Good morning, some questions...

[Navybikermom]

4 hours ago, dobiemom said:

There should be a solos meet up the first night. Check the When and Where (daily program). 
I LOVED the camel excursion in Cabo San Lucas. I would do it again 🙂

In Mazatlan I like to walk the blue line to the church, maybe do some shopping across the street, and then take a pulmonia back to the ship. 

 

I did that camel excursion too - what a blast! In Mazatlan I did the salsa making/dancing. It was kinda awkward doing that solo, but it also meant I got all the salsa and margaritas to myself!

[MisterMatthew]

Hi, everyone.  Really great information. 

 

Thank you SO much!

 

Yes, I do have a birth certificate that is "certified" with the raised/embossed symbol on it. 

 

I am certainly going to read up on the topic HAL for dummies, and "First Time cruisers". 

 

Regarding my "boarding pass".. I don't have anything like that.  Or, at least I think I do not?  Should I look somewhere on the NAVIGATOR APP? 

 

Also, I am understanding that I need to print-out luggage tags eh?  I don't own a printer, but I'm sure I can find one at the airport, etc.  Hmm.

 

----Matthew

[RuthC]

6 minutes ago, MisterMatthew said:

Also, I am understanding that I need to print-out luggage tags eh?  I don't own a printer, but I'm sure I can find one at the airport, etc. 

Don't worry too much about luggage tags. When you head to check in you will turn over your large luggage to a porter. The porter will have extra tags (and a pen) that you can fill in with your name and cabin number and attach to the bag. 
If you can print them in advance---fine. If not, also fine. 

[dfish]

18 minutes ago, MisterMatthew said:

 

Regarding my "boarding pass".. I don't have anything like that.  Or, at least I think I do not?  Should I look somewhere on the NAVIGATOR APP? 

 

Also, I am understanding that I need to print-out luggage tags eh?  I don't own a printer, but I'm sure I can find one at the airport, etc.  Hmm.

 

----Matthew

Matthew, on the HAL website go to Manage My Bookings and pull up your cruise.  On the top right hand side there should be a link to Check In.   One of the parts of check in (if you have filled out all the information) is Documents. That is where you'll find your boarding pass and luggage tags.  Maybe you could go to the library to print them out?

 

On the Navigator App you would go to My Account and you should be able to find your boarding pass in the wallet.  

[jeh10641]

On 3/5/2022 at 7:32 AM, MisterMatthew said:

Hello everyone.  And, good morning from Las Vegas, NV.  I am relaxing a bit before I start another day of Uber driving.  Okay, I joined the board yesterday -- and, am already feeling the love!  I do have several questions.  Please forgive me if these have been asked before.  I am doing my best to read previous posts!

 

Sailing:

Solo Cruiser

Zuiderdam

4/3/2022 to 4/13/2022

San Diego to San Diego  (The cruise that goes to 5 ports in Mexico).

 

1)  I am flying into San Diego the day of the cruise.  Ship sails at 5pm.  I arrive (assuming the aircraft is on time) at 9:20AM.  From what I am told, the ship's port is only 1 mile from the airport.  A boarding time has not been assigned to me.  Is there a "likely" boarding window?  1pm, 2pm, 3pm, etc?  Or, am I way way off?  Also, how early can I bring my suitcase to the terminal & get rid of it ---- meaning, even if I'm not boarding for a couple of hours, can I give HAL my suitcase?

 

2)  I will bring my Vaccination card -- that lists the 1st and 2nd dosages.  I will bring my birth certificate.  I will not have a visa.  I will not have a passport.  I've been "told" that it is a closed loop cruise, so they are NOT needed.  I will have my photo identification.  Am I missing add'l things?

 

3)  What do you folks suggest for the FIRST things to get done once I board?  Muster?  Get show reservations?  I have no idea what shows will be on the ship.  I heard there is some cooking "thing" that looks neat.  America's Test Kitchen?  Or demonstration? 

 

4)  I am a solo cruiser.  And, in addition, have never been on a ship before.  But, I am excited!!  The MDR, if I do nothing... will they put me at a table with other persons?  Private table?  I've heard that  you can be placed with other SOLO cruisers.  Just not sure, how it all works.  Have you folks cruised solo?

