vicd1969

Very NOT boring blog. Too bad about your knee condition - acupuncture may have helped but can't vouch for the quality of the acupuncturist on the ship. May have been worth a try given your excess OBC, however. Good notes on the embarkation process and glad you were able to enjoy your cruise despite the knee issues.

Seward is a port - so has some nice sea-based excursion possibilities (Whale watching, Fjord cruise, fishing, etc.) but also has nearby mountains and glaciers to explore. Alyeska is inland and offers more of a ski-resort vibe. But Alyeska is about halfway between Whittier and Anchorage so more convenient for getting from the airport. If you are the outdoorsy type, I would recommend Seward.

WhatsApp works well for messaging both offboard iPhone and Android users

Late to the game compared to most of you - Zaandam September 2010 - Alaska leaving from Seattle

Woodwind tours in Bonaire is one of the best catamaran snorkeling providers in the Caribbean.

Wake up early and get out on the promenade - scenery is amazing in the morning light and you have an excellent chance to see whales

I will be sailing on the Nieuw Amsterdam August 13 7 day Glacier Discovery Northbound. Thank you Jacqui!

Last year on the Rotterdam, i originally booked with my 13 year old nephew and had Have it All. My sister (his mom) later booked as the third person in our cabin and didn’t need to get Have it All. Can’t guarantee that rules have remained however.

It's always been 10 PM whenever I've used it over the past 8 years. You can stay in the spa longer, but the spa attendant who has your cabin keycard will be gone after 10 PM. The Nieuw Statendam thermal suite is very nice, I would book it for some quality get-away "me" time. Especially given that you're doing the British Isles cruise where outside weather may not be pleasant enough to hang out in the balcony or retreat cabanas.

That stinks, that you won't have a chance to see the famous Kodiak bears. Appreciate your almost live trip reports, however.

Of course Princess will have better onboard evening entertainment. Also, a more comparable Dining experience would be to have back-to-back 14 day cruises on Princess. Pretty sure MDR menu would start to look the same as well. While 31 days in the Caribbean may not showcase the advantages of HAL of better itineraries, there probably are fewer repeats of ports than a Princess 28- day booking. In any case, it is good to have options and select a cruise line on what preferences and priorities you have. 31 days at sea on any mainstream cruise ship is better than 31 days of the office.

They are sister ships so will be very similar in terms of physical space. Food will depend on the chef, I guess, but the dining options will be the same. I'd say go for it since the itinerary works for you.

Fantastic review and your postings are always appreciated by me. Glad you had another positive experience on HAL. It does make me regret a bit however that i am booked for Alaska on the Nieuw Amsterdam instead of the Koningsdam in terms of the internet service.

I came off a HAL cruise on the Nieuw Statendam that was right before the Thanksgiving one. The line to the check-in for the incoming Thanksgiving passengers stretched to way outside the Port Everglades cruise terminal. I would strongly advise against taking a US Thanksgiving cruise on a Pinnacle class ship if you don't plan on celebrating onboard with family.

For those of you who've had Club Orange on non-pinnacle ships, do you get the CO breakfast menu in the MDR with the free mimosas and fresh orange juice?

A newer HAL ship like the Koningsdam would fit your likes to a T. Rolling Stone Rock room with lots of 80s and 90s covers, and pizza and wings available until 11 pm. Also more accessible outside viewing areas and as mentioned, generally better dock locations, esp. in Juneau and Ketchikan.

The lido has grilled steak whenever steak is on the mdr menu. I don’t know if they grill each night however. That is disappointing about the Celebrity cutback. The fresh grill station was my favorite buffet location when I sailed Celebrity.

Yes, exactly.

Are they paid by direct deposit every 2 weeks or a check at the end of their contract?

I vote for Volendam, but it took me longer to think about it than I expected. + for Volendam: Glacier Bay - the best Alaska scenery experience that lasts almost a full day Full promenade Deck 6 viewing area in the front above the bow viewing area and just below the bridge Heated spa chairs + for Brilliance of the Seas Haines and Sitka - More authentic towns, and more chance to do boat excursions for whales and other marine mammals Bigger spa More shipboard activities Less likely to feel the boat motion, though both go through the inside passage so may not matter much At the best weather, the Volendam wins out. If your cruise is mostly under bad weather, the Brilliance of Seas would offer less buyers remorse. Alaska weather is a crapshoot, so can't help you there. But bad weather or good, you'll want to return to Alaska after your cruise, for different reasons!

This is a great idea - Indonesian and Filipino crew usually send money home in the form of dollars, but having euros at the start of their European contract helps them with spending money when they're able to go on shore. Actually this may be leading to another question - what payroll payment methods are available for the non-officer crew?

I found the MDR was too slow at times on the NS due to not enough waitstaff serving a full ship. But on the Rotterdam in Norway, I had Club Orange and it was one of my best dining experiences on a HAL ship. Getting off the ship at a port stop can be very crowded as well, if you are trying to be among the first to leave. However, i really liked the thermal spa on the Pinnacle class. Unfortunately if you are going to pay for a Vanilla cruise fare with no club orange, specialty dining, and no spa pass, the older Vista/Signature class ships probably will provide a better experience, if itinerary is equivalent.

It probably is ship-specific, but more because you were on a Vista-class ship with a lower passenger to crew ratio than that on the Pinnacle class ships where other posters have noted a lack of staff.

I'm seeing a lot of full ships on reports about Pinnacle class ships. HAL must be doing something right. I'd venture that HAL may have enough pricing power to raise rates a bit on those ships. Hopefully if they do, they will also reverse some of the cutbacks.

Given the $15 surcharge for an extra entree can this loophole move work?: order normal entree like a NY strip for example. Then take a bite and tell waiter that you realize a lobster tail would go great with this delicious steak. Would you only have to pay the $15 supplement or does HAL stack the surcharges and charge you $30? Since you ordered the steak first would they consider the lobster tail the “additional” entree?