RuthC

However, there are three prices, and one does not show on the website. You have to contact HAL or your TA to get that price; it's called the Advantage Fare. Have It All and Advantage are both refundable, while the third (lowest, called Best Price) fare is not.

That's not a Piano Bar, though. It's a performance. Totally different atmosphere.

Me, too! I had two fantastic dinners and one fantastic lunch on the Nieuw Statendam in August. Food and service could not have been better. Personally, I think it may have had something to do with who was in charge on that cruise. She was in charge on another cruise on a different ship, and the restaurant ran to perfection there, too.

Semi-serious question: Since I travel solo, yet have to pay as two people, does that mean I get the room of two seats on a lifeboat, should I ever have to board one? Just curious, but since I have paid for two seats, I think it a valid point.

I've never known Holland America to have a coffee card, but they have (or did, last time I looked into it)a beverage card. That's a dollar for dollar card, but convenient. It can be used for all beverages.

In most ports wheelchair passengers are allowed to bring someone on with them to assist. If you are dragging your friend's luggage, even the carry-on(s) embarking, you may be allowed to board together. Ask!

Thank you for the information. It doesn't sound like it would work for me. I would prefer to take a Canal cruise eastbound, as the flight home would be much easier, but there are other routings that might work out.

Agreed. There is nothing that forces you to 'watch' the video, let alone pay attention to it. There is only a requirement that the video play through. I don't even know if you have to be in your cabin while it plays! You could be in the Ocean Bar having a celebratory drink while the TV runs!

That seems like a lot! I didn't know the charge here, and would not have paid it as I have a passport. No one needs Real ID for any reason I know of if they have a valid passport.

How much was the fee? Not every state charges for Real ID. When I renewed a couple of years ago, there was no charge for Real ID so long as I was doing a renewal. People who want to upgrade before their renewal is due have to pay a fee, however.

And for those without their own wheelchair, walker, or cane. What is the protocol for assistance for those passengers from the time they arrive until the time they are boarded?

What is the protocol for disabled passengers who will be needing wheelchair assistance to board?

This is correct. If disembarking in the US, Customs inspection may need to happen for some passengers, so those passengers need to be available before any of the luggage can be transferred to the airport.

When wheelchair assistance is needed for embarkation, all status that might have gained you some priority goes out the window. Your name is taken, and people are boarded based on first come, first served. Boarding for wheelchair passengers cannot start before 11:30 since the 'pushers' are at lunch until then. On some ships there don't seem to be too many wheelchairs or pushers, which slows down the process. The more people who need assistance, the longer it will take.

There are a couple of signals to let the stewards know you are returning to your seat in the Lido. A very old signal is to tip your seat so the back leans against the table. Not all of the newer stewards know this signal. The other signal is to leave your folded napkin across the seat back. I have been known to do both. You could even check with one of the stewards to ask which signal is preferred on that ship.

I've cruised to Norway more times than I can count. In my experience, people on that route tend to dress for dinner.

Correction on the phrasing: It's 'Early' dining or 'Main' (or late) dining. Both are 'fixed'.

For quiet places in public areas, where you can sit and commune with the sea, or read, I would choose the smaller HAL ships---not the Pinnacle class. The Pinnacle class doesn't have any place to sit outside and watch the sea, the inside is very dark in most areas, and the ships don't have much in the way of comfortable seats. Stick with the R-class ships (Volendam and Zaandam) or the Vista ships. Possibly the Signature class, which is very similar to the Vista class, with one additional deck. All those ships have a wide promenade deck, with nice deck chairs for sitting and enjoying the sea. They have some inside areas with comfortable chairs for reading, or chatting with others. Unfortunately, most of the inside areas have music playing all the time, but once in a while it's not so loud as to be disturbing. The Sounds of Silence is hard to find, if that is what you are looking for.

Bon Voyage, Roy. Have a wonderful time.

The Coke machine was on the port side, across from the Lido Bar, near the entrance to the inside dining area when I was aboard in August.

I don't know the Pinnacle Class ships well enough to be sure if there isn't one inside cabin that would be suitable. I do know the other ships well enough to know that there are large, comfortable inside cabins on all of them, so your statement that 'all inside cabins are tight' is not correct. Those are what I have booked for most of my 60+ HAL cruises. On a Pinnacle ship, however, I will only book a balcony or above category. The insides on a Pinnacle class ship don't offer enough room to change your mind. Good luck in your quest.

Not true. There are some very large inside cabins on some HAL ships. The Pinnacle class aren't three of those ships, though. If you want a large, comfortable inside cabin, you just have to know where to look.

Interesting. Thanks for the information. Strange how Internet worked so well on the Nieuw Statendam in August, and has gone so downhill now.

The Crow's Nest on each ship should be about the same size, as the ships are (essentially) the same size. The Nieuw Amsterdam is larger, but that's because there is one additional deck. Otherwise, the public spaces and the cabins are the same. The Nieuw Amsterdam has the Tamarind Restaurant, which the Noordam does not. That's the major difference between the ships. If you are interested in Pan-Asian food, then you might prefer the Nieuw Amsterdam; I believe the Noordam still has a library, if that matters to you. Otherwise, either ship will provide a lovely cruise. Why not just choose by most convenient date of sailing.

I have to wonder if the wired full computers in the Internet Center had the same problem as those with their own devices. When I was on the Nieuw Statendam, at a much more extreme latitude, I didn't have a problem with the internet connection on the ship's computers, for the most part One or two days there were some temporary connection issues of short duration, but that was about it. I would expect a cruise in the Caribbean to be at least as good. The worst time was the last night when so many people were trying to check in for flights. By then we were back to civilization at a more moderate latitude, so it was clearly demand that slowed things to a crawl.