48 days before departure - new alcohol policy clearly set out

[OlsSalt]

Just got our express docs by email today 48 days before our departure and the new alcohol policy is clearly set out in the passenger information provided. It does require a passenger read the information, which is now a good lesson learned. Things can change from cruise to cruise so no matter how long one has cruised, it pays to keep paying attention before you go. Lesson learned.

[PathfinderEss]

Just got our express docs by email today 48 days before our departure and the new alcohol policy is clearly set out in the passenger information provided. It does require a passenger read the information, which is now a good lesson learned. Things can change from cruise to cruise so no matter how long one has cruised, it pays to keep paying attention before you go. Lesson learned.

Yes, you have a point but how many passergers really read that stuff, especially seasoned cruisers? My guess is not many including myself.

[startwin]

Just got our express docs by email today 48 days before our departure and the new alcohol policy is clearly set out in the passenger information provided. It does require a passenger read the information, which is now a good lesson learned. Things can change from cruise to cruise so no matter how long one has cruised, it pays to keep paying attention before you go. Lesson learned.

 

I printed my docs a week ago - approx 38 days before departure. Nothing about a new policy, and I haven't received an amendment.

[innlady1]

They really slipped this one in quietly...without advance notice. Very bad PR as far as I'm concerned.

[Windsailer]

I leave in a week, printed out my express docs last week, checked the "I accept" box at that time. I was agreeing to the cruise contract that was in place then...I'm not accepting the cruise contract as it is now! :)

 

I just looked at the express docs again and while I see the smoking policy there is nothing in mine about alcohol. Where did you find it?

[arewethereyet]

I leave in a week, printed out my express docs last week, checked the "I accept" box at that time. I was agreeing to the cruise contract that was in place then...I'm not accepting the cruise contract as it is now! :)

 

I just looked at the express docs again and while I see the smoking policy there is nothing in mine about alcohol. Where did you find it?

Since the policy just changed, I'm sure it's not in your docs. OlsSalt received his docs after the secret change.

[shrimp56]

Just printing out for departure on August 8 and no mention of alcohol and only wine mention is under dining. They've handled this atrociously, but it will be interesting to see whether 48 days out is the marker.

[kazu]

Just got our express docs by email today 48 days before our departure and the new alcohol policy is clearly set out in the passenger information provided. It does require a passenger read the information, which is now a good lesson learned. Things can change from cruise to cruise so no matter how long one has cruised, it pays to keep paying attention before you go. Lesson learned.

 

but you are now past final payment right? so, if you didn't like the change there's nothing you can do right? the whole point is that one knows before they make final payment, and in fact, when they book. You book under one understanding - when something has been the same for 8 years or so, one doesn't expect a change unless you are notified;)

[shrimp56]

Technically putting it in the conditions IS notification.

-----

It is on the website: http://www.hollandamerica.com/assets/cruise-vacation-onboard/KBYG.pdf page 6

Corkage is now $20

------

Here it is in full

 

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES BROUGHT ON BOARD

Each guest 21 years and older may bring one bottle of wine or

champagne (no larger than 750ml) onboard in their

carry-on luggage at the beginning of the voyage

. Guests

are not allowed to bring beer, boxed wine, or other liquors

and spirits onboard. Holland America Line reserves the

right to remove all alcoholic beverages from guest luggage

that violates this policy. Any alcoholic beverage found

will be removed and returned on the last evening of the

voyage.

Guests will not receive any monetary compensation

for alcoholic beverages that were removed from luggage.

Alcoholic beverages that are purchased in ports of calls or

from onboard shops will be stored and returned on the last

evening of the voyage. A corkage fee of US$20.00 (subject

to change) applies to wine and champagne brought to the

restaurants or bars for consumption. In-Room Dining offers

reduced-price stateroom beverage packages for in-stateroom

consumption of alcoholic beverages (a 15% Service Charge

on all beverage items and packages with beverages will be

added).

Guests who violate any of our alcohol policies (e.g., attempt

to conceal alcoholic items at security and or luggage check

points or any other time, provide alcohol to guests under age

21, over consume, or demonstrate irresponsible behavior),

may be denied boarding or may be disembarked at their

own expense

[OlsSalt]

I printed my docs a week ago - approx 38 days before departure. Nothing about a new policy, and I haven't received an amendment.

 

Did you read the part about "what passengers need to know" (or something like that) - there are a lot of links - too much information can mean no information. But it was in our received today. If the policy did not go into place when yours were sent, then I can see why they were not in your documents but showed up in mine after the policy was in place.

[OlsSalt]

They really slipped this one in quietly...without advance notice. Very bad PR as far as I'm concerned.

