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Zaandam- disembarkation concerns


Lovemypuggle
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I am on the Zaandam. We are hanging out in the bay looking at beautiful Victoria as we are unable to dock due to the high winds. In addition to this disappointment we just received a letter saying that they will not be able to transfer our bags to the airport for us. We had signed up for this when we arrived on the ship 2 weeks ago. We have 5 of us in our group- each with one large 50lb bag.

Our flights, booked by HAL, are not until later in the evening so we were hoping to play tourist in Seattle w/o our bags.

Alaska Air says we can check our bags 4 hours in advance which leaves us several hours with our bags.

Any solutions to our bag problem?:confused:

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The Smith Cove cruise terminal has a luggage storage service; check with the Concierge at the terminal. Of course, that means you'd have to come back to the terminal when you are ready to leave for the airport (and I think they close before 4), but it's an option.

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Port Valet- they are no longer working with Alaska Air...

Thanks for the link..

Was that the Port Valet service, free to Seattle cruise passengers, or HAL’s luggage service?

 

Here’s an old thread where some were able to use downtown hotels for storage: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2499431 I hope you can work out a solution.

All the Best!

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That’s very unfortunate about you being told at the last minute. Did they give any explanation why they didn’t have more notice for Alaska Airlines? Recent passengers reported using the service, even with later flights, so I would imagine that was a bit of a shock. I was planning to do the same in a few weeks. I pray you found a convenient place to store your bags and enjoy Seattle.

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That’s very unfortunate about you being told at the last minute. Did they give any explanation why they didn’t have more notice for Alaska Airlines? Recent passengers reported using the service, even with later flights, so I would imagine that was a bit of a shock. I was planning to do the same in a few weeks. I pray you found a convenient place to store your bags and enjoy Seattle.

 

syesmar: We were also planning on using it with Alaska Air in September; could you report back with your experience on Zaandam as to the availability of Seattle's "Port Valet" free service? If it is no longer available, I wonder if HAL is still offering the pay service "Luggage Direct"?

 

Thank you, Penny

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Well, maybe you would be able to book a private city tour? You are 5 people. It might not be too costly/person.

 

I've booked our pre & post cruise transport with seattleexpress.com and they're very reasonable. Perhaps you could call or use some internet time to investigate.

https://seattleexpress.com/tour/seattle-day-tours/#Private

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We used the free Port Valet last week with UA. It did work wonderfully for us. Alaska Air is still listed as being part of the program on the Port Valet website:

https://www.portseattle.org/page/port-valet-enjoy-seattle-luggage-free

 

The notice that came with the sign up sheet stated some people may be denied service based on random security screening.

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Baggage changes likely due to GI illness on the ship during the cruise.

I don't think it had anything to do with that. We were able to use it today with Southwest. The precautions had been lifted several days ago.

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Since Port of Seattle is offering the Port Valet service free I though possibly the port cancelled it as a precautionary move. One cruise we were on with GI ended the code red several days before disembarkation and I noticed the baggage handlers in the terminal had gloves and masks when we disembarked.

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July 2 Was Due To Systems Down - Alaska Airlines IS Participating

 

I have some more information. I contacted Alaska Airlines and they said they were still participating and to contact Port Valet. Port Valet confirmed Alaska Airlines is still participating, but the reason passengers were denied the service was due to their system being down. According to their representative, this affected all passengers disembarking the Zaandam yesterday, not just those on Alaska Airlines (although peng1un: were you aboard the Zaandam? If so, perhaps your details were already complete and the failure happened part of the way through processing passengers? When did you sign up for the service?). According to the representative, the HAL letter passengers received was incorrect when it said it was due to the airline. It was due to a temporary system glitch.

