Bethcb

15 hours ago, bobjoek said:

Too often we do not hear about a positive experience with COVID and HAL.  I tested positive in June near the end of a HAL cruise in Europe.  My wife tested negative.  The ship’s personnel were very supportive.  As my positive test occurred next to the last day of the cruise, I needed to quarantine for at least 4 days after leaving the ship.  HAL arranged a limo to transport my wife and me from Amsterdam to their COVID hotel in Rotterdam.  The hotel was very supportive.  The arrangement was I had to pay for the hotel stay, meals, etc., and then file a claim with HAL.  I filed the claim (over $1,000) and waited, and waited.  No response from HAL for over four months, so I figured this was a lost cause.  Yesterday I received an email from HAL that they are paying our claim in full.  We are happy campers.  Thanks HAL.

 

We had basically the same thing happen in Vancouver and drove home May 2.  Submitted receipts $1700 to HAL mid May. Email Aug 2 said approved and check will arrive in 6-8 weeks. As of today, no check and it’s now Oct 30. They give me stories, like wait longer, no check request sent yet to 3rd part, etc. I’m sure I’ll get it, but sure a slow process. 

I have heard that shore excursion credits go into your OBC account and can be used for anything. Is this correct, or do we have to use it for shore excursions?

2 hours ago, Ksqrd said:

Has anybody been able to use these for payment for an existing cruise with a TA at a big box store? I just want to make sure I can use these before I buy. This is a great deal!

I used thousands in these cards for cruise in October. Booked thru Big Box store. Problem is the gift cards are in $25 increments and it took a long time to read all the numbers to agent and wait on phone for HAL to accept. 

Peggy’s cove is a highlight along with lunenberg. Maritime museum. If you have time, the immigration museum in the boardwalk is like Ellis island. Very interesting too. 

On 8/15/2022 at 7:43 PM, 1pinehurst said:

We are currently in Covid Quarantine at the Vancouver Sheraton Airport hotel for 10 nights. My wife tested positive (I was negative) the day before our Nieuw Amsterdam  8-7 cruise ended in Vancouver. HA moved her  to a quarantine room 6006 for the one night.She was treated very well and was able to order off the main dinning room menu. I was given the choice to return home, stay in the hotel room with her and be under quarantine, or get a seperate room at my own expense and not be able to see her. I chose to stay with her. We left the ship last and were taken to a bus with about 50 people with positive and negative covid tests. The bus ride took about 30 minutes and we checked in to a balcony room. Be prepared to put the $500 a night hotel on your credit card as Holland America will reimburse you after submitting expense voucher.You also have a $100 pp food allowance. This will also be submitted with hotel bill. We are in our second night with 8 more to go. Thank goodness for door dash. The ship carried approximately 1500 passengers, More couples had one test positive and not both. I am sure a lot more people on ship had covid symptoms but would not get tested out of fear of being quarantined. We had a beautiful land tour and cruise before our bad luck.

Exact same scenario with us in May. We were tested after 5 day coastal cruise to Vancouver to then board another ship to Alaska. Husband tested positive. We chose not to quarantine because if I stayed in hotel with him and later tested positive to fly, 10 day clock starts again at my own expense. 
So, we rented a car in Vancouver and drove home to Southern California. No vaccine requirement to drive over the border.  We submitted our gas, taxi and hotel expenses along with $100/day food per diem. We submitted expenses which was less than if we had stayed in hotel. Just got reimbursed by HAL. It took 3.5 months. We got credit from airline to use in the future. 
interesting, I never got Covid from him despite sharing  5 days in cruise cabin and 3 days in car driving home. 

We were due just 1 day FCC from May 2 and never got it. Last week we got our expenses reimbursed from them for driving home from Vancouver (instead of staying in hotel). Took them 90 days. I’m not even wasting my time trying to contact them for 1 day FCC. 

Just now, zelker said:

You can only prepay for the premium tier online and it’s definitely cheaper than waiting until you’re on the ship.  Our experience has been that the prepaid premium tier is just a few bucks more than buying the middle tier onboard.  If you call ship services they might be able to tell you the price for each tier if you wait to buy it.

Thank you! That’s the answer I wanted. 

I see the chart. Thank you! They are offering pre-purchase for 69 days. Would like to know if prices are lower if you order it in advance compared to onboard. 

We are going on a 69 cruise in October. The Premium wifi is $479.99 for the entire cruise. Is it less money if I buy it now vs. onboard? I really only need the middle level plan but can't purchase that now. Any idea what that cost would be onboard?

