Pre-Cruise Docs Question

[Debi_D]

I have sailed on HAL 11 times but had a bad experience and I have been sailing on others the past 5 years. I don't remember if HAL sends out Pre-Cruise Documents or just the regular ones before you sail.

With Princess and Celebrity we have received Pre-Cruise and I am not sure about HAL, can anybody enlighten me....Also how far out does HAL send your Cruise Documents, I believe on our last cruise it was about 3 weeks prior to our sailing....

Thanks everyone...
Deb

[Krazy Kruizers]

If you have booked a pre-cruise package through HAL, then the information will be included with your cruise documents.

If you have booked HAL air, you won't get your documents until about 2 - 3 weeks before you leave.

[jhannah]

Yep. Nothing in advance of the actual cruise ticket/contract package. They encourage you to fill out your immigration form online (and bring a copy with you) and select your shore excursions as well. You can download a PDF version of the shore excursion book so you can read over it. (One will come with your document package ... but we've already made our reservations by then.) We have generally received our docs 5-6 weeks out. This time, for some reason, it was only 3. Where are you sailing, Deb, and on which ship?

[Stevesan]

It is correct that HAL does not send pre-cruise packages. However, Unless you've requested HAL air arrangements, you will receive your documents ~6 weeks prior to sailing date. We just recently booked our first Princess cruise, and a statement on our cruise segment invoice states that "cruise documents will be sent to you 7 to 10 days prior to your embarkation date". If that is correct, it would explain Princess' early pre-cruise package.

[Debi_D]

Hello everyone and big thanks I thought that would be my answer. I have already filled out the information online and printed for check-in...

Vegas Jim - How are you? I was the one that left the candy and a note in the pockets of your robes on the Coral Princess back in January. We are doing the western caribbean (providing the islands are okay) on the Oosterdam. We have sailed on HAL quiet a few times prior and now we are trying it again.

Luckly we have done these island so many time before we don't mind just sitting onboard and watching the world go by:D

Deb

[RevNeal]

Also how far out does HAL send your Cruise Documents....

How far out do you want them to send them? I'm not sure Fed Express ships to the moon yet, but it may be on the list in about 25 years. :D ;)

[RuthC]

How far out do you want them to send them? I'm not sure Fed Express ships to the moon yet, but it may be on the list in about 25 years. :D ;)A bit playful today, eh, Greg?
Sounds like someone is ready for his cruise.

[RevNeal]

A bit playful today, eh, Greg?
Sounds like someone is ready for his cruise.

Yes, VERY playful! :) And, yes, I'm ready. Actually, I'm more than ready. One year ago today I was on the Volendam in Alaska. It was a wonderful cruise ... but it was also a LONG time ago, and since then I've not had much time "off." I've been noticing that, over the past 3 or so months, the time that it takes me to prepare a sermon for Sunday morning services has gotten longer and longer.

Normally it takes me between 10 - 15 hours of research and planning and writing and reviewing to prepare a 20 Sunday morning sermon; because i don't like waiting until the last minute (i.e., Saturday night), I'm usually finished with my preparation by Thursday at lunch time. Last week, however, I didn't finish my sermon preparation until sometime late Saturday night. Counting up the number of hours it took me to prepare my 22 minute sermon, I discovered (to my horror) that it came out at nearly 24 hours ... in other words, I averaged more than an hour of research and writing time for each minute of preaching time. And, during those hours, I must have developed 6 different sermon outlines and 14 additional different thematic approaches ... none of which I really liked.

To put it simply, I've gone dry. Tonight I was in hopes of getting a head start on next Sunday by looking at the lectionary appointments for next Sunday, but I didn't find a THING that interested me. At least, not yet. Thankfully, I only have one more Sunday morning sermon to deliver before I depart on 3 weeks of bliss. I PRAY I can make it.

[RuthC]

Time to recycle! Greg, dig out an old sermon that meets the same criteria and give it again. You've been at this long enough that there's got to be something in the ol' file cabinet.

If anyone mentions it sounds familiar tell 'em it was a test to see if they pay attention. And they passed.
Then congrautulate them and change the subject.

[jhannah]

Vegas Jim - How are you? I was the one that left the candy and a note in the pockets of your robes on the Coral Princess back in January.Doin' well. Thanks for asking! I remember that surprise vividly. That was the last cruise we went on, so it's more than time for another. Can hardly wait for Saturday morning when we leave for Lisbon and the Prinsendam. I know you'll enjoy the Oosterdam. We sailed on her sister Zuiderdam and really liked the ship.

[RevNeal]

Time to recycle! Greg, dig out an old sermon that meets the same criteria and give it again. You've been at this long enough that there's got to be something in the ol' file cabinet.

It's not quite that easy ... I wish it were. The good news is that I now only have one more sermon to prepare, and thus far it seems to be going ok. The lectionary for this week has some more interesting, not to mention challenging, ideas in it ... ideas I can get my exegetical teeth into. :) And, of course, this is the LAST one before I depart!!!!!!!! :)