Cruise docs

[jwh]

Do HAL prepare and send hard copies of cruise docs, baggage tags, 'know before you go' type booklets or are these only available online?  Would prefer to receive hard copies rather than print them if there is any option of choice here.

[CruiserBruce]

Not that I have seen for a number of years...maybe 10?

[Krazy Kruizers]

If you used a TA, they may be able to print all that information.

 

Or you can call HAL and ask what they would charge to print everything for you.  When HAL changed over to our doing our own printing of documents, HAL did charge people if they wanted them to do it.  It never hurts to ask.

[rafinmd]

Only for Grand Voyages.

 

Roy

[jwh]

Thanks for your replies.   It's a pity really as the professionally printed cruise docs, enhance the excitement and give the impression, if nothing else, of a nicer experience yet to come. 

[tv24]

Yeah, we had to print our own, or just show up with printed email of our purchased cruise and we received luggage tags at the docks.  Certainly nothing fancy or grand.

[Randyk47]

Are there any mainstream  lines that still mail out a full set of documents?  Some of the upscale luxury lines do but even those aren’t as elaborate as they were as recent as four years ago.   

[deliver42]

I used to wait in anticipation for the docs to come in the mail, but that's a long time ago. I know Celebrity will mail luggage tags on request, but that's about it.

[zelker]

If you don't want to print out the full eDoc (why would you?  you will likely never need it), you can save it as a PDF file and store it on your phone, tablet, laptop (whatever you travel with). Then just print out the first sheet of the eDocs, which is the Boarding Pass (and you only need to print one if you are traveling as a couple) and your luggage tags.  Saves a lot of paper and ink.

[rucrazy]

35 minutes ago, zelker said:

Then just print out the first sheet of the eDocs, which is the Boarding Pass (and you only need to print one if you are traveling as a couple)

 

Is that true even if the spouses have different last names? 

[RuthC]

9 minutes ago, rucrazy said:

 

Is that true even if the spouses have different last names? 

If both names are on the boarding pass, then printing one should suffice. If only one name is on the pass, though, then I would print one for each. 

[zelker]

15 minutes ago, rucrazy said:

 

Is that true even if the spouses have different last names? 

 

5 minutes ago, RuthC said:

If both names are on the boarding pass, then printing one should suffice. If only one name is on the pass, though, then I would print one for each. 

 

Good question.  Assuming you are on the same folio (paying with one credit card), I'd say you'd be fine printing out just one but to be safe in your scenario, print out one for each of you.  It's not like they won't let you board the ship without it - it just helps with checking in.

 

Ruth, only one name appears on each boarding pass but they've never asked us to see more than one so I stopped printing them both out.

 

Edited September 4, 2019 by zelker

[rucrazy]

4 minutes ago, zelker said:

Good question.  Assuming you are on the same folio (paying with one credit card), I'd say yes but to be safe, just print out one for each of you. 

Always do one credit card.. after all whats mine is mine and what his mine is mine... ....LOL

 

One other point .. at some embarkation ports don't the cruise lines still require to see individual boarding docs for entrance into the terminal?

Edited September 4, 2019 by rucrazy

[RuthC]

25 minutes ago, rucrazy said:

One other point .. at some embarkation ports don't the cruise lines still require to see individual boarding docs for entrance into the terminal?

Yes, it happens, and that's what I was thinking when I suggested each person should be named on a boarding pass. 
Besides, that way two people can get separated (for whatever reason), and the other isn't held up. 

[Beachnut53]

Newbie so sorry is question dumb....how does printing your luggage tags assist..aren’t they “sticky” like airport luggage tags?

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

I only print the boarding pass and sometimes the itinerary and the baggage tags which are not sticky.

[sevenseasnomad]

9 hours ago, RuthC said:

If both names are on the boarding pass, then printing one should suffice. If only one name is on the pass, though, then I would print one for each. 

We always take a cab to the ports.  At most ports, Port Everglades, in particular, the cabbie asks us for our docs which the security personnel want to see.  Last couple of times, security also asked for our passports.  I wouldn't dream of leaving home without passes for each of us, just in case.  One time the person handling the door into the check-in building wanted to see everyone's boarding pass.  People in line near us had theirs, so I'm unsure what would have happened if a couple traveling together had only one of their passes.  

 

As for the luggage tags, I print at least 3 for each person, although we never take that much luggage.  We "wrap" each with clear packing tape, which makes the tags waterproof should it be raining at embarkation.  The tape also makes the tags strong.  The front desk at whatever hotel we're staying in the night before will gladly let us "borrow" their stapler.  We've never had a tag come off or be damaged.

 

Would I like to see the old docs with the pretty blue leather-like folders come back?  Not really.  Wouldn't that be another expense HAL would pass on to us?  Probably.  As long as I get on the ship, I don't care what the docs look like or how they arrive.  By the time I'm ready to print the docs, we're only a few days from embarkation, so I'm excited.  I don't even think about the old way versus the new way.