 

5)  Beverages.  I have not purchased anything like that (yet).  Plus, in the Navigator App I do not see anywhere to choose a package.  I like water, soda, juices, etc.  Once in a while I will have a drink with booze.  (The wheels in my head are really turning now.  Oh boy!!)  Okay, I would like to know... is there a bar that will make a mojito?  I do like a good mojito!

 

6)  I'm still not sure about excursions.  I, kind of, like the idea of exploring a port & taking in the spots for some great food.  I'm fine with FINE food.  And, I am fine with street tacos.  Lol.  Yep, I've been doing some research on that.  Well, some research!

 

Okay, I'm sorry if I have typed too much.  I kindly ask for any and all feedback you have.  Again, thank you in advance!

 

-----Matthew

Hi, Matthew,

Welcome to cruising. You should really enjoy it. Now to answer your questions:

1.   Look on your boarding pass for your boarding time. If you do not yet have a boarding pass, check HAL's website using your cruise booking number. If you used a travel agent, ask them as well. On my last cruise in December, my boarding time changed four times in the last month. We arrived an hour before and got on right away. Our bags arrived in our cabin before we did. DO NOT FLY INTO YOUR DEPARTURE PORT THE SAME DAY AS EMBARKATION. TOO RISKY!

 

2.   Despite the advice that a birth certificate is okay, ALWAYS bring a passport. If you get into any trouble in a foreign port, your birth certificate is WORTHLESS.

 

3.   After you drop off your carryon baggage in your cabin, DO THE MUSTER DRILL. It is really easy and fast. Then you can work on other things at your leisure. Or you can book events before you board through HAL's website/Navigator App.

 

4.   Book specialty dining in advance, either through your T.A. or HAL directly. Tell them you either want "Any Time" dining or choose a time. Tell them you want a table for 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 and those other "singles" are preferred or that couples are okay, or that you do not care about the status of the others at your table.

 

5.   I have been on several cruises. Never bought an alcoholic drink package because my wife and I are not big drinkers. Nonalcoholic drinks such as soda and specialty coffees we pay as we go (or drink). It is not a big deal. On our last cruise (11 days) my wife ordered three pina coladas in total. Our T.A. gave a soft drink package (one for each of us of $50.00) on our last trip. We did not use all of the $100.00.

 

6.   I rarely use HAL's shore excursions. I use TripAdvisor to find local guides. Even with Covid.  I did book one HAL excursion in St. Lucia and it was worth the money. Our private guide in Barbados (Trip Advisor recommended) was even better.

 

i hope this helps you and others.

 

Jim

[MisterMatthew]

Thank you.

 

I have not logged onto the HAL website in a long while.  Mostly, I have just been looking at the Navigator APP... and, it does not show a great deal.  Maybe some excursions for purchase.

 

It sounds like I need to get to the website to access the "Boarding Pass".

[AFNavigator]

1 hour ago, MisterMatthew said:

Thank you.

 

I have not logged onto the HAL website in a long while.  Mostly, I have just been looking at the Navigator APP... and, it does not show a great deal.  Maybe some excursions for purchase.

 

It sounds like I need to get to the website to access the "Boarding Pass".

Yes, the Navigator app content can be pretty sparse, especially until your sail date gets close.  HAL's IT system leaves a lot to be desired.

 

We definitely recommend logging into your account on the HALsite to make sure ALL of your check in requirements are complete.  It certainly would be wise to find a printer so you can have a hard copy of your boarding documents, and COVID test if you do a monitored home test.  When we boarded the Eurodam in December, their scanner system went down for a while so they couldn't scan our passes on our phones.  We had our hard copy documents which they used to manually enter our information.  If we hadn't had those hard copies, we would have eventually been processed but likely would have had to wait for their scanners to come back up. 

[zgscl]

6 hours ago, jeh10641 said:

DO NOT FLY INTO YOUR DEPARTURE PORT THE SAME DAY AS EMBARKATION. TOO RISKY!

 

2.   Despite the advice that a birth certificate is okay, ALWAYS bring a passport. If you get into any trouble in a foreign port, your birth certificate is WORTHLESS.

I really must echo these. The margin for error is relatively small when arriving on departure day. It could be fine, but it also can completely ruin your trip. Way too many cases of system outages, weather systems, etc. There are also many horror stories of folks being stuck in a foreign country with a medical emergency who did not have a passport and were in a very difficult situation with a whole lot of added challenges waiting for the US Embassy to have an emergency passport issued before they could leave. It is well worth getting a passport for any international travel especially in the era of covid. 

