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We have a stop in Warnemunde (Berlin...however Berlin is 2 1/2 hours away). Does anyone have any recommendations of what to do in Warnemunde instead of traveling to Berlin?

question... We booked a cruise for 2, however it appears that my partner can no longer go, but we won't know until a few days before the cruise. I know that he will not be refunded, but even if I cruised alone I would have paid the single supplement anyways (so in reality I would be paying almost the same as a single person). My question.....I'd like to add on the Have it all package (it's available for $45 per person per day). If I add it now via the website it would change both of us but if my partner doesn't come will we be refunded for his portion? OR can it be purchased on board for the same advertised price as on the website?

2 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

The obvious example of used services is if you flew and stayed in a hotel contracted through HAL and Flight Ease then tested positive.   Those services were used and therefore not refundable 

Thank you for clarifying that part. I’m more concerned about the first part that reads Eligible guests who do not sail will receive an FCC worth 100% of the cancellation fee amount of non-refundable unused services. 
 

On 9/27/2022 at 12:35 PM, Roktory said:

what with no plastic bottles?   is the water sold on board not in plastic bottles?

No, it’s in cans 

The wording on the HAL website is as follows when cancelling due to a positive covid test, and I’m really not understanding the wording where it says “100% of the cancellation fee amount of non-refundable unused….”  If someone booked a “non-refundable” cruise and tests positive for covid before boarding would the full amount paid be transferred to a future cruise credit? 

1. Eligible guests who do not sail will receive an FCC worth 100% of the cancellation fee amount of non-refundable unused services, and a refund to the original form of payment for all taxes, fees, port expenses, and pre-paid onboard experiences and shore excursions purchased through cruise line.

Odd question... we have a family room booked on the Koningsdam for Christmas/New Years. We got an amazing price of $5900 for all four of us. Right now the same room is around $8000 to book (20 days out). Have you ever had 4 people in a room and received a call to ask if you want to have 2 rooms with 2 in each instead of 1 for 4 people?

We have traveled on HAL since our kids were small (they are now 17 & 19). We have, on occasion, rented the clam shell just so we had a shady spot if needed, but we also tend to walk further down the beach where there are less people and more shade and have always enjoyed it. I think that for the time that you will likely be in the water and be eating lunch a cabana isn't worth it. 

38 minutes ago, catl331 said:

I believe that only applies to the corkage-free wine. Wine that you purchased on board, or that you brought on and paid corkage for,  can be consumed anywhere on the ship. You can take your left-over MDR wine with you to a lounge after dinner.  I don't see why other alcohol purchased from HAL would be any different. Maybe that's why you don't see anyone checking.

 

You will have paid the 15% service charge on it, but I think it would be a nice gesture to give a cash tip to the servers in the lounge where you are drinking it.

I agree with you there. I would likely leave a cash tip seeing as they bring around the little jar of nuts, etc., and would likely get pop for the kids too. 

We have never done this, but are considering it... I can purchase a bottle of Disaronno Amaretto from the  HAL website before our cruise and it will be waiting in the room. Is that bottle for in-room drinking only, or can I bring cup and have a drink while at listening to music in a venue or at the pool? It's cheaper to purchase a bottle at $58 and bring some coke than to spend $10 per drink.

On 7/19/2019 at 6:02 PM, SilvertoGold said:

Yes, I always used to get CND pricing automatically without logging in, even.   Now I get USD automatically and have to log in to get CND.  You have to watch carefully for the "CND" emblem. Possibly HAL doesn't want to "confuse" us with USD pricing?

 

I do note that the CND pricing has been different lately for me and DH, both 5 stars, both same number of days.  

I find the same thing happen. You have to log in to the HAL site to get correct pricing 

I selected a user name year ago that was cute at the time, but I was wondering if it can be changed (aside from starting a new profile)

Thanks for your reply. We booked directly with HAL, not with an agent. It might be worth a shot to see if out HAL cruise consultant will do anything. 

We booked a cruise abut 5 weeks before sailing and paid in full. We got a good price, but I have noticed that the price has dropped again (we are 9 days out). Will HAL honour the price drop or is it just a matter of booking at the right time? 

If it’s not a problem with you and your spouse one of you could sleep in the top bunk, have a child on the pullout and a child/adult in the main bed. Although, I do wonder why a child wouldn’t sleep I’m in the pull down bunk. Usually kids fight over who gets to sleep there 

My HAL rep called today just to see if we needed anything so I mentioned the price difference etc.... she said that she would check into things and call back. She called back and said that HAL sent out an email today about paid upgrades (it finally came in a few hours later) and the paid upgrade from an inside to Verandah (VQ to VF) was $844 CDN pp, Obstructed was $779 CDN pp and Oceanview is $454 CDN pp. We'd love a verandah, but not sure that the $1688.00 CDN is worth is. We will wait and see what we are assigned and hope for the best. Either way we will be away from the snow soon

We booked back in September for an inside guarantee room for an upcoming cruise (Feb 13, 11 days). When we booked there was a significant price difference between an inside guarantee and the ocean view or veranda. We paid $3600 for 2 people for an inside and at the time an oceanview was $5600 and a veranda was $6700 (a difference of $2000 and $3100 per room respectively). The room prices have dropped and are now $3510 for inside, $3900 for inside and $4400 for veranda.

Is it too late to call our rep and pay the difference for an outside or veranda room or is it best to wait to see what we are assigned on our guarantee?  

