oakridger

@abbydancer2003 I highly recommend the wheelchair assistance at airports. I needed them last year while recovering from knee surgery and it sure worked well! Leaving SFO and going through Amsterdam Schiphol the assistance staff were absolutely wonderful. It is a service I was at first hesitant to use ("that's for OLD people"!!) but I got real with myself and made the travel so much more enjoyable. They take good care of you going through security (I have TSA precheck). Have a wonderful time in Amsterdam and on the cruise. Thanks for doing a trip report when you have time to post! ~Nancy

Sorry, I'm not familiar with the credit card terms and conditions. You can use your OBC for lots of things! Crew Appreciation (gratuities) charges Drinks/Wine packages Specialty Restaurants Shore Excursions Spa Shop Purchases Flowers for your cabin WiFi purchase and probably other stuff I forgot! ~Nancy

No. OBC can only be used once you board. Have a great time! ~Nancy

Ehh... as an English-speaking person, I'm calling one of my favorite ships "New" Amsterdam and leaving it at that! Now let's talk about the port of IJmuiden in the Netherlands!! 😉 (Per @Copper10-8 it's pronounced "Eye my den". Right?) ~Nancy

I'm not familiar with WordPress but is it a site I could easily access on ship's internet while I am traveling? ~Nancy

I agree! This brunch menu has an elevated selection from a year or two ago! Please continue what I see as an improved HAL menu in all venues! ~Nancy

@RHH511 I don't have direct experience doing so, but suggest you try calling the Havila office in Norway and book on the phone. Please let us know if you are able to do that and pay in NOK! I loved my Havila voyage from Bergen round trip in June 2024! ~Nancy

@Janebott Keep checking back on the website over time since HAL usually adds more excursions. ~Nancy

Halfacts.com and Cruisedeckplans.com both have pictures of Rotterdam VD category cabins. Have a great cruise! ~Nancy

Late checkout would be a big plus for me! I now wait until around 1:30 to board any ship. ~Nancy

USA Dollars! Have a great trip. ~Nancy

Yes, all rooms can get their luggage picked up and taken to the cruise ship drop off free of charge. People do give the bell person a tip for their service. The breakfast is what you paid extra for in the "cruise package". Have a wonderful time! ~Nancy

Too bad I didn't know who you were since we were onboard together! I've seen lots of your posts over the last couple of years. Maybe next time! 🙂 ~Nancy

The cotton candy dessert on OC comes to mind for me!

When I was on the Star Breeze in May the Norwegian Sun was with us in a few of the ports. She carries about 1900 passengers max so fortunately not a super huge ship (relatively speaking) these days. I didn't go off in port when we were with her so can't comment on how crowded, or not, it was. ~Nancy

Sounds like a really good reason to book it!! 😉 Have a great time on both trips! ~Nancy

Hello @WorldTourPrincess. I got back a week ago and the taxis were not an issue at all! No indication of reluctance to take me and the drivers were pleasant. I sure don't know what happened to my friend but happily it was fine for me. Also, I only ate at one restaurant solo (at the Hilton Papeete) and service was very good. I have heard from a couple other solos here on CC about a restaurant not accepting a single diner reservation, but I didn't try that except at the Hilton. I think you will be treated well after all! Have a great time! ~Nancy P.S.- Windstar Star Breeze was just great!!

Having everything included in the fare is perfect for me...Except excursions!! I prefer to plan my own days ashore with excursions, or not. That's a big draw of Crystal for me! ~Nancy

@mcmomny I'm finally getting back to this since I've been home for a week already! I didn't make it back to the Basil and Bamboo restaurant because I was just plain full of food and ate very little and plainly (is that a word?) the rest of the cruise! 🤷‍♀️ What I will say after one dinner at B&B is that what I had was "fine" but really didn't entice me back. My favorite was the Burrata salad...yum! I also had just the chicken satay skewer because I thought having all three types would be too much to eat. Also, the miso soup was pretty standard but with mushrooms in it. As mentioned, the sushi plate was very popular with other tables around me, but I didn't have it. My entree was the miso cod which I enjoyed but I would order the chicken next time to try it. I think they have a good start on an alternative restaurant but there needs to be at least a few more choices to round out the menu. What I would say to everyone is to go ahead and try it! It's a nice change from eating in the larger Amphora or the Star Grill. I had a wonderful time on the Star Breeze and have recommended it to all my friends and family and anyone who is interested in seeing French Polynesia! If you can, take at least the 10-11 day Tahiti and Tuamotu Islands itinerary (add more time and days for "Twice the Tahiti" or other longer voyages). The itineraries with sea days will have added activities and I especially enjoyed the added history and cultural presentations on many afternoons in the Lounge. ~Nancy

Wow Rich. Those are the sunniest pictures I have ever seen of Ketchikan! 🌞 ~Nancy

Yes, the Sydney to Seattle cruise is a "Legendary Voyage". I'm going to be onboard! 🙂 If you like a warm cruise, then choose this one. The last few days between Hawaii and Seattle will probably be cool weather though. ~Nancy

@BC-er This thread is in the general Holland America Line forum. You need to start your Roll Call on the HAL Roll Call Forum located at this link: Zaandam Cruise Roll Calls - Cruise Critic Message Board Forums Have a great trip to Alaska! ~Nancy

I'm not Rich, but I use Cruisemapper: MS WESTERDAM Current Location This looks like a great cruise! If I ever go back to Alaska on a cruise, I would like to go on this one! Have a wonderful time! ~Nancy

Having the 10-11 Tuamotu segment was a plus for me. Besides the obvious benefit of the extra days and islands there were also three excellent culture and history speakers that gave several talks in the lounge in the afternoons. I really enjoyed them! (Hello Miriama Bono!) On the seven-day segment there weren't any sea days and no speakers. My recommendation is if you can swing it book the Twice the Tahiti but if you only can have one cruise the 10-11 day has so much added to make it even more enjoyable and interesting than the 7-day cruise. ~Nancy

Just an added note about the new cruise terminal in Papeete....I boarded the Windstar Star Breeze there on May 1st and they did have a public address system. I noticed because they made a couple of announcements about starting a few minutes late due to an IT glitch. Although it is open air the large ceiling fans did a pretty good job of keeping us pretty comfortable and there were restrooms right there by the seating area. It was still a bit of a hot walk over to board the ship, and I sure wish there was a ramp instead of stairs down to the dock! I had a rolling carry-on bag, and it was cumbersome to carry it down (and up when disembarking). It's a nice improvement though from waiting on the dock in rain and heat. ~Nancy