HAL bags

[HALcruiser2001]

Handy for the ship and super market.   Fun.   Won't see me in port with one though, tend to distance myself from cruise ships in port.

[*Miss G*]

I bring a large nylon shopping bag which folds into a small flat square and fits easily into a pocket or a purse.  The HAL bags are good for grocery shopping or bringing your towels to Half Moon Cay.

[Iamthesea]

I will throw in one of our previous cloth bags.  They weigh nothing and take up zero room.  If we receive one of the vinyl bags on the ship, that will be a bonus for getting any souvenirs back home.  

 

Speaking of the leather folders, I had several from various cruiselines.  When we moved houses recently, I had a yard sale and they all sold...go figure! 

 

I did keep some of the leather card holders as DH and I still use them onboard.  Easy to find in a jacket pocket or purse.  The holder can also hold a credit card, tender tickets, etc.  So many people have asked me where I got it because they had never seen one.  Must be new cruisers. 😃  I am not wild about using my cell phone for keeping information.  I don't even link to my email on my cell.  I do have everything backed up on my computer and have a folder in my email that can be accessed, if needed.  Otherwise, I print reservations, itineraries, etc. and have the papers in a folder.   DH is more old school than I and prefers to have everything on paper...mostly hand printed!!!

[JeannyJ]

If you get one of these bags for shopping in port, and on board (?), do you get to keep it or is it an extra charge? I'm a cruising newbie and don't want to take off with anything that I can't keep, but don't want to miss out on any freebies either.

[colbe]

3 minutes ago, JeannyJ said:

If you get one of these bags for shopping in port, and on board (?), do you get to keep it or is it an extra charge? I'm a cruising newbie and don't want to take off with anything that I can't keep, but don't want to miss out on any freebies either.

It is yours to keep.

[Banditswife]

13 minutes ago, JeannyJ said:

If you get one of these bags for shopping in port, and on board (?), do you get to keep it or is it an extra charge? I'm a cruising newbie and don't want to take off with anything that I can't keep, but don't want to miss out on any freebies either.

Yes the plastic bags are yours to keep/take home.  I have one of the older canvas bags, IMO it is too small to even use for carrying a towel.  The plastic ones are good sized, & held up pretty well after a few grocery trips.

[Crew News]

On 1/31/2023 at 5:09 PM, JeannyJ said:

If you get one of these bags for shopping in port, and on board (?), do you get to keep it or is it an extra charge? I'm a cruising newbie and don't want to take off with anything that I can't keep, but don't want to miss out on any freebies either.

Don't take home the nice garment bag you receive with your returned laundry, the provided bathrobes, or beach towels lest they be charged to your credit card.

[CM1984]

On 1/31/2023 at 7:09 PM, JeannyJ said:

If you get one of these bags for shopping in port, and on board (?), do you get to keep it or is it an extra charge? I'm a cruising newbie and don't want to take off with anything that I can't keep, but don't want to miss out on any freebies either.

A cruising newbie?  How very exciting for you!  You will have a lovely time just reviewing cruisecritic.com - it seems in addition to wonderful information, people also become friends!  
 

I think if my husband would want to, I would cruise 4 or 5 times a year, but we live in Virginia, so there are not that many ports we can easily drive to.  And flights right now…no, we won’t discuss that right now! 😵‍💫

 

My few tips……research, search every cruise website, compare pricing, check out lodging if needed asap upon booking.  Prices are crazy sometimes, especially right now.  Lots of YouTube videos that can be helpful.
 

And going back to bags for a minute….the last few times we have cruised, I have taken a cotton, lightly quilted bag with a zipper.  Big enough for 2 beach towels, phones, lotion, 2 bottles of water, a few snacks  and any other little things.  Of course, I get DH to carry, but what a I carry, depends on the port.  
 

ENJOY CRUISING!

[vswan]

Yes, we have gotten one of the blue bags on each cruise recently. Knowing that's what we were going to get, I packed my own. I don't like them - to small and no zipper to keep things in when out and about. The one good thing about them is that they are plastic so somewhat waterproof and sand sheds off them quite easily.

[3rdGenCunarder]

I have an oversized bag from Christmas Tree Shop. The kind they sell at the register. It has a cute pattern of flip-flops on it, so it looks like a "beach bag." It's large enough to hold my towel, snorkel if I'm taking that, water shoes, a water bottle or two of HAL's cans. I put the HAL bag inside that, with the smaller items like my camera in it. That big bag has been to many beaches and has outlived some of my HAL bags.

[DeeniEncinitas]

🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺

Just off Koningsdam.

We were in Neptune Suite.

[Seasick Sailor]

5 minutes ago, DeeniEncinitas said:

🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺

Just off Koningsdam.

We were in Neptune Suite.

 

Hi Sis! Hope you and David had an awesome cruise! How was it? We leave on Feb 18th and can't wait! (We still get the cheap blue bags and leave them in the cabin)

[vicd1969]

34 minutes ago, Seasick Sailor said:

 

Hi Sis! Hope you and David had an awesome cruise! How was it? We leave on Feb 18th and can't wait! (We still get the cheap blue bags and leave them in the cabin)

The nice bag is also given out to Club Orange passengers. I brought mine to two subsequent non-CO cruises, it's a very nice bag.

[BetsyS.]

My stepfather and I were on the Niew Statendam last August.  We got the plastic tote bags. I went to a grocery store in Iceland and got several items. They did not give 

out any bags, so I was glad to have my HAL bag with me. The store did have stamps, which was great because it was on a Sunday and post office was closed. Store also had an ATM which was handy.