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

[Charlie Bear]

How do you qualify for a free upgrade on HAL?

[Charlie Bear]

When boarding HAL, do they have any set order they do it in? Other lines do it according to decks.

[Crew News]

53 minutes ago, Charlie Bear said:

When boarding HAL, do they have any set order they do it in? Other lines do it according to decks.

 

HAL traditionally boards in the order that you check-in at the terminal.  Exceptions are those with mobility issues, Neptune/Pinnacle Suites, and 4-5* Mariners who are in the first groups to board.

[Crew News]

3 hours ago, nextcruiseonmymind said:

How long does it take to get your laundry back?  Thanks

 

My experience is that laundry placed on your bed when you go to dinner is returned the next morning.  Laundry picked up by your Room Steward during their morning cleaning will be returned either the same evening or the next morning.  The last laundry turn-in should be the next to your last cruise day so that it can be returned on your last day (not Disembarkation Day).

 

If you purchase the unlimited package, you can turn in as many laundry bags as you wish per stateroom.

[Nattyg1723]

Hi all,

 

Have been really enjoying reading this thread! I have some questions about the initial credit card authorization HAL does:

 

1. Is it still 60 dollars per day per person on a 7 day cruise?

2. Is that total (840 dollars in my case if it is 60 bucks a day pp) assuming inclusion of tips, hotel service fee, ect?

3. Can you use OBC in lieu of credit card hold?

 

TIA!

 

 

[oxnardprof]

1 hour ago, Nattyg1723 said:

Hi all,

 

Have been really enjoying reading this thread! I have some questions about the initial credit card authorization HAL does:

 

1. Is it still 60 dollars per day per person on a 7 day cruise?

2. Is that total (840 dollars in my case if it is 60 bucks a day pp) assuming inclusion of tips, hotel service fee, ect?

3. Can you use OBC in lieu of credit card hold?

 

TIA!

 

 

I think it is still that amount.  they did not count my on board credit when calculating the credit card hold.  Of course, I have not sailed yet, and they have not yet charged my card.  A 17 day cruise, and the hold is 1020 dollars per cabin.

[richwmn]

2 hours ago, Nattyg1723 said:

Hi all,

 

Have been really enjoying reading this thread! I have some questions about the initial credit card authorization HAL does:

 

1. Is it still 60 dollars per day per person on a 7 day cruise?

2. Is that total (840 dollars in my case if it is 60 bucks a day pp) assuming inclusion of tips, hotel service fee, ect?

3. Can you use OBC in lieu of credit card hold?

 

TIA!

 

 

1. It is still $60 / person / per day so the total is 840 for 2 people on a 7 day cruise.

2. This is just an authorization to cover the anticipated amount. It is more than enough to cover those items plus anticipated spending.

3. The hold placed on any card will be the full amount, regardless of any OBC. However, if you have OBC enough to cover the amount (or close to it) you don't have to register a credit card. If you come close to spending the OBC you have, you will be requested to provide more or a card. If you provide a card later in the cruise it will be authorized for $60 times the number of days left in the cruise.

 

[taosjellybean]

How does Holland charge the $18 corkage fee when you bring on more than one bottle of wine on board. Also what manner is used by Holland to know how  many bottles you have brought on. Do you tell them or what?

[fyrdusk8]

We were lucky and never got charged... but can not count on it - We brought 4 last cruise and never got charged, but who knows other than that. 

 

[taosjellybean]

If you take the bottle of wine to the dining room is the corkage charged then?

[Btimmer]

34 minutes ago, taosjellybean said:

If you take the bottle of wine to the dining room is the corkage charged then?

Corkage is charged when you bring the bottles on board.  When you embark, you can bring one bottle per person.  At all subsequent ports, they check you when you reboard.  Sometimes there is no staff there and sometimes they are more aggressive in checking.  If you are on a HAL wine tour, the limit is higher.

 

[RuthC]

9 hours ago, taosjellybean said:

If you take the bottle of wine to the dining room is the corkage charged then?

 

9 hours ago, Btimmer said:

Corkage is charged when you bring the bottles on board.  When you embark, you can bring one bottle per person. 

 

When you embark you can bring on as many bottles as you can carry. You stop at the wine desk and have the corkage charged (if someone is at the desk) for all but one bottle per adult. That one bottle is for cabin consumption.
If you later choose to bring the bottle to the dining room, or a public lounge, the corkage will be charged then. If you know that you will want all the bottles in a public venue, then the corkage can be charged at that desk.

