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


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The room I refer to is about ¾'s the way back and the first cabin's balcony to "stick out" as pointed out to me above which could let it catch wind. People's opinion about the amount of wind varies like the weather which makes sense.

 

Unless because the room/balcony does stick out is the only reason I question or ask. My two mid ship Princess balconies were great... the wind will vary and through the canal your moving slower.

 

Thank you all,

 

got it. see your point. the jut out is not as severe as we had in our SB cabin.

 

You might need to move the table and chairs closer to one side or the other but it will very much depend on how the wind is blowing.

 

If you need the HC cabin, you might not have a lot of choices.

 

the trouble is no one can predict King Neptune. I will try to get a glance of that cabin when we are on board this week and see how bad the jut out really is. Sometimes deck plans don't tell the story.

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Hey, this is a big change...

 

I just called Holland for the heck of it. I'm going to need 3 people in the room and the rooms I'd been looking at won't support three. They offered a price for front starboard corner that sleeps 3 stateroom SY5001.

 

Question is won't that get really blasted by wind?

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Hey, this is a big change...

 

I just called Holland for the heck of it. I'm going to need 3 people in the room and the rooms I'd been looking at won't support three. They offered a price for front starboard corner that sleeps 3 stateroom SY5001.

 

Question is won't that get really blasted by wind?

 

huge room - or at least it looks so.

 

I checked the website that cannot be named and it looks spacious (looked at 5002) and saw no negative comments.

 

Now that being said, It is very forward. VERY forward.

 

the wind probably won't be that much heavier but it will be a tad heavier at the front.

 

I would be more concerned about the location if anyone is subject to mal de mer.

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Well I'm interested in anyones knowledge or wag guess as to a wind factor or other factors for these two cabins. They will both catch some wind.

 

Cabin SY5001 vs VF5140 ON HAL Westerdam. March 2016 Panama Canel. This might be a mute point as we know there will be 3 of us so that rules out 5140. To help with my needs or better to divide it.

 

I've been mid forward but never first?... How much up and down? I don't mind motion but...

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Well I'm interested in anyones knowledge or wag guess as to a wind factor or other factors for these two cabins. They will both catch some wind.

 

Cabin SY5001 vs VF5140 ON HAL Westerdam. March 2016 Panama Canel. This might be a mute point as we know there will be 3 of us so that rules out 5140. To help with my needs or better to divide it.

 

I've been mid forward but never first?... How much up and down? I don't mind motion but...

 

It depends upon what King Neptune decides. If he is kind, it won't be bad. If he is not kind, you will definitely feel a lot more motion there.

 

You might want to consider starting a thread on the regular HAL board on these two cabins or the cabin of your choice. Not everyone on the HAL board comes here and I think you need several opinion. JMO.

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Hi all and thanks for this thread. How often does Happy Hour come up. Is it an everyday event? Where is it usually held and at what time? What sort of discount does a Happy Hour offer? Finally, what beverages are available during this period. Thanks!

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Hi all and thanks for this thread. How often does Happy Hour come up. Is it an everyday event? Where is it usually held and at what time? What sort of discount does a Happy Hour offer? Finally, what beverages are available during this period. Thanks!

 

 

 

On most cruises I have been on happy hour has been at two different times.

 

Always in the on location so easy to see when and where they are.

 

Basically you can order two drinks for the price of 1 and $1 more (ie $1 more for the second drink).

 

You can order most drinks but not premium liquor I believe.

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Hi all and thanks for this thread. How often does Happy Hour come up. Is it an everyday event? Where is it usually held and at what time? What sort of discount does a Happy Hour offer? Finally, what beverages are available during this period. Thanks!

 

The times are likely to vary by ship as I believe the ship's beverage manager determines this.

 

On the Maasdam recently, the Ocean Bar had happy hour 4-5 p.m. and the Crow's Nest had it 6-7 p.m. nightly. The times on embarkation day were different.

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Hi all. May be a dumb question but I was wondering if I wear jeans around the ship during the day (Alaska cruise) do I have to change into dressier slacks then back to jeans if I want to have lunch in the MDR?

No, you can go as you are in the clothes you describe.

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Hi all. May be a dumb question but I was wondering if I wear jeans around the ship during the day (Alaska cruise) do I have to change into dressier slacks then back to jeans if I want to have lunch in the MDR?

 

You can also wear your jeans to the MDR for dinner except for Formal Nights.

 

Since you will be sailing to Alaska on the Westerdam, you might be interested in my photographic tour of the ship with some of the pics taken last year in Alaska:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/travel-2/ms-westerdam-tour/

 

Here are the On Locations (daily activities) that we had on your same cruise last year to give you an idea of what to expect on board:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/travel-2/alaska-2014-westerdam-on-location-daily-activities/

Edited by Crew News
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HAL ships have the Lido in Code Orange for the first 48 hours. You can not help yourself to anything in the Lido -- not even water, coffee, etc.

This is done to help prevent germs from spreading -- i.e. -- Noro Virus.

 

Does this mean you are served by the Lido staff, [dished up) versus helping yourself?

