POLL Cruise Documentation Arrival Time

[zorrosuncle]

Poll: PLease indicate in what time period before your LAST HAL cruise you received your cruise documentation:

[DFD1]

We always request documents be delivered at least 4 weeks prior to sailing date. This gives time to correct any mistakes...and there have been some...as well as the fact that we are often away and don't want to deal with worries about missing them.

Neither HAL nor the TA has expressed any problems with sending them early if the request is made at time of booking.

[jtl513]

Our last HAL cruise was a direct-book and didn't require any air, so we got them about 2 months before. (No special request to ship them early.)

[Sundagger]

My online agency said that the docs "generally arrive a week to 10 days" before departure. They did arrive 7 days before departure, but others on the same April Volendam cruise had theirs 6-8 weeks before departure. I'm changing agencies.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We always get our documents 6 - 8 weeks before the cruise.

[jtl513]

My online agency said that the docs "generally arrive a week to 10 days" before departure. They did arrive 7 days before departure, but others on the same April Volendam cruise had theirs 6-8 weeks before departure. I'm changing agencies.Maybe most of their clients use HAL air, which isn't set until about 30 days out.

[jhannah]

It's almost always around 6 weeks prior when we get our docs and dance!

[dfish]

As first time cruisers we were very excited to receive our docs last week. That is a little over 6 weeks out. We've been dancing, singing, hooping and hollering ever since.

Debbie

[sail7seas]

Our most recent set of docs were waiting for us when we arrived home from our Maasdam cruises. That's the best way to end a cruise........come home from a cruise and find the docs waiting for the next!!!

[hammybee]

I don't understand the first choice, "didn't arrive in time". In time for what? The docs are a formality and unnecessary for boarding.

They are however, fun to play with prior to the cruise.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

All our HAL cruises have left on a Saturday or Sunday and all our HAL documents (except for the one time we used on on-line agency) have arrived on the Thursday or Friday of what would be 7 weeks from our sailing date until our upcoming cruise. It seems that for most sailings that do not require HAL Air that the documents are sent out via DHL 2 Day on Tuesdays and arrive on Thursday. In my situation they arrive on Thursday at the main office then a runner sends them to the Branch office of my TA. I actually expected to get our Docs this past Friday since this past Sunday was 7 weeks but they have not arrived. The last Noordam cruise I was able to track that they were delivered to the TA thru the DHL but this time I still do not see that they have been sent yet. Now because this was not booked till after final payment was due I am guessing it could be delayed so we shall see how long it does take to get Docs this time. :)

[earl_m]

Each time with HAL it always comes a few days before i leave ,normaly 5 days. On the last week I stay near the phone waiting for my TA to call
me with the magic words. THERE IN!!!

[jhannah]

...come home from a cruise and find the docs waiting for the next!!! Yeah, yeah. That's right. Rub it in! :D

Indeed, what a fine way to end a cruise. I'm sure it lessens the shock of coming back to reality.

[samsonmo]

we receive these at least 4 weeks before actual sailing date. No problems at all:D