TrolleyGirl

Reality check........ Not everyone is lucky enough to live long enough to retire. Cannot take it for granted. Dangererous to assume it is a given

 

Certainly many of us are aware of that. My own grandfather passed away the year he retired. However, simply quitting my job so I can travel more is not a irresponsible option I wish to pursue.

 

There is a difference between waiting to retire and go on vacation and waiting to retire to CHANGE the way I vacation.

Kudos to all for staying on-track and factual!

Let's reverse the idea,,,, would you drive from Orlando to Boston or New York to meet the ship? "

 

We would drive from northern Indiana to meet up with a ship in FLL to save $$$, you bet! We could easily save $800 each time we cruise if we drove to the port. We fly out of a small airport in town, while it is very convenient, it is very expensive with limited flight schedules. However, since we are both working the time away from work has its own cost. Maybe someday when we are retired, we will have more flexibility in our travel time and drive and sail more often. But for the time being, I'll take what I can get!

We would like to rent a vehicle when we disembark the Maasdam in June. We are planning on spending the afternoon in Old Montreal area and then heading up to our hotel by the YUL airport in the evening. We fly out mid morning the next day. I am having trouble figuring out which are the closest car rental agencies to the pier. Right now I have a van on hold at Hertz at 1073 Drummond. Are there closer rental car agencies?

Have you considered renting a car for the day, picking it up at the cruise terminal and dropping it off at Dorval airport? You could store your baggage in the trunk of the vehicle and use the car to explore Montreal. Depending on the number of people in your party, the car rental cost might be worth while.

We are planning on doing exactly as you suggested in June. However, I was not able to locate a car rental facility at the pier through my internet search. Can you tell me what rental agencies are available at the pier and the address used?

Flamed Spanish Coffee! Just 5 days until I can enjoy one( or two at happy hour.)

 

I thought I read on this board a month or so ago, the flaming coffees had been discontinued. I hope for you it is not true.

The person who sold you the package may (or may not!) get a commission, but the gratuity amount still goes to the usual pool no matter where or when you buy the package

 

When I bought the wine tasting classes on the (11/17) Eurodam, the wine steward who sold me the classes specifically said she got to keep the commission on the class fee. I'm not certain of the beverage cards work the same way, but it seems to reason they would.

Are posters only allowed to give supportive responses? Take a look at most threads on cruise critic. It sure doesn't seem to be the rule. The op may have a job, a family, be busy in general. Not everyone can be or wants to be on CC 24/7. Lots of people get driven off cc for various reasons, not just new posters

Unfortunately, you are so right, being supportive on this board is FAR from the rule. There are no rules prohibiting a guest from bringing a musical instrument onboard. My guess was had this OP brought an instrument on and met up with other like minded individuals to play their recorders, they would have played for 45 minutes to an hour a couple of times per week on the sailing. Afterwards they would have enjoyed each others company, and maybe had a friendship connection. So If I were on the Maasadam sailing the recorder player was on and I didn't care to hear their music, I would have moved to another area of the ship. Just like if I don't wish to be in a crowded Crow's Nest I wouldn't go during trivia. If I didn't like classical music, I wouldn't go to Lincoln Center. If I was bothered by smoking, I wouldn't go to the smoking area of the seaview pool. These are big ships and everyone is entitled to enjoy their vacations the way they choose as long as it complies with the ship rules. If what the guest is doing is outside of the rules or is causing a huge disruption it is up to the shipstaff to correct the situation, not the members of HAL CC board.

 

I'd venture to say that none that none of the posters telling the newbie OP not to play their recorder on the ship are even on the May 25th Maasdam sailing that the OP was to be on. So, why such concern?

 

Before I am attacked for not knowing what I am talking about and disturbing the peace and quiet, let me preface that I was on a ship where a guest carried a very large boom box everywhere they went. At first glance I thought "oh my gosh, this is going to be a long cruise". But it wasn't bad. Occasionally the boom box got too loud and the staff would intervene, If I didn't want to hear their type of music, I moved.

 

My final point to the above quoted words is yes, posters leave the boards for any number of reasons. But this one specifically was driven away by the negativity. Their own words not mine.

Thank you for your encouraging words; at this juncture, we have abandoned the idea, as too much misinformed negativity came our way.

How are we to know OP would seek a place to play their music in a location where they would not bother anyone if they don't say so? They have said nothing a bout being considerate of people who don't wan t to hear them practice. Others have said that but OP has not

 

No the OP did not, but the OP also did not say they would be playing by the lido pool, in the atrium or any other public area. Why did so many posters jump all over the OP to be considerate of others? I assumed the OP would be respectful of others. Shouldn't the OP be given the benefit of the doubt first??

