The Fleet Report and Daily for Sunday January 29th, 2023

[marshhawk]

We do not have it all.  We don't drink ,and when we figured out how much would actually go towards drink, we voted that one out, and we had already booked and paid for the three of us for our excursions.  Thanks for letting me know, Now i wont have 840 on a card, I am assuming they will take cash?  and how do I get my unused money back?

[Sharon in AZ]

30 minutes ago, marshhawk said:

I called BFF tonight to make sure that he paid that May HAL cruise this week.  He informed me that he was reading that I guess, is the equivelant of a  sail and sign card information, and that for the 14 day cruise we each need to present on boarding 840.00.  Why so high?  Does this have something to do with gratuities?  Do they really think that I would spend that much  money when I'm cruising?  I told him to prepay the gratuities, but he is not sure that the 840 included gratuities.  We don't drink, I don't gamble, not too much into shopping, so what would I be spending that kind of money on?  I am covering Tamarind I told him to book the first night, and covering lunch at the Pinnacle Grill on a sea day, and the Italian dinner...what else?  

 

Also for you who cruise HAL, looking at the menu for the Italian restaurant, I am assuming you are charged for the dining experience, not the plates you order, so they say on the menu, large plates, to share.  
Does this mean we all agree on one dish, and all three of us share it?  Or that we are supposed to share, because we are best buddies?  Not sure.  What if I dont want to share, or the two guys dont like what I decide to order....I know these may be dumb questions, but I have my moments.... 

 

Annie, as the others said it is a hold per day, even if you prepay for anything.  I used to work with a lady who went on an Alaskan HAL cruise and had problems using her debit card because it wouldn't hold the daily full amount for the length of the cruise (I forget the exact amount) and had to call her bank to get it settled.  So make sure to use a credit card.

 

The Italian restaurant, Canaletto, is a charge per person, not per dish.  And, yes, you can each order your own dish.  I do have to say it isn't our favorite restaurant and we've only eaten there once in all our BHB cruising.  My favorite specialty restaurant is the Pinnacle Grill but for lunch.  On my upcoming cruise I have 3 specialty dinners and am not sure I really need them......

 

 

[Sharon in AZ]

4 minutes ago, marshhawk said:

We do not have it all.  We don't drink ,and when we figured out how much would actually go towards drink, we voted that one out, and we had already booked and paid for the three of us for our excursions.  Thanks for letting me know, Now i wont have 840 on a card, I am assuming they will take cash?  and how do I get my unused money back?

Annie, from the Know Before You Go area on the HAL website:

 

If you do not want to use a credit or debit card, on the day of boarding, you will need to visit Guest Services and deposit $60 cash per person per cruise day. Any excess deposit will be refunded to you at the end of the cruise. Traveler’s checks may be cashed at Guest Services. Personal checks are not accepted on board.

 

[bennybear]

2 hours ago, HAL Sailer said:

@superoma and @StLouisCruisers, thanks for catching the error. Yes, it is my DSIL.

 

We visited her twice last week when downstate for my DH's first cousin's funeral. We found that DSIL's month bed-bound has taken a toll greater than the medical conditions she's fighting. Blessedly, her sons have declared a truce and visit daily but separately. We continue to pray for DSIL's transition.

 

I've not posted much lately. I've been very busy securing our financial affairs. In mid-January, an online non-USA bank sent me a WELCOME to your new account letter. It was not mine!

 

The bank's fraud department identified that a fraudster had attempted to open an online account attaching two traditional bank accounts (not ours) to fund the online account and attached one cash app account presumably to use the app to drain the account of fraudulent funds. Why and how my name was used is anyone's guess, but the fraudster used an invalid email address causing the bank's WELCOME to be postal mailed to me when the bank's email welcome bounced back. 

 

That error by the fraudster, caused me to learn my name was being used and get the account shut down quickly. Had the email gone through to the fraudster, I might never have known until more damage was done.

 

But, that started what has been my almost continual work locking up our credit reports, putting fraud alerts on all our financial accounts, securing all direct deposits and payments from allowing any banking changes, etc, etc, etc. So far, nothing seems amiss but…

 

I don't wish what I've been through on anyone. But, if you find yourself the subject to any sort of identity theft, I recommend using the Federal Trade Commission's identity theft website. After describing the type of identity theft you have suffered, its website generates a checklist of everything you should do. One bank recommended the FTC site to me and the FTC guidance has been very helpful.

 

I considered telling this tale of woe late yesterday on Data Privacy Day but I just didn't have the energy. Between the identity theft work, staying in touch with DSIL's continuing vigil, my DH's cousin's funeral and the travel involved, and my DH's ever increasing mobility and memory challenges, I've had little time for anything else. I even missed celebrating my 70th birthday! 

 

I'll admit my emotional tank is drained – thankfully our finances weren't!

 

Thanks again @superomaand @StLouisCruisers for catching the DSIL error. I do think it best to move DSIL to the Rotation List as the length of her end days is very much unknown.

 

I've tried to read The Daily each night and I've offered my prayers for those in need and congratulations to those celebrating. I just haven't posted.

 

-Melisa

Oh Melisa!  Wishing you a happy birthday! Hope your life settles down a bit! !  

