Pre cruise hotel through HAL

[nyc12345]

For those of you who had booked hotel through HAL before, how did you get the transfer from airport to hotel?  We are planning on booking a hotel for a few nights prior to our cruise, but they can't give us any information on how the transfers from airport to hotel will be handled.  Will they have a representative at the airport even though it is not their embarkation day?

[J&Dhighdesert]

 

 

On my trip this week, I booked hotel and airport transfer through HAL . The transfer is free for hotel and airport if you booked through HAL.  Hope this helps.

Jo

 

[Loreto]

Depending on where you are booking the HAL hotel, transportation from the airport to the hotel varies.  In Seattle the hotel shuttle is at the airport or if downtown there is a bus that goes to a number of hotels.

In Vancouver and Athens, the HAL rep put us in a prepaid cab from the airport to the hotel.

[rkacruiser]

The length of the pre-hotel package may have something to do with the M&G at the airport and the transfer to the hotel.  Usually, sailing day for your ship or another HAL ship, there will be a HAL rep on site and they will help with baggage and getting you to transportation.  I have observed Princess reps helping HAL guests when the HAL rep was AWOL.  

 

Transportation from airport to hotel has ranged from a taxi that I paid with a voucher to a van to a bus with just me or a bus with other guests.  It's impossible to predict what the transportation will be, in my opinion.  

 

HAL does an excellent job with regard to their pre-cruise hotel program.  That's been my experience and I have used it in several ports (Seattle, Port  Everglades, Auckland as examples.)  

[Caribbean Chris]

I used it for a downtown Seattle hotel for a two night pre-cruise stay. I was very favorably impressed with the meet & greet rep, who found us in baggage claim with a sign, helped collect our luggage on a cart, and escorted us a distance to where the shuttle van awaited in a parking garage. At the hotel there was info at check-in on how to handle bags for the transfer to the ship. On sailing day, there was a.very professional person in the lobby organizing the bus departures.  Couldn’t have been better.
 

This was pre-Covid and I hope HAL still has the same great procedures. Since Seattle is their headquarters with thousands of passengers sailing out of that city every summer, that possibly may be the best managed of any port.

[highscar]

Anyone know which hotel in San Diego does HAL

use for passengers?

[fsdj1097]

9 minutes ago, highscar said:

Anyone know which hotel in San Diego does HAL

use for passengers?

In October, 2021, we stayed at the Hilton Hotel & Marina in San Diego prior to embarking on our California Coastal cruise aboard Koningsdam.  We enjoyed the hotel.

[NCTribeFan]

I actually just finished writing an email to Guest Services about my not-great experience prior to my 6/1 Zuiderdam sailing.

 

I paid a premium for a room that definitely could use some updating (Hilton Seatac hotel).

 

The instructions said someone would be in baggage claim.  There was no one.  I asked a NCL rep and she said she actually does the HAL sailings, too, but no one was scheduled for that day.  OK, fine.  She told me how to get over to the hotel shuttle pick up.

 

I waited 30 minutes and as I was sending a text to the hotel asking how long it might be, the driver sailed right past me although I was waving my arms and the driver of a van behind him was honking trying to get his attention.  30 minutes more, and I finally got a ride to the hotel.  Bear in mind, it was almost noon in Seattle and I'd been up since 4 am east coast time.

 

Since I was at the hotel 3 hours prior to normal check-in time, I got to pay an additional $10 for a room that was ready.  I just wanted to drop my bags and get some lunch.  I was handed a letter describing the procedure for the next day.  Note that the boarding pass instructions also said the bus was from the hotel to Vancouver.  It was not!  Apparently the instructions I was given were totally incorrect and I had to take the shuttle back to the airport to get the Vancouver bus.

 

I felt bad for the two elderly women on the shuttle with me.  We dragged our bags (per the driver's instructions) all the way down to the bus parking only to find there was no HAL check-in there.  The Carnival rep said we had to go all the way back the way we came, continue on to the orange doors.  So we did.  Checked in and waited about 10 minutes.  Then we got to walk ALL THE WAY BACK to where the Carnival check-in was and, finally, on to a bus.

 

So, I paid about about $45 more for a room by booking through HAL.  Then a call from my PCC that I had to pay another $31 in taxes/fees (that $319 charge on HAL's website to book the hotel and transport should be all-inclusive), then paid another $10 just to get in a room.

 

On top of that, ALL the instructions I was given were incorrect.  ALL of them.

 

So the one time I give up control over my travel arrangements and it was a total mess.

[57redbird]

4 hours ago, NCTribeFan said:

I actually just finished writing an email to Guest Services about my not-great experience prior to my 6/1 Zuiderdam sailing.

