goldmom

They can get luggage tags from the porters at the pier.

Thank you so much for your review. We will be on the Nieuw Amsterdam soon. The Seaview pool looks like a place we would want to hang out, so a couple of questions. You mentioned to bring a towel. Is there a place at the pool to get towels or do we need to bring towels from the room? Also, are there any shaded areas or umbrellas at the Seaview pool? Thanks!

Chances are the show schedules will not be the same on a different itinerary. They even changed from week to week on the Canada/New England itinerary. Plan as much as you can, but be prepared to be flexible and make adjustments as necessary. Enjoy!

Some people have reported success by calling or using the chat feature. Otherwise, just make your reservations as soon as you board. Good luck and enjoy!

We've stayed in the DOS on the Gem. We did have an umbrella with a weighted stand, but there were some days that we couldn't use it. If it's especially windy, it can be a safety issue even with the weighted stand. There are times throughout the day when depending where the sun is, there are shaded areas on the balcony. There are curtains and shades that make the room very private and block the suite from the view of others outside. It's a fabulous suite. Enjoy!

I guess it depends on who you speak to. The first time I called the concierge kept asking what I needed and made suggestions of things I might want in the cabin. A few weeks later I thought of something else and e-mailed the request. The reply said to ask the Butler once I was onboard. So, two very different experiences within a few weeks and regarding the same cruise. Guess sometimes it's the luck of the draw.

I guess that makes sense. Glad to hear you were able to get off later. Hopefully we'll be able to do the same. Thanks for the response!

Thank you. I appreciate the information. I guess we'll see what they say once we're onboard. I just seems really silly to make us get off that early. It's not as if we're putting our luggage on a bus or need to collect it in the port. It would seem to me that the whole idea of this is to give you flexibility. Oh well, whatever it is, it is. Thanks again!

We were hoping to use this service. Does anyone know if the 7:30 or 8 am debarkation time on the form means you have to get off at that time, or that is the earliest time you will be able to get off if you choose to. Our plan was to get off leisurely, then get a day rate hotel and just have our carry-ons. The day rate check in isn't until 10 am so we weren't planning to rush off the ship. We have a late flight and figured this service would be great as we wouldn't have to deal with carting luggage around all day. However, if we have to get off the ship at 7:30 it may not be our best option. Thank for any info!

Loving your review. I'm so enjoying your pictures as I have many similar ones from our trip to Venice many years ago. We loved Venice. We also stayed at the Hilton. I seem to remember they had an amazing rooftop pool. You should check it out the views were stunning. Have an amazing trip!

CruiserBruce stated you go without the life vest. Definitely much easier.

Thank you for the information!

We have not been on HAL since before covid. How are they doing their life boat drill now? It seems that most cruise lines are making it easier and cutting down on the crowded venues. Does Hal do it through the TV in the cabin? Do you go to your assembly station to check in? Any info is appreciated. Thanks.

In addition to the Reuben, the chicken salad sandwich was delicious. The sandwiches made up for the disappointing wings.

Yes, it will give you an issue when you try to finalize it.

We were on 2 weeks ago. The show was called Velvet. We didn't go, but our adult kids went. They said the show was fun (70's or 80's music) but the dinner was awful.

There's also something to be said about driving to the port. I see you're in Massachusetts. Both ships are great. For a couple I would go with the Pearl. With kids, they'd probably enjoy the Joy more. Enjoy!

Definitely agree. Forgot about the guac. Definitely a hit!

We were also disappointed in the wings on our most recent trip on the Breakaway. The waiter said that they no longer fry the wings, they bake them which also accounts for the different texture. Not sure if he's right about the cooking method, but they were definitely different than on prior trips.

The pizza we ordered in La Cucina had a barely cooked and floppy crust. Living in the NY/NJ area we are very serious about our pizza.! LOL! We were really expecting something great as La Cucina has pizza ovens, but all 5 of us found it disappointing on both the Breakaway and the Gem. But, we really enjoyed the rest of our meal. The pastas were delicious.

The blazing shrimp appetizer in Ocean Blue is excellent and large enough to share. Also, the crab appetizer in Le Bistro, different that I expected but very tasty and light. Do not order pizza in La Cucina unless you live somewhere that doesn't have pizza. But, the tiramisu there is worth the raves it gets.

The pre-cruise concierge was able to change the day and number of people on several of my dinner reservations pre-cruise. There was one day and restaurant which wasn't available, the pre-cruise concierge said she would put in the request to the onboard concierge and when we boarded, it had already been taken care of. That was my experience anyway. I found the pre-cruise concierge very helpful and knowledgeable, even more so recently than in years past.

For lobster roll Portland lobster is good. For the best fried clams ever, try Becky's diner. Both on the waterfront. Becky's is about a 2 mile walk. Holey donuts was also a fun stop. They close at 2pm I believe. They wouldn't let you bring them onboard though.

Sorry about the fog. We got off when you got on. Our disembarkation was quite a mess with the Westside HWY closed for a bike race. I'm curious if those boarding the ship had issues. Did you have any challenges boarding the ship? Hope you enjoyed your trip!

Safe travels and Bon Voyage to all of the 10/30 cruisers.