deeko

Wine director on K ??? Not sure.

We are just off a week ago. Beverage Manager is Eileen. Very approachable and helpful.

Various servers in the various Restaurants are noticeable by wearing their "tastevin"

They too are helpful.

deeko

Hello Nefoodies,

Just a couple of points following our recent Fjords cruise on the Koningsdam.

Our Aft verandah was both wide and deep. Bigger than our Haven H4 NCL verandah!!!

We too had been loyal to another cruise line......Platinum NCL and we were very favourably impressed by H A. The MDR was very good.

Not sure if New Amsterdam has Tamarind.....if so do go. We went twice and enjoyed it a lot.

Have a great time.

deeko

Hi all,

Just a quick reply to all who answered my query about embarkation times. They were all really helpful.

Thanks again for your time and thoughts.

Deeko

Hello to all. I will soon be saying hello to HAL for the first time.

On this site there is a lot of chat about where to have lunch on embarkation day. Many suggestions are given and all helpful.

The MDR is mentioned and it seems it is open from approx. 12 noon to 1.30. So far so good.

Now here's the subtlety. HAL send out suggested times for embarkation. Most are well into the afternoon and way beyond 12 noon.

This illogicality is remarkable. On the majority of cruise lines embarkation begins around 11.30 or just a little later. Even for non suite guests.

So are these times a ploy by HAL to save money on lunches (under the guise of being helpful and making all guests more comfortable) or are these times often ignored and guests who turn up at say 11.30, perhaps just off a flight, can board at a time other than HAL say.

At first sight I must say it seems very "dictatorial" to write as they do.

After the website and emails sticking.....first impressions are not fantastic!!

Perhaps others know the truth of these embarkation times??

Thanks

Deeko

Thanks to you both.

Now why didn't I say I was leaving from Amsterdam???

Told this was the place for Dummies!!

Thanks again

Hello all......again!!!

OK so this thread is for Dummies..........

Does anyone know (I bet they do!) what deck we will embark on when embarking the Koningsdam?

Thanks

Deeko

Thanks Ruth,

As always you are a mine of information.

Thanks. We are looking forward to trying HAL.

Deeko

Hello to all.

New to HAL so a very simple question.

What tie do we have to keave the ship (Koningsdam) in Amsterdam?

It arrives at 06.00. That seems very early to disembark even allowing for customs clearance. On Princess and NCL we were not rushed off and even had time to have breakfast in the MDR or the Haven.

Our flight to Alicante is not until 14.00 so we have time.

I'd love to hear from those who have disembarked at a more relaxed pace!!!

Thanks for all info

Deeko

Easy to be on the Epic by 2:30 and sail away isn't until 5pm.

Hi Shake Daddy,

I'm on the same TA.

I'll be out on deck watching!!! Wear something distinctive and I'll wave......maybe a sweat shirt!!! You'll probably be in a sweat!!

Good Luck whatever you do.

Deeko

Not that I have vacation time to it, but doing TAs like that is a genius way to avoid more expensive one way flights.

 

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

I understand what you are saying. Without being too philosophical can I just say being retired does give a lot more freedom......but hey......maybe don't rush to be there. There are other subtleties like we are "older".

After open heart surgery a couple of years ago it seemed wise to "carpe diem".

One last point about flying Aer Lingus out of Dublin.......we do pre clearance before we board. We are in the USA before we leave!! That does save time at the other end!!!

Thanks for your reply.

non genius Deeko

Firstly can I thank everyone for their replies.

It has been very helpful. CC people invariably are!!

We are now much wiser about the variety of methods and the variety of pitfalls!!

Just now we are in Ireland, though we also have a home in Spain.

Aer Lingus have excellent Business Class fares to Miami as well as Orlando.

We are under no pressure of time so that accounts for what some may feel is a roundabout route to Miami.

We know Miami from other cruises and we just wanted to see more of Florida.

We sail on the Jade out of Miami to the Caribbean B2B at the end of the week so arriving MCO on Monday is fine.

At the end of the B2B we sail out of Port Canaveral on the Epic TA. Epic arrives in Barcelona. We will stay there a few days and take an excellent Spanish Renfe train to our home below Alicante.

That by the way leaves us with the return part of the air ticket. We will sail Epic in November into Port Canaveral.....and fly to our home in Ireland out of Orlando.

This is bit long.......but I reckoned some explanation was required by some folk.

So Disneyland......no!! nothing Mickey Mouse about this trip!!!

Thanks again to all.....you are terrific.

Deeko

Hello to all.

We fly into Orlando (first time) and want a taxi to an Orlando downtown hotel. Hotel has no shuttle.

