First time on HAL (Oosterdam) A couple of questions.

[TheJester]

Good afternoon. 

 

We’re taking our first cruise on HAL in 3 weeks on Oosterdam. I have a couple of questions if anyone could help please.

 

Is draught (tap) beer available on the ship, or are all beers served from bottles or cans?

 

I’m starting to stress (slightly) about our flight arrival time in Athens. We have flights and transfers arranged with HAL but the flight they have booked us on only arrives in Athens 4 hours before the ship is scheduled to leave. Say an hour to get baggage and clear customs and an hour to the port, doesn’t leave much contingency for flight delay. Is this too tight?

 

We are very much looking forward to our first trip on HAL. 

 

 

[*Miss G*]

I know there is draught beer but someone else will need to tell you what’s on tap.

 

CHANGE YOUR FLIGHT IMMEDIATELY!!!  That timeline is far too tight to make the sailing.  You need to be checked in 90 minutes prior to sailing so, in actual fact, you have 2.5 hours to clear immigration and get to the port.  In Athens traffic… virtually impossible. And that’s providing that your flight arrives as scheduled.  Also virtually impossible in today’s age of travel.

 

This thread is making me nervous.

 

Edited July 31 by *Miss G*

[TheJester]

Ok so I rang them. 

 

Bear in mind they arranged the package for us, flights and transfers etc. 

They insisted they had booked the flight with sufficient time for us to get from the airport from the port and would not be changing the flight.

 

They gave us a number to call from Greece if our flight was delayed.

 

I’m not massively reassured by this, I must admit 😞

 

 

[*Miss G*]

Where are you flying from and what airline? Are there any connections?

[TheJester]

London Gatwick to Athens direct. 

 

I’ve checked the arrival times of the flights for the last few weeks and they have been generally on time.

 

Would HAL feel an obligation to wait for us if the flight is delayed? Given we booked flights and transfers with them.

 

We won’t be the only people they’ve booked on that flight. Our first day after Athens is at sea and then Dubrovnik. 

Edited July 31 by TheJester

[kirkc]

If you booked air and transfers with HAL, they will wait for you. Same rules as if you’re on a ship’s excursion that runs late. They will wait.

[Sir PMP]

Gatwick can be a problem in 5 minutes, I would spend one night in Athens or Piraeus.

Tap beer, Heineken, in the sports bar.

[3rdGenCunarder]

1 minute ago, kirkc said:

If you booked air and transfers with HAL, they will wait for you. Same rules as if you’re on a ship’s excursion that runs late. They will wait.

 

Up to a point. They may have to consider tides, berth availability, pilot schedule and other issues.

[CruiserBruce]

27 minutes ago, kirkc said:

If you booked air and transfers with HAL, they will wait for you. Same rules as if you’re on a ship’s excursion that runs late. They will wait.

If they can. No absolute promises. That they will 100% wait for you is a false myth.

[kirkc]

I’ve just never seen a case, and I’m sure someone will cite one, where HAL has left boarding passengers on the pier when the lines air and transfers were used. Don’t borrow trouble. Use your worrying for important things like “did I pack my toothpaste?”

[*Miss G*]

I’ve been on a few sailings where passengers have not made it on time and the ship had to leave without them.  A few caught up halfway through on one cruise.  On another, which was a TA, the ship waited a few hours for some passengers but others never made it.  They were flown to the Azores (which was our next stop) but we couldn’t get there because of weather so they were then flown to Madeira.

 

 

[*Miss G*]

1 hour ago, TheJester said:

London Gatwick to Athens direct. 

 

I’ve checked the arrival times of the flights for the last few weeks and they have been generally on time.

 

Would HAL feel an obligation to wait for us if the flight is delayed? Given we booked flights and transfers with them.

 

We won’t be the only people they’ve booked on that flight. Our first day after Athens is at sea and then Dubrovnik. 

 

I wish you all the best and would love if you could report back. HAL will do their best to get you onboard but that may involve flying you to the next port. Fingers crossed for you!

[TheJester]

4 minutes ago, *Miss G* said:

 

I wish you all the best and would love if you could report back. HAL will do their best to get you onboard but that may involve flying you to the next port. Fingers crossed for you!

Will report back. Thank you for your help. 

[BermudaBound2014]

48 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

If they can. No absolute promises. That they will 100% wait for you is a false myth.

 

This ^^ 💯

 

Lots of data points where people have been left behind. It happens. Not often, but it happens.

 

I challenge anyone to find a written policy (on any cruise lines really) which shows an obligation to wait for passengers.

 

I have read policy where when purchasing cruise line excursion they will pay for passengers to be reunited with the ship if the tour can't get back, but I can't even imagine what a stress fest that would be based on cruise line communication.