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Does this mean you are served by the Lido staff, [dished up) versus helping yourself?

 

I think the post you quoted is a little old. HAL discontinued code orange. You will "serve yourself" for many items like salads, bread, desserts, etc. The Lido staff serves other items, like soups, made to order sandwiches, entrees and ice cream.

 

There is also usually a person filling glasses with water and iced tea so you just grab and go from a tray.

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It's been 10 years since our last HAL cruise and having just booked a 14 day Alaska for August I've got a couple of liquor related questions for which I was unable to find answers on the HAL website or this thread. Can someone help?

 

  • I know there are several different liquor packages available that include hard liquor (e.g. scotch) wines and beer. I think they are sold by the day once on board. Does anyone know the current prices.

 

  • It used to be that you could buy a 1 litre/40 ounce bottle of liquor from the HAL for consumption in your stateroom. Is this still available and is there a price list somewhere on the HAL web site (if there is, I couldn't find it). If not, can someone provide an estimate of what a mid range bottle of scotch would cost (on Celebrity it was in the $60 to $80 dollar range)

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

George

Edited by lambcom
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It's been 10 years since our last HAL cruise and having just booked a 14 day Alaska for August I've got a couple of liquor related questions for which I was unable to find answers on the HAL website or this thread. Can someone help?

 

  • I know there are several different liquor packages available that include hard liquor (e.g. scotch) wines and beer. I think they are sold by the day once on board. Does anyone know the current prices.

 

  • It used to be that you could buy a 1 litre/40 ounce bottle of liquor from the HAL for consumption in your stateroom. Is this still available and is there a price list somewhere on the HAL web site (if there is, I couldn't find it). If not, can someone provide an estimate of what a mid range bottle of scotch would cost (on Celebrity it was in the $60 to $80 dollar range)

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

George

 

This will help (copied and sorted from the HAL website).

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Spirits-and-Beer-for-Stateroom.pdf

 

It was located under Indulgences for Booked Guests.

Edited by Crew News
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So, another question....do the Signature Beverage cards work when the ship is in port? Thought I read it somewhere that they don't but I've been reading so many different threads I can't remember where I saw it or if it was for a different cruise line.

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So, another question....do the Signature Beverage cards work when the ship is in port? Thought I read it somewhere that they don't but I've been reading so many different threads I can't remember where I saw it or if it was for a different cruise line.

 

Yes you can still use the signature beverage card onboard ship while the ship is in port. I'm just off the Maasdam and didn't go ashore in many ports and still used my card.

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Well, I booked that 21 day Panama canal on the Westerdam, March 2016, cabin SY5001. Despite wind and motion I decided to take a chance on minimal wind and calm seas. Otherwise I'd need an inside cabin as I need a HC room for 3 people.

 

Thanks for your help..

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Hi, very good thread and good reading... Here is my 2 questions for you.

 

- I saw on the HAL website that i can buy OBC. But is there a way to pre-paid my gratuities?

 

- Can i buy a wine package in the MDR ? If so, is the gratuities goes directly to my wait staff ?

 

Tank you

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Hi, very good thread and good reading... Here is my 2 questions for you.

 

- I saw on the HAL website that i can buy OBC. But is there a way to pre-paid my gratuities?

 

- Can i buy a wine package in the MDR ? If so, is the gratuities goes directly to my wait staff ?

 

Tank you

 

Any OBC you have offsets any charges to your on board account. The hotel service charge is charged to your on board account. So by purchasing OBC you can pre-pay your hotel service charge as well as other on board charges you may incur.

 

I've never purchased a wine package, but my understanding is that there's a 15% service charge on it, just as there is with any bar purchases. That service charge is pooled amongst all the bar staff.

Edited by cavecreekguy
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Club soda is indeed available on board and is charged the same as soft drinks.

 

 

 

You are allowed to bring soda on board so you can bring club soda on board at embarkation and any of your ports of call.

 

 

 

There is a soda card available which is basically half price ($25 for $50 worth), but from all reports, it is soda from the fountain and not a can.

 

 

 

You can also buy a regular beverage card which can be used for cans of soda and any other type of beverage you might want to use it for.

 

 

 

hope this helps :)

 

 

Hello,

We are booked on our first HAL Baltic cruise in Aug-15 on Eurodam. Sadly no free drink package for us and I am not sure we'd get value out of the SBP. So we'll probably pay as we go.

So what is the difference between buying a drinks card vs charge your account?

Are the drinks cards really a 50% discount ? (Web site isn't clear on that)

And does that apply to expensive wine by the glass?

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You can also wear your jeans to the MDR for dinner except for Formal Nights.

 

Since you will be sailing to Alaska on the Westerdam, you might be interested in my photographic tour of the ship with some of the pics taken last year in Alaska:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/travel-2/ms-westerdam-tour/

 

Here are the On Locations (daily activities) that we had on your same cruise last year to give you an idea of what to expect on board:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/travel-2/alaska-2014-westerdam-on-location-daily-activities/

 

Thank you so much for the great picture posts! Very helpful to those of waiting to be first-time cruisers. And... they are beautiful shots!

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