Tittilating Tidbit about embarkation March 1

[bobpell]

Was advised via email through our TA today that special embarkation times are in place for our 7 day toot on the Nieuw Statendam

First boarding time is 1pm for 4 and 5 star paunchy  patrons and those in nifty Neptune and Pinnacle suites

Others by deck follow every 30 minutes

I surmise a more detailed health screening will be applied prior to boarding!!??

curious Bob

[Krazy Kruizers]

Don't be surprised once you are on the ship to discover that passengers were getting on at 11:30.

 

Many like to get on the ship as soon as possible so that they can enjoy the ship and some like to have lunch in the main dining room which is from Noon to 1:30.

[bobpell]

We too will try but... in light what's happening across the globe I believe HAL will be more serious about the embarkation.

Decks going aboard were mentioned specifically this time starting at 1pm

I just hope you are right and my email from HAL is erroneous

Bob

PS... my TA mentioned the health forms will be back for filling in prior to entry into the hall

[DAllenTCY]

You will be handed a health form as in the "old days".

 

Complete the 2 questions with a negative response and you are on your way.

 

David

[bEwAbG]

Unless your email says something special to denote otherwise, isn't this the same email HAL has been sending out for quite awhile now that shows staggered boarding times starting at 1pm?  The one those "in the know" ignore?

[Barney10]

I can appreciate the objective of staggered boardings, but when you have to checkout of a hotel in the morning, you have to go somewhere. With a 2:30 pm boarding time, I’ll be going to the terminal hours before that time.

[imescaping]

I think I understand the rationale behind the staggered boarding times. However, it fails to account for other factors. Flight arrival times vary, hotel/Airbnb check out times vary, dining room lunch time ends early, later assigned times may not leave time for a leisurely lunch in the lido, and I am sure there are other things I am not thinking of. Disney Cruise lines allows some flexibility by allowing the guest  to select the desired boarding time based on FCFS basis.  I believe they were 1/2 hour increments I don’t know if that would/does create more compliance. I know we arrived about 15 minutes prior to our scheduled time and were allowed to proceed, although by the time we actually got to the counter we were within our time. Seriously, what should someone who arrives FLL at say 9:30 AM do, sit around the airport for 3 or 4 hours because their scheduled check in is 1:00 PM or worse 2:30. 

i get that using the deck designation would allow prioritizing which decks get turned faster helps HAL, but it is does not consider the mentioned variables of the guest realities. 

 

Edited February 10, 2020 by imescaping
Typo

[Cruising-along]

41 minutes ago, bEwAbG said:

Unless your email says something special to denote otherwise, isn't this the same email HAL has been sending out for quite awhile now that shows staggered boarding times starting at 1pm?  The one those "in the know" ignore?

Sure sounds the same to me.  

[RuthC]

3 hours ago, bEwAbG said:

Unless your email says something special to denote otherwise, isn't this the same email HAL has been sending out for quite awhile now that shows staggered boarding times starting at 1pm?  The one those "in the know" ignore?

Yes, it's the same as far as I can see. 
The Pinnacle ships have been assigned/suggested arrival and boarding times, but they are not enforced, and they are the only ships that do have the staggered times. 

[TAD2005]

The whole reason the health forms were dropped is because people will lie.   You have spent thousands on the cruise, flown to the port, and you are pumped and ready for a great vacation.   Does anyone seriously think that after spending all that money, someone would check the box saying that yes, I am sick with a fever.   In today's times, that is almost a certain denied boarding.  So people lie to get onboard, and they hope that the cough, sniffles and slight fever goes away.    So killing a few more trees to print those forms, only to have people lie when filling them out is a waste of time.   The forms are there to protect HAL, showing that they are being pro-active..

Edited February 10, 2020 by TAD2005

[SAN415]

Tad2005, 

Do you think that if people are denied boarding, due to a cold or fever, that they get the money back for the cruise? I have wondered that many times. Or are they just out of the money they spent and have to figure out a way home? 

 

I hope they get a refund....but think that they probably do not?

[RuthC]

3 minutes ago, SAN415 said:

Tad2005, 

Do you think that if people are denied boarding, due to a cold or fever, that they get the money back for the cruise? I have wondered that many times. Or are they just out of the money they spent and have to figure out a way home? 

 

I hope they get a refund....but think that they probably do not?

I don't recall ever reading of passengers being denied boarding due to a cold or fever. I do remember reading about people denied boarding due to possible norovirus, however. Those people were given refunds of their fare. 
That was not the original policy, but when HAL found that people weren't forthcoming about symptoms, the policy changed. 

[Let It Go]

I received the email from HAL and no where was I referred to as paunchy.  Be nice or zip it.

[SAN415]

55 minutes ago, RuthC said:

I don't recall ever reading of passengers being denied boarding due to a cold or fever. I do remember reading about people denied boarding due to possible norovirus, however. Those people were given refunds of their fare. 
That was not the original policy, but when HAL found that people weren't forthcoming about symptoms, the policy changed. 

Thanks Ruth, makes makes sense!

 

[Highway27]

3 hours ago, RuthC said:

Yes, it's the same as far as I can see. 
The Pinnacle ships have been assigned/suggested arrival and boarding times, but they are not enforced, and they are the only ships that do have the staggered times. 

Just to expand this a little, we had the same staggered time email for our cruise on the Signature-class Nieuw Amsterdam in November. I don't know if they are continuing to do it, but it had just as little enforcement as you say here (none).

[3rdGenCunarder]

2 hours ago, TAD2005 said:

The whole reason the health forms were dropped is because people will lie.   You have spent thousands on the cruise, flown to the port, and you are pumped and ready for a great vacation.   Does anyone seriously think that after spending all that money, someone would check the box saying that yes, I am sick with a fever.   In today's times, that is almost a certain denied boarding.  So people lie to get onboard, and they hope that the cough, sniffles and slight fever goes away.    So killing a few more trees to print those forms, only to have people lie when filling them out is a waste of time.   The forms are there to protect HAL, showing that they are being pro-active..

 

 

New version of the pre-trip info for my cruise, which leaves this weekend. Nothing about staggering embarkation times. This is a health warning, and it's different from the one that went out a few days ago.

 

 It does sound like there will be a form to fill out. And they're warning that there will be consequences if you lie. See the two sentences I bolded. Sounds like they reserve the right to disembark someone who says "I'm fine" when they aren't. And it says passports will be scanned, which I think means they're checking to see if anyone has been to China in the last 2 weeks. . But this is a closed-loop cruise, so a passport isn't required. Someone who has been to China could go the birth certificate route and then the passport wouldn't be in play. Or there's the whole second passport thing.  OK, that's a longshot, but could someone do that to hide evidence of travel? 

IMPORTANT NOTIFICATION:

We're monitoring the situation with the coronavirus that originated in mainland

China, and our medical experts are working with global health authorities. As a

precaution, anyone who has traveled from or through mainland China, Macau or

Hong Kong (including airports), or has had contact with a suspected or

confirmed case of coronavirus (2019-nCoV) within 14 days of the start of this

cruise will not be allowed to board the ship. If this applies to you or your

client, please contact us with proof of this travel for a full refund of the

amount paid to Holland America Line. All guests will also be subject to pre-

boarding health reporting and enhanced screening at check-in. Due to changing

circumstances, it is possible that authorities in the countries on your cruise

may change their entry requirements on short notice. Please check all entry

requirements prior to your arrival to the ship to ensure you are not impacted.

Guest passports will be scanned to verify compliance. False responses on forms

will result in immediate debark at the next opportunity, and you may face legal

consequences. We may change requirements to safeguard guests and crew.