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

[Av8tor]

It would be too bad, yet possible, that whoever found a lost card could buy drinks and use up the remaining value before the card was reported as lost/stolen and cancelled. Then there would be no value left to reissue on a new card.

 

I guess you have to weigh the convenience of not "having to" reconcile a bunch of receipts with your final bill or get a surprise total at the end of the cruise against the possibility of losing the card and it's remaining value if some rotten apple cruiser finds it and uses it up.

 

I know others feel differently and I'm not try to influence anyone's opinion, just throwing out another consideration, but personally, I prefer to just charge drinks to the cabin and pay the total at the end with just a cursory reconciliation for reasonableness, not a drink by drink verification.

 

YMMV

[lahlah57]

What about wifi on the ships? What is the $$$ for that? Packages?:o

[Lizzie68]

It would be too bad, yet possible, that whoever found a lost card could buy drinks and use up the remaining value before the card was reported as lost/stolen and cancelled. Then there would be no value left to reissue on a new card.

 

I guess you have to weigh the convenience of not "having to" reconcile a bunch of receipts with your final bill or get a surprise total at the end of the cruise against the possibility of losing the card and it's remaining value if some rotten apple cruiser finds it and uses it up.

 

I know others feel differently and I'm not try to influence anyone's opinion, just throwing out another consideration, but personally, I prefer to just charge drinks to the cabin and pay the total at the end with just a cursory reconciliation for reasonableness, not a drink by drink verification.

 

YMMV

 

Sort of stretching it, isn't it? As it's no different than your room card, what you do is just have your beverage card on your lanyard along with your room card - as we do.;) Never lost a card yet. Just need to punch a hole in it, and when you get a drink the steward will take the whole lanyard with the card on it. After all, if you are prone to lose cards, someone could charge anything to your room card too, before it was reported.

[CowPrincess]

Sort of stretching it, isn't it? As it's no different than your room card, what you do is just have your beverage card on your lanyard along with your room card - as we do.;) Never lost a card yet. Just need to punch a hole in it, and when you get a drink the steward will take the whole lanyard with the card on it. After all, if you are prone to lose cards, someone could charge anything to your room card too, before it was reported.

 

I don't want a lanyard getting in the way of my stunning jewelry ;) so I just carry my room key in my pocket. For me, and only me, one card is good. It stays where it belongs. We don't buy beverage cards. But I can understand people who do wear lanyards using it for both cards.

[lahlah57]

Okay here I go again......

Just put down a deposit for an October trip on the new Koningsdam and a few more questions and I must say you all have been a big help.

If we were to purchase a wine package....do we just drink said wine in the room or can we carry a bottle to dinner or is that stupid?

Does the ship have a cigar room? Not for me....Yuck, but for husband who enjoys a cigar with conac.

Thanx again!

[Lizzie68]

Okay here I go again......

Just put down a deposit for an October trip on the new Koningsdam and a few more questions and I must say you all have been a big help.

If we were to purchase a wine package....do we just drink said wine in the room or can we carry a bottle to dinner or is that stupid?

Does the ship have a cigar room? Not for me....Yuck, but for husband who enjoys a cigar with conac.

Thanx again!

 

When I purchase a wine package we drink it in the dining room or Pinnacle Grill. The wine steward keeps it there. I honestly don't know about in the cabin - I take my own wine on board for drinking there.

[lahlah57]

When I purchase a wine package we drink it in the dining room or Pinnacle Grill. The wine steward keeps it there. I honestly don't know about in the cabin - I take my own wine on board for drinking there.

how does it get to those 2 places?

[Lizzie68]

how does it get to those 2 places?

 

Hoping someone else will chime in, because we order our package in the MDR on the first night. I have found there is more choice than when you order online before the cruise. So, in our case, the wine is there and we choose which bottle we want next when we have finished one. And, if we eat in the Pinnacle Grill we simply tell the wine steward there that we have a package, or an unfinished bottle, and they fetch it.

[lahlah57]

Thanks Lizzie!:D

[kazu]

how does it get to those 2 places?

 

Hoping someone else will chime in, because we order our package in the MDR on the first night. I have found there is more choice than when you order online before the cruise. So, in our case, the wine is there and we choose which bottle we want next when we have finished one. And, if we eat in the Pinnacle Grill we simply tell the wine steward there that we have a package, or an unfinished bottle, and they fetch it.

