a few more questions things keep poping in my head

[temple10]

Good Morning all,

I am crusing on the statendam in december, Is there a cost to email to home?? if so ruff idea how much?? also, My travel agent said this certain cruise doesnt give you money to spend on board, ( I assume because it is the Christmas time) anyway reading on the post I have seen going to the front desk and setting up an account?? what if I am only using cash?? no credit card. can someone help?? I understand about the soda cards and for me that will be a must!! that is my coffee. lol lol thank you bunches for any input :D

[Esme]

Not sure about the prices for using e-mail in the Internet Cafe, but I am sure others can tell you what it is.

 

You cannot pay for anything on the ship with cash, except buy chips and coins for use in the Casino. You will still have to go to the Front Office, give them a credit card and set up an account and then if you wish you can settle it at the end of the cruise by paying cash. Don't wait until the day of disembarkaton to do this as there is usually a long line at the Front Desk. We used to go down to the Front Desk the last night, pay off the bill in cash and then anything we spent after that went on our credit card. Now we just put everything on the card and pay after we get home. Much easier that way.

[NorfolkSailor]

There is extra-cost internet access that will allow you to connect to e-mail. Check on the HAL web site for details concerning the cost or call them direct. I haven't seen too much about shipboard credits except in cases where you made final payment and were able to get a reduction in stateroom price through your TA. Otherwise, the sign and sail card will be your link to payment for onboard services. You will need to see the Front Desk (as noted) to arrange payment. They will take cash up front to cover the card and settle at the end of the cruise but I can't tell you how much - assume it's the same as the preauthorization they place on credit cards - about $50 per card per day (i.e. $700 for a couple on a 7-day itinerary). Again, check with HAL for specifics.

[jhannah]

I know a number of people who do not wish to hold credit cards. If this is your preference, would you consider going to your bank and getting a pre-paid card or a debit card for an amount you think will serve you on this trip? You can cruise with a cash deposit, but having plastic (alas, the world we live in) is so much easier in the long run. Good luck.

[RevNeal]

You will read this in the Know Before You God Booklet, when it arrives with your documents prior to cruising:

 

Shipboard Account

Our cashless society is designed to make your life on board as simple as possible. When you board the ship, your account has already been activated and you may make purchases by simply showing your guest identification card and signing a receipt. On embarkation day, you will need to register your credit or debit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover) in order to use your onboard account for shipboard purchases. Your card will be pre-authorized for USD$60 per person for each day of your cruise. At the end of your cruise, you will receive a final statement, and your card will be charged only for the actual amount of your purchases. Please inform your credit or debit card issuer in advance that your card will be used on a Holland America ship. This will help prevent delays in obtaining pre-authorization on board. Some banks may keep the pre-authorization in place for up to 30 days. If you do not want to use a credit or debit card, the ship will collect a cash deposit from you at time of boarding in the same pre-authorization amount. Any excess deposit will be refunded to you at the end of the cruise. Traveler's checks may be cashed at the front office to make your deposit. Personal checks are not accepted on board.

 

In short, if you don't have or don't want to use a credit, debit, or check card, you are free to use cash or travelers checks. This tends to be what I do. I take enough in travelers checks to use as a desposit for my onboard account. On a 7 day cruise that deposit is $420. Painfully, on a 21 day cruise that deposit is (gulp) $1260. If you don't happen to have a credit card with that much free credit on it (and a lot of people don't), or if you have a maximum per-day transaction limit of $1000 or less (and some poeple do), OR if you don't want to tie up that much of your credit limit, then cash deposits may well be the way to go.

[Roz]

Greg,

 

Know Before You God booklet??? You're taking your work too seriously! LOL

 

Roz

[tomc]

revneal says:

You will read this in the Know Before You God Booklet.

An appropriate typo for a minister.

 

I think the current internet charge is 75 cents/minute with two package rates of 40 cents/minute (100 minutes) or 50 cents/minute (250 minutes) -- but check on that as I may be wrong. If you use the onboard service, write out what you want to say beforehand, then log on, type like crazy, log off fast. An alternative is to use a port internet cafe.

 

As for your shipboard account, a credit card is best. They will accept your first-born, as long as the f.b. is not a pain in the @. If so, all bets are off.

[GAndie]

You will read this in the Know Before You God Booklet.

 

Freudian slip? :D

[jhannah]

No, Methodists don't wear slips. Those are Episcopalians!

 

That's way funny! I love it! (Maybe he was subliminally telling some folks to make sure they know what they're talking about before playing "god" on the boards. ;) )

[RevNeal]

Oh, that was FUNNY. :D !! "Know Before You God Booklet!" hehehe.

 

No, I don't think Sigmund had anything to do with it :). However, seeing as how we United Methodists are just "Evangelical Anglicans," I would say that we DO wear slips under our cassocks.

 

No, Tom, you CAN'T look. :eek: ;)

[Vic The Parrot]

I guess that's the same as asking a Scotsman what he wears under his kilt?

[tomc]

tomc's "Know Before You Go" booklet:

 

(a) "Go" before you go, 'cuz you're going to be waiting in line a long time at the pier.

