FLLgo

Update to my Verifly experience with Volendam departing today from Trieste. Verifly was not used at all at Trieste. No signs or mention of it at check in. Not sure what that means. Check in was a breeze and that’s all that really matters.

I’m happy to hear when Verifly works. I would love it to work, but it failed me the last time as it was programmed for our June 26 sailing on Rotterdam to Norway that all testing had to be completed 48 hours in advance for all travelers whether or not vaccinated. HAL said it was 72 hours in advance for vaccinated. I reported this to DAON ( the company that runs Verifly ) weeks in advance as well as to HAL. DAON replied it had been escalated to the highest level for review. No reply from HAL. End result: we took our test 72 hours in advance according to HAL requirements and Verifly would not accept any test other than a test taken within 48 hours. They said that was their policy. So the moral is if you do what Verifly says, fine. If they differ from what HAL says then you carry your paperwork when checking in and just wait for the Verifly people to go ahead of you first. We were in a Neptune suite on that sailing and HAL would not give us any priority. We know other passengers on that sailing experienced the same issue as we discussed this with them. None of our three emails to HAL guest relations or the concierge in the Neptune lounge produced any regret, apology or any reply as to why they did not synch better with DAON.

I intend to do just what 12Cruise2 advises despite the email I just received from HAL encouraging travelers to download and use VeriFly to expedite their boarding. It’s clear it is a marketing email. Just doesn’t make the cruise company look good, in my opinion.

I have had the same experience with Verifly on Holland America. Our June 26 cruise on Rotterdam only required a test within 72 hours of sailing according to HAL. Verifly insisted all tests had to done within 48 hours. So our test was not allowed with Verifly but HAL had no issues with our check in. It just took a very long time as we did not have the Verifly QR code. For our next cruise this Saturday on Vollendam out of Trieste, Verifly says full vaccines and negative tests are mandatory for all passengers. HAL says this it not the case. They have a list of all cruises where enhanced protocols are still required but our cruise is not among them. Our cruise falls under the new simplified rules. HAL says to ignore Verifly and just bring our vaccine cards to the port. So if we want to get expedited check in with Verifly we will have to play by Verifly rules.