richwmn

I have also "topped off" my FCD several times when I booked a cruise longer than 7 days.

Rich

So (getting another bag of popcorn), this is not about Ketchikan, so the mystery writer may not be interested, but re disembarkation:

 

1. These situations occurred in Caribbean/Med/Baltic seas:

-Have regularly seen passengers disembark in random international ports with their luggage--a family, once. A couple of times there were medical emergencies--with ambulance at the pier--& we watched as the companions disembarked.

Getting off at foreign ports is not a violation of the PVSA

-A couple got off in Livorno & didn't tell anyone their plan to rent a car & reboard in Civitavecchia. The gossip I recall from dinner was that they bought themselves a world 'o pain.

-Have also seen passengers join the ship--again with luggage--in ports along the itinerary. We've assumed their flights were delayed & so they had to catch up to the ship in the next port.

2. Have read of performers & lecturers joining/departing ships mid-cruise, priorly arranged.

3. What about folks who get put off the ship in "the next port" after bad behavior, per the printed rules (& per gossip)?

At a Meet and Greet several cruises ago this subject came up, and the officer who answered mentioned the Jones Act. After the meeting I asked him about it and he replied that the common usage was to use Jones Act to cover both it and the Passenger Vessel Services Act.

As far as using wikipedia as reference material - wikipedia can be edited by almost anyone and it contains quite a bit of false, incorrect or outdated information. The editors try to keep it correct, but that is almost an impossible task.

One other thing, all the discussion about being able to leave in ship in Alaska on cruises starting in Vancouver - the PVSA does not apply since the cruise starts in a foreign country. PVSA concerns only cruises (and flights) starting in one US city and ending in another US City.

I had some friends call me after they boarded the ship and I managed to buy them a Pinacle Grill Lunch on the cruise they had just boarded. I just called Ships Services and gave their names. They received the lunch without any problems.

Each person has a unique set of circumstances which can change their ability to visit particular countries.

Yes, you are an American Citizen - where where you born? Europe - then you need additional documentation.

You have recently visited country X, you can't now visit country Y.

You are a 60 year old US Citizen and had a DUI in college, you can't visit Canada without some additional paperwork.

You hold or have held a security clearance with the US (or allied) government - you can not visit certain countries.

US citizens need special permission to visit Cuba, but this is changing.

Many other circumstances can change your ability to visit certain other countries.

Many people hold passports from more than one country. By choosing which passport they choose to travel under, their options can change.

All this can change on a daily basis.

Only the individual has all the information needed to determine if they can visit another country.

That only works if you've booked on-line (no TA or PCC)

.

People who book with a PCC are able to view their credits via the "My Reservations" and "Make/View Online Payment" menu.

Zaandam Western Caribbean Sept 2000

A couple of observations -

1. The last two times I purchased a FCD I was told, and it turned out to be true, that Deposits do not default to the agency you used to book the current cruise, however, if you book a specific cruise it will go to the same agency (or PCC or general reservations) that you used to book the cruise you are on.

2. While it is true that the $100 no longer covers the deposit on any cruise, you can purchase only $100 FCDs and when you actually book the cruise you will have to pay the additional (but lower) deposit that the FCD program requires. You then get all the benefits as if you had purchased the higher FCD on board.

Finally, yes you can use strictly cash. At the on-line check-in, you check the box for CASH, instead of providing your card numbers. At pier checkin, on embarkation day, they will ask you for the $60 per day/per person deposit in cash. (note: for cruises longer than 25 days, the hold is $30 per person/per day). You must pay that amount or you may be denied boarding. If you exceed the cash deposit amount during your cruise, you will get a note in your stateroom to visit the purser's desk to increase your deposit. If you do not exceed your deposit in on-board charges, you will get a refund in cash, on the morning of debarkation.

In my experience they are flexible about the amount of cash you must put down toward your account. When the cash option is taken it is noted at check in and you are directed to check with the front desk. That is where they verify the amount of OBC you have and could ask for additional.

Princess Cruises offers up to $250 onboard credit for veterans as well as active, retired, or disabled military personnel. Does HAL have a program like this?

Sorry, not at this time.

I don't understand why the hold takes so long to establish. If I buy something on a credit card, the charge goes through quickly, I sign the little paper and I'm on my way. If a credit card is going to be declined, that's practically instantaneous. Is there something about a hold that requires different processing?

I was thinking the same thing.

I would equate it more to purchasing gas by using a card at the pump. You swipe your card at the pump and within seconds a hold is placed for the amount they think you will pump into your car. You put the gas in the car and again, within seconds, your purchase is finalized and you get a receipt. Generally, I find the charge has been posted to my account by the time I get home even if I am going directly home from the gas station.

Also, most restaurants only place a hold on your account when you are presented your bill. Later, they add the tips and finalize the charge. This hold also takes only a few seconds.

