Nov 2016 Caribbean Deployment

[Ricktan]

We were tired of waiting and booked a great itinerary on the Azamara Quest

 

 

 

Well....I have to be honest......I really want to see (and sail) the new ship, so booking with someone else wouldn't help me::eek: I can be patience....I just don't like to!

[EbayCruiser]

We were tired of waiting and booked a great itinerary on the Azamara Quest

 

I just can't do that! I am so excited about a new HAL ship .... come on HAL!!

 

I check multiple times a day (just hoping they will magically appear). It has got to eventually RIGHT????

[Time For Dreaming]

WOW ... you mean business! You've even picked out your cruise and got your countdown started, I'm impressed!!

 

We are not sure which cruise we will take. I originally wanted to go on the 1st 10 day cruise but that gets us flying back during the busy Thanksgiving season and Christmas is a BIG time for my Ebay business so we are looking at Jan. Feb. or March. We are pretty much open to any time. Just waiting for the prices to come out and then we will pick.

 

I haven't read up on anything about the cruise so not sure what changes you care talking about for the Lido. Also, explain music walk and World Theater.

 

Getting excited!

 

Have now looked through all the shore excursions HAL offers for our chosen ports. After that found a HAL cruise (Feb. 2016) with the same itinerary as our Koningsdam's. Next step will be to list our first and second choices for each port.

 

Combed through the deck plans and selected two wish-list staterooms we'd like to get. But you just never know for sure what might be close by you wish you'd known about.

 

Instead of Lido Buffet it's now called Lido Market with 5 food stations based on a grab & go and made to order. We don't understand the change. Assume each station will have breakfast items for breakfast, lunch for lunch, etc. Going from station to station to get what you want seems common so we just don't get it.

 

You must go to HAL's website. The World Theater looks sensational. It will be able to accommodate multiple stage configurations for more varied entertainment. Even comes with a 270 degree panoramic screen. Pretty neat.

 

Music Walk--three settings. Lincoln Center Stage, BB King's Blues Club, Billboard On-board. Can't see much of the first in the picture, but you can wilth BB's and Billboard. Gonna have to get those dancing shoes on.

 

So. Calif. is beautiful today. Think now is the time for one of those low alcoholic drinks that come in a bag that you freeze...we have several choices in the fridge and one of them is Jamaican Smile (says "new" on the bag). That's close enough...I can hear that Caribbean music now!

[EbayCruiser]

Have now looked through all the shore excursions HAL offers for our chosen ports. After that found a HAL cruise (Feb. 2016) with the same itinerary as our Koningsdam's. Next step will be to list our first and second choices for each port.

 

Combed through the deck plans and selected two wish-list staterooms we'd like to get. But you just never know for sure what might be close by you wish you'd known about.

 

Instead of Lido Buffet it's now called Lido Market with 5 food stations based on a grab & go and made to order. We don't understand the change. Assume each station will have breakfast items for breakfast, lunch for lunch, etc. Going from station to station to get what you want seems common so we just don't get it.

 

You must go to HAL's website. The World Theater looks sensational. It will be able to accommodate multiple stage configurations for more varied entertainment. Even comes with a 270 degree panoramic screen. Pretty neat.

 

Music Walk--three settings. Lincoln Center Stage, BB King's Blues Club, Billboard On-board. Can't see much of the first in the picture, but you can wilth BB's and Billboard. Gonna have to get those dancing shoes on.

 

So. Calif. is beautiful today. Think now is the time for one of those low alcoholic drinks that come in a bag that you freeze...we have several choices in the fridge and one of them is Jamaican Smile (says "new" on the bag). That's close enough...I can hear that Caribbean music now!

 

Thanks for all the information.

 

We love the lido especially for Breakfast and Lunch - love that Bread Pudding and all the international foods at lunch time. Hope they don't take that away - it just wouldn't seem like HAL.

 

The new innovations sound great especially the World Theater. HAL is quite behind the times on entertainment. RCI is fantastic - but, alas, we miss the food and the great CREW on HAL.

 

We still aren't sure which itinerary to book. I think we want either the 10 day or 11 day. We have done the 10 but we loved it, Aruba and Curacao especially. Also, not sure about the stateroom. We are looking at I-Inside, V-Balcony and VQ-Spa Balcony - not sure we would want to stay up so high in the Spa category. Some of the balcony rooms seem like they will be larger (angled) on the hump or bump-out, so that might be a great spot. We like deck 6 or 7.

 

Do you think they will open up booking this week? I hope so!!

 

That drink sounds great - and we are not drinkers!! LOL

[Time For Dreaming]

Thanks for all the information.

 

We love the lido especially for Breakfast and Lunch - love that Bread Pudding and all the international foods at lunch time. Hope they don't take that away - it just wouldn't seem like HAL.

 

The new innovations sound great especially the World Theater. HAL is quite behind the times on entertainment. RCI is fantastic - but, alas, we miss the food and the great CREW on HAL.

