islandwoman

9 hours ago, Port Power said:

I have priced the 2025/26 WC.  Not quite double as port fees are removed, but the 180 and/or 138 day cruise prices are comparable pro rata to what I’m paying on RSSC.  They only reduced by 12.5%, but there were early booking discounts. Price wise, unless the itinerary is just what I want, Regent provides larger cabins and more luxury for around the same price as Viking. Business class flights are included with Viking though, and that’s worth a lot.  Anyway, as I said, I have more information now and will research further.

I think shore excursions (one in each port) are also included on Viking.  That's worth a lot too.  Does Regent also include shore excursions?

4 hours ago, Port Power said:

Starting in Europe rather than the USA is also attractive.  That you all for your views and experiences.

Princess has a World Cruise starting in Australia.

We will be sailing on the Koningsdam in April, 2024.  The ship I am considering upgrading on in 2025 is the Zaandam.  Thank you for pointing out that the cabins on different ships and different classes are very different. 

I will check the HAL facts.

3 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

I don't have an answer to your question, but I would comment that a Vista Suite is a suite in name only. It's typically the same as a regular balcony cabin with a few perks added.

What perks? 

How long does Holland America offer an "Early Booking Bonus Have It All" package for a cruise booking?

I'm thinking about upgrading from a Vista Suite to a Neptune Suite for a cruise sailing in September 2025, but I'd like to wait a few more months until I have a chance to sail on HAL and hopefully get to see and compare the Vista and Neptune Suites because  the price difference would be substantial.  I like the "Early Booking Bonus Have It All" package and wouldn't want to lose the opportunity to purchase it by changing cabins too late.

10 minutes ago, Nodakboiler said:

I believe a Volendam dry dock is scheduled for late fall 2024

I am booked on the Volendam 42 day Ultimate Mediterranean and Atlantic Passage beginning November 9, 2024.  I certainly hope that the dry dock has been completed by then and that it included plumbing and heating repairs.

1 hour ago, TroubleT said:

 the ship has major issues with plumbing system and Heating/AC system. And I mean - MAJOR! On my Alaska cruise last June lots of rooms had horrible sewage smell, including my room. I couldn't be in the washroom for more than 3 minutes. It was so hot in half of the rooms that people had to keep the balcony door open all the time. Another half of the rooms was awfully cold.

Has the Volendam been in dry dock since last June?  Has anyone sailed her since then who could tell us whether these plumbing and heating issues have been fixed?

4 hours ago, 1025cruise said:

You will need to get your current agent to release the booking.

4 hours ago, Essiesmom said:

And it will have to be released back to the cruise line.  EM

In other words, "no".

Can I change travel agents after a cruise has been booked and deposited, but before final payment?  If so, how would I do that? 

I don't want to discuss the reason I want to change travel agents on a public forum, but I will say that it is not because I have found a better deal with a different agent.  Rather, it is because I no longer trust my current agent to handle my bookings. 

40 minutes ago, REOVA said:

 Cruising for a particular port can be disappointing has many times you will miss one or two. 

If I were intent on a particular port, I would book a flight and hotel. 

53 minutes ago, Cruise Junky said:

For me she’s too old and has had a lot of issues. There are also no regular balconies, you have to book a suite to get a balcony which increases the price.  

I like the older ships, so that wouldn't be a problem for me.  But as for "a lot of issues", that might be.  Could you specify?

LOL.  I don't know why HAL calls the balcony cabins "Vista Suites" .  From the looks of them on you tube, they are not suites at all.  and as far as I can see they have no suite benefits.  IMHO, it is misleading to call them "suites".
 

10 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

I'm probably an anomaly, but "stepping" on Antarctica really means little to me.

 

I went to Antarctica in 2019 on a cruise that also didn't have permission to "step" on Antarctica.  To me, it was worth the entire cruise from Ft. Lauderdale to Santiago just to see the continent and the ice bergs from the deck.  IMHO, it was amazing.

What's the problem with the Volendam?

