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

[richstowe]

I'm in the don't care what YOU wear but  

18 hours ago, terrydtx said:

this one 5 star restaurant you must adhere to their dress code. Men must wear slacks and collared shirts  and blouses and long pants for women, no T shirts, shorts or torn jeans are allowed, they will absolutely not seat you.

this was the absolute minimum attire in any half-way decent restaurant a few decades ago . I don't miss it . I do miss my youth though . ☹

[Nickelpenny]

3 hours ago, richstowe said:

I'm in the don't care what YOU wear but  

this was the absolute minimum attire in any half-way decent restaurant a few decades ago . I don't miss it . I do miss my youth though . ☹

I would agree!   What YOU wear does NOT diminish my experience. What I wear enhances mine!

[islandwoman]

On 6/24/2022 at 5:28 PM, terrydtx said:

We frequently visit friends in Galveston Island Texas and there is a 5 star fine dinning restaurant there we love. Galveston is a beach town with tourists on vacation who like to relax and wear what they want. However if you want to dine in this one 5 star restaurant you must adhere to their dress code. Men must wear slacks and collared shirts  and blouses and long pants for women, no T shirts, shorts or torn jeans are allowed, they will absolutely not seat you. This restaurant is sold out for 3 to 4 weeks ahead of time in the summer months. The owners set the rules and enforce them, why shouldn't a cruise line set their rules and be able to enforce them?

Because in Galveston people have a wide variety of choices of where to eat.  On a cruise ship you have very limited choices. 

[terrydtx]

11 minutes ago, islandwoman said:

Because in Galveston people have a wide variety of choices of where to eat.  On a cruise ship you have very limited choices. 

And your point is?

[d9704011]

13 minutes ago, islandwoman said:

Because in Galveston people have a wide variety of choices of where to eat.  On a cruise ship you have very limited choices. 

I think it's more likely that the Galveston restaurant owner doesn't mind turning away the people who don't want to abide the dress code and will forego the 'loss of business' on them because there are plenty of other customers willing to abide with the code.  Cruise companies have charged a much greater fare and  some  of them don't want to run the risk of losing clients for dress code infractions.

[NHProud]

On 6/7/2022 at 5:08 PM, IPB4IGO said:

When booking your cruise, be sure to be looking at the deck plan of your ship when selecting a cabin. Some parts of some decks have balconies that are not as deep as the norm. We had one of those cabins on the Eurodam a few years ago. Also, there are a few cabins with "Juliet" balconies, just deep enough to stand up on. All of those that i have seen were on decks 10 and 11.

 

On the cruise we were on just last week we had an "aft wrap" cabin. The deck could easily hold 20 people, although the part that paralleled the length of the ship was too cold and windy to enjoy when underway on an Alaska cruise (the aft-facing part of the balcony was colam and pleasant). Nevertheless, it would be my first choice if they weren't so expensive. We benefited from an outstanding upsell offer on that cruise, so it only cost us about half the regular fair.

We have a balcony booked on deck 10 on Koningsdam . So how deep is the balcony ? I’m assuming there are chairs where one be seated comfortably.  

Edited June 28, 2022 by NHProud

[*Miss G*]

11 minutes ago, NHProud said:

We have a balcony booked on deck 10 on Koningsdam . So how deep is the balcony ? I’m assuming there are chairs where one be seated comfortably.  

 

We were in 10006 and found the balconies to be about 1’ less in depth than a regular verandah on the non-spa decks.  (Previously had a verandah on Deck 7 and Deck 5.)  It also seemed to be narrower but that may have just been an illusion given the width.  There will be 2 chairs and a small side table.  Cozy but still a balcony.

[islandwoman]

On 6/26/2022 at 10:35 AM, terrydtx said:

And your point is?

My point is (sorry, I thought that it was obvious) that in Galveston, if diners don't like the dress code in a particular restaurant, they can go elsewhere. They have lots of other choices.  On a cruise ship,  other choices are very limited.

[NHProud]

23 hours ago, *Miss G* said:

 

We were in 10006 and found the balconies to be about 1’ less in depth than a regular verandah on the non-spa decks.  (Previously had a verandah on Deck 7 and Deck 5.)  It also seemed to be narrower but that may have just been an illusion given the width.  There will be 2 chairs and a small side table.  Cozy but still a balcony.

Thank you.   We’ll keep the cabin , then.

[Bxianesq]

We just booked a cruise for 2023 which includes a beverage package as one of the perks.  I am confused by what is included-does it cover only beverages that are under $11, or does it cover beverages that are $11 and under? We've never booked that package before, since we typically order bottles of wine to enjoy with dinner. It looks like we'd have OK choices if the rule is $11 and under, but not as much if the package only covers drinks under $11. 

[Seasick Sailor]

13 minutes ago, Bxianesq said:

We just booked a cruise for 2023 which includes a beverage package as one of the perks.  I am confused by what is included-does it cover only beverages that are under $11, or does it cover beverages that are $11 and under? We've never booked that package before, since we typically order bottles of wine to enjoy with dinner. It looks like we'd have OK choices if the rule is $11 and under, but not as much if the package only covers drinks under $11. 

 

11 and under.

