New to Holland America? This is for you...AKA "HAL For Dummies"

[terrydtx]

3 minutes ago, Weelynn said:

Hi all. HAL newbie here. Just a quick question. We have HIA onboard which includes 1 speciality dining. I’m understanding that it’s better to book this online as they get filled up fast. I’m trying to do this both on the app and the website but there’s nothing happening. Is this because they’re full or am I trying to book too early. Our cruise is in August this year. TIA

We have an August cruise and we booked our HIA specialty restaurants months ago.

[Weelynn]

5 hours ago, terrydtx said:

We have an August cruise and we booked our HIA specialty restaurants months ago.

Very strange. I’ve tried numerous times over the past months and can’t book any of them. I’m hoping they keep some openings for folk who haven’t booked online. 

[QuattroRomeo]

1 hour ago, Weelynn said:

Very strange. I’ve tried numerous times over the past months and can’t book any of them. I’m hoping they keep some openings for folk who haven’t booked online. 

What can you see so far when you log into your booking? Can you book shore excursions, spa, etc? Our specialty dining options started showing Jan 17 for a May 26 cruise, and a few more (pop up Morimoto, seafood boil) started in March. The shore ex etc showed up months earlier.

[Steerpike58]

15 hours ago, YourWorldWithBill said:

We cruised on Viking twice before our first HAL cruise, and once we started on HAL we never looked back. We have the same reason you mentioned - we didn't think the difference in price was justified - but we also like the HAL itineraries and the staff.

Since you have experience with Viking, I do have a question for you if I may. Looking at the HA itineraries, it seems like HA very rarely spend an overnight in port. We just got back from a Viking cruise in Asia (Bangkok to Hong Kong), and HA have an almost identical itinerary (Hong Kong to Singapore). But comparing the two in more detail, we had 5 overnights in port, with some of them two nights/3 days (Bangkok, Sihanoukville, HoChiMin City, HaLong Bay, Hong Kong) while HA seem to only have one overnight, in Bangkok (but HA then goes on to two extra destinations). A couple of other quick reviews of itineraries suggested a similar pattern (though I'm still new to their itineraries, of course). Are overnights in port more expensive for the cruise line?  I also noticed, Viking seem to give you two nights in both the start and the end port, while HA just 'depart' on the first day and 'arrive' on the last day. Not sure what to make of this - though it does give you (on the first port) a bit of a buffer in case you have issues with flying in. 

[Steerpike58]

21 hours ago, QuattroRomeo said:

Club Orange is a little trickier to describe. On only 3 ships is there a separate, private dining room just for CO. Noordam is not one of them. So far, we have only had CO on the private dining room ships. Therefore, you visit the MDR for dinner using the marked kiosk to go in right away. I do not know whether there is a special section within it or if you are seated wherever is empty. Hopefully someone who has had CO lately on Noordam will know!

...

My friends tell me the Noordam has a 'dedicated VIP section' for CO within the main dining room area. So that's why they want me to get CO, so I can join them in that section. Makes sense. 

[QuattroRomeo]

2 hours ago, Steerpike58 said:

My friends tell me the Noordam has a 'dedicated VIP section' for CO within the main dining room area. So that's why they want me to get CO, so I can join them in that section. Makes sense. 

Well if that's the case then it is probably important for you to get CO! See if it is available and then what cabins are available in your chosen category. Then you just book guarantee, pay for CO, and get upgraded to a better location that you choose, without having to do that expensive "choose your room" option, which costs more than just adding CO. Hope you are able to get something that you like! 

[YourWorldWithBill]

9 hours ago, Weelynn said:

Hi all. HAL newbie here. Just a quick question. We have HIA onboard which includes 1 speciality dining. I’m understanding that it’s better to book this online as they get filled up fast. I’m trying to do this both on the app and the website but there’s nothing happening. Is this because they’re full or am I trying to book too early. Our cruise is in August this year. TIA

You're correct: they open up at a certain point, usually 3 or 4 months prior to sailing. I've always booked early online, but on these boards some have said that they keep plenty of slots available for booking onboard.

