First time HAL this weekend - last minute questions

[Muerz]

I booked my first HAL cruise (Norwegian Fjords on the Rotterdam this weekend) at the very last minute. I do have some questions though:

- I booked a guarantee cabin and it hasn‘t been assigned yet. Since we‘re only days away from boarding… when will they assign a cabin? What are the chances of upgrades with HAL?

- I also booked the Have it all package. Is the included internet a decent speed or is it just good enough for WhatsApp and Facebook?

- Is there any indication on the cabin key that I have a beverage package included or do I have to get a sticker upon boarding? I saw on a recent vlog on YouTube that while soft drinks will be deducted from your daily beverage allowance, they have a 3 soft drinks equals one alcoholic beverage rule. Is that true?

- Until what time does the pool / jacuzzi stay open with HAL?

- Is the MDR open for lunch on sailaway day (or any specialty dining) or are there only Buffet/Burger/Pizza available?

- Any must do‘s on this ship/itinerary you can recommend? Any objects I really have to bring aboard for a Fjords cruise (first time - only did sun destinations until now)?

Thanks for your help!

Edited May 17, 2022 by Muerz

[roxybear135]

I can't answer all of your questions, but here are a few answers:

 

The internet included in HIA ranges from absolutely awful/not working to acceptable.  I was able to access things like my email, Facebook, Instagram, etc. for the most part on our last two cruises but depending on where the ship is located, you may have times where the internet will be totally down.  If you're not planning on streaming anything or trying to make wifi calls, then you should be fine with the HIA internet.

 

There isn't an indication on your room key that you have the beverage package.  I believe that bartenders are able to see it when they swipe your card, but the drinks will show up on your invoice on the app as $0 if they are covered under the package.

 

Each drink, regardless of if it's a water bottle, soda, or alcoholic beverage, counts as 1 beverage towards the 15 drink limit each day.

 

Have fun on your trip and definitely go to Tamarind if you can - the food and service are amazing!

[CruiserBruce]

Your room assignment should be any minute. Have you looked into your booking on the Navigator app?

 

The internet can be clunky for a number of reasons. It's fine for Facebook. 

 

No indication of your drink package on your room key. No stickers required. When your card is read at time of getting a drink, it will show no charge. I have never heard of your "3 soft drinks equals one alcoholic drink. That sounds bogus.

[MAVIP]

8 minutes ago, Muerz said:

 

- Is there any indication on the cabin key that I have a beverage package included or do I have to get a sticker upon boarding? I saw on a recent vlog on YouTube that while soft drinks will be deducted from your daily beverage allowance, they have a 3 soft drinks equals one alcoholic beverage rule. Is that true?

- Any must do‘s on this ship/itinerary you can recommend? Any objects I really have to bring aboard for a Fjords cruise (first time - only did sun destinations until now)?

Thanks for your help!

Yes on our cabin key will be indicated that you have the HIA Signature package. I understood that every drink counts for one, but must admit that none of us (7) reached 15.....

Bring a water repellent coat, a woolen hat and shawl, bodywarmer, walking shoes.  And maybe a Travelplug so you can use the USAoutlets in your room too,  Enjoy your cruise and the fjords; they are absolutely beautifull. 

[MAVIP]

4 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

No indication of your drink package on your room key. 

There is an indication at the upper right of the keycard.

[Muerz]

Thanks for all these quick replies!

I have cruised with RCCL, Norwegian, Celebrity and Carnival before… looking forward to the change of pace this time around.

One question I forgot to ask… do they offer special promotions aboard or should I book specialty dining, spa treatments etc… before boarding?

[DaveOKC]

Sometimes the Signature Beverage Package will be noted on your card with a SBP,  but other times its not (happened to us on the same cruise last month - one couple had it noted the other not).

 

Cabin assignments can come at any time - right up until you board!  Check online on your luggage tags, they seem to show up there first for some reason.

[CruiserBruce]

18 minutes ago, MAVIP said:

There is an indication at the upper right of the keycard.

Not on our room keys for two weeks on Koningsdam,  Feb/March. Others have reported the same thing.

[0106]

SBP on upper right corner of my room key in February on Zuiderdam.

[oakridger]

2 hours ago, 0106 said:

SBP on upper right corner of my room key in February on Zuiderdam.

 

I guess it's another case of HAL being consistently inconsistent!  My last cruises in 2019 had SBP in the upper right corner as well.

[tuolumne couple]

4 hours ago, roxybear135 said:

There isn't an indication on your room key that you have the beverage package.  I believe that bartenders are able to see it when they swipe your card, but the drinks will show up on your invoice on the app as $0 if they are covered under the package.

 

Each drink, regardless of if it's a water bottle, soda, or alcoholic beverage, counts as 1 beverage towards the 15 drink limit each day.

 

Have fun on your trip and definitely go to Tamarind if you can - the food and service are amazing!

true, I didn't have an indication on my key card, but I did get a note stating that I had the Beverage package. I found that the TV menu will outline the Beverage package and what you can and cannot order. It was helpful for me, as I hadn't had the package before. Coffee was great. and If I wanted a really good drink, I would burn two drinks by ordering a double rather that waste my time on two drinks to fill me up. I actually upgraded to the elite beverage package for not too much more a day just to have better wine at dinner. It was worth it for us. 

I love Tamarind. Miss the old Rotterdam, got to sail her twice. Cant wait to try the new Rotterdam. Have fun. Any day on a cruise ship is a wonderful day!

 

[MAVIP]

15 hours ago, Muerz said:

 

One question I forgot to ask… do they offer special promotions aboard or should I book specialty dining, spa treatments etc… before boarding?

