Should HAL go paperless?

[bepsf]

Princess is instituting E-Ticketing, but will still follow up with mailed packets that include luggage tags, Shore-Ex booklets, etc.
http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=1779 (http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=1779)

In the interest of cost-cutting or saving a few trees (your preference) - Should HAL follow suit?

[schertzcruiser]

The idea is good but putting it into effective action is very dificult. The Federal Government went paperless over 15 years ago. This resulted in an increase of paper usage as no one would trust the systems and made extra copies of everything for back up.

[kakalina]

If it would eliminate any waiting time at embarkation it might be somewhat acceptable. I think I would miss my wonderful "pleather" document case though.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I am sure the time is coming and probably sooner than we think. Like Princess they will still send us a packet that has information and excursions so that in a way will be our Documents that we can Doc Dance to. If anyone has done their immigration form on line recently you can see where this is getting set for it. Since we already fly and do amny other things by e-tickets why not our cruise.

[hammybee]

HAL will go the e-ticket route like all other passenger carriers. If done right however, they could maintain some semblence of the anticipation and fun that currently exists when the docs arrive. How about an e-mail with appropriate music ( Rasposdy in Blue?),animation and cyberfetti.

[Randyk47]

That's all we got for our Celebrity cruise in 2005 and, quite frankly, after the initial shock of being told all we'd get is e-docs it actually worked out quite well. Since we both work and getting deliveries by UPS/DHL/FedEx can sometimes be problematic I actually welcomed the email notification that our documents were ready for downloading and printing. The other advantage was that Celebrity was so automated that we actually didn't need most of the stuff we downloaded anyhow. Got to the terminal, showed our ID's, and they had pulled up our reservation before we could even show them our documents so we could have easily gotten by without them. Sure, it was nice to have them in hand and I guess I could "gee whiz" a set of circumstances where the documents could come in handy but then I can't remember the last time I had a real plane ticket and somehow I seem to have gotten on all my flights. Understand that not all folks have access to computers/printers and I'd assume their TA's would assist in printing out the necessary documents for those who really want paper in hand.

[newmexicoNita]

of course this was bound to happen sooner or later. As much as I really like regular docs and don't mind the cost of mailing them to my cliants I do see tha advantage. We are not living in the 1950s anymore. NMNIta

[fcorey]

It probably is only a matter of time. I am glad I booked with them and have a cruise soon so I have my set of souvenir pleather doc envelopes :D Could always print out e-docs and carry them in my doc cases... I wonder how many doc cases will then show up on eBay? ;)

[Namvet4]

I will play devils advocate here and take the position that based on my limited knowledge of HAL, but on the number of incidents reported here where HAL computer systems were apparently faulty, I would not want E-docs.
Randyk47 wrote that
The other advantage was that Celebrity was so automated that we actually didn't need most of the stuff we downloaded anyhow. Got to the terminal, showed our ID's, and they had pulled up our reservation before we could even show them our documents so we could have easily gotten by without them.
For customer comfort level, there is an assumption that HAL would have their systems in tiptop shape to handle this type of activity. If not, the margin for error increases. There is an expected level of service from HAL, just ask any apologists on this board. If that level of service for E-docs was not up to a level of “excellence” I feel that HAL would be jeopardizing their customer base. I am not saying that HAL will not pursue this format, I am just expressing my opinion that if they rush into it without testing the system and making it as bug free as possible, there will be issues.

An original hard copy in hand is worth a multitude in cyberspace! :)
just my 2 cents....

[happy cruzer]

Hi, We're all sitting at a computer viewing a website.

It's the people that don't have computers that would probably not like e docs if the system put in place is not all inclusive.

I think businesses often over look the large group of consumers that do not have cell phones and computers.

I'm sure some system could be put in place but paperless will probably be a misnomer. Maybe just less paper....