 

The kind representative told me there are several ways to sign up for the service: 1) On Board 2) by calling 877-Eight47-00four5 3) Online at maketraveleasier DOT COM/holland - she said on the page you would see a service charge, but Seattle passengers are to ignore it because there is no fee for Seattle. When I visited the site, it is for Luggage Direct, so obviously they are the same service. She said you could cancel at anytime, either online, by calling or just letting the Front Desk know. Airline Baggage Fees are deducted from one's Shipboard Account.

 

Penny, I will report back after my sailing, I've set an alarm reminder to do so. :)

 

Take Care and Happy Sailing!

Edited by syesmar
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July 2 Was Due To Systems Down - Alaska Airlines IS Participating

 

I have some more information. I contacted Alaska Airlines and they said they were still participating and to contact Port Valet. Port Valet confirmed Alaska Airlines is still participating, but the reason passengers were denied the service was due to their system being down. According to their representative, this affected all passengers disembarking the Zaandam yesterday, not just those on Alaska Airlines (although peng1un: were you aboard the Zaandam? If so, perhaps your details were already complete and the failure happened part of the way through processing passengers? When did you sign up for the service?). According to the representative, the HAL letter passengers received was incorrect when it said it was due to the airline. It was due to a temporary system glitch.

 

The kind representative told me there are several ways to sign up for the service: 1) On Board 2) by calling 877-Eight47-00four5 3) Online at maketraveleasier DOT COM/holland - she said on the page you would see a service charge, but Seattle passengers are to ignore it because there is no fee for Seattle. When I visited the site, it is for Luggage Direct, so obviously they are the same service. She said you could cancel at anytime, either online, by calling or just letting the Front Desk know. Airline Baggage Fees are deducted from one's Shipboard Account.

 

Penny, I will report back after my sailing, I've set an alarm reminder to do so. :)

 

Take Care and Happy Sailing!

 

We disembarked from the Zaandam yesterday and used Port Valet with no issue. I flew Southwest and my parents flew United (different destinations). We filled out the paperwork for it with the usual disembarkment paperwork and turned it on by the date on the form. Are you sure the "system down" wasn't on Alaskan Airlines end? I have to say it was a great service. So nice to not have to deal with luggage at disembarkment and at the airport!

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Shel71,

She clearly told me it was on their end. But she also told me it wasn't isolated to Alaska Airlines. ;) Obviously, Southwest and United weren't affected, at least for some passengers. I'm guessing it happened at some point in the process and they had to stop?

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The letter we received in part says: “We have limited information on the trains only that there is a connectivity issue with the airline that won’t allow any Alaska Airline passengers to be checked in at sea.”

It goes on to say our reservations are still intact and that we must complete the check in process at the airport.

It then went on to say they have no control and basically don’t come to them as they are not responsible...

I tried to post a pix but it wouldn’t work..

We were able to get an UBER XL and get to the airport with all of our bags and catch an earlier flight- bummer about missing Victoria ( this ship couldn’t dock due to wind) and Seattle. Great cruise otherwise!

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July 2 Was Due To Systems Down - Alaska Airlines IS Participating

 

 

Penny, I will report back after my sailing, I've set an alarm reminder to do so. :)

 

Take Care and Happy Sailing!

 

Thank you! Have fun on your cruise! :D

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July 2 Was Due To Systems Down - Alaska Airlines IS Participating

 

I have some more information. I contacted Alaska Airlines and they said they were still participating and to contact Port Valet. Port Valet confirmed Alaska Airlines is still participating, but the reason passengers were denied the service was due to their system being down. According to their representative, this affected all passengers disembarking the Zaandam yesterday, not just those on Alaska Airlines (although peng1un: were you aboard the Zaandam? If so, perhaps your details were already complete and the failure happened part of the way through processing passengers? When did you sign up for the service?). According to the representative, the HAL letter passengers received was incorrect when it said it was due to the airline. It was due to a temporary system glitch.

