Here you will find common questions and answers from people considering a world cruise.
This is currently a work in progress and all areas have not been completed. Please send me any suggestions or corrections using the contact form or via email at connect@theinsidecabin.com
How much does a world cruise cost?
World Cruises are expensive. You could probably find a deal on an inside cabin in the $50K per cabin range of up to $500K per cabin if you want to travel in the Pinnacle suite. Please note all the prices here will be PER CABIN – not PER PERSON – except where noted.
Many people planning their first world cruise focus on the base cruise cost only, which even for the least expensive cabin will cost around $50,000, and this amount is before you buy a single drink or go on a single tour. Even the $50K number will seem a little high if you only look at the giant print on the HAL website. The lowest fare listed for an Inside Cabin on the 128 days 2022 World Cruise is $22.499 – If you double that in your head, you think – Hey, I can go on a world cruise for $45,000. Still a nice chunk of change, but will that be your total cost once the smoke clears and you are staring at your final bill in April, the day before Fort Lauderdale? No, of course not, and everyone knows there are always additional charges, but how much will they be?
Is a world cruise simply 16 one week Alaska cruises back to back? Do you spend more per day or less per day than on other cruises? What is the total cost of a world cruise, and how can you estimate your total world cruise cost?
In my example above, the $45,000 fare in the giant print on the website quickly becomes $41,273 after you add in the port fees and taxes ($3,450) and the Hotel Service Charge ($2,825). After some discounts and other incentives with shipboard credits, you could probably get this price back down to the $36,000 range.
Let’s start with a high-level view of the various cabins: Here is a table with the cost per couple per cabin of the different cabin types. I am using the lowest price in the category where you are assigned a cabin shortly before departure. (Referred to as a guarantee. If you want to pick a specific cabin and guarantee a cabin on a particular deck or zone, that will cost more.)
Like buying a car, most people don’t pay the total brochure price for any cruise. Travel agencies will offer incentives and discounts. HAL will also provide incentives and perks, and certain agencies may benefit from volume pricing, group discounts, etc. The discount value will vary, but it is always important to look at the entire value proposition and not simply compare the bottom line. Some perks have value to you, and others may not.
| 2022 World Cruise Base Pricing per cabin | ||||
| Category | Base Cost | Port Fees | HSC | Total |
| Inside | $44,998 | $4,740 | $3,712 | $53,450 |
| Outside | $47,998 | $4,740 | $3,712 | $56,450 |
| Veranda Suite | $86,998 | $4,740 | $4,096 | $95,834 |
| Neptune Suite | $159,998 | $4,740 | $4,096 | $168,834 |
| Pinnacle Suite | $461,998 | $4,740 | $4,096 | $470,834 |
For the rest of this discussion please follow this LINK to another page on this website.
World Cruise Cost Calculator
Here is a link to a handy spreadsheet which will help you estimate the cost of your world cruise
How do you pack for a world cruise?
See my page HERE which has a detailed discusson of how to pack for a world cruise.
How do they handle your shipboard account for a world cruise?
Here is a copy of the letter from the purser explaining how they handled your shipboard account on the 2024 World Cruise. This was different from how they handled it on previous world cruises, where they settled your account at the end of the cruise.
Your account will be charged to your credit card about once a month.
You don’t get printed statements any longer. You are expected to check your account balance on the Navigator app on your own. If you would prefer, they will print out your account statement, but only on request.
What about Taxes?
You can file for an extension before you leave. You still have to pay whatever taxes you think you will owe by April 15th. More information here.
What about prescription drugs?
You will need to have a 4-month supply of all your prescription medications. The term most insurance programs are familiar with is called “Vacation Override”. Start your conversation with your insurance company and your doctor to see if this is going to be easy or hard.
This is something that you don’t want to put off to the last minute, but I haven’t heard of anyone not being able to reach an accommodation.
If your medication requires special handling or involvement by the onboard medical team, get your travel agent and HAL involved sooner rather than later. We use Tricare Express Scripts and we were able to get everything we needed in advance. Be ready to spend some time on the phone and some people in the insurance companies may be new and not understand all the options. Start early and be politely persistent.
Some people have used a service called Good Rx
This service found better prices in some cases and allowed for more flexibility with prescription length and refills.
Here is a link to a Consumer Reports article that talks about this service along with some options to consider and some to avoid. The article is 8 years old which I guess is a good sign since this company has been in business for a while.
The other service mentioned in WeRx – Check em out!
What about mail?
There is a service called “Traveling Mailbox”, which will give you an address you can use to forward mail or provide to your correspondents. They will open your mail and scan items of interest and email them to you. https://travelingmailbox.com/
If you are having a neighbor pick up your mail, the USPS offers a FREE service called “Informed Delivery” that will send you a scanned image of every mail piece you will receive that day. This is handy even if you are not traveling. https://informeddelivery.usps.com/box/pages/intro/start.action
Another option would be to get a mail box at a private company like Mail Boxes etc or UPS and then forward your mail to them. Most private mail boxes will hold your mail for the duration of the cruise (maybe for an extra fee – so check first). The post office will forward your mail up to a year.
What about bills?
Set them up to be paid automatically from your credit card or checking account. Most property tax jurisdictions allow you to pay your bill in two installments or all at once. You may have to pay your bill all at once unless you want to mail in your payment from overseas. Some jurisdictions allow you to e-pay. Check before you leave.
What about VISAs?
Holland America will get most of the visas you need for you during the cruise. There are some exceptions and Holland America will send you a letter on this subject before you leave and give you plenty of time to get any VISAs. If you plan on traveling independently off the ship during the cruise you will have to get your own VISAs. This section is for USA citizens only. Here is a link to the official HAL page on VISAs
From my experience, I let the ship get my visas for most countries except New Zealand and Australia. It is very easy to get these two. For other countries, the extra charge from HAL is usually minimal and in some cases less than you can get one on your own. Sometimes HAL can get the entire ship cleared under a group visa where you may have to get an individual visa.
