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

[terrydtx]

14 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

There are no physical tickets anymore.  You can see them on your stateroom TV or your app.  You can use your key card to be admitted to the excursion 

We so seldom ever take ship sponsored tours anymore, I couldn't remember if HAL still did paper hard copies. We almost do 100% private tours unless we have some ship excursion credits to use.

 

I see you are on the Volendam for the cruise just before ours in August. We only booked one ships tour for that cruise to use our HIA $200pp credits.

[Mary229]

9 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

We so seldom ever take ship sponsored tours anymore, I couldn't remember if HAL still did paper hard copies. We almost do 100% private tours unless we have some ship excursion credits to use.

 

I see you are on the Volendam for the cruise just before ours in August. We only booked one ships tour for that cruise to use our HIA $200pp credits.

We are on the long one with HIA.  We are doing a mix.  Since this one is to remote regions I use ship excursions for only distant locations from port. I usually end up using some HIA for the end of cruise transfer - a convenient way to use up your credit. 

[Ileneilene123]

Well, I’m starting to pack today for our cruise to Alaska on the Zaandam! Question: we are staying in a Vista Suite and I know that binoculars are provided, but what about an umbrella? Can we bring the binoculars/umbrella on shore for excursions? Thx. 

[Cruise Suzy]

Both binoculars and umbrellas are supplied by HAL and can be taken on shore expeditions. If you have a great pair of binoculars, you may want to bring them. Some binoculars have been well used by others and/or may not be as powerful as ones you already own.

[Fouremco]

37 minutes ago, Ileneilene123 said:

Well, I’m starting to pack today for our cruise to Alaska on the Zaandam! Question: we are staying in a Vista Suite and I know that binoculars are provided, but what about an umbrella? Can we bring the binoculars/umbrella on shore for excursions? Thx. 

If you have a decent pair of binoculars, bring them along. Those provided in a VS, at least in our experience, were low quality and in poor condition.

 

Umbrellas seem to be hit or miss. You may get one or two or none.

[Haljo1935]

1 hour ago, Fouremco said:

If you have a decent pair of binoculars, bring them along. Those provided in a VS, at least in our experience, were low quality and in poor condition.

 

Umbrellas seem to be hit or miss. You may get one or two or none.

@Ileneilene123 if your cabin doesn't have an umbrella, you can get one at the gangway when you scan out at any port.

Edited Thursday at 10:39 PM by Haljo1935
Typo

[Ileneilene123]

Thank you! 

[Fouremco]

25 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said:

@Ileneilene123 if your cabin doesn't have an umbrella, you can get one at the gangway when you scan out at any port.

Good point, one I'd forgotten. We always bring our own, which collapse quite small and are easily carried in our day packs, just in case. Whether in the cabin or at the gangway, HAL's are quite large, great for heavy or persistent rain but a bit cumbersome for those days when there may be on-and-off light showers.

[Haljo1935]

2 hours ago, Fouremco said:

Good point, one I'd forgotten. We always bring our own, which collapse quite small and are easily carried in our day packs, just in case. Whether in the cabin or at the gangway, HAL's are quite large, great for heavy or persistent rain but a bit cumbersome for those days when there may be on-and-off light showers.

Agree, we pack a couple of the small collapsible ones, but it's nice to know there are options.

[terrydtx]

14 hours ago, Fouremco said:

If you have a decent pair of binoculars, bring them along. Those provided in a VS, at least in our experience, were low quality and in poor condition.

 

Umbrellas seem to be hit or miss. You may get one or two or none.

I agree, I have never found any binoculars on any ship to be much good and usually they are broken or so scratched you can't see anything. We always take our own compact ones with us.

[islandwoman]

2 hours ago, terrydtx said:

I agree, I have never found any binoculars on any ship to be much good and usually they are broken or so scratched you can't see anything. We always take our own compact ones with us.

Which categories do you sail in?  I'm wondering whether HAL puts the best binoculars in the suites, or whether they simply bought all of them a long time ago and let them be damaged from over-use everywhere in the ship, not bothering to replace them.

[terrydtx]

2 minutes ago, islandwoman said:

Which categories do you sail in?  I'm wondering whether HAL puts the best binoculars in the suites, or whether they simply bought all of them a long time ago and let them be damaged from over-use everywhere in the ship, not bothering to replace them.

On HAL we sail mostly in Signature and Vista Suites. On Celebrity in Sky Suites. On the Noordam in a SS in 2019 the binoculars were so scratched they were useless and I couldn't get them replaced. Even on the K'Dam last year we had cheap $10 ones that were broken.

 

We bought 2 of these and take them on all of our trips.

 

[islandwoman]

57 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

On HAL we sail mostly in Signature and Vista Suites. On Celebrity in Sky Suites. On the Noordam in a SS in 2019 the binoculars were so scratched they were useless and I couldn't get them replaced. Even on the K'Dam last year we had cheap $10 ones that were broken.

 

It sounds as if, in your experience, Holland America supplies damaged binoculars, no matter which category.  (Maybe the Neptune Suites' are better). 

[Gsel]

Nope! They are very heavy and so scratched they are worthless. Never seen any that could be used easily. Always carry my own and a small umbrella.

[terrydtx]

17 minutes ago, islandwoman said:

It sounds as if, in your experience, Holland America supplies damaged binoculars, no matter which category.  (Maybe the Neptune Suites' are better). 

it's not that they were damaged when they were put into the cabins, they get damaged from use and abuse by the people in the cabins over many years. Not sure if HAL has any plans to replaced them periodically. 

[islandwoman]

14 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

it's not that they were damaged when they were put into the cabins, they get damaged from use and abuse by the people in the cabins over many years. Not sure if HAL has any plans to replaced them periodically. 