[YourWorldWithBill]

2 hours ago, Steerpike58 said:

Since you have experience with Viking, I do have a question for you if I may. Looking at the HA itineraries, it seems like HA very rarely spend an overnight in port. We just got back from a Viking cruise in Asia (Bangkok to Hong Kong), and HA have an almost identical itinerary (Hong Kong to Singapore). But comparing the two in more detail, we had 5 overnights in port, with some of them two nights/3 days (Bangkok, Sihanoukville, HoChiMin City, HaLong Bay, Hong Kong) while HA seem to only have one overnight, in Bangkok (but HA then goes on to two extra destinations). A couple of other quick reviews of itineraries suggested a similar pattern (though I'm still new to their itineraries, of course). Are overnights in port more expensive for the cruise line?  I also noticed, Viking seem to give you two nights in both the start and the end port, while HA just 'depart' on the first day and 'arrive' on the last day. Not sure what to make of this - though it does give you (on the first port) a bit of a buffer in case you have issues with flying in. 

I think you're correct about the one night two night issue. Our HAL cruises were 7 day and 10 day, and our next is a 13 day, and all were/will be in each port only one night. But since both of our Viking cruises were 7 days, there were also one night in each port!

 

We've also experienced the extra night (on another line), and we liked it at the end of the cruise. As I said, although we liked Viking a lot, and missed the food a bit, we started feeling more comfortable in several ways on each of our HAL cruises, and the cost difference sealed the deal. Part of a decision a couple of years ago came from comparing cruises to the fjords in Norway; we were surprised by the better itineraries on HAL. And that's also really apparent in Alaska. 

[Weelynn]

2 hours ago, QuattroRomeo said:

What can you see so far when you log into your booking? Can you book shore excursions, spa, etc? Our specialty dining options started showing Jan 17 for a May 26 cruise, and a few more (pop up Morimoto, seafood boil) started in March. The shore ex etc showed up months earlier.

Hi there. Yeah I’ve book ashore excursion with no problem. But when I go onto booking dining I gets box saying none available. 

 

2 hours ago, QuattroRomeo said:

What can you see so far when you log into your booking? Can you book shore excursions, spa, etc? Our specialty dining options started showing Jan 17 for a May 26 cruise, and a few more (pop up Morimoto, seafood boil) started in March. The shore ex etc showed up months earlier.

 

[YourWorldWithBill]

2 hours ago, Steerpike58 said:

My friends tell me the Noordam has a 'dedicated VIP section' for CO within the main dining room area. So that's why they want me to get CO, so I can join them in that section. Makes sense. 

When we were on the Noordam my cousins had CO, and it's true that it made it easier for them to dine with us, and to enter the dining room ahead of others who were waiting. I guess that would have been different if they were not CO.

[islandwoman]

On 4/23/2024 at 4:47 PM, Steerpike58 said:

My travelling companions are HA veterans but they've been doing Neptune for so long I don't think they remember what it was like to be in the lower grade rooms!  But they did suggest I get Club Orange, making it sound like I would need to do that to be able to hang out with them easily. 

 

Thanks again for your help! 

 

Edit to add (since no replies yet!)

This description says (about the Lido Restaurant, at night)  "A casual dinner with waiter service, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., incorporates a couple of entrees from the dining-room menu and other options, along with multiple appetizers, soups, salads and desserts." So does that mean, Lido switches from Buffet (breakfast and lunch) to 'waiter service' for dinner, and if so, does that mean there's no full-blown 'buffet' for dinner?

My reply is based on my experience on the Koningsdam.  If someone who has sailed the Noordam disagrees, please post. 

First, if your traveling companions are in a Neptune suite and you are not and you do not have Club Orange, you will not be able to eat with them if they choose to eat in Club Orange.  But they could eat with you in the MDR if they want. 

Second, the Lido does not have table service, except for water and other drinks.  It is a buffet for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

[QuattroRomeo]

41 minutes ago, Weelynn said:

Hi there. Yeah I’ve book ashore excursion with no problem. But when I go onto booking dining I gets box saying none available. 

 

 

Ours also showed "none available" until they were suddenly there. So 3-4 months out. I would think they should show up for you soon. If you are keen to book a certain time or place you could always try calling HAL to see if they can place reservations yet, as they also do that over the phone.

[mawvkysc]

5 hours ago, Weelynn said:

Very strange. I’ve tried numerous times over the past months and can’t book any of them. I’m hoping they keep some openings for folk who haven’t booked online. 