If you are required to get a VISA on your own before sailing, Holland America will make this very clear in their letter on VISAs they will send out around October. See the other FAQ for an example of the pre-cruise information you will receive.
If you plan on going independently on an overland adventure then you need to carefully research the visa requirements on your own as they may be different than what is required for people traveling with the ship exclusively.
US Passports
Make sure your passport is valid for at least 6 months beyond the expected completion of the cruise. You should also have at least 7 blanks pages. The amount of blank pages required is always hard to predict and most countries will say they want one completely empty page, but will rarely use a complete page.
When you renew your passport, get the one with 52 pages. It is the same price as the book with fewer pages. You can no longer add additional pages after the fact. I would also pay the extra $35 (as of 2020) and get a passport card. While the passport card can’t be used except for land travel between the USA and Canada/Mexico and some Caribbean countries, It gives you another official picture ID which will establish your US citizenship if that should become necessary.
Each of my world cruises used 7 pages in my passport book. You could probably get by with less, but sometimes immigration officials at various ports can be fickle and I would rather have plenty of blank pages available for them to use.
Here is a copy of the seven pages in my passport from the 2018 world cruise.
What about Cash and Foreign Currency?
More and more ports will take credit cards so carrying cash is becoming less and less important. It is still nice to have a small amount of local currency available for small purchases where credit cards are not accepted. For example, in some ports, you may have to pay to use a public restroom and they may only accept local currency.
I always carry at least 20, one-dollar bills in port as if you don’t have local currency and need to buy something, it is rare that they would not accept USD. Don’t expect change, which is why I carry small bills. I always prefer to use local currency but having a backup supply of $1 bills handy is a good backup plan.
This ship doesn’t have an ATM, but the front desk will give you USD for a 3% convenience fee. If you gamble, the casino will sell you chips without any convenience fee, but they may restrict your ability to convert the chips back to cash if they suspect you are simply buying chips to avoid the 3% cash convenience fee.
If you don’t want to carry a lot of cash to the ship, you can buy yourself casino chips in advance without any fee. These casino chips will be charged to your credit card before you sail. Once you arrive on the ship, you can exchange your prepurchased chips for cash and then keep the cash in your safe for the duration of the cruise. Buying chips from HAL doesn’t trigger the cash advance fees you may find with many credit cards. (At least in my experience)
What about Foreign Currency? Holland America will offer currency exchange before each port. The exchange rates or OK and not worth worrying about for small amounts. They will also buy the foreign money back after the port visit.
Unless you plan on making a large purchase in foreign currency, I wouldn’t worry about trying to get local currency in advance, with the exception of Euros or Yen. Euros and Yen retain their value and are easily exchanged to other currencies. Other local currencies are often hard to exchange outside the applicable country. The front desk will sell small amounts of local currency for about an 8-10% discount from the bank rate. This isn’t much worse than you will find at the currency exchange at an airport or a TRAVELEX in your home country. They will also buy back what you didn’t use, but you will pay another exchange penalty in reverse. But for $25 to $50 you can’t beat the convenience. Getting local cash at a BANK ATM in your host country will usually get you the best rate, but you have the weigh the time it may take to find a local ATM with saving a couple of dollars. However I once withdrew money from an ATM in Chile and it turned out that the ATM rate was worse than the ship – very rare and the rate wasn’t easy to determine in advance.
Will the ship store empty luggage?
The ship MAY store extra luggage if it has space. You can always ask, but while they have stored luggage in the past, it’s not guaranteed. You need to be prepared to store all your luggage in your cabin. Once they store it, you can’t retrieve your luggage until the end of the cruise. This is why collapsible duffel bags are popular, or using cardboard boxes to ship items can save storage space.
We have found that the Home Depot Heavy Duty LARGE box works well HERE. Remember to tape over the hand slots so they aren’t used. These openings are the cause of much of the damage as movers will pick up the box by the opening and the box may tear.
There was no outside luggage storage on the 2023 World Cruise. On the 2024 World Cruise, our stateroom attendant offered to store our bags since the ship had plenty of extra cabins, but this is very situational and nothing you can expect.
HERE is a LINK with the dimensions of space under the typical HAL bed
Are there other luggage shipment services available?
The Ship used Luggage Forward to ship luggage from your home to the ship and back in 2023.
In 2023 – you didn’t have to retrieve your luggage and take it thru customs – the ship sent it through customs on your behalf. This was the first time this happened. In previous years you had to retrieve your own luggage.
Is there a limit on bottled water you can bring onto the ship?
You used to be able to bring aboard as much water as you can carry – no longer. Here is the latest policy
Guests are not allowed to bring alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages on board for consumption or any other use except as follows:
Guests 21 years and older may bring Wine and Champagne onboard, however a corkage fee of USD $20.00 (which is subject to change without notice) will be applied to each bottle (max 750 ml in volume or less). Limitations apply. Wine brought in quantities deemed to be excessive by the vessel or security will be refused.
For voyage that depart from and return to Australia and/or New Zealand, this policy applies to guests 18 years and older. For voyages which depart from and return to Europe, China, Hong Kong, Singapore or Taiwan, this policy applies to guests 18 years and older, and for voyages which depart from and return to Japan, this policy applies to guests 20 years and older.
Items such as sodas, energy drinks or other non-alcoholic items are not allowed on board in any form. Plastic water bottles are not allowed. However, an allowance of six liters, twelve (12) cans or cartons (500 ml in volume or less) or six (6) cans or cartons (1 liter in volume or less) of water are allowed per stateroom. Any amount in excess of this allowance will be not be allowed onboard. Water in plastic bottles will not be allowed onboard in any quantity, including in ports of call. Guests will be asked to discard open beverages in plastic containers prior to boarding.
