Grand Africa Oct 2020 map

[kazu]

1 hour ago, Tampa Girl said:

or perhaps me.  

 

I doubt there is anything wrong with you. 😉 

 

The HAL site is not the best and I often have issues with it.

Sometimes I get further on my IPad than my laptop and vice versus.

They really need to improve their internet game if they want people encouraged.

One trick - if you use VTG you can get US pricing on the World Cruise segments but Africa isn’t there yet.  Hope this helps.

[woodinville cruisers]

1 hour ago, kazu said:

 

Now that is interesting Mary.

 

There are no excursions showing on mine and when I click make a payment, it can’t do it at this time.  Must be because I booked a segment (a large one) but not the whole cruise.

 

Peter e’d me on the safari and I would be very tempted to do that myself.

 

Assuming we get pricing and itinerary, I’m happy to take a look a that.  I asked Peter for the info 😉 

Peter said he sent you the information.  The contact person that he had in Cape Town doesn't work for the company any longer.  I emailed there but without a contact person didn't hear anything back.  I called the office in the states and talked to Natalie but I haven't gotten any more information from her.  Maybe just too premature.  I hope you have better luck.  Peter had enough people that they filled the lodge.  I think 18.  It was slightly more than half what the ship charged to go to Jock Safari Lodge.

Gail gave me the information for Sun Safari and the contact person there was more responsive but what she suggested was getting pretty convoluted.  She recommended Arathusa Safari Lodge but getting there is a bit tricky and it seemed that too much time gets used up in transportation.

We are definitely interested if you put this together or get further information.

We will see many ports where safaris are possible but I've read that the animals aren't out in the heat of the day so an overland trip seems more ideal.

Mary

[Tampa Girl]

15 hours ago, kazu said:

 

I doubt there is anything wrong with you. 😉 

 

The HAL site is not the best and I often have issues with it.

Sometimes I get further on my IPad than my laptop and vice versus.

They really need to improve their internet game if they want people encouraged.

One trick - if you use VTG you can get US pricing on the World Cruise segments but Africa isn’t there yet.  Hope this helps.

 

VTG?   

[Wehwalt]

3 hours ago, Tampa Girl said:

 

VTG?   

Everyone goes on Vacations, some like them To Go.

 

I've also put a bit of cash down on this cruise as pre-deposit. I was on the parts of the 2018 GWV that did Africa.

Edited May 27, 2019 by Wehwalt

[CruznRagtop]

This afternoon I telephoned HAL's World Cruise and Grand Voyages Department and spoke to Karen.  I asked her to update me on the Fall 2020 Grand Africa voyage. 

 

After she brought up my Mariner Club record, she informed me she and her colleagues are currently working on "placeholders."  When I asked her to explain, she said those guests who have a Future Dam Certificate for the Fall 2020 Grand Africa are in the process of having a booking created in the category requested with attention paid to the stateroom numbers the guest specified.  When this process is completed, the guest or his or her travel agent will be notified, and a deposit will be required. 

 

She estimated these notifications will go out "beginning next Monday, June 3rd."  

 

Even I am on a road trip and not "connected" 24/7, I shall check here periodically to see if anyone has received a formal notification from HAL or a travel agent.  

[ship101]

Thank you for the update.   Do you know if there are any benefits attached to early booking, such as OBC, prepaid gratuities, etc.?

[S&B]

Does anyone know what the segments will be?  I am presuming one will be at Cape Town but we would like to join the ship before that.   Thanks for all the information we are receiving. 

[pattiescruise]

The cruise posted today and the trip is being confirmed, in order of when the deposit was placed, starting today. I spoke with our PCC at HAL and she said that ours had not come up yet. We were told that a Cat. F cabin for us (4 Star Mariners) should be $16399 plus taxes and fees. It is a really long time for us to be gone from home, and it will take A LOT of planning and preparation. We do plan on confirming the trip...it will be the trip of a lifetime for us. Let the excitement begin!

[pattiescruise]

10 hours ago, ship101 said:

Thank you for the update.   Do you know if there are any benefits attached to early booking, such as OBC, prepaid gratuities, etc.?

If you book a Cat F and above, it  includes many perks. For the F cabins, it is pre-paid gratuities, $300pp OBC, luggage pick up and delivery, and a bottle of sparkling wine. Also, I was told that if the trip is paid in full before Feb. 28th, there is an additional 3% discount.

[kazu]

17 hours ago, S&B said:

Does anyone know what the segments will be?  I am presuming one will be at Cape Town but we would like to join the ship before that.   Thanks for all the information we are receiving. 

 

The FCC on board said that there would most likely be one segment from Boston - CapeTown, one from NY to CapeTown and probably one from FLL - CapeTown.

 

Other segment would be the CapeTown to the end she surmised.

 

I did request a segment so hopefully when I hear I will know what the actual offerings are.  I’ll post if I do.

[scubadawg]

Here is the updated map for Grand Africa cruise. Still no segments showing . Waiting for pricing  next week.