Why not call HA and make the reservation 

[islandwoman]

There have been several questions about laundry on this thread.  The answers, as I read them, amounted to "If the laundry is put in by 9 AM, it will come back the following day."  Indeed, that is what the laundry slip says.  But, that is not what is happening onboard the Koningsdam's 22 day cruise.  At the beginning, laundry came back over night.  But now, on the second half of this cruise it is taking 2-3 days to get laundry back. 

[Steerpike58]

6 hours ago, YourWorldWithBill said:

I think you're correct about the one night two night issue. Our HAL cruises were 7 day and 10 day, and our next is a 13 day, and all were/will be in each port only one night. But since both of our Viking cruises were 7 days, there were also one night in each port!

To clarify, on the itineraries I've looked at (4 looked at in detail today!), HA typically arrive at a port at 7 or 8am, and depart from the port around 4pm, 6pm, or very rarely 11pm - almost never spend any nights in the port. EG - (HA snippet from a longer itinerary here): 

Compare that to this from Viking, similar itinerary (In reverse) - this is from our recent cruise):  

(I just noticed they didn't state the departure time from Sihanoukville 🙂 - it left around 6pm I believe). As you can see, only in Hue (Chan May) did they arrive and depart the same day. It seems like Viking often give you two half-days in a port, and spend the night in port, while HA arrive very early, and depart very late, but are always sailing overnight.  Again - not a scientific analysis, I just happened to compare these two in detail. 

 

 

 

[crystalspin]

On 4/23/2024 at 2:47 PM, Steerpike58 said:

(crystalspin said): 

The number of specialty dinners included in HIA depends on the length of the cruise, which you did not mention.

Duration would be 14 days. 

You will have one each included dinner in Canaletto and in Pinnacle Grill.

 

You will not be able to order a latte in the Lido during breakfast, but you can use the elevator! I may be wrong about the toaster... but no one has corrected me.

[Steerpike58]

26 minutes ago, crystalspin said:

...

You will not be able to order a latte in the Lido during breakfast, but you can use the elevator! 

I try real hard on cruises, especially since Covid, to avoid elevators at all costs - I view elevators as germ concentrators, and stairs as weight-loss devices/gym substitutes 🙂 . But yes, I will find a way to get to the Cafe. Or just eat in the cafe ... 

[Sea42]

On 4/23/2024 at 2:58 PM, Steerpike58 said:

Thanks for the detailed replies to my message; I'll review and digest the info and probably come back with more questions shortly.   In the meantime, I did a sample booking and was surprised to see the very high premium associated with choosing your own room!  For a basic 'ocean view' room on a 14-day cruise, the difference between choosing my own room vs letting HA assign it was $700 - 

(and I think the premium was higher if I chose a better room class).  Is this always the case and why do they charge such a premium?  

 

The more I go through the details, the more I see the 'value proposition' eroding between HA and Viking!  The 'starting price' for HA is much lower, but - Viking include specialty coffees, sparkling water, basic wine/beer with meals, basic WiFi, specific room choice, one excursion per port, (some) specialty dining, and probably more I haven't figured out yet!  It's still hopefully going to be cheaper, but not by as much as I first thought. I guess that's somewhat obvious! (not trying to turn this into a Viking vs HA debate, just making some observations!). 

 

Wow, that seems expensive for a 14 day, OV, with no inclusions.

Our 22 day, South America w/Antarctica (2025) is that price, all in. It is for a veranda cabin and includes gratuities, WiFi, drinks and 3 specialty dinners. We also were able to choose our cabin.

What itinerary is this?

[Mary229]

28 minutes ago, Sea42 said:

Wow, that seems expensive for a 14 day, OV, with no inclusions.

Our 22 day, South America w/Antarctica (2025) is that price, all in. It is for a veranda cabin and includes gratuities, WiFi, drinks and 3 specialty dinners. We also were able to choose our cabin.

What itinerary is this?

It looks like a mistake at least the HIA is wrong.  HIA is $55 or $1210 per person for 22 days.  I did notice some of the cruises going to Iceland went up tremendously over the weekend as the demand to see two eruptions is incredible and people are trying any means possible to get there 

[Steerpike58]

3 hours ago, Sea42 said:

Wow, that seems expensive for a 14 day, OV, with no inclusions.

