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

[kathbril]

Hi all,

 

could you please advise if you'll get a big discount when buying the wine package compared to buying the individual bottles?

I am not sure, we'll be able to finish the 3 bottles so was wondering if it'll be more expensive if we just go by the bottle?

 

Thank you!

[dpump]

Hi all,

 

could you please advise if you'll get a big discount when buying the wine package compared to buying the individual bottles?

I am not sure, we'll be able to finish the 3 bottles so was wondering if it'll be more expensive if we just go by the bottle?

 

Thank you!

 

 

To give you an example......North Star wine, it's available at Costco for just under $30.00, to buy onboard, around $125.00.

[islandwoman]

Hi all,

could you please advise if you'll get a big discount when buying the wine package compared to buying the individual bottles?

I am not sure, we'll be able to finish the 3 bottles so was wondering if it'll be more expensive if we just go by the bottle?

Thank you!

If you're going to drink less than 3 bottles, why not carry on two of them and buy a couple of glasses more? Of course you're not allowed to take your carry-on bottles into the dining room without paying a corkage fee.

[kluv2cruz]

Do you buy the wine package before getting on, and if so is it cheaper than buying onboard?

 

 

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[kazu]

Do you buy the wine package before getting on, and if so is it cheaper than buying onboard?

 

 

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I wait until we are on board so I can see which wines are available in the two packages.

 

There is no difference in the price. The price if you order it in advance includes the 15% beverage tip. The price on board is quoted without it but of course, the 15% is added ;)

[dpump]

Do you buy the wine package before getting on, and if so is it cheaper than buying onboard?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

If you buy prior to boarding, you're charged when you order. If onboard, and you have any on board credits, can use them then.

[Journey466]

We are booked for the Eurodam Oct . Panama Canal. I want to book the Tamarind restaurant, early in our cruise....cause I think my hubby will LOVE it!. I tried to book but the system wanted to charge me on my credit card. I want to use OBC. Do I have to wait until we board?

[Btimmer]

We are booked for the Eurodam Oct . Panama Canal. I want to book the Tamarind restaurant, early in our cruise....cause I think my hubby will LOVE it!. I tried to book but the system wanted to charge me on my credit card. I want to use OBC. Do I have to wait until we board?

 

 

 

We LOVED the Tamarind on our 7 day cruise on the Eurodam. We ate there 3 nights and will do it again when we have the chance.

 

 

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[Crew News]

We are booked for the Eurodam Oct . Panama Canal. I want to book the Tamarind restaurant, early in our cruise....cause I think my hubby will LOVE it!. I tried to book but the system wanted to charge me on my credit card. I want to use OBC. Do I have to wait until we board?

 

To use OBC you must wait until you board the ship.

[ele0803]

Hi everyone

We have cruised for years and looking forward to our first on Holland. We will be going on the Oosterdam next January round trip to Hawaii. I don't know if this question has been covered but just wondering if the ship carries American Mah Jongg sets and cards. Lots of sea days and would rather not have to bring my set.

Thanks in advance.

Ellen

[Happily@Sea]

I know the Westerdam and the Prinsendam did, I have seen them in use. I'm guessing most ships have at least one set of Mah Jongg tiles and several decks of cards.

[kazu]

Hi everyone

We have cruised for years and looking forward to our first on Holland. We will be going on the Oosterdam next January round trip to Hawaii. I don't know if this question has been covered but just wondering if the ship carries American Mah Jongg sets and cards. Lots of sea days and would rather not have to bring my set.

Thanks in advance.

Ellen

 

Always sets on our cruises and we have been on a few ships.

 

I have noticed that the Mah Jonng afficionados bring their own cards though ;). Not the sets, just the cards.

[coopco]

To add to kazu's post above, embarkation day lunch in the Main Dining Room is generally served from 12pm until 1pm for those who have at least 1 prior cruise on any CCL cruise line. There are times when it might be further restricted or altogether canceled, so check upon boarding.

 

Thanks, Walt, for the helpful sticky!

 

Just curious, how do they know if you've have one prior cruise on any CCL cruise line? My husband and I have numerous cruises on Carnival and Princess but we are planning a cruise with my sister and brother-in-law and this will be their first cruise ever. We are leaning toward Holland but our go to cruise line is Princess (mainly because we used to travel with kids and I needed the self-serve laundry but they are in college now). At this point we are weighing options but if all 4 of us showed up for lunch in the MDR on a Holland ship on embarkation, would they ask for proof of being prior cruisers on CCL?

[kazu]

Just curious, how do they know if you've have one prior cruise on any CCL cruise line? My husband and I have numerous cruises on Carnival and Princess but we are planning a cruise with my sister and brother-in-law and this will be their first cruise ever. We are leaning toward Holland but our go to cruise line is Princess (mainly because we used to travel with kids and I needed the self-serve laundry but they are in college now). At this point we are weighing options but if all 4 of us showed up for lunch in the MDR on a Holland ship on embarkation, would they ask for proof of being prior cruisers on CCL?

 

If you sailed a CCL line before (Princess is one), there will be 1* on your key card.

 

The post you quoted is an old one and now, the embarkation luncheon is open to everyone :)

[jhsocal]

Kazu answered your question, typically, that lunch is limited to noon to 1:30PM.

[coopco]

If you sailed a CCL line before (Princess is one), there will be 1* on your key card.

