ID_ Not very happy about HAL' Customer Service

[FrankNJ]

I feel sorry for the poor person at the counter who believes all passengers need a passport

( as I did ) only to be confronted with the "Schengen treaty " .

If you can afford to cruise you can afford a passport . Why does everyone have to be "special".

[iancal]

We have found that the challenge with HAL, and with other US based cruise lines, is that they are completely US centric. It is almost as if they see their job to require the same documentation, have the same cruise amenities that they would if cruising from a US port.

 

Bottom line is the European countries, especially those in the EU or those part of the Schengen Treaty, sometimes have different requirements and different customs. Some cruise lines, and some people not familiar with the EU, have trouble either grasping this or accepting it. Required documentation comes down to what country you are a citizen of/what documents you are travelling under.

[ItalianGuest]

I feel sorry for the poor person at the counter who believes all passengers need a passport

( as I did ) only to be confronted with the "Schengen treaty " .

If you can afford to cruise you can afford a passport . Why does everyone have to be "special".

 

1) I don't know in the US but nere in Italy those that haven't been outside Europe before or aren't planning to, usually don't have a passport simply because the ID is more than enought... the most part of my friends, for example, doesn't have the passport

 

2) Till the last year (as learned here) It was required us to pay a fee every year... so why pay if with your ID you can travel in Europe without a Passport?

 

3) Haveing booked a " last minute" this is a matter of time and not money!

 

4) The problem is just with HAL or in generl with the Cruise Companies and not with the Countries... As written by the previous poster.

The EU is something real not a fantasy!

I have asked and lot of people here have traveled to UK, Denmark and Norway just with their ID without any problem!

 

 

PS

Sorry for my English!

Edited June 6, 2015 by ItalianGuest

[ItalianGuest]

We have found that the challenge with HAL, and with other US based cruise lines, is that they are completely US centric. It is almost as if they see their job to require the same documentation, have the same cruise amenities that they would if cruising from a US port.

 

Bottom line is the European countries, especially those in the EU or those part of the Schengen Treaty, sometimes have different requirements and different customs. Some cruise lines, and some people not familiar with the EU, have trouble either grasping this or accepting it. Required documentation comes down to what country you are a citizen of/what documents you are travelling under.

 

:):):)

[cruiseing marly]

Should it not be a rule for all cruise ships . As far as I would think if the the other cruise lines only require that ID so should Hal after all there not flagged US ?

[TTFromSommersTown]

I feel sorry for the poor person at the counter who believes all passengers need a passport

( as I did ) only to be confronted with the "Schengen treaty " .

If you can afford to cruise you can afford a passport . Why does everyone have to be "special".

 

So I am assuming by your previous statement that you do not agree that US citizens on round trip cruises from a US Port should be able to cruise with just a Birth Certificate and a Picture ID?

[serendipity1499]

Seeing your friend traveled out of home country last year and again this year, perhaps they should reconsider their choice to not have passport. Is your friend working on seeing if their ID is sufficient?

 

I agree the HAL rep was reluctant to give you a written promise of being permitted to board seeing there are so many ID's they could not know for sure your friend's is adequate to suit Immigration Officials.

 

 

Sorry disagree! HAL Counter & Reservation Agents should know all these rules!

 

I feel sorry for the poor person at the counter who believes all passengers need a passport

( as I did ) only to be confronted with the "Schengen treaty " .

If you can afford to cruise you can afford a passport . Why does everyone have to be "special".

 

It has nothing to do with being "special" 26 Countries approve the use of ID cards only for travel.. All agents checking in Psgrs should be required to know ALL the rules of travel for the countries their Carrier is cruising to! This was a requirement for every International Airline when I started in the business over 40 years ago.. Every Reservation & Counter Agt. had this info at their fingertips in large books.. Now it's even easier because all that info is in their computers..

 

There are too many American's who think that things should be done as they are in the U.S.. Why is it important for him to have a passport when it's not needed? It reminds me of the Psgrs who used to ask "What is this in real money, when they were holding foreign currency":rolleyes:

 

Sorry for preaching, but this is one area which annoyed so many of us in the business.. The world is a big place & not everything will be the same as it is in your own country..

