New to Holland America? This is for you...AKA "HAL For Dummies"

[Fouremco]

37 minutes ago, MaisonRose said:

Thank you for that link. I’m not sure that I need to deal with the French gov since it’s US PASSPORT but I did read the HAL details which recommends a six month validity (it does not say require). Perhaps I’m overthinking this but I sure don’t want to be denied boarding.

I very much doubt that HAL would stop you from embarking. Your US passport will definitely allow you reentry to the US, so there are no issues there. You are currently living in a Schengen country, and will only visit Schengen countries during your cruise. As you never leave the Schengen area until departing Madeira on your last leg to the US, there should be no issue for entry into Spain or Portugal. 

 

Did you book directly with HAL or did you use a travel agency? If the latter, I'd ask them to verify on your behalf. If you booked directly with HAL, ask them for an email confirming the fact that your passport's expiry date won't pose a problem.

 

Bonne chance!

[islander47]

3 hours ago, MaisonRose said:

Searching for an answer specifically…US CITIZEN  PASSPORT VALIDITY ENDS

2 Jan 2025.  Booked 30 Oct 2024 Barcelona to Ft Lauderdale. Arrive FLL on Nov 14. I know that’s ok according to the US GOVT., but will HAL let us board in Barcelona?

   I’m asking because we are living in France and getting our renewals via the US CONSULATE in Paris is a bit more complicated than waiting til we get back to Md. 
(I also worry that if we send our passports to Paris and some emergency comes up, we’ll get stuck in red tape).

i welcome all informed replies: thank you.

susan

 

You might be able to renew your passport online without sending in your old passport. This is a Beta test but might do the trick for you. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/have-passport/renew-online.html

 

You do need to have your passport good for 6 months for most countries to allow entry. Delta checks this when we fly and refuses any passenger on an international flight without 6 months eligibility.

[Mary229]

52 minutes ago, MaisonRose said:

Thank you for that link. I’m not sure that I need to deal with the French gov since it’s US PASSPORT but I did read the HAL details which recommends a six month validity (it does not say require). Perhaps I’m overthinking this but I sure don’t want to be denied boarding.

I misread. I thought you had a French passport. Renewals online for US passports has been super quick recently 

[jonyboy]

1 minute ago, Mary229 said:

I misread. I thought you had a French passport. Renewals online for US passports has been super quick recently 

They are fast, I got mine recently in 3 weeks.  If you are out of country that may take longer

[Mary229]

1 minute ago, jonyboy said:

They are fast, I got mine recently in 3 weeks.  If you are out of country that may take longer

It has an online option now.  I checked it out the other day 

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/have-passport/renew-online.html

[Fouremco]

4 minutes ago, islander47 said:

You might be able to renew your passport online without sending in your old passport. This is a Beta test but might do the trick for you. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/have-passport/renew-online.html

 

You do need to have your passport good for 6 months for most countries to allow entry. Delta checks this when we fly and refuses any passenger on an international flight without 6 months eligibility.

Unfortunately, people living outside the US are not eligible.

[shadow 123]

5 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

It has an online option now.  I checked it out the other day 

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/have-passport/renew-online.html

I renewed mine online two months ago

[skatelady]

1 hour ago, MaisonRose said:

Thank you for that link. I’m not sure that I need to deal with the French gov since it’s US PASSPORT but I did read the HAL details which recommends a six month validity (it does not say require). Perhaps I’m overthinking this but I sure don’t want to be denied boarding.

I just booked a cruise and the HAL agent was very clear we needed passports that expired 6 months past our return.  I was even asked to confirm I understood.

[Fouremco]

17 minutes ago, skatelady said:

I just booked a cruise and the HAL agent was very clear we needed passports that expired 6 months past our return.  I was even asked to confirm I understood.

The 6-month requirement varies with the ports of call and the requirements established by the countries visited. So it's possible that for your cruise, there is a 6-month requirement, but that isn't the case for all cruises. Passport requirements also vary with the nationality of the cruiser, so as a Canadian, what is required of you may be different than what is required of a US citizen. For example, Canadians require a passport for a Caribbean closed-loop cruise out of the US, but US citizens on closed-loop cruises can simply use proof of citizenship, such as an Enhanced Driver's License. Also, for Canada-US cruises, Canadian and American passports need only be valid for the period of time they are in the other country, so if you were to take an Alaskan cruise, there's no 6-month requirement. Cruisers from other countries have more onerous requirements.

 

Of course, HAL can demand whatever it wants, irrespective of the requirements of the countries visited. However, I believe that they generally try not to impose unnecessary restrictions. I also believe that, during this start-up period, many of the (new) agents have a shaky knowledge of the passport requirements.  

[jjt]

On 6/17/2024 at 8:09 PM, Cruise Suzy said:

Yes, Open Seating is the same as Any Time Dining. Any Time Dining Reservations have to be made onboard, as far as I know. For a few months in 2022, it could be done pre-cruise, but they stopped doing that.

Is there a way to find out which nights will be the dressy nights? Or at least how many dressy nights there will be on a 14-night cruise? Thanks!

[Ileneilene123]

On 6/9/2024 at 1:32 PM, terrydtx said:

If this is your first time on HAL you can set up an online account using your HAL confirmation number, after you check in you can print your luggage tags and your boarding passes are usually ready within 7 days of departure. They need to have a bar code on them to be official for use at the cruise terminal. With CO you have early priority boarding which means you can show up at the cruise terminal any time after boarding begins and you will have a special line for suites and CO passengers to check in.

My husband completed our check in for our first cruise in 2 weeks. Getting excited! 

