TrolleyGirl

We did this a few years ago.  The segway was great, especially over the cobblestones.  Much easier than walking.

We have 3 people in our room and have the Have it All promotion which gives guests 1&2 $100 each shore excursion credit.  If person 1 doesn't want to do a shore excursion, can the $100 credit be applied to the room folio and used by guest #3?

I can't speak to the Veendam, but I have enjoyed Lanai rooms on the Maasdam and the Rotterdam.  They are the same size as a regular inside or oceanview room.  So if you are fine with that size room, you will enjoy the lanai even more as their is much more daylight!  There are two deck chairs reserved for your exclusive use.  We did not have anyone try to use our chairs, but your mileage may vary on that one.

My sister just got off the Eurodam this week.  She reports movies were played in the main theater and the the screening room on deck 3 does not exist.

1 hour ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

Have you seen the packets of "raw" sugar? I prefer that to white sugar in my coffee, and I'm wondering if that's another thing I'll have to pack.

I have not.  The brown packets (raw) are my preferred too.

8 minutes ago, Loreto said:

Is Club HAL for parents who don't want to be with their children on a family vacation?

I don't believe so, but I do believe it is a great option for families who have varied interests.  Perhaps mom & dad want to spend some time in the spa or in a mixology class.  Just maybe the little one wants to make new friends in Club Hal.  

One item to note, the app does not have a vibrate mode.  So you will need to check your screen often to look for communications.  Message notifications show up in a little yellow bubble.

1 hour ago, purpleally said:

Is that new math?  They are getting back every penny they paid plus anything they purchased on board is zeroed out.  AND they are getting 100% of what they paid for cancelled cruise towards another cruise. That is a free cruise 

No, please see post 67.  I noted my error.  

1 minute ago, Samanthac25 said:

HAL said yesterday that they are getting both a refund and future cruise credit: 

 

Guests will receive a full refund of cruise fare and taxes paid, hotel package costs, prepaid shore excursions and amenities, and any additional travel fees resulting from rebooking air tickets. They will also receive a 100% Future Cruise Credit equal to the amount of the cruise fare paid.

Thank you for the correction!  I did not see that release.

2 hours ago, purpleally said:

Disappointing but they are going to get a free cruise

Not really,  the price those on the 12/14 NA sailing paid  is being forwarded to a future cruise credit.  They are not getting a refund plus a future credit. 

55 minutes ago, twodjs said:

Sorry, but Holland America does not do hosted tables. But, as others have said, those who are willing to join others at dinner are usually open to friendly conversation.

I have been fortunate to be seated at hosted tables with HAL.  The last time was probably 4 years ago though.  So maybe they no longer have hosted tables?

45 minutes ago, 0bnxshs said:

Last I was on board, the "library" was limited to a few travel and photo books and atlases in the Crows Nest.  You might find the book swap over on the port side of the Crows Nest by the lecture area.

In November, the area the used to be a book swap had signs that the books needed to be returned at the end of the cruise.  I was surprised to see there was no longer a leave a book, take a book shelf.  It makes no sense to me not to have the book swap.  It costs HAL nothing and it sort of makes up for the missing library!

5 hours ago, dot73 said:

A higher charge for a single spa package makes absolutely no sense to me.  I will not be using extra towels, robes, shampoo etc., or take up extra space in the therapy pool or the heated lounges?  The difference in $$$ isn't that much, but for me it's the principle; I am being charged extra by the company that runs the spa. It is really unfair that I am being "penalized" because I'm single.

When I book the spa for a single instead of a couple I never thought I was penalized.  However, I do appreciate when I book as a couple I get a discount because I pay for two.  I guess it's all a matter of perspective.  When I travel alone, I only have one bar bill, one casino bill, one shopping bill, one excursion bill.  So when I travel with DH all those items double or more!! So I like the discount for a second person in the thermal spa.

I think Ruth really gave great advice of trying to find another person to get you to the couple rate!  I've done that in the past too.  You don't have to be in the same cabin or use the spa at the same time either.  It really becomes a win-win.

5 hours ago, dot73 said:

I will be on NA from Dec 7-21 and I've been looking at the spa package for 7 days. I am going solo. The price for a couple is $299 and for one person it is $169.00.

Hmmm, that's interesting.  I just got off the NA on 11/4 and the couples price for 7 days was $219 prebooked and $279 for two onboard.  However, your dates 12/7-12/21 covers a 14 day period.  So $299 seems like a real value (if it covers 14 days) for two or even for one at $169.  $169 was the single price on our 7 day cruise.

I would recommend booking the thermal spa in advance.  The price you pay ahead maybe considerably lower than the rate on board.  If it is less on board than what you prepaid you will be issued a refund.  For our recent NA cruise, I pre-booked our couples thermal package and saved $60.

Recently on the NA, the 7pm team trivia was replaced by team board games that could be considered family friendly.  Scattegories was one such game I remember. 

Call me the odd man out, but I prefer the purples of the E!  

But both ships are FANTASTIC and beautiful.

21 minutes ago, seachef318 said:

It’s not even fiction - it’s a memoir.  I read half of it as the hotel I work in was given a few dozen copies of it for free to give out......6 months ago and I still can’t get rid of them.  

I can understand that!  The reading selection really boggled my mind.  I can see perhaps steering away from controversy, but certainly a more interesting book could have been chosen! 

1 hour ago, woodworker&knitter said:

Sorry to hear but when I book a cruise joining O onboard is the furthest thing from my mind. 
I can read a book at home for free. Just saying 

I'm not sure what you mean read for free at home.  You may not understand how the program works.  The books are free to read, you just pickup a copy at the front desk and it's yours to use the duration of the cruise.  My point in the post was if HAL is going to have a program such as the O reading group, they should at least promote so guests know it exists and how it works.

For those of you that are interested the current onboard reading book is Save Me the Plums authored by Ruth Reichl.  It is quite a deviation from the prior book club selection.  

I think the reading program is poorly promoted onboard.  There is no signage either by the front desk where you pick up your copies of the book, nor is there any promotional signage in the Crows Nest near the "library".  As a result we only had two participants in the reading recap on our recent NA sailing, my sister and myself.

8 minutes ago, forwardho said:

Thank you daisy-Mae for your input. Can you recall if they have dedicated loungers for those rooms that do not have sliding glass doors on that deck?

When I was on the Maasdam last spring in a Lanai, there were loungers available to those who did not have a Lanai.  They were at the end of the Lanai rooms where the oceanview rooms are and also beside the double entrance doors.

16 hours ago, kevingastreich said:

I find the soups on HAL consistently delicious!

I LOVED the cold soups!  I wish they would bring those back.

11 hours ago, macusr said:

The article in Seatrade Cruise News this morning gives a little more detail.  And note it is puppets but not the Muppets - Jim Henson Company sold the rights to the Muppets to Disney back in 2004.

 

https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/news/featured/sky-princess-has-massive-sky-suite-balconies-and-a-few-surprises/

That's the first thought that popped into my head.  The Muppets are owned by Disney.  I'm really surprised Disney gave the rights to use a similar product, the Puppets, on a competing cruise line.  I think it's an exciting addition.

22 minutes ago, Riversedge said:

When we were recently on the Zuiderdam we dined with an officer.  I asked her about tipping and how much the employees actually got from the daily tips.  She explained that the automatic tips is divided by 81 people (on that ship...probably varies by size of ship).  Not only that,  but it is divided between all of the ships belonging to HAL.  They are now doing it that way to make it fair to those working on certain ship itineraries that may have a lot of cruisers onboard who are coming from countries that don’t believe in tipping.

Fascinating!  Thank you for your input.