 

This was a first time poster looking for guidance, thankfully a few directed the OP to their roll call to have their question answered without the input of opinions. Unfortunately, it seems all the negative opinions have driven the new poster away.

No, the do not have a dedicated coffee card. You can purchase a beverage card and use that for coffee purchases.

June 9, 2018 is Formula 1 race weekend in Montreal. Expect the downtown and hotels to be crowded

 

Thank you for that information. I'm glad I already have our hotel reservation secured.

You might want to consider going the day before your final night or early in the morning of your final day. I often see long lines on the evening of the final night.

We disembark the Maasdam the morning of June 9. My plan was to store our luggage at the pier and the ride the hop on/ hop off trolley to tour old Montreal for the afternoon and then pickup our luggage and head to our hotel up by the airport. To me, it looks like there a stop on the HOHO trolley within walking distance of the pier. Is that correct? And does this sound like a plan that will work?

Interesting - I think I will speak up if I see them letting in less than nice clothing in MDR

 

"Nice" is a subjective word, and can't really be enforced. What is nice to you, may not appear nice to another person. The MDR manager did enforce the rule of no jeans on gala night, and not a subjective decision as to whether the guest looked nice.

Tea confession — I started packing my tea for the cruise, so my husband decided to bring some too. He went to the store and brought back Tazo Zen. It is in my luggage! I had no idea he liked Tazo when I met him — luckily he did not disclose that!

 

That may be a good thing. He won't take your stash.

After living in Florida for some time and was visiting Toronto one winter. I turned on the cold water tap in a restaurant ladies room and yelled "Whoo that's cold!" The other lady looked at me like I was from another planet. lol

 

That is funny. When I'm in Florida I always wondered why the cold side of the tap is room is tepid!

Unfortunately, the Tamarind no longer serves lunch. But they do offer a Bento box on the evening room service menu for a fee ($9 I think??).

:)Count me in as part of the group that packs their own tea. But it is the iced tea that is served onboard that I don’t like. So I bring my own Twinnings Cold Brew green tea with mint. Perfect little individually package teabags that travel everywhere with me.

You could try using Hotwire. I did and got the Yotel in June for less than $150. It's in the Seaport area. It's a unique boutique hotel. Currently rates for a 3.5* boutique hotel on a Friday in May 2018 are less than $225.

We returned on the Eurodam to FLL on Dec. 2 the mobile app was not working. It would not generate the receipt we needed. Also the port agent told us she did not have a scanner to read it anyway. All we did was show our passports and we were on our way home. No forms or app needed.

Neptune Suite pricing on Veendam and Maasdam, the "S" class ships is very high because there are so few Neptuunes on "S"a nd "R" class ships

 

The OP was asking about the Koingsdam. Maybe you missed that part?

And don't forget to have either before or after drinks in the Silk Den

 

Just a FYI, it is no longer called the Silk Den. The "clever" new name is Tamarind Bar.

Actually, It is my impressionn Gala Night applies to the whole ship but for Lido.

 

No?

No, you are not correct. According to Holland's website:

 

Gala Nights evoke the grand traditions of cruising as guests dress to impress for special events on board, including our five-course gourmet dinner in the Dining Room. For gentlemen, collared shirts and slacks are required in all fine dining restaurants.

 

Therefore, if someone chooses to dress in something other than Gala attire they are welcome in all venues other than the MDR. This includes the showroom, casino, movie theater, lido etc.

 

And the guest is welcome to wear jeans, except in the MDR on Gala night.

 

Q: Are jeans allowed?

A: Jeans without holes, tears or embroidery are welcome on most evenings in all restaurants, but on Gala Nights jeans are only allowed in the casual dining restaurants.

 

 

It's gets a bit frustrating on CC when posters impose their wishes of what the rules "should be" as opposed to what they actually are.

The first time I went to the Canelleto (a few years ago) I was surprised when after dinner our waiter presented our table with a beautiful platter of golden spun sugar. However, it just occurred to me on a recent sailing I don’t even remember cotton candy being on the menu. Did I just miss it on the menu or has the sweet treat been discontinued?

looks like this is live now 50$ beverage card and prepaid gratuities. I wonder when places such as big box will show this on bookings.... ends 11/28

 

One of the big online TA's ran that program beginning 11/19.