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Mike B Landlubber - awesome review of your cruise. Thank you for sharing it again. Cherie

You can also go directly to the 4allfamily.com. I like to buy directly from the company. But, if you have Amazon Prime there is no shipping fee. Cherie

I have friends who always travel with insulin. If they need it, they need it. They cannot be dependent on a facility with limited hours. hhalliv, what are you planning to do to store insulin for your use when the Medical Center is closed? Will an ice bucket be sufficient? I would definitely not want to depend on the Front Office to page medical staff if it is an emergency. By the time all that happens...well... I'm sure there are members of this forum who can comment from personal experience. This cannot be the first thread on emergency meds for passengers that need refrigeration. Personally, if I was cruising with someone who needs insulin or another emergency medication I would pay the $139 for a portable cooler. JMO. Cherie

Have you thought about a portable insulin cooler? I'm sure the medical center would be great but, as indicated in post #2, if they are not open 24/7 and the temp of the mini frig is not adequate...maybe a portable insulin cooler would give you peace of mind. Cherie

Planning and learning the ins and outs of a new destination is so much fun. I understand what a "land" trip is like to Greenland, but think it would be fun to see parts from a cruise ship the first time. Going later, as westview1, mentioned might also give the opportunity to see the Northern Lights. Cherie

Mary229, Yes, cost is expensive, but I agree with post #2. Greenland would be a huge part of a cruise for us to this area of the world. I have found this thread really interesting. JMO Cherie

StLouisCruisers, I would be so disappointed. But I have learned from this thread that booking a cruise that includes Greenland might be better planned in August, or as someone suggested do a land trip. Cherie

The Zuiderdam will be visiting Greenland July 9, 10, and 11. It will be interesting to see if they are able to do everything planned. I can't wait to see photos on Jeff Farschman's blog. The Zuiderdam is currently in Iceland. I would love to see Greenland. Cherie

If you are asking if I would just get someone when we exited the ship for a hiking excursion I would not. I don't remember if there were guides looking for business because we had plans. Times in ports are not under my control so I like to have things arranged ahead of time, and I like to know something about them. For Sebastian we paid TBL $450 for 4 of us, it would be less if you arrange with him directly. He was happy to customize our tour. Mauricio is so awesome and reasonable. We hired him for all of our needs in Santiago, the night in the Andes, and getting to Casa Mirin before the cruise. I have a note that a hike "El Sauce" was 150,000 CLP. I found Mauricio's info on Trip Advisor so you might also post a question there. We spent a week in Chile prior to the cruise and I fell in love with Chile. Please let me know if you have other questions. Cherie

Santiago - Mauricio Escobar Fernandez, psmauricioescobar@gmail.com Ushuia - Sebastian Mansilla Teodori - Phone 54 9 2901 476656, we met him thru Tours by Locals but he gave us his card and you can contact him directly. Puerto Madryn - Diego Allende - ventas@sentir-patagonia.com.ar. We hired a car and a guide for the day, $500 for 4 of us, but he may also be able to help with hikes. I also think that Puerto Chacabuco could be a good spot for hiking. When we drove along the river and into the Andes it was beautiful. Enjoy your adventures, Cherie

I will post their contact info here. I wish I was sailing with you to Antarctica or Tahiti. Our next scheduled cruise is The Islands of the South Pacific in January 2026. Will post contact info shortly. Cherie

I am not 0106 but I can recommend places where we would have hiked if my husband was not still recovering from a hip replacement. In Santiago our guide actually likes to specialize in hikes around Santiago, there was a great one up to a volcano, not crazy but looked good. In Ushuia we did short walks with our guide in the Tierra del Fuego National Park, but he does 1/2 day hikes. When visiting the Peninsula Valdes at Puerto Madryn it looked like there were some nice shore line trails. Hope this helps, Cherie

O.K. this might have been a very nice thank you to all who responded to your rant and you insulted but...you will "pray for those that felt the need to attack, as you probably have bigger problems in your life, and chose this post as a negative outlet." Wow. If I am in the "pray for you" category, I don't need your prayers, I need you to research the cruises you are going on and not post on CC only when you have a problem. Were there crew members that you treated horribly? Were there crew members that you verbally attacked? You do not need a manager callback to be removed from HALs future calling list. It's pretty easy, click the correct box. And, I'm pretty sure that God has nothing to do with what you experienced and your insults to HAL crew and CC members trying to understand. Again you have insulted those who have tried to listen to you and respond. Possibly you have bigger problems in your life and chose the HAL CC forum as a negative outlet. I am so sorry that you and your family did not enjoy your family cruise, but it's not the HAL CC forum's fault. Have a fabulous life and future vacations. JMO. Cherie

