doublebzz

As some posters have indicated, you have to be very selective when using Flight Ease. Sometimes, its a great bargain and other times it is substantially more costly. So my advice is to use it as a tool along with "Google Flights" and other search sites.

Yes, you have to have a booked cruise before you can check flights with Flight Ease. You need your reservation number to access.

Thank you. So the HAL site has not changed with regard to Flight Ease and is different in that respect from Princess. My " work around", as I did on my recent Transatlantic, was to check the flights on the Princess site first and then book my HAL cruise followed by calling Flight Ease and booking the air.

I do not have the answer :(. The sites certainly look the same (Princess and HAL) but when we have used Princess their site seemed more stable and we could look around at all kinds of options without canceling our existing reservation. In our case with HAL we simply had to wait until our disembarkation day was withing 330 days. At that point the HAL site became functional and worked exactly the same as Princess. But the problem happens after one has already booked a flight(s) on HAL and then later decides to go looking at other options and newer pricing. As I posted, HAL's site might unilaterally cancel your existing reservation with no notice or warning. And what makes it worse is that you would not even realize your flight had been canceled unless you happened to double check the reservation. Our flights were on Qantas and immediately visible on the Qantas web site after we booked. But, our reservation was immediately canceled as soon as we started looking at other options on Flight Ease. My only suggestion is that once you choose flights on Flight Ease...do not even consider looking at other options :(.

 

Hank

I understand your issue but I still have the basic question about how you access Flight ease on the HAL web site. On Princess, you can check the flights before you make a booking. On HAL site, it appears you have to have a cruise booking before you can access the flights or am I wrong?

This is relatively new. HAL now has an online air booking option and its the exact same system that is used by Princess. We have long wondered why the CCL brands don't share some of their software and systems and it appears that with Flight Ease they are doing just that! Our experience with cruise line air (from many lines) is that they often have very good Business and First Class fares on International flights. When it comes to domestic economy we do not even waste our time with the cruise line sites.

 

Hank

Agree completely particularly on one way premium class flights.

You say HAL is now using the same system as Princess; however, I can't seem to find how to check on flights when making a booking. On Princess, once you have chosen a cruise, you can access flight choices under cruise details. How is it done on HAL?

A lot of good recommendations here but my favorite is the Park Plaza. Whatever you choose, hotels close to Central Station offer the best location for proximity to restaurants, transport and airport transfer.

 

doublebzz - How does one apply for a "line of credit" withthe Player's Club? Do I do that once on board or is there a phone number I cancall ahead of time?

Apparently, the application process has gotten a little more complicated since I last applied the past April. Anyway, the application is at the link: https://nccreports.com/application/?globalcasinoservices

Hi,

 

How do we find out which nights are gala night? I have specialty restaurants booked, but I would love to enjoy the free “fancy” meals. Thanks!

Although there are some specialty restaurant fans on this board, I believe the majority of cruisers follow your strategy.

Generally for most ships I agree with you but..

 

Just off the Prinsendam Ruth and I have to say that the filet was absolutely incredible in the MDR on that ship.

 

It was tender, tasty and cooked to order. Everyone raved about it after. You could have cut it with a fork.

 

Food on Gala nights was very good. I had PG dinners booked in advance and no way to know when some of the Gala Nights would be with the sea days and itinerary so it was by chance that I didn't miss the Gala nights.

I was on the same cruise and couldn't agree with you more. We had one dinner in the Pinnacle Grill and, frankly, we were disappointed.

There are two problems with these generic comments about quality of food on HAL. Firstly, I find that the quality varies greatly from ship to ship so that no general rule can be accurately applied. More importantly, there is no subject more personal in nature than people's food tastes. At the end of the day, the only opinion that counts is that of each individual.

If you bring a "wad of cash", you might consider applying for a line of credit ("marker") with Player's Club. There is a $2,500 minimum but no pressure to gamble that amount. If you win, you can pay off the markers or, alternatively, it will be automatically charged to your associated bank account.

I agree. In recent years the Gala Night food has gone downhill. On some cruises the 'Always Available' option wasn't available, either.

It's a great night to head for the Pinnacle Grill.

Makes sense. Might as well spend $10-$20 sur charge in Pinnacle Grill for lobster when its included in the MDR.

From what I have read, it seems only AA’s won’t allow seat selection until HAL makes final payment. If there are any other airlines with that policy it would be good to get a heads up.

Not sure what you mean by "...until HAL makes final payment". Do you mean when customer makes final payment to HAL? Just got off a Prinsendam TA and booked return flight Barcelona to Miami with Flight Ease. When I booked the cruise, final payment was due and paid. I was immediately able to choose my seats on American Airlines as I have done multiple times before. If there is final payment restriction, that is about 75 days out and should not be a major impediment to choosing your seats. As an aside, AA also awards frequent flyer miles on flights booked through Flight Ease.

We just got off Eurodam on Saturday with a VB balcony. Although we ended up sleeping with our door open a couple of nights as it was so freaking hot in our cabin.

 

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Confused? Wasn't this an Alaska cruise?

This is no "free lunch" or "free drinks". On my most recent Prinsendam cruise, I was offered a drink each night I played at the craps table. I believe is ended up costing me about $150 a drink.

Thanks everyone for the kind words!

