Alaska Land/Sea Questions

[lastlook]

For those of you who have done a combination Alaska land/sea trip with HAL, can you tell me if the HSC is charged for just the cruise portion or for the entire number of days? We're looking at the 20 day land/sea combination and are trying to gather as much information as we can to give our friends a good idea of what to expect should they decide to join us on this adventure.

 

Also, how do Mariner credits accrue on this type of trip?

 

Thanks, in advance, for sharing your experience with this type of HAL trip.

[feathersandnananose]

If I remember correctly, the hotel service charge is only on the cruise portion.

 

On land, you've already paid for the tour and what it includes (hotels, maybe a meal with a tour, etc.) plus you may have bought a HAL excursion. Past that, whatever you do: eat meals, drink, tip hotel staff, independent excursions, etc. comes straight out of your pocket.

 

On the ship, you can add charges everywhere (laundry, special restaurants, alcohol, HSC, etc), and they'll turn up on your statement, all charged to your account. It's for the cruise that they take your credit card to attach to your key/ID card on the ship.

 

As for Mariner points, each day on the entire trip counts as a day "on the cruise".

 

I'm hoping I've remembered it right....

[shrimpboat123]

If I remember correctly, the hotel service charge is only on the cruise portion.

 

On land, you've already paid for the tour and what it includes (hotels, maybe a meal with a tour, etc.) plus you may have bought a HAL excursion. Past that, whatever you do: eat meals, drink, tip hotel staff, independent excursions, etc. comes straight out of your pocket.

 

On the ship, you can add charges everywhere (laundry, special restaurants, alcohol, HSC, etc), and they'll turn up on your statement, all charged to your account. It's for the cruise that they take your credit card to attach to your key/ID card on the ship.

 

As for Mariner points, each day on the entire trip counts as a day "on the cruise".

 

I'm hoping I've remembered it right....

 

You are 100% correct. :)

[KAE27]

Good info here - thanks to those who responded and to the OP. I hadn't thought of these questions for my upcoming land/sea cruise and am glad I know this.

[rafinmd]

I believe a cash gratuity for the guide/escort is traditional, and you would tip hotel maids if you normally do so, but nothing is automatic or required.

 

Roy

[catl331]

As for Mariner points, each day on the entire trip counts as a day "on the cruise".

But you don't get "bonus days" for land days if you are in a ship suite.

[shrimpboat123]

But you don't get "bonus days" for land days if you are in a ship suite.

 

Actually you do get bonus days for the land portion if you are in a Suite on the ship. I received bonus days for the 19 day cruise tour I took in 2013. I received 18 bonus days (not 19 days since the first night was pre-cruise possibly) plus spending bonus.

[lastlook]

Actually you do get bonus days for the land portion if you are in a Suite on the ship. I received bonus days for the 19 day cruise tour I took in 2013. I received 18 bonus days (not 19 days since the first night was pre-cruise possibly) plus spending bonus.

 

Thanks so much for your replies as this will help us decide on cabin selection. Leaning toward a Suite now.....

[shrimpboat123]

Thanks so much for your replies as this will help us decide on cabin selection. Leaning toward a Suite now.....

 

When I did the cruise tour in 2013, it was only a few hundred $ more for the Neptune Suite, so it was kind of a no brainer to take the suite. :)

[lastlook]

If I remember correctly, the hotel service charge is only on the cruise portion.

 

On land, you've already paid for the tour and what it includes (hotels, maybe a meal with a tour, etc.) plus you may have bought a HAL excursion. Past that, whatever you do: eat meals, drink, tip hotel staff, independent excursions, etc. comes straight out of your pocket.

 

On the ship, you can add charges everywhere (laundry, special restaurants, alcohol, HSC, etc), and they'll turn up on your statement, all charged to your account. It's for the cruise that they take your credit card to attach to your key/ID card on the ship.

 

As for Mariner points, each day on the entire trip counts as a day "on the cruise".

 

I'm hoping I've remembered it right....

 

Thanks very much for your reply - very helpful.

[lastlook]

When I did the cruise tour in 2013, it was only a few hundred $ more for the Neptune Suite, so it was kind of a no brainer to take the suite. :)

 

Thank you and also thanks for the easy link to your Trip Report, which I will be reading with great interest.

[shrimpboat123]

Thank you and also thanks for the easy link to your Trip Report, which I will be reading with great interest.

 

You're quite welcome.

 

Which cruise tour are you thinking about? I would also suggest that you try to do the land portion first, followed by the cruise. The land portion is very hectic with long days. It's nice to be able to relax on the cruise afterwards.

[lastlook]

You're quite welcome.

 

Which cruise tour are you thinking about? I would also suggest that you try to do the land portion first, followed by the cruise. The land portion is very hectic with long days. It's nice to be able to relax on the cruise afterwards.

 

Y1L 20 Day Yukon and Triple Denali for May of 2017. Probably will choose the Noordam over the Zaandam, and yes - we're planning to do the land portion first as you've suggested. We're hoping that our friends (who have never cruised but want to go to Alaska) will decide to join us.

[catl331]

Actually you do get bonus days for the land portion if you are in a Suite on the ship.

You're right - I was thinking we had a suite in AK but we didn't. The balcony cabins were not classed as suites then.

 

Even if we had we wouldn't have gotten the double days. Our C-T was before the "stars" program started in 2009, and at the time they didn't even give any credits for the land portion. Later they changed the rules, and gave us retroactive single-day credits for the land part.

Edited March 30, 2016 by catl331

[shrimpboat123]

Y1L 20 Day Yukon and Triple Denali for May of 2017. Probably will choose the Noordam over the Zaandam, and yes - we're planning to do the land portion first as you've suggested. We're hoping that our friends (who have never cruised but want to go to Alaska) will decide to join us.

 

That is essentially the same cruise tour we did. You get an extra day in Anchorage which will let you see some of Anchorage.

 

About the only thing different now, is you fly from Dawson to Fairbanks rather than take the bus over the Top of the World Highway. You'll be able to see what you'll miss when you look through my report.

 

Hopefully you can talk your friends into joining you. No matter, you're going to make new friends amongst the 40 people with you on the land portion.

 

You're going to have a great time. It was truly a trip of a lifetime. :)

[lastlook]

Thanks again for all your helpful replies. I will now spend some time reading your Trip Report and viewing your photos!!

[patrick65]

Judy and I are booked on a 20 day Alaska sea/land adventure on the Noordam. We booked a suite for the sea portion. I wrote to Holland America and they are going to double the days of the entire trip. Their letter states that we will earn a total of 38 days credit. The letter states that you to qualify for the doubling of days you must have booked a suite. If you had been upgraded from a cabin which was not a suite you would only earn credit for the actual total days of the land sea adventure or 19 days.

 

Why 38 days? (19 days doubled) instead of 40 days (20 days doubled) i could never figure out. I assume they only count full days book not total days booked. Sadly on the last day they feed you breakfast then off the boat you go.

[lastlook]

Judy and I are booked on a 20 day Alaska sea/land adventure on the Noordam. We booked a suite for the sea portion. I wrote to Holland America and they are going to double the days of the entire trip. Their letter states that we will earn a total of 38 days credit. The letter states that you to qualify for the doubling of days you must have booked a suite. If you had been upgraded from a cabin which was not a suite you would only earn credit for the actual total days of the land sea adventure or 19 days.

 

Why 38 days? (19 days doubled) instead of 40 days (20 days doubled) i could never figure out. I assume they only count full days book not total days booked. Sadly on the last day they feed you breakfast then off the boat you go.

 

Thanks for the confirmation - have a wonderful journey!!