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

Host Walt

By Host Walt,
in Holland America Line

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NCTribeFan

NCTribeFan

Posted
Posted

I know there are multiple threads on the board about beverage cards. I'm pretty sure I've read most of them!

 

I've been off K'dam for 2 weeks now. It was wonderful. Review thread is on this board (I don't bother with the generic CC reviews).

 

In it I mentioned there were problems with beverage cards (I'd pre-purchased 2 $100 cards). I ended up not even using up one of them, thanks to having purchased a 5-bottle wine package. I even gave my last bottle to a tablemate who was staying on for the next 10-day sailing.

 

I had asked at the service desk whether the unused portion would be applied to my o/s account balance and was told it would be refunded to the card used to purchase.

 

The unused balance of the card I had used WAS credited to my onboard account. The $100 unused balance for the other card was not and it has not shown up as a credit on the card used for purchase.

 

Of course, my balance when I disembarked was posted within 2 days. Yet my beverage card refund hasn't been posted after two weeks. :(

 

Anyone have any idea how long this should take? Who do I contact if it doesn't show up soon? Is "Guest Relations" phone/fax the best? Or do I just need to be patient. The credit would come in handy since I've just been doing some Christmas shopping!

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escapees

escapees

Posted
Posted

We are sailing on the Oosterdam on Jan 10. Our first Holland America cruise. We are frequent cruises on other lines. Question is: Do we need to "Dress up" for dinner. We are used to the casual style on NCL. Just need to know what to pack. Thanks!

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Crew News "Live from...." Rare

Crew News

Posted
Posted
We are sailing on the Oosterdam on Jan 10. Our first Holland America cruise. We are frequent cruises on other lines. Question is: Do we need to "Dress up" for dinner. We are used to the casual style on NCL. Just need to know what to pack. Thanks!

 

Minimum collared shirt and slacks for men. No need to "dress up" unless you wish.

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kazu "Live from...." Rare

kazu

Posted
Posted
I know there are multiple threads on the board about beverage cards. I'm pretty sure I've read most of them!

 

I've been off K'dam for 2 weeks now. It was wonderful. Review thread is on this board (I don't bother with the generic CC reviews).

 

In it I mentioned there were problems with beverage cards (I'd pre-purchased 2 $100 cards). I ended up not even using up one of them, thanks to having purchased a 5-bottle wine package. I even gave my last bottle to a tablemate who was staying on for the next 10-day sailing.

 

I had asked at the service desk whether the unused portion would be applied to my o/s account balance and was told it would be refunded to the card used to purchase.

 

The unused balance of the card I had used WAS credited to my onboard account. The $100 unused balance for the other card was not and it has not shown up as a credit on the card used for purchase.

 

Of course, my balance when I disembarked was posted within 2 days. Yet my beverage card refund hasn't been posted after two weeks. :(

 

Anyone have any idea how long this should take? Who do I contact if it doesn't show up soon? Is "Guest Relations" phone/fax the best? Or do I just need to be patient. The credit would come in handy since I've just been doing some Christmas shopping!

 

Did you activate the unused card? I think there is a problem if they are not activated. I activated all of mine and had 2 unused beverage cards and they were both credited for my final statement.

 

I think something has gone wrong here. You should have been credited the last night of your cruise. I would contact HAL (click the contact us on the HAL website) and choose the email option.

 

Probably "after cruise" is the best drop down option. That's what I have used in the past when I had a question on the amount that got charged to my credit card.

 

I did find them pretty quick to respond and things resolved very quickly.

 

 

Hope this helps.

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kazu "Live from...." Rare

kazu

Posted
Posted
I never took it out of the envelope, so I imagine it wasn't activated. I'll send them an email. Thanks!

 

You're right. It wasn't activated. They need your key card to do that.

 

Good luck. You should be refunded quickly, I hope.

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*Miss G* "Live from...." Rare

*Miss G*

Posted
Posted
Renting a Cabana

We are booked on the Koningsdam for Dec. 10th. 2017

Can not find any information about renting a cabana. (price, availability, etc…)

Does anyone know where to view this on their website?

 

We really enjoyed our cabana experience on the Koningsdam in October. The staff are fantastic. Here is the current pricing. Enjoy!

