Loreto

Depending on who you dealt with at Guest Services, you got a different answer. I always bring my TA printout so I know exactly what I am owed....they seemed surprised when I pointed discrepancies out. This time I prebooked and paid for our 2 5*comped meals plus one that is 50% off. I have been told it will be refunded to my credit card at the end of the cruise.

We were on the 2nd Alaska cruise in July 2021 as HAL returned to service. We had booked 2 ss suites on the Nieuw Amsterdam, taking our son and family with all charges going on our credit card. We booked before the pandemic, and every time the cruise was cancelled it was rescheduled with more on board credit. Our on board account became so convoluted that the Guest Services Manager asked to send a copy of my big box ta printout to Seattle to figure it out. In the end we were comped for all our specialty dinners and we left the ship with a zero statement...first time ever. My husband called it "cruise math."

We have been in HH under the dining room on the Zaandam a number of times and found them to be quiet.

We embark the Koningsdam Saturday Nov.5. As 5* Our check in time is 11:30 group A. Our hotel runs shuttle service so that will work out well with Hotel Check Out. In the past we have waited in the hotel lobby. Last Feb. when we arrived at the port there were Star lines with times and already many passengers lined up and waiting. As Neptune Suite passengers we didn't have to wait. This time we are not in a Neptune Suite, so I assume we will be in line. It sounds like boarding will be a little more controlled now.

Hi Jacqui, Best wishes as you embark on your long planned cruise! Your DH will be with you in spirit and proud of you for doing it solo. I hope you got the Verifly and Navigator apps to work to help you. Mine are all working for my cruise next week. Strangely, on the nav app the dress for each night says "Smart Casual!" Your ports are amazing, especially Malaga and Cadiz! Safe travels. Karen

I enjoyed your live from, *MissG* it brought back a lot of memories of the Greek Isles. Oct. 2021 we were on the Avalon Imagery II Rhine Moselle for 13 days…fantastic cruise! Only 24 passengers due to COVID.

We did Verifly for our June Alaska cruise and it paid off! There was no one in the Verifly line and a long line for regular check in. You can download the app for your ipad and I would recommend doing it. You take a selfie ( ours were horrible) do the assessment requirements, download your vaccination card from a picture you take of it...they have to ok it but that didn't take long, that's it. I would love to be in Barcelona instead of the California Coast🙁.

Jacqui, I got the same message as you on the nav app for our Nov5 sailing. I hope it will resolve itself. Verifly is working, the only thing left to add is the health assessment next week. All these "Helps" to make embarkation easy are a waste of time...so frustrating! Karen

As one who uses the pool to actually swim, I would not be happy if a pool float took up a lot of space. Very inconsiderate.

Thanks Lisa! I scrolled through the other day, but your posting was much easier to follow! I am sorry to see that there is no Amazon Explorer🙁! I hope they will add it. The solar eclipse cruise looks good. We were booked for the South America solar eclipse cruise in 2020, which was cancelled. Karen

We did exactly the same thing in Athens with HAL and it was worth the money! We traveled extensively when we lived in Europe in the 70's. For peace of mind it is better to let HAL handle the arrangements in foreign countries these days.

We have done the Amazon Explorer twice, the last being Nov. 2019. The ship had implored passengers NOT to bring candy to give to the children, citing the dental health concerns. Bring lots of dollar bills to give the children for posing and sharing their "pets" lizards, toucans, sloths and alligators! I wish we were going back again....it is an amazing experience.

We bite the bullet and always stay at the Seattle Airport Hilton with HAL when we cruise to Alaska, even though we get no Hilton Honors credit and pay more🙁. The only positive is that HAL handles all the luggage, picking it up in our room and transporting it to the pier on a separate truck. We next see it in our stateroom. We are then transported to the pier, and with boarding times in question, we have been able to board when the bus arrives. For those who say the HAL busses are bad, they are not. I know we could arrange for our own transportation if we booked on our own, but booking with HAL is one less worry. DH said he did not want to haul luggage around anymore.