 

As far as the boarding pass you can use the one in your Navigator App. If you don't want to print luggage tags they can tag it at the terminal (or you can carry on your luggage also depending on how much you have). If you end up staying in a hotel the night before they should have a business center or the front desk should be able to print it for you. 

[oakridger]

He (OP) doesn't have time to get a passport for this trip.  All really good points for future travel though!

[DaveOKC]

Lots of great advice above.  One thing to clarify though - if you book anything in advance, you have to pay for it right then and there.  If you have any Onboard Credit with your reservation, you cannot use it unless you are ONBOARD.

[DAllenTCY]

HAL transfers to/from the airport in San Diego are now $24 each way.

 

David

Edited March 7, 2022 by DAllenTCY

[MisterMatthew]

Thank you so much for the information.  I know this will be a learning experience --- in addition to my vacation, lol. 

[MisterMatthew]

Okay... I logged onto the HAL website with my name/password, etc, etc, etc... and did all of the tabs:

Guest Info

Passport

Flights

Contacts

Account

Contract

Docs

 

The first 6 of those, I have green check-marks by them.  So, that is a good sign I suppose!  The one for "Docs" it mentions a health assessment on March 31.  So, that basically means -- I wait until "that date" to do it. 

 

I did have the system email me (both) my luggage tags & boarding pass.  Did not print them ---- yet ---- but, wanted to view them!  The boarding pass is in 12 pages.  I guess that's normal?  And, the 2nd page (looks like?) is the actual BOARDING PASS. 

 

It mentions that there are 2 gala nights.

It mentions my cabin number.

It mentions my deck.

It mentions my confirmed dining is "Open" ----- so, it sounds like I will need to notify them of my wishes.  (( At this point, I'm leaning towards being seated with other SOLO Cruisers, and have a specific set time each evening. ))

 

Do forgive me if I am overlapping some things on my previous post!!

 

Also, my boarding time is:  Number G, at 3pm.  Geez.  Double Geez.  That's a late time!  Umm.

 

Okay, lastly, it says that my boarding pass will have unique bar code on it.. once the sailing date is closer. 

 

So, that's where I stand right now.

 

----Matthew

 

[highscar]

$24.00 transfer?  You can walk it If so inclined.  Sure cabs are a better way.  

[DaveOKC]

34 minutes ago, highscar said:

$24.00 transfer?  You can walk it If so inclined.  Sure cabs are a better way.  

Taxi with tip is about that or less, so for two or more people, take a taxi.  Plus alot faster.

 

[0106]

I paid $11 for a Lyft on 12/27.

[DAllenTCY]

The city bus Route #992 is $2.50 (over 62 years is $1.25) and goes exactly from airport to ship and ship to airport.  

 

The weekday schedule is every 15 minutes from early to late.

 

Weekends is every 30 min.

 

David

[AFNavigator]

9 hours ago, MisterMatthew said:

The one for "Docs" it mentions a health assessment on March 31.  So, that basically means -- I wait until "that date" to do it. 

You are correct.  You can't fill out the health assessment until the date they state.  It is a pretty short questionnaire.  Be sure to read the questions carefully, they are mostly all COVID related and hurrying through them can get you blocked from boarding if you answer wrong.

 

Be sure to arrange in advance whatever method you plan to use for the COVID test.  The test currently must be taken no more than 2 calendar days prior to cruise departure and it must be monitored.  If you have time left to order, I recommend the Abbott Labs Binax Now AG home test sold through Emed or Optum.  The test is monitored by a proctor via your computer or phone camera so they can verify it is actually you taking the test and can verify the test result.  As with your other paperwork, I recommend you print a copy, or save a copy on your phone to present at the port.

[Navybikermom]

10 hours ago, DAllenTCY said:

The city bus Route #992 is $2.50 (over 62 years is $1.25) and goes exactly from airport to ship and ship to airport.  

 

The weekday schedule is every 15 minutes from early to late.

 

Weekends is every 30 min.

 

David

I took the bus for that purpose and it was pretty nice, although I travel with very little luggage. 

[MisterMatthew]

12 hours ago, AFNavigator said:

You are correct.  You can't fill out the health assessment until the date they state.  It is a pretty short questionnaire.  Be sure to read the questions carefully, they are mostly all COVID related and hurrying through them can get you blocked from boarding if you answer wrong.

