sandiego1

Friends are now on board. I don’t know when they set sail.

Despite the naysayers, the ship has passed the sea tests. They expect to set sail this week.

Yes!! I agree the veggies with the entree are an afterthought. We ask for a double plate of steamed veggies at every dinner. I eat almost all veggies so I don’t ask for specific ones but I’d bet you can.

We used to cruise exclusively in Neptune Suites. And frequently purchased a Retreat cabana on top of that. Then we did an ocean view cabin on the 2019 World Cruise. I was very worried about rough seas and “the more you pay, the more you sway.” We were fine in the OV. Booked a 9 day Mexico cruise to test out an inside cabin and we loved it. So quiet and dark! We were hooked. Did the 2023 WC in one of the large J cabins on the Zuiderdam. It was much larger than the balcony and small suites (Vista or Signature?). Only the Neptune and Pinnacle suites are bigger. We had over 5’ between the foot of the bed and the closets. Plenty of room for me and my DH to do yoga and stretching. We booked another inside for the upcoming Pole to Pole-133 days. I don’t think we’ll ever book a Neptune or even a balcony again!

I could do it for 4-6 months at a time. We live on the opposite coast as family so we don’t get to see them more than 3-5 times/yr. During the off-ship months, I’d want to spend time with them. But my spouse isn’t as interested in that lifestyle as I am. I looked at Storylines a few years ago as we have good friends that purchased a cabin (they eventually bailed and got their $ back but unfortunately are in Belfast waiting for VV). However, at that time we were doing a 7-figure gut remodel of our condo. It didn’t make financial sense to buy a cabin while we were doing that project. And now I’m glad we didn’t!

Magnets don't work on the walls on the Zuiderdam. Yes on the doors and ceiling.

Not a change.It has never been allowed in cabins.

HAL does NOT allow vaping in cabins.

Zuiderdam has swivel mounted TVs above the desk in the inside cabins on deck 1.

I know on World Cruises they have a Passover seder on both nights, led by the ship’s rabbi. Friends raved about the roast chicken they were served. I don’t know if it’s offered on a short cruise.

We also went with Top Komodo, but it was in 2019. Rules could have changed since then.

I can’t comment on a Princess WC as I have only done 2 on HAL. I have disagreed with Heidi13 in the past about the per diem cost being the same on Viking and Princess. IMO, if you drink a lot, do many over priced cruise line shore excursions, have to fly biz or 1st class internationally, then perhaps it’s close. If you don’t need/want these things, you can save money by going with a mid tier ship. However, we flew to FLL in coach so our flights were quite inexpensive. My DH drinks alcohol, but I don’t. I only drink water - no sodas, juices, coffee… Therefore our bar bill was quite low. He brought about 18 bottles of wine onboard (paying corkage for his favorite brands) and bought a wine package while onboard to supplement it. Sometimes he had cocktails before or after dinner too. We abhor cruise line shore excursions. They are overpriced and you are forced into buses with large groups. Bathroom stops are an ordeal as you have to wait in line with an entire bus load of people. Meals are slow since there are so many people. We find excellent local guides for a fraction of the cruise line prices. We have quick paced tours with knowledgeable, personal guides. IMO so much better and so much cheaper. Our total was substantially less than the price for Viking. I do believe Viking has a higher quality product than HAL - and smaller, more intimate ships. However I just wasn’t willing to pay for all the extras that I wasn’t going to use. YMMV.

Only Founders signed NDAs, not all cruisers.

What’s the current taxi, Uber or Lyft price for FLL to Port Everglades? I plan on dropping my husband off at the pier and then return the rental car at airport. I assume I’ll have to take a shuttle from the rental car facility back to the terminal to get a cab. Would Uber or Lyft be able to pick me up at the rental car facility? It’s a one-way rental with Alamo. Unfortunately neither Budget or Avis are available from where we need to pick it up. We’ve used Avis in the past and found their off-airport drop off location very convenient.

