ZGSCL Live from the Koningsdam: November 14th 7 day Mexican Rivera

[boze9999]

We're boarding tomorrow and appreciate all your live reports! 

[Florida_gal_50]

29 minutes ago, PSR said:

 

 

Thank you both for the info about the CO; we are going in January so there may be more passengers.

I was at a q and a on the first week of my cruise.  The person that was speaking was saying they hope to up to 100 percent by xmas. I'm not sure that will happen.  I got an email with a very attractive price for xmas.  I'd love to do it but the air is unreal.  I'm not sure I want to do all this testing so soon again.  I did test negative on my pcr test today so I guess I'm going home tomorrow.

[zgscl]

2 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I was at a q and a on the first week of my cruise.  The person that was speaking was saying they hope to up to 100 percent by xmas. I'm not sure that will happen.  I got an email with a very attractive price for xmas.  I'd love to do it but the air is unreal.  I'm not sure I want to do all this testing so soon again.  I did test negative on my pcr test today so I guess I'm going home tomorrow.

It was so lovely to meet you in person! Safe travels home with your negative test!

I would do the e med antigen test again. It was $150 for a pack of six and super easy to do at home. Not sure if that is an option for Canadians though and they have some issues around expiration dates so I need to look into that more for my next trip. The website says they guarantee new tests purchased through Feb ‘22 which won’t quite cut it. 
 

How did you find the onboard testing to be? Did they charge? 

[VMax1700]

20 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

 I’ve found that the room at the back is very bumpy and there is a lot of vibration.  I am on deck 4.  My last room on deck 4 was maybe 10 cabins forward and it was as smooth as can be.  I don’t think I’d do this cabin again.  I’ve had aft cabins before and I don’t recall it being this bumpy.

I have found the shimmy in the aft Koningsdam cabins to be quite intrusive.  Definitely would not book one again.

[Florida_gal_50]

8 hours ago, zgscl said:

It was so lovely to meet you in person! Safe travels home with your negative test!

I would do the e med antigen test again. It was $150 for a pack of six and super easy to do at home. Not sure if that is an option for Canadians though and they have some issues around expiration dates so I need to look into that more for my next trip. The website says they guarantee new tests purchased through Feb ‘22 which won’t quite cut it. 
 

How did you find the onboard testing to be? Did they charge? 

Sorry I was locked out of everything last night.  They were actually very good other than not telling me when the appointment was booked.  Very happy with it.  Have a safe trip home.

Edited November 21, 2021 by Florida_gal_50

[luv2camp04]

On 11/17/2021 at 12:15 AM, zgscl said:

Well for a vacation where I am doing not much but relax, I have been surprisingly busy! 

 

Sunday 

When & Where

 

MDR menu

 

Really nice views of San Diego from my balcony though I greatly disapprove of this whole getting dark at 4:45 PM thing!! 

 

 

 

I did order the Elite beverage package for this cruise and received a special reusable cup for the Coca Cola Freestyle machines (which I have not yet used). There is also a card that explains the terms and conditions of the package. The first beverage I ordered was a Pellegrino from the Crow's Nest and it was charged to the package with no issue. I ordered another one through the cabana attendants and it was charged as $6.99 onto my account and then taken off and recharged to the beverage package about an hour later without me saying anything. I only bothered reading this card after getting back to my room later where it notes in bold that Acqua Panna and San Pellegrino are not included (despite being $7 but you can get $15 beverages). I have since stopped ordering them but neither were charged to me so it seems maybe they have something set up wrong in the system. I ordered a club soda on Monday in the cabanas and the attendant clarified which I wanted and mentioned that the Pellegrino is not included so maybe they have now figured this all out now. I can't imagine I am the first person with a beverage package in the last 6 weeks since the ship restarted to order a Pellegrino, oh well. HAL does excel at inconsistencies. 

 

 

 

 

 

We have never cruised on HAL, only Celebrity.  We are considering doing the same cruise as you are on in March.  What is the cost of the Elite beverage package.  I've searched all over the website and can't find it.  Thanks!  I'm enjoying your "live" report.

[ottahand7]

Thank you for taking the time to do this on your trip.  I enjoyed reading along so much - happy memories from a Kdam cruise in 2017 and looking forward to N Statendam in February.   Thanks for all of the time doing the photos!   The discussions on the spa - I don't care how bad I need a manicure I will never go back there.   The hard sell about my poor complexion.    Yikes.    It sounds like you hit all of the high spots except two that I love so I'll ask.   Blend, is that still in use - or maybe have they put some slots in there too?   I loved doing that on sea days.   The other is the whiskey bar on the music walk, still there?    