 

Be sure to arrange in advance whatever method you plan to use for the COVID test.  The test currently must be taken no more than 2 calendar days prior to cruise departure and it must be monitored.  If you have time left to order, I recommend the Abbott Labs Binax Now AG home test sold through Emed or Optum.  The test is monitored by a proctor via your computer or phone camera so they can verify it is actually you taking the test and can verify the test result.  As with your other paperwork, I recommend you print a copy, or save a copy on your phone to present at the port.

 

[MisterMatthew]

AF NAVIGATOR .. thank you for the information.  That home-test sounds like the way to go.  I remember the cruise folks at H.A.L. saying that it has to be a medically supervised test.  Since you said "they" monitor you via your cell-phone --- sounds like it's a neat way to take care of things.

 

Here in town (LV, NV) the clinics vary from $89.00 to $130.00 for the test.  And, some offer results "they say" in 15 minutes.  And, some offer results "they say" the next day normally. 

 

I'd love to have it DONE and TAKEN CARE OF.  Do they mail you the test?  Or, you pick it up at a drug store?  I.E. Walgreen, CVS?

 

Thx

----Matthew

[MisterMatthew]

Dave, Dallen, 0106...

 

Thank you very much for the suggestions.. the city bus, the cost of a taxi, rideshare & such.  Good stuff!

[KroozNut]

1 minute ago, MisterMatthew said:

I'd love to have it DONE and TAKEN CARE OF.  Do they mail you the test?  Or, you pick it up at a drug store?  I.E. Walgreen, CVS?

 

Thx

----Matthew

 

In the case of CVS, you set up an online account where they will post the results for you to review, print out, etc. They will also text/email you to let you know that your test results are ready and available for review in your account.

[MisterMatthew]

1 minute ago, KroozNut said:

 

In the case of CVS, you set up an online account where they will post the results for you to review, print out, etc. They will also text/email you to let you know that your test results are ready and available for review in your account.

KroozNut --- thank you!

[AFNavigator]

10 hours ago, MisterMatthew said:

AF NAVIGATOR .. thank you for the information.  That home-test sounds like the way to go.  I remember the cruise folks at H.A.L. saying that it has to be a medically supervised test.  Since you said "they" monitor you via your cell-phone --- sounds like it's a neat way to take care of things.

 

Here in town (LV, NV) the clinics vary from $89.00 to $130.00 for the test.  And, some offer results "they say" in 15 minutes.  And, some offer results "they say" the next day normally. 

 

I'd love to have it DONE and TAKEN CARE OF.  Do they mail you the test?  Or, you pick it up at a drug store?  I.E. Walgreen, CVS?

 

Thx

----Matthew

The monitored Binax Now test kits must be ordered.  You may see Binax Now test kits in drug stores but they are not the monitored kits and will not be accepted by cruise lines.  You can buy the monitored kits at the Optum site in a 2 pack for $69.99.

https://store.optum.com/shop/products/abbott-binaxNOW-COVID-19-ag-at-home-test-kit-2-pack

 

They are a bit pricey but you may be able to get your insurance to reimburse the cost, depending on your company.  You may think a 2 pack is overkill but it's actually a good thing.  The 2-pack ensures you have a spare test in case something got messed up on your first try.  Don't wait too long to order.  Although they say they ship in a day or two, I think ours took about 1 1/2 weeks to arrive back in November.

 

You do the test through a website called emed.com.  The site's main page has a "Start Testing" button that you select when ready to do the test.  DO NOT open the test kit until instructed to do so during the test.  The Emed site will ask you a number of questions to establish your identity then will walk you through everything you need to start the test...have a photo ID ready too.  Once you are ready for the test, it will do a sound and camera test (I recommend using a stable laptop camera or have your phone on a stable tripod) then log you in to an online "proctor" who will walk you through every step of the test.  Start to finish, the test takes about 25-30 minutes with the longest time being a 15 minute timed wait for the test to process.  You have to have your camera on the test the entire time so that's why I recommend having a stable camera location.  Once the timer reaches 15 minutes, you press a button that brings the proctor back online (may be a different person) and that person examines your test card results with you.  Assuming you pass, you will get a certificate that you can print.  Since you don't have a printer, you can pull up the certificate on your smartphone through a free "Navica" app the system has you install.  For those without a smartphone, I believe the Navica app is available on Apple or Google app stores.  I don't see it on the Amazon app store so it probably isn't available for Kindle or Fire tablets.