neuronbob

I am on Nieuw Statendam right now.  (You have no idea HOW GOOD it is to say that!  🙂 🙂 )The captain just gave us a (very lengthy) update.  We are blocked in by Allure is the Seas.  Because of that, Allure of the Seas has to leave first.  They will leave at 1730, followed by us and the Rottie.

I’ll be up top waving when it happens.  
 

*pumps fist*  YES!

Just watched the whole thing.  Eurodam is special to me as it was my first cruise ship, and my first HAL ship.  Now awaiting Nieuw Statendam’s departure.  I’ll be on the first passenger departure on Sunday (pending negative COVID testing, fingers crossed).

Thanks for this thread.  I am leaving Sunday on Nieuw Statendam.  I ordered two three-packs from Optum today and they should arrive tomorrow.

Thank you!  One thing checked off my to do list.  I can’t wait to get on a cruise ship!  1 more week…

I am thoroughly confused about health visa requirements for our upcoming Nieuw Statendam cruise for 11/21/21.

Are people on recent cruises having to pay for and fill out health visas/clearances to enter the Bahamas and Jamaica (our ports all all in those two countries), or not? Just doing my due diligence and completing our planning.

For instance, the Bahamas’ travel web site speaks of cruises starting from and ending in the Bahamas, but is not clear on cruises starting from outside the Bahamas.

Wife, son, MIL, and I are on Nieuw Statendam "Western" Caribbean (now just Bahamas and Jamaica) on 11/21.  We will become 2* Mariners on this cruise.  It's our first since 2019, and replaces our cancelled 3/2020 cruise.  Happy to go even with the itinerary changes.

Thanks for this thread.  Been going back and forth about whether to buy a drink package.  We don't drink any alcohol, and we all, other than my son, drink mostly water with the rare virgin cocktail at dinner.  We are probably better off WITHOUT a drink package unless the price of water onboard is exorbitant.

We started on HAL in our 40's.  Now in early 50's with some gray.  We don't drink and we aren't into the fancy rock climbing and waterslides, etc.  HAL offers a quiet, relaxing, traditional cruise, and you don't have to be "old" to enjoy that.  If we were party people, we'd be on Carnival.

51 minutes ago, KirkNC said:

I assure you no one including HAL has insight on what may or may not be closed.  If you choose to cruise today, you have to be willing to take what ever happens (and it sounds like you are).

Yuppers, I’m ready to roll with whatever comes, with cheer!  🙂

It’s been a long time since I posted last.  My family and I are scheduled for the Thanksgiving week 2021 Nieuw Statendam Caribbean cruise from FLL.  Itinerary is HMC, Ocho Rios/Jamaica, Caymans, and Key West.  However, I see that the Cayman Islands are closed to cruise traffic until 2022, and the Key West locals are still fighting Florida over cruise trip traffic.  HAL still has those ports on the itinerary as of my last look yesterday.

Honestly, I’ll be so happy to be back on a dam ship that I don’t care that much about missing a port or two, especially if it means we may get to spend extra time at HMC, which I assume would be the plan, or an extra sea day.  However, it does affect planning for excursions.  I don’t typically plan excursions for HMC, but the other ports I would have done so already if not for uncertainty.

I’m just curious to see what others are doing, and whether anyone with insight knows HAL’s plans around this issue.

We FINALLY become 2* mariners on this cruise, yay!

Glad I saw this.  I usually bring on a 32-pack of water.  I’ll just order some canned water to bring on our upcoming Thanksgiving cruise.  I’m assuming it’s 12 cans per person (will have to look at the onboarding documents), and our party is four…so 48 cans LOL

Well...shi*.  

*shrugs*  I was expecting this.  At this point, I'm going to get a refund for what I deposited.  My FCC from my March cruise, I guess is going to remain a FCC.  I'm not going to reschedule again until the pandemic is over.  Hopefully HAL survives in some form.

I have a Thanksgiving week cruise from FLL on Nieuw Amsterdam.  As I watch people not wearing their masks, and see the worsening of the pandemic here in the US, I am increasingly unlikely to go. The full payment is due in only a few weeks.  It's going to be a game time decision as to whether I pay it, or just reschedule for 2022.  The latter is looking likelier.  Keeping fingers crossed for some kind of improvement in the next few weeks.

