No Bag tags or Transfer Slips?

[Cal Cruiser]

I guess Holland America does not give any bag tags?? So I guess the bag handlers can guess what your room is? I got my Docs to day and no transfer slips either? What do I do when I get off my plane. My T/A called them and they said look for the Holland America sign? I sure hope someone is there to great me? I guess this is something new?

[dchip]

You can print your luggage tags online. They are already filled out with all your info! I don't have transfers but they might be hiding somewhere online too!

 

Cheers, Denise

[jtl513]

Or if you prefer to not print your own tags, you can get them from the porters at the pier or from the HAL reps in the airport.

[Aunty Pat]

HAL is now using “E-transfers”. The HAL rep in baggage claim will have your name on a manifest, check it off and direct you to the buss.

Aunty Pat

 

Barefoot Windjammer - Phantom ‘81

K&D German Rhine Line ‘84

NCL - Norway ’85, Pride of America ’05, Southward ’87, Star ’97 & ‘05, Starward ’92, Sun ’02 & Windward ’93

RCC - Song of America ‘89

American Hawaiian - Independence ‘98

HAL - Volendam ’99, Noordam ’06, Oosterdam ’07 & ‘09, Statendam ’02 & ‘08, Prinsendam ’03 & ’06, & Zuiderdam ’04, ’06 & ‘07

Carnival - Spirit ‘05

Celebrity – Summit ‘05

Cruise West - Yorktown Clipper ‘06

Princess - Golden Princess ‘07

A & K - East Queen ‘07

Cunard - QM2 ’08

Pending Cruises:

HAL – Westerdam, September 6, 2009

Oceania – Insignia, June 17, 2010

[serendipity1499]

I guess Holland America does not give any bag tags?? So I guess the bag handlers can guess what your room is? I got my Docs to day and no transfer slips either? What do I do when I get off my plane. My T/A called them and they said look for the Holland America sign? I sure hope someone is there to great me? I guess this is something new?

 

Here's what I said on the Luggage Tag thread..

 

I printed out just one luggage tag for a sample..Did not like the plain paper weight & all the folding...

 

1) Instead I used 90 lb. card stock..

2) Cut out the complete tag & folded the two sides

together

3) punched a hole in it.

4) will use a tie wrap to attach it to our luggage..You can get 90 lb stock at any office supply store..

HAL is trying to keep their heads above water (no pun intended) in these lean times & must cut expenses..

 

If they can save $1200 to $1800 (that's approx $1.00 per Psgr. for postage) per cruise & keep our cruise prices as they are, I have no problem with printing my own tags..:)

 

Also understand that many cruise lines are using e-tags..

Have a wonderful cruise..

:) Betty

[cruz chic]

I'm all for HAL saving money and having the e-docs but I wish they would send out the luggage tags. The process you detail is fine if you have plenty of time to do it. I'm out of the house for close to 12 hours a day working and I barely have enough time to cook dinner never mind making my own luggage tags. HAL could easily mail those light weight tags for next to nothing. I know Princess sends them out ahead of time.

[sail7seas]

If you are using HAL transfers, the HAL reps at the airport will have baggage tags. They only require name and cabin number and take but a moment to complete. (S)he is easily found at baggage claim wearing a bright red blazer or vest and carrying a clipboard that has huge HAL on it. They make themselves very identifiable. We never use HAL transfers but have seen the reps very often.

 

If you are transferring on your own to the dock, the stevedores will have plenty of baggage tags when you arrive. Again, takes just a minute to complete them and attach to your luggage.

 

We saw them used in June on our Maasdam cruise. We had the style tags we are all accustomed to and used them as we had paper docs but many others opted for e-docs and used the tags at the dock.

 

Easy!

 

[dandro]

The previous posters are correct.

 

The HAL rep was waiting for us at the baggage claim with a sign. She had a clipboard with our names on it, and she had luggage tags available if we needed them.

 

Your boarding pass will indicate that you have a HAL transfer. I kept our a copy for our scrapbook and it shows on their that we had the HAL transfer from the airport to the ship.

[Roz]

Just an observation.....please don't flame me! :D

 

What is this recent obsession with luggage tags? :confused: There have been numerous posts over the past few weeks, and people are in an absolute panic. It's in HAL's best interest to get their passengers; bags onboard and to the correct cabin. Relax, your bag will reach its destination.

 

Roz

[G&G]

Just an observation.....please don't flame me! :D

 

What is this recent obsession with luggage tags? :confused: There have been numerous posts over the past few weeks, and people are in an absolute panic. It's in HAL's best interest to get their passengers; bags onboard and to the correct cabin. Relax, your bag will reach its destination.