[westcoastsue]

17 hours ago, luv2camp04 said:

We have never cruised on HAL, only Celebrity.  We are considering doing the same cruise as you are on in March.  What is the cost of the Elite beverage package.  I've searched all over the website and can't find it.  Thanks!  I'm enjoying your "live" report.

It costs $11.80 per person per day to upgrade from the signature beverage package to the elite. We did it on our cruise two weeks ago and I think it was a waste of money. I wouldn’t do it again.

[westcoastsue]

ZGSLC - you need to get back on another cruise. I’m missing your posts already!

[zgscl]

11 hours ago, westcoastsue said:

ZGSLC - you need to get back on another cruise. I’m missing your posts already!

I have a couple more to catch up on, and I will be back onboard in March!! If anyone would like to pay for one sooner I will be happy to go and will be very through in posting! I will even let them direct menu choices 🤣

[zgscl]

On 11/21/2021 at 4:50 PM, ottahand7 said:

Thank you for taking the time to do this on your trip.  I enjoyed reading along so much - happy memories from a Kdam cruise in 2017 and looking forward to N Statendam in February.   Thanks for all of the time doing the photos!   The discussions on the spa - I don't care how bad I need a manicure I will never go back there.   The hard sell about my poor complexion.    Yikes.    It sounds like you hit all of the high spots except two that I love so I'll ask.   Blend, is that still in use - or maybe have they put some slots in there too?   I loved doing that on sea days.   The other is the whiskey bar on the music walk, still there?    

I feel more and more like I will not be back to the spa, but perhaps a couple months will change my feelings. 

 

 

I never saw anyone using Blend, but there was collateral on all the tables and I think they offered Blend sessions online before the cruise so I assume I just was never there at the time they offered it. Notes is still there between Billboard & Rolling Stones. I also never saw it in use but it did appear fully stocked. 

 

[zgscl]

On 11/21/2021 at 3:50 PM, luv2camp04 said:

We have never cruised on HAL, only Celebrity.  We are considering doing the same cruise as you are on in March.  What is the cost of the Elite beverage package.  I've searched all over the website and can't find it.  Thanks!  I'm enjoying your "live" report.

So glad you enjoyed it! The Elite package is $49.95 if pre-purchased or $59.95 if bought onboard. Either way there is an 18% gratuity. Pre purchase is $412.58 per person when bought in advance on a 7 day. For comparison the signature beverage package is $371.28. 

 

 

[zgscl]

On 11/21/2021 at 5:32 AM, Florida_gal_50 said:

Sorry I was locked out of everything last night.  They were actually very good other than not telling me when the appointment was booked.  Very happy with it.  Have a safe trip home.

Thank you! I made it home safely, hope you did too! 

 

Also, what was your experience with the B2B like? Did you have to just get off and back on again?

[zgscl]

On 11/21/2021 at 3:10 AM, VMax1700 said:

I have found the shimmy in the aft Koningsdam cabins to be quite intrusive.  Definitely would not book one again.

I sort of liked it, kind of rocks you to sleep. I am having second thoughts about Hawaii. I love the view, but 10 days at sea in the Pacific might be a bit much. 

[zgscl]

On 11/20/2021 at 6:20 PM, boze9999 said:

We're boarding tomorrow and appreciate all your live reports! 

Bon voyage! I hope your first day is off to a fantastic start. I miss being onboard already. 

[zgscl]

On 11/20/2021 at 1:18 PM, scubacruiserx2 said:

Dear @zgscl

Thank you for sharing your fun and informative Live review . We almost always have done reviews after we return choosing to enjoy and photograph while on the ship and reviewing and relive it after returning home . Based on your experience we have booked Cabana for our upcoming cruise to the Southern Caribbean on the NA on New Years Eve . Does HAL still include the goodie bag on Neptune Suites including the bar soap? You can see it at the 21 second mark of our video clip of the aft cabin # 5191 on the Zuiderdam .

 

 

 

 

They did! See below 🙂

[zgscl]

On 11/20/2021 at 5:32 PM, RuthC said:

I've enjoyed your posts throughout the cruise, and am sorry to see it come to an end. You have been very helpful answering questions, and that has helped fill out the mental picture of what cruising is like on these large HAL ships. 

