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[kids at home cruisers]

Hi Dutch

 

We are booked on our 1st HAL cruise - we are on the Oosterdam sailing out of Barcelona on August 11th for 12 nights. We have just printed off our boarding passes and have noticed it states we have 3 formal nights.

 

My question is - How can we find out which evenings these will be on ? When we have sailed on another cruiseline - theirs was always on the 1st sea day. So we were wondering if there was any similar clues to when ours may be with HAL ??

 

thanks

 

kids at home cruisers

 

 

-

[mamaofami]

CP556, thanks so much for that article . It answers a lot of my questions. I hope by the time I sail they figure out how to keep those chairs reserved for the cabins.

[pagalandguy]

Thanks for your help. As a new cruiser, can you tell me approximately how long it takes for disembarking? We are sailing the Volendam in late August, docking in Vancouver early Wed morning and we have reservations on the Quick Shuttle for 10:45 am to head to Seattle. Are we okay with this time schedule?

[vino100]

I have booked a SS guarantee on the Westerdam. what do you think my chances of an upgrade will be and are all SS cabins good? My sail date is Sept. 6 2009.

Thanks

[jtl513]

CP556, thanks so much for that article . It answers a lot of my questions. I hope by the time I sail they figure out how to keep those chairs reserved for the cabins.

Make some large signs to bring along! :)

[DutchByAssociation]

Hi Dutch

 

We are booked on our 1st HAL cruise - we are on the Oosterdam sailing out of Barcelona on August 11th for 12 nights. We have just printed off our boarding passes and have noticed it states we have 3 formal nights.

 

My question is - How can we find out which evenings these will be on ? When we have sailed on another cruiseline - theirs was always on the 1st sea day. So we were wondering if there was any similar clues to when ours may be with HAL ??

 

thanks

 

kids at home cruisers

 

 

-

 

It's up to the ships... but here's a couple near-guarantees...

 

It's never the night you board.

 

It's almost never on an evening where you're in port until very late in the day (think like a 8-10pm departure or later)

 

Just ask onboard if it isn't in the first day's daily program and they'll be happy to help

[DutchByAssociation]

Thanks for your help. As a new cruiser, can you tell me approximately how long it takes for disembarking? We are sailing the Volendam in late August, docking in Vancouver early Wed morning and we have reservations on the Quick Shuttle for 10:45 am to head to Seattle. Are we okay with this time schedule?

 

Should be okay for that. Just speak with the Front Office the second or third day in and confirm on the day before arrival that your disembark tags accommodate that time frame. The bus will pick you up literally AT Canada Place so they only distance is walking inside Canada Place.

 

I will note though, that had you said you had a flight at 10:45... any port... you'd want some people to say a little prayer for you.

[DutchByAssociation]

I have booked a SS guarantee on the Westerdam. what do you think my chances of an upgrade will be and are all SS cabins good? My sail date is Sept. 6 2009.

Thanks

 

SS is midship on deck 8.

 

The chances of you getting either an SS or higher (which would be a deluxe verandah suite) are 100%! :D

[jtl513]

It's up to the ships... but here's a couple near-guarantees...

 

It's never the night you board.

 

It's almost never on an evening where you're in port until very late in the day (think like a 8-10pm departure or later)

 

Just ask onboard if it isn't in the first day's daily program and they'll be happy to help

and:

 

It's nearly always the first sea day

 

It's almost never the last night before debarkation

[onthegogirl]

Hi DBA,

 

Is the pool a public venue or is it reserved for folks who pay an addition fee.

 

Carole

[hogwildcruzers]

Dutch....we are sailing on the Westerdam in Oct.....Halloween will be the last night at sea.....does HAL do anything for Halloween on their ships and how will they do it on this cruise....I know it is a silly question but we love doing Halloween cruises and dressing up and having a party.

[kay1864]

Thanks for posts from an "insider"!

 

There are excellent, detailed reviews of "Entertainment and dining on the Ryndam" and "Entertainment and dining on the Statendam" by jer_l on the post below. I think the PG reviews would be very helpful to the restaurant manager or food services manager on each ship (especially the Statendam, as his PG experience didn't measure up to the one on the Ryndam).

 

Any chance you could forward the reviews to them?

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1008514&page=3

[pagalandguy]

Should be okay for that. Just speak with the Front Office the second or third day in and confirm on the day before arrival that your disembark tags accommodate that time frame. The bus will pick you up literally AT Canada Place so they only distance is walking inside Canada Place.

 

I will note though, that had you said you had a flight at 10:45... any port... you'd want some people to say a little prayer for you.

 

The 10:45AM reservation is for the Quick Shuttle bus to Seattle, not a reservation for a flight. It is my understanding that the Quick Shuttle bus leaves from Canada Place. I gather that the time should be okay?

[DutchByAssociation]

Hi DBA,

 

Is the pool a public venue or is it reserved for folks who pay an addition fee.

