Size12Stilettos

Question: First time on HAL. Cruising on the Oosterdam to the Eastern Caribbean.

1. How deep are the pools? 5 feet (stand up in) or 6-8 feet (deep)
2. Do the pools have freshwater or saltwater?
3. Can someone point me to a daily program (the ones they leave in your stateroom the night before) for an Oosterdam cruise? I hear the entertainment is lackluster. I'm use to NCL
4. Is it difficult getting a sun bathing chair on this ship like it is on some overly populated ships?

Thanks in advance! I tried finding answers to my questions. The search function for CC isn't what it use to be.

Deleting

I always book a balcony, but they were "sold out" for the cruise I just booked, so I booked an Oceanview. First time ever booking an Oceanview. I booked it thinking, worse case I'll get an upgrade offer and I can get a balcony that way, since I swear by balconies.

Sure nuff... the email came yesterday just a few days after I booked and I put in an offer. First time I've ever taken the bait for the upgrade bidding system. I read somewhere that bidding at the FAIR level would likely secure me the room. I placed a bid at the very bottom of the fair range. Today, my cruise docs were emailed to me. After seeing my room, I'm thinking the Oceanview won't be too bad. It has an obstructed view, but its on the same deck as O'Sheehans and would be easy to get to. Like I said, I've never stayed in Oceanview before, so if my bid isn't accepted, at least I'll get to feel it out to see if its something I can live with.

I'm being open minded after having a not so good experience on my last cruise where I had a balcony on the 9th floor. I like to sleep with the sliding doors open so I can hear the waves crash against the boat. Its the best lullaby to me. Anywho, there was none of that. We went to central america through the Gulf. The water was still. No waves. It was always humid, so I kept the door closed 90% of the time. My future cruise is to the Southern Caribbean, so I'm thinking its going to be more of the same.

We got off at around 7:45

We were on the Dawn a few years ago, and two of our friends were in one of the Owner’s Suites. One of them was watching TV when he saw someone walking across the room behind him in the reflection off the balcony doors. He looked and the person was gone. His wife was in the other room, so it wasn’t her. When they mentioned it to the staff, they said the room was haunted. Apparently, an 86-year old man had passed away in the room on the inaugural cruise, and his spirit was still in the room.

 

So, I guess ghosts can’t use Easy Walk-off.

 

 

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Love this!!

We were on the Jewel last year on a LA to Miami Panama Canal trip. Not sure where she was from but we were on the deck above Lido and watched a senior citizen get out of the hot tub. Take off her bikini top and dry herself off before she dressed herself right there.

That would have messed me up. But seriously, they need a nude section where people can sunbath in the nude.

Was just on the Escape out of Miami on a Western Caribbean itinerary. Was set to arrive back in Miami at 8 am. Tried to early disembark. Was like the 20th person in line at 7 AM. This woman and her kids were playing air hockey at 7 am. I could hear the noise on the level beneath, as I made my way towards the line. Once I got in line, I could see all the elderly people in wheelchairs grimacing with painful looks on their faces. The parent's of these threw boys were totally asleep at the wheel. No parenting. No disciplining when the two younger ones got into a fight when one got injured by one of the pucks. It was like I was in a bad movie. Thank God this woman took one of the pucks or we would have sat there another 30 minutes in pure hell.

Delete

Thank you!!

I believe part of this is subjective, one person's crowd is another's happy party.

Touche!

Since the Eastern Caribbean cruises are now being diverted to the Western Caribbean with Costa Maya being one of their ports, are folks who have recently cruised through noticed any congestion? I'm trying to ascertain if a cruise in the upcoming weeks to the Western Caribbean is worth it or will I be miserable due to overcrowding.

Any insight is appreciated.

Since the Eastern Caribbean cruises are now being diverted to the Western Caribbean with Roatan being one of their ports, are folks who have recently cruised through noticed any congestion? I'm trying to ascertain if a cruise in the upcoming weeks to the Western Caribbean is worth it or will I be miserable due to overcrowding.

Any insight is appreciated.

Since the Eastern Caribbean cruises are now being diverted to the Western Caribbean with Cozumel being one of their ports, are folks who have recently cruised through noticed any congestion? I'm trying to ascertain if a cruise in the upcoming weeks to the Western Caribbean is worth it or will I be miserable due to overcrowding.

Any insight is appreciated.

I would be willing to cruise back to these islands hit by the hurricanes as soon as they open up. Yes I would temper my expectations of what to expect. My reasoning on this is that many of these islands depend on the tourist money as their main source of income. The longer the tourist money stays away, the longer it will hurt their economy.

Exactly, my thought

We have (2) 10 nighters booked for the Virgin Islands. One 11/28/17 and one 11/30/18. It will be interesting to see what happens post-Irma. A lot depends on the help from the Government and the people. Only time will tell how long it will take for recovery.

 

We sailed to Cozumel 3 months after Hurricane Wilma sat on the island. We are talking 3 days of a Cat 5. There was no green vegetation, broken limbs and debris was scattered everywhere. The piers where we usually docked were gone. Nothing left but piles of crushed concrete and steel rebar sticking up out of the water. We returned a year later and 2 of the piers were finished and they were working on the third. We sailed out of New Orleans a couple of years after Katrina and the town was still junked up.

Clackey, this perspective, particularly your experience after Wilma is extremely helpful. Wow.