[Cruzin Terri]

Sorry disagree! HAL Counter & Reservation Agents should know all these rules!

 

 

 

It has nothing to do with being "special" 26 Countries approve the use of ID cards only for travel.. All agents checking in Psgrs should be required to know ALL the rules of travel for the countries their Carrier is cruising to! This was a requirement for every International Airline when I started in the business over 40 years ago.. Every Reservation & Counter Agt. had this info at their fingertips in large books.. Now it's even easier because all that info is in their computers..

 

There are too many American's who think that things should be done as they are in the U.S.. Why is it important for him to have a passport when it's not needed? It reminds me of the Psgrs who used to ask "What is this in real money, when they were holding foreign currency":rolleyes:

 

Sorry for preaching, but this is one area which annoyed so many of us in the business.. The world is a big place & not everything will be the same as it is in your own country..

 

The voice of reason. Where is the like button?

Terri

[Boatdrill]

 

Here is my problem:

since one of my cruise-mates doesn't have the passport, I've asked to HAL to send me an email confirming the possibility to sail just with the ID, so to avoid misunderstanding at the pier, that could bring us away a lot of time as I have experience in the past.

 

They have replied me that they suggest all guests to travel with passport and that It is not their responsibility allow or not differents identification documents.

 

A very hasty answer in my opinion.

 

Confused :confused: Are you not happy with HAL customer service because of their answer to your question, or are you unhappy because of how they said it ?

Edited June 7, 2015 by Boatdrill

[Boatdrill]

HAL Counter & Reservation Agents should know all these rules!

 

 

Sorry but this would be impossible. The reservation agents have no way of looking directly - in person - at the type of identification that may, or may not, be presented to board the ship, in the future. When I say "may not" I mean that someone could show them a photo of one id, and then at the pier, use another one.

 

However check-in agents are trained to know what forms of id are acceptable and required for that particular itinerary, for that particular ship sailing that particular day. They are instructed by the ship as to what is required for that sailing. Any questions about id that is being presented by a passenger go to the shore ops supervisor, and then if necessary, to the ship. If the ship can't decide, the question goes to local authorities.

 

It's the ship and local authorities that decide who can board and who can't. It's not the reservation dept's job to be border patrol.

Edited June 7, 2015 by Boatdrill

[sail7seas]

Sorry disagree! HAL Counter & Reservation Agents should know all these rules!

 

 

 

It has nothing to do with being "special" 26 Countries approve the use of ID cards only for travel.. All agents checking in Psgrs should be required to know ALL the rules of travel for the countries their Carrier is cruising to! This was a requirement for every International Airline when I started in the business over 40 years ago.. Every Reservation & Counter Agt. had this info at their fingertips in large books.. Now it's even easier because all that info is in their computers..

 

There are too many American's who think that things should be done as they are in the U.S.. Why is it important for him to have a passport when it's not needed? It reminds me of the Psgrs who used to ask "What is this in real money, when they were holding foreign currency":rolleyes:

 

Sorry for preaching, but this is one area which annoyed so many of us in the business.. The world is a big place & not everything will be the same as it is in your own country..

 

While the Reservation/check in person may know the rule for every country in the world (if they were actually check and find up to the minute requirement), we don't know exactly what ID document OP's friend is holding. We don't know if it is acceptable or in acceptable condition. For all we know, his dog chewed inches off the card/paper or whatever it is.

 

I have no dog in this argument and the business about Americans really isn't pertinent. Most of us are aware the OP lists Italy home and he has discussed his friend(s) being from EU. Being American or being any other nationality has no difference in this discussion, IMO.

 

ALL travelers from all countries are required to have proper travel documents. Silversea Cruises demands every person boarding their ships have a passport. If you do not, you do not board. What makes that any 'American'?

 

 

 

 

Edited June 7, 2015 by sail7seas

[CantanaLobo]

... Silversea Cruises demands every person boarding their ships have a passport. If you do not, you do not board. What makes that any 'American'?

I think the Silversea policy makes it easier for the CSR to answer the question "Do I need a passport to get on the cruise ship." Expecting CSRs to understand the intricacies is expecting a bit much of some of them.

