It appears that our documents are lost!!!!!!!!!

[TLHB]

I posted a thread last week asking about embarkation. I mentioned that our documents haven't arrived yet for our June 4 sailing. MikeT suggested that I call my TA. I did, and the TA said that he hadn't received them. I called again, the next day. I spoke with another TA in the office and she told me that they had not received the docs and that she would call HAL to check on them. She also said that she would call me back. I gave the TA office all weekend to call, but they didn't. I decided to call HAL today on my own to check. HAL said that they had mailed our docs on APRIL 24th!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :mad: So I immediately called my TA. He wasn't in but I spoke with the manager. She said that they worked last week trying to find our documents so she was aware of the situation. She said that HAL sent them air born and they were sent to the travel agency home office in Florida. Apparently no one in Florida has seen them. The manager took my number and told me that she would get tracking information on it and get back in touch with me. I am getting very nervous about this. HAL told me that they would issue me new documents. I told the TA that. She didn't seem to want to go that route. I don't understand this. What on earth is going on?!?!?!?!?! What should I do???? Should I just quietly and patiently wait on them to see what they do? I explained to them that DH and I will fly out on May 25 to bring our daughters to Louisiana. Since this cruise is for DH and me alone, we are going to take the daughters to the grandparents. I explained to TA that I need my documents before that since we will be leaving. UGGGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am not too happy right now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:eek:

[jckvpa0]

Don't worry, I'm sure it will all work out. Worst case scenario is you leave before your docs show up, not a problem, you don't need them to board the ship.

[Krazy Kruizers]

So sorry to hear about this!!

I don't understand why the agency wants to sit back and wait this out. They know that you are leaving early and need those documents. I would be on their backs everyday getting them to have HAL send out a duplicate set by overnight delivery. I know that if that happened to us, our TA (whom we have used for years) would be on HAL's back and getting those documents. She wouldn't be hearing from us anymore if we didn't get immidiate results.

Keep after them!!

[fridayeyes]

Don't worry.

 

Worst case secnario - you show up at the ship without docs. They will be able to confirm everything there at the terminal. Find your receipt/itinerary from when you made the booking (or have your TA print another for you). You can use your booking number to go online and do your immagration forms and boarding pass. Take those with you to the ship.

 

You will be fine. :)

[nanashirl]

TLHB - Can you not call and request that the docs be overnighted to your home address? If so I would do that. I also deal directly with cruiseline. If I have questions or need to request something they are more likely to do it if you made the reservations and I got a better rate than what the online cruise sites were showing.

I got my docs a couple of weeks ago so that would be when they sent them out on April 24. I know how anxious you are to have them in your hands. Just would be nervous going without them. Give HA a call and see if they can't help you.

Hope everything works out.

Shirl

[MikeT718]

We had a problem like this with our last O'dam cruise and what DW did (who is a TA) called HAl and had our DOC'S overnighted to us and this was no problem

[jhannah]

I, too, am sure all will work out. As noted, you can check in at the pier with your booking number. However, this shouldn't have strung on this long. I would be looking for a new TA.

[TLHB]

I just spoke with the tavel agency's manager again. She said that HAL did ship the documents to their home office in Florida. (We used Cruise Masters. We used their local, Charlotte, office. Apparently they have a big home office in Florida.) The delivery tracking shows that the delivery was signed for on May 1. So obviously the docs are somewhere in Florida, at the main office. Why were the docs were delivered to the main office in Florida instead of the local Charlotte office where we booked? I don't understand that one! :confused: So the local manager called the Florida, head manager and told him to start digging for the documents. This local manager said that she will call me and verify when they have been located. In the meantime she told me to go to HAL 's web site and print out my boarding pass, just as others have mentioned here on this thread. She also said that the Florida head manager is coming to the Charlotte office on Wednesday and that he will hand deliver my documents here instead of relying on mail. I said that I can wait until Wednesday, but I do want them on Wednesday!!!!!! If I don't get them by then I will just call HAL and ask them to send me another copy of of the documents to my home address.

So I guess we will wait and see what happens next.

Thanks for all of the encouragement. I am starting to calm down a bit now that I realize that I don't actually NEED the docs to board. I do, however, still want them.

I will never use this TA again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! From now on, I will book directly with the cruiseline.

