New to Holland America? This is for you...AKA "HAL For Dummies"

[Crew News]

3 hours ago, regan3 said:

Thank you @Crew News do you know if Nieuw Amsterdam has a hand washing station inside the buffet? 

I don't remember ever seeing one in my 42 days aboard last year.  There are bathrooms nearby and hand sanitizing stations at the entrance.

[regan3]

Thank you. 

[deeeeeeem]

On 3/6/2024 at 2:31 PM, Birdhunter67 said:

I believe that the milkshakes ARE included in the drink package. You order the milkshakes at the Dive-in but they are made and you pick them up at the bar area around the corner from the Dive-in. 

Thank you! 

[deeeeeeem]

Maybe a verrrrrrry specific question: does anyone know if they have Nutella in the Lido Market buffet for breakfast (on the Nieuw Statendam specifically)?

Edited March 8 by deeeeeeem

[Haljo1935]

13 minutes ago, deeeeeeem said:

Maybe a verrrrrrry specific question: does anyone know if they have Nutella in the Lido Market buffet for breakfast (on the Nieuw Statendam specifically)?

They had it when I was on Oct - Dec. We had to ask cuz it wasn't with the cream cheese and that kind of stuff, it was on a tray that had bottles of hot sauce & misc stuff. I didn't think about asking room service, but they might also have it.

[Shelerich]

On 3/5/2024 at 8:23 AM, ONCRUISEMODE said:

Questions about the coffee:  We love strong, hot coffee.  How is the coffie on the Lido?  I know I can buy it from their coffee counter for a price but its about $6 per day for 30 days.  Please advise.

I love my one STRONG coffee of the day.  I cannot stand the coffee in the Lido - but because i also only have one double espresso each morning, its cheaper for me to get it at the Crow's Nest (or if your on the Rotterdam, the Dutch Cafe has good coffee too)  we don't buy the package as the hubby doesn't drink coffee.

[Shelerich]

On 2/27/2024 at 2:53 PM, ralfrick said:

I know jeans are verboten on Gala nights, but what about cargo pants?

So keep in mind - usually the GALA outfits are worn by those attending dinner in the MDR.  (and others have noted the 'minimum' attire that is acceptable) BUT if you still want the same food, you can go to the Lido in your casual attire - most of the items on the MDR menu each night is also served in the LIDO at one or more of the food stations.

[ONCRUISEMODE]

19 minutes ago, Shelerich said:

I love my one STRONG coffee of the day.  I cannot stand the coffee in the Lido - but because i also only have one double espresso each morning, its cheaper for me to get it at the Crow's Nest (or if your on the Rotterdam, the Dutch Cafe has good coffee too)  we don't buy the package as the hubby doesn't drink coffee.

I may end up doing the same….at least on sea days.  Then having a nice cafe latte when we go to port.

[Shelerich]

On 8/24/2023 at 10:33 AM, terrydtx said:

 

 

And I only use very reputable 3rd party tour companies that also have guarantees to get us back to the ship on time. Several of them are highly recommended on CC and one Spain Day Tours has a forum on CC. We have been mostly doing private tours since Covid and not once did we even come close to missing the ship. Until I wised up, I too avoided the non-ship tours for the same fears you site but I no longer have any worries. Some of the private tours we have on our upcoming cruises I was the organizer through our Roll Calls. We have 7 of the 8 ports on our Amsterdam to Athens cruise next month booked with private tours all organized and filled with fellow people on our roll call.  We not only booked very interesting tours but saved hundreds of dollars by not booking with the cruise line.

So the reputable private tour operators know how to contact the ship should something go wrong and they also are aware of negative ratings so will not jeopardize potential cruise clientele bookings by royally messing up a return to ship.  My 2 cents worth is if you only have a 8 hour window that the ship is docked - dont sign up for a 7hr private tour.  Play it safe and at a max organize a 5 hour tour - which plans to have you back at the ship with AT LEAST an hour to spare - so if things to go awry - you have a buffer...Most private tours with pre-arrangement can pick you up at the dock (which saves time).  Not all ports and stops are suitable for a private tour.... as an example... Naples...... i would be wary of taking a private tour to Amalfi - its a long haul (even for the organized tour) and you spend most of your time in a vehicle.  Same with the "Berlin" or "hamburg" ports - you get where i am going with this...

[ralfrick]

2 hours ago, Shelerich said:

So keep in mind - usually the GALA outfits are worn by those attending dinner in the MDR.  (and others have noted the 'minimum' attire that is acceptable) BUT if you still want the same food, you can go to the Lido in your casual attire - most of the items on the MDR menu each night is also served in the LIDO at one or more of the food stations.

Wasn't aware of that. Know we can also do room service, but like the idea of someone bringing and taking away all the dishes for us for those nights.

[djatravel]

21 hours ago, Shelerich said:

So the reputable private tour operators know how to contact the ship should something go wrong and they also are aware of negative ratings so will not jeopardize potential cruise clientele bookings by royally messing up a return to ship.  My 2 cents worth is if you only have a 8 hour window that the ship is docked - dont sign up for a 7hr private tour.  Play it safe and at a max organize a 5 hour tour - which plans to have you back at the ship with AT LEAST an hour to spare - so if things to go awry - you have a buffer...Most private tours with pre-arrangement can pick you up at the dock (which saves time).  Not all ports and stops are suitable for a private tour.... as an example... Naples...... i would be wary of taking a private tour to Amalfi - its a long haul (even for the organized tour) and you spend most of your time in a vehicle.  Same with the "Berlin" or "hamburg" ports - you get where i am going with this...

