Mary229

Thank you.  My next HAL cruise is on the Volendam.    I enjoy the libraries but o do understand the shrinkage.  A small iPad has all I need onboard.  

Just now, Fouremco said:

In general or just when travelling? Any particular reason?

I don’t use ATMs anywhere.  I am so adamant about that that I have filed paperwork on each and every bank account that debit nor ATM cards are to be issued and ATM use is not allowed.  Some credit cards do allow you to get a finance-fee-free cash when you purchase, notably Discover card but there are others. 

I refuse to use ATMs so I use credit card for purchases. When traveling country to country with different daily change in currencies I might use HAL for a small amount of pocket change. I don’t worry about exchange rate. 

I have never liked HAL’s coffee.  It was better this time but still not great. 

So I assume the Volendam has fridges?  I will be in an outside cabin. Thanks for any info 

I download the deck plan pdf then select acceptable cabins.  Then I go through the tedious task of “selecting my own room” and entering the stateroom number.  Selecting by deck is frustrating.  

The deposit is refundable  and transferable. In other words if you do cancel the booking you can still use the refundable deposit on another cruise for up to 4 years. The OBC is usually twice what you would get booking off ship.   

Now for the the bad news.   Every time I book onboard they seem to rush you and I end up changing the booking.  Not a big deal really but just making you aware. 

Sip & savor is always buried in the daily newsletter.  I know to look.  It is usually at a consistent spot on any given ship.  Recently on the nights we attended it was a crowd of 4.   It is a hidden gem.   Also be sure to talk to the barkeep at the wine bar if there is one on your ship.  On our recent ship you had to be in the know, finally they posted the special on a blackboard.  This is separate from Sip & Savor

There are restaurants at Louisbourg but they fill up fast.  Get seated early.  

You can look up Green Gables on the web. I don’t recall if there is a restaurant but again get seated early if there is.   It is a beautiful estate 

I sailed last week and though the loungers were full at prime lounging time you could usually find something.  There are lots of notices to not hog and it seems many are playing fair.   There seemed to be more loungers too.  Same in the theatre.   One time there was one person I saw hogging but another cruiser quickly resolved that.  

9 hours ago, Katie52 said:

Mary, how much wine was in the glass for $5?

It was a normal pour, usually. One night was an exceptional wine, I imagine it was also expensive and the pour was about a 3/4 pour.  I bought 2😊

I just got off the ship Sunday and we had booked a lot of HAL tours, which is a bit unusual for us but I was lazy this time.  Anyway after a massive booking session I thought I might change some, every single one had a 10% cancellation fee regardless of when I changed/cancelled.  Be sure to read the fine print before clicking buy.  This was the first time I had seen that fee, it used to allow cancellations within a certain time period.  I don't know the rules, I just am telling you my personal experience

Some excursions are available but the full slate won't be published until much closer to the cruise.  I would wait to book until the full slate is published.  HAL now has a cancellation fee.

24 minutes ago, canadarocks said:

Unusual perhaps, but our cruise is May-June 2020 and the shore excursions have been available to reserve since we booked it at the beginning of March. 

That is unusual.   It is a special itinerary?   You have me curious now.   By the way what kind of rocks - musical or geological?

My comments only concern prices published for the specific sailing.  I just noticed you said for one year out, I don’t even think you can purchase that far in advance.   As in any thing prices will increase over time but I don’t think you can do anything about it now. 

I don’t recall but you can always snap the grounding prong off. We do that often in another situation 

I have never seen that happen.  Holland will often add a second trip if an excursion is popular.   

8 hours ago, Tampa Girl said:

 

And, again, excuse my ignorance.  But . . . exactly what did you chance to lose by not being able to transfer to a TA?  What exactly did you gain by transferring?

My choice.  I make reservations onboard, massage them a bit then transfer them to my sister.   One of her hand selected agents does all the sale tracking and applies perks and sales.  Sometimes high volume agencies, like my sister's, have special perks for special customers.  Being the sister makes me a special customer.

I didn’t read all responses so sorry for repetition. After reading this thread I did my transfer today.  Yes, it is 60 days and before final payment  They sent a fillable email form, I signed it, scanned it and emailed it back.  30 minutes from start to finish.   Form attached 

Reservation Transfer Request Form 082718.pdf

Every HAL cruise I have been on has a 5 pm “sip and savor” where very good wine is poured for $5 a glass.  Also on my most recent cruise the flights bar had evening/pre-dinner pours of excellent wine for $5.   S&S is sort of a hidden gem, since discovering it I no longer get the package.   In the past I skipped the package and bought the Chef Rudi wine, another hidden treasure.   On one cruise me and 5 of my new best friends bought out the entire supply, all agreeing it was excellent. There is now a Holland America label which I have not sampled.  I am not a big drinker but do like a glass before dinner. 

PS the Chef Rudi had to be requested and was always at the lowest available price per bottle 

We are not balcony sitters and only enjoy them for glacier watching with a warm blanket and hot chocolate.  Otherwise we are out and about around the ship or onshore.  If I could get the husband to pay for a large suite I would do that but the majority of balcony rooms are no larger than a ocean view 

It is just a few page synopsis of the news available free of charge.  You can find a copy near the administrator office and in the library. They usually have them at breakfast also both in the main dining room and on the lido .  8 pages is optimistic 

8 minutes ago, Katie52 said:

I was taught that all diners at a table should keep pace with one another.

Perhaps but I would prefer a table for two than trying to pace myself to a whole different set of strangers every night.  That would be awful.  We seek out the worst table for two in the dining room and it is usually ours for a full hour and a half if not more.  No one else wants it but it certainly provides for a leisurely dinner 😁

19 minutes ago, BarbinMich said:

 

 

Did you do anything, geologically speaking, when you were there the first time?  We, too, love eastern Canada:  drove out there once and have cruised there twice:  at the end of a WB TA and more recently on a Can-NE itinerary out of NJ.   I especially love the big swing in tides in eastern Canada and Maine.  First time we were in Bar Harbor we walked over to Bar Island and back at low tide.  On that trip we also rented a cabin for a few days near Baddeck on Nova Scotia and overlooking Bras d'Or Lake.

We simply hiked at every port.  This time I made a few contacts that I will spend some time cultivating a bit better and perhaps can get a better program arranged.  It is hard to delve into geology too deeply in Greenland due to the time constraints.  There are still a few people that do mineral field trips in Greenland - but hold onto your wallet, it can be a very expensive trip.

We signed up for the 2020 cruise. It will be our second trip to  Greenland.  We are geologists so that explains that.  And I do love eastern Canada.  I have cruised  and driven there numerous times.