 

I paid a premium for a room that definitely could use some updating (Hilton Seatac hotel).

 

The instructions said someone would be in baggage claim.  There was no one.  I asked a NCL rep and she said she actually does the HAL sailings, too, but no one was scheduled for that day.  OK, fine.  She told me how to get over to the hotel shuttle pick up.

 

I waited 30 minutes and as I was sending a text to the hotel asking how long it might be, the driver sailed right past me although I was waving my arms and the driver of a van behind him was honking trying to get his attention.  30 minutes more, and I finally got a ride to the hotel.  Bear in mind, it was almost noon in Seattle and I'd been up since 4 am east coast time.

 

Since I was at the hotel 3 hours prior to normal check-in time, I got to pay an additional $10 for a room that was ready.  I just wanted to drop my bags and get some lunch.  I was handed a letter describing the procedure for the next day.  Note that the boarding pass instructions also said the bus was from the hotel to Vancouver.  It was not!  Apparently the instructions I was given were totally incorrect and I had to take the shuttle back to the airport to get the Vancouver bus.

 

I felt bad for the two elderly women on the shuttle with me.  We dragged our bags (per the driver's instructions) all the way down to the bus parking only to find there was no HAL check-in there.  The Carnival rep said we had to go all the way back the way we came, continue on to the orange doors.  So we did.  Checked in and waited about 10 minutes.  Then we got to walk ALL THE WAY BACK to where the Carnival check-in was and, finally, on to a bus.

 

So, I paid about about $45 more for a room by booking through HAL.  Then a call from my PCC that I had to pay another $31 in taxes/fees (that $319 charge on HAL's website to book the hotel and transport should be all-inclusive), then paid another $10 just to get in a room.

 

On top of that, ALL the instructions I was given were incorrect.  ALL of them.

 

So the one time I give up control over my travel arrangements and it was a total mess.

OMG!  What a nightmare!

 

[Fouremco]

4 hours ago, NCTribeFan said:

I actually just finished writing an email to Guest Services about my not-great experience prior to my 6/1 Zuiderdam sailing.

 

I paid a premium for a room that definitely could use some updating (Hilton Seatac hotel).

 

The instructions said someone would be in baggage claim.  There was no one.  I asked a NCL rep and she said she actually does the HAL sailings, too, but no one was scheduled for that day.  OK, fine.  She told me how to get over to the hotel shuttle pick up.

 

I waited 30 minutes and as I was sending a text to the hotel asking how long it might be, the driver sailed right past me although I was waving my arms and the driver of a van behind him was honking trying to get his attention.  30 minutes more, and I finally got a ride to the hotel.  Bear in mind, it was almost noon in Seattle and I'd been up since 4 am east coast time.

 

Since I was at the hotel 3 hours prior to normal check-in time, I got to pay an additional $10 for a room that was ready.  I just wanted to drop my bags and get some lunch.  I was handed a letter describing the procedure for the next day.  Note that the boarding pass instructions also said the bus was from the hotel to Vancouver.  It was not!  Apparently the instructions I was given were totally incorrect and I had to take the shuttle back to the airport to get the Vancouver bus.

 

I felt bad for the two elderly women on the shuttle with me.  We dragged our bags (per the driver's instructions) all the way down to the bus parking only to find there was no HAL check-in there.  The Carnival rep said we had to go all the way back the way we came, continue on to the orange doors.  So we did.  Checked in and waited about 10 minutes.  Then we got to walk ALL THE WAY BACK to where the Carnival check-in was and, finally, on to a bus.

 

So, I paid about about $45 more for a room by booking through HAL.  Then a call from my PCC that I had to pay another $31 in taxes/fees (that $319 charge on HAL's website to book the hotel and transport should be all-inclusive), then paid another $10 just to get in a room.

 

On top of that, ALL the instructions I was given were incorrect.  ALL of them.

 

So the one time I give up control over my travel arrangements and it was a total mess.

While I expect that this was an exception to the way things normally run, I have always found it as easy and far cheaper to make my own arrangements, just as you usually do. 

[Florida_gal_50]

7 hours ago, NCTribeFan said:

I actually just finished writing an email to Guest Services about my not-great experience prior to my 6/1 Zuiderdam sailing.

 

I paid a premium for a room that definitely could use some updating (Hilton Seatac hotel).

 

The instructions said someone would be in baggage claim.  There was no one.  I asked a NCL rep and she said she actually does the HAL sailings, too, but no one was scheduled for that day.  OK, fine.  She told me how to get over to the hotel shuttle pick up.

