tote bags

[xeena]

are they still providing fabric tote bags ? we leave next week on the Amsterdam and want to know if i can save an inch of space by not packing something to tote things to the pool in !

[FRANKIEDNYC]

:) Yes

[Copper10-8]

Yes, one per pax if two to a cabin

[marti2282]

Sailed Veendam 10-28 and Westerdam 11-19--both provided totes. We got 2 on the Veendam and 1 on the Westerdam. Gotta love em! marti

[noblepa]

Is this a suite perk? We've been on two HAL cruises; once on Veendam and once on Oosterdam. On neither cruise did we get a tote bag. The last trip was six months ago.

 

Paul Noble

[Enchanted]

We got 1 tote between the 2 of us for each week but both weeks we got them on the evening before HMC.

 

I noticed this on our last cruise too, maybe you don't get one if you're not going to HMC(?).

So if you go to HMC at the end of your cruise, you might want to bring a tote with you for the first part of the week.

Maybe if you're nice to your cabin steward he/she could snag you one early!

[2bout2c]

Is this a suite perk? We've been on two HAL cruises; once on Veendam and once on Oosterdam. On neither cruise did we get a tote bag. The last trip was six months ago.

 

Paul Noble

No,No No this is not a suite perk. Except for the 1 and 2 day trips, the totes are given as a pillow gift before your first port day. I've only been on 28 HAL trips, so that's what I know for sure.

[Enchanted]

No,No No this is not a suite perk. Except for the 1 and 2 day trips, the totes are given as a pillow gift before your first port day. I've only been on 28 HAL trips, so that's what I know for sure.

 

I stand corrected then!

[mechcc]

We got one before the first port day on the Westerdam - but it was one per cabin and not one per passenger as before. Came in handy on the flight home to hold a breakable souviner as a carry-on.

[Copper10-8]

Yes, one per pax if two to a cabin

 

That (one per pax) was in August on Prinsendam and most definitely not a "suite" perk. Judging by some of these posts it sounds like it's being done inconsistent though

[duck tune]

We did not get the tote on the Oosterdam in March - found out here on the CC boards after the cruise that we should have gone to the front desk and asked for one. We have received either one or two on all other trips - did get one per pax in 2003, 2004 but have only had either 1 or none since 2005.

[Desdemona01]

we've always gotten one per stateroom on the night before the first port day

[SF49erfan]

We got 1 last December on the Maasdam, 1 the first week of a b2b on the Statendam in August and a different tote the second week (blue), but none on Maasdam three weeks ago. :confused: Another pax inquired and was told that totes were not being given out anymore. We didn't pursue it. We'll find out about the Zaandam in another 23 days!:)

[gelton]

We received 1 tote on our first cruise but we did not on our Alaska cruise May 2005. We were told that not enough totes were sent for everyone on board so the decision was made not to give out any. My parents have been on 8 HAL cruises and this was the first time they did not received one. On another HAL ship the passengers all seemed to have their totes.

[Krazy Kruizers]

On our back-to-back cruises, Rundam, Nov 2005, we got a canvas tote the first cruise and a dark blue water-proof tote the second cruise.

 

Amsterdam -- Mar/Apr-- just the canvas tote.

 

Statendam -- June-- canvas the first cruise and water-proof the second cruise

 

Recent Volendam cruises -- canvas both cruises.

[earl_m]

On the ryndam in april we recieve 1 each, In nov . on the westerdam

we recieve only one.its never the same.

[sail7seas]

Once in a great while we get a tote each but 90% of the time, we have gotten one tote for the both of us. We have so many that's okay. I find them handy both on and off the ship and use them throughout the year for one thing or another.

 

We have always gotten them the night before our first port. Has nothing to do with HMC. If that is your first port, you get it the night before HMC. If St. Thomas is your first port, you get it the night before.

 

If we ever didn't receive one, I'd ask.

 

[jtl513]

Yes, one per pax if two to a cabin

 

We only got one (per cabin) on Westerdam and Noordam ... maybe it's one per pax in a suite? :confused: :confused:

[Hoyaheel]

We did not get any totes on the Maasdam, 10/28-11/08/06.

[sail7seas]

That is disappointing.

 

Did you ask your steward or anyone about it?

 

We got one each week of our Maasdam back-to-backs in August but that, of course, is months ago.

 

[Randyk47]

First few HAL cruises we got each got a tote bag and we were in several different categories from B to S. Somewhere along the line, I think it was 2004 on the Oosterdam, we got only one tote for the two of us and we were in an SS. This year in February on the Volendam we got only one tote and we were in a full suite so my impression is/was (at least at that time) that they've cut the number of totes to one per cabin, regardless of the cabin category. We've got plenty of them at home, along with our stack of blue pleather folders, so it's not a big issue. Might add that a couple of cruises ago we added a lightweight backpack to our gear and we use that in ports and at HMC more often than the totes anyhow.

[Juanita462]

we used to always get 2 totes but on the last 3 cruises only one per cabin. On back to back we got a fabric tote on the first leg and plastic on the second. After my friend's tote split down the side I went down to the desk and asked for a fabric which they gave me. I would ask for 2 if we needed them but DH doesn't use them so I don't bother. they are so useful around the house - one we hang on the back of the door and put every thing in it that needs shredding, another in the closet to hold odds and ends, one in the utility room for grocery bags etc.

 

On one cruise they gave only one tote in a cabin that had three single women in it. We told them to go to the desk and ask for more, which they did, but they didn't want to give them anymore and only did so after much arguing.

[sail7seas]

..... but they didn't want to give them anymore and only did so after much arguing.

 

 

I SO hate hearing you had to argue to get a few additional totes so that each pax in your cabin could have one. That was very poor on the part of whomever it was with whom you were speaking. It's silly. Those darn totes are mere pennies.

 

They are handy and if you took it out of your house one time to tote along books, or papers or whatever......free advertising. I've been asked about them if I've used them out and about town. That means I'm talking about HAL with someone who just might remember that conversation when they next plan a vacation.

 

 

 

[mim100]

so...bottom line is....we can't depend on getting any totes...I think I'll leave carry-bags on our packing list...too bad...would have liked to eliminate them...

[michmike]

Off topic a bit, but a lady who was on our recent Westerdam trip was wearing a vest that she had made out of her tote bags from previous trips. A bit over the top for me, but an interesting use of them I guess.