Holland America - no more tickets!

[kandocruise]

I think Holland America has cheaped themselves by not issuing any paper tickets or information for cruises that leave after October 1st. I truly expect something better than this from Holland America. Guess, I'll be cruising with Celebrity or other cruise lines!

[fridaythecat.u.k.]

Personally, I don't see what the problem is in this day and age of technology, and it certainly wouldn't be a factor in my decision as to which cruise line to go with (itinerary and price etc are far more important IMHO), but I think you will find that this topic has already been discussed at length here http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1057533

[IRL_Joanie]

I think Holland America has cheaped themselves by not issuing any paper tickets or information for cruises that leave after October 1st. I truly expect something better than this from Holland America. Guess, I'll be cruising with Celebrity or other cruise lines!

 

 

Guess you will not be flying to your cruise port then huh?? If airlines can do E-Docs why not a cruise line.

 

If you think Celebrity will not soon be changing I suggest you think again.

 

So many are blaming the economy for this e-policy, while I may agree with that, I only agree partly. Keep in mind environ,entalists have been screaming for years to cut (no pun intended) down on the use of tree products. Well, I think HAL is only responding to environmental and economical concerns.

 

Get with it and get over it. E-Docs are the future.

[serendipity1499]

I think Holland America has cheaped themselves by not issuing any paper tickets or information for cruises that leave after October 1st. I truly expect something better than this from Holland America. Guess, I'll be cruising with Celebrity or other cruise lines!

 

Are you sure Celebrity is still issuing printed tickets & has not gone to e-ticketing yet? It really is no problem, at all..I'm honestly very glad they are doing this while trying to keep the fares at the lower level during the recession..I also enjoy printing my own tickets & baggage tags..

Why would something such as not having a printed ticket, make you go to another line?..Can't you enjoy the cruise without your printed ticket?:confused:

Betty

[May4]

I guess we all decide where we must take a stand in life. You don't imagine yourself taking a really beautiful cruise unless you are given a paper ticket.

 

I can't relate, but I wish you well on a cruiseline that gives you just that.

 

The truth is, you only ever need the boarding pass you print out in the comfort of your own home. Your travel agent will print it for you if you have one.

 

Best wishes:)

[Mary Ellen]

kandocruise: I understand your frustration. Receiving the docs was a 'welcome', a view of things to come. Some have likened the e-docs to the e-tickets for flights. I don't know about them, but I expect a HECK of a lot more from a cruise than a flight. Let's see on an airplane - lousy food, IF there even is any (we'll have to pay additional for that) and cramped, uncomfortable accommodations. If that is what I have to look forward to on the 'new' HAL. :eek:

 

Our TA has sent us a VERY nice booklet prepared for our specific cruise. It has our itinerary, info on the ship and our ports (including maps) and beautiful pictures of the ports. It is perfect for the cruise traveler. What he sent got us excited about our cruise. What we received from HAL - no. I'm feeling VERY good about our TA. I can't say I feel the same way about HAL.

[momatibm]

I guess, I am too young to understand the problem -- although I've been cruising since 1988 -- yes it was nice to get the packet on the front stoop -- but .... after the airlines went to the 'e-tickets' - you didn't have to worry about them showing up -- now all you need is the one piece of paper showing you filled in all the info that HOMELAND SECURITY needs --

 

I don't have a problem with this -- less paper work -- I love going to the airport and swiping my credit card, get a boarding pass and getting on the plane --

 

It would be nice to have a similar practice for a cruise -- of course I understand that we need a key card -- but many hotels have an auto check in as well.

 

Sorry -- e docs is here -- sorry it's a change -- but ......

[brucory]

I think Holland America has cheaped themselves by not issuing any paper tickets or information for cruises that leave after October 1st. I truly expect something better than this from Holland America. Guess, I'll be cruising with Celebrity or other cruise lines!

 

All cruise lines will be the same, without any sent documents, as airlines are. The electronic way is the future.

 

Sometimes it takes a while to adapt to change, but believe me, this won't be an issue in a few years...

 

:D:D:D

[HWH]

Hooray for e-tickets! Anything that makes packing easier and check-in move more swiftly I'm all for. But have fun standing in long lines behind the people searching their pockets and their bags for their paper tickets that they "know are here somewhere."

