HAL Tote Bags

[sharbin1]

We'll be going on our first HAL cruise in October. We were on Celebrity in January and they provided everyone with a tote bag to carry swimsuits, towels, etc. Does HAL do this?

[peaches from georgia]

Yes. It will be in your cabin the night before your first port. :)

[sharbin1]

Thanks for the info, Peaches. I love this message board... I've found answers here to questions I hadn't even thought of!

[CPeters40]

We'll be going on our first HAL cruise in October. We were on Celebrity in January and they provided everyone with a tote bag to carry swimsuits, towels, etc. Does HAL do this?

 

I like the Celebrity bag better--it's bigger. I took it with me on the HAL cruise, and never used the small HAL bag.

Chris

Volendam Jan 2-12, 2006

[NHCruisr]

We were recently on the Oosterdam and they did not have the totes. We heard it was a supply problem and that they usually stock them but did not get them in in time.

[DesertDiva]

They didn't have enough for the entire ship. However, if you went to the front desk and asked they gave you one! :)

 

We were recently on the Oosterdam and they did not have the totes. We heard it was a supply problem and that they usually stock them but did not get them in in time.

[HeatherInFlorida]

Sharbin, bring your Celebrity bag. As you know, it takes up so little room and the HAL bag is very small. Trust me, you'll wish you had the Celebrity bag. Once home, you'll find the HAL bag really helpful because it's made of a better grade of fabric.

[lougee1043]

thought the celebrity bag was so much better and bigger then the hal bag-- loved the way the x bag folds up into almost nothing -- however i still havent figured out how to fold it as small and as neat as when i first got it

[shonuf]

thought the celebrity bag was so much better and bigger then the hal bag-- loved the way the x bag folds up into almost nothing -- however i still havent figured out how to fold it as small and as neat as when i first got it

 

While the Celebrity bag is larger than the HAL bag, I use my HAL bag(s) all the time. I have taken one on every non-HAL cruise and always get a photo of it. My TA's HAL rep loves it! When I used to have a job, I carried a HAL bag every day with my lunch, whatever, in it and they really hold up.

 

I also have to confess to not being able to re-fold the Celebrity bag neatly. :)

 

NHcruiser, if you call Ships Services, they will probably send you one. Be sure to have your booking number handy when you call.

 

On a side note, I noticed that the bag we received on our Oosterdam cruise in January is not nearly the quality of the bags I've previously received.

[RuthC]

The bags was one of the things I really noticed in (I think) St. Maarten). I watched passengers coming off a Carnival ship carrying their things in a plastic bag marked "laundry". :eek:

[kryos]

Sharbin, bring your Celebrity bag. As you know, it takes up so little room and the HAL bag is very small. Trust me, you'll wish you had the Celebrity bag. Once home, you'll find the HAL bag really helpful because it's made of a better grade of fabric.

I've found the HAL bag they give you is generally more useful around the ship, rather than for bringing stuff with you in port. It is way too small to stuff everything into that you will want to have in port. So, I just use it to carry my book and personal stuff with me around the ship, and I bought a much nicer HAL tote in one of the onboard shops for use in port.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[longtimecruiser]

The Hal tote is not the quality that they used to be, but are still way better than some lines that just give you plastic bags. They are very useful at home too. I have so many and have given many away. Everyone seems to love them. Adele

[HeatherInFlorida]

Ruth, I can't imagine why they'd be carrying stuff in a laundry bag! Everyone gets this nice big navy blue Celebrity bag and it's very useful for going ashore to the beach, etc. Maybe they didn't find it? They don't exactly lay them out on the bed.

 

I had to go in search of mine the last time ... it was in a drawer. Both of ours fold right back up the way they were. Maybe because we haven't used them except on the cruise and the original folds are still there!:D

[tomc]

I've got a bag that says, "Holland America Cruises."

[shonuf]

Ruth, I can't imagine why they'd be carrying stuff in a laundry bag! Everyone gets this nice big navy blue Celebrity bag and it's very useful for going ashore to the beach, etc. Maybe they didn't find it? They don't exactly lay them out on the bed.

 

I had to go in search of mine the last time ... it was in a drawer. Both of ours fold right back up the way they were. Maybe because we haven't used them except on the cruise and the original folds are still there!:D

 

Heather, I think Ruth said the people were on a Carnival cruise, not Celebrity.

I've never received any kind of bag on Carnival.

[airlink diva]

Yes, you will receive a tote bag. Like the others stated, it's rather small. But it's great for paperback books and a bottle of water.

The sad part about my two bags is when I got back home, my mom took them.

[DesertDiva]

Shame on her! (Just kidding!) Next time, don't bring her a souvenir - just give her your bag! (OK, maybe add one or two of your pillow chocolates!) :p

 

The sad part about my two bags is when I got back home, my mom took them.

[PAHORNER]

I like the fact when my Hal bag it gets soilded from dragging it around, just toss it in the washing machine. Ready to go, and clean.

[Coolcruise02]

HAL bags might be smaller than Celebrity's but they are a nice canvas material, not felt.

[bepsf]

I use my HAL bags for all kinds of crazy things other than what it's meant for:

 

taking shirts to the drycleaners

carrying small groceries home instead of 'paper or plastic'

packing excess toiletries for travel

separating/packing dirty clothes

etc...

[babyher]

Please note the following is said in jest by the husband of a woman who has WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY too much make up *LOL* :) :) :)

 

Don't you ladies all have enough tote bags to last a lifetime just from getting them as the "Free Gift" with a couple thousand dollar purchase of Estee Lauder, Clinique, Elizabeth Arden etc. *LOL*

 

If you are like my wife I am sureyou have enough tote bags and umbrellas to pass out yourselves to all the pax on a ship. *LOL*

 

Not to mention samples of makeup in colors no one has worn since bette Davis made "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" *LOL*

 

Again this was all said in good humor :)

 

Enjoy:)

[NHCruisr]

I still have my HAL bag from the Zuiderdam last year. It's canvas, washable but rather small. I like bags with a zipper on the top better so I don't lose things.

[Gardyloo2]

LOL Babyher!

 

...said by a woman who DID have a lot of totebags, but whose teens took them off to college...

Same thing with the makeup :)

 

I'll second that about no Carnival bag. We had to BUY one on the Spirit just to drag our stuff to the pool. No way was I gonna carry a bag that said "laundry" on it. Although it's nice, you don't want to be seen on other cruise lines with one. This last sentance was said in jest.

 

The Spirit was a spacious ship with pretty good food; we're looking for something a little quieter and refined this time.

[HeatherInFlorida]

Heather, I think Ruth said the people were on a Carnival cruise, not Celebrity.

I've never received any kind of bag on Carnival.

 

Susan, you are right and I'm getting worse:( ! I read it as Celebrity. Now how can I explain that???? No wonder I was confused:D ... now it makes more sense.

 

Yes, babyher, speaking for myself I have waaaaaaaay too many tote bags. But it just happens to be one of those things you can never really have too many of. I think you have to be inside a woman's brain to "get" this:D .

 

The great thing about the Celebrity bag is it doesn't every need to be washed. It's navy blue and doesn't show a spot of dirt!!!;)

[RuthC]

I've got a bag that says, "Holland America Cruises."

Is it canvas? Or plastic? I have a "Holland America Cruises" bag that's orange and blue plastic---heavy duty, with handles. Got it on the first cruise in '78.

(Does the woman keep stuff, or what!)

Another thing I've seen done with the HAL bags is people wear 'em. Haven't you all seen passengers wearing vests made from the bags? The smart ones use the handles as trim, to prevent raveling.

Some wag might say the very smart ones don't wear the bags.