[Nattyg1723]

Back again with a question, forgive my ignorance 😁

 

Can you order room service for lunch on embarkation day? If so, what is the earliest time they generally start?

 

[avian777]

11 hours ago, Nattyg1723 said:

Back again with a question, forgive my ignorance 😁

 

Can you order room service for lunch on embarkation day? If so, what is the earliest time they generally start?

 

 

Deleted earlier response - sorry, Nattyg1723, I misread your Post.  Also sorry I do not know the answers to your questions.

Edited January 23, 2019 by avian777

[SWFLAOK]

On 1/22/2019 at 11:34 AM, Nattyg1723 said:

Back again with a question, forgive my ignorance 😁

 

Can you order room service for lunch on embarkation day? If so, what is the earliest time they generally start?

 

On our December cruise from Fort Lauderdale, 5 star mariners and those with Neptune Suites were allowed to board at 11:30.AM.  Our Neptune Suite was available, but not everyone boarding at that time had suites available. The information in our suite did not  indicate that there was room service available for lunch. The main dining room was open and we went there for lunch. 

[Mary229]

On 1/22/2019 at 10:34 AM, Nattyg1723 said:

Back again with a question, forgive my ignorance 😁

 

Can you order room service for lunch on embarkation day? If so, what is the earliest time they generally start?

 

Generally lunch room service is not available during embarkation day.  I have never sailed in an upper tier suite where there may be a different experience 

[kazu]

On 1/22/2019 at 12:34 PM, Nattyg1723 said:

Back again with a question, forgive my ignorance 😁

 

Can you order room service for lunch on embarkation day? If so, what is the earliest time they generally start?

 

I have not seen room service available at lunch time.

 

the staff are busy with the ship, getting everyone on board, providing wheel chair assistance, delivering luggage, etc.

If you want to eat in your cabin, just go to the Lido, Dive In, whatever, get what you want and take it back to your room.

I think room service starts later once the muster drill is over.  I’ve never asked for it as I know how busy the staff are.

 

Room service is available for breakfast on disembarkation day which is a plus.

[kazu]

4 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

Generally lunch room service is not available during embarkation day.  I have never sailed in an upper tier suite where there may be a different experience 

There is no different experience as far as room service is concerned to the best of my knowledge and we have been in the upper tier on a few cruises.

 

 

[danb35]

Having trouble getting in touch with the Future Cruise Consultant on the Oosterdam, so hopefully someone here will know. Two questions about future cruise deposits: (1) Can you apply more than one to a given cruise? That is, if I bought two, could I apply them to the same cruise, doubling the OBC? (2) Is it possible to buy them for people who aren’t sailing on this cruise? Pretty sure the answer to both is “no”, but thought it would be worth checking.

[oceanmom]

Never tried #1. #2--Last year we were allowed to buy a future cruise deposit on-board for our daughters when we were at the same time booking a new cruise and booking a cabin for them as well as one for us. Needed to sign a paper at the time that stated they were family members.

Edited January 29, 2019 by oceanmom

[richwmn]

1 hour ago, danb35 said:

Having trouble getting in touch with the Future Cruise Consultant on the Oosterdam, so hopefully someone here will know. Two questions about future cruise deposits: (1) Can you apply more than one to a given cruise? That is, if I bought two, could I apply them to the same cruise, doubling the OBC? (2) Is it possible to buy them for people who aren’t sailing on this cruise? Pretty sure the answer to both is “no”, but thought it would be worth checking.

To question #1, my understanding is no it is not possible.

To #2, It is no longer possible to buy a future cruise deposit for someone who is not on the ship. If you are booking a cruise for them, that is a totally different matter.

 

[Mtngirl2]

In the past, once home after the cruise, I had to cancel 2 cruises I had booked on board with a future cruise consultant.  Those deposits went into what I called my "Holland America bank"--not a real bank, but HA kept the deposits, and I used them both later for a downpayment on another cruise that I completed with HA through my travel agent.  Not the same scenario as yours, but with knowing!

[danb35]

Thanks for the answers. Turns out my parents had already placed FCDs on their last cruise, so question #2 is moot anyway.

[bea555]

How quickly does the tracy arm fjord excursion sell out? I think I want to wait until final payment to book cruise (about 3 months out).

[kazu]

44 minutes ago, bea555 said:

How quickly does the tracy arm fjord excursion sell out? I think I want to wait until final payment to book cruise (about 3 months out).

I can't answer your intial question but why do you want to wait?

 

If you end up cancelling the cruise then all shore excursions are refunded.