[Krazy Kruizers]

Welcome to Cruise Critic -- maybe.

We have sailed for years -- and personally -- we prefer the new e-docs!!

Just one page to print out per person as compared to a packet that contained tons of pages of worthless stuff.

[Guest LoveMyBoxer]

Going Green is great! They shouldn't even have you print anything, since they already have all your information in the computer. Once they compare your official documents to what they have on their computer, then you are all set. Save some trees!

[airlink diva]

I think Holland America has cheaped themselves by not issuing any paper tickets or information for cruises that leave after October 1st. I truly expect something better than this from Holland America. Guess, I'll be cruising with Celebrity or other cruise lines!

 

Holland America is not the only cruiseline that's changing to e-documents.

Also, alot of companies all around are either changing over or pushing the option of e-documents. I know that my bank, 401K, credit card, phone bill all are pushing for e-documents. This is the wave of the future in everyday life.

[crbonfiber]

I think Holland America has cheaped themselves by not issuing any paper tickets or information for cruises that leave after October 1st. I truly expect something better than this from Holland America. Guess, I'll be cruising with Celebrity or other cruise lines!

 

You cant be serious

[pris993]

I cann't say I blame the OP, this last week, I was sorting through all the papers we have for an uncoming trip on the Celebrity Equinox.

 

It use to be you had airline tickets that looked like a ticket and cruise documents that looked like a cruise ticket. Now you have a bunch papers and I do mean papers that all look alike.

 

The TA issues a new confirmation document everytime there is any action on your reservation - then you have the eticket for air, eticket boarding pass for the ship, hotel reservations confirmations, private car reservation confirmations and they look alike.

 

Fortunately, I have some old cruise ship folders, a clear plastic one from Princess, I used for the air. An envelop from Celebrity that they sent with luggage tags and a cruise booklet, plus the eboarding pass that I separated the cruise documents into. Then I made another envelop for hotels and ground transportation. Keeping track of all this information seems like a lot more work in its current formats.

 

Unfortunately, I don't think it is going to get any better. I was glad I did get real luggage tags from Celebrity. Read that some who booked on line did not -- theirs were also printed on paper. Not have good luggage tags is a real problem in my book.

[brucory]

Keeping track of all this information seems like a lot more work in its current formats.

 

Unfortunately, I don't think it is going to get any better.

 

All the papers are really just for you and to make sure you have done your part. With systems as they are, you will eventually only need your passport!!! Yesterday, I heard about a potential new innovation for airline frequent flyers, here in Australia. The chips in their frequent flyer card will act as their boarding card. They need only check in on line and arrive with their card at their aircraft gate, with id. One airline here is about to start a system where they text a barcode to your mobile phone which is used as a boarding card as it is scanned by a reader at the gate. No need for any paper at all. This is the future!!!

 

Using these systems, if you need to have all that info in black and white, you really only need to keep a diary with what you are doing, what has been checked in, where you are sitting, room number, etc.

 

:D:D:D

[kandocruise]

It is not the printed cruise ticket that is my problem, it is the lack of other document and cruise information that is not readily available. For example, we are going on a 21-day cruise with Holland America. Please tell me how long it takes to search the number of formal nights at their website? This is information that was readily available with their printed booklets. At least with Princess changing to e-docs a while back, they at least sent the information booklets and actual luggage tags. With HAL you have to print paper luggage tags for your bags. Like the paper tags are going to stay on? There is a reason the airlines and other cruise lines use "super enforced" luggage tags. I still feel that Holland America has cheapened themselves and I'll pay attention and look at cruise lines that can still provide some pre-cruise service. When I am paying them thousands of dollars, why do I have to waste my time to research pre-cruise info?

[brucory]

It is not the printed cruise ticket that is my problem, it is the lack of other document and cruise information that is not readily available. For example, we are going on a 21-day cruise with Holland America. Please tell me how long it takes to search the number of formal nights at their website? This is information that was readily available with their printed booklets. At least with Princess changing to e-docs a while back, they at least sent the information booklets and actual luggage tags. With HAL you have to print paper luggage tags for your bags. Like the paper tags are going to stay on? There is a reason the airlines and other cruise lines use "super enforced" luggage tags. I still feel that Holland America has cheapened themselves and I'll pay attention and look at cruise lines that can still provide some pre-cruise service. When I am paying them thousands of dollars, why do I have to waste my time to research pre-cruise info?

