goodies

[msraye]

Hello, my first trip on HAL is on 11/10/06. I have sailed other lines and RCCL gives you a goody--last time a tote bag. Does HAL do the same?

[Sueseb]

Have always gotten a tote bag on HAL -- usually in the room the night before the first port.

[kakalina]

We have received a tote bag on every single cruise we've been on with HAL. After your first cruise you will also receive a genuine blue delft dutch commerative tile. The tote bag is empty. They do encourage you to fill it up at their recommended shops and stores. If you have a suite you will get other types of goodies.

[msraye]

Yay! So now I won't pack a tote to take with! thanks for replying!

[CoconutFish]

Be careful. Zuiderdam in April this year - no tote bags.

[twinkletoes4445]

Be careful. Zuiderdam in April this year - no tote bags.

Well, that's not good. We're on the Zuiderdam and I was hoping for a tote bag.

[Krazy Kruizers]

The canvas tote bags are not very large if you are planning to do a lot of shopping.

And it is one per cabin.

[unclerich]

No tote bag on Noordam in May, 2006, either.
We did get one last year on the Westerdam, though!:)

[Love Cruises]

No tote bag on Noordam in May, 2006, either.
We did get one last year on the Westerdam, though!:)
We got one when we were on the Noordam in March/2006. Have so many of them but still like receiving one.

[RedmondCruiser]

On our first cruises we had the two boys with us and we always recieved 4 tote bags. Then it went to one per cabin, then to zero on a PC cruise this Spring on the Westerdam.

[sail7seas]

We have never failed to get a tote on every HAL cruise....that includes Five cruises on Zuiderdam and at least one tote per cruise. Just returned from b-to-b's on Maasdam, and got a tote each week.

[jhannah]

The only time we didn't get one was on a 4-day coastal repositioning cruise.

[RuthC]

If memory serves, there was a thread last Spring about the lack of canvas bags. The problem was the supplier all of a sudden couldn't/didn't, and a new supplier had to be found.

I believe the problem was eventually solved, as there were two canvas bags for us on the Volendam in July.

[traveller123]

After voluntarily staying in quarantine for 48 hours with the Norwalk virus, I received a lovely Delft figurine (with a thank you note from the Captain)! Of course, I would have preferred to have skipped the virus altogether.

[kryos]

Well, that's not good. We're on the Zuiderdam and I was hoping for a tote bag.
Trust me, those tote bags aren't much of a bargain. They really don't hold very much, have no compartments to separate things, and are rather flimsey. I find they are really not suitable for shore excursions since you can't put a whole lot in them.

Where they do come in useful, though, is for carrying your personal effects around the ship. They are perfect for a book, your sunglasses, your smokes and maybe a bottle of sunscreen, but that's about it.

On my last cruise I purposely went to the onboard store and picked up a HAL beach bag for a reasonable price. It is dark blue (so that it doesn't show every speck of dirt) and was large and sturdy enough to get everything in it that one would normally bring on shore (water bottle, a couple of packages from shopping, a book, etc.). It also has a zipper compartment for keeping valuables separate from all your other junk.

Blue skies ...

--rita

[Copper10-8]

Got one two weeks ago on Prinsendam;) They're good to take with you on excursions!

[kakalina]

We get 2 each cruise, 1 for each of us.
My laptop also fits in them, I sometimes play computer games in the CN.
Virgil

[jagsfan]

I hope I get a tote bag on the Volendam, because I sure didn't get one
on my 11 day Brilliance of the Seas. Maybe OP got one on RCCL as a
previous cruiser, which I wasn't. Come to think of it, frequent cruiser on
Princess and never got one. Is it just me?

[duck tune]

The distribution of tote bags vary - first cruise on the Ryndam DH and I each got a bag, second Ryndam cruise only one and only one on the Amsterdam (we were in a Suite then too). On the Oosterdam this March no tote bags and then just one on the Zaandam in June. I always take a tote bag just because I'm never sure what we may or may not get!

[Alexborngal]

We get 2 each cruise, 1 for each of us.
My laptop also fits in them, I sometimes play computer games in the CN.
Virgil

Hi Kakalina. I'm contemplating on buying a lap top so I can take it on our cruise. Does HAL have any charges for lap tops? Would there be international charges to my server? I'd appreciate any help you can give me.

Thanks.

Joan

[Spender Nui]

We've always gotten a tote bag ... but never more than one.

[SanDiego Single]

I was on the Zaandam in May and got a bag and I asked for a second one and they were glad to give me another one. As far as the laptop. I always bring my laptop. Unless you need a wireless card you will not pay for anything except the minutes. If you need a wireless card you can rent one. But I am not sure of the price.

[lmt1022]

I had heard about the tote bags on these posts and was actually looking forward to getting mine. Well, the second day we came back to our room and there it was. I must say, I was dissapointed. It was a small, flimsy little bag that actually looked like it might have been used before. When our trip was over, I didn't even want to bring it home, so we left it there. Maybe they reuse them?:D

[Copper10-8]

Hey guys, these are gifts, they cost you nothing, nada, zilch and you don't have to take them with you if you don't want/like them! Lots of folks do and find a use for them. Depending on what ship you're on, that's 793, 1258, 1316, 1380, 1432 or 1848 tote bags every cruise. I think it's a nice gesture on HAL's part. How many other lines do that?

[peaches from georgia]

I must say, I was dissapointed. It was a small, flimsy little bag that actually looked like it might have been used before. When our trip was over, I didn't even want to bring it home, so we left it there. Maybe they reuse them?:D
Just wondering what you were expecting? I have many and use them for all kinds of things- as a book bag, when taking paperwork to meetings, put travel materials in them when we are on a car trip, taking a towel and book to our pool here, etc. I think they are a good size for all kinds of uses.