What is the Best Way to Get A Meet & Greet Started With Hal ?

[mcrcruiser]

Should we contact the ships coordinator to get a designated space  on the ship the first sea day  or is there a better procedure ,to follow ?

   

[crystalspin]

This is the recommended procedure, but the link to events coordinators is sorely outdated. 

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/meet-mingle/hollandamerica/

 

You definitely want to make the contact five weeks or so ahead of time and confirm with a number of attendees at 30-days pre-sailing. Having "led-out" a number of HAL Roll Calls, unfortunately asking people if they are going to come does not lead to an accurate number whatsoever! For the three HAL roll calls I am currently tabulating, I will probably just count everyone and then deduct 30-40%...

 

I would contact Ship Services even though the description on the website says:

Gift orders and dining inquiries:
Phone: 1–800–541–1576
Fax: 1–800–207–3547

Email: HAL_Ship_Services@HollandAmerica.com

 

Ask for contact info for the Events Coordinator of your ship.

Edited September 27, 2022 by crystalspin

[rkacruiser]

A Roll Call needs to be started with enough people interested in a M&G before HAL is contacted.  There is a "magic number" required before such an event will be scheduled by them.  There is no such number for an informal M&G that is arranged by the Roll Call participants.

 

If such an informal meeting is planned, please, in the sense of committing to such, attend!  I have done this with the expectation of a few others meeting me in the Zuiderdam's Crow's Nest.  Who attended?  Me.  And, I waited for 30 minutes for others to appear before I left.  

[mcrcruiser]

7 hours ago, crystalspin said:

This is the recommended procedure, but the link to events coordinators is sorely outdated. 

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/meet-mingle/hollandamerica/

 

You definitely want to make the contact five weeks or so ahead of time and confirm with a number of attendees at 30-days pre-sailing. Having "led-out" a number of HAL Roll Calls, unfortunately asking people if they are going to come does not lead to an accurate number whatsoever! For the three HAL roll calls I am currently tabulating, I will probably just count everyone and then deduct 30-40%...

 

I would contact Ship Services even though the description on the website says:

Gift orders and dining inquiries:
Phone: 1–800–541–1576
Fax: 1–800–207–3547

Email: HAL_Ship_Services@HollandAmerica.com

 

Ask for contact info for the Events Coordinator of your ship.

Thank much fir the guidance to establish a Meet & Mingle aboard ship .BTW ,it is me & my DW in that Meet & Mingle picture . We are in the middle  sitting  & I have a  Hawaiian shirt on  ,My wife is on the right of me 

[kazu]

I ignore the CC instructions (not correct according to the event co-ordinators I have talked to) as I have found it relatively easier to contact the event co-ordinators (877-885-4259) and find out who the co-ordinator is for my ship and then email them with the details (ship, # of people, date) and include my booking # for their reference.

Generally speaking, you need 25 people for HAL to host the M & G. If you don’t have sufficient, then you can organize an informal one and arrange to meet at a place of your choosing.

Good luck!

[Sea42]

On 9/28/2022 at 7:11 AM, kazu said:

I ignore the CC instructions (not correct according to the event co-ordinators I have talked to) as I have found it relatively easier to contact the event co-ordinators (877-885-4259) and find out who the co-ordinator is for my ship and then email them with the details (ship, # of people, date) and include my booking # for their reference.

Generally speaking, you need 25 people for HAL to host the M & G. If you don’t have sufficient, then you can organize an informal one and arrange to meet at a place of your choosing.

Good luck!

Is this still the procedure you would recommend?

[kazu]

3 minutes ago, Sea42 said:

Is this still the procedure you would recommend?

 

It sure is.  it’s what I do have just done for 2 upcoming cruises and 3 M & G’s.  

There is NO need to fill out forms or anything else.

 

It’s best to contact them earlier - to give enough notice and then update them with the final numbers 30 days out.  it makes their lives easier.  If there’s one or two extra, it’s no big deal.  Not everyone drinks water, coffee, etc.

[Sea42]

2 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

It sure is.  it’s what I do have just done for 2 upcoming cruises and 3 M & G’s.  

There is NO need to fill out forms or anything else.

Thanks, Jacqui!

How far in advance to you contact the event coordinator?

 

[kazu]

1 minute ago, Sea42 said:

Thanks, Jacqui!

How far in advance to you contact the event coordinator?

 

 

I usually reach out about 6 months before or less.  No less than 3 months out.  HAL sometimes has email problems - if you don’t have an answer in 2 weeks, forward your email with a note that you just wanted to make sure they got it.  I mention it as it happened to me.  I know the co-ordination did not ignore my email.  I’ve dealt with her a few times and she is always very prompt.

 

If the cruise is in 2025 for example and later in the year wait until 2025 to reach out as the co-ordinations can do a shuffle on their ships in January sometimes (happened this year).  But if it’s early in 2025, then reach out in the Fall.  Hope this makes sense.

[Sea42]

6 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

I usually reach out about 6 months before or less.  No less than 3 months out.  HAL sometimes has email problems - if you don’t have an answer in 2 weeks, forward your email with a note that you just wanted to make sure they got it.  I mention it as it happened to me.  I know the co-ordination did not ignore my email.  I’ve dealt with her a few times and she is always very prompt.

 

If the cruise is in 2025 for example and later in the year wait until 2025 to reach out as the co-ordinations can do a shuffle on their ships in January sometimes (happened this year).  But if it’s early in 2025, then reach out in the Fall.  Hope this makes sense.

Thanks again. I'm considering volunteering to organize for our January 2025 cruise. I haven't done that in a long time and wanted to verify the best procedures.

Edited April 7 by Sea42

[kazu]

2 minutes ago, Sea42 said:

Thanks again. I'm considering volunteering to organize for our January 2025 cruise. I haven't done that in a long time and wanted to verify the best procedures.

 

Good for you 👍. It doesn’t happen unless someone steps up 😉 

[crystalspin]

On 9/27/2022 at 2:46 PM, crystalspin said:

This is the recommended procedure, but the link to events coordinators is sorely outdated. 

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/meet-mingle/hollandamerica/

 

You definitely want to make the contact five weeks or so ahead of time and confirm with a number of attendees at 30-days pre-sailing.

A number of people have 'liked' my OLD post recently. I have to amend it. The "five weeks" should be five (or more) MONTHS. There are other groups out there who are contacting HAL 6 or so months out and getting the best slots. Use the number Jacqui supplied for the event co-ordinators (877-885-4259) and find out who the co-ordinator is for your ship and then email them with the details (ship, # of people, date). @kazu I cut and pasted your instructions -- is the number still good?

[Sea42]

5 minutes ago, crystalspin said:

A number of people have 'liked' my OLD post recently. I have to amend it. The "five weeks" should be five (or more) MONTHS. There are other groups out there who are contacting HAL 6 or so months out and getting the best slots. Use the number Jacqui supplied for the event co-ordinators (877-885-4259) and find out who the co-ordinator is for your ship and then email them with the details (ship, # of people, date). @kazu I cut and pasted your instructions -- is the number still good?

Thank you, I will make contact sooner rather than later.

[kazu]

28 minutes ago, crystalspin said:

A number of people have 'liked' my OLD post recently. I have to amend it. The "five weeks" should be five (or more) MONTHS. There are other groups out there who are contacting HAL 6 or so months out and getting the best slots. Use the number Jacqui supplied for the event co-ordinators (877-885-4259) and find out who the co-ordinator is for your ship and then email them with the details (ship, # of people, date). @kazu I cut and pasted your instructions -- is the number still good?

 

The number was still good for me in February when I booked 3 M & G’s with two different co-ordinators.