Now, I have a question, prompted by the above quote. Are you saying that there is no way---or will be no way---to block out the sun when it shines into your cabana? What if someone prefers shade, what would they do? Is there anyplace in the outside cabana area that's in the shade? 
Thanks. 

Also, I know this trip you didn't need to pay attention to any aids to make it easier for the disabled, but I was wondering if you noticed any differences from your prior cruise? Was there anything you might have noticed that would make it easier, or more difficult, for a disabled person? 
I know those housekeeping carts sure would make it tougher! 

Thank you for your posts. Have a pleasant trip home. 

Ruth, from what I could see I did not notice any significant differences. The big thing I noticed is there was just a single line going through embarkation - no separate line for disabled passengers anywhere and no separate line for 4*/5*/Neptune Suites. To be fair our bus of 40 people went through all together and we were the only ones there so it is possible these other lines might have been added later. There were several guests on our bus who walked with a cain and they had no priority whatsoever. There was a separate bus that followed a bit later that was wheelchair accessible and I think it was a small group on this so that might have been how they handled it. Not sure what they did for general boarding. I think I would definitely do the pre-cruise hotel with HAL again. The priority boarding was fantastic. 

 

I would really like to know if they unceremoniously dumped people in the central atrium or actually took them to their rooms. I still need to write a letter about that to someone when I get to it. We will be traveling next summer but with luck my mom will have 2 new knees and we will no longer need the assistance. 

 

I will post about disembarkation shortly but there was no where to sit anywhere and no expediting at all. If you cannot stand for long periods you should 100% request a wheelchair. 

[zgscl]

On 11/20/2021 at 5:32 PM, RuthC said:

Now, I have a question, prompted by the above quote. Are you saying that there is no way---or will be no way---to block out the sun when it shines into your cabana? What if someone prefers shade, what would they do? Is there anyplace in the outside cabana area that's in the shade? 

Totally missed this part. The short answer is yes. This was one of my concerns getting a cabana. There is a lot of lounge seating and off camera to the left there are probably 4 or 5 tables and chairs. I was able to get plenty of shade in the cabana in the morning and then when it moved in the afternoon I actually would sit just outside my cabana and would be shaded bu the cabana structure. There was a very nice group of people next to me and we would all sit and chat in the afternoons when it was hot. You could close the curtains if it is not windy, but to be honest I think it would just get way too hot inside the cabana when not shaded at all especially with the curtains closed. Of course it is impossible to predict due to the ship moving positions constantly, but I never had an issue with finding shade somewhere up there and when it got too hot I went inside for a couple hours. It is a very short elevator ride to the lido pool also for a quick dip and there are bathrooms in the cabana area too if you need to change. 

 

 

 

[zgscl]

On 11/20/2021 at 1:03 PM, StLouisCruisers said:

 

 

I have never seen housekeeping carts in the hall on a Holland ship before!  That's really odd.  Always in the halls on Princess ships.  We are trying to recall if they have them on Seabourn but don't remember.  Their hallways were quite wide, at least they were on Seabourn Quest.  May I ask if you had two room stewards this cruise?

Yes, we had 2 room stewards on this cruise as well as on our Alaska cruise this summer. My understanding is they have more rooms than they did before but are only servicing 1x per day unless otherwise requested with Neptune/Pinnacle suites automatically getting morning and turndown service. 

 

It was mostly odd as I have never seen this on HAL other than when they are actively using the cart. They actually did disappear towards the end of the cruise. 

[zgscl]

Saturday was beautiful but cold and I really love waking up to this view! 

 

As it was the last day I decided to sleep in and then headed up to The Retreat for breakfast in my cabana. As it was a chilly day the attendants put out blankets for everyone. I decided to try out a hot tea, oatmeal & an omelette. There is really nothing quite like a hot beverage on a cold morning to help you wake up. 

 

 

 

For lunch I joined my two friends in the Pinnacle Grill and the hostess asked if we would be willing to accept another solo because they were completely booked. Of course we were happy to solo into our group and we had a really lovely time. One of the things I really like about HAL is I have found people pretty universally friendly. 

 

To start with I had my favorite crab cakes and one of my new friends had the carpaccio. Both were excellent. 

 

 

For my main course I had the tri tip sandwich. The bread was very crunchy (a bit too crunchy for my taste, but I think that is probably how it is supposed to be). It is supposed to come with some sort of useless tabbouleh salad nonsense but I substituted fries for obvious reasons 🙂. Similar to the Nieuw Amsterdam the BBQ sauce on the sandwich is very sweet which I like but others may find it too much. 