[woodinville cruisers]

On 5/27/2019 at 9:09 AM, Wehwalt said:

Everyone goes on Vacations, some like them To Go.

 

I've also put a bit of cash down on this cruise as pre-deposit. I was on the parts of the 2018 GWV that did Africa.

What did you do at the ports starting with Victoria, Mahe Seychelles?

Did you take HAL tours or something separate and would you recommend what you did?

Mary

[kazu]

6 hours ago, scubadawg said:

Here is the updated map for Grand Africa cruise. Still no segments showing . Waiting for pricing  next week.

 

Wow!  They made some changes to the itinerary.

 

All personal taste of course, but I much preferred the potential itinerary.  Especially Ceuta over Agadir. 😉 

 

 

Thanks for the update Karen 😄 

[RBB]

    I was able to look at the cruise through my booking number today.  Interestingly, it looks like this is a little rushed, because the itinerary and the itinerary map don't completely match.  The itinerary lists a day in Salalah, Oman, but the map doesn't. 

 

It makes me wonder if the itinerary is still in flux a little bit.  Personally, I would prefer a stop in Durbin, South Africa, to the one in Richards Bay (which has little to offer beyond game parks).  And I wish we could have stops in Egypt:  Note that Oman and Aqaba are not even in Africa.  I could do without an overnight in the Seychelles as well (partly because we have been there recently).  I know, pretty whiny, and others won't agree, but why not wish for the best?

Edited May 31, 2019 by RBB

[Wehwalt]

On 5/30/2019 at 9:27 AM, woodinville cruisers said:

What did you do at the ports starting with Victoria, Mahe Seychelles?

Did you take HAL tours or something separate and would you recommend what you did?

Mary

For the most part I went on my own. But that's not for everyone. In Mahe, I took an island tour vie taxicab, for example, and at the end had him drop me at the botanical gardens to see the turtles and you can walk back to the ship from there.

[VacationCharlene]

We received our pricing today for category "J" (top inside room) but we asked what the price would be Roundtrip from Ft. Lauderdale.  Ours is $13,399 plus $1365 taxes, fees for a total of $14,764 per person in a cabin for two = $29,088.00   No perks from HAL that I am aware of.  Hope this helps others in determining their prices. 

We actually think 74 days is just way to long and I think I would actually enjoy an African safari more. We shall see

[ATC]

56 minutes ago, VacationingCharlene said:

We received our pricing today for category "J" (top inside room) but we asked what the price would be Roundtrip from Ft. Lauderdale.  Ours is $13,399 plus $1365 taxes, fees for a total of $14,764 per person in a cabin for two = $29,088.00   No perks from HAL that I am aware of.  Hope this helps others in determining their prices. 

We actually think 74 days is just way to long and I think I would actually enjoy an African safari more. We shall see

How much did they want for the deposit and by when did they want it?

[VacationCharlene]

1 hour ago, ATC said:

How much did they want for the deposit and by when did they want it?

A total of $5000 by June 5th.   Forgot to say....Final Payment July 10, 2020

Edited June 1, 2019 by VacationingCharlene

[ATC]

Just now, VacationingCharlene said:

A total of $5000 by June 5th. 

Thank you.

[woodinville cruisers]

2 hours ago, VacationingCharlene said:

We received our pricing today for category "J" (top inside room) but we asked what the price would be Roundtrip from Ft. Lauderdale.  Ours is $13,399 plus $1365 taxes, fees for a total of $14,764 per person in a cabin for two = $29,088.00   No perks from HAL that I am aware of.  Hope this helps others in determining their prices. 

We actually think 74 days is just way to long and I think I would actually enjoy an African safari more. We shall see

Did you get a cabin or still just guarantee.

[kazu]

On 5/31/2019 at 1:37 PM, RBB said:

   I was able to look at the cruise through my booking number today.  Interestingly, it looks like this is a little rushed, because the itinerary and the itinerary map don't completely match.  The itinerary lists a day in Salalah, Oman, but the map doesn't

 

Just from what I have observed - once they do the map, they don’t change it no matter how many changes they make to the itinerary.

 

At least that has been the way it was on the cruises I have been on where the itinerary was changed substantially.  The map never changed.

[Wehwalt]

I haven't gotten the call yet but my TA did call Hal and I do have a specific cabin assigned, that I'm going to hold off on announcing until I get my paperwork.

[Sunriseatsea]

No call yet here, either. Just wondering- deposit of $5,000 is fully refundable, correct? 

[janmcn]

When we did the 2018 WC, our TA (fantastic one based in Seattle) offered a lot of perks that you don't get via HAL bookings direct. One of the best perks was a terrific 4-day safari out of Maputo which was about half the cost of the HAL one and several other "private" ones. The safari was great since we drove from Maputo about 3-4 hours to get to the private reserve adjacent to the Kruger...so only flight was one back to Cape Town. Saw "the Big Five" and loved the safari lodge. Just FYI.

[RBB]

     There is now a Roll Call for this voyage (so far with a grand total of two posts):

 

     https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2667823-amsterdam-grand-africa-october-3-2020/