voyage to be invited to the Captain's Dinner, or at least that's the way it has been in the past (12 years). That said, they had a lot of full world guests on the 2017. The poor captain was hosting in the back room of the Pinnacle at least once a week. We went at the very end of the cruise and he was still quite cordial and seemed to be enjoying. Thumbs up to him.

leslie

J & D,

Sounds like you are having a wonderful time so far. We had a good Christmas. Went to Handler's daughter's. The whole family was there and we had non-traditional grill-roasted tenderloin. It was great!

Can't wait until we board in Fort Lauderdale, although we still have quite a bit to do before then.

leslie & handler

Hope the venue provides more information than the magazine. I subscribed to Afar and have since cancelled. It was long on photos and ads and short on any in-depth information. The interactive tv presentations on the Oosterdam were very shallow also.