I think I like having a piece of paper for something that cost thousands of dollars and that is time sensitive once you are on the road away from your computer. And I own a business and do not deal paperless with the IRS, yuk it's hard to keep them straight as it is.:)

[sail7seas]

I'm imagine paperless docs are coming to HAL but it won't make me happy. So What. I'll deal with it but not like it. I still refuse to complete the Immigration Form on Line. I fill in the paper form we receive with our documents.

I don't pay bills on line; I don't do my banking on line; I have never entered any bank account number on the internet, not our Social Security Numbers.......Nothing.

When I got a new computer a few months ago, no worry with me discarding the old hard drive. Nothing on it anyone could want.

The only credit card I use on line I got specifically with a very low credit limit. If someone steals that number, good luck to them. They won't get very far.

[bepsf]

Hi, We're all sitting at a computer viewing a website.

It's the people that don't have computers that would probably not like e docs if the system put in place is not all inclusive.

I think businesses often over look the large group of consumers that do not have cell phones and computers.

I'm sure some system could be put in place but paperless will probably be a misnomer. Maybe just less paper....:)

I thought about folks in that situation - like my Uncle and Aunt who don't even have a computer for e-mail! (Imagine - talking on the phone? Sending a letter?)

I predict TA's will fill in the gaps and print/mail the necessary documents for folks like this.

[Atomica]

I'd miss my actual printed documents, but wouldn't necessarily mind the change.

I love being able to check in for my flights with Air Canada on-line, and print my own tickets, and I'd love to see that extended to cruising, if it's executed properly. The benefit for checking in online for your flights: no standing in those horrific lineups. Instead, you go straight to security. There'd have to be some incentive for the passengers to want to do that.

Initially, I think passengers should be given the option when they book: would you like paper tickets or e-docs?

[jhannah]

We already, in effect, have e-docs. When you fill out the immigration form online (never a problem with it, Sail ;) ) you print out an express boarding pass. That plus the charge card form and passports to swipe are all that's needed. They pulled the ticket out of the document booklet, but I think that's an unnecessary formality. If they can save a few dollars by doing this, I'd rather they save in the paper and distribution costs than to cut back onboard amenities.

[Bramcruiser]

Should and do you want are two different things. Theoretically I think HAL should and would eventually considering the way the travel industry is moving. Its only a matter of time. Personally, I'll miss the paper documents as they look so official and give everything the feeling you are special and about to embark on a journey. There's no excitement in not receiving documents in your mailbox. The email dance is just not the same.

David

[Namvet4]

We already, in effect, have e-docs. When you fill out the immigration form online (never a problem with it, Sail ;) ) you print out an express boarding pass. That plus the charge card form and passports to swipe are all that's needed. They pulled the ticket out of the document booklet, but I think that's an unnecessary formality. If they can save a few dollars by doing this, I'd rather they save in the paper and distribution costs than to cut back onboard amenities.

Now there is an assumption that the "profit " motive will not rear its ugly head!
;)

I would cherish the idea that the corporation would maintain any perceived savings as a method to forgo deleting any current amenities…. But the eternal pessimist in me shouts out…. "They’ll put it towards the bottom line…."
:rolleyes:

[fcorey]

I will play devils advocate here and take the position that based on my limited knowledge of HAL, but on the number of incidents reported here where HAL computer systems were apparently faulty, I would not want E-docs.


hard copy docs are only as good as HAL's system. They can still have errors too. My docs for my cruise have a little sticker for the cabin number because apparently they were printed wrong. There is another category and cabin number listed underneath the sticker.

As someone who has worked on large scale IT customer systems and CRM I can tell you having a single system would probaby be easier for them to administer and streamline operations for them.

That being said, I like the paper docs, it gives you something to look forward to. But I'd still book a cruise with HAL if they used e-docs and I am sure many of their faithful cruisers would also.