Our 22 day, South America w/Antarctica (2025) is that price, all in. It is for a veranda cabin and includes gratuities, WiFi, drinks and 3 specialty dinners. We also were able to choose our cabin.

What itinerary is this?

I kept notes/screen shots. It's a 14-day Iceland cruise, from Rotterdam, but - it's for single occupancy so the rate is basically double the typical 'double occupancy' quote (which gets doubled at the end, for two).  I've since been looking at lots of cruises, and the premium for choosing your own room seems to vary wildly, I believe depending on what range of 'other' rooms exist in inventory.  So, for example, if there's only a few rooms left, and those rooms are at the bottom level of the category, the price difference is zero. But if you started out with, say, obstructed view', then go 'choose your own room', the difference jumps up because the range of rooms shown isn't restricted to obstructed view rooms only.  Thats my current theory! 

 

[crystalspin]

3 hours ago, Steerpike58 said:

I've since been looking at lots of cruises, and the premium for choosing your own room seems to vary wildly,

I have seen that too, but not explored the reason. Your theory is as good as any!

 

When you see HIA more expensive than Bare-bones then $55pd, it is because it also includes a refundable deposit.

[Mary229]

3 hours ago, Steerpike58 said:

I kept notes/screen shots. It's a 14-day Iceland cruise, from Rotterdam, but - it's for single occupancy so the rate is basically double the typical 'double occupancy' quote (which gets doubled at the end, for two).  I've since been looking at lots of cruises, and the premium for choosing your own room seems to vary wildly, I believe depending on what range of 'other' rooms exist in inventory.  So, for example, if there's only a few rooms left, and those rooms are at the bottom level of the category, the price difference is zero. But if you started out with, say, obstructed view', then go 'choose your own room', the difference jumps up because the range of rooms shown isn't restricted to obstructed view rooms only.  Thats my current theory! 

 

I agree with you.  It is not a normal situation, it is their dynamic pricing software  taking over and obviously it has some issues.   

The one I looked at over the weekend went from $1999 per person interior to near $6000 per person the next morning and had the same issue you are noting.  I should have booked at first glance😉

Edited April 25 by Mary229

[ralfrick]

On 4/24/2024 at 4:44 AM, Weelynn said:

Hi all. HAL newbie here. Just a quick question. We have HIA onboard which includes 1 speciality dining. I’m understanding that it’s better to book this online as they get filled up fast. I’m trying to do this both on the app and the website but there’s nothing happening. Is this because they’re full or am I trying to book too early. Our cruise is in August this year. TIA

We're sailing August 4, & booked Pinnacle on March 2; reservations had not been available prior to that.

 

If I go to the Navigator app home page, scroll to Dining, them click "View More", the list indicates which have reservations available. If I just click on the restaurant link, there is a "Reserve Now" button. If these aren't happening for you, I maybe try logging out and the logging in again, and/or Uninstall/Reinstall the app. If none of that works, then I'd probably contact HAL as suggested above. Good luck.

[Weelynn]

13 hours ago, ralfrick said:

We're sailing August 4, & booked Pinnacle on March 2; reservations had not been available prior to that.

 

If I go to the Navigator app home page, scroll to Dining, them click "View More", the list indicates which have reservations available. If I just click on the restaurant link, there is a "Reserve Now" button. If these aren't happening for you, I maybe try logging out and the logging in again, and/or Uninstall/Reinstall the app. If none of that works, then I'd probably contact HAL as suggested above. Good luck.

Thankyou so much that’s very helpful. I’ll try that when I’m home tonight. 

[booms]

Hi all,

 

Due to a family illness I have to cancel my cruise 2 weeks out 😞 Absolutely gutted, (but happy the family member has pulled through of course!). Unfortunately, we cannot be away for any period of time hence the cancellation.

 

We foresaw this could happen so went for CCP when booking.

 

1. 1. Has anyone cancelled theirs before? I see that written cancellation is required in advance, but I can't see details of where that is. The URL to more details on CCP from my booking goes to a 404 page. Also, is 80% of the non CCP fee what is refunded?

2. I presume it's not possible to change the 2 passenger names on the cruise? My mother and her friend would happily go, as they were planning to book something later in the summer but are interested in going on my cruise, if it were possible. I searched HALs FAQ but cannot find anything on it.

 

Thanks kindly