CruznRagtop
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After speaking to Karen in the World Cruise and Grand Voyages Department of HAL on Tuesday afternoon, I believe those who have a Future Dam Certificate for the Fall 2020 Grand Africa will be notified by HAL or his or her travel agent beginning Monday, June 3.
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This afternoon I telephoned HAL's World Cruise and Grand Voyages Department and spoke to Karen. I asked her to update me on the Fall 2020 Grand Africa voyage.
After she brought up my Mariner Club record, she informed me she and her colleagues are currently working on "placeholders." When I asked her to explain, she said those guests who have a Future Dam Certificate for the Fall 2020 Grand Africa are in the process of having a booking created in the category requested with attention paid to the stateroom numbers the guest specified. When this process is completed, the guest or his or her travel agent will be notified, and a deposit will be required.
She estimated these notifications will go out "beginning next Monday, June 3rd."
Even I am on a road trip and not "connected" 24/7, I shall check here periodically to see if anyone has received a formal notification from HAL or a travel agent.
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So far as I know, and I have not checked since Sunday evening, there has not been a roll call established for the 2020 Grand Africa Voyage.
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Thank you, Kazu and kb4683!
The only change I see from the map scubadawg posted on Tuesday is Muscat is showing on the map, but I don't see it on the itinerary. Has anyone else noticed any other difference(s)?
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As of yesterday afternoon HAL may not need to post this voyage on their website because of the number of "Future Dam Booking Fall Grand Africa" reservations they already have. The representative to whom I spoke informed me this reservations list numbers "in the hundreds." Contact will be made via email to either the guest or his or her travel agent "at the end of May."
When buying a Future Dam Booking Fall Grand Africa reservation, the representative told me a guest should specify the stateroom category and three preferred stateroom numbers.
If anyone wants or needs a complete listing of the ports of call, please let me know.
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Speaking personally, I do not book with Holland America directly, but rather my travel agent does the booking (and saves me a lot of money). I am not nearly so well traveled as many who post in the HAL forums, but I can think offhand of three means to have a guest's name added to the Future Dam Booking reservation list:
1. While on a HAL cruise, speak to the future cruise consultant. He or she will have your name entered on the list for a payment of $100.00 for each guest whose name is listed.
2. Telephone HAL at 877 SAIL HAL, ask to be transferred to the World Cruise and Grand Voyages desk (they have a direct dial number, but I don't have it handy), speak to a representative and request a Future Dam Booking; in this case you would specify Fall Grand Africa. Your credit card will then be charged $100.00 for each guest on the reservation.
3. Email or telephone your travel agent and request a Future Dam Booking. What follows is outlined in No. 2 above.
A more knowledgeable person may add to the three steps I've outlined above so you may have more options.
Looking forward to seeing your name on a roll call for a HAL World Cruise or Grand Voyage in the future!
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As of yesterday afternoon HAL may not need to post this voyage on their website because of the number of "Future Dam Booking Fall Grand Africa" reservations they already have. The representative to whom I spoke informed me this reservation list numbers "in the hundreds." Contact will be made via email with the guest or his or her travel agent "at the end of May."
When buying a Future Dam Booking Grand Africa reservation, the representative told me the guest should specify the stateroom category and three preferred stateroom numbers.
If anyone wants or needs a complete list of the ports of call, please let me know.
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As of yesterday afternoon HAL may not need to post this voyage on their website because of the number of "Future Dam Booking Fall Grand Africa" reservations they already have. The representative to whom I spoke informed me this reservation list numbers "in the hundreds." Contact will be made via email to either the guest or his or her travel agent "at the end of May."
When buying a Future Dam Booking Fall Grand Africa reservation, the representative told me a guest should specify the stateroom category and three preferred stateroom numbers.
If anyone needs or wants a complete listing of the ports of call, please let me know.
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Spoke to a representative in HAL's World Cruise and Grand Voyages department Thursday afternoon. She asked if I had a "Future Dam Booking Fall Grand Africa," I replied in the negative, and she suggested that I make such a booking immediately because there are "hundreds" of guests who already have this Future Dam Booking. She also informed me that it would be best if I specified the category and three stateroom numbers in that category I would prefer. HAL will email either the guest, if the guest books directly, or the guest's travel agent at the end of May to confirm the booking. There is "every likelihood" HAL will not be listing this voyage on their website because they "will not need to."
After speaking to her, I emailed my TA, he bought a Future Dam Booking Fall Grand Africa at $100.00 for me, and I have now joined the list of hopefuls. I also checked this afternoon with another representative in HAL's World Cruise and Grand Voyages department, and the story is the same as it was yesterday afternoon.
Hope this information may be helpful to someone reading this post.
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Thank you very much, scubadawg!
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When I started this thread, I had posted that the representative I had spoken to in HAL's World Cruise and Grand Voyages department had told me bookings for the general public would open at the end of May. I called Thursday afternoon, got a different representative in the same department, and she repeated what her colleague had told me last week. My TA has made a note to check on Friday, May 31 with the HAL World Cruise and Grand Voyages department and telephone me with the result of his inquiry. Of course I realize some of you may have information earlier, so I'll check back here as time permits.
