rj59

Man, restart year was nice. My first was Ovation of the Seas going to Alaska at 30% occupancy. Then several on Majestic Princess to Mexico, with under 1000 people on board. Then 4 cruises on Celebrity Solstice to Mexico with 600-800 people on board, several of them with all-included, for $300 average for an inside solo. Carnival was selling 4-night cruises to Mexico for $25. Masking and having to get a Covid test were a pain, but worth it. It made it that much harder the following summer, when I was on a full Discovery Princess, with no seating at any production show, and I ended up getting Covid. That was the end of the good times, although I did buy 100 shares of RCL at $40 to get shareholder OBC, and now it's at $160.

I was just denied for Eurodam this Saturday, but the rejection notice gave different verbiage for the wait-and-see option, saying they would notify me "up to the morning of departure" if a standby spot is available. That's different from the previous 'up until 90 minutes before sailing' option, which is easier for someone like me who lives 80 miles away and doesn't want to drive to Seattle and wait all day in a state of heightened stress, with bags, and then have the crushing disappointment. That would also stop 'wait and see' standby passengers from showing up at the pier and waiting all day, while the port is trying to get 6000 people with valid boarding passes on the ships. I might try again in August, but I already just booked a Celebrity Alaska cruise for next May and a Mexico one on Princess in January for about the same price as standby, with various OBC options. I'm thinking of the standby program as something like bingo on a ship--the more people that play, the less chance you have of winning; some people get too emotionally invested in what is a very unlikely chance of success; and there are probably better things I can do with your time and money. And as comfort, local weather will be mid-70s and sunny all next week, but rainy and low 60s in Alaska, with 589 bored kids running around the ship. Oh, and there's the latest Covid wave to make a cruise ship less appealing now.

Easiest way is to go when it opens or within an hour of closing, just because there are fewer people to serve and less stress in the kitchen. The same goes for breakfast and lunch. For dinner, I also minimize what I actually eat in the MDR--the buffet mostly mimics what's available in the MDR, so you might try other appetizers and desserts or mains in the buffet as an early or late light meal, and skipping dessert in the MDR will also hasten things considerably, and instead just get various smaller portions of the same in the buffet. I even use a personal tray or one I borrow from the burger place to bring a dessert or other snack to have before bed. The other thing I've done to minimize MDR time, and even skip it altogether, is to order a MDR dishes or complete meal through room service, a sort of secret feature of HAL room service. I used to order a few things through room service, like a big salad and creme brulee, things that wouldn't get cold or smell if I save it in my room for a late meal, especially since the buffet is often closed after the early shows and I don't want to wait for the 10:30 buffet meal. Then there are other things I use to speed up service: look up the menu on the TV and ask to order right away, don't order drinks or coffee, ask to bring multiple appetizers at once, don't go to a group table, and telling the servers that you're trying to make a show or other event. The limitation for servers, apart from serving multiple tables, is that they try to keep everyone in their section on the same pace, to avoid constant trips to the kitchen to bring food, but they might be willing to bring all the food out for your meal on one kitchen trip. You can encourage that by thanking them by name, telling them you'll mention their quick service in the post-cruise survey, and learning 'thank you' in Indonesian (terima khasij) and other polite phrases. Skipping MDR dessert is the biggest time-waste, though, since otherwise you can leave after eating your main dish, and I find I get more enjoyment out of having the smaller portions of all the MDR desserts in the buffet anyway, even if the presentation isn't as fancy.

There's no real wildlife that I saw on my two cruises there. The cities are the highlights, the architecture and other features, although the most stunning part if you go to Stockholm is sailing in and out of the Stockholm archipelago, with 24,000 islands, many with summer vacation homes, and there are some very narrow passages and sharp turns. I got up at 5 am or so when we sailed in, and it was gorgeous, and on the way out we were followed by jetskiers and had people waving from the islands, so very cool. The end of September is likely to be cold and wet, though--I go in June, when you get the most daylight. Be careful in Kiel--I was on Zuiderdam there when the ship was surrounded by ecoprotestors in rafts and kayaks, and our departure was delayed by 8 hours or so, until the gave up and went home.