[KroozNut]

1 hour ago, Seasick Sailor said:

 

11 and under.

To be precise, $11 dollars and under (and includes the gratuity).

[Bxianesq]

Over the last few years, I have read every post on this thread. I check it each time we have an upcoming cruise and note the date that I left off. It is do-able, but no5 all at once!

[tschwa2]

I recently booked a fare not eligible for the have it all package.  Sailing in 11 months.  I did see the question about discounts on shore excursions and saw that sometimes they offer 10% discounts.  Should I be checking once or twice a week or just on holiday weeks?  Also do they ever offer discounts on internet, specialty dining and/or drinks packages or should I just expect to pay the full listed prices? 

[Regina08]

Are there any free areas in the Greenhouse Spa? Is there anything you can use free of charge like the sauna? I thought I read that you can use the locker rooms and showers without having to purchase a service or Thermal Suite day. If there are, do you need to make a reservation or can you simply walk in and use the facility whenever it is open?

[IPB4IGO]

15 hours ago, tschwa2 said:

I recently booked a fare not eligible for the have it all package.  Sailing in 11 months.  I did see the question about discounts on shore excursions and saw that sometimes they offer 10% discounts.  Should I be checking once or twice a week or just on holiday weeks?  Also do they ever offer discounts on internet, specialty dining and/or drinks packages or should I just expect to pay the full listed prices? 

The Internet package is discounted 20% if you purchase it online before the cruise. Only the "Premium" Internet package is offered pre-cruise.

[LLWS_Uncle_Rick]

I don't want to rehash old information but can someone guide me to responses about "dinner wear" 

[LLWS_Uncle_Rick]

23 minutes ago, LLWS_Uncle_Rick said:

I don't want to rehash old information but can someone guide me to responses about "dinner wear" 

Never mind, I found the information I needed.  

[Regina08]

On 7/4/2022 at 11:26 AM, Regina08 said:

Are there any free areas in the Greenhouse Spa? Is there anything you can use free of charge like the sauna? I thought I read that you can use the locker rooms and showers without having to purchase a service or Thermal Suite day. If there are, do you need to make a reservation or can you simply walk in and use the facility whenever it is open?

My question was answered on the main HAL board. Thank you.

[Aesop081]

On 7/2/2022 at 2:54 PM, Bxianesq said:

We just booked a cruise for 2023 which includes a beverage package as one of the perks.  I am confused by what is included-does it cover only beverages that are under $11, or does it cover beverages that are $11 and under? We've never booked that package before, since we typically order bottles of wine to enjoy with dinner. It looks like we'd have OK choices if the rule is $11 and under, but not as much if the package only covers drinks under $11. 

As previously mentioned 11 dollars and under BUT make sure if you are used to cruising with some other lines such as NCL where if you go over you just pay the difference, on HAL and some others you pay for the entire cost.  So watch out for that.  Also as we just booked an Alaska out of Vancouver in August we also ended up with the full package, drinks, excursion money, tips, internet, on board.  As I am a bourbon and scotch drinker most of my desired drinks are out of the regular pkg but some are included in the super duper or premium package.  My TA says that when I get on board I should be able to upgrade the package for just $5 a day which is the difference in cost, if I go to a drink sales table on the first day.  Not certain if it's true.  Anyone have any experience with that?

[*Miss G*]

40 minutes ago, Aesop081 said:

As previously mentioned 11 dollars and under BUT make sure if you are used to cruising with some other lines such as NCL where if you go over you just pay the difference, on HAL and some others you pay for the entire cost.

 

Have seen “live” thread people reporting they are only paying the difference.  Quite possibly a gradual rollout.  You can definitely upgrade onboard but I’ve seen where it’s a $4 variation.  This thread can get you started.

[dog]

I am trying to find out how to make dining reservations. Do I call or is there an option nonnapp or website?

[*Miss G*]

7 minutes ago, dog said:

I am trying to find out how to make dining reservations. Do I call or is there an option nonnapp or website?

 

Log into your booking and in the daily itinerary you can purchase specialty dining.  If you are asking about MDR reservations then that will appear on the first page of your booking confirmation and will be stamped on your ship card.  There is also a staffed kiosk onboard where you can make reservations.  The location will be in your When & Where.

Edited July 14, 2022 by *Miss G*

[dog]

12 minutes ago, *Miss G* said:

 

Log into your booking and in the daily itinerary you can purchase specialty dining.  If you are asking about MDR reservations then that will appear on the first page of your booking confirmation and will be stamped on your ship card.  There is also a staffed kiosk onboard where you can make reservations.  The location will be in your When & Where.

I found it on confirmation. How do I change it to traditional table for 2?

Edited July 14, 2022 by dog

[*Miss G*]

47 minutes ago, dog said:

I found it on confirmation. How do I change it to traditional table for 2?

 

If you are working with a HAL rep (PCC) or TA, contact them directly and they will make the arrangements.  If you booked direct online, try contacting Ship Services, although they may not be able to do anything until closer to the sailing date.  Last resort is to go directly to the main dining room or reservations desk, when you board, and make the arrangements through them.

 

HAL_Ship_Services@hollandamerica.com

800.541.1576