On our Amazon Explorer cruise on the Volendam in December 2019, we were delighted to learn that they would offer "A Night at the Tamarind" with a paired down menu. It was in the Pinnacle Grill, which was beautifully transformed. Service went smoothly with appetizers, but soon fell apart as the kitchen could not handle the volume of orders and we were there for close to 3 hours as I recall. We had dined in the Pinnacle several times prior to this special dinner (our 50th anniversary cruise in a Neptune Suite) so the female Manager was familiar with us. We waited patiently, but many diners became angry, were rude and walked out, creating a scene. Our meal was delicious and the manager personally apologized for the disastrous event. We were never charged for the meal. I am sure the manager retired to her cabin with an ice pack on her head...we felt badly for her, as she was competent manager. Hopefully the ships without a Tamarind have learned from this and are able to present the event smoothly!

That would be great....I thought the days of boarding in San Diego around 11 AM were over! When we boarded the Koningsdam for Hawaii in February we had a Neptune Suite and didn't have to wait in the boarding time line....which already had a large number of passengers waiting in each line. I showed our passes and were told to go on into the terminal. We are not in a Neptune for our California Coast Cruise in November and hope as a 5* plus we will get a decent boarding time. I was told boarding will start at 1 PM.

We flew Delta One...business from Salt Lake City to AMS last year and it was a very comfortable flight...actualy slept! You get the KLM lounge if you have a layover...enjoy it!

I thought we would try Sel de Mer on our November coastal cruise on the Koningsdam, but will wait til on board to book and get a 5* discount.

So glad to hear you are safe with minor damage, Caribbean Chris! Happy to hear HAL has been easy to work with. Karen

As the Koningsdam left Hawaii last February there was an invitation only Crows nest reception for 5* Mariners. Officers spoke, medals were awarded and President's Club members were introduced (there were quite a few.) Beverages were offered, but no munchies. It was well attended. It was a nice touch. There was nothing on our Alaska Cruise on the Westerdam in June🙁. We stopped going to the embarkation receptions.

We used it for our Alaska cruise from Seattle in June. Walked in to the terminal, and the Verifly check is had no line. We were checked in immediately and on our way to the next stop in the process. Verifly made it easy. There was a line for regular check in. We will use it again when we board the Koningsdam in San Diego Nov. 5.

Hi Ruth! Thank you for the info...I printed it out will take it with me on our Koningsdam California Coast cruise in November. It is what the reservations rep told me when I booked ahead. We did not book "Have it All" this time, and, because the ship looked to be heavily booked, I decided to book ahead. I am sorry that it will appear to be a hassle, but since we are not doing excursions, I will have plenty of time to spend at guest services. We are not in a Neptune this time, and I found in the past that the special" Club Orange" line was a waste of time anyway. You are the best, Ruth! Karen

My experience with HAL hotels in Seattle is that you will have to wait until check in time. They have a place to store your luggage.

Ours too! I wish they would return it R/T Seattle again instead of Vancouver.

I have always asked at the Seattle Airport Hilton since I am Hilton Honors, and the answer is always "no." But I would get points if I had their food venues charged to my room. I would stick with letting HAL book the rooms in Santiago/Buenos Aires, just for peace of mind. We had a pre cruise package booked in Santiago, cancelled due to Covid. You can always ask when you check in. It pained me to pay more and get no points, but the trade off was the convenience. A number of years ago when we booked the downtown Sheraton with HAL we were mysteriously given a Club Level room with lounge access, even though I was just a basic member.

We were on the Westerdam/Alaska Seattle in June and you are correct. There was no place to line people up at that terminal, but they did have a large waiting area. We had verifly and there was no line for that screening. We came on the HAL bus from the airport Hilton and waited in the priority area. I will say the Seattle cruise pier was a mess with 2 ships boarding at the same time. It was more controlled for Hawaii/San Diego because everyone had to take a covid test at the pier, even though we did the required testing 2 days before.