traveltripper

Hey all - we decided to table this trip until the fall. It's just too difficult with very little choices given the event happening during our dates. I'm not wanting to fight crowds. We are now looking at the other side of Canada - Seattle/Vancouver/Alaska for a trip. 

3 hours ago, daisy-mae said:

Bad timing. It's Montreal Grand Prix weekend.

*sigh* We might have to go elsewhere. The only other option during our timeframe is to cruise from Boston, then head straight home from Montreal. I was hoping to sightsee, but if we go that route we will fly home the day the cruise ends. Our 19th anniversary is 6/21. 

3 hours ago, StLouisCruisers said:

 

I wondered what would be causing everything to be sold out.  I checked the hotel we used Le Square Phillips, and it's sold out too.  They may have to stay further out.

I can't find anything! Except the DoubleTree in the Quartier des Spectacles. Where's that?

1 hour ago, rkacruiser said:

 

May be expensive, but I recommend the Queen Elizabeth.  It's well located and is connected to the subway system that makes it very nice to use when the weather outside is not pleasant for walking from here to there.  

Sold out.  See above. 

6 minutes ago, Navybikermom said:

I’m staying at the LeCentre Sheraton. I think it’s around $250. I believe my TA booked it through HAL this time, along with my flights. I’m flying a non-stop Air Canada (United codeshare) from Nashville. 

Also, your hotel and nearly every other one in the vicinity is completely sold out for my dates. June 16-18.

1 minute ago, Navybikermom said:

I’m staying at the LeCentre Sheraton. I think it’s around $250. I believe my TA booked it through HAL this time, along with my flights. I’m flying a non-stop Air Canada (United codeshare) from Nashville. 

Yeah, I'm looking around still. I am using Chase Reward points. I have found some decent flights but we are coming from Denver - limited nonstop, most of them have us arriving at midnight or traveling via redeye. I'm yet to find a decent TA in the years past. I've pretty much given up.

Hey thanks everyone - side note, frustrating finding a hotel in Montreal that isn't 8,000 per night. Is that for real?? I don't recall having such a hard time finding a place to stay, or flights. 

Really? Which deck are you on - promenade? I'm confused, I've seen it mentioned several times that lanai cabins are not an option on the Zaandam. If you do indeed have a lanai cabin on that ship, could you please confirm? I would very much appreciate it.

2 hours ago, J&Dhighdesert said:

I’m on this ship in July and I have a lanai cabin.  The lower promenade deck has always been a favorite of ours.

Really? Which deck are you on - promenade?

Hi everyone, thanks so much for the responses. I've been reading threads and am now overwhelmed with all the covid stuff. I've basically been home the past 3 yrs. Is it hard to get the covid test before, and on the way home? Is it easier to start a cruise in USA or Canada?  Do you wear a mask everywhere on the ship? Is it safe???  Buffets?? agh! Is there a quick FAQ somewhere so I can easily get up to speed? Trying not to let covid ruin all the fun I used to have planning a vacay...

25 minutes ago, AryMay said:

 

Here is the notice we received just prior to our cruise on the Zaandam:

 

This is to advise guests who've booked Ocean-view staterooms on board Zaandam
that during the April 2018 dry dock, the bathrooms in the below staterooms will
be updated to a shower-only configuration:
Lower Promenade Deck: D3331 - D3370
Main Deck: C2564 - C2647

 

Here is a link to some photos I took of our cabin so you can see what the bathroom looks like.: Zaandam Cabin #3339

 

The windows in these cabins on the promenade deck are designed so that you can see out, but no one can see in (although I would keep the curtains pulled at night when the lights are on.) It was actually fun to "people watch" out the window without anyone knowing you were looking! The outside coating on the windows makes them sort of mirror-like and it was hilarious to see people stopping to check their reflections or fix their hair and having no clue that we were just on the other side of the window watching them!

Yes!!! This is pure gold, thank you!!!!!!!

14 minutes ago, Mabs said:

First ship we ever sailed on and we have always liked it. Have over 700 days sailing a much prefer the smaller ships. We think you would like it and we like that voyage.

Thanks Mabs! Now we just need to find the right room, best flights, and decide if we want to start or stop in Boston/Montreal. We can only afford one day prior to the cruise.

2 hours ago, Heartgrove said:

You may care to try a Lanai stateroom which will give you direct access to the Promenade Deck.

As someone else said, I'm not sure they have Lanai staterooms on this ship.

2 hours ago, janmcn said:

A Vista Suite is not much more than your standard Verandah on larger ships. I call it a 9-drawer desk cabin vs 3-drawer desk (plain Verandah on larger ships). Only you can determine whether a Verandah is worth it. The ocean view cabins are an easy run up to the Promenade deck to be outside. It’s a port-intensive cruise so that always impacts my choice of cabins.

Yeah, good point about the port-intensive itinerary. This isn't a larger ship, but we just love being able to watch the water flow by.