My cruise has been cancelled and I've decided not to book next week after all the great feedback. I'm going to wait a little while. Not a year, but at least a month or so.

Thank you again! :*

Press Release from Norwegian Cruise Line

Hurricane Irma Update

Updated 2:30 PM ET (6:30 PM UTC)

Norwegian Cruise Line is continuing to closely watch the forecasted path of major Hurricane Irma and respond as necessary to ensure the safety of our guests and crew. We have cancelled this week’s scheduled sailings aboard our two ships that depart from Miami, Norwegian Sky and Norwegian Escape and both ships are currently navigating a safe course around the path of Hurricane Irma. Norwegian Escape is sailing at full capacity with approximately 4,000 displaced guests from both ships that were unable to secure flights back home. The ship is currently alongside in Cozumel, Mexico and will remain there until 7 a.m. Sunday, September 10. Guests who have secured flights home may disembark the ship in Mexico if they wish. Due to the devastation in the Caribbean caused by Hurricane Irma, all of Norwegian Escape’s upcoming Eastern Caribbean sailings will be altered to a Western Caribbean itinerary until November. All guests scheduled to sail on any affected cruises will be notified of the change.

Acting as a responsible corporate citizen and supporting the destinations that our ships operate in is a core value of Norwegian Cruise Line. In the wake of this devastating storm, we will be deploying Norwegian Sky from her current position off the coast of Cancun to St. Thomas to assist in humanitarian efforts coordinated by the local government.

Agree. When an island like St. Martin finally opens it might not be 100%, but it will be ready for business.

 

If you want to escape this winter, the cruise companies will find itineraries...but, there might be more sea days.

 

I would bet some of your cruise dollars will find their way into rebuilding some hard hit ports, the economies and the livelihood of the residents. The big companies need places to port these ships.

This was extremely helpful - thank you.

I don't mind sea days! And that's what I thought: if the cruise ships stop going to some of these places, that's lost money for them overall. I'm glad the cruise lines are making smart decisions with their itineraries.

Ncl posted on their website under weather alerts that all eastern itineraries will be moved to western caribbean until at least November

 

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Oh OK! That's extremely helpful. Thank you!

Krazy's advice is best, provide the South Carribean goes unstruck between now and when Hurricane season ends in November.

Yeah, really good advice.

I was on Oahu for Iniki. Scary stuff.

 

I don't think cruise companies will be visiting ports that aren't ready for tourists. It's my belief itineraries will reflect the ports that are open and, more importantly, ready for business. I would book with confidence and plan on having a fun and guilt-free vacation.

Oh good! OK! Thank you so much for this!!!

I think that there are changes coming in the itineraries, but we just don't know when the cruise lines will make their decisions.

I guess I'll just keep paying attention to what happens. I have a lot of flexibility, so I can make a move with short notice. Thank you.

And,let's not ignorre the fact there are moer r hurriicanes in line behind this one.:loudcry:

True. True. :confused:

The last report I saw about Hurricane Jose, after passing over Barbuda and St Maarten, it is suppose to turn right and head into the Atlantic.

This is great news! I turned off the news with the growing emphatic political climate currently dominating our news cycle, but yesterday I watched NBC Nightly News and learned Irma was born as a tropical storm outside of Gambia in West Africa. She's been traveling the globe for over a month!

Never mind wondering about how the hurricane will affect future holidays

It would be great if everyone who had enjoyed the carribean on earlier holidays and cruises could show support to the people in these fantastic island communities and each donate at least the price of a day's cruise to the disaster relief funds

That's a fantastic idea! I'll follow your lead. I'm willing to match your donation. How much did you donate and who did you donate to?

With Hurricane Jose coming, I would not want to leave next week.

 

I cruised in December, 2005, after hurricane Wilma hit. The docks in Cozumel were destroyed -- We used tenders to get to Cozumel. Many of the structures were damaged, and many placed in Cozumel used tents. It was actually interesting but sad to see the destruction.

 

If the Miami / Ft. Lauderdale ports are damaged, I would expect other departure ports to become more active, such as Baltimore, MD, Bayonne, NJ, and Mobile, AL. I remember that the seldom used Bayport terminal in Houston was used for a while in 2008 after Ike damaged the Galveston terminals.

 

Bottom line: If you are flying, I'd wait until the cruise lines figure out what's next. If you are driving and can be flexible, you might find some good deals, especially if the ship has to change departure ports for a while and previously booked passengers cancel.

FYI: For Florida, I'm flying, but if I leave out of Baltimore, NJ or NYC, I can drive.

This was helpful, thank you. Yeah, no matter how tempting the deal, it may be best if I just sit still for a few months. I may visit the Western Caribbean or grab a Mediterranean cruise before it gets too cold.

I think my biggest struggle is managing expectations because I just recently got into cruising, so I don't have a lot of experience to go off of to make wise, sound or practical decisions. Naively, I thought hurricanes were a regular occurence, hence the term "hurricane season," and the Caribbean is use to them like California is use to Earthquakes.

I didn't get the whole they don't have the same resources, infrastructure, etc that we (the U.S.) do to repair and rebuild. Which leads me to the thought... am I hurting them further by NOT going once the storm leaves since tourism is their #1 industry feeding their economy?

For example: If people stop going to Barbuda for a year or two, will they get what they need to rebuild?