 

In real terms, I wonder how many people are affected to know what level of a PR disaster it possibly is. Maybe in real terms, it is not? :confused: Perhaps at least a special message to Mariners would have eased the expectations of past passengers. But new ones most likely would not know there was any change or are also more likely to read all the pre-cruise info. I would not have known or read the stuff myself either being 4 star, but since we don't bring wine aboard it wouldn't have mattered for us anyway. Agree, it would be nice to see more choices for the onboard selections. We wondered with all the Washington state wines on our last cruise, if there was some sort or special deal HAL Seattle got featuring so many of them.

[kazu]

In real terms, I wonder how many people are affected to know what level of a PR disaster it possibly is. Maybe in real terms, it is not? :confused: Perhaps at least a special message to Mariners would have eased the expectations of past passengers. But new ones most likely would not know there was any change or are also more likely to read all the pre-cruise info. I would not have known or read the stuff myself either being 4 star, but since we don't bring wine aboard it wouldn't have mattered for us anyway. Agree, it would be nice to see more choices for the onboard selections. We wondered with all the Washington state wines on our last cruise, if there was some sort or special deal HAL Seattle got featuring so many of them.

 

Silly me, I always review the 'know before you go' before I book - just to make sure nothing has changed. Silly me, I didn't know it was a daily to do thing. I thought if there was a change after I booked that someone at HAL would have the courtesy to notify me.

 

Thank heavens for Lisa and thank heavens for cruise critic:D

[jennjess]

My express docs were received on Friday and no mention of the new wine policy at all. We sail in less than 3 weeks.

 

I hadn't considered bringing wine onboard as we rarely drink wine but am now thinking of bringing a large box of my chosen soft drink as I know it will not be available on the ship.

 

Something of a protest as I think they should not have changed the policy without any prior warning.

[Storylady]

Since the policy just changed, I'm sure it's not in your docs. OlsSalt received his docs after the secret change.

 

Actually, I went back to look at the Express Docs for our Grand Voyage on the Prinsendam and the alcohol policy has been updated since we did our express docs.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Yes, you have a point but how many passergers really read that stuff, especially seasoned cruisers? My guess is not many including myself.

 

You are right Melodie -- I don't read all those pages in the docs either.

[whogo]

The new wine restrictions are detailed in the cruise contract. Somewhere in the paperwork you will have a link to the cruise contract and somewhere you will click that agree to it. The contract has a date of July 9, 2013. Fail to agree, fail to cruise.

[richarduk]

There seems to be far to much emphasis on us mere "guests" having to read every single word and click every single link on earth in order to uncover that we may have in fact actually agreed to this policy change.

 

Talk about underhand, yet legal, tactics. Someone within HAL needs to grow a pair and treat their customers (heir salary payers!) with a little more dignity:mad:

 

The fact remains that HAL have handled this dreadfully. They have not had the balls (pardon my language!) to put out anything that vaguely resembles even a minor news item/press release. Why are they keeping it low key? I don't think I even need answer that, right?

 

I checked in a few days ago and printed all my docs. There's nothing at all about this change within my documents. My wine will be in my suitcase, as usual, and if they stop me we will be having a very short and interesting "conversation".

 

I suspect that the pier and ship staff will be having one heck of a time with these changes upon embarkation over the coming weeks, and quite honestly, I can't see them enforcing this change for a good few weeks.

[mamaofami]

This new policy should have been phased in with enough notice so that people had a chance to vote with their feet if they didn't like the new policy. I always thought a contract is a contract. It seems that somewhere in the fine print, HAL has the right to change the terms of that contract whenever they chose.

[OlsSalt]

This new policy should have been phased in with enough notice so that people had a chance to vote with their feet if they didn't like the new policy. I always thought a contract is a contract. It seems that somewhere in the fine print, HAL has the right to change the terms of that contract whenever they chose.

 

I asked on another thread if anyone used the official HAL passenger message forum to report if HAL made any prior or earlier announcements of this change on that forum, over which they have control and do offer to upcoming passengers as an information link.

[OVgirl]

I printed my docs a week ago - approx 38 days before departure. Nothing about a new policy, and I haven't received an amendment.

 

You should print the whole thing and bring it along.

[DizzyDallasDi]

. . . It seems that somewhere in the fine print, HAL has the right to change the terms of that contract whenever they chose.

 

I'd be willing to bet my annual salary that you are correct. HAL writes the contract for their own benefit and it is not negotiable. Look for the words "these terms and conditions are subject to change at any time at the sole discretion of HAL and without notice" or something to that effect. Betcha they're in there and that gives HAL the right to change their mind whenever they want.

 

I'm certainly not saying it's the correct thing to do! I'm only explaining why HAL has the right to do it.