Hi, We're all sitting at a computer viewing a website.
It's the people that don't have computers that would probably not like e docs if the system put in place is not all inclusive.
I think businesses often over look the large group of consumers that do not have cell phones and computers.
I'm sure some system could be put in place but paperless will probably be a misnomer. Maybe just less paper....
I think I like having a piece of paper for something that cost thousands of dollars and that is time sensitive once you are on the road away from your computer. And I own a business and do not deal paperless with the IRS, yuk it's hard to keep them straight as it is.


Yes, you are correct about your assumption, but that group of consumers is shrinking. They could always do what the airlines do and that is issue a paper ticket if requested. They could also charge a nominal fee that covers the cost to them for printing and mailing those requests. I fly 20+ times a year for work. I cannot remember the last time I had a paper ticket, Its literally been years. This is also an something that a full service TA can provide a service to their customers that do not have computers. I always print an itinerary for all my trips, with copies of air, hotel reservations etc, and keep it in my laptop bag. Mostly for peace of mind and place to jot notes. I've never really had a cause to use it, but I guess old habits die hard ;)

[Krazy Kruizers]

I would not be happy if HAl starting doing everything on-line. Too many times their site is down and you can't book excursions, can't do immigration forms, etc.

We do not do any banking on-line, pay bills - nothing!!

When I got a new computer about 2 years ago, I didn't trust anyone -- I tore the tower apart myslef and destroyed everything in it!!! DH refers to me at times as the human cannon ball destroyer of everything that I get my hands on.

[Aussie Gal]

We have been using e-tickets for both our domestic and international airlines for years here so to me it wouldn't be any different.

I would miss receiving the wallet, but most of us have found the wallets are not as good as they were and now look quite plastic so that is not such a huge loss.

If airlines can keep track of us around the world, then surely HAL's computer will be able to look after us cruisers.

Jennie

[happy cruzer]

I think not sending out the docs might be a missed marketing op too. Booking things on line is pretty easy. But doing the shopping for excursions etc. might be more appealing with those docs that we all love to fondle. It's pretty easy for me online to not even look at the excursions if I think I need to save money and just walk around in a port. but if I have the hard copy of the excusions for my cruise, I will read it just to see what's going on. And sometimes I even book one.

So what I am saying is that when you know what you want, buying it online is pretty easy, but we when you want to look through something like a catalog and maybe make notes for other people in your party to look at the slick mailed out docs do a good job. I know you can print it, but it's not the same. just another thought.

I can go with either way. But I know that when I had to cancel one cruise and the TA could not send me an email saying it was cancelled I got really nervous. I mean there are thousands of dollars in the transaction, and I just had to wait for the credit to show up on my credit card?? If I can get a receipt, I will always get one.

[kryos]

Princess is instituting E-Ticketing, but will still follow up with mailed packets that include luggage tags, Shore-Ex booklets, etc.
http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=1779 (http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=1779)

In the interest of cost-cutting or saving a few trees (your preference) - Should HAL follow suit?
HAL should have went paperless years ago.

There is absolutely no reason to routinely print documents out. Oh, sure ... you can print them on request ... for a charge ... for those people who don't have a computer and have no access to someone with one. At some point, I predict, you won't even need to print documents because everything will be totally electronic. Just present your credit card and your reservation number and onboard you go. At least you don't have to deal with lost documents that way.

The airlines have been using e-ticketing for years. I love it ... it speeds up the whole check-in process immeasurably. No reason cruise lines can't do the same.

Celebrity also uses e-ticketing and my one Celebrity cruise had the fastest embarkation of all. When you print your documents out, you print one with a bar code. The people at embarkation simply wand this bar code, and onboard you go. What could be simplier than that?

As for shore excursion booklets. HAL lets you print them off from the website too ... so there is really no reason to even send them out. If they'd improve their website a bit, I'd bet more people would book their excursions online too. I always do. And, in the case of people without a computer, I'm sure their travel agent can maintain a few extra copies of shore excursion booklets in her office, and can also assist her clients in booking them online.

Blue skies ...