Specialty restaurants: book them today if you do not wish to pay those dinners with an On Board Credit.. Many bookings when we were on board the 1st sailing in May of the Rotterdam from AMS.  Tomorrow is within 3 days before sailing and that's too late. 

[Caribbean Chris]

16 hours ago, 0106 said:

SBP on upper right corner of my room key in February on Zuiderdam.

Someone recently had a photo of a HAL room key with HIA in the upper right corner indicating the Have it All package.

[moscow123456]

@muerz - We are scheduled to take our very first HAL cruise in June of 2023 to the fjords of Norway on the Rotterdam.  So, please post up your experiences while you are on the cruise.  As another upcoming first time HAL cruiser, I would love to hear your impressions of both the cruise and the ship while you are enroute.  

 

To be completely upfront, this will actually be our first cruise - period.  We had one scheduled on Celebrity in 2016 but had to cancel due to a family health crisis.  So we are coming to cruising as total "newbies" and beginning with HAL due to recommendations from various extended family members that HAL is a wonderful cruise line.  

 

I am looking forward to reading many reviews of the cruises to the fjords of Norway as their cruising season gets started in the coming weeks!

Edited May 18, 2022 by moscow123456

[MAVIP]

2 minutes ago, moscow123456 said:

 

 

I am looking forward to reading many reviews of the cruises to the fjords of Norway as their cruising season gets started in the coming weeks!

That season started May 1st for HAL's Rotterdam.

[moscow123456]

1 minute ago, MAVIP said:

That season started May 1st for HAL's Rotterdam.

Thanks so much.  I didn't realize that.  I have been trying to follow along here on cruise critic to see if anyone posts up any on-board reviews.  I have so enjoyed reading the many other threads about ongoing cruises and I hope to see some about the fjords of Norway!  🙂

[Muerz]

16 hours ago, MAVIP said:

Specialty restaurants: book them today if you do not wish to pay those dinners with an On Board Credit.. Many bookings when we were on board the 1st sailing in May of the Rotterdam from AMS.  Tomorrow is within 3 days before sailing and that's too late. 

Thanks for pointing out the 3 day limit, I made the reservations yesterday for Pinnacle Grill and Rudi‘s Sel de Mer. 
 

16 hours ago, moscow123456 said:

@muerz - We are scheduled to take our very first HAL cruise in June of 2023 to the fjords of Norway on the Rotterdam.  So, please post up your experiences while you are on the cruise.  As another upcoming first time HAL cruiser, I would love to hear your impressions of both the cruise and the ship while you are enroute.  

I‘ll try to post some pictures and thoughts along the way. I‘ll also try to compare HAL to Celebrity which I‘ve cruised in the past (pre-Covid though).

 

One final question: I‘m checked in, I completed the health form but my boarding pass still has no check in time attaced to it. It still says the check in time needs to be assigned. As I‘m still trying to schedule my Covid test, I‘d be happy if they finally assign a time. Or doesn‘t the check in time really matter in Amsterdam?

[MAVIP]

41 minutes ago, Muerz said:

One final question: I‘m checked in, I completed the health form but my boarding pass still has no check in time attaced to it. It still says the check in time needs to be assigned. As I‘m still trying to schedule my Covid test, I‘d be happy if they finally assign a time. Or doesn‘t the check in time really matter in Amsterdam?

check-in time can be changed (again) 3 days before embarkation. Maybe you will see the assigned time today in your boarding pass in Navigator. Otherwise, if you live, as I "presume",  in Luxembourg, try to have the antigen test today or tomorrow (within three days before embarkation) and be in the cruise terminal say somewhere between 11.00/12.30 If you have all vaccinations and a negative test you will be in a special lane and  if you booked a suite you will be in the same  priority lane as 4 and 5* passengers. Took DH and me about 15 minutes after handig our luggage to a porter (check of hand luggage can complicate things, so do not bring knives, bottles of wine etc 😂). Enjoy.

[Muerz]

2 hours ago, MAVIP said:

check-in time can be changed (again) 3 days before embarkation. Maybe you will see the assigned time today in your boarding pass in Navigator. Otherwise, if you live, as I "presume",  in Luxembourg, try to have the antigen test today or tomorrow (within three days before embarkation) and be in the cruise terminal say somewhere between 11.00/12.30 If you have all vaccinations and a negative test you will be in a special lane and  if you booked a suite you will be in the same  priority lane as 4 and 5* passengers. Took DH and me about 15 minutes after handig our luggage to a porter (check of hand luggage can complicate things, so do not bring knives, bottles of wine etc 😂). Enjoy.

Good catch! I was somehow under the impression that my Antigen-test needed to be taken less than 24hrs before the departure. I‘m gonna handle that today in Luxembourg instead of having to deal with it in Amsterdam then 😉

Thanks again!

[Muerz]

Well, finally got a boarding time: 2:20PM our room, 3:00PM for the rest of my family - not really thrilled I wasn‘t able to choose my boarding time at all and then they even separated our party but what can you do… heading to the Covid Test right now… maybe it will change again once I upload our tests into the Verifly App…

[MAVIP]

55 minutes ago, Muerz said:

Well, finally got a boarding time: 2:20PM our room, 3:00PM for the rest of my family - not really thrilled I wasn‘t able to choose my boarding time at all and then they even separated our party but what can you do… heading to the Covid Test right now… maybe it will change again once I upload our tests into the Verifly App…

My family was separated too and we all went at the same (earliest) time of DH and myself and arrived even 30 minutes early. Reason: we planned to arrive in 2 six-seater taxi-cabs.  No problem.