 

(b) Pack half the clothes and bring twice the money.

 

© Forget the "Victory At Sea" tv series; the ships have stabilizers.

 

(d) Yes, there is plenty of food; no, you are not obliged to eat all of it. If you do, you will start the cruise with an hourglass figure and end it looking like a clock radio.

 

(e) Those people you saw getting off the ship are not hiding lifejackets under their clothes; they ate too much during the cruise. Be warned.

 

(f) Bringing a cabin stewad home in your luggage is not allowed.

 

(g) Don't stand on your balcony railing if you're drunk. When the ship tries to retrieve you, it won't be the only thing dead in the water.

 

(h) Terrorists come in all shapes and sizes; forget the stereotypes. The picky, demanding, insulting, egocentric person at your table will be there for the entire ten days. With the classic type, it's over in a matter of minutes.

 

(i) It is a known, proven fact that cruise ship desserts are specially formulated for the occasion. They contain almost no fat, are remarkably low-calorie and, for instance, four or five slices of Baked Alaska equal one serving of Shredded Wheat. HAL's signature Volcano Cake is the equivalent of one-half bowl of All-Bran and skim milk.

 

(j) There have been five times more deaths in the exercise room than at the midnight buffet. Ten time more joggers have cashed in than people sprawled out in the theater eating popcorn. Keep that in mind when you have to choose between the two. Our feet and legs were made to transport our stomachs.

 

(k) On formal night, tuck your t-shirt into your jeans. On informal nights, leave it out. On casual nights, at least wear one.

[RevNeal]

I guess that's the same as asking a Scotsman what he wears under his kilt?

 

Yes, indeed ... though the Scotsman has to endure the endless "bagpipe" jokes as well. :D

[RevNeal]

Tom, that list was fantastic. Some of them should be added to the KBYG booklet. Especially:

 

(e) Those people you saw getting off the ship are not hiding lifejackets under their clothes; they ate too much during the cruise. Be warned.

 

Lordy, what an excellent warning! It should be posted at the entrance to the Lido!!!!! :) That being said, I DO want to take issue with your point (f).

 

(f) Bringing a cabin stewad home in your luggage is not allowed.

 

I thought the purpose of duct-tape was to make the transport of the steward that much easier!!!! Just strap 'em to the outside of the bag (similar to how a hunter straps a deer over the hood of his/her car)! **Sigh** I suppose I'll have to send Dodi, Fasail, and Rodsi back to HAL. DRAT! :eek:

 

Come to think of it, perhaps THAT's why HAL is having a staff shortage ... we keep taking the staff with us when we leave!!!!!!! :D

[F5Loar]

Rev and others: When you quote the 75 cents per minute for internet use on a HAL ship to these new people who don't know you need to mention the additional $3.95 that is charged to everyone logging on whether it is 5 min. or 250 min. plan. So if you only used it one time to do one email at 5 min. your 75 cents per min. is acutally $1.54 per minute!!!!! I would only do email on a ship in an emergency similar to using the phone in your stateroomm to call home at $12 per min. Most ports have free library internet access and most all have internet cafes in port that charge 10 to 25 cents per min. and they are usually high speed access while the ship is comparable to slow dail up when it's working correctly. Big difference in min. used when you are doing surfing or sending long emails with photos. RCL does not charge the $3.95 set up fee and last March was only 50 cents per min.

[RevNeal]

F5Loar,

 

If I'm going to use the ship's internet access to send and receive emails, etc., I'm going to use it more than once. I'll use it twice daily to check on things back home, clear my email box, check on this board and post a daily report. That kind of thing. Since they only charge that log-on set-up fee ONCE, it becomes negligable.

[tomc]

I keep forgetting that "set-up" fee. What the heck are they setting up that costs so much?? I'm surprised there isn't a "fee processing fee."

[RevNeal]

I'm surprised there isn't a "fee processing fee."

 

Dang nabbit, Tom, don't give Seattle ANY ideas! You know they read this board!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

As for training bras ... no ... never mind. :D

[F5Loar]

Rev, with all due respect that is you that might be using so much time the fee becomes minute but for some a simple 5 min. email to send to love ones to let them know all is well can be costly for the short time user and the 75 cents per min. is not your total charge. I questioned several lines about this fee and they assured me it was a legitment fee charged by all cruise ships like it was some sort of 3rd party charge passed on to the consumer by the satelite commisioners and I acepted that reason until I boarded the RCI Mariner of the Seas and they never heard of such a fee , nor did they charge such a fee. So bottom line, it's a bogus fee tacked on to bring in more money for the cruise lines that charge this fee. Some even charge more than $3.95 so it's subject to go up at anytime as they so see fit.

While I am hooked on this thing we call the internet while on vacation I like to enjoy the cruise and not be concerned about it other than the few businness related emails I might receive while at sea. I don't see any justification for paying in one week what I pay all year at home thereby doubling my internet expense for a simple peace of mind while at sea. I'll stick to the free libraries and cafes in ports and should such emergencies arise while I am sea they know how to contact me on their dime.