First time on HAL in 14 years

Hi Everyone,

This will be my first HAL cruise in 14 years. I am excited to see what is the same and different, and how HAL compares to Celebrity. I do have a few quick questions:

1. Soda Cards. Are they available on HAL and how much do they cost?

2. Dining Room Assignment. We really enjoy having the same waiter ever night, and given that I am a vegetarian it has proved helpful to have the same person. We are currently wait listed for main dining and I was wondering what the procedure is if we do not clear the list by the sail date. Is there a location on board to ask for a re-assignment? When and where should we go on embarkation day to take care of this.

3. Vegetarian menu. I seem to recall that HAL had a separate vegetarian menu in addition to some vegetarian offerings on the main menu. Do I need to request this in advance? Are orders handled the night before? What do I do for the first evening's dinner?

4. Embarkation. What is the earliest time I can reasonably expect to get on board?

Thank you for your help. I am looking forward to returning to HAL.

...3. Vegetarian menu. I seem to recall that HAL had a separate vegetarian menu in addition to some vegetarian offerings on the main menu. Do I need to request this in advance? Are orders handled the night before? What do I do for the first evening's dinner?...

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I think there is still a vegetarian menu. (We prefer to order the veg selections on the regular menu.) You make the vegetarian menu order the previous evening. This can be done in both fixed and open seating.

There is at least one vegetarian entree each evening. There also is usually a veg appitizer choice and one or two choices in the soup/salad course.

You will have to order from the regular menu the first night.

Canelettos has one vegetarian entree. penne vodka.

The lido dinner buffet now has all or nearly all the items on the diningroom menu.

Hi Everyone,

 

This will be my first HAL cruise in 14 years. I am excited to see what is the same and different, and how HAL compares to Celebrity. I do have a few quick questions:

 

1. Soda Cards. Are they available on HAL and how much do they cost? Hal has gone the way of beverage cards. You can buy a soda card worth $50 for $25 either on board or online.

 

2. Dining Room Assignment. We really enjoy having the same waiter ever night, and given that I am a vegetarian it has proved helpful to have the same person. We are currently wait listed for main dining and I was wondering what the procedure is if we do not clear the list by the sail date. Is there a location on board to ask for a re-assignment? When and where should we go on embarkation day to take care of this.

Once you are onboard you may go to the MDR where they will be set up to try to appease those who are unhappy with their seatings. You may be able to change at this time.

3. Vegetarian menu. I seem to recall that HAL had a separate vegetarian menu in addition to some vegetarian offerings on the main menu. Do I need to request this in advance? Are orders handled the night before? What do I do for the first evening's dinner?

They still offer vegetarian menus. Have your TA or call HAL yourself and preset this for the first night then follow up with your servers.

4. Embarkation. What is the earliest time I can reasonably expect to get on board?

We've never gotten onboard before 11am. However rarely we have had to wait as late as 1pm. Usually if they have to superclean the ship prior to boarding.

 

Thank you for your help. I am looking forward to returning to HAL.

Hope this helps some. Welcome back to the world of HAL.

So far on our trips we have always been directed to the Explorers Lounge to make any dining room assignment changes. We first check it out in the MDR if it is not on the rail which is always our favorite spot, and then see if things can be juggled around. So far, so good.

I saw your post on the HAL blog website where you post your upcoming HAL cruise.

You commented on our upcoming HAL Prinsendam 62 day Grand Africa/Med cruise and wanted to know if there is a blog.

Our captain for this voyage will be Captain Albert Schoonderbeek who writes a daily blog on the HAL blog website. To follow the details of our exciting voyage (beginning March 12th), may I suggest visiting Captain Albert's blog site on HAL: http://www.hollandamericablog.com/albert/

Even if you end up not getting fixed seating you can still have the same waiter. You just need to make a reservation for a specific table and time. We have not used this (yet) but many others have who like you, enjoy having the same servers.

Kirk