RuthC

Your cabin steward will bring ice twice a day as a routine when the cabin is serviced. Plus, you can always call room service, or ask your steward if you see him around, to bring some. Or, you can place a standing order for ice at a particular time. If I learned nothing else from my husband, I learned 'lotta ice'.

Not necessarily. On an eastbound trans-Pac we were sailing well north. Most of the time changes were done at 2:00 PM, but there was at least one day when we had to do two time changes on the same day, as the time zones were so narrow that far north. The second one was done at 2:00 AM. Generally, west-bound trans-ocean voyages, if remaining fairly close to latitudinal lines, will have clock changes in the nighttime. In recent years, east-bound have been in the daytime. I do remember a time when I was heading east, and we moved the clocks 8 hours forward, an hour at a time, at night. It was EXHAUSTING! I'm glad the east-bound has been changed to afternoon clock changes so often.

Are you booked under an Interline rate? I KNOW those don't qualify for shareholder credit.

Then head up to Explorations Café for a small snack to hold you over. This is also a good time to have a stash of popcorn on hand in your cabin for just such an emergency.

Good tap water is available practically everywhere on the ship. If it's good enough to make ice from, then it's good enough to drink. You can get it at any bar, the Lido 24/7, the sink in your cabin. And of course, in restaurants.

You don't have to be consciously paying attention to music to derive pleasure from it. Good music, not blaring out at you, can feed your soul directly. At work, a very long time ago, we had a low volume music system playing softly in the morning. In the afternoon the music was changed to a hard rock. I noticed a major difference in how people were with each other in the two different times of day. In the morning, they were quieter, and actually behaved nicer to each other. In the afternoons, much more agitated.

Ah, but sitting and chatting with friends, while having a drink doesn't mean you aren't also listening to the music at the same time. It is still background music, but you hear it. At least I do. My ears will pick up on what is being played, and if something is especially well done, I will hear it. It worked in the Ocean Bar on every HAL ship for dozens of years, and there's no reason it can't work again. The canned, piped-in music choices are awful. I can hardly find a decent place to sit inside the ship during the day due to that awful overhead music.

I'll keep the HAL inside cabins I usually book, thank you. Much more enticing. Lots more storage, and (except for Pinnacle Class ships), more room to sit down.

Even if you do complete the form for embarkation, you will still have to follow the same process, since no one is awaiting your arrival. If you are traveling with someone who is able-bodied, have them seat you someplace comfortable, while they go looking for someone who looks like they are in charge. Doesn't matter if they are really in charge of anything, they just have to look it. They might be holding on to a clipboard, or will likely have a badge. Your 'peep' can ask them, and that person will either direct them, or call on someone for assistance. If you are traveling alone, struggle to that person who looks in charge, and plead for assistance. You might also ask the porter taking your luggage, but that has never been my first choice, as he is grabbing bags and tips. You can ask him where to find help, though, and he will point you in the right direction.

This will vary based on embarkation port, especially when outside the US. The last time I boarded in Vancouver, admittedly several years ago, a steward met me at the bus, under the terminal area. He attended to me all the way through check-in, the various passport and security checks, and onto the ship. IIRC, he brought me all the way to my cabin. I don't know if the procedure is still the same in Vancouver.

Not on my last two trips down there; the first time there was a possibility of setting foot on the continent. That was a long time ago. The first time had the flight mentioned by whogo, but on my cruise the flight had to go elsewhere, as weather prevented a landing (IIRC it was weather related). The price was around $3000 for the excursion, plus there was a long list of things you had to bring with you; they would have filled another suitcase by themselves, and would have cost a great deal. By the time I took the next two cruises there, that shore excursion was no longer offered. On a drive-by you do get close enough for some very good views, and can smell the penguins strongly.

What about it? Are you asking a question about fixed dining? Open seating? The Lido? Any of the specialty restaurants? All are part of 'As You Wish'. You need to be more specific what sort of info you are looking for.

Does you passenger with mobility difficulties have wheelchair assistance requested for boarding? Makes a world of difference, if they do. I highly recommend it.

When you board, your dining assignments will be on your cabin cards. Just confirm with the parents you all have the same dinner assignments. If so, no problem (you probably do, since you are confirmed for early, table for 4; parents are likely the other 2). If not, then follow the above advice.

It needs to be in carry-on. You can expect to be referred to a special desk at check-in where you will pay the corkage fee, and your bottle will be stamped. If you have your bottle in checked-luggage you will bypass the corkage system, and your luggage will be pulled as suspect. Might as well cut to the chase in the first place.

Definitely after the 90s. I don't remember when those tags were issued, but I do know it was after my husband died, and that was late 1999. I still have mine, too. They are too pretty to let get snapped in two, which is what would happen if placed on checked luggage.

Absolutely normal. I was once in a balcony cabin that seemed to have a lot of rust. One day the crew came through and cleaned it all up nicely. Before a week was out, you would have thought it hadn't been painted in ages. All that salt water does a number on a ship.

All of this is so sad. I loved that banyan tree, and the entire village area in Lahaina. Spent many a good day as a tourist there.

Non-stop means you are on a flight that takes off once, and lands when you are at your final destination. Direct flights have the same flight number throughout, although there may be one or more stops. There may even be a change of planes (like from a smaller to a larger plane), so long as the flight number remains the same. The two words are not interchangeable, because they do not mean the same thing.

Sadly, when I was on the Nieuw Statendam there wasn't much. The classical group from Lincoln Center is gone. Rolling Stone and BB King were far too loud, and Billboard Onboard is a crap shoot. All of these groups play sets and take frequent breaks. There is no Piano Bar, or anything close to it in atmosphere. The Ocean Bar did have a combo that wasn't bad.

I've never had a Signature Beverage Card, or HIA, but usually purchase a drink card. I take longer cruises, so paying for a drink each time creates a long final bill that goes on for two many pages to reconcile easily. Purchasing a drink card (or two) creates only one or two charges, which are easy to reconcile. They do, however, establish a balance due at the end of the cruise, unless I have sufficient OBC (HA! that'll be the day!)

The Premium Internet package is less expensive when purchased pre-cruise than if it is purchased on board. It is the only package available for purchase pre-cruise. Either way is more expensive than the surf package, so unless you need to stream, you can wait until after you are on the ship.

As a couple of others have said, your stated 11:00 AM is a check-in time; not a boarding time. Boarding usually begins at 11:30, which is when the stewards have finished lunch, and wheelchair pushers become available. Cabins usually are ready then, too. That's ALL cabins! Even those of us in the cheap seats can go and unpack our carry-ons! There is plenty to keep me occupied before I can even get up to the Lido for lunch, but for anyone who wants to swim, the restrooms near the pool would suffice, but please don't tie them up too long, as they are usually 1-holers. There are showers near the pool to rinse off before getting in/out. You could also try to use the dressing rooms in the spa area.

It works fine. Just leave something to mark your seat, then head off and get your meal. I've been sailing solo for over 20 years, and rarely have trouble finding a seat. Especially a solo doesn't need an entire table; one seat per 'seat' at a time is sufficient.

That picture is of the old radio stations, plus the announcements from the bridge. I remember it well from the S- and R-class ships, but don't recall it on the later classes of HAL ships. Now that even the radio stations are incorporated into the TV programming I doubt the old radios are even available. I certainly didn't have one like that on the Nieuw Statendam.