First time on cruise - please your opinion

Our first cruise ever! ordered on HAL new statendam for a family of two children and a baby. Family room 1162. We usually wake up very early (06:00 or 07:00) and I guess we will be hardly in room.

Our children do not need the big slides but only a pool, playrooms, movies and I would be happy if they could join any of the food making workshops (could they?).

I did not understand if the food in grand Dutch cafe is for free? Like the pancakes....

Can I pay tip personally and avoid the automatic tip? How?

I really like to pay in person and ofcourse seems not reasonable to pay tips for the baby who will not even eat.

Will there be place in Jaccuzzi or is it always crowded? I mean the free ones.

What other suggestions?

It is for summer 2019 to Norway.

I can't answer your questions regarding the children. There is a program for kids on all HAL ships and I've heard that it's quite enjoyable. Others may be able to elaborate on this for you.

Yes, the food is free in the Dutch Cafe. You must pay for specialty coffee drinks.

Regarding gratuities. This topic has been discussed on these boards over and over and over and has at times become quite contentious. If you do a search of these boards, you will find enough to keep you reading for days. However, I will give you what is possible to do and not what I think is the right thing to do. You may remove auto-grats when you are onboard at the customer service desk. You may tip whomever you choose to, or not. Any cash payment given to a staff member must turn it into the tip pool to share with all the staff - only IF YOU REMOVE THE AUTO TIPS. If you leave the auto tips in place, any extra tips made in cash can be kept by that individual and not shared.

Just to make things clear. You have mentioned that you don't think you need to pay the gratuities for your baby because they don't eat. Gratuities do not just cover waitstaff in the MDR. They go to everyone that helps to make your cruise a wonderful experience. People that you never see, but still are working for you. Do you need dirty diapers disposed of? Does the baby have their own towels, bedding, etc.? Will you be taking the baby with you to any dining venue, regardless of whether the child will be eating off it's own plate? Please take this into consideration, before you make a decision.

I sincerely hope you enjoy your first cruise with your family.

When we were on K'dam the food in the Grand Dutch cafe was free, but there is a rumor that there will be charges for some food. The pancakes there were not available at breakfast. Breakfast offerings looked like the same pastries available elsewhere on board. I really was hoping for a Dutch pancake for breakfast, but couldn't get it until lunchtime. Makes no sense to me. The Dutch cafe also doesn't offer hot chocolate. That just seems wrong.

There are children's programs, but the baby may be too young. Check with HAL on ages for the various programs.

Kids are probably OK to watch cooking demos, but safety considerations probably won't allow them to take part in hands-on activities. Again, ask on board.

Staff can often be available for fee-based baby-sitting, after they have completed their regular shifts. Ask at the front desk. Virtually everyone traveling with children compliment how wonderful the HAL staff is towards them - they are often young parents themselves too.

However, do keep in mind there is limited sound proofing between cabins - most normal speaking adult voices do not pass through the cabin walls, but louder, younger and higher voices can.

Only toilet trained children are allowed in the pool

I don't want to turn this into another tipping thread, but: HAL does not have auto tips, they have an auto Hotel Service Charge for services rendered. If the service you receive is less than satisfactory they allow the HSC to be reduced or removed. Removing it for any other reason is FRAUD IMO. Not only do the stewards have to hand over to the pool any cash that you give them, they must explain to their supervisors why they gave you unsatisfactory service. :mad:

Please read this huge thread:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2265928&highlight=tipping

Yes, please enjoy your cruise, but do the right thing and tip the staff. To make it simple, leave the HSC in place, that way you know all the staff on the ship that is included in the "tip pool" is getting a gratuity. No other tipping is necessary, but you can give a little extra cash to a crew member at the end of the cruise, if you feel he or she went the extra mile to make your cruise a happy one.

And I ditto the previous poster who stated only toilet trained youngsters are allowed in the pool.

I'm sorry I don't know anything about the children's activities onboard. Others may know more.