I'd take the canceled reservation for what it is, and try again another time. It happened to me in April, and a few weeks ago they canceled me after I turned down the day-of option. I'm on standby for Eurodam this Saturday, but if I get the day-of option and my reservation stays, I'm not going to sit in the terminal all day. They say they will give you at least 90 minutes warning and the ship is supposed to call you, so I'd just wait someplace close--Whole Foods is less than a mile away and has a dining area where you can have drinks and relax, or the Seattle Center has a food court where you can sit with bags, or enjoy the music and people playing in the International Fountain. There are plenty of places that store luggage, using the Bounce app, so it's a way to store bags before or after a cruise--if you don't get on the ship, just enjoy the city or take a ferry or the Victoria Clipper for a mini-cruise. My standby approach was to get a discounted fare at the end of May on Zaandam, not much more expensive than standby, with $250 OBC, and after that I'm just trying standby. That way I've already had the Alaska highlights--whales, glaciers, but if I don't get on again, I'll have more money for winter cruises, when the weather here is cold and nasty. The same goes for Mexico--I have 11 nights on Zaandam booked in December at a price cheaper than standby, along with 5 other winter cruises that about the same as the current $100/nt, but I might also try standby in March/April, when demand should be lower. You can also take comfort in the fact that it's pouring rain in Alaska this week, and the ships will be at over 100% occupancy and with kids and chaos on the ship and in ports, but beautiful in WA, with outdoor concerts and festivals and people outdoor enjoying beaches and parks.

The problem with retiring Volendam and/or Zaandam is that it removes several cruise options, such as ones that sail up the Amazon and to Montreal, and it's a more ideal ship for world cruises. Every line has its own spending patterns and revenue streams, so you can't really compare Carnival and HAL that way. If they go away, there are plenty of smaller-ship options on other lines, and the Vista-class ships only hold 500 more. I was on Zaandam last month, and its small size allowed us to shelter in inside narrow passages going from Ketchikan to Vancouver Island during a severe storm on the open ocean. If they retire Zaandam/Volendam I'd be less likely to book HAL going forward, and beyond that, one of the main reasons I choose HAL is because of the traditional promenade, so if they start replacing all the ships with that feature, the more likely it is I'll go on other lines.

It depends on the port and ship. I went on Reflection out of Florida, and it was a very old crowd, but I did Solstice out of Seattle and LA and it felt more balanced. Apex was completely different, although it was March, so a lot of well-off younger professionals took their teens on board, many even paying for the Retreat for them. The majority of people I saw on Apex seemed like young professionals, managers. So it's a newer ship, costs more, has more vibrant dining, bars, and shows, so you will get more people with money and more young people looking for modern design and edgy art and entertainment. Edge-class ships are the cutting edge, which most reviews show, so while you'll get people of all ages, I think the ship and shows and experience are so superior that it outweighs any issue I would have about passengers. I think that the current huge cruising demand also means that all cruise lines are getting age-homogenized, with lots of young people, families, LBTQ+, and people from all nationalities visible on all ships I've been on, even HAL, Princess, and Cunard. I'm going on Beyond next, but I wouldn't go out of an older Celebrity ship out of Florida again, because it felt too much like seniors in Florida going out on a bargain cruise with a bad vibe (constant marital bickering and complaining and crowds), whereas Apex had a really good vibe.

The same thing is happening with new standby fares of $99/$129. They're adding on $50 per day to include taxes/fees, which means more profit for them in places that have lower taxes/fees, like the Caribbean or Mexico. It just will take a mind reset when calculating cruise value, just as nobody thinks about all the fees/taxes included in airfare now. The higher upfront fare might give people more reluctant to book--I know I've suffered from sticker shock when searching this week, so it's understandable that cruise lines might try to sneak in extra profits where possible, since the higher listed cost might cause a drop in booking demand, if/when the current cruise mania subsides. But at the same time, it makes it easier to accurately compare fares, whereas before I knew that bargain fares wouldn't be so attractive after fees/taxes, particularly in Alaska, the Panama Canal, Canada/New England, and Pacific coastal stops in SF. The easiest way I've found to easily compare fares is searching cruiseplum, where I can rank cruises by overall cost per cabin per day for a solo.