Well, then.  Terrible, but understandable news.

I understand the OP's complaints.  So many folks are sad, and this is a sad time.  I can pass on a little good news, though:  My 3/21/20 cruise was cancelled, I had refunds of  my cancellation plan, port fees, and excursions within two weeks, and as of this past week, my FCC has been applied to my rescheduled cruise for Thanksgiving week.  It looks like it took just over 50 days for my FCC to be applied.  I think most people will have resolution, it's simply going to take time becuase of layoffs and the vast number of people cancelled.

Trying to keep it positive here.  Stay healthy all!

1 hour ago, kazu said:

 

Thanks for the heads up - appreciated. I post what CC members report unless a discrepancy shows up.

@neuronbob - could you please confirm if this should be a Western Caribbean cruise or should this sailing be a different date?  This is how it shows on the listing:

 

N Amsterdam - 21-Nov-20 - 7 day Tropical Caribbean
neuronbob

 

 

Thank you 🙂 

Unless it's changed, it's a western Caribbean cruise, not tropical Caribbean.  I'd be happy either way, though!  🙂

My 3/21/20 cruise was cancelled 3/15.  I requested the FCC and promptly rebooked for 11/21/20.  I received refunds for the excursions, wifi, etc within two weeks, so pretty quickly.  I'm still waiting for the FCC to be applied to the new cruise.  I called about it about ten days ago and the rep I spoke with was able to see my FCC and she told me that when it is available to be applied (it wasn't at that time), it would be automatically applied to the new cruise.  I did put down a deposit for the new cruise to take advantage of the promotion at the time.  The deposit was for cancellation insurance and port fees.

I would have been in my second week back from our 3/21/28 Nieuw Amsterdam Caribbean cruise, thinking about the next one coming up in 2021.  Instead, I find myself on countdown again...227 days and counting...and considering putting a deposit on a spring 2011 Panama Canal cruise...

Just looked at the FtL webcam.  The two dam ships look so peaceful docked next to each other...

I followed as much as I could but had to work.

My heart is smiling right now knowing that these folks are on shore/headed ashore, and those needing help are finally getting it.

Wow...

1 hour ago, VMax1700 said:

So you are booked on the first Caribbean cruise for NADM in November 2020.  We are booked on the trans Atlantic which will, hopefully, still go, providing of course that NADM makes it over to this side of the pond in June/July or so! 🤞  We are 223 days and counting!

Thanks in advance for keeping it warm for us!  😄

1 hour ago, fatcat04 said:

Us too. Bittersweet to see her today. But oh it is nice to see cruise ships in port again even if only for supplies. 

The cams make that so easy to "be there".  I've not been on many cruises, but I am now hooked on that Cruise Life, including watching the ships come in.

I was supposed to be stepping off Nieuw Amsterdam today.  238 days and counting until rescheduled cruise on her!

I am relatively new to the forum, but have found this thread one of the best I've ever seen in 25 years of Internet forum reading.  I'm a physician and kept up until Sunday, but had to work all week.  I finally read through the rest of the thread, and even went to Deb's Facebook page to witness the reunion.  

I just want to say, what a great group of people here.  That is all

Cancelled Nieuw Amsterdam 3/21, rescheduled for Nieuw Amsterdam 11/21/20, same itinerary.  🙂  Countdown clock reset to 250 days!

I responded to the email via the website specified just now.  Because I was supposed to be boarding in six days, it makes sense to send it out to me before someone who has an April boarding.  It is super-simple to use, you just click on choice #1 or #2, then you enter your reservation number, name, phone number, and email.  Takes about 30 seconds to do.  I chose number one because....

At the same time, I took advantage of the current deal (prepaid gratuities, reduced deposit, and gift card) to book the same ship, same itinerary, for November.  When my 125% credit comes available, that will pay a significant amount of the new cruise.  I also upgraded to a VA balcony from the VC I had before.

All this done online.

Will let all know how the application of credit goes when done.  I'm sure it's going to take a bit because of the current situation.

Happy sailing!  I just have to wait eight more months to get my next taste of it....