The crew don’t have the same restrictions about bringing on soda/water as passengers do. We have seen crew bring on large water jugs and cases of soda. But we’ve also seen similar items confiscated from passengers by HAL. Yes, there are always stories about how some people weren’t stopped being water/soda/beer/wine. It depends on how diligently the security team is watching the scanner. One time I brought some wine back from a port, fully expecting to pay corkage. I was directed to the table and they wrote it up. I was never charged. Other times, there was no table. And several times, I was charged in full.

It’s very close and you can definitely walk. Springhill, Residence Inn and Intercontinental are a little closer - especially if you are the Broadway vs B St pier. Take a cab or Uber from the airport, not HAL’s shuttle. It will be much faster and cheaper. Lots of good restaurants in Little Italy that you can walk to.

I run hot so I brought a fan for both the 2019 and 2023 World Cruises (~250 days on the old Amsterdam and Zuiderdam) . We had OV on one and inside on the other. The OV was much hotter as the sun really warmed up the room - even with the curtains closed. It was pretty unbearable as we spent considerable time sailing near the equator. That’s why we opted for an inside on our 2nd WC. I don’t know about the motion lights on the N. Statendam. Had them on Zuiderdam and didn’t like it as it was way too bright. We covered it with several layers of blue painter’s tape so it wasn’t so bright. We loved the inside room as on the Zuiderdam we had one of the extra large ones. It was bigger than all cabins except the Neptune and Pinnacle suites. We had over 5’ between the foot of the bed and the closets. Lots of room for yoga and stretching for both of us! Plus we liked the darkness of the room for sleeping. Liked it so much that we booked another inside for the 133 day Pole to Pole cruise. But it won’t be as large as the ones on the Zuiderdam.

They do ask for your cabin number when you arrive at the MDR, however you can eat as much as you want. You can order multiple entrees and side dishes. There are a few upcharge items in the MDR. You can eat as much as you want in the Lido and room service. Hours for the Ludo and MDR are posted and you can go as frequently as you want.

Not ready to board. Yes, the dry dock portion of the remodel is finished. However there are numerous “in water” tests and certificates that aren’t complete. Friends are still in Belfast waiting to move onto the ship. They were able to board and spend the day unpacking and enjoying the ship. However, they aren’t allowed to spend the night on the ship yet.

Cal King is 72” wide by 84”long. So the HAL beds are smaller in both dimensions (68wide x 76long). And they are wider but shorter than a Queen (60”wide x 80”long). Years ago, DH and I decided to purchase Eastern King vs CA King as it is 80”wide by 76”long. We figured we were more likely to grow wider than taller 😆 For us, we lose 12” in width when on a HAL ship vs home, but the length is the same. We find HAL beds just roomy enough for us, while we bump into each other frequently in a regular Queen.

Also, if you are traveling pre and post cruise, you may have more laundry to do.

It’s the only outdoor bar.

Yes, you still need to fill out the form and itemize everything. On the 2023 World Cruise, our cabin steward gave us forms that had no prices on it since we are 4*. At least twice, we miscounted the number of items on the sheet. Either or cabin steward or someone in the laundry dept contacted us to verify the count. They were right, we were wrong. Also, at the very end of the cruise, we were shorted a few items. Knowing the count and having photos helped them locate the items. I create piles on the floor for each type of item and take a photo of the pile before stuffing the bag. I delete the photo once everything is returned. So I knew my DH red polo shirt was missing. The photo isn’t detailed enough to show brand, etc. But since I know what we packed I was able to give a complete description to guest services. At the end of the WC, everyone sends out all their laundry. They stop accepting it about a week before the end of the cruise so they can get it all completed before we disembark. We received a basket of folded underwear and other items that were definitely not ours. We gave it to guest services.

If you booked early, you could get: WiFi, $500pp flights, and depending on cabin, free luggage shipment. Plus 3% off if paid in full by early June. No drinks are included. WiFi is <$1k (at least that's how much it was in 2019 and 2023WC).

You can buy a bottle of liquor for your room, either in advance on the website or from a bar.