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Grand Africa 2020 cruise is 79 days: October 3 embarkation in Boston, October 5 in New York, and October 8 in Fort Lauderdale; disembarkation is December 21 in Fort Lauderdale.
Itinerary includes:
Portugal
Morocco
Spain
Tunisia
Malta
Suez Canal
Jordan
Oman
Seychelles
Kenya
Tanzania
Mayotte
Madagascar
Mozambique
South Africa
Namibia
Angola
Ghana
Ivory Coast
Gambia
Senegal
Cape Verde
Puerto Rico
with 2 days in Aqaba (Petra)
" " " " Mombasa and
" 3 days in Cape Town.
The voyage is not yet appearing on HAL's website, I called the World Cruise and Grand Voyages Department Thursday, and the rep told me the voyage would be available for booking "in late May."
I don't believe a roll call has been established.
Cheers,
Dee
cruznragtop@gmail.com
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Grand Africa 2020 cruise is 79 days: October 3 embarkation in Boston, October 5 in New York, and October 8 in Fort Lauderdale; disembarkation is December 21 in Fort Lauderdale.
Itinerary includes:
Portugal
Morocco
Spain
Tunisia
Malta
Suez Canal
Jordan
Oman
Seychelles
Kenya
Tanzania
Mayotte
Madagascar
Mozambique
South Africa
Namibia
Angola
Ghana
Ivory Coast
Gambia
Senegal
Cape Verde
Puerto Rico
with 2 days in Aqaba (Petra)
" " " " Mombasa and
" 3 days in Cape Town.
The voyage is not yet appearing on HAL's website, I telephoned the World Cruise and Grand Voyages Department Thursday, and the rep told me the cruise would be available for booking "in late May."
Cheers,
Dee
cruznragtop@gmail.com
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Sorry I did not get over here to post sooner!
Grand Africa 2020 cruise is 79 days: October 3 embarkation in Boston, October 5 in New York, or October 8 in Fort Lauderdale; December 21 disembarkation in Fort Lauderdale.
Itinerary includes:
Portugal
Morocco
Spain
Tunisia
Malta
Suez Canal
Jordan
Oman
Seychelles
Kenya
Tanzania
Mayotte
Madagascar
Mozambique
South Africa
Namibia
Angola
Ghana
Ivory Coast
Gambia
Senegal
Cape Verde
Puerto Rico
with 2 days in Aqaba (Petra)
" " " " Mombasa and
" 3 days in Cape Town.
The voyage is not yet appearing on HAL's website, I telephoned the World Cruise and Grand Voyage Department Thursday, and the rep told me it would be available for booking "in late May."
I don't believe a roll call has been established yet.
Cheers,
Dee
cruznragtop@gmail.com
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Grand Africa 2020 cruise is 79 days, October 3 embarkation and December 21 disembarkation in Fort Lauderdale (also possible to embark in Fort Lauderdale).
Itinerary includes:
Portugal
Morocco
Spain
Tunisia
Malta
Suez Canal
Jordan
Oman
Seychelles
Kenya
Tanzania
Mayotte
Madagascar
Mozambique
South Africa
Namibia
Angola
Ghana
Ivory Coast
Gambia
Senegal
Cape Verde
Puerto Rico
with 2 days in Aqaba (Petra)
" " " " Mombasa and
" 3 " " Cape Town.
The voyage is not yet appearing on HAL's website, but a representative on their World Cruise and Grand Voyages department told me today in a telephone conversation that bookings would open to the general public at the end of May.
A roll call has not yet been established to the best of my knowledge.
Cheers,
Dee
cruznragtop@gmail.com
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Grand Africa 2020 cruise is 79 days, October 3 embarkation in Boston and December 21 disembarkation in Fort Lauderdale.
Itinerary includes:
Portugal
Morocco
Spain
Tunisia
Malta
Suez Canal
Jordan
Oman
Seychelles
Kenya
Tanzania
Mayotte
Madagascar
Mozambique
South Africa
Namibia
Angola
Ghana
Ivory Coast
Gambia
Senegal
Cape Verde
Puerto Rico
with 2 days in Aqaba (Petra)
" " " " Mombasa and
" 3 days in Cape Town.
I believe, but am not certain, guest may embark either in Boston or Fort Lauderdale. Perhaps someone reading this will know.
The voyage is not yet appearing on HAL's website, but then the HAL website is problematical in my experience.
Have not checked for a roll call, but will do so over the coming weekend.
Cheers,
Dee
cruznragtop@gmail.com
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Picking up on both Hawaiidan's list and Crusing-along's post, I would add that you get in writing the on board credit (OBC) when you book. There is a large agency that books cruises exclusively, they have grown and continue to grow, but they refuse to put the on board credit in writing when you book. I did not, fortunately, learn "the hard way" with them, but when I cancelled the reservation (at no charge), I got the same great price from another agency with a great agent--and $200.00 more on board credit per person, $400.00 for two, on a 21-day cruise!