--rita

[Namvet4]

hard copy docs are only as good as HAL's system. They can still have errors too. My docs for my cruise have a little sticker for the cabin number because apparently they were printed wrong. There is another category and cabin number listed underneath the sticker.

As someone who has worked on large scale IT customer systems and CRM I can tell you having a single system would probaby be easier for them to administer and streamline operations for them.

That being said, I like the paper docs, it gives you something to look forward to. But I'd still book a cruise with HAL if they used e-docs and I am sure many of their faithful cruisers would also.

;)

fcorey,
My point was not the simplicity or complexity of the HAL system and its inherent databases and OS intricacies. I concur that there is a positive aspect to a singular system. Rather I am concerned about the certainty and validity in the process. Like you, I am involved in the industry and I recognize GIGO. And of course, I agree that even with original hard documents there is always a chance for error. I suppose part of my position was that there is a greater complexity of processing electronic data vs. proof reading paper documents. ( I hope they still do that! :) )I appreciate your response and in deference to your years of experience with E-docs I agree that it is the future, as much as many here may feel uncomfortable with its inevitable arrival.

[fcorey]

fcorey,
My point was not the simplicity or complexity of the HAL system and its inherent databases and OS intricacies. I concur that there is a positive aspect to a singular system. Rather I am concerned about the certainty and validity in the process. Like you, I am involved in the industry and I recognize GIGO. And of course, I agree that even with original hard documents there is always a chance for error. I suppose part of my position was that there is a greater complexity of processing electronic data vs. proof reading paper documents. ( I hope they still do that! :) )I appreciate your response and in deference to your years of experience with E-docs I agree that it is the future, as much as many here may feel uncomfortable with its inevitable arrival.

As I said I still print out hard copies myself, partly as old habits die hard, and I'm anal about plans in general. Also working in IT, I am sure you've had experiences where a hard copy can save your tail.
If they decide to do e-docs I hope that they take their time and do it well and not rush into it as an opportunity to save a couple of bucks. That would be doubly disappointing.
There is simply something about the tangible nature of the cruise docs, particularly as they are packaged by HAL in the pleather doc envelop, which just adds to the experience. Our carnival docs were in a cardboard folder, not nearly as nice :)

[herb]

as long as I can get on the ship, could care less whether it is "paper" or "plastic" :D

[aaerobear]

And when you print the docs off the internet, you use YOUR paper not theirs. :D

[bdcbbq]

I always print an itinerary for all my trips, with copies of air, hotel reservations etc, and keep it in my laptop bag. Mostly for peace of mind and place to jot notes. I've never really had a cause to use it, but I guess old habits die hard ;)

I download them all to my TREO and keep a back up copy on the disk in my wallet. :D

[jhannah]

And when you print the docs off the internet, you use YOUR paper not theirs. :D Yes, you do. One sheet of paper, front and back, for the express boarding pass.

[unclerich]

And when was the last time you thought about your "passbook" savings account? And going to the bank so they could 'enter' your interest?:)

Richard

[fcorey]

I download them all to my TREO and keep a back up copy on the disk in my wallet. :D

for work travel i do keep some stuff on my blackberry...but there is no way I carry it on vacation, my wife would hit me over the head with it...or worse yet toss it overboard :eek:

[RuthC]

And when was the last time you thought about your "passbook" savings account? And going to the bank so they could 'enter' your interest?
Um, I still have a couple of those accounts.

One of the things that concerns me about e-documents is what happens the day when there is a complete system/power failure. True, it won't happen often, but when it does it's doing to be a doozie of a difficulty.

I'm remembering August, 2003 when there was a huge power failure in the eastern half of the United States. Trying to check in for the cruise from NYC was a challenge. Among other things, I was glad for those pieces of paper in my hand.

[Sunshine91]

Herb - paper or plastic? OMG! I like the way you think. Had a good giggle at that one. And I agree with you.