 

We did receive our little tray of goodies and for desert we mostly had ice cream. 

 

 

Here are a couple more photos of my fantastic cabin, complete with the dreaded "almost time to go, please pack your bags" luggage mats. 

 

 

 

Saturday MDR menu

 

[zgscl]

Although it was cold I wanted to pay one last farewell to my cabana. Our wonderful cabana attendants brought my afternoon fruit & cheese plate. After the first day I did not see the cracker things any more. I also had to have one final chocolate milkshake. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next up on the farewell tour hit list was the Grand Dutch Cafe. I wanted to try the bitterballen and other snacks but unfortunately the order hadn't come in so they did not have any of the snacks or the croquettes. I did try the apple pie which was amazingly good. 

 

 

 

I received my disembarkation packet with the suite independent group. 

 

At the last minute I decided to do the HAL transfer as my flight was not until late. Patrick in the lounge printed me a new letter and gave me new luggage tags. 

 

 

[zgscl]

Although I had late dinner reservations in Pinnacle Grill I decided to do a pre-dinner in Club Orange so that I could say farewell to a few of the crew members in there. I have to say that they had an off night. The service was slow and a bit disorganized. None of the waiters came to take my order and the hostess finally came by and took it. The Heart of Romaine Salad Nicoise was quite good.  

 

 

For a main dish I had the Club Orange special dish which was a rack of lamb. This is the first dish I had in Club Orange that was just OK. After the several amazing lamb dishes I had onboard this was was really quite mediocre. 

 

The Pear Strudel has almost no sugar in it and I would not order it again. 

 

Here are a few of my ship photos from throughout the trip

Blend

 

Aft deck

 

Sun Bar

 

Rolling Stones Rock Room

 

 

Billboard Onboard

 

 

Ocean Bar Casino

 

 

 

Promenade Deck

 

BB King's 

 

 

Canaletto 

 

 

[zgscl]

I decided that there is no better way to finish off a cruise than a final dinner in the Pinnacle Grill, and after sampling the Club Orange fare for today I am glad that I did! Service in the Pinnacle was great and I found it to be consistently good throughout the trip. 

 

I declined bread as I had already had part of a meal. To start with I I had the candied bacon again which was just as good as the first time that I tried it onboard. I also had the caesar salad which was very good but was missing the soft boiled egg. 

 

 

For my main course I had the pork chop which was excellent and very flavorful. I also had to have another dose of the fabulous lobster mac & cheese and the creamed spinach. Both were excellent as always. 

 

 

 

After the main course I did get the tray of chocolate and candies. This makes 5 meals out of 5 where I received it. 

 

For desert there is no choice other than the chocolate soufflé along with a mint tea. Just as light and fluffy and wonderful as the first night. 

 

 

After dinner I found a couple farewell treats in my room. I do really like the new stickers & passport for trip memories. I brought the sticker home to put in the book I got in Alaska, and I think I will use this new book for pre-covid trips. I think I still have most of the itineraries in my email, or I should be able to use a but of sleuthing and common sense to piece them together. 

 

 

 

 

[zgscl]

I planned to wake up early and watch our sail into San Diego but it was not meant to be. I got up around 6:30 to find us already tucked into our berth next to the Crown Princess. 

 

For my final meal I had breakfast in Club Orange which was back up to its usual standards. The Bread  Pudding was quite good, and not as sweet as it was on the Nieuw Amsterdam which I think is an improvement on the dish as it was really a bit too much. 

 

 

 

 

On the last night I decided to try out the submit feedback feature to write a compliment for our fabulous cabana attendants. To my surprise I got a call back within an hour or so from one of the F&B managers thanking me for my feedback and letting me know they will share the feedback. I used this feature to write a few more compliments and every one, even the ones I did on the morning of disembarkation was given a response (mostly by the concierge, but the Club Orange hostess thanked me personally for the note I wrote about her, as did the Neptune Concierge). If you have an issue onboard and need a resolution, using the app may be the best way to get an answer. It seems they are really paying attention to this, or at least giving the impression of it. 

The only complaint I made using this was to report the issue with the Crab Risotto. Patrick let me know he would share the feedback with the chef and he took a picture of my picture from the Nieuw Amsterdam and the Koningsdam. Fingers crossed they cut the tomato down as the dish is really exquisite without it. 

 

 

[scubacruiserx2]

Well done ZGSCL ! Thanks for the review . 🙂☺️