All checked and carry-on luggage will be scanned and any prohibited items, including alcoholic/nonalcoholic beverages will be removed, confiscated, and discarded. If Your luggage is locked, the lock may be removed by security or, alternatively, the luggage will be held by security until you can be present for an inspection and any items in question further identified and/or surrendered. Holland America Line shall not be responsible for any loss, cost, disappointment or damage of any kind as a result of any luggage lock removal, alcoholic/nonalcoholic items, or other prohibited items removed and discarded in violation of the policy. You agree to surrender alcoholic beverages that are purchased duty free from the ship’s gift shop, or at ports of call, to Holland America Line, which will be delivered to your stateroom just prior to disembarking the voyage. Any wine or champagne supplied by the Holland America Line to you is not subject to a corkage fee. Purified or distilled water in factory-sealed containers (including plastic containers) for use in conjunction with medical device(s) are allowed in checked luggage and must be packed with the device(s). Distilled/purified water in factory-sealed containers (including plastic containers) for the reconstitution of infant formula is allowed in checked luggage for staterooms with infant bookings. Limitations apply. Allowances are subject to change without notice and remain subject to situational assessments by both security and the vessel.
An 18% Service Charge is automatically applied to all Beverage Purchases, Bar Retail Items, Specialty Restaurant Cover Charges and all For Purchase A La Carte Menu Items. Local Sales Taxes Applied where required.
How long is the wait for tenders on the WC?
For popular tender ports some people will line up 4 hours in advance to ensure they get a early tender ticket. On some ports it may take 4 hours until they open tendering. Here are two blog posts they explain how the process worked in 2020: https://www.theinsidecabin.com/day-8-devils-island/
What are some options for cruising with your mobile phone
Here are some of the options that people have mentioned about phone connectivity
- SPOT is $150 a year and does almost the same thing.
- T-Mobile gave us 6 months out of US. We have the seniors program $90 month includes NetFlix.
- GoogleFi you don’t need buy SIM cards and it is only $10 per gig. We used it for 7 months will in Europe.
- https://fi.google.com/about/
- T-Mobile on our IPAD, Unlimited internet and it works in most ports with no problems for $20/month no contract
Create a Mobile Hot Spot to share an internet connection
If you only have one internet plan – you will only be allowed to log into the internet with one device at a time. If you attempt to log in to a second device, you will be asked if you want to log out of the other device first and then log in with your current device.
If you would like to share the same internet connection with someone else, you can do this in a couple of ways, as long as you are in close to the other person.
With your laptop – you can log into your account, and then use your laptop to create a mobile hotspot you can use to connect your phone or tablet to the same internet signal currently being used by your laptop
HERE is a link to a good tutorial for how to create these hotspots on a MAC, iPhone or Android in addition to Windows.
Here is how you do this for Windows 10 devices
Go to your network settings – you can get there by typing in “Mobile Hotspot” into the search box on the lower left-hand corner of your screen. A menu will pop up “Change Mobile Hotspot Settings” – highlight that and press enter – you will then be directed to the mobile hotspot set up screen. Turn on the Mobile Hot Spot by tapping on the toggle switch. Then you can rename the hotspot and change the password to something easier to remember. Now you will be able to log on to your Mobile Hot Spot from your other devices
If you are in a place that requires you to buy separate login for each device and you don’t have a laptop available to create a mobile hotspot you can use a TRAVEL ROUTER to create a mobile hotspot you can share. It works like this. You logon the router with your phone, and then you use the router to logon to the WIFI access your purchased. Once you make this connection, the TRAVEL ROUTER will receive an rebroadcast the WIFI connection. Once you have established your mobile hotspot, then all of your devices can logon to this new hotpost you created.
Here are a couple of websites that discuss the various options available for travel routers.
Guide to the Best Portable Mini Travel WiFi Router in 2021 (nerdtechy.com)
The 7 Best Wireless Travel Routers of 2021 (lifewire.com)
5 Best Travel Routers – Apr. 2021 – BestReviews
All about internet
What information will I get from Holland America before the cruise?
Here are links to a page with the precruise information you will receive around October from Holland America. You will find information about the various theme nights, precruise packages etc
Gala (Formal) Nights
Holland America no longer has formal nights except on Grand Voyages. They have replaced this with Gala nights when they encourage people to dress up. The only hard requirement for a Gala Night is for men to wear a collared shirt and no jeans. Women can wear anything they consider dressy.
There will be about one Gala night per week. There were 17 Gala nights scheduled on the 2020 Grand World Voyage
Here is the official dress code from HAL:
Most evenings smart casual attire is appropriate. Shorts, pool/ beachwear, distressed jeans and men’s tank tops are best left to the daytime and are not permitted in fine dining restaurants.
Gala Nights evoke the grand traditions of cruising as guests dress to impress for special events on board, including a five-course gourmet dinner in the Dining Room. On Gala Nights in fine dining restaurants, collared shirts and slacks are required for gentlemen. For ladies, elegant dresses, skirts, or slacks are all acceptable.
