Getting Cruise Documents - How far in advance?

[Connecticutnewcruiser]

How far in advance do cruise documents arrive? We're in Alaska on HAL in May on a cruise/tour (Tour #16 land portion starts in Fairbanks on May 13th and Cruise starts May 18th). Thanks in advance for any information!

[jhannah]

If you purchased your flights through HAL, then your docs will arrive just a couple of weeks out. If HAL isn't involved in your air transportation, you may expect your docs 4-6 weeks in advance of trip commencement.

[the2ofus]

We booked directly with HAL, no air, and got our docs seven weeks out. Have booked with TAs, no air, and gotten them anywhere from two to four weeks out. The two week TA said HAL doesn't send them sooner, which, of course is not the case.

[Connecticutnewcruiser]

Many thanks for the information! We did our own air arrangements and booked through an internet TA I've used before with success so we'll be on the lookout for our cruise docs in the next couple of weeks I hope! Receipt of them certainly adds to the excitement.

[Jemima]

Air doesn't seem to make a difference. Our docs, with air, arrived 6 1/2 weeks before sail date. We booked with HAL and seemed to get our doc a little earlier than others on our roll call.

Booking our own air or taking HALs doesn't seem to affect doc arrival.

TAs do make a difference. The fastest is direct from HAL or a TA who gets them direct from HAL and to you the same day.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Jemina

 

You are fortunate to have gotten your documents 6 1/2 weeks in advance using HAL's air. Most people here will tell you that all the cruise lines wait until the last 30 days to book air and get the cheapest that they can.

[USNDiver]

Booked directly through HAL (no air,) we sail on May 5th and we got our DOC'S last Friday (did I mention we sail on the 5th?)

[pms4104]

If I recall correctly, you can track your documents on the HAL website, even if you did not buy their air, whether you booked directly or thru a T/A. Once they ship docs you can get a trackiing number and follow it with the delivery agent ... last fall our docs went via DHL. Our T/A didn't contact us when the docs were delivered ... so I waited a week or so and checked with her. Don't clearly recall, but it was 4-6 weeks out.

[Sundagger]

Have booked with TAs, no air, and gotten them anywhere from two to four weeks out. The two week TA said HAL doesn't send them sooner, which, of course is not the case.

 

My online TA said the cruiselines send them out "10-14 days in advance". I just received them from the TA on Monday for my departure next Monday. I had never received them less than 3 weeks in advance previously.

 

I am changing TAs, since it took them 9 days to put a faxed form they received from HAL into the mail to me.

[pms4104]

Ooooops ... since HAL redid elements of their website, not sure if you can track your own docs anymore. Just poken around on their site and was not able to find that tracking area.

[Jemima]

Yes, go to Booked Guests tab on the HAL website. You can also check HAL air there, but you need a trip view code rather than your booking number.

 

KK- I received my flight information with flights from HAL 1/16 for a 4/1 cruise. We've never seen this before, but have always booked with TAs in the past. The form does state that airlines will have passenger names about 45 days ahead for international flights and 30 for domestic.

 

(Note: We book are own air unless HAL's is better.)

[earl_m]

Usually I get mine 7 to 10 days before cruising

[pms4104]

Thanks ... I stand corrected. Guess I didn't look hard enough.

[jtl513]

Go to DHL and enter your HAL booking number in the Reference box

 

If you get a "No shipments found" message it means either that DHL hasn't picked them up yet from HAL, or they've been shipped in bulk to your TA.

 

:)

[airlink diva]

For my upcoming cruise, I paid the total prior to the deadline.

Two days later, HAL had e-mail me my cruise documents. This was in Jan for an April cruise.

Only drawback to this (to me) was no document folder (I'm going to use the ones that I received from my Oosterdam sailing),no room number, or luggage tags.

I like having my documents right away.

I hope this helps.

Happy sailing!!

 

HAL CRUISES

Oosterdam 2004

Westerdam 2005

Maasdam April 4-14, 2007

[azalice]

We booked directly with HAL ( I think we reserved by phone but have now filled out information online) for summer Alaska cruise and are wondering about receipt of our documents when we change our address prior to the cruise. Do we change our address online and assume that the documents will be sent to the correct address.

[mzblizz]

Sundagger, I wonder if you used the same careless travel agent we did. We didn't receive a faxed form until 3 weeks after the date shown on it. It had changes to our itinerary. Fortunately, we already knew about the changes, thanks to fellow Cruise Critic posters. To make matters even worse, instead of my husband's name, they showed me booked with another man!

[wee1np]

My mates and I will be on the same cruise, but we start in Denali before cruising on the 18th. We have been waiting for our docs, and the TA says another 3 to 4 weeks before they come. That seems to be the experience--2 to 3 weeks before travel. See you then!:)

[Odd Ball]

I usually receive my documents about 4 to 6 weeks out. I never used HAL's air.