1 hour ago, OlsSalt said:

With the smaller ships like the Zaandam, you are close to open deck public spaces than on the larger ones. Plus there are lower aft decks for some outdoor seating off the lower decks where the ocean view cabins are located.  

 

I think you will do fine, plus some of the lower deck ocean view cabins are quire large.

 

We did 51 days in an ocean view on her sister ship the Rotterdam and really enjoyed being more "forced" to be out and about in the public areas. They still have the great library spaces so they have options besides being confined to your cabin without an outdoor space.  Weather in this part of the world may not make the verandah as usable as other areas anyway.

 

PS: I love verandahs ,just because.  But when it comes to making a choice between cruising or not, my  preferences will rather quickly change. We love that Canada itinerary -the ports are all wonderful. 

Thank you!!! I don't feel nearly as conflicted now. I just need to find the right room. I love the idea I just responded to of finding a room on deck 3 near the exit. That person had an updated bathroom!

36 minutes ago, AryMay said:

 

Unless something was changed recently, I don't believe the Zaandam has any Lanai cabins.

 

However, the oceanview staterooms on Deck 3 look out onto the Promenade Deck. If you can get a cabin near one of the exit doors (actually none are too far away) then it is just a few steps to get from your cabin out onto the wide wrap-around promenade deck. It is like having a HUGE balcony...as long as you don't mind a little company!

 

The Zaandam had just been refurbished prior to our Panama Canal cruise in 2018 and our cabin (#3339) was one that had the new updated bathrooms. To me this was a much better value than paying such a high price for a Lanai cabin with the door directly out onto the promenade deck.

hey, thanks for that information! I totally want an updated bathroom. I'm am going to take your advice and maybe even look for your room!! How can I figure out which rooms are updated?

1 hour ago, idiebabe said:

We booked Zaandam for Montreal to Boston in early September and booked a Window.  We normally get a Balcony and love the Vista Suite on the Smaller Ships but for a 7 Night Cruise and the difference in Fare this time around we're going for price.  It will be our first Window Room (since our early days of Cruising on Carnival) and decided on our past Canada/NE Cruises we didn't spend much time on the Balcony.

Oh well that's smart - thanks for sharing - we are doing same but was hoping for a Boston start. Happy sailing!!

Hey all, we are wanting to do the HAL Canada trip from Boston, end in Montreal. We want this specific ship since it goes to Montreal, the others don't. Problem is, no standard balconies! Unless we pay another $1000 per person for a suite.

We've cruised a lot before and usually get a balcony. I'm struggling with the idea of just a window. Thoughts?

We are early 50s and haven't had a trip in 3 years!

6 minutes ago, PTC DAWG said:

I guess I am lucky, I was on the phone a total of 5 minutes upgrading the Easy drink package to Premium....

Yes, it is luck. When I booked, I ended up hanging up with 2 different, totally inept agents. I mean, I found myself wondering if they were on drugs. The 3rd was great and booked us no problem.

Ok, that makes me feel better. If it's just a case of bad website and great ship I'm ok. I was talking about this with my husband last night. Here in the States, we are spoiled and accustomed to living in a capitalist society. Our business is highly competitive, and if the website sux, customer service sux, we assume the whole thing sux. I do know, however, this isn't always true. Yesterday I called and an agent picked up right away, and that was in the afternoon. But then I tried in the evening, and after 40 minutes gave up. This morning it was over an hour.

I also chose a different option as I thought I was getting tech support. Usually, I choose the "I have a booking" option. Sometimes planning travel is a pain. Welcome to my luxury problems. :)

Update: Someone finally picked up - waited over an hour. Even though I chose "technical support" option, the agent told me that all options end up in the same place - reservations. He said they are having problems with the website, with no ETA on a fix. He confirmed my booking. He did say sorry for the wait, but that they had a high call volume and that an hour wait is ordinary for them.

I just don't know. I'm worried. If this is how they handle things before I've even left the country...

I can't log in to my booking. I've called, emailed, tweeted, Facebook messengered. Even posted on their pages in FB and Twitter. I've been on hold for an hour trying to get to customer support. I've never dealt with this bad of a company. I've never had this much difficulty planning a vacation. It's literally sucking all the joy out of it. I'm thinking of canceling. 

Someone assure me. Is it that their customer service is atrocious but the cruise itself will be good? We are sailing out of Barcelona in October.

Ah, really good point. I always forget about the T&C. Hope I don't have to rebook. We used a 10% coupon...

Hey! So we did book the Seaview in late October, boarding in Rome. But we are considering switching to the Barcelona embarkation port since flights are much better there. I've tried emailing MSC to no avail (no surprise there). Anyone know if this switch can be easily done? I checked and it seems they have plenty of cabins available. 

Oh and wouldn't you know it, but we ended up with a cabin on the port side, mid ship! Was hoping to see the ports. We are on deck 14, hopefully smokers down below won't bother us.