Ship-to-shore communications (Noordam)

[bloofer]

I will be cruising on the Noordam for 21 days in March. There's a possibility I will need to sign some legal documents during that time. Are fax facilities (both incoming and outgoing) available on board? If so, are transmissions frightfully expensive?

 

Any information/advice on this matter would be greatly appreciated.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Got this from HAL's site -- no prices listed:

 

 

What About Telephone, Fax & Mail Usage?

 

 

Telephone: Ship to Shore

 

 

Direct ship-to-shore telephones are provided in each guest stateroom. You may easily place a call to friends, relatives or business associates during your cruise, reception permitting.

All phone calls, whether inbound or outbound, are charged a satellite tariff. Outbound calling rates are posted near your cabin telephone and will be billed to your on-board account. These charges are applied to ALL calls including calls to 800, 877 and 888 numbers. Please do not use a credit card or phone card; your on-board account will be billed in addition to the cost of the phone card or charges to your credit card. Collect calls are not possible from the ship.

Telephone: Shore to Ship

Connecting to a Holland America Line vessel at sea is simple by using DialAShip.com. A credit card is required for all inbound phone calls to a ship. The rate is $USD16.00 per minute and billing begins at the time specified. Please have the ship's name, your party's name and stateroom number.

Instructions:

 

1. Dial 1-866-HAL-SHIP (1-866-425-7447). From outside the U.S. access 1-732-335-3278.
   
2. Listen to the announcement.
   
3. Listen to the menu and select the number that corresponds to the ship you are calling.
   
4. If you receive a busy signal or message, please hang up quickly and try your call again.
   

 

 

Please print this page and give it to whomever you wish for dialing instructions.

 

Fax

 

 

Facsimile service is available on board. Please contact the Front Office for cost and other information if you wish to take advantage of this service.

 

 

 

Mail

 

 

Letters and postcards may be mailed from the ship while in ports of call. Guests may buy stamps in port or purchase them with U.S. cash from the Front Office. All mail is subject to local postal office procedures and rates in the port mailed.

[bloofer]

Thanks, KK. That is very helpful. If anyone has had recent experience with sending/receiving faxes on board ship, I'd be interested in knowing how expensive the service is.

[sail7seas]

My DH received some faxes several times while aboard various HAL ships.

The cost was reasonable and they were delivered to our cabin promptly. We could see the time the faxes were sent and saw what time they arrived at our cabin and were impressed and well pleased.

 

He also sent faxes and again the service was very good.

I don't recall the exact costs but the papers were important, they needed to be received and sent and we paid what was asked. If it had been a horribly expensive rate, I would remember that. We had to have thought the price was 'to be expected'.

 

[sail7seas]

Just a suggestion but is it possible for you to appoint a power of attorney to sign for you?

 

That may or may not be acceptable to you or practical........ just offering a possible option.

[bishop84]

If those prices are similar for fax might it be easier for the forms to be scanned and emailed to you? Print the relevent page(s) and I am sure they could scan the signed pages onboard for you to email back?

[bloofer]

Thanks for various suggestions and information. Most helpful!

[Typhoon1]

Frightfully expensive is really a subjective question.

 

What is expensive to you may be considered a bargain to others. If it is that important, whatever it costs will be a bargain.

[sail7seas]

Frightfully expensive is really a subjective question.

 

What is expensive to you may be considered a bargain to others. If it is that important, whatever it costs will be a bargain.

 

 

Yes, of course.