[fridayeyes]

Of course you want them. :) The traditional 'doc dance' can only be performed once the coveted docs are in your hot little hands. The doc dance is different from the 'booking dance' and the 'boarding dance' and we would hate to see you be denied this timeless piece of cruising heritage. :)

 

The three celebratory dances are mandatory. The 'disembarkation shuffle', however, is optional and may be postponed indefinitely subject to the limit on your credit card. ;)

 

Cheers,

 

Friday

[twinkletoes4445]

The delivery tracking shows that the delivery was signed for on May 1. So obviously the docs are somewhere in Florida, at the main office.

 

You have to wonder what they did with the docs? How hard would it be to look you up on the computer and see where you live and which location booked your cruise, and then forward the docs to them. Did they just file them away? Toss them?

 

I wouldn't use this agency again, either. They don't sound very smart. :(

[lauderdalebob]

I posted somewhere else on the board here the other day about my docs not getting to me either. I called HAL and they said they were sent on 4/10 for our 5/20 sailing, but they did NOT have the tracking number. Made me think it was their fault, not the agent's for losing them.

 

Anyway, long story short, after calling back and forth a few times to the online Internet agency and HAL directly, I got it straightened out and another set were sent which I received just now at work. YEAH!

 

I know we could have, if necessary, gone without them, but one of us has never cruised before and I knew should be thrilled to actually get the leatherette folder and examine everything inside. I know I was on my first cruise.

 

Don't worry, I'm sure you'll get your docs. Just be persistent!

 

DOING THE DOC DANCE NOW!!!! YEAH!!!!!

[Bill S]

TLHB: hope you get it straightened out. But as previous posters have advised, you do not need your docs for check-in.

 

We had to embark on a South America HAL cruise in 2003 without any docs (due to a situation similar to yours) and it turned out to be no big deal, because we had our booking confirmation with our booking number.

 

But, I understand, it is always nicer to have your docs in hand.

[Bramcruiser]

So sorry to hear your issue. Its always been a nightmare of mine but I still would rather have a paper set of documents in a vinyl or leather folder arrive than the new fangled e-ticket. It seems so much more civilized and like you are actually going somewhere.

 

I too don't understand why the travel agency wants to wait if HAL is being so nice in re-issuing new tickets. Are they trying to cover their butts. Things get lost in the mail and courier services from time to time. It just happens. If HAL is willing to send a new set then let them especially if time is running out. Anyone with pre-cruise plans need to have docs sooner than the day before.

 

Anyway I am sure its going to work out. I would be jumping up and down about this time too but always wishful it will turn around. Glad to know you are smart enough to figure out something is wrong early enough than to wait blindly to the last minute.

[Bramcruiser]

Of course you want them. :) The traditional 'doc dance' can only be performed once the coveted docs are in your hot little hands. The doc dance is different from the 'booking dance' and the 'boarding dance' and we would hate to see you be denied this timeless piece of cruising heritage. :)

 

The three celebratory dances are mandatory. The 'disembarkation shuffle', however, is optional and may be postponed indefinitely subject to the limit on your credit card. ;)

 

Cheers,

 

Friday

 

Of you are SOOOOOOOO right Friday. I guess I just did my "paid off the cruise" jig last month but have such a long way to go before the doc dance. I hate that disembarkations shuffle - its sound a lot like a funeral march!

[arzz]

This thread tends to make me nervous -- I hope loss of documents is not a contagious disease like Norovirus! Our docs for June 11 were shipped from the agency Friday afternoon, DHL, and the DHL tracking information, on Monday afternoon still says that the package is "departing origin". Hurmph!!

 

TLHB -- good luck in getting the docs -- the repeated scrutiny of the printed docs is all part of the sacred and required pre-cruise ritual -- would not want you to miss a step!

[jhannah]

Our docs for June 11 were shipped from the agency Friday afternoon, DHL, and the DHL tracking information, on Monday afternoon still says that the package is "departing origin".

That's DHL shorthand for "your package got thrown into a far corner of the sorting facility and will likely not be discovered for another week or so when the contract laborers come in to sweep up." :D

[dsawyer]

Those paper documents are meaningless these days. That's all it is - paper. I know most of us look forward to getting them but its not the big deal it use to be. I threw mine in the corner and didn't even look at them for days. When I did, I was very happy that I already did my paperwork online. (Yawn) Every booking is in the system and that is all that matters.

