Mary229

The one i get is the dude with a bottle of champagne and there is a pdf attached which details the perks and OBC. I save that PDF under the heading “original invoice”

On the roll call they reported the typical shuttle stop was changed last minute due to some small civil disturbances

HAL does quite a few overland tours in South America (and elsewhere) during a cruise. I am scheduled for one next month where I leave mid cruise and rejoin further along the route.

They canceled MP this week. There were media reports about disruptions of the rail systems that service the area. I was there twice once right after Fujimoro fled and there was some civil unrest and once we came across some lingering elements of the Shining Path. It was never a big deal as we did not involve ourselves nor make any comments. We paid whatever “tolls” asked and went about our business.

I always receive a welcome email from HAL after my TA pays the deposit. I keep the invoice attached to that welcome email as it shows the HAL benefits of the cruise.

The Volendam was in Peru this week. Reports say they did cancel the Machu Picchu Tours and altered the shuttle locations for Lima/Callao but that is about it. I have traveled to South America during uprisings and it tends to be very localized. If you stay out of the way of the demonstrations it is usually as safe as it is any other day of the year. They do use escorts if deemed necessary. For your land based tours off ship I do believe it is best to make those decisions by your own judgement and not depend on the cruise ship’s notification.

HAL often changes contracts with carriers and sometimes you need to wait until the contract renews. I have learned not to let the first glance deter me, things change daily (except on the weekends). I find the same issues with my Chase travel portal. Just keep checking. I want to also mention that since the pandemic many US airlines have altered their change rules. If you buy the refundable economy ticket for a few more dollars or higher class you can change worry free. The policies are now almost as good as Southwest’s points redemption policies. American Airline’s policies are almost identical to Southwest

Very good synopsis with one exception. Some of us have been low key since 35😉. We started sailing HAL at 40 and for DH and Sis it is the only way they cruise specifically because it is low key

It is too bad the OP didn’t save the original confirmation email from HAL then there would be definite confirmation

There seems to be a glitch , it was reported here earlier this week. Usually the very earliest excursions are 8 am with the vast majority after 8:30. I think the afternoon half day excursions have mainly disappeared since covid. if they can find operators and there is enough demand they will add a second section.

We were quoting the OP who happened to address you in the quoted text

Thank you for a balanced review.

That is not what HAL puts on their invoice, it sounds like an offer your agency was offering/promising. HAL simply puts a line item directly below the fare with the words onboard credit. I have seen no 7 day cruises with a $350 OBC from HAL but have seen those kinds of offers promoted on agency websites.

I always examine the original HAL invoice carefully and carry that with me. Now are you looking at that or a travel agent invoice. I encountered this difference recently when dotting Is for an upcoming cruise.

Flight ease adjusts overnight to reflect the current fare. They actually will sell out of a flight and go in and allot for more. I had this happen this week. On Saturday it showed the flight at $342, Monday it was over $1400, went back yesterday and it was back to $342. for domestic flights their flight will be for the changeable/cancellable fare. Since the pandemic many airlines have tiered economy. The first tier is non-cancellable, HAL does not sell that fare, they sell the next fare. I know for American they show the non-refundable fare and only after you click through do they give you the true price for cancellable fares. The difference is usually $50 - $100 per segment. in my experience they are extremely competitive and at worst the same

I simply scale down the luggage tag to fit my holder.

Good luck. I think you will have to reach beyond the big three CCL, RCCL AND NCL as they have all announced cutbacks. BTW, I take one or two driving vacations per year and I assure you that you can’t go anywhere or do anything of any consequence for a week at $1900. It just isn’t going to happen unless you cut corners and stay with relatives and pack a lunch😉 As we speak i am pricing out two such journeys both in the off season neither of which have any any fine dining nor theatre style entertainment. The one exception may be Las Vegas.

You have to factor in everything - food, beverages, amenities, quality of entertainment, quality of dining and of included dining, shore excursions and so on. If you are like me you may not see much value in some of those upgraded features. I have sailed two luxury lines both which left me with the “is that really it?” feeling.

I agree however for the sake of brevity there isn’t much in downtown Fairbanks. A simple map search is all you need.

I read these boards, it is keeping up with its competition, problem is at this level they are all having food issues. As I mentioned your math includes fees and taxes - the cruise line doesn’t get to keep that money. As to the hotels until I retired last month I traveled for business monthly and often many times a month. $100 is the norm, one can always find a bargain on a given date and without regard to review or location. I also know the cost of eating out has exceeded the cost of inflation. The point continues to be if one thinks they can pay $100 a night for the cruise and get comfortable lodging with attentive maid service, 3 full meals a day of fine dining and superior entertainment they need to readjust their expectations. It simply is not a profitable model. Either prices will need to go up or the product has to be downgraded. You can’t spend 2023 dollars and get 2019 products. ( I save screenshots of prior years sailings and I keep prior years final invoices, I know prices have not increased for the majority of sailings)

A good agent or PCC is a great partner, a bad agent is a nightmare. If you have someone you enjoy working with or a person who has good referrals by all means use them. At worst the price and experience will be the same as you find on your own.

We stayed last summer at the Westmark Fairbanks. Anything downtown would be nearby. go to any of the popular travel sites and you can view the Westmark and other close by hotels on a map. Your other option is to book your pre-tour arrangements through HAL. You can find that option from your manage my cruise page on the website or by your TA

Besides the Denali tour last summer we have always arranged all of our pre and post cruise travel and accommodations. Next month we decided to buy the HAL hotel along with some of their overland tours prior to sailing. I assume someone will meet us at baggage claim and take us to the hotel for early check-in (noted on our invoice). From that point what should I expect for the two following days until I get to ship. A step by step or sample printed itinerary would be helpful. DH is asking so therefore my request. Thank you.

I am not following your math. A $700 room is $1400 double. The other cost in your math I suspect are taxes and port fees. A $700 room on land will have anywhere from a 12 to 25% tax, yes hotel taxes are a politicians best friend and are very high. If it is double occupancy it may also be at a higher rate than the base $700. Of course the point is it is not transport, food, entertainment, etc…. Heck you won’t even get once a day maid service at a $100 hotel. I don’t consider HAL a luxury brand. I consider it a mass market brand. It only becomes premium when you sail one of their grand voyages or GV segments. And then it is not a luxury sailing merely a bit more entertaining. My point is not comparison of two vacation types, my point is people who want to sail for $100 a day and expecting fine cuisine and high quality entertainment need to adjust down their expectations. I like HAL’s specialized itineraries and their peace and quiet so I am not trying to deride them but my expectations are realistic. They most closely fit my desires for cruising.

That is a problem currently. I agree it shouldn’t be but those are the facts and the reason I gave the advice not to buy the upper classes. It is just like real estate advice - don’t buy the most expensive house in the neighborhood instead if luxury is important up the cheapest house in the upper class neighborhood. . I wish HAL would raise the base rates and maintain their service levels but that does not seem to be th decision they have made for 2022 and perhaps for 2023.