Hawaiian Holiday 🎄🍾 LIVE from Koningsdam Dec 21-Jan 6: join me for my 1st solo cruise & 1st inside cabin!

[Haljo1935]

7 minutes ago, packercruising said:

This is not good news for those with wheel chairs, mobility scooters, etc.

I agree. It's also a struggle for those with large suitcases.

The guy directing traffic as we got off said "elevator and escalator to the left," but the escalator had a sign and was roped off. I was not able to get a picture of it. A crew member in front of me said it hadn't worked in months.

Edited January 6 by Haljo1935

[SybilUnrest]

11 minutes ago, packercruising said:

Wyndam Bayside? That is where we will be staying.

Yes- only way it could have been more convenient is if it had been located in the terminal. 
 

View from the elevator this morning was a delight. 

[carol louise]

46 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said:

Thanks for coming along - nice to have someone to talk to when traveling by ones self 😊 

I agree with this. I took a solo cruise in 2009 (obstructed-view balcony on Carnival Miracle). I emailed every evening with my sister (my frequent cruise companion) and an old friend, to bring them up to date with my trip. Between those connections and the open friendliness of fellow cruisers, it was a pleasant combination of quiet solitude and companionship.
 

Wishing you smooth travels home today.

[Bruinboy]

@Haljo1935 I can’t begin to describe how sad I am that your cruise has ended. I have enjoyed each and every post, and what a great attitude you have. I know you must be sad that your cruise has ended. Just know many of us here are sad for you and ourselves as well. It has been a wonderful journey with you. Thanks for bringing us along.

 

Now, I guess I have to find a legitimate service dog for my cruise next month 🙂

[Niagarawine]

1 hour ago, Haljo1935 said:

I (and many others including the Hotel Gen Mgr & the GS Mgr) have the same opinion of their Service Dog status, ugh

Now THIS is a service dog 😊

Not a service dog and not pretending to be one

 

NOT service dogs and terrible imposters

 

[Niagarawine]

Thought you would like to know that I contacted the management at HAL about what you experienced. 

[FlorenceItaly]

I haven't read your blog yet but if you had problems with dogs barking I would have been livid.  This is unacceptable as they should have never been onboard.  Emotional support animals are not recognized by the ADA.  The cruise lines are not required to accept emotional support animals.  Period.  The cruise line is at fault.  All this to say I am assuming this was your situation.

[BetsyS.]

The dogs should NEVER have been allowed in the Lido restaurant or in the Dutch Cafe! I hope HAL will change their policy regarding this in the near future and only allow real service dogs onboard.

       I hope that some of the crew were able to get off the ship last night for a break.

       I'm wishing you a smooth, uneventful flight home. 😊

[broberts]

4 hours ago, Haljo1935 said:

....

But since it's time to get off, seriously, where are the dogs? If they were disembarking them away from other passengers, like they do ill passengers, for example, surely the humans would be with the animals. Head scratcher...

 

Perhaps they have to clear CBP separately. Hopefully the owners have the appropriate documentation and the animals do not need quarantine.

 

[SusieKIslandGirl]

I want to add my thanks for your excellent review of your last 2 cruises. It's been interesting to see what new adventure (the good, the bad and the ugly) pops up. And I so agree that dogs do not belong in any area where food is being served-ugh!

Back to cooking and cleaning-always a shock after a cruise. Thanks again!

[oakridger]

5 hours ago, Haljo1935 said:

I would like to see them once again post the call for pick-up signs or leave cards or in some way notify us so there would be fewer trays in the hallways. Narrow passage ways + extra stuff (dishes, laundry baskets, whatever) = hard to navigate.

 

Exactly!  In the past HAL put a card on the room service trays instructing people to leave them in the cabin and to not put them in the hall.  There are several threads on CC explaining the maritime laws against blocking corridors with food service items, scooters, strollers, (and dogs!!).  Having worked in very safety sensitive jobs/locations (Chemist) it was drilled into us how dangerous it is to block egress and first responders!  My pet peeve.

 

**Please don't put stuff in the hallways even though some cruise lines tell you to do so (Carnival 😡)**

Rant over. 

 

@Haljo1935 I sure enjoy reading your reports and hope you have a smooth travel day back to Texas.

Thank you!!

 

~Nancy

[regnig]

1 hour ago, broberts said:

 

Perhaps they have to clear CBP separately. Hopefully the owners have the appropriate documentation and the animals do not need quarantine.

 

Well in my opinion it would serve those ladies right if the dogs were put into quarantine and it cost the owner(s) lots of money to get them out. To dup HAL into allowing those animals aboard is a crime. The dogs did nothing wrong (most untrained dogs will bark at times) but the owner(s) were less than truthful about their "service" qualifications.  If one chooses not to find care for their pet or cannot afford it then they should find some other type of vacation to take.  Off my soap box now.....

[jeh10641]

On 1/5/2024 at 11:17 AM, Homer88 said:

I asked when I was on the K-dam in November- waitress said it was for Covid precautions- and not in use anymore.  Don't know why they didn't remove it during dry dock in March 2023.

I am not sure about the answer you received since my Rotterdam cruise was in December 2021 just after the cruise restart. COVID very much a concern then. Masks highly recommended if not required.

Jim

[jeh10641]

23 hours ago, Haljo1935 said:

More views from my balcony as we get closer to Ensenada, in no particular order.