Just a few months ago we were on the Zuiderdam and in Moorea we went to the Sofitel Resort for the day and spent a night there. The following day, we took the afternoon ferry to Papeete and joined the Zuiderdam in plenty of time. 

We had to tell Guest Services well in advance of our plans. They gave us our passports back the day before we went to Moorea and we had to clear customs on the ship the morning in Moorea. It all went very smoothly. They just need to know for immigration purposes. 

2 hours ago, Mapomp said:

Hi all.  I'm looking at booking a partial transit thru the panama canal in January.  Right now, the HAL price is quite a bit lower than the big box I usually use, which I find strange.    If I book through HAL, will I be able to transfer the booking at a later date to said big box to get their incentive (at the same price as HAL)?  Do I have only a short window to do so?

Yes, you can transfer the booking. I think you have 60 days, but not certain. 

I tried to book shore excursions on the Princess website but the 10% discount was not applied for my elite status. Does anyone know how the discount works? 

I am booking my first cruise tomorrow on Seabourn. They are holding a cabin for me for 79 night January, 2023.  Please send me email if you want to create a referral for me. Sparcat at gmail dot com. 
thanks 

14 hours ago, Seasick Sailor said:

We are also on Rotterdam. We had our Covid tests today. (We're staying on for 4 more weeks) I asked the nurse about the yellow code. She said there's no code yet to call, as passengers were just now being tested?

 

I wonder if people report to medical with symptoms and are tested and it's reported? 

 

Now I'm interested and will 

look at this link for codes. https://www.cruzely.com/cruise-ship-covid-status-tracker-daily-update-chart-news-and-possible-cases/

Correction-BB King band is not performing. Heard from fellow passenger they disembarked yesterday. 

We are on the Rotterdam now. The BB King band has been off unexpectedly for the past few days, but supposedly back on tonight. The dance company was just cancelled tonight “due to unforeseen circumstances”. They are now telling us to wear masks in fitness center as of today. I was asked to wear mask when ordering food at Dive-in yesterday which is outdoors. We just don’t know really what’s happening but people are talking. 
I haven’t seen anyone appearing sick or anything, but keeping us in the dark creates more suspicions. But saying that, we are enjoying the cruise and just trying to take precautions as needed. We’ve had a great 20 days on the ship. 

Glory tours told me they were appprived. 

Boarding today for 21 days. Looking forward to cruising once again. 

6 hours ago, mjmalino said:

This is from the Princess website:

The ability for fully vaccinated guests to go ashore in ports of call is controlled by the governments of the ports we visit, based on their specific COVID-19 protocols and requirements. These are subject to change. All ports allow fully vaccinated guests to go ashore with Princess shore excursions. Some ports may also allow tours sold by port-authorized third-party operators or independent tours and exploration. Please be aware that in select ports you may be required to take a shore excursion provided by Princess to go ashore.

We recommend that you always carry your proof of vaccination and your negative COVID-19 test results from embarkation when going ashore. Currently, only Princess shore excursions are permitted in:

• Bridgetown, Barbados
• Roseau, Dominica
• Basseterre, St. Kitts
• Castries, St. Lucia

So, if things stay as they are, you should be able to go ashore on your own in St. Thomas.

Barbados allows government approved excursions. We booked Glory tours from Viator. They are approved. 

6 hours ago, Daniel A said:

We will be going to an island resort for a two week stay.  The government there may be requiring negative tests for entry and 'possibly several during the stay.'  Did your resort facilitate getting the post arrival test(s)?  I sent an e-mail to my resort but so far, I haven't received a response to my query.

We are at Secrets Cap Cana in Dominican Republic. We had to show vaccinations in USA but our friends did not. To fly back to USA we have to get negative test. We will get it 1 day before departure because we board a HAL ship the following day. The resort usually tests 2 days before departure. 

1 minute ago, Cleckie said:

Can anyone tell me how much the  unlimited laundry package is?

I believe it’s $7/day. 

Tour company told me today they are an authorized government company and the tour will go as scheduled. 

I saw a post on FB that the bags are now $30. I will find out on December 1.  

I looked at Barbados. No current info. I’m going to contact viator tour company today. 

We will be on the Rotterdam December 1 and have booked both independent and ship tour for Barbados. Would prefer the independent tour with Viator but was wondering if anyone knows from a recent stop there, if the independent tours are allowed now. I need to cancel one if these tours soon. Thanks!