New to Holland America? This is for you...AKA "HAL For Dummies"

[jljcruise]

On 10/2/2023 at 1:14 PM, Duane S. said:

Also, I have not seen any mention of an alarm clock in the cabins, or even just a clock in the cabin.  we are in an inside cabin so we definitely won't see sunrise lol, I just need to know if I should bring an alarm clock.

On our last cruise I noticed the cabin phone had a very, very small digital read-out showing the ship's time, IIRC. I was hunting for something else on the phone and noticed it. Not sure it's on all phones. I always bring a travel alarm, but make sure it's set to ship's time -- nothing else counts on board. 😁

[mafig]

On Holland's website, it states you must present your boarding pass and express docs. upon check in.

 

Do you really have to print out your docs?

 

I haven't been on HAL for many years, but other lines just require your boarding pass (passport, credit card too).  Is this accurate?

[Fouremco]

Unless there has been a recent change, you don't need your express docs to check in, nor do you need to print them.

 

[HAL4NOW]

On 10/2/2023 at 1:14 PM, Duane S. said:

Also, I have not seen any mention of an alarm clock in the cabins, or even just a clock in the cabin.  we are in an inside cabin so we definitely won't see sunrise lol, I just need to know if I should bring an alarm clock.

Setting up a wake up call is really easy; just push a few buttons on the phone and then the phone becomes your alarm.

[Haljo1935]

6 hours ago, mafig said:

On Holland's website, it states you must present your boarding pass and express docs. upon check in.

 

Do you really have to print out your docs?

 

I haven't been on HAL for many years, but other lines just require your boarding pass (passport, credit card too).  Is this accurate?

You could have printed boarding pass as a backup (be sure it has a barcode) but only need the electronic one from Navigator App. 

[greatestvalue]

On 8/18/2023 at 6:25 AM, librarylady19 said:

on Rotterdam in May- that we couldn’t upgrade from Signature to Elite once onboard.

Thank you for this, we are heading to the Rotterdam.  So the package that comes with the Have it all is the Signature package?  Would you have been to upgrade to Elite before you boarded if wanted? 

[librarylady19]

17 minutes ago, greatestvalue said:

Thank you for this, we are heading to the Rotterdam.  So the package that comes with the Have it all is the Signature package?  Would you have been to upgrade to Elite before you boarded if wanted? 

You can only upgrade before boarding I found out when I tried to purchase the upgrade onboard but honestly it wasn’t necessary as most of the drinks are included.
 

Edited October 18, 2023 by librarylady19

[guy+doll]

Looking for some info about how many outlets and their location in an interior cabin on the Rotterdam. We'll be cruising in early December 22023.

[kazu]

11 hours ago, guy+doll said:

Looking for some info about how many outlets and their location in an interior cabin on the Rotterdam. We'll be cruising in early December 22023.

 

If you go to HALfacts.com,  you will see pics of the interior cabins as well as the outlets.

 

I didn’t have an interior - a verandah - but there were more than enough - tons.  Outlets (USB & regular) on both sides of the bed and IIRC, 2 USB, 2 plugs and 2 Euro plugs at least at the desk (might have been one more).

[regnig]

guy+doll - interior staterooms on the Rotterdam have the same outlets as a veranda does. 

[guy+doll]

Thank you, kazu and regnig for responding. Much appreciated.

 

Safe travels!

[islandwoman]

Does Holland America 's main dining room have a standard menu, and if so where can I find it?  We have a dining credit in the Canaletto on a 22-day Circle Hawaii cruise in April.  I think that reservations will be competitive, so I'd like to book ours now, but I don't want to miss a meal that I'd really like in the Main Dining Room.  

[FlaMariner]

43 minutes ago, islandwoman said:

Does Holland America 's main dining room have a standard menu, and if so where can I find it?  We have a dining credit in the Canaletto on a 22-day Circle Hawaii cruise in April.  I think that reservations will be competitive, so I'd like to book ours now, but I don't want to miss a meal that I'd really like in the Main Dining Room.  

 

Nothing standard about the MDR menu....Changes nightly.  But.....there will be "dressy" nights in the MDR (3x on our recent 13 night cruise) and the menu is kicked up a notch.....That's when they serve filet, escargot, etc.  So on those nights, we would not book a specialty restaurant.