The way I found that I didn't get a spot was seeing my booking gone, so that would save people a lot of worry or having to call. There was no attempt to leave me on the list until day of sailing. I know I've no-showed on some cruises and had them call me, so there might be some openings that way, but in practice I can't see how they can do it, since HQ has the availability list and has to add the booking to the cruise manifest, and you'd run into huge problems with communicating to people at the last minute. So I think in theory they offer that option, just in case, just as they suggest people could get notified 7 days in advance, but in practice I think they are either going to notify 1-2 days before the cruise, keep them on edge in hopes of getting a spot, or just canceling the reservation, especially for those far down on the list. The new pricing also makes it more expensive for longer cruises and for Mexico/Caribbean, since they're in effect adding on $50/day in taxes/fees, and apart from Alaska, you'd pay less than $350 on a 7-day cruise by booking regular. Even as a single, the new pricing will make me look for options elsewhere for my regular winter Mexico cruises, and even on HAL I booked Zaandam for 11 nights in December for $1300 with taxes but with $300 OBC, whereas standby would be $1100, so not really enough of a difference to compensate for the uncertainty/stress. Likewise, I sailed Zaandam in early June for $1000 with $200 OBC, but now if I get on standby it would be $700 with no OBC, so not a compelling bargain any longer, even for a solo. Where it does pay off if I just want to keep trying to get a spot in July/August, with high prices, although I'd sour on the program more if it turns out just to be a futile waste of time and stress/uncertainty.

It's about a wash for Alaska if taxes and fees are included, since my standby on Westerdam is $693 and on Eurodam $709 for an inside. If they keep it for Mexico and the Caribbean it would be an overall increase, so it would appear they're going to pay any overage for Alaska and expect to make it up with all the sailings in the Caribbean and Mexico, which to my mind would likely bring in much more revenue overall, since they should be able to give more standby spots, whereas Alaska is mostly sold out for the rest of the summer. It might also help deter younger and new cruisers who those who think they're getting a fabulous deal at $49/nt. I know I'll just have to mentally reset a bit, as I will for regular cruise prices with taxes/fees included, but it's actually good, because it gives a more realistic picture of the fixed cost of a cruise. As a solo cruiser, it's still a great option, despite the stress, uncertainty, and lack of OBC options. My only fear is that it will become so popular and publicized that the chances for actually getting a spot will be low, so I fear getting in a cycle of hope and disappointment as I try to get on an Alaska cruise this summer.

May shouldn't be bad for hotel prices. The important thing is to check the Vancouver port schedule and see what other ships are in port and how many passengers. I went on Zaandam three weeks ago and there was only a Silverseas ship in port, so I walked through the entire process with no lines, although I didn't show up until after 1. Instead of the Skytrain, an easier option with luggage is to take a taxi from YVR, which is a flat-rate going to downtown. If you show up early, while other people are leaving, it will be a mess, and they have limited inside seating, so without the embarkation MDR lunch there's really no reason to rush to get on the ship. So I would just go for a walk or hop-on tour after dropping bags, especially on a Sunday morning with little traffic, or go tour Stanley Park, and then get on the ship, which should go reasonably quickly after boarding has started. They've actually improved the process, so now you can drop bags on the upper level and check in, and then go down an escalator for security and customs, and customs has face ID machines now, which makes things quicker.

I love HAL and have 150 cruise days, but I'd never eat their pizza. It's just bad, the complete opposite of what you get on Princess. I thought trying it right out of the oven would be okay, but it was still vile, thick tasteless crust with little on top. There's so much that they do well, and even great, but pizza is their weakest item. On the other hand, they have very good pasta, made-to-order, and they have amazing Beecher's mac and cheese.

Best time is early June. It has the longest days, and half the amount of rain as late August and September. It also has the lowest prices and the least amount of kids, since most are still in school. July is peak travel, so ports and ships are packed, and with ship limits in Juneau and possibly other cities coming up, you might not get to visit a port if it's too full of ships. My secret recommendation is Zaandam out of Vancouver, which only has 1400 passengers, has had the lowest prices, is easy to maneuver in narrow passages in Alaska, and the smaller crowd means few lines at dinner or getting on and off the ship. I was on it 3 weeks ago, and there were lots of Brits and Aussies. You get a more scenic and calmer trip out of Vancouver, since the ships go to the east of Vancouver Island, instead of the open ocean, which had a storm with 5-meter waves on our way back, but our small ship maneuvered through inside channels with beautiful scenery to avoid the storm.

You're lucky, on my last standby attempt I had no communication, only finding that my booking was canceled the day before, even though I could have made the cruise day-of until 10:30. That was in April, so hopefully they're trying to make the program work better. Unfortunately, the addition of the veranda option will make things more complicated, because if someone is eligible for a spot but only insides are available, they have to offer the downgrade-or-cancel option for them, which means the spot is frozen for those who might want an inside. It's looking like the weather is improving in Alaska starting next weekend, so I might roll the dice and see if I can get a spot, and keep trying. With Westerdam arriving soon, that might increase my chances, or maybe there's already an impossibly-long standby list with sold-out cruises until late August.