 

Roz

 

Obsession??? I don't feel it's a "panic" issue but more a disappointment that a cruise customer has to resort to making a homemade bag tag or waiting until you get to the port to get one. Cost cutting is understandable in this current economy but not furnishing a few bag tags is extreme for a company the size of Carnival Cruise Lines (i.e., HAL!) whose stock is doing well!!!

 

I suppose as long as their customers are willing to bear the expense and inconvenience of doing things for themselves it will just continue to be one thing after another and their stock will continue to do well!!!

[jtl513]

... but not furnishing a few bag tags is extreme for a company the size of Carnival Cruise Lines (i.e., HAL!) whose stock is doing well!

They ARE furnishing as many bag tags as you would like - in the airport or at the pier.

[serendipity1499]

Obsession??? I don't feel it's a "panic" issue but more a disappointment that a cruise customer has to resort to making a homemade bag tag or waiting until you get to the port to get one. Cost cutting is understandable in this current economy but not furnishing a few bag tags is extreme for a company the size of Carnival Cruise Lines (i.e., HAL!) whose stock is doing well!!!

 

I suppose as long as their customers are willing to bear the expense and inconvenience of doing things for themselves it will just continue to be one thing after another and their stock will continue to do well!!!

 

I put your last sentence in bold.. As a Carnival Stockholder & frequent HAL cruiser, I must disagree with you..

First of all, Carnival does not dictate policy to HAL..HAL is an autonomous company & HAL made the decision to use e-tags..Understand, several other cruise lines under the Carnival Umbrella, are still mailing the tags for now.. They might change policy in the future...

I've been tracking CCL stock for well over a year, since so many HAL cruisers own it..Posters talked about the perks they get on HAL as shareholders..However, I've always been afraid to take the chance..

In Aug of 2008 CCL stock was over $40 per share..Last Sept it started to decline & hit a low in Nov. of about $15.00 a share..

I finally took the bait in March, purchased 100 shares for $18 & change..It has slowly gone up & down since then...As of yesterday hit $30.35 a share..I'm pleased, but There are many who bought CCL when it was over $40.

Believe that CCL also suspended paying out dividends to their shareholders, when the stock was down...Not sure when they will resume paying dividends...

We first started cruising on HAL in 1998...Our cruise fares for our cruises have not appreciably increased in those 11 years..

We are in a recession & Cruise Lines are fighting for our $$$..They have to cut costs somewhere..I especially want to see HAL survive! If HAL loses $$$ you can be sure Carnival Sharholders will demand that they dump HAL..Many Airlines went under & hope that Cruise Lines will stay afloat..;)Sorry for the pun!

Costs of the stock used for tags as well as printing of these tags have increased..Postage has also increased...

Take one hypothetical ship..Lets say it could save $2.00 per passenger on a 1200 Psgr ship..That's $3600. per 7 day cruise..Multiply that by 52 weeks..HAL will save $62,400 for each 1200 Psgr. ship does 7 day cruises..This small amount might save someones job with HAL..

If this small cost cutting will keep HAL solvent with the costs of cruising where they are, I have no problem making or even purchasing my own baggage tags from Staples..

 

JMO...Betty

[coolmom]

We got luggage tags and the traditional blue 'purse' for our July 25th cruise on the Zuiderdam. We did book through a travel agent whom we had used before so that's probably why. We still did the online checkin and honestly, I would have had no problem printing them out along with my boarding pass, hotel ressies, ect. Everything is being done online now, it's really the way of the future. JMO, but complaining about it is futile simply because the world isn't going to go back to less reliable, more expensive snail mail.

 

One note, if you are going to ALaska through the Vancouver airport you need to have luggage tags on before your checkin if you want to use USDirect. I highly recommend this service as we bypassed the long custom lines getting onto the ship and our bags were delivered straight from the airport to our cabin.

[sail7seas]

We got luggage tags and the traditional blue 'purse' for our July 25th cruise on the Zuiderdam. We did bood through a travel agent whom we had used before.

 

One note, if you are going to ALaska through the Vancouver airport you need to have luggage tags on before your checkin if you want to use USDirect. I highly recommend this service as we bypassed the long custom lines getting onto the ship and our bags were delivered straight from the airport to our cabin.

You got tags and paper docs in the travel wallet because it is before the date HAL will cease issuing them. I think the date is for cruises about mid September. We also got paper docs for our end of August cruise. Those are the last we will see. :(

 

After all the many cruises we have had with HAL, I will miss my usual routine re: receiving our docs and the stages of 'getting us ready' beginning then but I fully understand.

 

Many of today's cruisers cannot/will not pay a fare that will enable the cruise companies to continue doing things they way they always did. They are a for profit business and it is a good business decision (though we may not like it) IMO

 

This is a change I can live with easier than some others might be.