Jeans, shorts and T-shirts are only allowed in the casual dining restaurants. More HERE
Theme Nights
Here is a list of all the theme nights and whether or not it was a Gala night. Sometimes they had a special theme in the lido ONLY. If there was a party in addition to the dinner, you will see it noted in the right hand column
| Theme | Gala | Lido Only | Party | |
| 4-Jan-20 | Bon Voyage | |||
| 6-Jan-20 | Black and Gold | Gala-1 | ||
| 10-Jan | Grand Gala Party | Gala-2 | On Mainstage | |
| 14-Jan | Samba Brazil | |||
| 17-Jan | Gold, Glitz & Glam | Gala-3 | ||
| 19-Jan-20 | Gaucho Dinner | |||
| 25-Jan-20 | Chinese New Year | China Town | ||
| 26-Jan | Black and White | Gala-4 | ||
| 29-Jan | Antarctic Adventure | |||
| 31-Jan-20 | Winter Wonderland | Great White Way (Crows Nest) | ||
| 2-Feb-20 | Superbowl | |||
| 5-Feb-20 | Dinner with Darwin | |||
| 8-Feb-20 | Paparazzi Dinner | Gala-5 | ||
| 9-Feb-20 | Chilean Seafood | Mercado Central | ||
| 14-Feb | Valentines Dinner | Gala-6 | Cupid Party Crows Nest | |
| 16-Feb-20 | Rapa Nui Dinner | |||
| 20-Feb-20 | Joie de Vivre Dinner | Gala-7 | ||
| 23-Feb-20 | Tropical Paradise Dinner | |||
| 25-Feb-20 | Mardi Gras Bead Party | |||
| 29-Feb-20 | Bowlers and Bumper Shoots | Gala -8 (Hats provided) | ||
| 4-Mar-20 | Kiwi Dinner | Kiwi Theme | ||
| 5-Mar-20 | Gala Surprise | Gala -9 | ||
| 8-Mar-20 | Australian Wine & Cheese | |||
| 10-Mar-20 | Aboriginal Night Fire Dinner | |||
| 14-Mar-20 | Under the Sea | Gala -10 | ||
| 17-Mar-20 | St Patricks Day | Pub Crawl | ||
| 21-Mar-20 | Indonesian Dinner | Gala -11 | ||
| 26-Mar | Makansutra Dinner | |||
| 28-Mar-20 | Secret Garden Dinner | Gala-12 | ||
| 30-Mar-20 | Tiffin Dinner | |||
| 1-Apr-20 | April Fools Costume Party in Crows Nest | |||
| 4-Apr-20 | Seafood Grill Creole | |||
| 6-Apr-20 | White Dinner and Party | Gala-13 | White Party | |
| 8-Apr-20 | African Kaleidoscope Dinner | |||
| 12-Apr-20 | Easter Dinner | |||
| 14-Apr-20 | African Safari Dinner | Gala-14 | ||
| 17-Apr-20 | African Braai | |||
| 18-Apr | HAL Birthday Dinner | HAL Birthday Dinner | ||
| 19-Apr-20 | Vuvuzela Dinner | Gala-15 | ||
| 22-Apr-20 | South African Wine and Cheese | |||
| 25-Apr | Biergarten Festival | |||
| 26-Apr | Disco Night | |||
| 27-Apr | Kings Day Orange Dinner | Gala-16 | ||
| 30-Apr-20 | King Neptune Ceremony (Poolside) | |||
| 2-May-20 | Mad Hat Night (Kentucky Derby) | |||
| 3-May-20 | Las Vegas Night | |||
| 5-May-20 | Mariners Appreciation Night | Gala-17 | ||
| 7-May-20 | Caribbean Dreams Dinner | |||
| 8-May-20 | Speakeasy Dinner and Party | Speakeasy Party in Crows Nest | ||
| 9-May | American Cookin | |||
| 10-May | Mothers day Brunch | Grand Farewell Night | ||
| 11-May | International Favorites Dinner | |||
Pillow Gifts
One of the special features of all Holland America Grand Voyages are “Pillow Gifts” They are left on your bed while you are enjoying dinner and are a pleasant surprise when you return to your cabin. They are often items you can use right away – for example a Travel Journal and sometimes they are of dubious value – a Monopoly Game featuring a Holland America Theme. The final gift of the world cruise will be the traditional World Cruise Plate.
Click on the name of the gift to see a photo. If you right click you will have options on a windows machine to open the link in a new tab or window.
Classes
Here are the classes that are normally offered on HAL Grand World Voyages:
- Tai Chi: 9 AM (Mainstage)
- Watercolor Painting Instruction: 9 AM and 1 PM (Kings Room)
- Beginner Bridge Class: 9:30 AM (Hudson Room)
- Intermediate Bridge Class 10:30 AM (Hudson Room)
- Arts and Crafts: 2:30 PM (Lido Market Port Side)
- Microsoft Classes: 1:30
A drawing class was offered on the 2018 cruise, but not on the 2020 cruise. Keep in mind, that there is no guarantee that any of these classes will be offered in the future.
All of the classes are offered at no additional charge.
The Tai Chi class attracts a group of regulars but there is always space available
The watercolor classes are very popular and usually fill up quickly. The instructors provide all the materials you may need. While most people attend from the first day, you can join at any time.
Bridge classes are usually well attended but never appear to be so crowded people can’t find a seat.
Arts and Crafts are very popular and people will typically arrive 1 hour early or more to get their best seat and guarantee a spot. HERE is a list of all the projects that were offered on the 2020 cruise. They usually have 100 kits available and they normally run out. Many people will eat their lunch in the LIDO and sit in the class area and then linger until the class starts.
The time for the Microsoft classes will very from time to time so always check the Where and When in advance. People will line up well in advance but the classes rarely fill. I guess if you want to sit in a particular seat you should arrive early, but otherwise you can probably show up at the last minute.
Classes offered based on location
As you transit certain parts of the world: South Pacific, Enroute to New Zealand, South America and Africa, the ship will usually embark a small team of cultural amabassadors. They will offer a wide range of craft classes, instrument or dancing lessons, demonstrations and lectures. The craft classes are usually VERY popular and if you are interested in attending, plan on arriving at least 30 minutes early.