Alaska is generally more casual, and when one worried woman approached the MDR hostess to ask about Dressy dinner, she was just told to relax, some people like to dress up, but it's completely optional and nobody is going to be shamed or turned away. Personally, if they're not going to give me free lobster or a real production show, I'm not going to bring dress slacks or shoes. Maybe I'll dress in hip hop gear, like the Step One dancer in the song "The Middle" that I've seen so many times in "Humanity" I can do all the moves to. My lasting memories of the cruise was from beautiful scenery, Glacier Bay, and seeing humpback and orca whales within 20 feet of the ship and on a Juneau tour, which I was able to see outside and tolerate because I filled my suitcase with cold-weather clothing, not dressy clothes.

I've done inside on Koningsdam twice, and enjoyed it, mainly because of the large shower with an actual glass door. I was on a sideways room on a Princess ship and hated it, because I was close to the door and so hallway noise felt closer, especially stewards in the hall. Personally, I'd choose Zaandam for Alaska, because it leaves on Wednesdays, with smaller crowds at Canada Place, it only has 1400 passengers so quicker to get on and off the ship, get around the ship, and most importantly, it has a huge outer promenade deck, whereas most of the one on Kdam is blocked by lifeboats, and at other areas too narrow for walking laps safely and comfortably. The top decks are also broken by crew smoking areas and a tiny walking track, whereas Zaandam has lots of good top-deck space for glacier and whale watching. I was on Zaandam last week, and saw several whales while out on deck 3, and I was dry on the promenade while it was drizzling in Glacier Bay, and there was a huge storm with 5-meter swells we managed to avoid by sneaking into inside passages going from Prince Rupert to Vancouver Island and getting some great scenery, all of it due to the small size of Zaandam. Having a piano guy in one bar and a house band in another I also found much more enjoyable than the corporate entertainment with pre-programmed setlists on Kdam.

I just sailed the route for this cruise on Zaandam, when because of a severe storm going south from Ketchikan, the captain wanted to avoid the 17-foot swells and gale-force winds on the open ocean by going into the inside channels south of Prince Rupert, which would be a longer distance but quicker than struggling on the open sea. The ship had to make several failed attempts around midnight to pick up the local pilots, waiting until they got smoother waters and winds in a protected area, but I awoke to no swells and beautiful scenery outside, despite the rain and winds. In October and April the conditions are likely to be similar, so there really wasn't a whole lot to see, other than forests and islands on each side, with higher elevations hidden by mist. After two hours of rocking and rolling on the open ocean, we entered the usual Vancouver Island inside passage. Honestly, I thought the lower channels were better, with some snow-capped mountains and narrow passages with sharp turns (I saw a humpback surface right next to the ship there), and great sunset aft views. I was tempted by the Great Bear one, but for me a regular Vancouver Island inside passage one is better, since you get most of the experience but with better likely weather and glacier viewings. Just cruising passages in Alaska is also more impressive, with the majestic mountains and some very narrow parts, whereas the northern Canadian channels just looked something I could see by just going on a San Juans ferry. My Zaandam cruise would have been unbearable on the open ocean going from Seattle in such a storm, and I've had some really rough ones in September, so there's a good chance of really rough seas for Noordam going up to Ketchikan from Seattle. A local in Juneau also said October is the worst month for him, because it has the most rain, is already cold, but doesn't have the brightness and outdoor activities that snow brings. I also found for myself and most other passengers that that was too much scenic sailing, and there were few of us who braved the winds and rain to be out viewing on the promenade deck, and those who watched inside just saw things through windows dripping rain.

No such thing as a single share any longer. I always go solo, but you never book or search on HAL, since it doesn't show solo pricing. I use cruiseplum, which not only allows you to search for one passenger, but you can also rank the search for overall cabin cost per day, and they have a hot deal and solo discounts section. I've never seen a solo discount on HAL, so I simply have to look for the cheapest fare option, like a Zaandam I just did to Alaska for $750 for a solo, and then cruising to Mexico just after holidays. The Top 10 section on HAL will show deals also, but then you just have to double the listed price to get the solo one.