 

 

Having had wine in the 2 places, you can order a package for the room or the MDR or both.

 

Order in the MDR and you can ask for X bottles sent to the room. Order in the room and you can take a bottle to the MDR. We usually order on board so we can see what wines are actually in stock for the packages and choose, normally get the Admiral for the Reds for DH + the navigator for the whites for me depending on selection.

 

Like Lizzie, if we are eating in the PG we use tell our wine steward and it is sent over.

Edited January 24, 2016 by kazu

[SuiteWhaleSong]

Leaving "lurk" mode to say thank you to all who answer questions. Also to thank all who ask questions. Very useful thread.

[Btimmer]

how does it get to those 2 places?

 

When we order wine either as a single bottle or part of a package, the wine steward stores it and we can access it from whatever dining room we are eating in at the moment (generally we eat in the MDR at the early open seating). Sometimes there's been a delay as they attempt to locate the bottle in question. For the packages, we just get one bottle at a time.

[Cruise Junky]

Can I ask what the point of the drink card is? A couple of people have mentioned not having to check receipts but don't you still need to check that drinks charged to your card were yours? Do they ever have promos if buy a $100 card for $90?

Edited January 26, 2016 by Cruise Junky

[lahlah57]

Can I ask what the point of the drink card is? A couple of people have mentioned not having to check receipts but don't you still need to check that drinks charged to your card were yours? Do they ever have promos if buy a $100 card for $90?

 

From what I understand the drink card is just ease in purchasing without it coming directly out of the OBC account and you having tons of little reciepts taking over your cabin. No special deals with having purchased the drink card just ease and no paper scraps:o

[kazu]

Can I ask what the point of the drink card is? A couple of people have mentioned not having to check receipts but don't you still need to check that drinks charged to your card were yours? Do they ever have promos if buy a $100 card for $90?

It used to be discounted but it is no longer.

 

Sure, you check the receipt they give you for your drinks (as you would if they were being charged to your onboard account). Once that is done though, you don't need to worry about reconciling to your on board account or wafting through extra pages of billing. No saving all those pieces of paper to check to your account. That is the convenience that some like.

[RuthC]

To expand on what kazu said---

You keep the last receipt, which shows the amount remaining on your card. When you purchase the next drink, you check that the correct amount is remaining, toss the old receipt, and keep the new one. All you are doing is double checking the running total as you go along. On the last morning the only thing on the bill that you have to reconcile is the one charge for the card, not every single drink you had all cruise long.

[seguincruiser]

I'm lurking but appreciate all the advise here. We really plan things out and are looking to start cruising with Holland in 2018. We have been following world cruise blogs for years and want to do this when we retire in 15-20yrs. After looking at Oceania ( love but too much $$$) and Holland we've decided its going to be Holland for us. We want to start building up our Mariner level so hopefully we can be at least 3 stars at retirement. The first year we plan to take some longer cruises between 16-40 days just make sure it is absolutely what we want to do. I wish we could cruise more than once a year but DH just can't take more days off unless his company somehow finds some more help in the next few years. I don't want to say what he does but it is very hard to find qualified workers.

 

Thanks

[Crew News]

I'm lurking but appreciate all the advise here. We really plan things out and are looking to start cruising with Holland in 2018. We have been following world cruise blogs for years and want to do this when we retire in 15-20yrs. After looking at Oceania ( love but too much $$$) and Holland we've decided its going to be Holland for us. We want to start building up our Mariner level so hopefully we can be at least 3 stars at retirement. The first year we plan to take some longer cruises between 16-40 days just make sure it is absolutely what we want to do. I wish we could cruise more than once a year but DH just can't take more days off unless his company somehow finds some more help in the next few years. I don't want to say what he does but it is very hard to find qualified workers.

 

Thanks

 

Welcome to Holland America. Before you decide on a longer cruise, I would recommend a 7-day trial cruise, especially to Alaska, to get the flavor of cruising with HAL.

 

Alaska offers some higher-priced excursions via helicopter that will help build your Mariner status (each $300 spent on board, or booked to use on board, will be worth one Mariner day). Staying in a Neptune or Pinnacle Suite will earn double Mariner days.