I don’t see anything in my account that shows that we purchased Club Orange for our Vista Suite cabin. I do see that I have a priority boarding pass, but nothing that actually says “Club Orange.” Is that usual? Thx. 

[terrydtx]

23 minutes ago, Ileneilene123 said:

My husband completed our check in for our first cruise in 2 weeks. Getting excited! 

I don’t see anything in my account that shows that we purchased Club Orange for our Vista Suite cabin. I do see that I have a priority boarding pass, but nothing that actually says “Club Orange.” Is that usual? Thx. 

Look on your invoice from HAL, it will show CO under the list of what's included.

[Ileneilene123]

4 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

Look on your invoice from HAL, it will show CO under the list of what's included.

Thank you. CO is listed on the invoice that my PCC emailed to me back when we purchased it. I have printed out the invoice and will bring it on the cruise. Is that the only place it’s ever shown? Nothing about CO in our account itself, nor on luggage tags or boarding passes? Thx. 

[0106]

@Ileneilene123Make sure that your boarding pass has a bar code, usually available about three days before your cruise. It is required for boarding. Your key card will indicate Club Orange.

[Ileneilene123]

25 minutes ago, 0106 said:

@Ileneilene123Make sure that your boarding pass has a bar code, usually available about three days before your cruise. It is required for boarding. Your key card will indicate Club Orange.

Yes — I will definitely look for it before printing. How do people who aren’t on Cruise Critic find out this stuff? Grateful for this info!

[Catlover54]

1 hour ago, Ileneilene123 said:

Yes — I will definitely look for it before printing. How do people who aren’t on Cruise Critic find out this stuff? Grateful for this info!

 

1 hour ago, Ileneilene123 said:

Yes — I will definitely look for it before printing. How do people who aren’t on Cruise Critic find out this stuff? Grateful for this info!

 

Many first-time cruisers use a TA, who is supposed to alert you to key issues if they are worth their salt.  Otherwise the information is online, though it may be obscure.

 

Have a wonderful time on your first cruise, it is very exciting!  Be sure and walk the ship top to bottom after you get on and have settled in, so you don't miss any potentially favorite spots.  We also take a picture of the deck plan of the ship and carry it around on our iphones, and areas we are likely to use, (and look at the deck plans near elevators) so we know what's where, and keep track of the location and hours shown in the daily program on the app (and on physical paper if you prefer).

When in doubt about anything, ask (don't assume that because no one mentioned something it isn't possible or available, sometimes it is possible).

Bon voyage!

 

[terrydtx]

2 hours ago, Ileneilene123 said:

Thank you. CO is listed on the invoice that my PCC emailed to me back when we purchased it. I have printed out the invoice and will bring it on the cruise. Is that the only place it’s ever shown? Nothing about CO in our account itself, nor on luggage tags or boarding passes? Thx. 

Nothing will be on the Luggage tags about CO, but it will be noted on your sail pass room card when you board.

[terrydtx]

4 hours ago, jjt said:

Is there a way to find out which nights will be the dressy nights? Or at least how many dressy nights there will be on a 14-night cruise? Thanks!

Not until you board will you know the dressy nights. The first sea day is almost always a dressy night. On a 14 night cruise you will have 4, usually 2 each 7 days of the cruise.

[Ileneilene123]

48 minutes ago, Catlover54 said:

Have a wonderful time on your first cruise, it is very exciting!  Be sure and walk the ship top to bottom after you get on and have settled in, so you don't miss any potentially favorite spots.  We also take a picture of the deck plan of the ship and carry it around on our iphones, and areas we are likely to use, (and look at the deck plans near elevators) so we know what's where, and keep track of the location and hours shown in the daily program on the app (and on physical paper if you prefer).

When in doubt about anything, ask (don't assume that because no one mentioned something it isn't possible or available, sometimes it is possible).

Bon voyage!

Thank you so much for the wonderful tips!! 

[Kaibyrd]

Hi! Complete newbie here. I mean, this will be our first cruise ever. We sailing on the Noordam next summer. I have a ton of questions but for now, can anyone tell me the difference between the SB and SC cabins? I know they’re Neptune suites but is there a big difference in size or something? 

[crystalspin]

2 hours ago, Kaibyrd said:

for now, can anyone tell me the difference between the SB and SC cabins? I know they’re Neptune suites but is there a big difference in size or something? 

Welcome to posting on CC and to sailing on HAL! The difference in SB and SC (and most other categories differing only in the second letter) is simply location and hence sometimes price. With the letter earlier in the alphabet being the more desirable.

[Kaibyrd]

Thank you, Crystalspin! 

[IPB4IGO]

21 hours ago, Kaibyrd said:

Hi! Complete newbie here. I mean, this will be our first cruise ever. We sailing on the Noordam next summer. I have a ton of questions but for now, can anyone tell me the difference between the SB and SC cabins? I know they’re Neptune suites but is there a big difference in size or something? 

Here's  a website with deck plans, showing you each cabin and the designation SA, SB, SC, etc.

Cruise mapper

[MaisonRose]

On 6/24/2024 at 8:40 PM, skatelady said:

I just booked a cruise and the HAL agent was very clear we needed passports that expired 6 months past our return.  I was even asked to confirm I understood.

Thank you. Today will be picture day, then. I have the forms filled out.

[Kaibyrd]

16 hours ago, IPB4IGO said:

Here's  a website with deck plans, showing you each cabin and the designation SA, SB, SC, etc.

Cruise mapper

Thank you. I had seen this deck plan before but am still confused as to why SC is less desirable. I can see they are located closer to the back of the ship instead of the middle but wouldn’t that make the ones close to the front about the same? (SA7047 vs SC7085) Is there something else that makes SC less desirable?