I didn't mean to imply that the binoculars were damaged when initially placed into the cabins.  By "Holland America supplies" I meant the binoculars in the cabins for the use of the passengers.   I think that everything in a cabin should be in excellent condition or replaced.  For example, if a passenger damages the sofa, it would (hopefully) be repaired or replaced before the next cruise.  Same for the binoculars and umbrella. Either that, or don't promise "Binoculars for use during your voyage".

By the way, On Holland America's website, I don't find "binoculars" under the stateroom amenities, only under suites - Vista, Signature, Neptune, and Pinnacle.   https://www.hollandamerica.com/en/us/onboard-experiences/suites-staterooms  

[terrydtx]

5 minutes ago, islandwoman said:

I didn't mean to imply that the binoculars were damaged when initially placed into the cabins.  By "Holland America supplies" I meant the binoculars in the cabins for the use of the passengers.   I think that everything in a cabin should be in excellent condition or replaced.  For example, if a passenger damages the sofa, it would (hopefully) be repaired or replaced before the next cruise.  Same for the binoculars and umbrella. Either that, or don't promise "Binoculars for use during your voyage".

By the way, On Holland America's website, I don't find "binoculars" under the stateroom amenities, only under suites - Vista, Signature, Neptune, and Pinnacle.   https://www.hollandamerica.com/en/us/onboard-experiences/suites-staterooms  

We have only ever cruised in a Signature or Vista suite with HAL and I know they promise binoculars but like I said they are next to worthless. We have always had umbrellas, but I do not think we ever had to use one and take it off the ship. I guess we have been blessed with good weather.

Edited Friday at 04:43 PM by terrydtx

[Haljo1935]

2 hours ago, islandwoman said:

I didn't mean to imply that the binoculars were damaged when initially placed into the cabins.  By "Holland America supplies" I meant the binoculars in the cabins for the use of the passengers.   I think that everything in a cabin should be in excellent condition or replaced.  For example, if a passenger damages the sofa, it would (hopefully) be repaired or replaced before the next cruise.  Same for the binoculars and umbrella. Either that, or don't promise "Binoculars for use during your voyage".

By the way, On Holland America's website, I don't find "binoculars" under the stateroom amenities, only under suites - Vista, Signature, Neptune, and Pinnacle.   https://www.hollandamerica.com/en/us/onboard-experiences/suites-staterooms  

Binoculars and umbrellas are provided in suites, not all cabins. Some may make their way into non-suites and not removed.

Edited Friday at 06:52 PM by Haljo1935
Typo

[Sharon in AZ]

We have had binoculars in Neptune Suites but they are not as good as our own binoculars which we always bring. I just think they aren’t as powerful and as good of quality. We haven’t noticed that they are scratched. 

[ralfrick]

I seem to recall reading somewhere in this epic that those with anytime dining can make up to 3 reservations. Could you please clarify whether that is 3 reservations at any one time, or 3 total for the cruise?

[terrydtx]

15 minutes ago, ralfrick said:

I seem to recall reading somewhere in this epic that those with anytime dining can make up to 3 reservations. Could you please clarify whether that is 3 reservations at any one time, or 3 total for the cruise?

If you are talking about anytime dining, we have only cruised with HAL having anytime dining and not once have we made or needed a reservation for dinner. We prefer to enter the MDR between 6:30 and 7:00pm about the time the 5:00 or 5:30 service starts to empty out. I think the most we have ever waited for a table was 10 minutes.  This is why we prefer anytime, 5 or 5:30 is just to early and 8:00pm way to late for us to eat. If you have to eat at 5:30 then you would need a reservation as the lines to get into the MDR can be snaking down the hallways leading to the entrance. I have seen passengers waiting in line 30 minutes to an hour before the MDR opens, like they are afraid the dining room will run out of food. I would much rather spend that time in a bar having a pre dinner martini or Scotch.

[crystalspin]

2 hours ago, ralfrick said:

I seem to recall reading somewhere in this epic that those with anytime dining can make up to 3 reservations. Could you please clarify whether that is 3 reservations at any one time, or 3 total for the cruise?

Like Terry, we always have open dining (except when travelling with large family group, when we had fixed) and never make reservations. But I believe it is 3 nights reservations at a time, to be repeated as you want.

 

Before the Pandemic we would sit with others at a larger table and never had a wait. If you wanted a smaller table to yourself, there might have been a wait, but I don't think I ever saw a pager!

 

On our B2B cruise after the re-start, we ate in the Lido at as uncrowded an area as we could find, or in specialty restaurants at a 2-top.

[ralfrick]

Thanks, Y'all. It looks likely that one of the Gala nights will be when wife & I have a couples massage around 8, so want to get in early that one in particular since a couple of menu items I've been see look interesting.

[islandwoman]

5 hours ago, ralfrick said:

Thanks, Y'all. It looks likely that one of the Gala nights will be when wife & I have a couples massage around 8, so want to get in early that one in particular since a couple of menu items I've been see look interesting.

How do you get advance notice of the Gala nights and the MDR menu? 

[Catlover54]

5 hours ago, ralfrick said:

Thanks, Y'all. It looks likely that one of the Gala nights will be when wife & I have a couples massage around 8, so want to get in early that one in particular since a couple of menu items I've been see look interesting.

 

This has probably been mentioned multiple times before (I did not go back and read every post), but one possibility is to advance order room service off the MDR, for service in your cabin.  That way you can try the "interesting" menu items without a reservation or worry that you won't timely get in (of course this presumes the room service won't be massively delayed, and you don't care about the ambience).