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Wondering if one could embark on the Grand Africa cruise in either Boston on October 3 following the September 26 cruise or several days later in Fort Lauderdale, but the end of the Grand Africa cruise would be in Fort Lauderdale because it doesn't make sense to me that the Amsterdam would sail from Fort Lauderdale to Boston in December. What are your thoughts?
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I have friends who are President's Club members who are currently aboard the Amsterdam on the World Cruise. They recently gave me the telephone number of their contact at the Grand and World Cruises desk at HAL, so I called earlier today and spoke to their contact. She told me the Grand Africa will be available to book anytime between May 1 and July 31, but her best guess is that the itinerary and booking information will be on the HAL website by the end of June. She offered to email me the particulars as soon as they are available, and I thanked her.
Thought I would share this with all of you because I realize I am not the only one here who is eagerly awaiting this information.
Dee
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I am booked on a long cruise with Cruise and Maritime Voyages on the Marco Polo, and while I have cruised on the Marco Polo some years ago, I have never before cruised with CMV. I am getting confused about their dress code: What would a lady wear on an "informal night," and what would she wear on a "semi formal night?"
In the past I have had experience with smart casual, informal, and formal nights on Holland America ships, but I don't know if "informal night" on CMV ships is the same as "smart casual" or "informal" on HAL!
Thank you in advance for any pointers anyone may care to share.
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Would appreciate your input on whether I should buy a new Nikon at the Singapore airport (Terminal 1) or Dubai airport (Terminal 3). I will have two hours to shop at the airport in Singapore and one hour when I change planes in Dubai. Do you believe there would be either a selection or price advantage at one over the other?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions!
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I don't have "what ifs" or "just in case" items - I have a finely honed packing list after years of various types of travel. Some things you can find easily in a US city or on a large cruise ship just aren't available in some places.
That said - I do try to minimize. Things I haven't used in 20+ years of travel (moleskin) no longer make the cut. Compeed (blister) bandaids do. But I don't need a 30 days' supply either.
Do what you need to do for your mental health, but don't stress too much about it either.....
Great advice!
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I suddenly find myself in a wheelchair; I'm leaving on the Star in a few weeks. Is it typical to find a wheelchair accessible stall in the bathrooms on public decks, or should I be planning to return to my cabin for such matters?
The Access Desk didn't really know. Or didn't want to commit (fair enough).
Here's the deck plan matrix:
https://www.ncl.com/cruise-ship/star/deck-plans
and it's not a huge help either.
If you choose, say, Deck 6, we see pairs of 'RR' everywhere (which I'm guessing is the American 'restroom') but no indication if they have stalls accomodating wheelchairs.
(Unrelated bonus point: a few months back someone posted a 'remodelled Freestyle washroom' which was just a toilet inside four glass walls open to public view. Can anyone remember which thread that was? That image was a scream.)
So sorry to learn you have become "challenged!"
Should I look to make other plans for Khasab or shall I proceed with the plan currently in place to join you and the ladies?
If I can help in any way, please let me know before I leave home on October 29.
Kind regards,
Deb
(cruznragtop at gmail dot com)
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Thank you very much for your posts!
Grand Africa Oct 2020 map
in Holland America Line
Posted
This afternoon I telephoned HAL's World Cruise and Grand Voyages Department and spoke to Karen. I asked her to update me on the Fall 2020 Grand Africa voyage.
After she brought up my Mariner Club record, she informed me she and her colleagues are currently working on "placeholders." When I asked her to explain, she said those guests who have a Future Dam Certificate for the Fall 2020 Grand Africa are in the process of having a booking created in the category requested with attention paid to the stateroom numbers the guest specified. When this process is completed, the guest or his or her travel agent will be notified, and a deposit will be required.
She estimated these notifications will go out "beginning next Monday, June 3rd."
Even I am on a road trip and not "connected" 24/7, I shall check here periodically to see if anyone has received a formal notification from HAL or a travel agent.
NEW POST---do not know how to reply without older post coming up!
WOODINSVILLE CRUISERS and TVLGODDESS:
On Saturday when I received the email from HAL for this cruise, I called HAL because I had received a guarantee and my TA was off for the weekend. I had given the TA my first three cabin number preferences and I definitely did not want a guarantee.
The World Cruise and Grand Voyages Department was closed, but the HAL agent asked me for my cabin preferences, she checked, all three were available, and she assigned me my first choice. It was as easy as that.
The HAL phone lines are open until 8 p.m. EDT so if you see this before then, you can call.
Before someone reading this believes I am getting special treatment because of Mariner Club status or the cabin category booked, I am a four-star Mariner and sailing solo in an inside cabin--and I don't book through HAL because I want the lower price my bricks-and-mortar TA gives me.
There was a question up thread about the deposit, but I know nothing about that except it is due by the close of business Monday, June 10. I am on a road trip so I will not be able to reach the TA until later this week to pay the deposit.
Also up thread was a question about the refund being able to be refunded. There is, to me, a lot of discussion about HAL's tiered pricing. Speaking personally, I always book so that the deposit will be refunded in full to me if I must cancel before final payment--even if I pay a higher cruise fare. Please be sure to ask your PCC or TA about the refund properties of your deposit.
I look forward to meeting all of you who book the 2020 Grand Africa at the CC Meet and Greet!