 

My mom is finally taking charge of her health and said this cruise was the best thing that happened to her in the past 10 years.

 

It served as a huge wake up call ( about smoking, treatment of issues promptly, healthy eating)

 

It may be her salvation but that cruise was my nightmare.. so many unknowns and scary scenes.

 

She wants me to book the cruise again for the Fall.

 

Um.. no way, Jose! I instead talked her into two weeks in Paris.

 

 

 

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If your mother has medical issues, wouldn't she be more secure 30 seconds from an emergency physician on HAL than in a foreign country?

I don't think the OP was suggesting that everyone show up en masse without paperwork, but rather intended to be reassuring to those who are having (hopefully temporary) difficulty in printing out documents.

 

Another HAL Board tempest in a teacup. :')

That's the way I read it too. This thread parallels the political discussions in this country nowadays. Very few seem interested in taking a measured stance but polarizing the issue from opposite extremes. Here we have those that believe the documents are complete BS and those that believe if you are not blindly following the rules, then you are harming the support personnel at the port.

He asked me if I had a boarding pass and I apologized and told him that I didn't but that I was checked in. I showed him my passport, I proceeded through the security checkpoint, filled out my health questionnaire, and then proceeded to the check in line. The check in attendant did not ask me for my boarding pass when I handed her my passport.

I am not advocating that everyone show up at the port without a boarding pass or luggage tags! I am only suggesting that you shouldn't fret over not having them, and I certainly wouldn't pay $25.00 to have them sent to me.

My printer was out of ink and so I just left home without them, and there were no negative consequences.

Moral of the story, showing up at the port prepared is always a good thing but it's not the end of the world if for whatever reason you don't have a boarding pass or luggage tags. You will still sail!

On point! I have never heard of a case where someone was denied entrance to the port or prevented from embarking because they lacked some documentation. A sure fire law suit if something like that happened. What is frustrating to me is having to answer some of the same questions by the embarkation clerk as I completed on the online check in forms.

Haboob, Are you familiar with the poster, Copper 10-8? He is Security Officer for HAL and has been for years. His infomation is well known here to be highly accurate.

I did not know this. Some of the cruise lines have restrictions regarding current employees participating on Cruise Critic; I guess not so with HAL.

I'm on my regular laptop - try this link.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=55797804&postcount=1

Any reason why they removed the tubs? Couldn't be to use the space to construct mini-cabins?

Actually, she's leaving SF an hour earlier. Makes me wonder if there's an issue with her propulsion.

I got an email a few hours ago. Our 6 PM departure was moved up to 4:00 (all-aboard at 3) and our arrival which had been scheduled for 11 AM is now 2:30 PM - and they recommend not scheduling a flight before 6:30.

 

So the original arrival was scheduled for 11am which means embarkation probably would not start before 3pm. So all this thread is about OP missing 2 hours aboard the ship or am I misstating he facts?

Thank you for the updated bar menus.

I see that our Grey Goose has gone up to $8.50 -- but I know that it is still covered by the Signature Beverage Package since that is now a $9 limit.

Looks like all the drinks have gone up even since my recent cruise on Zandaam in February. Could be my imagination, but I did feel the drinks were better in quality and perhaps even more alcohol than previous cruises but that may be the placebo effect.

And there is the wine museum in Boedeaux; although it was not as interedting as we’d hope. It had too much information unless you are really, really into the history and making of wine all over the world.

 

If you are referring to La Cite du Vin, I have to disagree with you. The building itself is a remarkable architectural achievement. Of course, you have to have some interest in wine to find the exhibits worthwhile. There is also a fine restaurant, moderately priced, on the roof with exquisite views of the city. We had a very nice lunch there. It is also easy to get to on the nearby trams.

As far as using FF miles you might be interested in learning that booking your flight with FF miles 5-7 days prior gets you a big discount 320,000rt of booked 300 to 10 days before your travel 120,000 rt- 140,000 booked 7 days prior !!! Play with your computer and see .

 

I've never noticed this on either American Airlines or United Airlines frequent flyer web sites. Seems the same number of miles whenever you book. Also, for someone who requires business class on inter-ocean flights, this seems like a pretty risky strategy; there may not always be availability 5-7 days prior.

I believe that the Princess and HAL flight programs are the same so that the fares and flights you see on Princess would be valid on HAL. On my current planned cruise, I first checked the Princess flights then reserved the HAL cruise, received a booking number and was able to confirm the flights I saw on Princess before submitting payment.

Most of the food restrictions deal with bringing food off the ship.

You will be told to be on board by 8pm, probably. That is when the muster will be.

 

Are your documents available yet...might mention this there.

I wonder why they do this? I believe U.S. Coast Guard regulations require lifeboat drill within 24 hours of sailing so I would think following morning would be more convenient unless itinerary dictates otherwise.

Unfortunately, that's precisely what it means. :(

You either have to send your clothes out for pressing, or use one of the make-do measures that involve steam or wrinkle removers.

Although, as a 4 star Mariner, this issue is moot for me, I still find it unconscionable. Is there no end to these cost savings/revenue enhancement measures? Obviously this is intended to promote the ship's paying laundry business and, at the same time, generate more revenue with the additional cabins. The self-service laundry was a vital service to many guests, particularly on long voyages, and will be sorely missed.