I do wonder how this will work for the person who is used to booking by phone with a HAL rep. If they do not use/have a computer, how will they register on line and get e-docs? There has to be some system in place about which I am uninformed.

 

Those folks are more inconvienced than any of us who use computers.

[coolmom]

One of the reasons I would have no problem printing out the tags is that it puts ME in control of the situation. I'm not waiting for my TA or the person on HAL's end to get together to make sure they documents are mailed. To be fair, both of them provided excellent service. I got my documents on time. However I do have problems with our local yokel post office and will drive 10 miles further to the 'big town' one when I have something important to mail. Or use UPS. So being able to download and print everything is the greatest thing since sliced bread for me.

[onapea]

I put your last sentence in bold.. As a Carnival Stockholder & frequent HAL cruiser, I must disagree with you..

First of all, Carnival does not dictate policy to HAL..HAL is an autonomous company & HAL made the decision to use e-tags..Understand, several other cruise lines under the Carnival Umbrella, are still mailing the tags for now.. They might change policy in the future...

I've been tracking CCL stock for well over a year, since so many HAL cruisers own it..Posters talked about the perks they get on HAL as shareholders..However, I've always been afraid to take the chance..

In Aug of 2008 CCL stock was over $40 per share..Last Sept it started to decline & hit a low in Nov. of about $15.00 a share..

I finally took the bait in March, purchased 100 shares for $18 & change..It has slowly gone up & down since then...As of yesterday hit $30.35 a share..I'm pleased, but There are many who bought CCL when it was over $40.

Believe that CCL also suspended paying out dividends to their shareholders, when the stock was down...Not sure when they will resume paying dividends...

We first started cruising on HAL in 1998...Our cruise fares for our cruises have not appreciably increased in those 11 years..

We are in a recession & Cruise Lines are fighting for our $$$..They have to cut costs somewhere..I especially want to see HAL survive! If HAL loses $$$ you can be sure Carnival Sharholders will demand that they dump HAL..Many Airlines went under & hope that Cruise Lines will stay afloat..;)Sorry for the pun!

Costs of the stock used for tags as well as printing of these tags have increased..Postage has also increased...

Take one hypothetical ship..Lets say it could save $2.00 per passenger on a 1200 Psgr ship..That's $3600. per 7 day cruise..Multiply that by 52 weeks..HAL will save $62,400 for each 1200 Psgr. ship does 7 day cruises..This small amount might save someones job with HAL..

If this small cost cutting will keep HAL solvent with the costs of cruising where they are, I have no problem making or even purchasing my own baggage tags from Staples..

 

JMO...Betty

 

Management messes up and everyone pays the price. Next you will have to clean you stateroom. Think I am joking, try Easy Cruise.

[cruz chic]

Obsession??? I don't feel it's a "panic" issue but more a disappointment that a cruise customer has to resort to making a homemade bag tag or waiting until you get to the port to get one. Cost cutting is understandable in this current economy but not furnishing a few bag tags is extreme for a company the size of Carnival Cruise Lines (i.e., HAL!) whose stock is doing well!!!

 

I suppose as long as their customers are willing to bear the expense and inconvenience of doing things for themselves it will just continue to be one thing after another and their stock will continue to do well!!!

I'm with you on this one....obsession and panic....yup that's happening:rolleyes:. I'm all for the online documents like I said earlier but making your own luggage tags....please. Some of us like to do things ahead of time and not when we are trying to deal with 2 suitcases...a purse and a carry on at the pier. If HAL is going to go down because of giving us luggage tags they have a lot more problems then this. Again....one more case of HAL never doing anything wrong in the eyes of some posters. If it's something they want...well that is different.....

[bakerintn]

we have to print and fold our own luggage tags??

 

What's next....

 

Pumping our own gasoline?

Cleaning our own windshield?

Standing in line to make our own salad?

Having to pay the bank for our checks?

Having to ask a waiter for a glass of water?

 

What is this world coming to??

[G&G]

we have to print and fold our own luggage tags??

 

What's next....

 

Pumping our own gasoline?

Cleaning our own windshield?

Standing in line to make our own salad?

Having to pay the bank for our checks?

Having to ask a waiter for a glass of water?

 

What is this world coming to??

 

Got the point ... aaah for the "good old days!" Vacationing is a little different than "pumping our own gasoline" which is a necessity. The all-inclusive resorts are looking better all the time!

[G&G]

I'm with you on this one....obsession and panic....yup that's happening:rolleyes:. I'm all for the online documents like I said earlier but making your own luggage tags....please. Some of us like to do things ahead of time and not when we are trying to deal with 2 suitcases...a purse and a carry on at the pier. If HAL is going to go down because of giving us luggage tags they have a lot more problems then this. Again....one more case of HAL never doing anything wrong in the eyes of some posters. If it's something they want...well that is different.....

