Ilovesailaway

Odd off topic question Megan, can you here the artillery from Fort Sill? I trained there years ago and I know we made a lot of noise.

18 hours ago, cruisin*tigger said:

omg, you have no idea.  I'm gonna miss meeting everyone!  This is my weekend.  

 

sounds like a Monday where I live... yuck

I cruise more often than my DW. When she isn't with me I could care less about the cabin. I book inside GTY to go as cheap as possible. I have done this with other lines and always had an upsell offer. Sometimes the offer is very good and I take it. I have never been upgraded for free.

I have my 3rd booking coming up on HAL. No DW on this cruise so I booked an inside GTY on a Black Friday promo. No cabin yet but I know it could be a last minute thing. I am courious to see how the process works with HAL.

23 hours ago, crystalspin said:

Closest to flash sales are Black Friday and Cyber Week short-term promos.

I scored a pretty good one on Black Friday. 1100 pp for a 7 nt inside gty with HIA.

Taking the cruise with a buddy just to get out of the cold for a week. I couldn't stay at a motel 6 for a week for that lol.

Go Bills!!!

Go Bills!!!

1 hour ago, edinburgher said:

salted crackers are preferable to plain ones

ginger ale (when it had ginger) and saltines were the standard home remedy for nausea

Look at the live review of NS by POA1

Ask there...

OP I dont have the answer but I have begun reseraching the same question. I will be stopping at Ochos Rios for the first time in March. I am considering just hanging out at Margaritaville as well. I have looked an youtube and found some helpful videos. I would suggest you take a look there as well. Look at recent videos from cruise passengers. 

Sun.      Port Everglades

Mon.     Sea Day

Tue.      Ocho Rios.          9-5

Wed.     Georgetown.       8-5

Thu.      Cozumel.            5pm- overnight

Fri.        Cozumel.             - 9pm

Sat.       Sea Day

Sun.      Port Everglades

I'm guessing Mon for the first but the overnight and late departure from Cozumel has me wondering when we will have the second?

2 hours ago, Haljo1935 said:

We received zero printed port info on NS for either of the cruises just before and after drydock. 

Good to know. I will put a reminder in my calandar to print port maps for my NS cruise in March.

19 minutes ago, richwmn said:

 HAL allowed it to be added to an existing booking for a short period.

Ty for the background. I'm new to HA but very happy so far and just booked my 3rd in a year. I have no problem if they want to strictly enforce the rules of the program. Now that I am better informed I will book after obc is approved. I'm sure it will be like most of the other lines where it's about hitting the right promos at the right time.

I do believe I should be looking for a Personal Cruise Conultant with HA. Although I am already booked so that might have been another cart before the horse error on my part.

17 hours ago, AFNavigator said:

 

 

Is that hassle worth the value of the OBC?  That's up to each individual to decide. 

Prob not...

I just want others to be aware that they have changed the program. Now you have to secure the obc, then book. Before you could add the obc to an existing booking.

My feedback from HAL has been positive once someone started to review my request.

1 hour ago, Tampa Girl said:

If I may ask, what verification were you sending to them? 

HA has a $100 OBC for teachers, first responders, military,.... Its in the community appreciation offers at the bottom of the HA homepage. In the past you could have the obc applied to an existing booking. Now they want you qualify for the obc before you book. I was not aware of the change. I have sent them my SheerID verification and asked for it to be applied to a booking I made last week.

17 minutes ago, sue1898 said:

Someone posted this one yesterday Reservations_submit@hollandamerica.com

worked and i was able to send them verification for an obc 

Anyone have an email address for the reservations department at Holland America?

Something similar to res_submit@hollandamerica.com

That was given to me by an HA rep after a long hold on the phone...

Bad email, chat doesn't work, website isn't working well, and now I'm back on hold.

so impressed

You fill in your info and to include name mariner # and where you work. Sheer ID verified my eligibily instantly. Then you are asked to make a booking to get the credit.  You are not given the oportunity to add a booking number for an existing booking.

I seem to recall under the old system you could add a booking number and recieve the credit after you were booked. You submitted for the credit and waited to hear back.

I'm scratching my head. I booked last week and today I remembered about the appreciation progam and applied for the OBC. Now I can't get it.

If had thought to apply for the OBC before I booked I would be good to go. My cruise qualifies and my rates are the same as the one I recieved last week. I have paid for the cruise. 

I don't feel very appreciated lol.

So just a heads up to vets, teachers, first responders, and others who HA has an appreciation program for. Apply for your OBC before you book.  (so strange)

By the same logic shouldn't share holders only get OBC if they are approved for it before they book?

Ty for the responses. Unfortunately I forgot to aply for 1st responder or veteran credit before I booked and paid for my cruise. I booked just last week.

Now I am beeing told in a text chat by HA that I cannot receive the credit for either because I didn't fill out the verification request before I booked? I believe I have been able to have the credit applied post booking in the past. This doesn't seem very appreciative lol.

I asked the person on the chat if they could refer me to someone who could better explain the policy and they gave me a phone number of (877) 724-5425. I will try tomorrow.

I seem to recall HA having an OBC for Vets or First Responders.

Sorry I can't find it in the search. Can anyone confirm the program and possibly direct me where to apply?

Thank you

Booked a 7 nt leaving Ft. Lauderdale on 3/3 on Black Friday. Got a great deal and a friend agreed to be my cruise companion so lucky me. Then I looked at hotel rates near FLL for 3/2... lol

Crossed my fingers and looked for Cyber Monday deals today and finally found a deal for under 300 at Avid FT Lauderdale Airport - Cruise Port. (Booked direct)

Hopefully if someone needs a deal near that date this info helps.

ty everyone I will check those places

How would my kids find there VIFP numbers? They are booked on their first cruise without me and I want to make sure they get credit for it and all their past Carnival cruises.

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

If you let me know what you like in a gym will see if I can pull up a picture or two.

Ty for that offer. I am starting to look at vids of the ships now. I gravitate more to the free weights and use the stairs to ballance out some cardio when I cruise. 

I appreciate the recommendations from everyone so far... 

Looking at booking a Caribbean or Bahamas cruise Feb or March. This would be a winter getaway for a couple of middle aged buddies.

I have sailed all the other mass market lines several times and I have been to all the usual Caribbean and Bahamas ports. This will be my first cruise with Celebrity. My cruise companion has sailed several lines including Celebrity but that was with his ex wife. He enjoys Celebrity, has no pref, and is letting me plan this trip.

My preferences would be quality casual food during the day, good bar service, a great gym, and a clean ship. For dinner I am flexible. I can take or leave production shows. I appreciate high quality live music.

Looking in the 4-7 night range. 

Here is where I need advice. I am considereing Silhouette, Summit, Ascent, Apex, and Reflection. Having no experience with X I don't know which of these ships might be better suited for a good workout in the morning, not too crowded sun deck for afternoon cocktails, and enough of a party in the evening so that we are not bored. Any advice on the ships I mentioned or any advice for a Celeb novice would be appreciated. 

I applaud United for trying to take a different approach. The current system sucks. Although the problem appears to be caused more by the passengers than the process.

The gate lice, giant carry on bags, giant personal bags, a third bag.....