 

If you dont get them:

 

You will still be allowed on the ship.

You will still have a great time on your cruise.

You won't even care or remember one year from now.

 

No need to throw a fit!

 

I know many will disagree but trust me the paper tickets will disappear in the near future.

[Bramcruiser]

Those paper documents are meaningless these days. That's all it is - paper. I know most of us look forward to getting them but its not the big deal it use to be. I threw mine in the corner and didn't even look at them for days. When I did, I was very happy that I already did my paperwork online. (Yawn) Every booking is in the system and that is all that matters.

 

I know many will disagree but trust me the paper tickets will disappear in the near future.

 

Oh yeah we all know they will disappear! That's a given as airlines don't have paper tickets anymore. However, I just like the whole idea of a package arriving and pulling out documents and reading the announcement that I am heading somewhere soon.

 

I'm the biggest fan of the internet and do almost all my reservations and banking over the net. However, I still love the paper cruise documents and since they are really the last of the civility left in the travel industry let us have our little fantasy for a little longer.

 

Besides, an email dance is just absolutely ridculous!:D

 

Threw away your docs and didn't look at them right away?:eek: My lord, that's cold! I pulled mine out of the mail box so fast that flames were coming from behind it. I got up into the condo still on fire and pulled apart the package and analyzed every little thread. My other suffered through my iteniary call at the loudest decibel ever! In between the dances of course. I hope never to be so cold when it comes to going away on vacation. :) I might as well just go back to work. Ewwww!

[refman]

nice travel agent, i`ll bet their enthusiasm when you booked and payed was alot different then now, i think the point is`nt that you need the docs to get on board but that why can`t people just do their job and get your papers, don`t wait, call HAL and get your papers yourself. they already dropped the ball once and now are using the hand delivery excuse!

[dsawyer]

Threw away your docs and didn't look at them right away?:eek: My lord, that's cold! I pulled mine out of the mail box so fast that flames were coming from behind it. I got up into the condo still on fire and pulled apart the package and analyzed every little thread. My other suffered through my iteniary call at the loudest decibel ever! In between the dances of course. I hope never to be so cold when it comes to going away on vacation. :) I might as well just go back to work. Ewwww!

 

Cold? Not exactly - I was on this board everyday posting and also posting on my roll call thread, touching base with my new CruiseCritic friends about our upcoming cruise. I organized our CruiseCritic meeting with Holland America and was in touch with them on a weekly base. I logged into my booking everyday on the HAL thread to see if everything was in order.

 

Our CruiseCritic group had a fantastic get-together and I got to meet many of the ship's officers there and was invited to cocktail parties and Question and Answer events that the regular passenger is not invited to.

 

There is not too many people who know me on this board who would call me cold about our cruise on the Noordam.

 

Yes, I already said that, to some, cruise documents are still important. But don't call me cold because I don't indulge in your same gleeful activities. Yes, the document dance is a ritual to some and it will be missed. But it is not essential to having a wonderful cruise.

 

My point was to try to console the OP that the need for for paper documents is almost a thing of the past and even if they don't receive them, they will still have a great time. :)

[Bramcruiser]

dsawyer:

 

No problem. I was just having a little fun and meant no disrespect at all! Hence the smilie faces. As we have mentioned over in another thread on here sometimes responses are taken the wrong way and I just wanted to have some fun with what you had said.

 

I understand completely and thank you for not taking my head off completely. Peace!

[cusyl]

As long as your name is on the ship manifest you don't need any documents. We have sailed many times last minute without them.

The porter at the pier will give you luggage tags that you can complete and attach.

[bluefintuna]

We had cruised 17 times and every time docs showed up we loved getting the leather folder with all kinds of information. Then cruise #18: Jewel of the Seas 12/10/05, no docs. WHAT??!! Yup, just a E mail that we were confirmed; very deflating, but taken a step further I guess they can save mucho bucks by not mailing them. Just one more piece of civility gone by the boards.

[arzz]

Thanks for the comfort jhannah!

 

DHL tracking now says they will be delivered tomorrow.

[cruznon]

OK. I know I can get on the ship with booking# and express pass, but I want that lovely blue leatherette folder, the paper tickets and luggage tags that I can open, touch and smile over several times leading up to departure...E-tickets just aren't the same.