 

When you print out your signature boarding card, it says what dining you have and how many nights are formal or smart casual.

 

You can get luggage tags at the dock, and if you are worried about them falling off, you should ask for more than one, or have your own tags on your bags.

 

There was a risk of the old tags breaking as well, probably as much as the new ones...

 

:D:D:D

[Jade13]

I think Holland America has cheaped themselves by not issuing any paper tickets or information for cruises that leave after October 1st. I truly expect something better than this from Holland America. Guess, I'll be cruising with Celebrity or other cruise lines!

 

Celebrity uses electronic tickets! One thing I liked about HAL was that they issued paper tickets and a pouch like SilverSeas and others.

 

What about those older cruisers who don't use the computer...

[jhannah]

When I am paying them thousands of dollars, why do I have to waste my time to research pre-cruise info?

I guess it's all in how you look at it. Airline tickets to Europe (to board a cruise) aren't cheap. I'm paying a lot of money. But the airlines don't send me seating charts, luggage limits/sizes/fees, etc. I have to research all this myself. When booking, I open another window with seatguru to make sure I don't get a "bad" seat (as if any of them are really good!) I have to then print my booking confirmation. (Get the free download of Cute PDF Writer and 'print' into a PDF. No need to use paper.)

 

I then have to search for the luggage business so I'll know what their limits are. Not all airlines are the same.

 

The day before the flight I must go online to check in and print my boarding pass. (Paper needed for that at this stage of the game.) Oh, and pull out the credit card to pre-pay for my checked bags in order to save a few bucks over doing it at the airport.

 

In the end, I've had to "work" a little to get on the plane. No biggie, IMO. The printing, handling, and accounting for those former paper tickets was a huge expense for the airlines. If my e-doc with one-page boarding pass helps in the cost area, I'm all for it.

 

Those paper cruise tickets are very expensive to print and ship. Since we as consumers are demanding reasonable (i.e., cheap) fares, eliminating those mass mailings for every cruise has got to help in accomplishing that.

 

As always, JMO.

[caribbeanboy]

Kudos to HAL. I always thought what a waste of paper all those documents b/c in the end the only thing you need is 1 piece of paper that you have to print in order to board the vessel!

[woodworker&knitter]

kandocruise: when you print your e-docs on the front page in bold black ink it has your name, all the information you need about the cruise and the last line is Dress Code .

Also you don't have to print luggage tags. As soon as you get to the pier the first question the baggage handlers ask you "Do you need luggage tags?" It only takes a minute to fill them out.

Personaly I find it much easier to bring one piece of paper ( I print on both sides) than a thick folder, but this is just my opinion.

[suse]

You cant be serious

He is. :eek:

[Randyk47]

I guess I'd ask the question....what lines don't use e-docs now? The first cruise I took that was all e-docs was Celebrity back in 2005 so that's at least four years they've been going doing that. (NOTE: I believe you had an option back then but we booked that cruise via the Internet and the provider held down cost by "asking" us to use e-docs.) On our last HAL cruise we used the express check-in feature and quite frankly between that, a credit card, and our passports that's all we needed. While the blue folders had a certain sentimental value they really don't serve much function today and we certainly won't go elsewhere because we no longer will be getting one.

[Boytjie]

There was a risk of the old tags breaking as well, probably as much as the new ones...

 

Yep, a friend of ours didn't get his luhggage till after midnight the first night since the HAL lugagge tag mailed to him came off while the bag was loaded on to the ship. He did not have his own tags or any other id in the bag so they did not know whose it was, but he found it when checking (again) at the purser's desk.

[Randyk47]

Had something similar happen, though my name tag was still on my bag, a few cruises ago. Started putting two tags on each bag, one on each handle, and haven't had that problem since. There's a bit of discussion on another thread about what to do with the new computer generated tags but whatever solution I decide on before our booked cruise I'll stick with two tags per bag.