Question (Embarkation & Cash)

[MisterMatthew]

Hello, kind folks!

 

I am getting ready for my cruise.  Just 8 days away.  Woohoo!  This will be my 2nd cruise with HAL.

 

I will be on Eurodam, and sailing out of Seattle.  So, let me give some quick information.  I am on the HAL website at this moment... and at the (I think it is the Online Check-in) page.  It is the one with tabs:   Guest, Passport, Flights, Contacts, Account, Contract, Docs.

 

So, on that page -- every tab (except one) has a green color.  So, all of those are "done".  It let me download a pdf of my Boarding Pass, and my Luggage tags.  The final tab is not yet green.  But, I cannot remember if that tab "turns" green later?  Sorry if that is a silly question.

 

Next question... I chose "cash" for my account.  It indicates the dollar amount to bring.  But, where I am confused is this:  Where & when will I hand them the cash?  It mentions "Service Desk".  Is that in the cruise terminal building?  Or, aboard the ship? 

 

Lastly, is there a "health" survey.. question sheet, something something that I need to take care of.  I remember doing "it" when I was on Zuidy last year.

 

Again, thank you to everyone on the message board with your wonderful help!!!

 

--- misterMatthew  (just 8 days from sailing!!!!!!!!!!)

[CruiserBruce]

You will give the money to the main Customer Service Desk onboard.

[Ferry_Watcher]

If possible, it is easier for everyone to just register a credit card.  It will save you time.  You should be able to monitor your folio account from the TV in your stateroom.

[Mary229]

Finishing the health survey will turn the tab green.  It can’t be completed until 72? Hours prior. It is just a few short questions like “are you sick”.  If you forget to do it they can take care of that at the terminal. They usually send an email to remind you. 
 

Another option: I put the credit card on the account then pay my bill in cash  at the desk at my convenience 

Edited May 13, 2023 by Mary229

[Florida_gal_50]

1 hour ago, Mary229 said:

Finishing the health survey will turn the tab green.  It can’t be completed until 72? Hours prior. It is just a few short questions like “are you sick”.  If you forget to do it they can take care of that at the terminal. They usually send an email to remind you. 
 

Another option: I put the credit card on the account then pay my bill in cash  at the desk at my convenience 

There is no longer a health survey.  That ended more than a month ago.  There have been a couple threads about it.

Edited May 13, 2023 by Florida_gal_50

[Hlitner]

While I understand that some folks need or just prefer to use cash, we want to emphasize that this can be very inconvenient.  In order to deal with cash (rare on a cruise ship) you will need to stand in queues at the Guest Relations desk.  On a short cruise (or the first and last few days of a long cruise) the Guest Relations queues can be quite annoying.  Rather than having fun you may find yourself spending an hour (or more) just to settle your account.  Having a credit card on file with your account means you do not need to ever go to that Guest Relations line.  Your account is settled to your credit card and you will have your account statement available on the HAL Navigator App or your cabin TV.

 

Hank

[Banditswife]

I agree with the credit card opinions, using cash will just get annoying.  Every time you use up your cash balance you will be called to guest services to add more $, & your sail & sign card will be cut off until you do.  We just use a card, then pay off the bill toward the end of the cruise.

[Mary229]

1 hour ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

There is no longer a health survey.  That ended more than a month ago.  There have been a couple threads about it.

There is always the little short form.  It was always there prior to Covid and I completed it in February.  As I recall 3 simple questions,

.

[Florida_gal_50]

4 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

There is always the little short form.  It was always there prior to Covid and I completed it in February.  As I recall 3 simple questions,

.

Nope.  I cruised at the start of April.  No health questions period.  I can’t speak to several month long cruises.  Those are not something I do.

[Florida_gal_50]

Here is a recent thread about it.  Seems like I’m spending a lot of time providing proof lately on a number of things.  I hear crickets after

 

 

[aliaschief]

On Eurodam in April. Upon embarkation there was no health form that had to be filled out.

[Langoustine]

Another upside to using a credit card is you can either get money back (Citibank Double Cash Card, which has no yearly fee--and I'm sure there are others) or airline or Amtrak miles (likewise, the Amtrak Guest Rewards MasterCard has no yearly fee). I also have a couple of airline-connected credit cards with $99 yearly fees, and I haven't paid for an airline ticket in years.

