firsttimer1971

That's the main "problem": once you go down a certain path you are essentially stuck with it unless you have deep pockets. Most of my lenses are DX/Crop-lenses so switching to Full Frame would mean not just a new body but also replacing most of my lenses and I just don't want to spend that kind of money again.

Yeah, i know how you feel. I'm sailing in november 2023 and I already have a list of the equipment I want to take with me, and the list keeps changing on a weekly basis. So what all-in-one lens are you thinking about? I have a Tamron 18-400mm which I must admit is not the sharpest lens, but it is such a handy lens to take along with me when I am just taking holiday snap shots. Should I have to make a decision again I would probably buy the Nikon 18-300 because of the better quality and VR. But overall I am glad to have an all-in-one lens.

I was looking yesterday at the same excursions as my DW and I will be travelling through the Panama Canal next year. For example, the "Canal Experience" that will let you go on a smaller boat and go through the Miraflores Locks and Pedro Miguel Locks. Look really interesting to me but does anybody know if those boats have a toilet because I would hate to be stuck on such a boat for hours without being able to go to the bathroom. I also do the same as @oakridger and look on Tripadvisor for reviews of similar offerings and check out photosites like flickr.com (or just google) for photos taken at specific locations to check if I see anything I like.

Really? Sold you bitterballen als kroket? Why would they do that? The advantage of bitterballen is that they are easier to eat out of hand and you can eat more of them before you realize you just ate a whole platter of them 🙂 In the Netherlands you will be able to order a portie bitterballen at most Café's and bars but not kroketten (unless as part of lunch/diner). Tot ziens!

As I understand, the internet packages allow only 1 device to be connected at the same time, but you can also upgrade that to 4 devices. Is that upgrade also done through the navigator app (when you're onboard)? And has anybody any idea how much the extra fee would be for a 31-day cruise?

I'll be going on a 31-day South America Cruise next year and I have a D7500 which I really like. But I wanted a second camera just in case something might happen. So I looked at alternatives like mirrorless or a D7200 as backup but in the end, I decided on buying a second-hand D7500 body. I just love this camera, the quality, options, battery life, size and weight (I have arthritis, so I don't like small cameras with tiny buttons/switches). And now I will be able to use a DSLR for hopefully many years.

Correct, so hopefully the Veal Ragout Kroket will be available for those who do not have a Grand Dutch Café venue at either the MDR for lunch or at the Lido as late-night snack.

Yes, they are the same. A bitterbal is eaten 99% of the time out of hand as a snack. A kroket can be eaten out of hand but a lot of the time it is eaten on a piece of white bread or on a soft white bun. With bread/bun, it is a favorite lunch dish and also appears on most menus at restaurants in the children's menu section (but don't be fooled, adults eat them too. I read yesterday that the average Dutch person eats 25 kroketten a year). So, in the MDR it is served as a lunch dish, in the Dutch Cafe as a snack but the product is identical. In the Netherlands you can even order a McKroket at McDonalds but I prefer the taste of a "real, normal" kroket.

Yes, should be the same!

I am not sure exactly when they are available because I still have to make my first cruise with HAL (just 449 more nights before we go) but I did see a youtube video of food on one of the HAL cruises and they had "kroketten" as a late night snack at the Lido Market. Bitterballen and kroketten are essentially the same thing, the only difference being the shape. A bitterbal is round and a kroket is longer. I attached a picture showing both. So, if you can't find a bitterbal, you might get be able to find a kroket in the evening at the lido Market. Edit: found the video showing the kroketten and some other typical dutch treats after 24 seconds.

You can upgrade the package once on board. I asked concerning a 31-day cruise and was told that the upgrade fee from the Surf plan to Premium would be USD 70 for the whole trip but that it could only be done once onboard. I have seen other messages from people stating that once onboard they got shown an upgrade offer once they started using the Surf internet. Fee is per person and depending on the length of the cruise.

It is a typical Dutch treat and they are small fried crispy balls with a filling of ragout (very dense stew) with veal or beef (prawns or cheese is also possible). They taste great with some mustard and a nice cold beer.

They would definitely profit less or even start losing money if they did that: 1) Not all people use 15 drinks a day but if they allowed people to share a beverage package it would most likely always be used up completely (you would be a fool not to) 2) People would only use the beverage package for the most expensive (alcoholic) drinks and pay for the cheaper drinks seperately. I really see no upside for HAL to change their policy.

Surely that can't be right: either they charge you full price and it isn't counted towards your daily 15 or they charge you for the surplus above $11 and it is counted towards your daily 15 but it can't be both.

Final update: we created an online account for her yesterday and when registering I entered the booking code/number. After registering she had a Mariner number but our booking wasn't showing yet in her account. So, after a good night's sleep I just logged in and our booking is showing in her account. Thanks everybody for your advice and remarks.

No, you get a Mariner # the moment you register on the website, even if you never book a sailing. We just created an account for her, and she got a Mariner # but our booking is not showing for her. Will wait a couple of days to see if they connect her details to the booking. If not, i will send an e-mail to HAL Not in a big hurry as our cruise is next year but I don't want to leave anything till the last minute, especially now the response time to e-mail can be up to 4 weeks from the Dutch Office.

On our confirmation (booked directly at HAL) only I have a Mariner-ID, not my wife. So that got me wondering if she needed one. But we will make a new account for her

Thank you all for you responses, I will ask her to create her own account.

Hello, So I have booked a cruise a couple of months ago and created a mariner account. And now I am wondering if my DW needs to have her own mariner account? For example to use the navigator app. Is there any need or advantage for her to have her own account? Thank you in advance for your responses!

Good luck trying to pay with cash dollars in Western-Europe...

So how did you like room 6060? My DW and I will be using that same room next year for a 31-day cruise so extremely interested in any information (good or bad) you can give about it.

It's the Zaandam: https://www.cruisetimetables.com/rotterdamamsterdamhollandschedule-25jul2022.html https://www.marinetraffic.com/nl/ais/details/ships/shipid:268451/mmsi:246442000/imo:9156527/vessel:ZAANDAM

Just remember that (canned) water, sodas and specialty coffees also count towards the daily allowance so unless your wife really doesn't drink anything at all you may have less than 30 drinks 🙂

An Airtag will definitely work with an iPhone 8 (with iOS 14.5) but if you have an iPhone 11 or up you get "Precision Finding" which will give you the exact distance and direction to the airtag if you are near to it. But that isn't necessary for me in the case of my luggage.

You're welcome. I have learned so much on this board from other helpful people, glad to be able to help somebody else.