3 hours ago, Crew News said:

As a hobby photographer, I have been wearing cargo pants on Gala/Dressy nights for years but I do add a sport jacket.  In my experience, half of the Main Dining Room (MDR) men will wear the minimum requirement of the dress code and the other half will be in jackets with or without ties.  There will be a few tuxedos and long gowns. 

 

Wear what makes you feel comfortable.

How about cargo pants for women? 

How about dress shirt and tie, but no jacket for men  (shirts and ties take up less room in luggage than sport jackets).

11 minutes ago, REOVA said:

Search 2026 in Holland America

Done.  Nothing.  But then the 2026 Grand World Voyage is not on hollandamerica.com yet, even though it has been announced.

On 1/30/2024 at 8:25 AM, kazu said:

 

 

Just a correction to a previous post.  All suite cabins have refrigerators.  So Vista Suite (Verandahs), Neptune & Pinnacle Suites have them.

 

Cabin categories below that do not and require renting one.

 

Are there enough refrigerators available for everyone who wants to rent one? 

I would like to sail in a Lanai cabin, but need a refrigerator. 

Could I reserve a refrigerator in advance?

HAL's Grand World 2026 has been announced.  Has anyone heard anything about other Grand Voyages for 2026?  Maybe Grand Africa?  or something else?

1 hour ago, ralfrick said:

I know jeans are verboten on Gala nights, but what about cargo pants?

I hope not.  All of my travel pants are cargo pants, not the ones with the big baggy pockets, but those with flattish zipper pockets on the legs. 

I understand that HAL will not be taking bookings until May.  I have asked our TA to waitlist us for it.  Does anyone know whether HAL is taking waitlists?

9 hours ago, teeeej said:

I assume this means the single use pre-packaged bottles that you can buy, and that Camelbak or Nalgene plastic botltes are okay, or are they also not allowed?

 

My favorite reusable water bottles are Yeti.  They are well insulated.  I take two on cruises, fill them with tap water and keep them in the cabin frig.  Before a shore excursion, I add ice and put the bottles into the outside pockets of my day pack.  Yeti are sold by Ace Hardware stores and online.

10 hours ago, mawvkysc said:

Also, for a limited time they are letting you buy more than five gift cards per month on the AARP website. 

How can we do that?  I bought some on Friday (Feb 23) and the drop down menu only went to 5. 

5 hours ago, teeeej said:

I ended up booking directly because the HAL gift cards at AARP are 10% off, and the TA OBC that I was seeing from TA's on CruseCompete was no better or worse than the savings from just buying gift cards, which also is less of an outflow upfront. Of course the gift card promotion might change by the time the bulk of my cruise payment is due in September, and maybe you can still pay with gift cards even when you use TAs.

 

I can't imagine the cruise line would be too thrilled if i cancel my booking and then re-book a similar cabin or even a different category of cabin with a TA, if that's even allowed.

I have used AARP HAL gift cards for two different cruises.  Two different TA's have accepted them in payment for the cruises and for payment for cruise deposits.

With Princess, it is possible to book a cruise onboard and then transfer the booking to your TA.  Perhaps you could transfer your HAL  booking to your TA.  It wouldn't hurt to ask, although it might be a bit confusing.. 

When "choose a room" comes up blank on hollandamerica.com, does it mean that the category is sold out or is it a glitch on the website?  I have tried searching cruises with two different browsers for the past few days and on all my searches except one I got through "Choose Your Stateroom Type", "Choose a ship section", and "Choose a deck".  But when I got to "Choose a room", there is no deck plan and no room choices.   

1 hour ago, Blackduck59 said:

So plan accordingly. 

Right.😟  I suppose that I could "plan" to lug along (and pay the airline for) another suitcase to hold five more days of clothing, while my main suitcase is relegated to carrying dirty clothes home. 

42 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said:

Yes, generally 2 days, so if you disembark on Sat, example, last day to send out laundry would be Thurs. Your cabin steward will usually alert you.

Also, you can send clothes out first day so if you have land stay prior you can send out the dirties straight away.

Nope.  We have a land stay after.