 

Feel free to ask lots of questions as there are many helpful folks here on the HAL Forum.

Edited January 30, 2016 by Crew News

[kazu]

I'm lurking but appreciate all the advise here. We really plan things out and are looking to start cruising with Holland in 2018. We have been following world cruise blogs for years and want to do this when we retire in 15-20yrs. After looking at Oceania ( love but too much $$$) and Holland we've decided its going to be Holland for us. We want to start building up our Mariner level so hopefully we can be at least 3 stars at retirement. The first year we plan to take some longer cruises between 16-40 days just make sure it is absolutely what we want to do. I wish we could cruise more than once a year but DH just can't take more days off unless his company somehow finds some more help in the next few years. I don't want to say what he does but it is very hard to find qualified workers.

 

 

 

Thanks

 

 

I think you are wise to try the longer cruises. I was nervous at my first 30 day and amazed how the time flew by. We never felt like we were ready to get off the ship (except on our one and only Oceania cruise which, thankfully was only 14 days).

 

Find an itinerary you like and remember that some of the ships call their balconies suites - they are not, but on those ships if you have that category, you will earn double mariner points.

 

Have fun :)

Edited January 30, 2016 by kazu

[Lizzie68]

I'm lurking but appreciate all the advise here. We really plan things out and are looking to start cruising with Holland in 2018. We have been following world cruise blogs for years and want to do this when we retire in 15-20yrs. After looking at Oceania ( love but too much $$$) and Holland we've decided its going to be Holland for us. We want to start building up our Mariner level so hopefully we can be at least 3 stars at retirement. The first year we plan to take some longer cruises between 16-40 days just make sure it is absolutely what we want to do. I wish we could cruise more than once a year but DH just can't take more days off unless his company somehow finds some more help in the next few years. I don't want to say what he does but it is very hard to find qualified workers.

 

Thanks

 

I like your thinking about starting out with HAL on longer cruises.:) We typically do around 20 days, and that's too short! What I dislike about the 7 day cruises is you are just starting to really unwind and relax, and it's time to pack again.:( I only do 7 days if it is a return trip from my home port of Vancouver - which pretty much limits my choices to Alaska - so I've been there lots.:D Have fun with your planning.

[seguincruiser]

Until DH retires we have to stay in the 7-9day range of cruises. Plan as of now is to book one for early 2018 out of S.California to Mexico. We've never cruised from the west coast and this will give us a chance for a short visit with family before cruise. The first long cruise with be our first year of retirement, either a Panama canal or Alaska with land cruise. In the meantime we can hopefully get a 7 day every year or two until he retires.

[kazu]

Until DH retires we have to stay in the 7-9day range of cruises. Plan as of now is to book one for early 2018 out of S.California to Mexico. We've never cruised from the west coast and this will give us a chance for a short visit with family before cruise. The first long cruise with be our first year of retirement, either a Panama canal or Alaska with land cruise. In the meantime we can hopefully get a 7 day every year or two until he retires.

 

 

Sounds like a great plan.

[sapper1]

I like your thinking about starting out with HAL on longer cruises.:) We typically do around 20 days, and that's too short! What I dislike about the 7 day cruises is you are just starting to really unwind and relax, and it's time to pack again.:( I only do 7 days if it is a return trip from my home port of Vancouver - which pretty much limits my choices to Alaska - so I've been there lots.:D Have fun with your planning.

 

I agree. Travelling a long distance to take a seven day cruise is hardly worth the effort and you really don't have time to relax and get into the rhythm of the cruise before it is all over. Having said that, we are doing a seven day to Alaska in early May but only because we will be in Vancouver anyway at the end of a 33 day cruise.

Long cruises give you the opportunity to really get into the life of the ship and to get to know some of your cruisemates. Lasting friendships develop.

[lahlah57]

I here you on how many days to cruise depending on distance going and coming. Being from California I would only do 7 days going to Mexico (no thankyou) a west coast cruise or Alaskan. That is it! 2 weeks is worth it for us to travel to and fro!

[kesam]

Can anyone tell me if you know... If you book a shellac manicure will they charge you for taking off/same?

Thanks for this great thread, I have read all 52 pages and learned a lot!:D Cyndi