Documents Question

[BasenjiMom]

This will be my first cruise, the land tour starting June 27th.

 

I've been reading a lot about docs not arriving/arriving very late.

My question is:

What specifically do the docs contain?

What specifically do I need to do if they don't get here in time?

 

I have no idea what hotels we will be staying in, no idea how my kids would contact me if there were an emergency.

 

How would we get on the plane without any paperwork?

[jhannah]

You can actually do all of this without docs. As long as you know your flight time the airline can look you up in their system. If you have your booking number for the cruise, you can be processed at the pier. It will take a bit longer, but you should have no problems. Your kids can always call HAL in Seattle if there's an emergency, and they can tell them how to reach the ship. Not sure about the hotel. I think you do need a voucher for that. I'd ride HAL like a stallion until they deliver what you need.

 

The document package contains your cruise ticket booklet (cruise contract,) immigration forms (which you can fill out ahead of time online,) luggage tags, credit card authorization form, "Know Before You Go" info booklet, gift guide showing things your friends and family can order for you to have in your cabin, formal wear order brochure, a card showing how to call the ship (at $6 per minute,) and a promotional piece or two. I think that's about it.

[Stevesan]

If you've booked HAL land transfers, air or land tours, your documents will contain vouchers for these.

 

When I have traveled this way, the land reps always ask for the transfer and hotel vouchers. Air shouldn't be a problem if HAL provided e-tickets. The others may be a problem without the appropriate vouchers. Boarding the ship can be done with only your booking number, passport and immigration form. The latter can be filled out at the port, if necessary. You do have the booking number, don't you?

 

HAL has always been "late" delivering docs for passengers with HAL purchased air, often only one or two weeks before departure.

 

Only if you purchase "cruise only" will your docs arrive earlier, usually 4 - 6 weeks out.

 

Most of the recent complaints are from passengers who have endured HAL's change in computer customer service programs. This has caused further delays. Hopefully, they've got that straightened out.

 

If you have land transfers and hotels booked thru HAL, insist on having your docs before leaving! For HAL air, be sure you have a valid e-ticket number. You can validate that on line with the airline web site.

 

You still have a bit more than two weeks before departure. Don't panic, yet. But be sure your TA is alert.

[BasenjiMom]

Thank you for the responses. I was going to give them until Thursday, and if I hadn't heard anything, would call the TA.

 

As it is, she called a bit ago and said they are in her hands so we are going to pick them up tomorrow.

 

My husband is concerned. I mentioned something about a parade or dance of Baked Alaska, to which he replied "That's something we watch, and not participate in, right?"

So after I hung up with the TA I told him he was supposed to do a doc dance. It wasn't pretty.