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

[Haljo1935]

5 hours ago, marco2111 said:

They are moto g6 phones (android). They are older but this is the first app that hasn't worked.

Thanks for the info that our keycard will let us on excursions. 

Guess it's time to get new phones when we return!

Karen

 

 

 

 

What version of Android is your phone running? As others have said, you don't really need a phone, but if you want to use the app, you can install an older version of the Navigator App. That's what I do. 

If you can tell me what version of Android you are using I will see if I can send you the link for a compatible version of Navigator App. Just be sure you don't update it because you'll be back to square one.

[marco2111]

They are moto g6 phones (android). They are older but this is the first app that hasn't worked.

Thanks for the info that our keycard will let us on excursions. 

Guess it's time to get new phones when we return!

Karen

 

 

 

 

[marco2111]

Android system 9

[marco2111]

11 hours ago, Haljo1935 said:

What version of Android is your phone running? As others have said, you don't really need a phone, but if you want to use the app, you can install an older version of the Navigator App. That's what I do. 

If you can tell me what version of Android you are using I will see if I can send you the link for a compatible version of Navigator App. Just be sure you don't update it because you'll be back to square one.

System 9

Thanks for your help!

[Haljo1935]

14 minutes ago, marco2111 said:

System 9

Thanks for your help!

Looks like you want somewhere between v4.15.0 and v4.27.1

https://www.9apps.com/android-apps/Holland-America-Line-Navigator/version-history-1/

 

 

 

[marco2111]

Thanks for your help! We had to try a few different versions but we have it working! I'm sure this will make  the cruise easier!

It's amazing how helpful CC members are!

Karen

[Haljo1935]

52 minutes ago, marco2111 said:

Thanks for your help! We had to try a few different versions but we have it working! I'm sure this will make  the cruise easier!

It's amazing how helpful CC members are!

Karen

Good deal. If it starks acting wonky, just close it out and reopen. Whatever you do, don't update it and don't let them remove it to install a newer version. That happened to me last Dec & I wasn't able to get it reinstalled until we were at a port.

Everything that needs to work (boarding passes, excursion tickets, menus, etc) will work just fine.

Safe travels - enjoy your cruise!

[lb0103]

Question: We are booked on a cruise with our adult daughter in our cabin. She is flying in the day of the cruise, we will have a hotel the night before. When we get to the port can we check in before she gets there? Do we have to wait till she arrives?

 

[Mary229]

31 minutes ago, lb0103 said:

Question: We are booked on a cruise with our adult daughter in our cabin. She is flying in the day of the cruise, we will have a hotel the night before. When we get to the port can we check in before she gets there? Do we have to wait till she arrives?

 

Each traveler can check in independently. 

[Ileneilene123]

Have you ever passed on getting the HIA? Did you regret it? If you were us would you skip it at $110 per day, gratuities not included, for a 7-day Alaska Inside Passage cruise aboard the Zaandam? We are not big drinkers. We don’t drink everyday and when we drink, we’ll usually have one. We’re not cola drinkers, either. We drink coffee, tea, water, juice — which are all complimentary on board. We plan to bring the allowable bottled water on board and a bottle of wine for the $20 fee. 

Also, the HIA surf internet won’t cut it for my husband. He needs the premium and his company will pay for it. We considered getting the HIA and just upgrading him to premium. His company would pay for a portion of the HIA & the upgrade but we’re not sure how to calculate that. It’s probably cleaner to purchase the premium package outright & get reimbursed. 

 

And, for the HIA specialty dinner, there are only 2 specialty restaurants on board and I’m not reading amazing things. Not dying to try them. For 7 days the MDR, the Lido, the Dive In, Room Service (plus local seafood spots while in port) should be fine. 
 

Finally, yes, the $200 excursions credit would come in very handy. We are going excursion crazy in every port. But does this justify the HIA? Thoughts? 

 

Extra Questions: Is the ship’s water filtered & ok to drink — any issues? Is decaf coffee available in the evenings? Can we bring sparkling water on board  or only still water? Is there a corkscrew in the cabin?  

