Dobby36

we used them in March as well (for a tour, but they do transfers and I can vouch for the drivers and vehicles ) we also did Uber around Santiago and found it easy and affordable, but if it was me I’d prefer a hired operator with a time certain for a longer journey to port, although I had read that their Ubers often will accept trips all the way out to San Antonio.

same here, in sept 2023

I just noticed that this week as well! Glad I wasn’t the only one scratching my head.

yes, ive booked directly and have received offers to upgrade. Also, if you can in to ask about upgrades too early (30+days prior to sailing, or so) you may be told you can be put on a waitlist for specific room categories of upgrades that may open up. I’ve done that, but haven’t yet gotten a call, as sailings remained full. But yes, I’ve got regular upgrade offers booking directly.

Also in the navigator app you can choose your options for service. I believe it’s under “order now” or “service now” and you can request things for one time (extra hangers, pillows, etc) or to be done daily (AM ice, turndown, etc) i used that option last month on zuiderdam as I didn’t see the attendants during the first 24 hours (rare- I usually run into them and introduce myself etc on first day) and it worked perfectly. anither nifty feature of this section of the app allows you to request things be retrieved. (Dirty room service tray, laundry, etc) this is handy if you miss the AM service but want to send laundry out or whatnot.

I haven’t gone solo, but I’ve gone on HAL with both family and with my partner sometimes. They always have at least a couple LGBT meetups per week, usually one on the first night. Never seems to be more than a handful of gays that attend, usually male couples in their 50s/60s. But they’ve always been friendly and nice to keep seeing familiar faces for the rest of the cruise at the casino or in the lounges. i like the koningsdam. I hope you will too!

The Zuiderdam was on the new menu as of this month. I had the scallops and loved them. (And thank goodness the veal and sage meatballs didn’t get cut! My favvvv)

We saw bald eagles outside of Halifax, and river otters or seals (there was debate on this!) also. a pair of binoculars would have been nice, but there wasn’t (on our cruise) a naturalist pointing out “look at whale off port side” etc, as they usually do on Alaska cruises, so you’d maybe be on your own to know when and where to look….

+1 this fear of having a credit card leave your side is overblown. To me, one of the huge advantages of using one over a debit card is there isn’t a risk of someone stealing your money. I would worry much more about my debit card. Sure, skimming and double charging can happen. But it’s so rare and easily corrected by a text or app chat - I don’t even recall ever actually picking up a phone to resolve such an issue.

We’re we’re on an overnight from pier 30 last month. (On HAL) they offered a free shuttle bus from the terminal to the edge of town, continuously. It would have been otherwise a 5-10 min walk on flat sidewalks to get to the first retail/Commerical buildings and out of the industrial/port area. there were also taxis waiting outside the terminal. We used one, after calling an Uber and finding it would be a 20 min wait for a Uber on a sat AM. The price quoted by the taxi was only a dollar or two more to go fully into town, and other than having to use cash it couldn’t have been simpler! I also agree that the cobblestones in old town aren’t an issue. It’s not like some cities where they are EVERYWHERE. They are mainly in the few busiest pedestrian alleys, and still there are often traditional sidewalks alongside them. The hills, however…those might be troublesome for some!

they did the same on zuiderdam earleir this month, but they used one side of what is usually the salad station (or omelet station in the AM!) they tasted great, as far as I was concerned!

Ive had some of these offers, but more frequently have traveled with a drink package. it shouldn’t be more trouble than it’s worth to get a drink at the casino when you are on your way somewhere else if you are OK to sit down for 5 mins and plays some penny slots. However, if it’s a crowded evening that 5 mins could turn to 15. in all restaurants/bars on the ship, you hand over your keycard to get a drink, regárdless of having a package. The exception is in the casino, where your card will be in the slot machine or sometimes with a dealer if you have just joined a table. Therefore, the severs in the casino (who are stationed at the adjacent bar where you can also walk up to order drinks) are used to taking down your cabin number and name instead of using your card. In my experience they get to remembering you quite quickly, even if you aren’t a high roller or spending all day in there. But I stick out from the typical HAL cruiser demographic. I’ve always mentioned that I have free casino drinks and it’s worked out fine for me. I usually stay for a while but nobody seems to notice or mind if you wander elsewhere with a drink. can’t answer the craps question, I just play slots and roulette and blackjack. Sorry.

+1, my thoughts exactly. Putting emphasis and effort in an area that should pan out well

puertosanantoniotours.com we used in reverse to do ship to hotel, but also included a day of winery touring and a lunch. I believe they do simple transfers also, and I think highly of our experience. Fun guide, clean and comfy van, and easy to book.

we used puertosanantoniotours.com and have nothing but great things to say. Friendly staff, easy to book, comfortable van. We did a ship to hotel transfer with them ending in Santiago, that featured a finery, lunch and Valparaiso stops. Lovely.

I would doubt in either March or Feb the total number of kids will exceed 100. There is a chance of that on summer holiday, around Christmas, in short weeklong Mexico/Caribbean voyages. But I’d seriously doubt there would be fun dress of kids on a 11-day voyage then.

+1 for this suggestion. It was my fav. I did enjoy the lobster featured in dishes in Tamarind too, but it isn’t a full lobster or lobster tail just some meat incorporated into their dishes, IIRC. Still lovely!

the form says you need to submit no later than 4 weeks prior to sailing date. you should be able to produce an account holding statement the same day or next day after you purchase, so a month out would be my suggestion for the latest to wait. Although I think the first time I did one I was only maybe 3 weeks out and it still applied, so your mileage may vary.

THere’s on the Oceania forum too, Vista I believe. They are skipping Boston and Bar Harbor and went directly to NYC to port.

+1 i got mine in 2022 and it’s almost doubled in price since then. But more importantly (to me) I’ve already gotten about as much OBC from it as my entire initial investment

you can email or fax in the proof they require. the info they need (sail date, booking number etc) are on the link below, along with the proof requirements and the email/fax # if you do it wrong or miss something they will kindly reply and tell you what they need you to display more clearly. As long as it’s not ahead of their annual re-approval timeframes (currently into summer 2024) or less than a few weeks before sail date, you should have success. Bon voyage! https://www.carnivalcorp.com/shareholder-information/shareholder-benefit

@Judy795 the destination and the length should produce a very different crowd than the shorter Alaska experience you had at first. That’s been my experience, at least. I think HAL excels at the longer voyages to more unique locales. Interms of ship, there are many who have qualms but Rotterdam is their newest and flagship, if you ask HAL. Hope you enjoy!

On my cruise earlier this month, I got an unexpected delivery to our room of chocolates and truffles, with a note of thanks for my casino play. I’ve gotten lots of casino offers in the past, but never chocolates and stuff. i happened to see the host and said a quick thanks, and something about “what did I do to get that?!” (I’m not usually a schmoozer or try to befriend the casino staff) and he said any champagne or chocolates etc are based on a top tier of percentage by folks, tabulated by day. The casino seemed fairly full but perhaps there were just few high rollers on the New England voyage? We got a “come back and play” offer slipped under the door, but just for $250 free play plus free drinks in casino, not even a free room. Which is again, less than I’ve gotten before. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Mark my experience down as another for “random”. I got a nice list about a month ago, none of which I could take. Before that one it had been the better part of a year. But in 2021 I think a few appeared much quicker succession. (I’m talking about the ones “offers” that arrive with a link to a PDF for specific sailings that are either free or almost free. The generic emails with reminders that on their main site I can see casino “fares” occur regularly every few months)

@Topdog52 we didn’t do any ourselves, just wandered around. But there were info about them /sold at the visitors center.