Sail & KK - Someday you will be required to give up those numbers. Social Security recipients MUST have their benefit checks direct deposited, a form of e-banking. Just curious - how do you handle bill-paying on longer cruises? I guess that's probably best for another thread.

Ruth - You are absolutely right about systems failures. There HAVE to be back-up procedures in place. E-docs will only work if the cruisers print the forms themselves. That way there is still a hard copy, just like the ticket booklets of today. I don't see how we can go completely paperless, because we still depend on that e-juice to run the computers.

[fcorey]

Um, I still have a couple of those accounts.

One of the things that concerns me about e-documents is what happens the day when there is a complete system/power failure. True, it won't happen often, but when it does it's doing to be a doozie of a difficulty.



RuthC, I understand your concern. In one of my old jobs I was part of a team that designed a hospital records system. Because we were dealing with confidential medical records there were security, as well as reliability concerns. Such a system can be built, but requires careful planning. Power failure is the easiest to take care of. Personally I have discovered that having a generator to power the essentials in an emergency is a good thing especially in the cold winters up here :)

[cruznon]

I'm sure that e-docs are inevitable, but I much prefer the arrival of docs in the lovely blue pleather wallet. It's so exciting to have those docs in hand...then there's the docs dance.

e-docs...bummer

[bdcbbq]

for work travel i do keep some stuff on my blackberry...but there is no way I carry it on vacation, my wife would hit me over the head with it...or worse yet toss it overboard :eek:

My wife would take hers with her. She has Scrabble installed and loves to play it. She would spend quite a bit of time curled up, with a cup of coffee playing it on sea days, while I was in the casino.:)

[SnorkelBear]

I'm okay with HAL going "paperless", but won't the cost of all those bidets be prohibitive?:rolleyes:

[sail7seas]

Sail & KK - Someday you will be required to give up those numbers. Social Security recipients MUST have their benefit checks direct deposited, a form of e-banking. Just curious - how do you handle bill-paying on longer cruises? I guess that's probably best for another thread.



:) Unless my thinking changes by the time we receive SS Checks......if that ever actually happens and they don't run out of money.......

I'll probably open a separate account just for that use and keep our other funds elsewhere.

Seems every day we hear about someone who had their laptop stolen from their car or house and it contained information that was not encoded and they were never authorized to have downloaded onto their computers.

Remember all the veterans records. Sovereign Bank had a biggie theft of information recently. Not a week goes by we don't hear of another security breach of our carefully protected information.

[RevNeal]

SnorkelBear ... you BEAT ME TO IT ... by seconds!!!!!

When I read Brian's Thread Title I started laughing and clicked on to respond: "if not paper, then what are we expected to use ... our hands??? Won't that cause Norwalk problems?????" :D :rolleyes:

[kryos]

And when was the last time you thought about your "passbook" savings account? And going to the bank so they could 'enter' your interest?:)

Wow! I forgot about that. Yep, a blast from the past. :)

Blue skies ...

--rita

[kryos]

Um, I still have a couple of those accounts.

One of the things that concerns me about e-documents is what happens the day when there is a complete system/power failure. True, it won't happen often, but when it does it's doing to be a doozie of a difficulty.

Not a concern at all. I am sure HAL has a very sophisticated backup/recovery mechanism in place. I am sure they also have redundancy built into their system. The info is stored in several places not in any way linked, but backed up and synchronized on a regular basis ... perhaps daily, perhaps even hourly. If a massive power failure struck which took out the entire database (perhaps causing physical damage to the disk array by a surge, etc.), the system would automatically switch over to one of the backup sites ... located in another building and probably another state, and continue running from that. When the original site was back up ... repairs or replacement drives in place, the data would be synched from the backup site and then switched back over.

Believe me, HAL wouldn't be caught with their pants down in a situation like this. They have too much money tied up in those reservations and if they would theoretically lose the database before a cruise, they could leave themselves open for major fraud ... people claiming to have reservations, but actually didn't.