[islandwoman]

23 minutes ago, FlaMariner said:

 

Nothing standard about the MDR menu....Changes nightly.  But.....there will be "dressy" nights in the MDR (3x on our recent 13 night cruise) and the menu is kicked up a notch.....That's when they serve filet, escargot, etc.  So on those nights, we would not book a specialty restaurant.

How do I know when the "dressy" nights will be?

[forwardho]

Just now, islandwoman said:

How do I know when the "dressy" nights will be?

Usually on sea days

 

[islandwoman]

6 minutes ago, forwardho said:

Usually on sea days

 

Any ideas which sea days I could expect "dressy" dinners?   I will definitely be making my specialty dining reservation for a sea day.  There are 11 of them on this cruise.

[forwardho]

Nope. That is why I always book speciality restaurants on non sea days. I don’t want to miss gala nights in the MDR. 

[Haljo1935]

33 minutes ago, forwardho said:

Nope. That is why I always book speciality restaurants on non sea days. I don’t want to miss gala nights in the MDR. 

We used to do that and have changed to booking only on sea days because we don't want to rush to get ready after spending the day at port. Especially if it's a physical day and we're extra dirty. 

57 minutes ago, islandwoman said:

Any ideas which sea days I could expect "dressy" dinners?   I will definitely be making my specialty dining reservation for a sea day.  There are 11 of them on this cruise.

You can safely book for the 2nd sea day as usually 1st sea day will be dressy (not always, but frequently). Once onboard and you learn which nights are dressy, you can go the dining venue and have your reservation moved if you find you prefer a different night; no penalty for rescheduling.

[happytotravel]

 

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to these pages.  I started on the last page and have worked my way back to page 233 so far.  As this will be my first Hal cruise (a b2b) in June it is really helpful to learn from you all.

 

I will be on the Volendam and am really looking forward to sailing on her.

happytotravel

[islandwoman]

I see that we can earn one extra Mariner point per day by spending $300 onboard.  Is that one Mariner point for each of the two people on the account or only one point for the person whose name is on the credit card?

If only one for the account holder, is there a way to separate the onboard accounts, of two passengers in the same cabin, so that each person would have a chance to earn an extra Mariner point by spending $300 onboard in a day? 

I ask because I'm anticipating having some expenses at the beginning of the cruise, such as a wi-fi package and a laundry package.

By the way, can I expect to have the option to purchase a laundry package?  (22 days in the same clothing 😝)

[RuthC]

48 minutes ago, islandwoman said:

I see that we can earn one extra Mariner point per day by spending $300 onboard.  Is that one Mariner point for each of the two people on the account or only one point for the person whose name is on the credit card?

This is another example of how the ship is treated like Noah's Ark. If it's a couple, and one person spends $300, each member of the couple gets credit for 1 Mariner day. 
Enjoy your bonus days, as they add up quickly when you get double (as compared to solo cruisers). 

[islandwoman]

If I spend $600, do I have to make the purchases at $300 on two different days to earn 2 Mariner points?

Do crew gratuities count?  And are they charged one day at a time to my onboard account?  If they add up to $300, would I receive a Mariner Point or would I have to pay $300 all at once somehow?

[Mary229]

50 minutes ago, islandwoman said:

If I spend $600, do I have to make the purchases at $300 on two different days to earn 2 Mariner points?

Do crew gratuities count?  And are they charged one day at a time to my onboard account?  If they add up to $300, would I receive a Mariner Point or would I have to pay $300 all at once somehow?

You can spend the money in a lump sum or in drips and drabs.  I am not sure about the gratuities but I am guessing - no. The gratuities are charged daily.

[RuthC]

37 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

 I am not sure about the gratuities but I am guessing - no.

Gratuities count. 

It's one big tab of charges to the account. Anything booked in advance or on the ship, or paid for from that cruise is added up, and both people get full value of one day credit for every $300 charged. 
Doesn't matter who (or how) the bill is paid. Cash, credit/debit card, refundable or non-refundable credit. If a portion of the next $300 has been charged, that may be credited as another full day. For two people. 

[Blackduck59]

Thanks for that explanation @RuthC, I couldn't understand how we ended up with so many points. It seemed like we got way more points than we should have.