 

I waited 30 minutes and as I was sending a text to the hotel asking how long it might be, the driver sailed right past me although I was waving my arms and the driver of a van behind him was honking trying to get his attention.  30 minutes more, and I finally got a ride to the hotel.  Bear in mind, it was almost noon in Seattle and I'd been up since 4 am east coast time.

 

Since I was at the hotel 3 hours prior to normal check-in time, I got to pay an additional $10 for a room that was ready.  I just wanted to drop my bags and get some lunch.  I was handed a letter describing the procedure for the next day.  Note that the boarding pass instructions also said the bus was from the hotel to Vancouver.  It was not!  Apparently the instructions I was given were totally incorrect and I had to take the shuttle back to the airport to get the Vancouver bus.

 

I felt bad for the two elderly women on the shuttle with me.  We dragged our bags (per the driver's instructions) all the way down to the bus parking only to find there was no HAL check-in there.  The Carnival rep said we had to go all the way back the way we came, continue on to the orange doors.  So we did.  Checked in and waited about 10 minutes.  Then we got to walk ALL THE WAY BACK to where the Carnival check-in was and, finally, on to a bus.

 

So, I paid about about $45 more for a room by booking through HAL.  Then a call from my PCC that I had to pay another $31 in taxes/fees (that $319 charge on HAL's website to book the hotel and transport should be all-inclusive), then paid another $10 just to get in a room.

 

On top of that, ALL the instructions I was given were incorrect.  ALL of them.

 

So the one time I give up control over my travel arrangements and it was a total mess.

Hal needs to do a better job with transportation or not do it.  That said it has no magic potion to get you in a room earlier, at least in my experience.

[Florida_gal_50]

10 hours ago, fsdj1097 said:

In October, 2021, we stayed at the Hilton Hotel & Marina in San Diego prior to embarking on our California Coastal cruise aboard Koningsdam.  We enjoyed the hotel.

It’s been using that hotel for several years I believe.  It also used that hotel in March 2022.

[*Miss G*]

9 hours ago, NCTribeFan said:

I actually just finished writing an email to Guest Services about my not-great experience prior to my 6/1 Zuiderdam sailing.

 

I paid a premium for a room that definitely could use some updating (Hilton Seatac hotel).

 

The instructions said someone would be in baggage claim.  There was no one.  I asked a NCL rep and she said she actually does the HAL sailings, too, but no one was scheduled for that day.  OK, fine.  She told me how to get over to the hotel shuttle pick up.

 

I waited 30 minutes and as I was sending a text to the hotel asking how long it might be, the driver sailed right past me although I was waving my arms and the driver of a van behind him was honking trying to get his attention.  30 minutes more, and I finally got a ride to the hotel.  Bear in mind, it was almost noon in Seattle and I'd been up since 4 am east coast time.

 

Since I was at the hotel 3 hours prior to normal check-in time, I got to pay an additional $10 for a room that was ready.  I just wanted to drop my bags and get some lunch.  I was handed a letter describing the procedure for the next day.  Note that the boarding pass instructions also said the bus was from the hotel to Vancouver.  It was not!  Apparently the instructions I was given were totally incorrect and I had to take the shuttle back to the airport to get the Vancouver bus.

 

I felt bad for the two elderly women on the shuttle with me.  We dragged our bags (per the driver's instructions) all the way down to the bus parking only to find there was no HAL check-in there.  The Carnival rep said we had to go all the way back the way we came, continue on to the orange doors.  So we did.  Checked in and waited about 10 minutes.  Then we got to walk ALL THE WAY BACK to where the Carnival check-in was and, finally, on to a bus.

 

So, I paid about about $45 more for a room by booking through HAL.  Then a call from my PCC that I had to pay another $31 in taxes/fees (that $319 charge on HAL's website to book the hotel and transport should be all-inclusive), then paid another $10 just to get in a room.

 

On top of that, ALL the instructions I was given were incorrect.  ALL of them.

 

So the one time I give up control over my travel arrangements and it was a total mess.

 

Wow!  That is horrendous!  I do hope that you receive a timely response/apology with compensation.  This is absolutely unacceptable.

[Florida_gal_50]

4 hours ago, Fouremco said:

While I expect that this was an exception to the way things normally run, I have always found it as easy and far cheaper to make my own arrangements, just as you usually do. 

Easier?  I think it’s easier to go with hal.  There has been times when hal actually got a hotel cheaper than I could.

[NCTribeFan]

I did call the hotel a couple of weeks prior to my trip to let them know I'd need early check-in.  Of course, they had no reservation for me since it was all in HAL's name, apparently.  The guy I spoke to told me to call HAL and they could give me a confirmation number.

