Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

Passport email from HAL

3rdGenCunarder

By 3rdGenCunarder,
in Holland America Line

 Share

Recommended Posts

3rdGenCunarder "Live from...." Rare

3rdGenCunarder

Posted
Posted

I'm doing the Zuiderdam partial canal cruise this winter--sunfarer or seafarer, I forget which. I just got an email telling me that I need a passport. 

 

OK, no problem I have a passport. But what's interesting is that the email did not come from HAL. It came from a service that will help you renew your passport. CIBTvisas, so I guess they arrange visas, too. I don't think I've ever had a message like this before. 

 

This is the address the email came from. 

<visaadvisor-HA@cibtvisas.com>
 

Congratulations on your upcoming sailing on ZUIDERDAM with Holland America Line.

A passport is required for your voyage. Please ensure you have a valid passport prior to sailing on your cruise on ZUIDERDAM departing 02/15/2020.

Some countries require that your passport be valid for at least six months after the end of your trip. Your passport must also have blank pages available for entry and exit endorsements and be in good condition - clean and not frayed or torn.

It is your responsibility to hold the proper travel documentation in order to avoid disruptions to your trip. In some cases, if you fail to present the required travel documents at cruise check-in, you may be denied boarding.

We look forward to helping you prepare for your trip.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
lindaler

lindaler

Posted
Posted

I got that email today too but for a cruise through the canal on the Rotterdam. Son and granddaughter just got theirs and mine is almost recently renewed. Don't like that HAL thinks its okay to give a third party my information. 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites
lindaler

lindaler

Posted
Posted

I've never seen it before on any of my other cruises. They had my email address, full name, cruise number, ship, location of cruise and departing date. That's a lot of information to be giving a third party. I thought it was from HAL because it used their logo above the ship. Guess I will ask my PCC tomorrow what it's all about. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
canadianbear

canadianbear

Posted
Posted

First time we received this today too for our upcoming 2 weeks on the Oosterdam.  It went to my junk folder and at first I thought it was spam.  

 

Maybe too many are not bringing valid passports so HAL decided to send reminders.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites
erewhon Holiday Sharing Rare

erewhon

Posted
Posted

A couple of weeks ago we received  that e-mail wanting more information to "assist" with visas for our upcoming cruise.

Thought it must be scam, contacted our Travel Agent, who checked with the NZ agent who replied that they had received many messages re the e-mail.

Was not happy to see our cruise information(full names, booking number etc) given by HAL to a third party.

Now today have received the message again, which we are ignoring.

We do not need visas for our upcoming cruise.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
sevenseasnomad

sevenseasnomad

Posted
Posted
7 minutes ago, lindaler said:

I've never seen it before on any of my other cruises. They had my email address, full name, cruise number, ship, location of cruise and departing date. That's a lot of information to be giving a third party. I thought it was from HAL because it used their logo above the ship. Guess I will ask my PCC tomorrow what it's all about. 

Same for my son, whose passport expires in May 2020.  We're traveling Christmas/New Year's week, so we knew he needed to renew his passport.  We filed renewal in September.  As of today's date, he hasn't received his new passport yet.  

 

I didn't receive any email.  I thought it was because my passport doesn't expire until 2027, while his needs renewal prior to his boarding the ship in December.  I also figured the email was coming from HAL.  Strange if it isn't.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
3rdGenCunarder "Live from...." Rare

3rdGenCunarder

Posted
  • Author
Posted
4 minutes ago, sevenseasnomad said:

Same for my son, whose passport expires in May 2020.  We're traveling Christmas/New Year's week, so we knew he needed to renew his passport.  We filed renewal in September.  As of today's date, he hasn't received his new passport yet.  

 

I didn't receive any email.  I thought it was because my passport doesn't expire until 2027, while his needs renewal prior to his boarding the ship in December.  I also figured the email was coming from HAL.  Strange if it isn't.

 

My passport is good until 2026, and I've filled out all the info HAL asks for, so they aren't checking to see if you need to update documents. They're just sending the full passenger list to this service. I think it would be better if HAL had sent the email rather than hand off so much info. They could have included the link to the company they're working with.

 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites
3rdGenCunarder "Live from...." Rare

3rdGenCunarder

Posted
  • Author
Posted

So in case something got list, I just signed in to the HAL site and checked my booking. I went to my account and when I clicked on my reservations, it showed my booking number and my last name. I had to enter my first name and answer a security question, choose one of three--name of ship, embarkation port, or embarkation date. That's new to me.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
lindaler

lindaler

Posted
Posted

Called HAL and got transferred to a supervisor. She said the agency used to be called visas and vaccinations but is now CiBT.  First she thought it was a branch of HAL and then she wasn't sure and went to check to see if CIBT is a branch or a third party. 24 minutes and counting to get an answer.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites
TTFromSommersTown

TTFromSommersTown

Posted
Posted

I know that if I receive an email from this company then I will report it to the appropriate Canadian department. This is a breach of privacy laws in a lot of countries because HAL cannot share this type of information with third parties without specific consent.

I have received a few email for my next cruise regarding Australian and New Zealand ETAs but they have all been from HAL.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
USN59-79

USN59-79

Posted
Posted
37 minutes ago, AnnieBelle said:

My passport expires Jan. 2021 and I’m looking at a possible July 2020 cruise. Will I need to have my passport renewed since it will expire in 5 months?

Yes.  The usual requirement is to have a passport that is 6 months or more from expiration.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
USN59-79

USN59-79

Posted
Posted

There are two threads discussing this.  I just posted a lengthy reply on the other one describing how they are trying to scam me into purchasing a visa (thru them) that I do not need for an upcoming cruise stopping in the Philippines.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • ANNOUNCEMENT: Set Sail Beyond the Ordinary with Oceania Cruises
      • ANNOUNCEMENT: The Widest View in the Whole Wide World
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...