True, you and I are probably very careless in backing up our information on our pc's at home. I hate to admit this ... but I've never done a full backup of my database here at home. But even I take some precautions ... like sending important files via email to myself at work, and then storing them on a network drive there ... a drive that is automatically backed up every single night ... by this handy robotic system called ADIC ... a system our union fought like hell against, but is now actually proving to be a blessing.

Businesses, unlike you and me, can't afford a lax attitude concerning their disaster recovery options. There is too much at stake. Don't ever worry about HAL losing all the information. It won't happen. Not in this day and age of relatively low cost backup schemes.

Blue skies ...

--rita

[xpcdoojk]

I like my cruise documents. I like to read thru them. If it was on my computer screen I would look at them like I did about half of the replies on this thread (I didn't read em:D ). I find reading the documents very educational and I want to receive mine. As far as check in goes, anyone with access to a computer that doesn't do everything online before they leave for the cruise deserves to be stuck in the line for the terminally slow. :p

jc

[Himself]

I don't have a problem with E-Ticketing. I have used them on Airlines for several years. I usually download a receipt from the website at the t ime I order

[RuthC]

Just a quick question for Frank and Rita---you didn't address this part in your posts:
How is HAL supposed to process all those e-documents at check-in when there's no electricity? How do you access all those back-up systems you're talking about when you can't run the darned things?

That check-in in NYC during the power failure was a mess, but at least there was a paper trail. The balance of what needed to be done could be handled once on board, but ya had ta get there first.

[bepsf]

How is HAL supposed to process all those e-documents at check-in when there's no electricity? How do you access all those back-up systems you're talking about when you can't run the darned things?



They could run an extension cord from the ship...
;) :D

[RuthC]

Of course, Brian. How silly of me. :rolleyes: And they could borrow all the power strips they want from the passengers bringing them for all their own electronic equipment.
Just don't let anyone onboard until the processing is finished. Or else something's gonna go pheept! :D

[Randyk47]

E-docs or no e-docs there'd be a real problem checking anybody in if the computers went down. Remember e-docs are just another form of the "mailed" documents that you download from the Internet rather than have them mailed to you. The information on the computer at the terminal is the same and is not directly impacted by how you got your documents.

[fcorey]

Just a quick question for Frank and Rita---you didn't address this part in your posts:
How is HAL supposed to process all those e-documents at check-in when there's no electricity? How do you access all those back-up systems you're talking about when you can't run the darned things?

That check-in in NYC during the power failure was a mess, but at least there was a paper trail. The balance of what needed to be done could be handled once on board, but ya had ta get there first.

The hospital system we built had two generators the size of semi trailers, each had two diesel powerplants in them and a UPS system with battery power. When they lose power, the computer and critical systems run on battery for about 60 seconds, but there is capacity on the UPS for about 90 minutes with everything running. When they are running on UPS it triggers a transfer switch that starts up the generators, cant miss when that happens all 4 smokestacks come roaring to life. Once the generators are spun up and running at full power (about a minute) the power is then fed by them rather than battery. They stay running as long as power is off, once power has been restored and up for 5 minutes the transfer switch then moves back to the street power source and begins to shut down the generators. Each generator had a diesel tank with about 800 gallons. I dont remember offhand how long they could run but I know it was more than 24 hours.

Brian, extension cords! Why didnt I think of that one ;)

[RuthC]

So, Frank, what you're saying is that as long as we're checking in for our cruise at your hospital there's no problem.
Is that it? :confused:

[fcorey]

RuthC, I'd be more than happy to design a system for HAL, I may even accept cruises as payment ;)

[HeatherInFlorida]

I love E-Docs! We had them our last 2 cruises with Celebrity and as someone else said, once over the initial shock I really found them much better than the mailed docs.

Once your print them they look no different really. Everything is exactly the same as mailed docs. And my pleather doc case is still in wonderful shape. I just dump them in there.

