sharbin1 Posted April 4, 2006 #1 Share Posted April 4, 2006 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? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peaches from georgia Posted April 4, 2006 #2 Share Posted April 4, 2006 Yes. It will be in your cabin the night before your first port. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharbin1 Posted April 4, 2006 Author #3 Share Posted April 4, 2006 Thanks for the info, Peaches. I love this message board... I've found answers here to questions I hadn't even thought of! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPeters40 Posted April 4, 2006 #4 Share Posted April 4, 2006 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NHCruisr Posted April 4, 2006 #5 Share Posted April 4, 2006 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DesertDiva Posted April 4, 2006 #6 Share Posted April 4, 2006 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeatherInFlorida Posted April 4, 2006 #7 Share Posted April 4, 2006 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lougee1043 Posted April 4, 2006 #8 Share Posted April 4, 2006 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shonuf Posted April 4, 2006 #9 Share Posted April 4, 2006 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthC Posted April 4, 2006 #10 Share Posted April 4, 2006 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: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kryos Posted April 5, 2006 #11 Share Posted April 5, 2006 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longtimecruiser Posted April 5, 2006 #12 Share Posted April 5, 2006 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeatherInFlorida Posted April 5, 2006 #13 Share Posted April 5, 2006 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomc Posted April 5, 2006 #14 Share Posted April 5, 2006 I've got a bag that says, "Holland America Cruises." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shonuf Posted April 5, 2006 #15 Share Posted April 5, 2006 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airlink diva Posted April 5, 2006 #16 Share Posted April 5, 2006 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DesertDiva Posted April 5, 2006 #17 Share Posted April 5, 2006 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAHORNER Posted April 5, 2006 #18 Share Posted April 5, 2006 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coolcruise02 Posted April 5, 2006 #19 Share Posted April 5, 2006 HAL bags might be smaller than Celebrity's but they are a nice canvas material, not felt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bepsf Posted April 5, 2006 #20 Share Posted April 5, 2006 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... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babyher Posted April 5, 2006 #21 Share Posted April 5, 2006 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:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NHCruisr Posted April 5, 2006 #22 Share Posted April 5, 2006 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardyloo2 Posted April 5, 2006 #23 Share Posted April 5, 2006 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeatherInFlorida Posted April 5, 2006 #24 Share Posted April 5, 2006 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!!!;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthC Posted April 5, 2006 #25 Share Posted April 5, 2006 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.