Lectures
There are usually 2 different lectures per day held in the main stage. Sometimes you may get more if there is a special cultural team onboard. The lectures are normally about 45 minutes long. Prior to every port the ship will present a location lecture and also set up some time to provide more detail in the upcoming ports shore excursions.
Here is a link where you can download every daily program from the 2020 world cruise. You will be able to see the names of the lectures and lecturers along with the times they were presented. Sometimes they are replayed on the ship’s TV later, but you can’t be certain this will happen.
All About FOOD!
Grand Voyages have a higher food budget than a typical shorter cruise. For example, a nice-sized Shrimp Cocktail is available every day for dinner. While individual menu items will repeat, they will never repeat an entire menu.
On shorter cruises, pre-made sandwiches are the best you can get during lunch in the lido. On the world cruise, they will have a custom sandwich bar station where you can order hot or cold sandwiches to order.
HERE is a link to a page where you can download every menu from the 2020 world cruise.
What about tipping on a long cruise?
Holland America and most mass-market cruise lines automatically add a daily gratuity to your cruise fare. Holland America adds $16.50 per person for passengers in suites and $14.00 per person for everyone else. This money is put into a pool and divided up among people who are eligible to participate in this gratuity pool. These employees include the stateroom attendants, dining room waiters and assistant waiters, room service waiters, specialty dining room waiters, and staff, lido dining room waiters and helpers, and other employees working behind the scenes. Beverage servers and bartenders are not part of this pool but participate in the pool created from the 18% surcharge applied to every drink purchase. The Spa workers and Casino workers have tip pools created within their service areas.
Passengers have the option to decrease or eliminate this automatic gratuity upon request to the front desk. Reducing the automatic gratuity is inexcusable except in the most extreme circumstance for which I would be hard-pressed to produce an acceptable example. Some passengers state that they reduce the automatic gratuities because they enjoy passing out cash or envelopes directly to their favorite employees. If you do this – here is what happens. After you do this, the staff will assume that you were dissatisfied with some part of the crew’s service and seek more information. The crew members who work in your area will be questioned by their leadership as to what went wrong. Furthermore, any money you give directly to this employee will be immediately turned over to the gratuity pool anyway. Employees are not allowed to keep tips from passengers if the passenger reduced or eliminated the automatic gratuity. However, if you maintain the automatic gratuity, then any cash you give directly to a crewmember is theirs to keep.
Some passengers give gratuities to their favorite employees at the end of the cruise, every month, at the end of a segment etc. Some passengers tip room service for every delivery. Some passengers tip beverage staff above the 15% automatic gratuity. This is all great and the crew always appreciates the generosity. However, always remember that one of the benefits of cashless cruising is to not have to carry around a pocketful of bills for on-the-spot gratuities and that you ARE tipping, every day to everyone, even though you don’t hand them the cash yourself. From my informal surveys, I would guess that about 20% of the passengers tip “extra” at the end of the cruise and probably anywhere from $50 to $500. Many more people tip room service every time, although they are included in the same tip pool as your waiters.
In conclusion, the only hard and fast rule in my mind is to NEVER reduce the automatic gratuity. You will never be in a position where you feel awkward if you don’t provide an extra gratuity.
Medical and Accesibility Issues
Let Holland America know as soon as possible if you have any concerns about mobility, special medical requirements, service animals or other similar issues.
Don’t listen to what you hear on Cruise Critic as well-intentioned posters may be dealing with old or no longer accurate information. Policies are always changing.
Give HAL a call at their Access and Compliance Department at 800-547-8493 or email HALW_Access@hollandamerica.com. They can get you the official, current answer.
I would call them first and get the answer and then follow up with an email to confirm what you were told over the phone. Be sure to document the date, time and the name of the person you speak with. You don’t want to find yourself in the terminal in January trying to sort out some issue and all you can offer is “someone” in Seattle said it was OK last July.
For something important – Call and get the answer. Follow up with an email. Then call back again to confirm the contents of the email.
Depending on your mobility issue, there are some ports where you will not be allowed to get off the ship. These ports are usually tender ports where the wave action is normally higher than normal. Cook Island and Easter Island are usually in this category.
Entertainment
One of the highlights of our world cruise experience is outstanding live entertainment. The entertainment line up consists of
- Twice daily live shows on the Main Stage at 7:30PM and 9:30 PM consisting of singers, dancers, comedians, speciality acts and HAL cast production shows
- The Violin and Piano duo “Adagio” performing 4 times on sea days at 3 PM, 5PM, 7 PM and 8:45 PM in the Explorer’s lounge
- The Ocean Trio Dance combo performing 4 shows on sea days at 4:30 PM. 6:15 PM. 7:15 PM and 9 PM
- The “Station Band” – plays popular tunes in the Crow’s Nest at 7 PM. 8:45 PM, 9:45 PM and 10:45 PM
Here is a list of all the entertainers in a side-by-side table. If you click on their name, it will display a photo if available. If you right-click you will have the option to open the photo in a new page or tab so you won’t lose your place in the FAQ. Following the table are links to highlight reels for 2016 and 2018. If you are viewing this on a smartphone, turn it sideways to see the entire table.
