NavyCruiser

I tip with these...

Sorry for your troubles. Must be extremely frustrating. That's why I always check our balance daily while onboard & esp correct any issues (luckily we've never needed to) on the last day before debarkation. Many years ago, we found out later after the cruise that our company had $200 OBC for everyone's cabins, & we left that behind without using it. Taught me to check daily now...

It will happen, whether this month, next few months, next year, or few years down the road. Just predict when. Please, Please, Please, NO arguments, NO political statements, whether if you're pro or anti-testing, pro or anti-vaccine. I'll start: Sept 3, 2022 My wife: Jan 1, 2023

Another NO recommendation. No, to cruising. But do go out & live your life... Go book an AirBnB/VRBO in the countryside, at the beach, etc Spend time with extended family Go on a road trip, no buses, no airports Go to an All-Inclusive resort, but just private dining, no crowded buffets Book a few cruises for 2024 & beyond...

Any good or bad news learned from the 3 Rotterdam cruises that didn't have pre-cruise covid testing last 3 weeks in July...? ie: good enough news to roll it out fleetwide soon? Please please please do not turn this into a testing vs anti-testing, vaccine vs anti-vaccine argument. Just whether anyone knows if the data shows what HAL has learned enough to continue pre-cruise testing into the future or not.

Yes, that's what we worry about. Interesting the RCCL & Celebrity allows us to book excursions before cruise, then deduct with OBC once onboard, but Carnival & HAL makes us pay first to book excursions before cruise...

We have tons of OBC. Can we book/reserve excursions now with OBC, or have to wait until we're onboard to book with OBC?

Thanks for the notice. At least they gave u 2.5 weeks' notice. Did they give u transportation info between Rotterdam & AMS airport or Amsterdam Central train station? Included or $39 cost? Following since ours still says Amsterdam PTA in Sept...

Then it's Saturday for u....

I have a simple solution: At Miami or Galveston ports, etc: HAL, or Carnival, or RCCL, etc, have their cruise ships on Saturday - Saturday sailings requiring testing, while Sunday - Sunday sailings do NOT require testing. Then let the market decides. Those want want testing sail on Saturdays. Those who do NOT want testing sail on Sundays. Let them sail with other like-minded people, so no more bickering onboard, unless you're traveling with spouse...

Sorry, but I find this amusing that people will spend so much effort & $$$ on bottled water vs free Lido deck drinking water. After spending many many years drinking free onboard US Navy warships & now 30+ cruise ships, I've never had any health issues (packing on tons of weight from buffet food is another matter...). Cruise ship's distilled water is probable as good & clean as bottled water. At least it's system is inspected & graded on a regular basis. Check out this post: https://www.ecowatch.com/bottled-water-sources-tap-2537510642.html#:~:text=In a new report entitled,be free or nearly free. The majority of bottled water are sourced from municipal water. Just look its' Source on most labels: We all now always bring a large insulated mug to the Lido to be filled with free water. No plastic nor aluminum bottle waste. For our finicky daughter, she adds a few drops of zero-calorie flavoring. For us, once Metamucil's mixed in, good to go....

Quick look at Yahoo Finance: https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/CCL?p=CCL at $8.50 right now... Market Cap: $10 Billion No PE ratio, since Earnings per share is -8.31 meaning it's losing $$$ No dividends paid No 1 yr target estimated price No fair value, & it's considered "Overvalued" So maybe has more room to fall...?

Just replace "cruise ships" above with: airplanes, airports, trains, buses, shopping malls, grocery stores, sports stadiums, etc... These other superspreader events/venues currently doesn't require testing...

Yes, we've used the rapidtestandtrace.com $20 service, to board Celebrity 3 months ago & Royal Carib last month. Will use again for HAL next month...

Agreed. But in the meantime, if you still have those free tests from USPS, use the $20 https://rapidtestandtrace.com/ proctored testing at home service. Our group of 30 used them & worked out great, even while traveling in Vancouver.

Yes, we have flights thru HAL too, but that doesn't include transfers to/from airport, which is $39 per person each way. So if port changed to Rotterdam, HAL's buses you back to AMS or PTA included at no extra charge, or it's $39/pp each way...?

Just printed out our Preliminary Boarding Pass for Sept 11 cruise. It still says: Embark Port/Pier: Amsterdam, The Netherlands / PASSENGER TERMINAL AMSTERDAM Embark Date/Your Assigned Check-in Time/Group *: Sunday Sep 11 / 11:00 AM / GROUP A Disembark Port/Pier: Amsterdam, The Netherlands / PASSENGER TERMINAL AMSTERDAM Disembark Date/Time: Sunday Sep 18 / 8:30 AM

No. But since most cruisers plan to either stay in Amsterdam for a few days or to fly out of Amsterdam airport after the cruise, HAL can charter 2 - 3 Thalys train from Rotterdam to take passengers 20 minutes train ride directly to AMS airport for the first 1 or 2 trains, then another 15 minutes directly to Amsterdam central train station on train #3 for those staying in Amsterdam (like us). And also start debarkation an hour or two earlier than scheduled.

Just curious, we also have the have it all pkg, so does anyone has the whisky & bourbon brands/ drink list that's avail for $11 & under? ie, how high end does the $11 get, before we start paying for overage...? btw, my wife doesn't drink, so basically I have up to 30 drinks...;)

NO!!! Months ago, Our group of 20 flew from US to Greece for a cruise. 12 of us tested negative at home day before flight to Greece, the other 8 were stupid enough to "wing it" & get tested at the pier in Greece. Sure enough, 4 of them tested positive. 16 of us went onboard & enjoyed the cruise. Those 4 who tested positive at the pier got to spend 10 days in quarantine hell hotel in Greece. We now learned that to always get tested at home first, so that if you're positive, stay& rest in the comfort of home.

Thanks for the update, dfish. Can you pls also ask Officers onboard if this a temporary change for a (few) weeks, or will this will be the case for a few months into Sept & beyond...? Thanks,

3 yrs ago, I flew Spirit air from Houston to Las Vegas for $22 roundtrip. $2 ticket + $20 taxes/fees.... Last wk, $60 ticket from Orlando to Houston on Frontier, but had to add $65 for 1 check-in bag...

Meanwhile major Airlines received covid relief $$$, has no restrictions/covid regulations, high consumer demands, crowded & long lines/waits at airports, lost luggage, & now making record profits...

Wow. More changes. If Rotterdam will still board in Rotterdam in instead of Amsterdam in Sept, I hope they'll notify us as far in advance as possible. We took the Thalys train from Paris to Amsterdam airport, & the Rotterdam to AMS airport segment is only 20 minutes. So we're flying into AMS airport from London, so maybe easier & faster to make change to take the 3 hour Eurostar train directly from London to Rotterdam, rather than the possible hassles with Heathrow & Schiphol issues...