 

 

And one looking down instead of out, cuz why not? No inside cabin means I CAN look down (even if there's nothing particularly worth looking at)😉

For some ungodly reason I could not "quote" to your inside cabin report so I was waiting for another shot. We usually book inside cabins. We travel together, my wife and me. On our Rotterdam cruise in 2021 we were in cabin 1146 which is also a "sideways inside cabin". We had the beds separated. No space problem. The two bedside tables were between the beds. We like separate beds because of blanket requirements. My wife likes a lot of them and I do not. We were close to elevators and meeting rooms. Very quiet. Of course, there were only 1600 pax on the ship. My only gripe was the lack of a night light in the bathroom. Our cabin on Anthem OTS had one - as the Brits say "Brilliant!".

 

On a Panama Canal repositioning cruise on the Westerdam in 2012, we had a large inside cabin and my wife's sister joined us. The only problem was bathroom sharing time. But we were able to cope with that.

Jim

[Haljo1935]

4 hours ago, Niagarawine said:

Thought you would like to know that I contacted the management at HAL about what you experienced. 

I appreciate your support and letting me know. I will include my experience in my post-cruise survey (if I receive one) and will also be contacting CCL as well. They need to take a hard look st their policy - in it's present form, it's broken. 

Edited January 7 by Haljo1935
Typo

[Haljo1935]

3 hours ago, FlorenceItaly said:

I haven't read your blog yet but if you had problems with dogs barking I would have been livid.  This is unacceptable as they should have never been onboard.  Emotional support animals are not recognized by the ADA.  The cruise lines are not required to accept emotional support animals.  Period.  The cruise line is at fault.  All this to say I am assuming this was your situation.

I do not believe they were presented as emotional support dogs - after meeting with 2 different high level crew members, I believe the passengers misrepresented the animals to HAL and had found a way to get documents that would support their "story."

I hope when time permits, you're able to read the thread.

And hope your whale watching was a success!!

[jeh10641]

15 hours ago, Haljo1935 said:

Must have extra food to dump to make room for provisions: I ordered half club sandwich - got a whole one. And received both slaw and chips (L🧡VE those chips)

Ordered small cobb 🥗  - got a full large one.

My computer is acting strangely today. I call it A.I. It does what it wants to do not what I want to do. Anyway, about the art auctions, we love them even without the free bubbly.

Jim

[Haljo1935]

3 hours ago, BetsyS. said:

The dogs should NEVER have been allowed in the Lido restaurant or in the Dutch Cafe! I hope HAL will change their policy regarding this in the near future and only allow real service dogs onboard.

       I hope that some of the crew were able to get off the ship last night for a break.

       I'm wishing you a smooth, uneventful flight home. 😊

Thanks - it was an uneventful flight (yay) and look who I had in my row. Maddie was a great example of a dedicated worker and it was a very pleasant surprise to share the row with her after this particular cruise.

 

I too hope some of the crew was able to enjoy some time in Ensenada. There was a receiving line in uniform meeting us when we got off, which is where I ran into John, GSMgr, and had the final talk about the dogs.

[jeh10641]

8 hours ago, Haljo1935 said:

Where are the dogs this morning? They are not in the bag, at least it didn't look like they were.

We will be on Koningsdam in January 2025 (the 28th). Originally, I had booked cabin 1140 like my Rotterdam cabin. But a deal came along and changed to 7001, forward facing right under the Bridge.

Jim

[jeh10641]

5 hours ago, packercruising said:

This is not good news for those with wheel chairs, mobility scooters, etc.

We may stay at the Wyndham Bayside in January 2025.

Jim

[sunviking90]

5 hours ago, Haljo1935 said:

I (and many others including the Hotel Gen Mgr & the GS Mgr) have the same opinion of their Service Dog status, ugh

Now THIS is a service dog 😊

Not a service dog and not pretending to be one

 

NOT service dogs and terrible imposters

They look like they want to pose as Santa’s reindeer next time!

[BetsyS.]

I'm glad you had a good flight. Maddie looks like a wonderful dog! 😊 I hope you will get your post cruise survey soon.

[Haljo1935]

33 minutes ago, jeh10641 said:

...My only gripe was the lack of a night light in the bathroom. Our cabin on Anthem OTS had one - as the Brits say "Brilliant!". ..

Thanks, Jim, for jumping back in & mentioning the bathroom light. I completely forgot to mention it. There wasn't a night light, but it was switched so the automatically light came on when the door was opened and went off when the door was closed. Kinda harsh on your eyes when you make a middle of the night trip, but maybe better than being in the dark.

[Haljo1935]

28 minutes ago, jeh10641 said:

We will be on Koningsdam in January 2025 (the 28th). Originally, I had booked cabin 1140 like my Rotterdam cabin. But a deal came along and changed to 7001, forward facing right under the Bridge.

Jim

Nice - congrats!

[jeh10641]

2 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said:

Thanks, Jim, for jumping back in & mentioning the bathroom light. I completely forgot to mention it. There wasn't a night light, but it was switched so the automatically light came on when the door was opened and went off when the door was closed. Kinda harsh on your eyes when you make a middle of the night trip, but maybe better than being in the dark.

We worry about tripping over stuff on our way to and fro. I am going to look into motion sensor night lights that a lot of You Tube Cruisers mention. You can reach me at BOOKSFORLESS@prodigy.net Thanks for the great stories.

Jim