| DAY | 2016 Cruise | 2018 Cruise | 2020 Cruise |
| 1 | Bon Voyage SailAway | NA | |
| 2 | TALK OF THE TOWN . A trip down memory lane featuring the Amsterdam Singers and Dancers | Abba Fab | Cast Singers and Dancers “On Tour” |
| 3 | An Evening with the Finkels . Starring Emmy Award Winner Fyvush Finkel, | David and Dawn Meyer | John Bressler |
| 4 | Bobbie Eakes . Internationally know singer ad double platinum recording artist | Tony Daro | Tim Kaminski |
| 5 | Elliot and Ian Finkel | HAL Singers and Dancers “Dance” | Andy Buenger |
| 6 | Shirley Dominquez . When the Harp goes Latin | The Piano Men | Jeff McBride |
| Andy Buenger/Jeff McBride | |||
| 7 | Philip Huber Marionettes | Tim Kaminski | |
| 8 | Kermet Apio | John Bressler | |
| 9 | Black & Silver Ball | Fred Moore | Cast Show: Salsamania |
| 10 | The Evansons . Jeff & Tessa . mentalists | Martin Beaumont | Mark Donoghue |
| 11 | The Jack Pack | Helen Wilding | Lee Bradley |
| 12 | Dance Trance . | Tom Suha | Cast Show: That’s Life |
| 13 | Sarah Chandler . Saxophonist | Robbie Howard | Tim Abel |
| 14 | ENCORE starring the Amsterdam Singers and Dancers | Sarah Chandler | Lindsay Hamilton |
| 15 | Robbie Howard . brings to the stage the stars of the Las Vegas Strip | Martin Beaumont | Brazilian Roots |
| 16 | Pete Neighbor . Swing Era Jazz for the 21st Century | Helen Wilding | Lee Bradley |
| 17 | The Evansons (Spotlight) | HAL Singers and Dancers “Variations” | Andrea Amat |
| 18 | Pete Neighbor (Spotlight) | Sarah Chandler & Tom Suha | Lindsay Hamilton |
| 19 | TAHITI ORA . Traditional Tahitian music & Dance (local troupe) | Robbie Howard | Andrea Amat and Lee Bradley |
| 20 | Bayne Bacon . guitar & piano | Fred Moore | Pampas Devils Gauchos |
| Mana, The Spirit of Tahiti | David Copperfield “Unusualist” | ||
| 21 | Strings Alive . an electrifying mix of guitars, piano, violin & vocals | Cast Show “Dance” cancelled due to high seas | |
| 22 | Bobby Brooks Wilson . a tribute to Motown | Hyperion Knight | Ruben Vilagrand |
| 23 | MADE IN ENGLAND . Featuring the Amsterdam Singers & Dacers | Nathan Coe Marsh | The Runaround Kids |
| The Knights | Adam Westcott | ||
| 24 | La Musica . with Lisa & Adam | Gary Arbuthnot | Peter Cutler |
| 25 | Bobby Brooks Wilson | Frank King | Planet Earth |
| 26 | Simeon Wood . A musician of azzlig versatility and inspiration | The Knights | The Runaround Kids |
| 27 | La Musica (Spotlight) | Hyperion Knight, Frank King, Nathan Coe Marsh | Superbowl LIV |
| 28 | Martin Ralph . giant spinning tops | HAL Singers and Dancers “The Midnight Hour” | Cast Show “Ala Mode” |
| 29 | Ashley Carruthers . Music, comedy and energy like you have ever seen on the keys | Hyperion Knight and Gary Arbuthnot | David Copperfield “Unusualist” |
| 30 | Lee Bayless . clean comedian | Annie Gong | Ruben Viligrand |
| 31 | Yoomia . International modern violiist | Rock Rhapsody | Movie: The 33 |
| 32 | MUNDO LATINO . featuring the Singers and Dancers of the Amsterdam | Movie | Alan Chamo |
| 33 | Jamie Allen . iMagician | Ruben Vilagrand | Kenny Martyn |
| 34 | Super Bowl Party | Rock Rhapsody | Academy Awards Broadcast |
| 35 | Australia Tenors | Fiona Pears | HAL Singers and Dancers in “Crossroads” |
| 36 | Jeff Green . a Fun Night of Comedy | HAL Cast “Nations” | Jesse & Coleen Kazemek – A Tribute to the Beatles |
| 37 | Sydney SailAway . . Movie . SPECTRE | Fiona Pears, Ruben Vilagrand and Annie Gong | Scott Harris |
| 38 | Australia Beach Party with Bondi Beach Lifeguards & HIPNOSIS . one of Australia’s most sought-after 6-piece party bands | Diramu Aboriginal Dance and Didgeridoo | Abba Fab |
| 39 | Jamaica’s #1 Comedienne Matilda with Patrick Murray | Paul Adam | HAL Singers and Dancers in “Amour” |
| 40 | Valentine’s Day Ball hosted by Holland America Line’s President, Orlando Ashford, with vocals by Australia Crooner Liam John Burrows and vocal stylings of Darcy Jones | Andy Joy | Naki Ataman |
| 41 | Patrick McMahon . The Superman of Entertainment; Kenny Rogers, Neil Diamond, Johnny Cash | Movie “The Shape of Water” | Yuri & Nato |
| 42 | Dale Kristien . The Star of the Phantom of the Opera | NA | Abba Fab |
| 43 | Gary Guthman . Trumpet Virtuoso | Louie Shelton | Scott Harris and Yuri & Nato |
| 44 | Emily Yates (Spotlight) . The Elton John Experience starring Greg Andrew | Paul Adams | Naki Ataman |
| 45 | Jamaica’s Comedienne Matilda & Patrick Murray | Louie Shelton | HAL Singers and Dancers in “Across the Sea” |
| 46 | MOVIE . THE MARTIAN | Movie | Jesse & Coleen Kazemek – A Tribute to the Beatles |
| 47 | BRAVO . featuring the Singers and Dancers of the Amsterdam | Divalicious | Jim Hodson |
| 48 | Paul Adams . comedian | Frozen planet Live | Annie Frances |
| 49 | Vincenzo . Award Winning Latin and Spanish Guitarist | Divalicious | Holland America Singers and Dancers in “A Thousand Steps” |
| 50 | Peter Cutler | Movie: Suburbicon | Juggler Steven Ragartz |
| 51 | A Night at the Opera with Opera Interludes | Andy Bunger | The Alley Cats |