 

Carole

 

All pools are public... on occasion though a group might request full access to a pool for a couple hours. Impact on other guests is taken into consideration and this is NOT very common.

 

The only pool that is not full access to everyone is the hydropool (see spa for details)

[DutchByAssociation]

Dutch....we are sailing on the Westerdam in Oct.....Halloween will be the last night at sea.....does HAL do anything for Halloween on their ships and how will they do it on this cruise....I know it is a silly question but we love doing Halloween cruises and dressing up and having a party.

 

There will usually be a costume party that evening... The issue then just becomes how many of your fellow guests brought a costume? :)

[DutchByAssociation]

Thanks for posts from an "insider"!

 

There are excellent, detailed reviews of "Entertainment and dining on the Ryndam" and "Entertainment and dining on the Statendam" by jer_l on the post below. I think the PG reviews would be very helpful to the restaurant manager or food services manager on each ship (especially the Statendam, as his PG experience didn't measure up to the one on the Ryndam).

 

Any chance you could forward the reviews to them?

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1008514&page=3

 

Likely they have already been seen, but you can also forward these to hal_entertainment@hollandamerica.com Just give enough info to let them know if it's an FYI or if you would like a reply.

[DutchByAssociation]

The 10:45AM reservation is for the Quick Shuttle bus to Seattle, not a reservation for a flight. It is my understanding that the Quick Shuttle bus leaves from Canada Place. I gather that the time should be okay?

 

Seems to be. I was just saying that while that time ought to be fine for a bus, I wanted to make the point clear that this time would NOT be okay for planes per our guidelines :) SOrry for any confusion

[honey-bunny]

can you please give me any info on the SS cabins on No0rdam and the perks? thank you

[kay1864]

Likely they have already been seen, but you can also forward these to hal_entertainment@hollandamerica.com Just give enough info to let them know if it's an FYI or if you would like a reply.

I was thinking more of the dining reviews than the entertainment. The entertainment reviews are mostly positive, and while they would be a nice pat on the back, the dining reviews might actually help the Statendam PG manager to raise the service level to that of the Ryndam's.

 

(I have a slight ulterior motive...I'm sailing on the Statendam in a few days :D Also, I don't have the managers' emails, but I was hoping you do)

[takemewithyou]

Hi Dutch:

What do you know about changes being made to the Prinsendam in 2010?

They are mentioned in this thread:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1015620

 

Can you verify this is happening?

Thanks.

[dulcetto]

Hi Dutch

 

 

I was just reading on a thread that the Statendam is not getting most of its major overhaul ,is this correct seeing as they have only been given a score of 89 on their latest cleanliness check when 3 of the other ships got 100 and the others over 90 !!!

 

Sounds like it needs a good refurb:confused:

[Yo Eleven]

Do all your ships have craps tables in their casinos? :confused:

[RuthC]

I was just reading on a thread that the Statendam is not getting most of its major overhaul ,is this correct seeing as they have only been given a score of 89 on their latest cleanliness check when 3 of the other ships got 100 and the others over 90 !!!

The change in plans for the drydock, and the cleanliness score are two different things entirely.

The drydock plans involved removing a pool, adding cabins, changing outside cabins to lanai, changing the configuration of certain lounges, and other changes. Some of those will still happen, and some will be put on hold for the time being.

None of this has anything to do with cleanliness, food storage, or maintaining food at proper temperatures.

[DutchByAssociation]

can you please give me any info on the SS cabins on No0rdam and the perks? thank you

 

From the website-

 

• Personalized cruise stationery
  
• Elegant bathrobe for use on your cruise
  
• Fresh flowers and fruit assortment
  
• Oversized bath towels
  
• A selection of pillows (firm, medium and soft) are presented on each bed for the
  guests' enjoyment.
  
• Luxurious beds featuring Sealy® Premium Euro-Top mattresses and finely woven
  cotton linens
  
• A no-host mini-bar for easy entertaining in your suite
  
• DVD or VCR player and the use of an extensive DVD or VHS tape library
  
• 24-HOUR TELEPHONE CONCIERGE - Service available via special dedicated "At Your Service" telephone line
  

[DutchByAssociation]

I was thinking more of the dining reviews than the entertainment. The entertainment reviews are mostly positive, and while they would be a nice pat on the back, the dining reviews might actually help the Statendam PG manager to raise the service level to that of the Ryndam's.

 

(I have a slight ulterior motive...I'm sailing on the Statendam in a few days :D Also, I don't have the managers' emails, but I was hoping you do)

 

I know a lot of the onboard staff access forums such as this, but I wouldn't be in a position to get it forwarded to anyone onboard directly. If anything in there (I haven't had a chance to really look it over) might affect your specific meal, you might want to emphasize that aspect during your ordering to ensure it will be enjoyable for you.

 

I had lunch in the PG aboard Statendam in May and had a great meal! :)