 

Thanks! 

Edited April 7 by Ileneilene123

[Haljo1935]

25 minutes ago, Ileneilene123 said:

...Extra Questions: Is the ship’s water filtered & ok to drink — any issues? Is decaf coffee available in the evenings? Can we bring sparkling water on board  or only still water? Is there a corkscrew in the cabin?  

 

Thanks! 

The water is perfectly safe - they make it onboard; the same water that ice cubes are made from is the same water in your cabin sink.

Every cabin I've been in has a corkscrew. 

[mawvkysc]

@Ileneilene123 It sounds like HIA isn’t worth it for you and your reasoning makes a lot of sense for you. Most of my cruises over the years have been more than fine without having a package. We’ve never outright bought a package like HIA on other cruise lines we have been on. Twice packages have been  included in some sort of great promo and we liked having it, but normally it wouldn’t make sense for our budget. 

[Sea42]

7 hours ago, Ileneilene123 said:

Have you ever passed on getting the HIA? Did you regret it? If you were us would you skip it at $110 per day, gratuities not included, for a 7-day Alaska Inside Passage cruise aboard the Zaandam? We are not big drinkers. We don’t drink everyday and when we drink, we’ll usually have one. We’re not cola drinkers, either. We drink coffee, tea, water, juice — which are all complimentary on board. We plan to bring the allowable bottled water on board and a bottle of wine for the $20 fee. 

Also, the HIA surf internet won’t cut it for my husband. He needs the premium and his company will pay for it. We considered getting the HIA and just upgrading him to premium. His company would pay for a portion of the HIA & the upgrade but we’re not sure how to calculate that. It’s probably cleaner to purchase the premium package outright & get reimbursed. 

 

And, for the HIA specialty dinner, there are only 2 specialty restaurants on board and I’m not reading amazing things. Not dying to try them. For 7 days the MDR, the Lido, the Dive In, Room Service (plus local seafood spots while in port) should be fine. 
 

Finally, yes, the $200 excursions credit would come in very handy. We are going excursion crazy in every port. But does this justify the HIA? Thoughts? 

 

Extra Questions: Is the ship’s water filtered & ok to drink — any issues? Is decaf coffee available in the evenings? Can we bring sparkling water on board  or only still water? Is there a corkscrew in the cabin?  

 

Thanks! 

We are skipping HIA for our Adriatic cruise next year. It's a short cruise at 10 days with 2 sea days.. We have enough OBC to cover gratuities, laundry and beverages, and we don't care for ship excursion so the math doesn't make sense for us.

[Ileneilene123]

42 minutes ago, Sea42 said:

We are skipping HIA for our Adriatic cruise next year. It's a short cruise at 10 days with 2 sea days.. We have enough OBC to cover gratuities, laundry and beverages, and we don't care for ship excursion so the math doesn't make sense for us.

Thank you @Sea42  (and @mawvkysc and @Haljo1935)

Yes, I was wondering if HAL would apply our OBC towards the daily crew appreciation, as well as to service charges on beverages. I read conflicting info on whether OBC could be used towards gratuities? 
 

 

[islandwoman]

We are currently on the Koningsdam.  We booked too late to buy the "Early Bonus Have It All" package that would have covered crew appreciation as well as everything that is included in the HIA (without the Early Booking Bonus).  We bought an unlimited internet package online before sailing and are paying for our drinks as we go.  We usually have 1-2 per day. Yesterday we didn't buy any because the ship gave us a "free" glass of bubbly at the Captain's welcome party.  We did the math and discovered that if we drank enough to make the HIA package a good value, we'd miss the entire cruise, passed out LOL.  Ship's excursions are expensive and for you those might make the HIA package a good value, but I doubt it. Do the math.  No, we don't regret having passed on the HIA package for our cruise.  We would buy the Early Booking Bonus HIA package, when available, because the included crew appreciation would make the difference for us. 

[RuthC]

11 hours ago, Ileneilene123 said:

Is decaf coffee available in the evenings?