The sister company to Spain day tours is Italytours.eu professionals in providing shore excursions You will find thousands of reviews they do Naples very well we're doing the Pompeii Amalfi Coast and I'm confident in the service they provide and also have a guarantee for return to ship

[Haljo1935]

2 hours ago, djatravel said:

The sister company to Spain day tours is Italytours.eu professionals in providing shore excursions You will find thousands of reviews they do Naples very well we're doing the Pompeii Amalfi Coast and I'm confident in the service they provide and also have a guarantee for return to ship

We used ItalyTours.EU Nov & Dec 2023 for a couple excursions and were very pleased. One was Amalfi Coast Pompeii - we had no issues and would absolutely them again. We were notified of a port change late the night before and they met us at the new port the next morning without missing a beat. I hope yours is as nice as ours was. Our Pompeii Amalfi Coast tour was out of Sorrento, not Naples, but our guide did say she lives in Naples. We also went to Positano - very pretty tour.

Edited March 10 by Haljo1935
Typo

[Blackduck59]

@Birdhunter67 and @deeeeeeem I think you will find the Milkshakes are NOT included in the drink package. I know it seems strange in that the price of the milkshake is less than $11.00 price cap on drinks. There are other things not included in the drinks packages but are below the price cap. Water in the twist top cans, certain sparkling waters and a few other things it's hard to understand.

[terrydtx]

19 hours ago, djatravel said:

The sister company to Spain day tours is Italytours.eu professionals in providing shore excursions You will find thousands of reviews they do Naples very well we're doing the Pompeii Amalfi Coast and I'm confident in the service they provide and also have a guarantee for return to ship

We have also used the Tour Guy in Italy and Europe. Book Tours, Activities, and Experiences | The Tour Guy

[Grandmaanne7]

47 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

@Birdhunter67 and @deeeeeeem I think you will find the Milkshakes are NOT included in the drink package. I know it seems strange in that the price of the milkshake is less than $11.00 price cap on drinks. There are other things not included in the drinks packages but are below the price cap. Water in the twist top cans, certain sparkling waters and a few other things it's hard to understand.

Am I reading this correctly? A child with the HIA promo cannot get a milkshake? What's the purpose of having HIA?

[jonyboy]

My wife and I are thinking about a cruise to the Galapagos.  Any helpful tips would be greatly appreciated. 

[d9704011]

12 minutes ago, jonyboy said:

My wife and I are thinking about a cruise to the Galapagos.  Any helpful tips would be greatly appreciated. 

I don't think HAL cruises to the Galapagos.  Celebrity does.

[Blackduck59]

10 minutes ago, Grandmaanne7 said:

Am I reading this correctly? A child with the HIA promo cannot get a milkshake? What's the purpose of having HIA?

I'm sorry I didn't make the rules. I think that a child would have a soft drink package. I have the premium beverage package as part of my HIA package for our next cruise next year and I'm pretty sure milkshakes are not included. Perhaps someone who is on board any ship will be able to verify. 

[Grandmaanne7]

1 minute ago, Blackduck59 said:

I'm sorry I didn't make the rules. I think that a child would have a soft drink package. I have the premium beverage package as part of my HIA package for our next cruise next year and I'm pretty sure milkshakes are not included. Perhaps someone who is on board any ship will be able to verify. 

My apologies. I did not mean to blame you. I'm just in shock! I had promised my granddaughter all the milkshakes she wants on our next cruise. I'm flabbergasted and less impressed with HAL by the day!

[KroozNut]

4 hours ago, Grandmaanne7 said:

I had promised my granddaughter all the milkshakes she wants on our next cruise.

She can still have all the milkshakes she wants, as long as you're willing to pony up for them ☺️

[bajae]

4 hours ago, Grandmaanne7 said:

My apologies. I did not mean to blame you. I'm just in shock! I had promised my granddaughter all the milkshakes she wants on our next cruise. I'm flabbergasted and less impressed with HAL by the day!

My understanding is milkshakes are found at the Dive-in or Gelato so based on the FAQ found on HAL websites it seems like they aren’t included. However, I heard that some people with a drink package haven’t been charged. Hopefully more experienced cruisers can share their experiences. 
 

edited to add, that with further searching, I think it’s the juices offered at Gelato that are not included. So maybe the milkshakes are?

Edited March 11 by bajae

[Fouremco]

42 minutes ago, bajae said:

My understanding is milkshakes are found at the Dive-in or Gelato so based on the FAQ found on HAL websites it seems like they aren’t included. However, I heard that some people with a drink package haven’t been charged. Hopefully more experienced cruisers can share their experiences. 
 

edited to add, that with further searching, I think it’s the juices offered at Gelato that are not included. So maybe the milkshakes are?

As milkshakes are beverages, the exclusions for purchases on Half Moon Cay, Gelato and Dive In apply.

[Grandmaanne7]

24 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

As milkshakes are beverages, the exclusions for purchases on Half Moon Cay, Gelato and Dive In apply.

Can milkshakes be purchased/ordered anywhere else onboard, specifically Volendam?

[Blackduck59]

@Grandmaanne7 I just had a thought, I understand it's not the same but what about a "Virgin Cocktail" like a Daquiri or other blended drink? There was a bit of a discussion about milkshakes a while back.

 

[Blackduck59]

8 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

@Grandmaanne7 I just had a thought, I understand it's not the same but what about a "Virgin Cocktail" like a Daquiri or other blended drink? There was a bit of a discussion about milkshakes a while back.

 

And reading through that thread apparently they are included with HIA. I should have known as I posted in that thread.