Then next day we want transport from Orlando hotel to Miami hotel.

I've read lots of reports about the "problems" people encounter. I'm sure some cruisers have done this many times. So your experience and ideas are really welcome.

Thanks.

deeko

Hi Trician,

I was very interested in your response re your disembarkation from the Epic.

We have been in the Haven 2brm suite 3 times now. The only frustration came as we were walking off. Waited for concierge......a long time while he gathered more and more people. Then we went to the exit deck. He delayed us for another long time while he engaged with some other passengers not in our group. Eventually my wife and I simply walked off without the others some of whom had pre arranged taxis and were now well beyong their arranged time.

This was the most pathetic organisation I have ever known on NCL (platinum).

Was the concierge BR-NO????

Just wondering!!!!!

Roll on next year.....we are off next month

Deeko

Thank you FLcruisergrl

I have no doubt that it is a fabulous suite. That's why we choose the aft on the Jade when the Haven has no dining room or lounge. The view is fabulous.

I worry not about the money difference but on the TA didn't want to be aft!!! Coward!!

Next year in the Caribbean it has made me ask about aft Haven v court yard Haven.

What you say is very helpful.....hey if life had no more problems that the one I ask about.........

Makes me think.....when I see what I worry about....wow wise up deeko!!

Really enjoyed your reply. Thanks again.

Deeko

wow.....I can't think what a better offer would be......maybe thet will pay you to take it!!!

deeko

Trician thanks for taking the time to reply.

You make perfect sense. We have only been in the H4 on three previous cruises.

Upcoming we are in an SF aft..... mostly because the Jewel class ships do not have a Haven lounge or dining room and that is a big attraction.

After our cruise in March/April we are doing the TA on Epic in an H4.

So looking forward the question is as I put it......and the answer is as you put it....so succinctly.

Certainly the aft is less expensive and has a larger balcony........but.....as you say BUT

Thanks for your thoughtful reply.

Deeko

We last saw Edgar in the Haven on the Epic last September.

He was terrific and had a wonderful assistant and a great team. Every one of them made for a fabulous cruise.

We are on the TA in April from Port Canaveral.....here's hoping!! Before that we are 14 days on the Jade without the Haven restaurant......they will all be missed.

Deeko

Yes, everything that was on hangars we left that way and he moved them on the hangars and hung them in the closet. I can be a bit OCD and I joked to DH that he hadn't hung them in the same order I had them ;p. And we did give him a generous tip.

Katie that was a win for everyone!!!

Thanks again for being so helpful and taking time to reply.

You are a :halo:

Deeko

Thank you Katie,

That is a very interesting comment. It sounds as though the steward brought your clothes to your new cabin on the original hangers.

Am I correct. The idea of folding everything up into suitcases is a bit of a nuisance. We would be moving from the Haven to a suite for a 4 day cruise.

After the 4 day we do a TA for 15. No issue there.

It would be good to have only the small "cube type" items to move. I know this sounds like making a mountain out of a mole hill but am very keen to reduce the logistics of the move.

Thanks again......sounds like you had a good steward.....well worth a good tip!

Deeko

Thanks Mike

That all makes sense. I know we will have to go through the immigration process again whether we change cabin or not.

I'm getting tempted to stay put and just save the extra money for the next cruise.

Thanks again

Deeko

Thanks Keith. As always you have a great comment.

We have the chance of the same cabin both cruises but also the chance of a better one for the first. Just trying to work out if its worth the upheaval.........guess who normally does the packing??

Not me !!!!

Thanks again for taking trouble to reply

Deeko

I just wondered what people's experience is when changing cabin. Ideally the cabin would be the same for both parts of the B2B. But if a change is needed does it all become a bit of a hassle??

Love to hear some views......I know those views are out there!!!

Thanks to all,

Deeko

We know the Epic and the Haven, there are two us, my wife and me. We have only been in H4 and looking at a future cruise I spotted the H6 aft cabins.

Has anyone had experience of both the H6 and the H4? I'd love to hear your views on the virtues of both. Clearly the walk to the Haven Club is one issue. Also the price of the H6 is considerably less.

I know someone will have ideas about this.

So thanks for all ideas.

Deeko

Oakman ......that was a great tip about deck 13.....thanks again.

We also love the open deck. Epic can feel very closed in.

When is your Jade cruise. Just wondering if Belfast or Dublin are on the itinerary.

As I said before.......great review.......thanks.

Deeko

Hello Erin,

We have wanted to do the TA for a while.

Hey you have more years to give it a go than us.......

Retirement gives great scope to do these things..... but hey don't be in a rush to get to retirement!!!

Meantime ....carpe diem......and enjoy them all.

Deeko