I see most of your other questions have been answered, but didn't see an answer to the question about decaf coffee. 

Yes, decaf is always available in the Lido. It is also available in the dining room at meals served there. I don't recall I ever ordered it in the specialty restaurants, but can't believe it isn't available. 

The problem with coffee is getting light cream or half & half to put in it. Even if you ask specifically for one of those, you are likely to just get milk. Ick. So, unless you want milk in your coffee, be very specific about asking. Or, drink it black. 

[Navybikermom]

1 hour ago, RuthC said:

I see most of your other questions have been answered, but didn't see an answer to the question about decaf coffee. 

Yes, decaf is always available in the Lido. It is also available in the dining room at meals served there. I don't recall I ever ordered it in the specialty restaurants, but can't believe it isn't available. 

The problem with coffee is getting light cream or half & half to put in it. Even if you ask specifically for one of those, you are likely to just get milk. Ick. So, unless you want milk in your coffee, be very specific about asking. Or, drink it black. 

I feel the same way! I have to set them straight the very first night at dinner, otherwise they bring milk and think it’s the same thing. 😒

[terrydtx]

3 minutes ago, Navybikermom said:

I feel the same way! I have to set them straight the very first night at dinner, otherwise they bring milk and think it’s the same thing. 😒

My DW ordered cream for her coffee on room service on out last cruise and swore it was canned condensed milk.

[Navybikermom]

2 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

My DW ordered cream for her coffee on room service on out last cruise and swore it was canned condensed milk.

Ugh. I bring those little cups of half and half on the airplane because they always want to give you skim milk or that powdered junk. Bleah….😣.

 

Our grocery stores have been out of half and half pints for a long time, so I’ve resorted to using heavy cream. Now THAT’S good in your coffee! The larger containers go bad before I use them all, but they haven’t given me a decent excuse as to why the pints are missing. “Supply issues” - yeah, whatever…

[Haljo1935]

6 hours ago, Ileneilene123 said:

Thank you @Sea42  (and @mawvkysc and @Haljo1935)

Yes, I was wondering if HAL would apply our OBC towards the daily crew appreciation, as well as to service charges on beverages. I read conflicting info on whether OBC could be used towards gratuities? 
 

 

The policy used to state (and may still, haven't looked) that OBC couldn't be used toward grats, but they've always applied it.

Glad you got some answers.

Safe travels- enjoy your cruise!

[crusin'k]

Not new to HAL, but do have a question.  If we pre-purchase the internet package, do we both have to buy it.  Hubby never uses internet, but I do.  

[terrydtx]

1 minute ago, crusin'k said:

Not new to HAL, but do have a question.  If we pre-purchase the internet package, do we both have to buy it.  Hubby never uses internet, but I do.  

We usually get the HIA with surf internet and I upgrade to the premium but my wife doesn't have to.

[0106]

4 hours ago, RuthC said:

The problem with coffee is getting light cream or half & half to put in it.

The ship uses UHT (aseptic/shelf stable/ long life) milk and cream which tastes very different than the pasteurized (HTST) milk and cream we are used to in the United States.  I have watched them refill the creamer in the Lido with UHT cream.

[RuthC]

6 minutes ago, 0106 said:

 I have watched them refill the creamer in the Lido with UHT cream.

They may have cream/half & half, but when requested, I have been served MILK. I know the difference. 

[Crew News]

22 hours ago, lb0103 said:

Question: We are booked on a cruise with our adult daughter in our cabin. She is flying in the day of the cruise, we will have a hotel the night before. When we get to the port can we check in before she gets there? Do we have to wait till she arrives?

 

Stateroom keys are located in your stateroom mail box when you board.  If you are going to leave your stateroom before she arrives, it would be nice to leave her stateroom key in the mail box.

 

This situation happened on my last cruise with three friends in the same stateroom.  The key for the last to arrive was left on the desk.  Her Room Steward was not available until after 2:00 PM she lugged her carryon bags around the ship looking for her friends so that she could drop of her luggage in the room.