 

To the OP: I'll be sending you lots of aloha energy that all goes smoothly.

Edited July 31 by BermudaBound2014

[VMax1700]

There are short flights on both Aegean and Volotea from Athens to Dubrovnik later that evening or the next day (sea day) I know that its not perfect but at least there is a good plan B and it is HAL's responsibility to get you there and supply accomodation.

However, I am a firm believer in the 'Field of Dreams' philosophy - 'If you build it, they will come', so using that as your mantra.....'I will arrive in time and I will be on that ship'! 😉

 

p.s. I will wish you 'good luck' but your positive thoughts will be sufficient. 

[EtaC]

Going on this cruise myself, although we're arriving in Athens a few days early to sightsee and visit relatives. Of course, we're coming from the US west coast. Just our first flight to our connection on the east coast is probably longer than the London to Athens one. I can't say I have experience with the cruise line's flights nor do I have any data on people being left behind. I'll stick to the positive vibes that others are sending. See you at the sail away. 😎

[SilvertoGold]

OP: please do report back.  When we use HAL FlightEase we choose our own flights, becasue we want to see all the flight options and times. Can you consider doing this on your next HAL cruise? Best of luck with your flights, but have a great cruise!

[CruiserBruce]

1 hour ago, kirkc said:

I’ve just never seen a case, and I’m sure someone will cite one, where HAL has left boarding passengers on the pier when the lines air and transfers were used. Don’t borrow trouble. Use your worrying for important things like “did I pack my toothpaste?”

2022. During SAS strike, about 6 pax and 10 staff missed sailing from Copenhagen. We were there. They and a huge pile of luggage caught up two days later in Alesund.

 

Do search for the thread on the 42 (think that was the number) who missed the ship sailing from Puntarenas, and their Panama Canal transit due to heavy rain and flooding on their shore excursion. 

[Lotto2]

We’re on the same flight I believe (6 of us) so will be in the same boat if there’s a delay (pardon the pun). Fingers crossed no issues!

[EtaC]

My closest call came on a cruise out of Fort Lauderdale. We made our own plans and flew out day of. If there had been no delays, would have gotten to the ship about three hours before departure. However, our first flight to Atlanta was delayed two hours so we missed our connection. The new flight arrived at three with ship departure at 4. We were on the phone with the cruise line (Princess) while we waited, so they knew we were trying. Fortunately, this flight was on time. We made it off the plane first, and our luggage arrived quickly. We got the cab at about 3:20 and he raced to the pier. We got there about 3:40 and the agents were waiting for us and about 10 others from the same plane. They were able to get our bags on board and we finally got onto the ship about 3:55. They buttoned up the ship and literally got underway as we attended the "tardy" muster. 

 

Honestly, FLL is probably the only airport where we could have pulled this off. Boston, maybe, but I can't think of any other port that is in such close proximity to the airport.

[terrydtx]

Waiting on a ship's excursion is also a Myth. A few years ago we were in Costa Rico and a ships excursion to San Jose could not get back to the ship due to a mudslide on the only highway back to the port.  The Volendam captain said we could not wait for the tour bus and we left port. There had to have been at least 30 people on the tour that missed the ship. I never knew what happened to them, as our next stop was Half Moon Cay. 

 

We do not even fly to a port domestically on the day of any cruise. After what happened worldwide last week it is just too risky,

[TheJester]

2 hours ago, SilvertoGold said:

OP: please do report back.  When we use HAL FlightEase we choose our own flights, becasue we want to see all the flight options and times. Can you consider doing this on your next HAL cruise? Best of luck with your flights, but have a great cruise!

Thank you and we will report back. This is our first HAL cruise and we left the booking of flights and transfers to them. I’m a bit upset there is a possibility we could miss the ship and have to join it later in the cruise. This wasn’t what we signed up for. Let’s hope for the best. 

[Petronillus]

@TheJester and @Lotto2: I wish you all the best.

Here I was thinking, "London to Athens. . . . At least they won't have to clear customs and immigration." And then, "Oh no, Brexit!!!"

All the best to you and yours. Just remember, ship happens.

Edited July 31 by Petronillus

[CruiserBruce]

1 hour ago, Petronillus said:

@TheJester and @Lotto2: I wish you all the best.

Here I was thinking, "London to Athens. . . . At least they won't have to clear customs and immigration." And then, "Oh no, Brexit!!!"

All the best to you and yours. Just remember, ship happens.

Customs in Europe takes about 3 seconds. Select the green lane.

[Heartgrove]

A misconception is that if the Captain is off the ship and is delayed coming back that the ship will wait for him. That is wrong as the Staff Captain assumes command. The only crew member that they will definitely wait for is the Doctor.