1 minute ago, dfish said:

In the FAQ further down the page it outlines the wine packages eligible for 3, 4 and 5 star Mariners.  It says:

 

Sommelier Suite Cellar Packages 1, 2 & 3 are applicable. Wine cards, Cellar Master packages, individual bottle purchases, wine by the glass and beverage cards are excluded. A standard 15% Beverage Service Charge is applied based on the original price of the wine package. The loyalty discount does not apply to the 15% Beverage Service Charge.

 

The first bullet point in the descriptor from the web page is poorly written.  

Ahhh! that makes more sense! Thank you 🙂

I believe that 3 Star Mariners receive a 25% discount off of a wine package (bottle package in the MDR); however the HAL website doesn't seem "clear". I don't see that is says that there is a 25% discount on wine packages. Am I missing something? It appears to only read that the discount is on specialty restaurants, specialty coffee, beverages in Explorations cafe and mini-bar. 

All 1 and 2-Star Mariner Amenities PLUS: 

Unlock significant savings and a host of exclusive benefits as a 3-Star Mariner. When you reach 75 Cruise Day credits, you'll receive:

• A 25% discount on specialty restaurant surcharges and on specialty coffees in all dining venues*, beverages in the Explorations Café* and all mini-bar purchases* (restaurant packages do not apply to discount and wine packages discounts exclude wine cards, Cellar Master packages, individual bottles, wine-by-the-glass and beverage gift cards)
• Mariner Welcome Onboard Reception
• Discounts on select treatments from the Greenhouse Spa & Salon
• Advance information on new itineraries**

I am Canadian and never chose to go to Cuba. The Cuba portrayed in the travel guides is a lot different than when you arrive in a cruise Port. We were on the first HAL cruise that was permitted to Cuba. We had a totally different itinerary before HAL changed it. We had two ports in Cuba-Havana and Cienfuegos. I did not like Cienfuegos at all. At that time it was really about trying to find something  to do in the port-maybe it's changed since Dec 2017... I don't know. We did a tour in Havana with a pre-booked company. We had a driver as well as a guide and it was just the four of us and it was outstanding. I would highly recommend.  

We’ve been cruising for 15 years; mostly Caribbean, but also Italy, Greece, and Alaska and the only place we have ever been charged to use toilet facilities was in Cuba, so I’m just as surprised as some of the other posters that they are being charged in Mexico. Cruise ships often have a talk about upcoming ports where this kind of info is usually shared; so going to these talks is good, even if you’ve been to that port before. I totally understand why there are bathroom attendants and why there is a fee, but at the same often people really don’t know that a fee is required.

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I am so torn about our upcoming cruise. We are supposed to cruise over Christmas. We originally were doing the Southern Caribbean, but our itinerary was changed to add the Cuba ports of call. I just don't know if I can go to the ports where they are now struggling, trying to rebuild and survive. I can't imagine sitting on the beach enjoying a drink knowing that there are people trying to survive and rebuild. It just doesn't seem fair does it?

CHECK YOUR ITINERARY!!!!

 

I just looked at HAL's 2018 Cuba cruises, and the 7-day cruises now have one more sea day and less time in Havana. Instead of a day and a half (second day leaving 2PM), it's now just one day, leaving 11:59 PM. The itineraries that incuded Cienfuegos still have that port (for now???)

We were on a different itinerary to start and we were switched to the Cuba Itinerary by HAL. We originally had Havana for two days, and thanks to this thread we are also seeing just one day in Havana now. Why haven't they added Half Moon Key. Adding this would be very nice.

DH and I are sailing on the Maasdam in April. Can we still bring bottled water and soda on board with us at embarkation? We will order bottles of liquor ahead of time to be in our suite and want mixers like ginger ale and coke to bring with us. We'll have bottled water in our Neptune Suite, but probably not enough to last the whole cruise......do you know if they replenish the water for free? We were on the Nieuw Amsterdam in 2014 and didn't know if since then the type of container soda and water must be in had changed as it has changed on Carnival (must be in cans only). I checked the FAQs on HAL and didn't see anything related to my question, just saw soda packages we could purchase. Thanks.

We always bring water and pop along. We've stayed in a Neptune Suite once and don't recall getting bottled water.

Has anyone else noticed this? I think that it's great....except with 4 of in a room we would all have to buy it and at $248.00 PER PERSON that is a lot of cash. Thanks HAL, but what if the adults want the alcoholic package and the kids want this?

12 DAY QUENCH BEVERAGE PACKAGE

Enjoy unlimited mocktails, juices, bottled water (sparkling 330ml or still 500ml), Exploration’s Café Beverages and sodas. You get a Freestyle Coca-Cola cup to enjoy 100+ refreshing Coca-Cola flavors. A 15% service charge will be automatically applied to your purchase. The Quench Beverage Package must be purchased for the entire duration of the voyage. All guests booked in the same stateroom must also purchase the package. The package is for unlimited non-alcoholic beverages. The package excludes purchases made in the Mini Bar, Chocolate Seduction, In-Room Dining, beverages purchased on Half Moon Cay, and Freestyle Coca-Cola. Packages are non-transferable or refundable. No sharing is permitted. Participants may order only one drink at a time. Beverage Management reserves the right to evoke the package if misused and reserves the right to refuse service for any reason.

I have a client on this cruise and they aren't sending an email and doing nothing else.

 

It seems you forgot to mention they are offering $500 or $1000 to move to another sailing and if the new cruise is LONGER (most folks that booked this wouldn't want to switch to a 7-10 day Caribbean I would imagine) they are offering a per diem in discounts as I understand it for the additional days beyond the first.

We were not offered anything to move to another sailing. Nothing. After inquiring, we were advised they would reimburse for flight changes; but it's given in shipboard credits. We booked this cruise early because it was over Christmas and New Years. We also had to book flights early because they are over the Christmas holiday.