 

I have a coworker who had less than six months but more than three left on his passport. He was going to fly to a country with a three months left limit. Checkin agent wouldn't let him. Told him he had to have six months. No amount of arguing could convince her. The coworker ended up going to the passport agency and flying out the next day. If anyone wants, they can use TIMATIC to find out the what you need to fly. to a given country, This is the airlines own system, and the checkin agent should have used it, but she knew better.

 

I'd be doubtful the cruise line checkin agents are any better than the airlines. I wouldn't trust that a given checkin agent would believe a note from the cruise line saying the ID card was sufficient if the agent knew better. I'd get a passport. But not my dog either.

 

(I know, I'm getting cynical)

[the2ofus]

It is not that long ago that there were constant questions on CC about passport vs birth certificate vs drivers license, etc. It was, "We've always been able to do it"... "Well, now it is yes or no depending"....and then "Get over it! Get a passport!"

 

In the Eurozone, it is the opposite. Where everyone had to have passports to cross borders, now there are different rules for different jurisdictions. What a headache for our European friends!

 

Hopefully we have at least helped Italian Guest to work through the available options and the pertinent questions.

 

By the way, Italian Guest, I think you made yourself quite clear with your efforts to communicate in English. Many of us who have attempted to learn other languages would not have done as well. My 2 years of la lingua Italiana would not have gotten me very far at all with a question such as yours. Ti saluto! and Ciao!

[ItalianGuest]

Sorry disagree! HAL Counter & Reservation Agents should know all these rules!

 

 

 

It has nothing to do with being "special" 26 Countries approve the use of ID cards only for travel.. All agents checking in Psgrs should be required to know ALL the rules of travel for the countries their Carrier is cruising to! This was a requirement for every International Airline when I started in the business over 40 years ago.. Every Reservation & Counter Agt. had this info at their fingertips in large books.. Now it's even easier because all that info is in their computers..

 

There are too many American's who think that things should be done as they are in the U.S.. Why is it important for him to have a passport when it's not needed? It reminds me of the Psgrs who used to ask "What is this in real money, when they were holding foreign currency":rolleyes:

 

Sorry for preaching, but this is one area which annoyed so many of us in the business.. The world is a big place & not everything will be the same as it is in your own country..

 

 

I completely agree!:) thanks

[ItalianGuest]

It is not that long ago that there were constant questions on CC about passport vs birth certificate vs drivers license, etc. It was, "We've always been able to do it"... "Well, now it is yes or no depending"....and then "Get over it! Get a passport!"

 

In the Eurozone, it is the opposite. Where everyone had to have passports to cross borders, now there are different rules for different jurisdictions. What a headache for our European friends!

 

Hopefully we have at least helped Italian Guest to work through the available options and the pertinent questions.

 

By the way, Italian Guest, I think you made yourself quite clear with your efforts to communicate in English. Many of us who have attempted to learn other languages would not have done as well. My 2 years of la lingua Italiana would not have gotten me very far at all with a question such as yours. Ti saluto! and Ciao!

 

 

Grazie! :)

[ItalianGuest]

Hi!

 

Back from my cruise: great experience!

HAL met all my expectations (but didn't exceed!:() and we had a wonderful time!

 

The stewardess at the pier was ITALIAN (I could not believe!)... when my friend showed her the identity card,after a moment of hesitation, she told us: "ok, no problem, you're right! I'll find the way to fill in the documents useing the ID instead of the passport"

 

After 10 mins we were aboard!

 

She was a representative of the company, not of the customs, so I wonder: was it so difficult for HAL to confirm me this possibility in advance? :confused:

 

Anyhow, the itinerary was awesome, the ship nice and the food really good... only the cruise director (Dave) was not so amazing in my opinion.

 

Thanks again for your precious help.

 

Kind regards,:)

 

ItalianGuest

Edited July 11, 2015 by ItalianGuest

[Alberta Quilter]

I'm glad it all worked out for you and that you had a great time. Thanks for reporting back!

[kazu]

Thanks so much for reporting back in.

 

So glad everything worked out and it sounds like you had a good cruise :)