I thought the baggage tag thing would be an issue, but it's not at all. They slapped those on so fast at the pier I barely noticed!

Overall, I found it very efficient. If there's anything wrong at all with the docs, it's no time at all you get your new ones. I printed out 2 sets so I'd have a back-up.

Much as I usually balk at change of any kind. this was one I found very acceptable if not preferable!:D

[herb]

I'm going to buy myself a dark blue "pleather" document holder at Staples and when my e-docs are ready to be printed out I will put them in there. :D

[Aussie Gal]

And when was the last time you thought about your "passbook" savings account? And going to the bank so they could 'enter' your interest?:)

Richard

That is not as funny as it sounds. My 90 year old mother still has her passbook savings account and I often go to the bank to get her interest from her investments recorded in it :)

Perhaps we who live "downunder" are a little behind the U.S.A. which is not such a bad thing to be. ;)

Jennie

[SnorkelBear]

Aussie Gal,

No reason to extend the nails. This is a friendly forum. I might have to rethink my childhood love of Olivia Newton John.

[Aussie Gal]

Aussie Gal,

No reason to extend the nails. This is a friendly forum. I might have to rethink my childhood love of Olivia Newton John.

You obviously do not know me at all in fact I am insulted that you thought I was being vindictive. I certainly was not taking a snipe at anyone in the U.S. hence the smiley, but just pointing out a fact that we are still a little behind you in some things which can be beneficial to us. We follow you in most ways but occasionally it is good to see that we do have minds of our own.

Jennie.

[HeatherInFlorida]

Snorkelbear, Jennie is our friend as is Australia. I think you completely misinterpreted her post.

Jennie, not to worry. Frankly, I agree with you!!! There are some "changes" in our times that we could do without! I love the old "passbook" savings accounts.

The best of all was finding a passbook in your grandmother's belongings and going to get the interest updated:D . There were some pretty hefty fortunes to be found that way!

[SnorkelBear]

Aussie,

My apology is extended. Sometimes I get a little worked up with World politics. My bad. No room for that in the cruisin world. Besides, just between you and me, I think I am still in love with Olivia. Please don't tell my wife.

[Aussie Gal]

Heather,

Thanks for vindicating me and being such a good friend. I certainly meant no malice. Actually it is my mother that has the passbook account!

SnorkelBear,

Apology accepted. I love cruising and that is the reason I post on this Board. We have met and made some great friends through cruising and hope to meet many more.

Jennie

[unclerich]

That is not as funny as it sounds. My 90 year old mother still has her passbook savings account and I often go to the bank to get her interest from her investments recorded in it :)

Perhaps we who live "downunder" are a little behind the U.S.A. which is not such a bad thing to be. ;)

Jennie

No insult perceived, Aussie Gal. As the Pennsylvania Dutch in Amish country say:

"The faster I go, the behinder I get"
Unknown

Richard

[happy cruzer]

Ok please tell me about this. Do you receive a cruise contract? Does it spell out exactly what is included? port fees, taxes, category of cabin? Then you print out the entire contract and carry that withyou incase something happens and you need to know the details while you are traveling. Is the only thing different that the passenger does the printing instead of recieving it printed in the mail? When do you get your edocs?

I think I had an easier time getting used to air edocs because

not so much money involved
if one flight is messed up then you can just move to a later flight

I am going to start adapting now, I know it is coming.

[Randyk47]

With Celebrity it was quite easy. When you booked the cruise you simply told the TA and, in turn, the cruise line that you had an email address. Several weeks before the cruise, and I want to say it was something like 5 to 6 weeks before, I got an email with a link embedded in it to my documents. Click the link and you went to a Celebrity site with a link to your documents. You could send them directly to your printer or save them to your computer for future printing. The documents were an Adobe file that was several pages long and once printed had all the information you'd typically get with a standard package mailed to you. Everything was there like your cabin, dining arrangements, itinerary, shore excursions, and so on.

