Jump to content

Konigsdam 11-day Southern Caribbean - My View


Crew News
 Share

Recommended Posts

This thread is another view of the Konigsdam Southern Caribbean 11-day cruise and follows in the same manner as my previous live reviews over the years.


The terminal doors were delayed opening as many of the contractors on board were in no hurry to depart the ship.  I was the fourth person eligible to sit in the first row for priority boarding and was fortunate to be seated next to a Pinnacle Suite couple from New York City.  The husband was a retired NYPD helicopter pilot with 50 years of flying experience and a long time HAL cruiser.  We discussed our years of HAL cruising and all of the changes.  Since all boarding the ship had to pass within a few of me, I noticed about 50 travel agents boarding for a quick tour of the ship.  Boarding started at 11:30 AM.


It is OK to punch holes in your stateroom keys as confirmed with the Front Desk.


I searched every nook and cranny for my TV controls and was lucky to catch my Room Steward who found them locked in the safe along with the hair dryer to keep them away from the drydock contractors.


Muster drill was my first being seated in the MDR instead of standing in the sunshine for 30 minutes.  Some passengers forgot their room keys and had to return against the stairwell flow to their staterooms.  I was seated at a table with a HAL passenger who was on board in Ketchikan when 9/11 happened.  When the ship arrived in Seward, there were no embarking passengers as all flights had been cancelled.  That meant nobody could leave Seward after the cruise so HAL allowed all passengers to stay on board for $50/day for the return cruise to Vancouver.  It was good to share my 9/11 experiences with theirs.  With only one elevator operating, it took me 40 minutes to get back to my stateroom where I donned my sport coat and then another 12 minutes to go back down to my early dining @ 5:15 PM.


There may be new beverage menus this week once they get settled from drydock.  PG and Canaletto menus have not changed.  I have scanned the new MDR beverage menu.


Bartenders will pour doubles without waiting and charge as two drinks.


Changes that I have discovered since drydock:  New carpets in Lido Restaurant and Deck 2 MDR, Lido Restaurant chairs refurbished, long tables removed from MDR and converted to 4-tops, new MDR maps, Dutch Cafe signs updated, and licorice removed.


Learned today that the MDR will be closed the first two sea days for Mariner Luncheon so the Meet & Greet today will not parade to the MDR for our scheduled luncheon.

 

More later today.

 

Edited by Crew News
  • Like 1
  • Thanks 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, 1964IceCreamLady said:

Great update.  

 

I appreciate the 9/11 story.  Unfortunately we each have our own.

 

Are the doubles on a beverage package?  (Probably not but curious)

 

 

They count as two drinks on the SBP

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There will be 13 beverage events on board:

Sommelier Suite Wine Selection - $19.95 /p/p

Port Wine Tasting - $25 p/p

Premium Wine Tasting - $39 p/p

Wines of the World - $25 p/p

Become a Winemaker for a day - $79 Single and  $99 couple

Signature Bar Hop - $22 p/p

International Beer Tasting - $15 p/p

European Beer Tasting - $15 p/p

Mixology Class - $15 p/p

Introduction to Whisky - $25 p/p

Taste of Scotland - $25 p/p

Premium Bourbon and Rye Whisky - $25 p/p

Connoisseur Whisky Tasting - $50 p/p

 

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, puppycanducruise said:

Thank you for the info.

All those 'beverage events' - we'd love those. 

 

If you have purchased the Elite Beverage Package, those beverage events costing $15 or less can be charged as one drink on your package according to the  bartenders.

1 minute ago, canadarocks said:

Thanks for the review. Looking forward to you posting the MDR menus on your awesome site!

 

My goal is to post both the Lido and MDR menus.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Weather is heavy overcast with sprinkles.  Tomorrow is supposed to be sunny.

 

After some discussion with the Beverage Staff, our Meet & Greet did indeed have a large portion of the Crow's Nest with at least 75 attendees based on a count of the name stickers not used.  The Mariner Lunch today (another one tomorrow) forced the cancellation of our planned luncheon in the MDR.  We are now planning for 12:30 PM on our last sea day and when lined up in the MDR hallway, asking for a table for 100.

 

No ship officers attended the event, and hopefully there was a chance to exchange plans and meet new friends.

 

I had the opportunity to talk with another vet who was stationed in Germany at the same time as I was there.  After the Meet & Greet, I was a guest of John and Louise Schmidt in the Pinnacle Suite and took lots of photos.  The PS has five sinks, five thermostats, and two hot tubs.

 

Tonight is Gala Night with the Silver Menu.

 

I am enjoying the decent internet speed so will be posting more often.  More later.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, ac08162 said:

Thanks for the great information. Can you please find out if the buckets of beer are 2 for  1 at happy hour? Have a fantastic cruise, looking forward to more. 

 

There is no special pricing on buckets of beer.  You may buy one bottle at regular price and a second for $2.  You can repeat this purchase scheme as much as you wish and ask for a bucket with ice in which to transport them.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, 1964IceCreamLady said:

Great update.  

 

I appreciate the 9/11 story.  Unfortunately we each have our own.

 

Are the doubles on a beverage package?  (Probably not but curious)

 

 

They count as two separate drinks on the applicable beverage package limits of $9 and $15.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, Crew News said:

Internet download speed is 0.72 Mps which is pretty good for a cruise ship.  There are three internet plans: $14.99, $24.99, and $29.99 per day with a big discount for cruise-long purchase.

Do you know how much it is for the full cruise?  Thanks, m--

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, RMLincoln said:

Do you know how much it is for the full cruise?  Thanks, m--

 

The full cruise is discounted about 40%.  My $24.99 package was $112 that included my free 5* Mariner minutes.  Good speed about 1 Mbs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just a quick update before my evening popcorn visit to the Lido Pool movie.

 

I have the new table maps for both dining rooms and it will be available before the end of the year if not sooner.  The HAL kids event calendars are now posted on the TV so now I will have some HAL information for those pondering bringing their kids on a HAL cruise.

 

Lido Market is a zoo for lunch so I will be trying other venues for that meal.  I really miss the Taco Bar and self-made nachos for lunch.

 

Elevators are now back to normal. 

 

I counted 10 tuxedos as I left the MDR.  The watermelon amuse had a real raw jalapeno bite and the beef tenderloin was perfectly cooked.

 

Tomorrow is another sea day with the second Mariner luncheon but without the traditional cocktail reception.  On the program are free mini facials and eye collagen treatments for the Ladies Pamper Party.

 

I stopped above the Lincoln Center Stage to listen to a classical concert this afternoon that was well attended by the ships passengers.  The Lincoln Stage was greatly expanded during the drydock and it shares the venue with the BB King group.

 

The indoor pool deficiencies, whatever they happened to be, were repaired during drydock

 

FWIW mass is celebrated at 8:00 AM every day.

 

More to come.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...