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

[tim_london0]

On 6/13/2022 at 11:39 AM, nyold said:

 

 

My trick is on day 1 (embarkation day) to start loading up on canned water (not bottled water, it reduces plastic!) as the day nears the end. Also on port days when you tend to consume less. That way on sea days you can use your 15 drinks for actual fun drinks, and you drink the canned water that you got previously.

 

But unnecessary tin cans and glass bottles are a scourge on the environment too.  Just because they are easier to recycle doesn't make them the good guys here.

 

Plastic bottles are refillable.  The idea that I can't take a single plastic bottle on and off board at each port - refilled from the tap or drinking fountains (boiled if necessary) is just absurd (and environmentally insensitive).

 

This is what I do to lower my environmental impact, on every other holiday that I go on.

 

Asking me to carry heavy glass bottle around to do this is just not reasonable IMHO

 

[Mary229]

3 hours ago, tim_london0 said:

 

But unnecessary tin cans and glass bottles are a scourge on the environment too.  Just because they are easier to recycle doesn't make them the good guys here.

 

Plastic bottles are refillable.  The idea that I can't take a single plastic bottle on and off board at each port - refilled from the tap or drinking fountains (boiled if necessary) is just absurd (and environmentally insensitive).

 

This is what I do to lower my environmental impact, on every other holiday that I go on.

 

Asking me to carry heavy glass bottle around to do this is just not reasonable IMHO

 

You can bring a sports water bottle, I carry one every time.   You know, you really shouldn’t drink over and over again from that cheap plastic, it can cause health issues.  I don’t know about others but I get a serious case of throat thrush when i do so. Some say the BHP in them is dangerous 

[islandwoman]

4 hours ago, tim_london0 said:

 

But unnecessary tin cans and glass bottles are a scourge on the environment too.  Just because they are easier to recycle doesn't make them the good guys here.

 

Plastic bottles are refillable.  The idea that I can't take a single plastic bottle on and off board at each port - refilled from the tap or drinking fountains (boiled if necessary) is just absurd (and environmentally insensitive).

 

This is what I do to lower my environmental impact, on every other holiday that I go on.

 

Asking me to carry heavy glass bottle around to do this is just not reasonable IMHO

 

 

I have two light-weight, insulated, refillable water bottles that I take on cruises, all my travels, and even local excursions.  I fill them with ice and water from the tap.  Then keep them in the refrigerator until I need them.   Since I don't always know whether potable water will be available in port, and water in plastic bottles warms up fast, it's good to have cold, safe, drinking water with me. Since my "personal bag" for flying is a daypack with two side outside pockets, I can travel with these bottles (empty through security) no problem.

[IPB4IGO]

16 hours ago, dog said:

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

There is really no need to do so. 

We always select "any time dining" and when we get to the dining room we ask for a table for two. On three cruises this year there has not been a wait for a table. If you find a waiter you like, simply request one of his tables for two each night.

On previous cruises, when ships' occupancy was higher, we sometimes had to wait a few minutes for a table for two.

Hope that helps.

[KroozNut]

On 7/14/2022 at 10:30 AM, IPB4IGO said:

There is really no need to do so. 

We always select "any time dining" and when we get to the dining room we ask for a table for two. On three cruises this year there has not been a wait for a table. If you find a waiter you like, simply request one of his tables for two each night.

On previous cruises, when ships' occupancy was higher, we sometimes had to wait a few minutes for a table for two.

Hope that helps.

 

Or you can take all of that 'any time dining' requesting upon arrival out of the equation, and contact HAL prior to sailing with your request to switch to set/fixed dining (early or late) table for two. If there is space available for your requested time and table size, they will accommodate your request.

We prefer fixed time/traditional dining for a variety of reasons, and have always been happy with it. 

[topaz123]

THought we would try HAL for our next cruise.  Can't seem to find any cruise on HAL that goes to Caribbean during June/July/August of 2023?  What am I missing here. 

[*Miss G*]

24 minutes ago, topaz123 said:

THought we would try HAL for our next cruise.  Can't seem to find any cruise on HAL that goes to Caribbean during June/July/August of 2023?  What am I missing here. 

 

HAL deploys its ships to Europe, Alaska, and the East Coast of Canada/New England during the summer hurricane season.

[MinnesotaCruizer]

Cruising on HAL for the first time July 29, 2023.   I used Cruise Critics years ago and found it very helpful, is it still used much? 

[KroozNut]

44 minutes ago, MinnesotaCruizer said:

Cruising on HAL for the first time July 29, 2023.   I used Cruise Critics years ago and found it very helpful, is it still used much? 

 

It seems to be used quite a bit, by mostly a niche (large) group of 'regular' posters, that are routinely active on the boards, whether they have a cruise currently booked or not. IMO there is still a lot of useful information to be found here, if one steers away from the 'hot button' topics like proper dining room attire, smoking onboard (especially in the casino), tipping, to name a few.

I've found the roll calls on the HAL boards to typically be less active than other lines, but some are more active than others.

All that said, if you're looking for helpful information, or have particular questions about HAL, you've come to the right place!

[Mary229]

1 hour ago, MinnesotaCruizer said:

Cruising on HAL for the first time July 29, 2023.   I used Cruise Critics years ago and found it very helpful, is it still used much? 