[HeatherInFlorida]

Happy cruiser, it was different for me than for Randy. We booked through an online agent who automatically sends Edocs when the line has that availability.

So when the docs were ready, my TA send me the docs directly. They told me that they always check over them first for any discrepancies. There was no link. They came as an Adobe attachment which I saved for file. I printed them out, but had they gotten lost anywhere I also had them saved on my computer.

They were identical to the docs I got prior to that. I can't remember whether taxes and fees showed on tickets, but I compared it to my friend's and they were exactly the same except they didn't come in the little binder Celebrity provides for snail mail docs.

Yes, to ease your mind, the only difference is that you are printing them instead of the cruise line.

I also noticed I got them quite a bit sooner (at least 10 days) than the rest of my Roll Call who were not getting EDocs so that was a plus. They were very jealous!

Believe me, if I adjusted this easily ... anyone can:o . I'm literally allergic to change of any kind!!!:D

[Randyk47]

Heather - Sounds like the difference was mostly how our respective TA's handled the linking of the e-docs. The salient point is that the documents were pretty much what I would have expected to get if they'd been mailed to me and, as with you, we seemingly got them earlier than folks who were waiting for "snail mail". :) Once we got over the idea of not getting the UPS/DHL/FedEx package....and, quite frankly the associated rush or thrill one gets.....it really didn't make any difference. After everything was said and done our biggest concern was bag tags and that turned out not to be an issue once we were at the terminal.

[agabbymama]

I've been reading this thread, and noticing some of the folks saying Celebrity sent them edocs. I'm booked on 9/24 New England/Canada Constellation cruise, provided my email address directly to Celebrity, and I have received about four emails from Celebrity, but my cruise documents were sent to me in the mail with very nice (airline type) bright yellow with black letters baggage tags pre-printed with our name/cabin location. I did do the pre-registration on-line and printed the express pass, but actually received two envelopes in the mail. The first one was all of the excursions offered on our cruise, then the second one about three days later was a spiral bound booklet with the cruise contract, immigration form, credit card account form, a repeat of all of the excursions and the baggage tags, all completed with the info I had input on-line.

I still have my pleather (dark blue) wallet from my first HAL cruise in 1999. Actually, I use that wallet for all my travels. It's larger than a normal wallet and allows room for the passport, travelers checks, real money, airline e-tickets and any other documents I want to take, but still fits easily in my purse.

NCL and RCCL both sent e-docs without even asking which I preferred. No wallet and no luggage tags until you got to the pier. You still get excited when the documents arrive though whether by email or mail.:D

[HeatherInFlorida]

agabb, it all depends on your TA ... their arrangement with Celebrity, etc. As I mentioned, my friend had the notebook when I had the EDocs.

[HoneyGV]

I am sure the time is coming and probably sooner than we think. Like Princess they will still send us a packet that has information and excursions so that in a way will be our Documents that we can Doc Dance to. If anyone has done their immigration form on line recently you can see where this is getting set for it. Since we already fly and do amny other things by e-tickets why not our cruise.

Ahhhh to remember the days when an "E-Ticket" meant that you got to ride the best ride at Disney World. :)

[HoneyGV]

We already, in effect, have e-docs. When you fill out the immigration form online (never a problem with it, Sail ;) ) you print out an express boarding pass. That plus the charge card form and passports to swipe are all that's needed. They pulled the ticket out of the document booklet, but I think that's an unnecessary formality. If they can save a few dollars by doing this, I'd rather they save in the paper and distribution costs than to cut back onboard amenities.

I trust using my credit card online more than I trust handing the card over to someone who takes it away from me and into another room to complete the transaction. When someone actually has their petty little paws on my card is when I'm going to worry if I were to worry about it. I have ONE CC that I use for online transactions.

As long as an "E" ticket allows me to print out and have a hard copy of my transaction to have in hand in case the puter fouls up...it's ok with me.