Know before you go: Opening and Closing times of everything

[SempreMare]

@VennDiagram's good advice for land tours

 

8 hours ago, VennDiagram said:

If you want to do land touring, make sure you understand what is open and what is closed at the time of year you are thinking about going. 

 

in a different topic reminded me of something that stymied me on my first Holland America cruise - opening and closing times. 

 

I thought when I was on the ship I could simply use the HAL iPhone app to check what was open when.

Nope.

When I asked where it was in the app, someone said it was on the daily print outs, not the app.     Not helpful if I was on the ship not in my room.  Really odd they don't just keep the venue times in the app.

 

Examples I can remember:  

• The Neptune Lounge closed earlier than I expected.
• The Lido buffet closed earlier than I needed.  I thought it was closed from what I read somewhere heww, probably from @Crew News's site. However, my room attendant insisted it was still open even though, as I discovered, it was definitely closed.
• Although dinner service is still running, room service from the dinner menu closes after the first ?hour? of dinner service.  I did not expect this at all.

 

Does anyone more organized than I have a Google Doc of Holland America venues and their opening and closing times? 

Something to use as a template would be helpful.  Or even a text list of all venues?

 

I do realize that opening and closing times will change based on 

a) which cruise 

b) whether it's a port day, sea day, embarkation day, disembarkation day, etc.

 

 

 

 

Edited December 29, 2019 by SempreMare

[MisterBill99]

Confused about "The Lido buffet closed earlier than I needed." As I recall, they have a late night buffet from 10:30-11:30pm which is later than I've seen on other lines like Royal and Celebrity. Most of them close at 9pm and after that all you can get is deserts or pizza. Also the NY Pizza & Deli is open fairly late on the Koningsdam/Nieuw Statendam.

Edited December 29, 2019 by MisterBill99

[SempreMare]

@MisterBill99  - the dinner part, not the last night part. 

On the Westerdam, there was a gap between the 2.

[Homosassa]

9 hours ago, SempreMare said:

 

When I asked where it was in the app, someone said it was on the daily print outs, not the app.     Not helpful if I was on the ship not in my room.  Really odd they don't just keep the venue times in the ap

 

I do realize that opening and closing times will change based on 

a) which cruise 

b) whether it's a port day, sea day, embarkation day, disembarkation day, etc.

 

 

 

 

 

The daily print out is easy to fold and carry with you and is much lighter than a cell phone.

[ChinaShrek]

5 minutes ago, Homosassa said:

 

The daily print out is easy to fold and carry with you and is much lighter than a cell phone.

 

To be fair, the daily print out does come out until the night before.  It would be nice to have the hours for all of the venues for the entire week at the start of the cruise.  This would allow one to plan for the entire week on the first night!

[Cruise Suzy]

6 minutes ago, Homosassa said:

The daily print out is easy to fold and carry with you and is much lighter than a cell phone.

 

On the Koningsdam in February there were copies on thinner paper by the "newspapers" that we used to carry with us. (Our cell phones are not smart, so we have to be!)

[TheJurea]

I get your point about the app. Why have it, a downloaded program on my phone, if common details are not available. I can use many ways to communicate with DH.

We need ships information. We’re traveling the Panama Canal. I’m excited to see what information is available on the app.

[Homosassa]

3 hours ago, ChinaShrek said:

 

To be fair, the daily print out does come out until the night before.  It would be nice to have the hours for all of the venues for the entire week at the start of the cruise.  This would allow one to plan for the entire week on the first night!

 

I can hear the complaints now: "I planned four days ago to eat  in the Lido at (pick a time) and now due to a schedule change announced last night in the Daily Planner because of a port time change,  my entire day has been ruined."

 

Relax, you are on a cruise. There are very few things  that need to be planned and scheduled. And some of the things that might be planned, i.e.; excursions, port times, shows; might be canceled or changed at the last minute.

[kwb101]

Two notes on the app:

1. The reminder function is is very variable. We often got reminders for things we'd put on our schedule hours and days after the fact. We even got some several days after the cruise, and a continent away. 

2. Some morning hours vary, especially the Lido and Explorations Cafe, depending on port or scenic cruising area.

[kazu]

6 hours ago, ChinaShrek said:

 

To be fair, the daily print out does come out until the night before.  It would be nice to have the hours for all of the venues for the entire week at the start of the cruise.  This would allow one to plan for the entire week on the first night!

 

 

Oh my heavens, how regimented does one need to be?  You’re on a cruise.  Things change as can what you decide you want to do, depending on the mood. 😉 

 

2 hours ago, Homosassa said:

 

I can hear the complaints now: "I planned four days ago to eat  in the Lido at (pick a time) and now due to a schedule change announced last night in the Daily Planner because of a port time change,  my entire day has been ruined."

 

Relax, you are on a cruise. There are very few things  that need to be planned and scheduled. 

 

 

Exactly 🙂 

[taxmantoo]

6 hours ago, ChinaShrek said:

 

To be fair, the daily print out does come out until the night before.  It would be nice to have the hours for all of the venues for the entire week at the start of the cruise.  This would allow one to plan for the entire week on the first night!

You and I sure have different theories on how to have fun on your first night on the ship. 😉