| 52 | Clare Langan . Virtuoso Flautist | Patrick Murray with Matilda | Comedian Ben Price |
| 53 | Pingxin Xu . Incredible music from the Hammer Dulcimer Master | Katei | Annie Frances |
| 54 | SHOWTIME . Paul Adams and Vincenzo | Llia & Olesja – Acrobats | Juggler Steven Ragartz & Jim Hodson |
| 55 | ROCK AT THE OPERA . featuring the Singers and Dancers of the Amsterdam | Balinese Dance Group | Dark |
| 56 | Opera Interludes | Ace McDermott – Mentalist | The Alley Cats |
| 57 | MOVIE . THE FORGER | Toni Warne | Comedian William Caulfield |
| 58 | LION SHOW featuring a local troupe | HAL Cast “On Tour” | HAL Cast “The Midnight Hour” |
| 59 | Clare Langan . Virtuoso Flautist | Scott Harris | Brett Cave |
| 60 | SOUL MYSTIQUE . featuring the Singers and Dancers of the Amsterdam | Giovanni | Movie “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” |
| 61 | MOVIE . AGE OF HEROES | Bernie Fields | Guy Taylor – Singer |
| 62 | Tempei . Japanese juggler | Academy Awards Broadcast | Alana Conway – Singer |
| 63 | Annie Frances . Internationally acclaimed Australian Vocalist | Giovanni | Soul Mystique |
| 64 | MacDonald Brothers . Craig & Brian . Unique vocal harmonies and multi-instrumental talents from Scotland | Toni Warne | Brett Cave |
| 65 | DANCE . featuring the Singers and Dancers of the Amsterdam | Chinese Cultural Show | Movie “Bombshell” |
| 66 | Annie Gong . one of the finest modern accordionists of today | Eterni Amici | Flutist Stephen Clark |
| 67 | Rich Shydner . comedian | Tomono Kawamura | HAL Singers and Dancers “On Tour” |
| 68 | Annie Frances | HAL Cast – “Ala Mode” | |
| 69 | Singapore Music and Dance with a local troupe | Rikki Jay | |
| 70 | Filip Wojciechowski . virtuoso pianist | Rikki Jay and Tomono Kawamura | |
| 71 | Mel Mellers . magician & comedy | Eterni Amici | |
| 72 | Joe West . Multi-Instrumentalist & Vocalist | Instant Asia Cultural Show | |
| 73 | Graffiti Classics . 16 Strings, 8 Dancing Feet, 4 Voices | Jukebox Rogues | |
| 74 | Michel Bell . Broadway Vocalist & Katherine Matejka . pianist | Simon Coronel | |
| 75 | Joe West & Michel Bell | Lizzie Ball | |
| 76 | MOVIE . SPY | After Midnight – HAL Cast | |
| 77 | The Fly Rights | Craig Richard | |
| 78 | ATLANTIC CROSSING . featuring the Singers and Dancers of the Amsterdam | Lizzie Ball | |
| 79 | Tony Pace . man with the voice who just happens to be funny | Jukebox Rogues | |
| 80 | Graffiti Classics | Craig Richard and Simon Coronel | |
| 81 | The Fly rights | Creole Cultural Cabaret | |
| 82 | Dubai Traditional Music & Dance . local troupe | Goronwy Thom | |
| 83 | MOVIE . SPOTLIGHT | Colleen Williamson | |
| 84 | Hamlet: Cut to the Bone | Cul’Afrika | |
| 85 | Kieran Powell . ventriloquist | The Muses | |
| 86 | Donna Groom . vocalist | Scott Record | |
| 87 | Bernie Fields . harmonica virtuoso | Cul’Afrika | |
| 88 | NATIONS . featuring the Singers and Dancers of the Amsterdam | The Muses | |
| 89 | David Kidd . the voice of Tom Jones | HAL Singers & Dancers – Atlantic Crossing | |
| 90 | Kieran Powell | Brett Cave | |
| 91 | Donna Groom, Bernie Fields & David Kidd | Dark – No Show | |
| 92 | MOVIE . KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE | Cape Town Local Show | |
| 93 | Casablanca Steps | Alan Committie | |
| 94 | Laura Broad | Brett Cave | |
| 95 | MOVIE . KILLER ELITE | Mondesa Youth Opportunities show at 4pm then Namibian Local Show at 9:30 PM | |
| 96 | Francisco Yglesia . Paraguayan Harpist | Jo Little | |
| 97 | Jazz, Blues & Rock ‘n’ Roll . featuring the Singers and Dancers of the Amsterdam | Bruce Parker | |
| 98 | Rita Rudner | Pete Neighbour | |
| 99 | Lomax Brothers . 4 hands, 2 bothers, 1 piano | 4 Ever | |
| 100 | Ruben Vilagrand . mime, magic & comedy | Omar | |
| 101 | Jesse Kazemek’s Tribute to the Beatles | Jo Little | |
| 102 | Jesse Kazemek & The Lomax Brothers | HAL singers and dancers in “Astoria” | |
| 103 | Rita Rudner | Pete Neighbour and Bruce Parker | |
| 104 | MOVIE . VICKY CHRISTIA BARCELONA | 4 Ever | |
| 105 | Flamenco Show . local troupe | Move: The Legend of 1900 | |
| 106 | Stephen Clark . flutist | Savannah Jack | |
| 107 | Mike Price . World Champion Rock Star Juggler | Maria Lyn | |
| 108 | ABBA FAB | Tango Cervilla | |
| 109 | Indonesian Crew Show . Judy Carmichael . jazz pianist | Jason Lyle Black | |
| 110 | Buzz Sutherland . comedian | Suzzane Godfrey | |
| 111 | Island Magic . steel drums from Trinidad | HAL Singers and Dancers in “Bellissima” | |
| 112 | Masked Ball | Maria Lyn | |
| 113 | THE MIDNIGHT HOUR . featuring the Amsterdam Singers and Dancers | Movie “The Post” | |
| 114 | Terry Davies presents The Piano Men | Grand Farewell with Savannah Jack | |
| 115 | Farewell Show Featuring the Musicians of the Amsterdam | Suzzane Godfrey & Tango Cervilla |
Here is a highlight reel of all the entertainers on my earlier world cruises
2018
2016
Mariner Society Stars, Medallions, Presidents Club and Ceremonies
Holland America has two passenger loyalty programs: The Mariner Star program and the Medallion recognition program.