 

Of course, this was on a weekend and I knew I wouldn't be able to reach my PCC, so I called HAL.  And waited on hold for about 20 minutes.  The gal I spoke with said she couldn't give me a confirmation number and I needed to call the hotel directly and ask for the Holland America rep.  Of course, at that point I didn't know that there was NO Holland America rep at the hotel these days.

 

But I called the hotel again and got a different person.  She said, sure, she could get me a confirmation number by attaching my name to a room of the type that HAL had purchased for me (lowly street view, double beds).  That's how I knew just how much the room would've cost me had I booked directly.  Didn't help me with early check-in, though!

 

In the future, I'll either sail from Seattle (so won't have to worry about the transportation to Vancouver), or I'll fly into Vancouver.

 

Again, I did it for the convenience.  It just turned out to not be nearly as convenient as was implied in all the instructions I received.

 

I did get the cabin upgrade on the 2nd leg, which they totally didn't have to do since none of this was the fault of the Zuiderdam staff.  I just felt I needed to write to Customer Service and tell them my story.  I'm not looking for any compensation.  They just need to know that, as someone who is shifting away from other lines because I love the HAL experience and excellent service, that this isn't what you want to have happen.

[Caribbean Chris]

NCTribeFan, thanks for the report, though I’m sorry it was a hassle-filled experience instead of hassle-free. Times have changed!

 

There are so many anecdotal reports that numerous competent employees in service industries across the board were unemployed during Covid and decided to retire or moved on. Who could blame them? Now companies are understaffed and filled with inexperienced people who can’t or won't problem-solve.
 

Appears to be the case here and with FlightEase, based on a recent flight issue we had.
 

I think we’re all better off these days handling our own arrangements, and having plans B & C in mind. 

[iancal]

2 hours ago, Caribbean Chris said:

NCTribeFan, thanks for the report, though I’m sorry it was a hassle-filled experience instead of hassle-free. Times have changed!

 

There are so many anecdotal reports that numerous competent employees in service industries across the board were unemployed during Covid and decided to retire or moved on. Who could blame them? Now companies are understaffed and filled with inexperienced people who can’t or won't problem-solve.
 

Appears to be the case here and with FlightEase, based on a recent flight issue we had.
 

I think we’re all better off these days handling our own arrangements, and having plans B & C in mind. 

Yes.......with an emphasis on having a plan B & C.

[Loreto]

"But I called the hotel again and got a different person.  She said, sure, she could get me a confirmation number by attaching my name to a room of the type that HAL had purchased for me (lowly street view, double beds).  That's how I knew just how much the room would've cost me had I booked directly.  Didn't help me with early check-in, though!"

 

NC tribe Fan....unfortunately HAL has a block of rooms on the first floor outside perimeter of the airport Hilton.  Not the best rooms as they face the street (last month we got lucky and faced a quiet side street.)  I once got a very nice courtyard room and asked why...was told when HAL runs out of the regular block of rooms they then assign nicer rooms!  As a Hilton Honors member I get no points for booking with HAL, but do it for the luggage/transfer convenience when sailing out of Seattle.  I know I would get a better price if I booked it myself.  Unfortunately that didn't work for you, and you are justifiably unhappy.

 

Food options are pricey at the Hilton, but the Crown Plaza down the street has Reflections, a very nice restaurant with a diverse menu.  Our server said they get a lot of customers from the Hilton.

[NCTribeFan]

The French Dip I had at the bar after I dropped my bags in the room was absolutely delicious.  As was the beer.  Could've been the fact that I was so hungry I was about to faint.  But it really was the most tender beef, wonderful melted cheese, good bread, and yummy parmesan fries with it.  Of course it was overpriced, but I only ate half the sandwich and had the rest in my room later (because I was in bed before 9 pm; that time change is no fun).

[Nymich]

On 7/6/2022 at 9:02 AM, highscar said:

Anyone know which hotel in San Diego does HAL

use for passengers?

I took a look at our upcoming October cruise out of SD and it was offering the Sheraton.  We already have our reservation but wanted to check and let you know.

[rkacruiser]

It's interesting to learn of others experiences with M&Gs and pre-cruise hotel packages.  I have always been pleased.  I have been surprised to be standing at the baggage carousel and a HAL Rep approaches me and asks if I am rkacruiser before I am looking for the person.  How do they do that?  

[Caribbean Chris]

1 hour ago, rkacruiser said:

It's interesting to learn of others experiences with M&Gs and pre-cruise hotel packages.  I have always been pleased.  I have been surprised to be standing at the baggage carousel and a HAL Rep approaches me and asks if I am rkacruiser before I am looking for the person.  How do they do that?  

Everybody knows what you look like. 😀

[rkacruiser]

22 hours ago, Caribbean Chris said:

Everybody knows what you look like. 😀

 

🤣