Also read the reviews even though they tend to be left by those who love it and those who hate it, so read a good balance.   Some of the most useful information on the forum is found on the ports of call and departures boards. There you will find a lot of information to plan your shore time.  Roll calls tend to be active only for longer cruises.  The line boards like this one tend to be chattier with regular participants who go off on a lot of tangents😉

[Djb.zville]

Not quite first timer, but feels like it without any travel since 2019.  Going on Rotterdam in September.  In past, we loved the Pinnacle Grill and need to make reservations there.  Can anyone tell if the Pinnacle menu changes on different nights?  Any recommendation for which night to go?  We really don't look good in orange and were thinking about orange night, but can't tell which night that would be.  Appreciate any insight.

 

[terrydtx]

3 minutes ago, Djb.zville said:

Not quite first timer, but feels like it without any travel since 2019.  Going on Rotterdam in September.  In past, we loved the Pinnacle Grill and need to make reservations there.  Can anyone tell if the Pinnacle menu changes on different nights?  Any recommendation for which night to go?  We really don't look good in orange and were thinking about orange night, but can't tell which night that would be.  Appreciate any insight.

 

same menu every night

[KroozNut]

4 hours ago, Djb.zville said:

Not quite first timer, but feels like it without any travel since 2019.  Going on Rotterdam in September.  In past, we loved the Pinnacle Grill and need to make reservations there.  Can anyone tell if the Pinnacle menu changes on different nights?  Any recommendation for which night to go?  We really don't look good in orange and were thinking about orange night, but can't tell which night that would be.  Appreciate any insight.

 

 

We usually go on non-gala evenings because we enjoy having dinner in the MDR on those nights. As previously mentioned, the menu doesn't change, and is available to review before your cruise at https://rogerjett-photography.com/specialty-2/

Edited July 24, 2022 by KroozNut

[Turtles06]

I suspect the answer is no, but can nonrefundable OBC be used to pay the daily grats/crew appreciation?  (I am sure that somewhere in the HAL forum this has been answered, but the common words that needed to be searched returned far too many irrelevant posts to scour looking for the needle in that haystack.  🙂 So TIA for the answer.)  

[suemiks]

Dave (from the OR Coast)…….(we lived on the Oregon Coast for 15 years; true Paradise)……

thank you for the power strip idea from Amazon with outlets and USB ports. I just ordered one for our upcoming two voyages. Oregon Coasties are geniuses!

[Suzrobbins]

We have taken about 9 cruises so far.   Our favorite cruise line is Princess.    Did not like MSC at all and feel Royal Caribbean “nickels and dimes “ you to death.    We like peace and quiet, but some fun things.   Prefer casual to dress up.  We are considering a HAL cruise to the Caribbean and wonder if this line might work for us.   Any thoughts or considerations about this? 

[terrydtx]

4 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

I suspect the answer is no, but can nonrefundable OBC be used to pay the daily grats/crew appreciation?  (I am sure that somewhere in the HAL forum this has been answered, but the common words that needed to be searched returned far too many irrelevant posts to scour looking for the needle in that haystack.  🙂 So TIA for the answer.)  

Yes any OBC can be used for gratuities. You can get the forms to do this from guest relations on the ship. We do this if we have any left over at the end of a cruise.

[Turtles06]

7 hours ago, terrydtx said:

Yes any OBC can be used for gratuities. You can get the forms to do this from guest relations on the ship. We do this if we have any left over at the end of a cruise.

 

Thanks Terry.   But just to be clear:  I'm not asking about discretionary extra tips to crew, I am only asking about the fixed-amount daily gratuities that HAL now calls the "crew appreciation" (and other cruise lines call the "daily service charge") and that is automatically added to a guest's onboard amount (i.e., $15.50pp/day for non-suites and $17pp/day for suites).   

 

If nonrefundable OBC (such as that given as part of the Have It All fare) could be used for the daily "crew appreciation," why would you need to fill out a form at guest services  -- why wouldn't that OBC just be drawn down automatically from your account?

 

Thanks.

[Mary229]

The crew appreciation is taken from the OBC automatically, no form required.   HIA in its pure form does not have an OBC to my knowledge, only the promotional sales include the OBC 

[regnig]

If you have non-refundable OBC all ship board charges will be deducted from it first and only then would it go against refundable OBC.  No "forms" are necessary for this.

[C-sea]

Is there the ability to buy a specialty dining package for multiple nights?

[LoraJ]

Can you use the Navigator app for the boarding pass? They keep changing boarding time and I don't have a good working printer at the moment. 

 

 

[Mary229]

Just now, LoraJ said:

Can you use the Navigator app for the boarding pass? They keep changing boarding time and I don't have a good working printer at the moment. 

 

 

Yes you can.  I also do a screenshot of the pass should my internet fail me 

[cruzercruiser]

We are used to Norwegian cruises but considering a Mexican Riviera cruise on Koningsdam in December. Our strategy has been to get the cheapest possible inside cabin and then pay for the thermal suite pass. We are fine with the main dining room and buffet for meals and we don't drink enough to even cover the service fee/gratuity on the NCL drinks package. Not sure how the drinks package works on HAL. Don't need wifi.  Any tips as we make the transition from NCL to HAL? How much is the thermal suite pass for 2 people? 

[mara.something]

Every cruise we've done up to now we've been trying to get off the boat on disembarkation day as early as possible to catch a flight or whatever.

 

But I am curious, how long can you linger on board when the trip ends. Can you stay for lunch as long as you are out of your room? Or do they just want everyone gone asap and no lingering allowed?

 

mara