The Mariner Star program is based on Cruise Day Credits which are awarded for days sailed, onboard spend (1 credit for every $300), and your credits are doubled when you stay in a suite. Any cabin with “suite” in the title qualifies regardless of whether or not you think it is really a suite. For example, the Vista suites on the Zaandam are similar to Verandah cabins on most other ships but they earn the suite bonus nevertheless. Money spent in the casino doesn’t count toward your daily spend and there are other exceptions. Check HERE for more information. There are more perks as you move up the star ladder, but the most desirable perk is at the 4 star level and above where you get free laundry and priority access to tenders. If you achieve a higher award level during the cruise, you will immediately get the new perks. This is only applicable on Grand Voyages as you normally would have to wait until your next cruise otherwise.
The Mariner Medallion program is not as well-publicized or promoted as much as the 1 to 5 Star Mariner Program. The only place I was able to find the Medallion Program mentioned on the official HAL website was in the Mariner Society FAQ.
Unlike the Mariner Star Level Program, the Medallion Program only recognizes and rewards actual cruising days – there isn’t any bonus credit for suites or spending as there is in the Mariner Star Program. While achieving greater Star status gets you very specific perks, achieving a higher Medallion Station gets you nothing more than the commemorative medal itself and local recognition including invitations to these special parties. While not associated with a Medallion, there is the President’s Club which requires members to have 1400 pure cruise days and be specifically invited. The invitation requirement weeds out people with many sea days but not as full-fare guests e.g. lecturers, travel hosts and agents etc.
Here are the Medallion Award levels
100 days – Bronze
300 days – Silver
500 days – Gold
700 days – Platinum
1400 days – Presidents Club
Ceremonies
Toward the end of the Grand World Voyage, they will have a mariner recognition day. Due to the huge number of people receiving awards, they will have two ceremonies depending on your dining time. The medallions will be delivered to your cabin prior to the ceremony and only people receiving gold medallions or above will be individually recognized. After the ceremony, the Captain and Hotel Director will pose with you for complimentary photographs with your medallion.
While there aren’t any specific perks associated with the various Medallion levels, there are many perks associated with Presidents Club Membership, including, but not limited to:
• Annual Holiday Gift e.g. Waterford Crystal Vases
• Invitations to special onboard parties
• “Head of the line” tender service equal to Neptune Suite Guests
• Your choice of flowers/beverages/wine, etc. every 2 weeks
• Special seating and recognition at onboard events
Plus more – there isn’t a specific list publicly available, but these are the highlights I have discovered based on my research. Any updated information is appreciated.
Where are the passengers from?
Here is a list of the passengers on the 2020 world cruise by country of origin. This includes the embarked guest entertainers who were tracked as passengers. That explains some of the “singles”
| Australia | 10 |
| Belgium | 2 |
| Brazil | 1 |
| Canada | 162 |
| Chile | 1 |
| China | 3 |
| Germany | 7 |
| Denmark | 1 |
| Dominican Republic | 2 |
| Spain | 3 |
| UK | 24 |
| Hungary | 1 |
| Italy | 1 |
| Korea | 2 |
| Mexico | 1 |
| Netherlands | 25 |
| NZ | 4 |
| Peru | 1 |
| Portugal | 1 |
| Russia | 1 |
| South Afica | 2 |
| USA | 949 |
| 1204 |
Helpful APPS for your phone
Here are some APPS s that I find useful while cruising. I use all these apps myself. The links here are for the IPHONE version, but you can usually find one for an Android device.
This map works anywhere without a data plan. Download the files before you leave so you can use the offline mode. This APP has a breadcrumb mode that will keep track of where you have been all day. To turn on the breadcrumb mode – go to SETTINGS, then look for RECENT TRACK and select ONE DAY
This lets you find the name and elevation of any visible peak. Great when cruising down the coast and are curious about the name of nearby mountains. Be sure to download the data before you leave so it will work in the offline mode. The data files are very large.
Download this APP before you leave. This app will allow you to look at menus and the Where and When with your phone once onboard.
This will help you identify nearby ships. It does require an active internet connection
Cruise Mapper – Specializes in cruise ship locations
This messaging app is used by many of your tour guides. A great way to connect with them when you arrive in port
Helps to find stars in the night sky.
Star Tracker – works while offline
This lets you view foreign language placards and other signs. It can also translate text and voice while offline as long as you download the dictionary in advance.
This apps converts both currency and units – works offline
Can you leave the ship mid cruise and return?
Yes, you can leave the ship and return, but you need to get permission in advance from your cruise line. This permission is called a “Deviation” and it will authorize you to leave in a particular port and return in another. Before they authorize the deviation, the cruise line must verify that the desired departure port will allow passenger entry as opposed to simply passengers in transit. The same for when you return. It’s possible that a particular port will not allow people to depart the country from that port unless they arrived at that port. If you leave without permission you may have difficulty trying to leave the country or the ship may refuse to allow you to reboard since you violated the cruise contract.
Your travel agent can initiate this request and I have never heard of a request being refused, but you always need to get approval regardless.
Daily Activities
Here is a link to the daily programs from the 2020 World Cruise and get a sense of what the daily routine is like on a World Cruise