Edited May 13, 2023 by Langoustine

[highscar]

Always cash for me.  As Canadian the credit charge is at the current exchange rate plus  2 1/2 percent.  I go to the desk the day before disembarking and ask to put the next daily charge on my bill and pay in cash. Easy pee’s y.  

 

[ptite]

41 minutes ago, highscar said:

Always cash for me.  As Canadian the credit charge is at the current exchange rate plus  2 1/2 percent.  I go to the desk the day before disembarking and ask to put the next daily charge on my bill and pay in cash. Easy pee’s y.  

 

Get a Home Trust credit card. No foreign transaction fee or yearly fee for the card.

[daisy-mae]

4 hours ago, highscar said:

Always cash for me.  As Canadian the credit charge is at the current exchange rate plus  2 1/2 percent.  I go to the desk the day before disembarking and ask to put the next daily charge on my bill and pay in cash. Easy pee’s y.  

 

Same here. We purchase USD when the rates are favorable and place enough cash to cover our estimated expenses on our onboard account when we board.

Edited May 14, 2023 by daisy-mae

[Florida_gal_50]

5 hours ago, highscar said:

Always cash for me.  As Canadian the credit charge is at the current exchange rate plus  2 1/2 percent.  I go to the desk the day before disembarking and ask to put the next daily charge on my bill and pay in cash. Easy pee’s y.  

 

If you get a home trust visa it’s free and you don’t have to pay that 2.5 percent.  I generally use my credit card just for ease but pay it off before I get off the ship.

 

Missed the post from the previous poster before I posted this.

Edited May 14, 2023 by Florida_gal_50

[CGinMTL]

I booked about a month ago, Hal was giving Canadians a very favorable exchange rate. So I prepaid my gratuity.

You may want to go compare rates and see if it is worth paying.

I also bank with RBC and was able to get a usd credit card. ( And a usd account ) and no extra fee. This gives me options when I travel 

[Florida_gal_50]

6 minutes ago, CGinMTL said:

I booked about a month ago, Hal was giving Canadians a very favorable exchange rate. So I prepaid my gratuity.

You may want to go compare rates and see if it is worth paying.

I also bank with RBC and was able to get a usd credit card. ( And a usd account ) and no extra fee. This gives me options when I travel 

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a rate change on hal.  Was that some kind of a limited Canadian special?  I think they do that once in a long while.  That said they seem to use around $1.30 for exchange, especially when it comes to the pre purchase of the crew incentive which of course is better than the rate right now.

[CGinMTL]

I don't know if it was a special 

I booked Hal directly and asked them to give me fare in usd and cad. 

Rate was good, so booked cad.

Then went to the check-in process, same thing , so prepaid whatever I could in cad

[Florida_gal_50]

8 minutes ago, CGinMTL said:

I don't know if it was a special 

I booked Hal directly and asked them to give me fare in usd and cad. 

Rate was good, so booked cad.

Then went to the check-in process, same thing , so prepaid whatever I could in cad

I hope they let us book more with their Canadian exchange rate.  I always book a cabana on my hot weather cruises.  On the last cruise they quoted it in Canadian which is the first time that happened.  It’s pricy so it definitely saved me some.

[MisterMatthew]

Everyone, thank you so much for responding.  I was not able to go online for a little while there (and, thusly... am catching up!!). 

 

Great information!

 

I should have said (originally) that I have been in the process of waiting for a replacement card --- as I misplaced mine.  And, that is a "Please allow 7 to 10 working days sir" process.  Ugg.

 

I don't mind waiting in a bit of a line at the services desk.  I guess it will give me a chance to mingle with others.  On disembarkation day... I have to catch a plane at SEA-TAC at around 3pm.  Tons of time. 

 

Oh, and yes... I am ready to fill-out the health form (if necessary). 

 

Again, thank you everyone!!

 

---misterMatthew

 

Again, thank you everyone.

[BetsyS.]

Mister Matthew- Bon Voyage! 🥂😊 Have a great cruise!

[MisterMatthew]

57 minutes ago, BetsyS. said:

Mister Matthew- Bon Voyage! 🥂😊 Have a great cruise!

Thank you so very much!!