Just got off Zaandam and have been on Kdam multiple times. Kdam is horrible for Alaska, for two reasons. First, it will be over 100% occupancy, so lines and crowds for dining, buffet, shows, and limited public spaces will be bad, with Kdam attracting lots of families. Secondly, it doesn't have a traditional outside promenade deck, and very little top-deck space, so horrible for glacier and whale watching. Zaandam has outdoor loungers on the promenade deck by the water, which was the best place for Glacier Bay, since it was drizzling, and I saw multiple whales while walking around it or sitting on a lounger, bundled up in provided blankets. To me, it doesn't show its age, and is ideal for Alaska, because it's easy to get around, there are secluded spots all over with good views, inside and out, and you get to know more passengers and crew with 1000 fewer passengers. The small size also saved us from a serious storm, since we were able to hide from 17-ft swells and gale-force winds by sailing a very narrow inside passage route from Ketchikan. Embarking/disembarking in Vancouver and ports is also a breeze with a smaller ship, so you maximize your port time better. Finally, it has the most eclectic and interesting art/antique collection of any ship, everything from signed guitars by Queen/Rolling Stones/Bowie to old stained glass and flower prints, to replicas of Egyptian art. It also has a huge library with a coffee shop with nice recliners to see out near the water, and no generic BB Kings/Rolling Stone/Billboard corporate bland entertainment, but instead a cool house band in one lounge and a piano player in the other, playing what they and the audience wants. There's also a sports bar showing games. Oh, and a secret forward viewing area outside crew doors on deck 5 in the theater, and they also opened up the bow on deck 4 for both sailaway in Vancouver and Glacier Bay, which was fun.

I wouldn't do the HAL transfer. You'll be waiting for various flights to come in, enough to fill a bus. Instead, just take a taxi, which has a flat rate to any place downtown, I think $35 CAD, so about $25 for two people and climbing on or off buses or having a bus deal with crowded downtown streets or find parking. At the Pan Pacific, the quickest and easiest place to eat after a day of travel is the food court across the street, which has a wide variety of Asian and other foods, as well as fast food like Tim Horton's.

I just got off Zaandam. As the coupon says, it could only be used a specific Mariner cocktail. On my previous cruise they let me use it for a Weng Weng.

I'll be on Zaandam tomorrow. They usually only serve MDR lunch on the two sea days, and probably Glacier Bay, since everybody is on board, and on a menu list for another ship I saw a quick-serve lunch option one day, with a few item options, which they sometimes do on port days with a late arrival--probably Juneau. They used to have a single menu for all MDR lunches, no reservation necessary, but recent menus showed some more lunch variety. The good part of Zaandam sailing to the inside of Vancouver Island is that you get scenic views on sea days and usually calmer seas, so my activity is to be on the promenade deck outside, in winter gear and covered in blankets, admiring scenery and looking for whales and Dall's porpoises (black and white, like orcas). The problem you'll have with this Tracy Arm excursion is that much of your time will be cruising the fjord, instead of being at the glacier itself, whereas ships that actually visit Tracy or Endicott Arm sail up the fjord and then drop off people on a tour boat once they get close to the glacier.

Get a drink, go to your room, and order room service. I've always had my room ready upon boarding, so I unpack while waiting for my food to arrive (I carry on my bag). It helps avoid the 'ohmygosh free food!' gluttony in the buffet, and the crowds. Another thing I do is bring a plastic tray, so I like to hit the Distant Lands and get some sushi and a bowl of stir-fry and take it to eat on the Lido or back deck, if it's nice out. I used to find quiet at the embarkation lunch in the MDR, but those aren't going on now, unless they changed.

Updated Standby list now shows the option to book a veranda standby for $79/day. If one isn't available, you will be offered an inside/oceanview for the lower price of $49/day if available, or you have the option to cancel and get a refund. Seems like a good way to get more money out of the program and to satisfy the people who don't want to risk getting an inside cabin. I'm happy that they're increasing options and fine-tuning the program to make it more sustainable and worthwhile for them and for passengers, although I did feel pretty special getting a signature suite on my first standby attempt. For a solo passenger who loves HAL but not current solo pricing, it's a great deal, although it will be an adventure trying to get a standby spot on an Alaskan cruise this summer.

My preference is to just visit breweries in Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan and get a flight of samples at each place. Bowden Street in Ketchikan and Devil's Club in Juneau are my favorites, although Barnaby Brewing in Juneau had a friendly cat who slept on my lap while I drank there one afternoon.