RuthC

Generally, HAL says it will be returned in two days. I leave mine when I head to dinner, and it is usually back the next afternoon.

On my first trip to the Shetlands I innocently said something to a grizzled Shetlander about it being my first trip to Scotland. He quite firmly scolded me 'Madam, you are NOT in Scotland! You are in the Shetland Islands'. I learned a LOT right then and there.

It sounds like a back-to-back, or Collector's cruise. It's a lovely itinerary. I have been to all but one of those ports many times. There's a nice combination of larger cities and smaller towns. The scenic rides are worth getting up for, and worth staying out to watch the rides back out.

Travel agents (and others in related businesses) may travel on a special fare, which is very, very low. Those passengers have been known to be bumped. In all the years I have been active on CC, I have never read of any other passengers being bumped without at least being offered another cruise and, usually, some other compensation. Refusals to move to another cruise have been accepted by HAL.

This could be interpreted to mean that the departure dates with this promo could be changed, instead. It may (or may not) mean the booked passengers sailing dates are changed. Perhaps some offered dates with a given promo will be rescinded, while others will be added.

Thank you for the link. I have the night off from any other tasks, so can spend some time on their page. I already read Pete's blog, along with a few others. Some come in via email, as I subscribe, but with a couple of others I have to go looking.

That sounds right to me. For a few minutes I just couldn't picture the deck plans on the Vista and Signature ships correctly. Your reputation is intact. Whew!

Only on the three (Pinnacle class) ships that have a dedicated Club Orange Dining Room. The two R-class ships still have the Wajang Theater, where the classes are held. I don't know where the classes are held on the other classes of ships; I don't go to the classes.

HAL and America's Test Kitchen severed their relationship a little while back. As far as I know, HAL is back to doing their own cooking presentations, using their staff.

I can find you on FB, but can't do anything more, other than send a friend request or Messenger you. Your identity is not case sensitive, as I found it both ways, also with and without the space between your first names and last name. I suspect you have your privacy settings so tight that no one who isn't already a friend can get into anything (good job, btw.)

Did you read the reply in post #3?

Since my friend makes the arrangements, I really don't know who she contacts to do it. She may (or may not) have her travel agent do the legwork for her; I really don't know. She's not around right now for me to ask her, either.

My deepest sympathies on the loss of your husband. I, too, know what it feels like to have loved cruising, and now have to go alone. It's scary. I will say flat out that the first cruise alone was very tough, but will also say that every cruise after that got easier and easier, until it became second nature. I agree with so many others who have posted that fixed seating, at a table for six, is best; ask for a round table. You get to know a few people well, much better than open seating, and come to look forward to dinner time. It's nice to have the same people with whom to share the details of the day. It will be incumbent on you to get out and mix & mingle. If you go to a lounge, don't sit all alone at a table, but rather hop up on a barstool and chat with people next to you. Go to activities you enjoy, ask to join a team, find an open seat at a show or lecture and start chatting with the person next to you. Having a cabin to yourself will give you a place to escape to when you need some down time; you will need to get away once in a while. Expect it. After a while, things will get better and easier. You will learn to be alone, and to travel alone! Since my husband died I have more than 700 additional HAL days, and I have to say most of them have been a joy. Chin up.

If you don't have a laptop, tablet, or other connecting device with you on the cruise, the ship provides an Internet Center with a few full computers for passenger use. There is no charge to use the computers, nor to use the Navigator function. There is a charge (the same as those using other devices) to access the Internet.

Someone I frequently travel with has done this for our small party of 5-6 several times. We have been fixed seating for late (main) dining, and she has selected specific tables that meet our needs/wants, and put in the request about 2 weeks before sailing. If you wait too long to make the request, especially waiting until you board, the table you want may already be assigned. If done too soon, such as when you book the cruise, the request can get lost in the shuffle. Table assignments for an upcoming cruise are made about 1-2 weeks before the cruise starts. Make the request for a specific table right before that, giving first, second, and third choice table numbers.

On the Vista and Signature class ships I have only stayed on Main Deck (deck 1), in an inside cabin, forward of the mid-sip elevator, usually starboard side. I will say the inside cabins on that deck are large, with space to spare. They even hold a mobility scooter comfortably, with plenty of walking space. Storage space is fine. The J-category cabins closer to mid-ship, on starboard, are quiet, as are the identical K-category cabins aft of the aft elevator bank. I have stayed in many (most?) of the J-cabins from the restroom area to about half-way up that passageway. There are some J-cabins on port side, toward mid-ship, that are directly under the former Queens Lounge (I think it's called the Rolling Stone Rock Room now, but could still be labeled BB king's) bandstand. Unless you are out until closing time anyway, you will hear the bass reverberate from above. I also had a J-cabin under the casino, on port side, once. I found it quiet. Hope this helps.

While I found it difficult to read. Which is why I asked he follow the CC procedure and you didn't need to. After all, if you don't ask, you don't get!

Since the Star Mariner program does give pins, the Medallion program discontinued them. 😒 The 700-day pin is the only one I am missing. 😒😒😒

Remember, medallions are based on 'heads in beds' days, and do not include bonus days for suites or spending. I don't remember if the count in the history gives both, just the 'heads' days, or separate totals.

If you are looking for five chairs together, that is going to be tough. If you are looking for just one or two chairs, then that will be a lot easier. At every doorway, the first two chairs on each side should be open to anyone; the cabins each side of the doorway are not lanai. There will be a string of chairs in front of the other non-lanai cabins, although they may have some obstructed views. At the forward elevator area, by the atrium, there should be some offices on each side. The loungers there should also be open to anyone. I travel as a solo, and never had a problem finding an available lounger on any ship with lanai cabins.

You say you don't care for water at room temperature. I don't blame you for that! Wasn't there an ice bucket in your cabin? On the R-class, and old S-class ships, I always got ice twice a day. As a matter of fact, I always get ice twice a day on ships that have a fridge in my cabin. The morning ice definitely lasts until I leave for cocktail time, and the evening ice lasts well enough until morning meds.

@RICHARD@SEA, If you are going to quote a post, it would be much easier to read exactly what the quote is if you use the quote function, and not just copy and paste. Thank you for your consideration.

My favorite cabin on the R-class ships. I've stayed in all of them, many times, over the years. Enjoy! And Have a great cruise.

Yes, absolutely transfers to the disembarkation airport can be purchased on board. I have done it many, many times. If you have any unused OBC, that will work to pay for the transfer, too. As a solo, there are only two airports I have found where it costs less to use a taxi.

The outside cabins on Lower Promenade on Volendam are smaller than the insides across the passageway, which are smaller than the outsides on the lower decks. The lanai cabins can feel even smaller. The lanai cabins have the beds set against the wall to the next cabin, and are next to the bathroom. They leave very little space to get by, to get to the couch and 'desk' area. I put 'desk' in quotes as it is not like the desks in the insides or outsides on the lower decks. Those cabins have a decent size desk area, and three drawers underneath; the lanai cabins don't have nearly as much space for storage. I have not been in the accessible cabins on that ship, but I have been in one on a Pinnacle class. That cabin was a LOT larger than a non-accessible one. If I had the choice on the Volendam, and couldn't get an outside on a lower deck, I would take the accessible cabin on Lower Promenade. I also agree with Roy that a non-accessible, non-lanai on Lower Promenade would be better than the lanai cabin.