[richwmn]

1 hour ago, marshhawk said:

We do not have it all.  We don't drink ,and when we figured out how much would actually go towards drink, we voted that one out, and we had already booked and paid for the three of us for our excursions.  Thanks for letting me know, Now i wont have 840 on a card, I am assuming they will take cash?  and how do I get my unused money back?

From someone who does this regularly, including the current World Cruise. When filling out your documents check the box marked cash instead of a card. If you give them a card at all they will authorize $60/person/day for the length of the cruise and it doesn't matter how much you have prepaid. If you have any OBC from HAL / CCL (Stockholder / Military etc) that will be on your account. They request that you provide enough cash to cover the same $60/person/day but at this point your OBC counts. As in a lot of things what Seattle wants the ship doesn't always enforce. In this case as long as your have enough OBC from whatever source you are good. The last night of the cruise you have to visit Guest Relations and they will return any moneys owed to you in cash. I always have close to the amount requested and get a refund at the end.

 

[TiogaCruiser]

Good evening all,

Thought I’d share a picture of the “puzzle” my cousin gave her father, an avid puzzle fan, for Christmas:

 

 

@HAL Sailer So sorry for all the trouble you have been through with the fraudsters. And thank you for sharing the information. I’m going to order credit reports, because I have never done so, and I’m a bit concerned that my email has become a huge target for spam (100-600/day). One was obviously phishing from “apple”, but immediately my landline started ringing “from Apple”- like 5 times in a few minutes, with a partial message left, and then my cellphone rang with the same ID. Just a little creaped out on that. 
 

Does anyone know the safest way to get credit reports?

 

 

[erewhon]

3 hours ago, grapau27 said:

Dinner tonight.

Graham.

 

@grapau27  you omitted to state what the food is on each plate.  Are you on board a P&O ship?

[grapau27]

6 hours ago, erewhon said:

 

@grapau27  you omitted to state what the food is on each plate.  Are you on board a P&O ship?

Scallops.

Beef wellington.

Veal.

Cheesecake.

No we are not on a P&O ship 

Graham.

[0106]

6 hours ago, TiogaCruiser said:

anyone know the safest way to get credit reports?

This info comes from https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/free-credit-reports

 

The three nationwide credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — have a centralized website, toll-free telephone number, and mailing address so you can order your free annual reports in one place. Do not contact the three credit bureaus individually. These are the only ways to order your free annual credit reports: 

• visit AnnualCreditReport.com
• call 1-877-322-8228, or
• complete the Annual Credit Report Request Form and mail it to: 

Annual Credit Report Request Service 
P.O. Box 105281 
Atlanta, GA 30348-5281

[*Miss G*]

8 hours ago, richwmn said:

From someone who does this regularly, including the current World Cruise. When filling out your documents check the box marked cash instead of a card. If you give them a card at all they will authorize $60/person/day for the length of the cruise and it doesn't matter how much you have prepaid. If you have any OBC from HAL / CCL (Stockholder / Military etc) that will be on your account. They request that you provide enough cash to cover the same $60/person/day but at this point your OBC counts. As in a lot of things what Seattle wants the ship doesn't always enforce. In this case as long as your have enough OBC from whatever source you are good. The last night of the cruise you have to visit Guest Relations and they will return any moneys owed to you in cash. I always have close to the amount requested and get a refund at the end.

 

 

Rich, do you know how much per day they require for the World Cruise?

[canals]

3 hours ago, grapau27 said:

Scallops.

Beef wellington.

Veal.

Cheesecake.

No we are not on a P&O ship 

Graham.

Thinking RCI.    Enjoy your cruise and all the wonderful dining experiences.   

[richwmn]

2 hours ago, *Miss G* said:

 

Rich, do you know how much per day they require for the World Cruise?

For any cruise longer than 29 days it is $30/person/day. I'm not 100% sure about the cutoff point but it is 29 days or something close to that.

 

[TiogaCruiser]

Good morning all,

We had rain last night!🙃

@rafinmd Praying for quick and complete healing.

 

5 hours ago, 0106 said:

This info comes from https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/free-credit-reports

 

The three nationwide credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — have a centralized website, toll-free telephone number, and mailing address so you can order your free annual reports in one place. Do not contact the three credit bureaus individually. These are the only ways to order your free annual credit reports: 

• visit AnnualCreditReport.com
• call 1-877-322-8228, or
• complete the Annual Credit Report Request Form and mail it to: 

Annual Credit Report Request Service 
P.O. Box 105281 
Atlanta, GA 30348-5281

I’m getting the application off today.

 

For anyone who has done a credit check - did you see much of a difference between agencies?

-I’m thinking of doing one at a time, spaced out over 3-4 months, to have more continuous monitoring. I’m not really interested in hiring a service (and further spread data around).

 

Have a great day everyone!

[0106]

9 minutes ago, TiogaCruiser said:

-I’m thinking of doing one at a time, spaced out over 3-4 months, to have more continuous monitoring.

That is the best way to do it.  Because you get one free report from each agency per year, check one every 4 months.  

 

My credit reports from different agencies have not varied.  Also, I get a monthly “update” from  2 different credit cards.

[JazzyV]

@TiogaCruiser Some of the reports are less detailed than others. I can't recall right now which was the most detailed. I do download them as pdf's to my computer. And getting one each 4 months is what I used to do. Since I had a fraud issue last year, I was allowed to get them monthly, but I didn't get them that often. I do have Experian monitoring that was free due to a data breach, so they send monthly emails saying no change in my report.