 

THANK YOU! I thought I was the only cruiser upset with this. I am a HAL fan (25 HAL cruises) and am willing to go along with most of the changes but having to make your own bag tags is TOO MUCH. Surely there are other areas where they could "cut back" ... tiles, for instance. I have so many that I give them to other cruisers on the ship!

[cruz chic]

THANK YOU! I thought I was the only cruiser upset with this. I am a HAL fan (25 HAL cruises) and am willing to go along with most of the changes but having to make your own bag tags is TOO MUCH. Surely there are other areas where they could "cut back" ... tiles, for instance. I have so many that I give them to other cruisers on the ship!

You and I are so on the same page with those tiles! I used to take then home....then I would throw them out. Now I leave them on the ship or give them to others. Get rid of the tiles please.

[fishbabe]

We seem to be discussing this issue on two different threads ("Luggage Tags" and "No Bag Tags or Transfer Slips").

 

Could one of the "hosts" please merge these two threads?

[sail7seas]

You and I are so on the same page with those tiles! I used to take then home....then I would throw them out. Now I leave them on the ship or give them to others. Get rid of the tiles please.

 

 

Sorry you don't like the tiles but we love them.

We have been collecting them for years and treasure them.

If you don't want them, give them away or tell your steward to not leave you one but don't deny the rest of us getting them.

I almost have enough for work I want to do with them in my

kitchen. We have hundreds and want more. :D

[cruz chic]

Sorry you don't like the tiles but we love them.

We have been collecting them for years and treasure them.

If you don't want them, give them away or tell your steward to not leave you one but don't deny the rest of us getting them.

I almost have enough for work I want to do with them in my

kitchen. We have hundreds and want more. :D

Sail.....you have made my point. People on this thread are saying...big deal....get you luggage tags at the pier....have an all day make your own luggage tag party:D....lets save HAL money. I'm asking for a couple of paper luggage tags and posters are saying it's saving HAL so much. How much is it saving?.....it's such a red herring. If people enjoy those tiles...so be it....but then don't give me a such a hassle deal about getting luggage tags ahead of time.

[G&G]

I put your last sentence in bold.. As a Carnival Stockholder & frequent HAL cruiser, I must disagree with you..

 

First of all, Carnival does not dictate policy to HAL..HAL is an autonomous company & HAL made the decision to use e-tags..Understand, several other cruise lines under the Carnival Umbrella, are still mailing the tags for now.. They might change policy in the future...

 

I've been tracking CCL stock for well over a year, since so many HAL cruisers own it..Posters talked about the perks they get on HAL as shareholders..However, I've always been afraid to take the chance..

 

In Aug of 2008 CCL stock was over $40 per share..Last Sept it started to decline & hit a low in Nov. of about $15.00 a share..

 

I finally took the bait in March, purchased 100 shares for $18 & change..It has slowly gone up & down since then...As of yesterday hit $30.35 a share..I'm pleased, but There are many who bought CCL when it was over $40.

 

Believe that CCL also suspended paying out dividends to their shareholders, when the stock was down...Not sure when they will resume paying dividends...

 

We first started cruising on HAL in 1998...Our cruise fares for our cruises have not appreciably increased in those 11 years..

 

We are in a recession & Cruise Lines are fighting for our $$$..They have to cut costs somewhere..I especially want to see HAL survive! If HAL loses $$$ you can be sure Carnival Sharholders will demand that they dump HAL..Many Airlines went under & hope that Cruise Lines will stay afloat..;)Sorry for the pun!

 

Costs of the stock used for tags as well as printing of these tags have increased..Postage has also increased...

 

Take one hypothetical ship..Lets say it could save $2.00 per passenger on a 1200 Psgr ship..That's $3600. per 7 day cruise..Multiply that by 52 weeks..HAL will save $62,400 for each 1200 Psgr. ship does 7 day cruises..This small amount might save someones job with HAL..

 

If this small cost cutting will keep HAL solvent with the costs of cruising where they are, I have no problem making or even purchasing my own baggage tags from Staples..

 

JMO...Betty

 

Good post, Betty. I hope the CCL stock continues to go up for you. I was with a company for 16 years and when we were bought out by another company they promised we would maintain our autonomy. What a joke! It didn't happen. No matter what they say, you can be sure Mickey Arison (CCL) is still calling the shots.

 

With regard to the bag tags, if they are still making them available they are still incurring the paper cost just not the minimal cost of mailing! I'm very disappointed even though (I'm surprised) most posters seem perfectly willing to make their own at their expense and inconvenience!