This was the case for our 3 week cruise in January. There was an OBC gift card waiting for us when we arrived in our cabin. And, it also showed up on our account. Cherie

Cruiser Sean - The spa problems are not a surprise to me but MDR is. Also, did I see you mention housekeeping in one of your posts? That would really surprise me because the HAL housekeeping staff are usually amazing. We don't spend money in the casino so really can't address your expectation to be offered a free cruise and drinks because of the money you and your wife spent there. There is a lot of verbiage in your posts and I will be honest and say I did not read every word. Is post #10 correct? I don't doubt your experience, but I also don't think that you should label those who ask questions or disagree with you "HAL cheerleaders." I'm pretty sure most who post here also cruise other lines. I will also say that I would never spend my vacation hours, or that of my family, waiting around for a problem to be resolved. But, we also pay to be in a suite and do not have do deal with problems. Wishing you and your family many happy vacations, wherever they may be. JMO. Cherie

Check Tours by Locals and the Trip Advisor Athens forum. You might find something you like and can contact the tour operator to plan a private tour exactly as you want. Have fun, Cherie

I love this post of salmon fishing. Fabulous. And so nice you can have it cooked on board. We always found shipping fish home was crazy expensive so just gave them to the crew. When in Mexico we had them cooked at the hotel though and that was fun. Thanks for letting us cruise with you, always entertaining and informative. Cherie

Thank you. Question answered. Just a CO entree on the MDR dinner menu in addition to other benefits on ships like Oosterdam and Noordam. Thank you, Cherie

I know that is what we experienced, but I don't know what CO offers at breakfast and lunch. I'm thinking that the cabin upgrade would be worth purchasing CO and as I said in my post #6 the rest is icing on the cake. Was hoping Art-Fate could enlighten me on CO in the MDR at breakfast and lunch, in addition to a separate podium for seating. And, your post #7 may mean that the extra dinner entree is the only CO offer all day. Thank you, Cherie

Question...was there just one CO item added to the MDR menu or was there a menu with several CO items? We have friends deciding whether to do CO on a ship that does not have a separate CO dining room. Thank you, Cherie

Liz Masterson - I hope you saw my reply to your post. Cherie

We were in a Neptune Suite on the Oosterdam in January and enjoyed a CO extra entree item on the MDR dinner menu. There was a separate podium for seating which was really nice. We could request the location we preferred for seating, we had Anytime Dining. Hopefully someone will help you as to special CO menu items for breakfast and lunch in the MDR. I think CO would be beneficial on the Oosterdam if you were able to get the complimentary cabin upgrade you want, and then priority boarding, an additional menu item, and easy access to the MDR would just be icing on the cake. JMO. Cherie

I did express my concern about the Host/Hostess in the MDR seating a single person at a table for 8 in the MDR and leaving them there with no one to join them. I think that should have been handled at the MDR host/hostess station. In your post #10 you did not indicate that your wife and you do not spend $1000s (as others do) to dine with others just meant the MDR. Thanks for letting us know that you welcome others at your table in the Lido. And, since "you don't really need to speak to your new tablemates" it's a win win for you and whomever sits at your table. Cherie

Hi Liz, I can't remember the exact times but will try. Adrian met us at the tender port and we went in a 5 passenger Land Rover (I think a LR) to begin our adventure. It was about 15 minutes on a tar road to the entrance to his farm. After taking care of financial details we then began the tour to see penguins. I think it was about an hour to our first penguins, the rock hoppers. The drive thru the property is fabulous, and I had never known of glacier rock fields. There are a couple stops with the rock hoppers, and they are so "comical". The babies are also adorable. One of my favorite stops was going to the beach with the King penguins. It was amazing. I have so many photos and videos. I do not remember what time we returned to Stanley, but we enjoyed lunch at a restaurant prior to taking a tender back to the ship. We chose not to travel 2 hrs each way to Volunteer Point and are so happy we chose Kidney Cove Tours. While driving around the property it was great. Let me know if you have other questions or would like any photos. You'll have a great adventure with Adrian. Cherie

We live in Southern California and have no desire to spend 5 days going to/from Hawaii on an ocean that is not necessarily scenic or warm. I love being on a beach and cruising, but would not do the cruise from San Diego. If you want to cruise the Hawaiian Islands you can do that on the Pride of America, NCL. Then the 10 days you would have spent in the middle of the Pacific can be spent before and/or after the cruise exploring the beautiful islands. JMO, but we visit Hawaii 2-3 times a year. We have visited the Panama Canal but not transited it, that would be amazing. Cherie