Most hotel resorts authorize $100-$120 additional per day. Night audit runs a report every night to see if any room needs additional authorization and if the card has declined. The computer system automatically tries to authorize more funds.

 

If it can't, that is when night audit tries to manually authorize the card. If it declines, the guest is contacted. If contact cannot be made after a few tries, the guest is locked out of the room.

 

I can't figure out why HAL and the other cruise lines can't do this. It's not that difficult and really doesn't cause any problems. There are always going to be a few dishonest ones, but most people take care of it really quick and are very cordial and often embarrassed about it.

I understand the night auditor function, however in an earlier post BruceMuzz states:

Once onboard, the Purser's Office needs to get a hold authorization from the bank that issued the credit card. This hold request normally takes place during the first 24 to 48 hours of the cruise. But the passenger accounts are ALL open for charging.

Authorizing at checkin would get rid of the 24 - 48 hour delay in getting the hold, and keep those that don't have the credit available from charging.

On other nights the night auditor could check for additional holds if necessary, but the initial hold of $60 p/p/d (for HAL) would handle a large portion of the holds necessary for the entire cruise.

My question would be this: Why aren't the authorizations done when the card is swiped at checkin? In most cases the terminal area could have at least a dsl connection available which would be able to handle the authorizations without any problems or delays. This would insure the patron had sufficient credit before the cruise began.

sorry, read the wrong cabin number.

I don't have a problem with the hold because I pay my credit cards off every month and have quite a lot of room on them. I'm curious how the cash option works. Does Hal expect a large cash deposit? If the op has a lot of obc couldn't that be taken into consideration on boarding? I'm sure I've seen posts that stated people were able to negotiate and amount but it has been a while.

For most of my cruises I have had OBC, both given and purchased. The total has always been near, but sometimes just short, of the "requested" amount and I have never been asked to adjust it. I always get a refund at the end.

I suspect, based on my experience, that as long as you have enough to cover your HSC and a bit of spending you will not have a problem unless your spending approaches the cash you have on deposit.

I have not had a credit or debit card registered for my account in years.

Rich

I'm not criticizing, but if you feel the way you do re: commission sales, why not book with a travel agent initially?

I am not sure about website booking or the general reservation pool, but if you book with a PCC you get the benefit of talking to them up until you transfer, plus the initial booking is all the PCC needs to get whatever "credit" they need for performance issues (keeping their job).

Carnival Corporation is incorporated under the laws of Panama. There are many, many companies that are not incorporated in the US that are listed on the NYSE, and many of those have corporate headquarters in the US. And every one of Carnival Corp.'s subsidiary brands is incorporated overseas. These are not US corporations.

Although I generally find your information to be correct, I believe you are mistaken about this.

Carnival Cruise Lines, a wholly owned subsidiary of Carnival Corporation is incorporated under the laws of Panama. Princess Cruise Lines, another wholly owned subsidiary of Carnival Corporation, is incorporated under the laws of Bermuda. Carnival Corporation, the parent of Carnival Cruise Lines, Princess Cruise Lines and Holland America Cruise Lines (among others) is incorporated both in the United States and England and its stock is listed on the NYSE.

Each of the other subsidiary companies, including Holland America, are individually incorporated in various places. As far as the ships, each is owned by another Subsidiary Corporation and leased to Carnival, Princess and Holland America.

This link:

http://www.hollandamerica.com/contactUs/Main.action

will allow you to send an email to HAL. If you look at the options for a subject in the pull down menu, one of the choices is to receive a copy of your on board bill for any past cruise. That would be a place to start, and the time i tried it was returned within a day or so.

Rich

My PCC has told me as well that the transfer can take place any time before final payment date. You must also owe something on the reservation to be able to transfer it, a fully paid reservation, as far as I have been told, can't be transferred.

Rich

While I don't have personal experience I would be cautious about mah jongg and other games available on board. In past comments I remember that people have mentioned missing playing pieces - just like many games in our homes.

In general the obstructed outside cabins have a window where the view is blocked by either the superstructure of the ship or a lifeboat. The window does let light in, and quite often the cabins have a view of the walk around deck and the people walking by. The only downside is the lack of an ocean view.

Sure, Newnan. Looks like you're from Athens. My daughter graduated from UGA!

So did I but I forgot to leave.

It's amazing - how smart y'all are! I am in the USA, Georgia. Yippee on being able to use it on our upcoming cruises.

Might I be so bold as to ask where in GA???

Thanks to you both for the info. Can we buy the stocks thru Vanguard, who we use for other things.

 

Found the info.

 

Another question though. If I bought it now, could I apply it to a couple of cruises we already have booked?

As long as you have 2 weeks or more before your cruise, you can submit the proof and get the credit. It doesn't matter when you purchase the stock or book the cruise.

This is what your statement will look like if you get a print out

The gift orders are purchased, the promo credits are Future Cruse Deposit, Booking after cruise, any specials, stockholder etc.