Ibis

Yes, that’s is good news, but it was replaced with which Champagne, please? Hopefully, Seabourn does still offer a Champagne, not just a “sparkling wine” in their included selection. This isn’t necessarily part of our decision to book or not to book but it is interesting information to know when making comparisons. Thanks again!

We are considering our first Seabourn cruise and wondering about what the included wines might be. Also, is the included champagne still Nicky Fooey? Thanks in advance for any information.

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Above, do you mean 10091 instead of 1009? Thanks!

OK Thanks for the further explanation about which rooms are included in Aquamarine. We will be looking for those numbers you mentioned and also asking our TA to verify that the one we choose was formerly PH. Many thanks and smooth sailing!

Thanks so much for your rapid reply and good information! Those numbers are very helpful. So I understand correctly that all Aquamarine are former PH ? And they are not newly renovated? Or are some of Aquamarine old PH and some Aquamarine are newly created? What category is the old Seabreeze now being sold as? Thanks again for those numbers. Hopefully, we will be able to book one tomorrow:-)

After struggling with itineraries; our first choice would have been Lisbon to Southampton in August, we have settled on Serenity in November. The itinerary is underwhelming and not in the least what we would normally choose but it coincides with an anniversary date and Miami/Miami makes an easy journey for us from Fort Lauderdale. Most of all, we just want to be back on one of our favorite ships one more time! So, here’s the question. The last time we were on Serenity in the Fall of 2019 we were in a PH. Not Seabreeze. We were very pleased with that room but could someone please help me identify those rooms now? Are they Aquamarine? We don’t want to make a mistake and end up reserving a Seabreeze on Serenity. Does anyone know room numbers for the current equivalent to the former PH? Would greatly appreciate any help. We have also enjoyed the Veranda category on Serenity as we thought those rooms afforded great storage for that size compared to a regular Veranda categories on other lines. Now, with the news the drawer space is being taken out in the desk area, that category is, unfortunately less appealing. Too bad Crystal is changing something that was really an asset in order to follow a trend. Bottom line, help needed, please in figuring out these deck plans so we can reserve what was PH on Serenity. Thanks in advance!

Roy, So sorry to hear you have been ill. Please take care; hope you regain strength and energy very soon!

We are also booked on Marina April 6 and I am not aware Jacques Pepin is to be on board. Would love to hear more about this. Sounds as though you may have signed up for the regular cooking classes. We were told on Riviera last March Jacques Pepin would likely not be coming back on board again.

We have disembarked early several times on various cruise lines, last year on Oceania. Ask your TA to make the request to Oceania well in advance. Hope it works for you!

We have also stayed in San Giorgio a couple of times. Easy walk to decent restaurants and a good breakfast.

So very disappointed to hear LCS will no longer be part of the Music Walk. It was definitely one of HAL’s best features and will be greatly missed. We were always so impressed and felt the talent was exceptional . This is another negative change on HAL for us. Sadly, we have seen quite a few on our recent Hal cruises, particularly in the past two years.

Yes, during our time on Oosterdam from September 28 to October 22 wine, beer, other drinks were complimentary in the Neptune Lounge in the evening from approximately 5:00 til 8:00. We thought it was a very nice addition to Suite amenities, particularly since so many have disappeared over the past few years. We will be moving from a Vista to a Neptune suite on Volendam on Saturday November 5 and very eager to see if this new perk will be available.

Of course, we did check the deck plan. Apparently we didn’t do a good job of figuring out just how far our room would be from the stage and most of all, we had no idea how unbelievably loud the band and singer would be. And it isn’t just one room. I meet a couple in a room at least four or five rooms away while we were all moving and they said it was as though the band was in their room. So did a gentleman in an inside room on the same hallway. When we first asked customer service they told us no one else complained but when pressured as I told them I had already met others who had already moved they said there were at least four more rooms waiting to be moved.

Transferred from Oosterdam to Volendam on Saturday, October 22. Spent the afternoon unpacking and noticed music that seemed to be coming into the room through the speaker. Called guest services several times with various different and strange explanations given to us each time we called. We were reassured it would stop once we left port. Eventually, guest services said someone would check while we were out. We enjoyed a good first night dinner and we were pleased with our fixed seating table for two. Returned to the room to discover, to our horror the music was now much louder. After several calls again to guest services someone came to the room. The music was from the Ocean Bar and it continued until after 12:30AM. Long story short, the next day, after much conversation with guest services, we spent the day packing, moving and unpacking in a new room instead of enjoying Split, Croatia, one of our favorite ports. We know at least four other rooms complained. We are now in 7045, same category as 6139 but further from Ocean Bar which is a huge relief. Unfortunately, we do hear chairs or something being moved above us that at times sounds remarkably like an airplane taking off just above us 😞 . Apologies for this being brief, but wanted to alert others.. unless you enjoy having the sound effects of a late night band in the room with you, don’t book 6139 or anything close. In the next few days I hope to be able to post a report on both trips, we have had some great ports with beautiful days as well as a severe storm, but at the moment we are both still trying to recover from Saturday night.

Thanks, Roy and you are right about missing the Crystal enrichment!

Crystal sighting!! Just arrived in Trieste aboard Oosterdam and just as we approached the port we were able to briefly spot one of the smoke stacks with seahorses ❣️ So wonderful to be reassured our two favorite ships are not just a figment of our imagination…or a memory… they do still exist! Makes us all the more eager to book for next summer. Boarding Volendam tomorrow to begin our crossing. If only we were boarding… well maybe soon:-)

For passengers arriving by car Fort Lauderdale is much easier than Miami. For those flying in, the close proximity of the airport to Port Everglades is also much easier; not to mention cost of hotels and restaurants in Miami. Hopefully, as has been mentioned, this is not a preview of future plans but a one time situation created by work in the port.

Roy, Thanks so much for that viewpoint; makes sense and hope it holds true! Thank you for your reply. I follow and enjoy your posts here as well as on Crystal. Beautiful sunrise photos. Smooth sailing!

We are scheduled to arrive in Fort Lauderdale the same day, November 19, on a transatlantic on Volendam. We certainly hope our arrival port will not be changed to Miami as well. HAL’s changing the arrival port to Miami is very disappointing as well as inconvenient. For us, one of HAL big pluses is that sailings go in and out of Fort Lauderdale. We will be on Oosterdam in the Mediterranean prior to the transatlantic and certainly glad we decided to go for Volendam for the crossing. Fingers crossed our arrival port remains Fort Lauderdale.

Thanks so much!

And what about the case where we book an excursion before boarding, and before boarding decide we don’t want an excursion for that port at all? Does pushing the Cancel this Excursion button also cancel the charges that I would assume would have already been charged to the credit card? Thank you again to all of you who have responded.

Would a refund for a shore excursion bought before boarding be made to your credit card or on board account if it is canceled after you have boarded? Also what about prebooking dining reservations? Thanks again.

As we normally don’t take many HAL shore excursions, we’re not very savvy about this. So it would be greatly appreciated if anyone could tell us if there are disadvantages to reserving tours on line now before boarding. For example what happens in the case HAL cancels a port or specific tour and we have already paid? Or we want to cancel or change a shore excursion? Obviously, the advantage is knowing you have reserved before a tour might sell out and not have space available. Thanks for any suggestions or information.

Thanks so much, DaveOKC, for those numbers!