 

The post you quoted is an old one and now, the embarkation luncheon is open to everyone :)

 

Awesome, thanks for the info. I was trying to make it through all 120 pages but just had to go to bed! But I do plan to make it through all the pages eventually.

 

Thanks again.

[deeko]

Hi Coopco. Kazu has been very helpful.

Can I just add that you would be advised to tell the Mariner Club well before you go that you are entitled to the one star.

Otherwise they will probably not know. I advised them of my Princess past history and booking numbers and our status on Princess.

All very easy and straightforward.......but I do advise telling them well before you sail.

Deeko

[dpump]

Sort of just realized..........can we use our Princess past trips in conjunction with our Holland status? If so, is it the days sailed or the star status they use?

thanks so much, think I need to pay more attention

[RuthC]

Sort of just realized..........can we use our Princess past trips in conjunction with our Holland status? If so, is it the days sailed or the star status they use?

thanks so much, think I need to pay more attention

Your Princess cruises, since Princess is a CCL line, gets you "Mariner" status on HAL, which doesn't count for much.

You would be considered a 1* HAL Mariner, with zero days sailing credit. That qualifies you for an invitation to the Mariners' Brunch during the cruise, and the Delft tile gift.

[dpump]

Thanks Ruth. So it doesn't really matter how many days the cruise was, etc? Not worthwhile letting Holland know?

It was a 16 day cruise.

[RuthC]

Thanks Ruth. So it doesn't really matter how many days the cruise was, etc? Not worthwhile letting Holland know?

It was a 16 day cruise.

Number of days/cruises on another CCL line makes no difference. The cross-cruise line benefits are neither cumulative nor reciprocal.

Whether or not letting Holland America know is up to you. Guess it depends on how much you want that star showing on your card, getting a free lunch, and a Delft tile mean to you.

[islandwoman]

Number of days/cruises on another CCL line makes no difference. The cross-cruise line benefits are neither cumulative nor reciprocal. Whether or not letting Holland America know is up to you. Guess it depends on how much you want that star showing on your card, getting a free lunch, and a Delft tile mean to you.

Are you saying that those without Mariner status don't get any lunch on boarding day?

 

If you mean that only Mariners get lunch in the MDR and others eat in the buffet, then how much better is the MDR lunch?

[RuthC]

Are you saying that those without Mariner status don't get any lunch on boarding day?

 

If you mean that only Mariners get lunch in the MDR and others eat in the buffet, then how much better is the MDR lunch?

No, no, no! You're confusing the Embarkation Lunch with the Mariners' Brunch. They are two different things, held on different days.

 

There is an Embarkation Lunch in the dining room (on most embarkation days, at least), to which everyone is invited. There was a time that only Mariners could attend, but that has now been opened to everyone.

There is also lunch in the Lido, and Dive-In on embarkation day.

The Mariners' Brunch is held later in the cruise, usually on a sea day, and all 1* Mariners may attend. On many cruises that is almost the entire passenger manifest!

One star Mariners have at least one prior cruise on a ship in the CCL fleet, with that cruise noted in the HAL records.

[Stratheden]

The MDR embarkation lunch is nothing fantastic but it is much nicer than the bun fight in the Lido. Unless you know about the lunch from previous cruises or CC and make your own way there, you are sent to the Lido by the crew who are directing passenger flow.

 

It is very peaceful in the MDR on embarkation day.

[AwkwardJen]

I haven't had a vacation in three years. Coincidentally, I am a solo parent to a three-year old. A couple of weeks ago, during a bout of insomnia, I chose to have a glass of wine. Insomnia, wine, exhaustion, and the internet are dangerous combinations. I purchased two nonrefundable tickets on the Noordam for the repositioning cruise, from Vancouver to Hawaii. (Some people impulse buy blankets with arms, then there is me.) So, I am flying across the country with a toddler to board the Noordam for eleven nights. Then I get to fly nine hours back with said toddler. (Sometimes, I don't think things through.)

 

I started reading the posts on page one. I have managed to utterly confuse myself. I apologize if these questions are moronic or repetitive. At this point, I am not sure what was posted this week and what was posted in 2014. This is my first HAL cruise [insert Dave joke here].

 

1. The word Orange is used frequently and in confusing contexts. I believe Code Orange is the safety drill but is Orange used for other things? If so, what?

 

2. Do I need to pre-register my child in the children's program?

 

3. Do they still provide shampoo and conditioner? (I have the cheapest balcony room on the ship.)

 

4. I am confused about the drink packages. I do drink alcohol and wine, but I live on club soda and sparkling water. I anticipate having wine with dinner and probably a couple of alcoholic drinks during the day. But I will suck down bubbly water all day. Which drink package should I get?

 

5. I read in several places that people brought magnets. I never gave it much thought, but will the magnets stick to anything other than the doors?

 

6. I have no idea how to pack for this. From late September in Canada to Hawaii in early October... Did I mention the toddler?

 

7. We will not be participating in the ship's excursions. I don't want my daughter to ruin anyone else's excursion. I also want to be able to return her to the ship at any time if need be. On my previous cruises (Carnival, Princess, and Norwegian), I always took ship excursions. In fact, they had to hold the boat for us on the last cruise I took, lo those many years ago. Any advice on going it alone in port?

 

8. People keep referencing things that you have to purchase on the ship such as cabanas, hydropool time, etc. I know drinks, specialty dining, and purchase of goods (art, cruises, etc.) are not included in the cost. But what other things should I be aware of as a first time HALer?

 

Nervously and neurotically yours,

AwkwardJen