 

We still aren't sure which itinerary to book. I think we want either the 10 day or 11 day. We have done the 10 but we loved it, Aruba and Curacao especially. Also, not sure about the stateroom. We are looking at I-Inside, V-Balcony and VQ-Spa Balcony - not sure we would want to stay up so high in the Spa category. Some of the balcony rooms seem like they will be larger (angled) on the hump or bump-out, so that might be a great spot. We like deck 6 or 7.

 

Do you think they will open up booking this week? I hope so!!

 

That drink sounds great - and we are not drinkers!! LOL

 

We also like the Lido for breakfasts and lunches and sometimes dinner. We prefer early dinner and sometimes you just get back to the ship after a fun day in port and miss that time.

 

Been looking at decks 6 & 7 also. Like the bumped out sections--no life boats below them. We had an angled balcony on the Nieuw Amsterdam. The balcony was indeed larger as well as the inside (This was a Signature Suite). Didn't experience any wind when the ship was moving but that could be an issue sometimes. Ours was angled foward...like V7134 on the Koningsdam. There was somewhat of a lack of privacy especially standing at the rails but it wasn't an issue for us. We'll have to wait to find out what a cabin is really like once people start reporting back. But by then we'll be already booked.

 

Speaking of, I sure hope we can book this week. But who knows. You have to leave the house sometimes. Naturally that's when they'll open and we'll miss out.

 

Andrea

[EbayCruiser]

I think we are leaning towards booking the 3/01 11 Day. Wonder why they do not offer the 11 Day in Jan. or Feb.? Can't wait to see the pricing, I thought the Oosterdam 2016 pricing was high considering it is an older ship - it was our first HAL ship when it was fairly new.

 

The 11 day is the only itinerary that we have not cruised MOST of the ports. Of course, this cruise is for the ship but new ports we have not visited would be nice.

[Tampa Girl]

I think we are leaning towards booking the 3/01 11 Day. Wonder why they do not offer the 11 Day in Jan. or Feb.? Can't wait to see the pricing, I thought the Oosterdam 2016 pricing was high considering it is an older ship - it was our first HAL ship when it was fairly new.

 

 

 

I didn't realize that the fares depended upon how new a ship is. I always thought it depended upon the number of possible passengers and the itinerary. For instance, the Ryndam (soon to leave HAL) is more expensive because it is smaller but it is also older. It also is a lovely ship which we will miss.

[EbayCruiser]

I didn't realize that the fares depended upon how new a ship is. I always thought it depended upon the number of possible passengers and the itinerary. For instance, the Ryndam (soon to leave HAL) is more expensive because it is smaller but it is also older. It also is a lovely ship which we will miss.

 

I don't believe that is the case either (most of the time). Often times it is several factors including the itinerary. New ships are notorious for being more expensive at first with fewer discounts and OBC's offered. I don't believe either of the sales that HAL has going on right now will include the Koningsdam (it would be nice). Looking forward to seeing the pricing for this new ship.

[SteelMagnolia9]

I was just going to post a question regarding when the Caribbean itineraries would be available for booking on the Koningsdam and located this thread through a search. I did not see them on HAL's website.

 

Sooo, it seems like it is just waiting until they are posted. I did read the offerings on the blog.

 

I've not been on HAL in several years. The southern Caribbean appeals to me as I've not been and possibly doing a b2b to visit as many ports as possible. I guess there's just me who will be new to these itineraries, but it's certainly appealing combined with being on the new ship.

[EbayCruiser]

I was just going to post a question regarding when the Caribbean itineraries would be available for booking on the Koningsdam and located this thread through a search. I did not see them on HAL's website.

 

Sooo, it seems like it is just waiting until they are posted. I did read the offerings on the blog.

 

I've not been on HAL in several years. The southern Caribbean appeals to me as I've not been and possibly doing a b2b to visit as many ports as possible. I guess there's just me who will be new to these itineraries, but it's certainly appealing combined with being on the new ship.

 

We are anxiously awaiting the postings. They are supposed to be available to book this month.

 

We loved Aruba and Curacao and wouldn't mind visiting there again. But, we have not been to St. Lucia, Barbados, Martinique, or Basseterre St. Kitts so the 11 day sounds good.

 

Just waiting for pricing and dates to see which one will be the one for us. :)

[EbayCruiser]

Well .... Looks like it's not going to be open in April. :(

[Krazy Kruizers]

Let's hope they load them onto their site over the weekend.

[EbayCruiser]

Let's hope they load them onto their site over the weekend.

 

That would be fantastic!

[EbayCruiser]

Still anxiously awaiting for Koningsdam Caribbean to be released but ..... in the meantime, we booked a Pacific Coastal with RCI for October '15.

 

We have never cruised the California Coast and this one has an overnight in SF. Only been to CA once, but you can't really count it (San Diego Airport for HAL cruise).

 

Prefer HAL but RCI is our second choice and HAL doesn't have a ship in CA.

 

Now that I have booked a cruise, I can be a little more patient for the Koningsdam.