 

The kind representative told me there are several ways to sign up for the service: 1) On Board 2) by calling 877-Eight47-00four5 3) Online at maketraveleasier DOT COM/holland - she said on the page you would see a service charge, but Seattle passengers are to ignore it because there is no fee for Seattle. When I visited the site, it is for Luggage Direct, so obviously they are the same service. She said you could cancel at anytime, either online, by calling or just letting the Front Desk know. Airline Baggage Fees are deducted from one's Shipboard Account.

 

Penny, I will report back after my sailing, I've set an alarm reminder to do so. :)

 

Take Care and Happy Sailing!

We disembarked the Zaandam on July 2 and used the Port Valet service--we were flying on Southwest. A lot of passengers we talked to had the service, only those we happened to speak to that didn't have it were on Alaska Airlines.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Port Valet July 16

I wanted to check and see if all went well with Port Valet in Seattle for the Zaandam's disembarkation today, in particular Alaska Airlines. I hope so! If anyone disembarked and used the service on July 16, if you could let us know how it went, future travelers would be grateful.

 

Happy Sailing! :)

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Port Valet July 16

 

I wanted to check and see if all went well with Port Valet in Seattle for the Zaandam's disembarkation today, in particular Alaska Airlines. I hope so! If anyone disembarked and used the service on July 16, if you could let us know how it went, future travelers would be grateful.

 

Happy Sailing! :)

 

We cruised on the Zaandam July 2-16. The port Valet Service in Seattle was great for our Delta flight to Detroit. I will have to say SEATEC was a zoo.

We also found out during our cruise that ms Zaandam will be leaving Holland America. The cruise director didn't give any details.

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We cruised on the Zaandam July 2-16. The port Valet Service in Seattle was great for our Delta flight to Detroit. I will have to say SEATEC was a zoo.

We also found out during our cruise that ms Zaandam will be leaving Holland America. The cruise director didn't give any details.

 

 

Wait, what? The Zaandam leaving the fleet? If that's true, then what's happening to HAL's "smaller ship" marketing strategy?

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Port Valet- they are no longer working with Alaska Air...

Thanks for the link..

 

 

They were working with them just fine when I got off a Royal Caribbean ship on July 13th.. I was traveling via Alaska air.

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We cruised on the Zaandam July 2-16. The port Valet Service in Seattle was great for our Delta flight to Detroit. I will have to say SEATEC was a zoo.

We also found out during our cruise that ms Zaandam will be leaving Holland America. The cruise director didn't give any details.

 

SeaTac

Thanks so much for the update, MSUcruisers and RDC1! It's a relief to hear others were able to use Alaska Airlines. Have never been to SeaTac --- should I allow more time than usual to go through Security? I'm assuming we'll be checked in already with Port Valet. If there's anything to be aware of in advance, I'm all ears. ;)

 

Zaandam

How did you hear about the Zaandam leaving HAL? Did the cruise director mention it, or was it someone else? The Prinsendam was sold during your sailing, I wonder if whoever said it meant that ship instead, possibly?

 

THANKS! :)

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SeaTac

Thanks so much for the update, MSUcruisers and RDC1! It's a relief to hear others were able to use Alaska Airlines. Have never been to SeaTac --- should I allow more time than usual to go through Security? I'm assuming we'll be checked in already with Port Valet. If there's anything to be aware of in advance, I'm all ears. ;)

 

Zaandam

How did you hear about the Zaandam leaving HAL? Did the cruise director mention it, or was it someone else? The Prinsendam was sold during your sailing, I wonder if whoever said it meant that ship instead, possibly?

 

THANKS! :)

 

 

Alaska Air has been warning people about delays going through security at SesTac. However, we got the the airport around 9 am and went right through using TSA precheck.

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We cruised on the Zaandam July 2-16. The port Valet Service in Seattle was great for our Delta flight to Detroit. I will have to say SEATEC was a zoo.

We also found out during our cruise that ms Zaandam will be leaving Holland America. The cruise director didn't give any details.

 

It does not make sense that Zaandam would be leaving, after all it is the newest of the R-class ships.

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