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=410028&d=1503013983

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Rebecca.Claire

Rebecca.Claire

Posted
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Hi all! I was a past member for many years and then life got in the way and I left sadly. But life is good again and my husband and I are planning an Alaskan cruise this July. I have sailed HAL many many times but he never has. I’m trying to plan our trip the best possible way for him. I knew many years ago you could request specific table numbers in the dining room and I knew at one point there was even a layout with the numbers floating around here. Is that still possible to do? I have not yet read every page on this thread nor Can I find a “search the forums” box. Sorry to be repetitive if it’s around.

Happy sailing.

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kazu "Live from...." Rare

kazu

Posted
Posted
Hi all! I was a past member for many years and then life got in the way and I left sadly. But life is good again and my husband and I are planning an Alaskan cruise this July. I have sailed HAL many many times but he never has. I’m trying to plan our trip the best possible way for him. I knew many years ago you could request specific table numbers in the dining room and I knew at one point there was even a layout with the numbers floating around here. Is that still possible to do? I have not yet read every page on this thread nor Can I find a “search the forums” box. Sorry to be repetitive if it’s around.

Happy sailing.

 

Welcome back :).

 

You can still request specific table numbers from reports of CC members here.

 

There is a still a dining room layout available for each ship. If you google HAL Cruiser Information you can find the dining room layouts of each ship in the fleet and a lot of facts on HAL

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Happily@Sea

Happily@Sea

Posted
Posted
I googled and coudl nto find anything recent. Is the in room safe on Noordam keypad or do I need to bring an old card? TIA!

 

 

I know the Vista class ships have keypads on balcony and higher, not sure about Int and OV,

 

I understand from something posted a few months ago, I may need a card on my OV on Zaandam, but she is 'R' class - not Vista.

 

Hope some of our Interior or OV members chime in.

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Lenalittle

Lenalittle

Posted
Posted

Hi everyone,

 

Thankyou so much for all the info so far. I have a question about the spa on the maasdam. When I go for a massage/facial, can I stay for the day and use that fancy jet spa, hot beds and lounge area? The website is very unclear and confusing.

 

Thanks in advance. So excited about our first HAL cruise. We have only done carnival before.

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IRL_Joanie

IRL_Joanie

Posted
Posted
Hi all! I was a past member for many years and then life got in the way and I left sadly. But life is good again and my husband and I are planning an Alaskan cruise this July. I have sailed HAL many many times but he never has. I’m trying to plan our trip the best possible way for him. I knew many years ago you could request specific table numbers in the dining room and I knew at one point there was even a layout with the numbers floating around here. Is that still possible to do? I have not yet read every page on this thread nor Can I find a “search the forums” box. Sorry to be repetitive if it’s around.

Happy sailing.

 

The direct link to the one place on earth that I KNOW you can find answers to most, if not all, of your questions can be found at HAL Facts.com Not sure of the exact link for the layout diagrams, but you should be able to find them here: http://halfacts.com/general-info/

Welcome back to CC!!!

Joanie

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Lizzie68

Lizzie68

Posted
Posted
Every ship that we have ever sailed on in HAL has a combination pad for the safe. On the NA we needed our key card for the lights to work.

Allan

 

While I did forget the key pad on our cruise, many of our previous cruises on HAL necessitated the use of a magnetic stripe card for the safe, I believe especially on the smaller class ships. I always used my Costco or local store card. As an aside, on our NA trip this year I used that same card for the light switch! We just raised it a little when we left to turn out the lights, and pushed it down when we returned.

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Rebecca.Claire

Rebecca.Claire

Posted
Posted
The direct link to the one place on earth that I KNOW you can find answers to most, if not all, of your questions can be found at HAL Facts.com Not sure of the exact link for the layout diagrams, but you should be able to find them here: http://halfacts.com/general-info/

Welcome back to CC!!!

 

Joanie

 

THANKS! How have I never saw this link before! I appreciate it. :)

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Lenalittle

Lenalittle

Posted
Posted

Hi everyone. I have a question about GTY cabin for Holland America. I leave on my cruise in 8 days, still haven't been given a room yet. I have read a heap of a posts that say I get 14 days to 2 days out. That's all cool. Just wanted to know, the closer to sail day is there more chance of an upgrade?

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kazu "Live from...." Rare

kazu

Posted
Posted
Hi everyone. I have a question about GTY cabin for Holland America. I leave on my cruise in 8 days, still haven't been given a room yet. I have read a heap of a posts that say I get 14 days to 2 days out. That's all cool. Just wanted to know, the closer to sail day is there more chance of an upgrade?

 

Sometimes yes and sometimes no ;). No one knows how the ugrade fairy really works.

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