Complimentary HAL beach tote bag?

[AKBeagleMom]

I read somewhere that HAL provides passengers with a complimentary beach bag (left in the cabin). Is this still the case?

 

If not, do you usually pack a beach bag in your luggage for beach days?

[garydm]

Yes.

[Gayle V]

The complimentary tote bags usually too small. We always bring our own.

[earl_m]

Usually you will recieve the bag on your second HAL cruise!

[KSCnCA]

I agree, they are a bit small. And there's just one per cabin, right? I'm packing my own bag too!

[CC Help Michell]

I read somewhere that HAL provides passengers with a complimentary beach bag (left in the cabin). Is this still the case?

 

If not, do you usually pack a beach bag in your luggage for beach days?

 

My answer to both questions is yes. They give you a bag, and we bring our own large shoulder/duffle bag for excursion days. Basically HAL's bag is a small -- maybe 12' x 10' -- bag. It held a few things for toting around the ship (binoculars, a book, extra gloves), but it's nowhere near as large as my "old reliable" for beach excursions.

[kittiecat]

We received two totes on our recent Maasdam Canada/New England cruise. They aren't huge, and word to the wise: don't wash and then dry them. My well-meaning husband washed and dried one, and it is suitable now for a midget. A midget with nothing to carry. It is TINY. And I am a little mad (no pun intended).

[GeriatricNurse]

The complimentary tote bags usually too small. We always bring our own.

 

 

As well, the bags are canvas rather than vinyl so they are not meant to get wet!

[Krazy Kruizers]

The bags are SMALL. DH still takes his back pack whenever we go on excursions.

On the majority of our back-to-back cruises, we have gotten the cream colored canvas tote bag on the first segment.

On the second segment we usually get a dark blue vinyl bad -- just slightly larger than the canvas bag -- it is great for around the pool or to take to the beach and put the wet towels in.

[Northshorecruisers]

On our first Oosterdam cruise in Jan 2006 we received 2 canvas bags in our room. They aren't huge but came in handy. We still take a small backpack and some other items depending what we plan to be doing.

[GmaPajama]

I stuffed a couple of these tote bags with some padding and stitched them shut. They make great pillows for our sorry butts when we sit in the bleachers to watch the grandkids sporting events. The best part is - nearly every game, we run into someone who's cruised HAL. Makes for a great conversation starter.

[mamaofami]

No one has mentioned that these bags do not close..no zipper or snaps to keep them shut.

[Krazy Kruizers]

No one has mentioned that these bags do not close..no zipper or snaps to keep them shut.

 

Thankfully you remembered that fact!!

[martinimadam]

I stuffed a couple of these tote bags with some padding and stitched them shut. They make great pillows for our sorry butts when we sit in the bleachers to watch the grandkids sporting events. The best part is - nearly every game, we run into someone who's cruised HAL. Makes for a great conversation starter.

 

Only someone with a moniker of GmaPajama would have thought of this, I think! I may give it a try!

[SDadw01]

I was given one of these bags on my first HAL cruise, Zuiderdam October 2007!

[sail7seas]

No one has mentioned that these bags do not close..no zipper or snaps to keep them shut.

 

 

I put a few strips of velcro across the top of a few of my canvas totes. Took but a minute to do and Works great.

 

We have a very large collection of the canvas as well as the blue vinyl bags. The dark blue ones, as KK says, are great in rain. Water resistent.

 

I keep some of our extra HAL totes in my car and use them to run errands rather than using store bags. Often when I hand it to the clerk to fill with my merchandise, someone nearby comments about HAL. :)

[FLACRUISER99]

What I like about then is that you can fold them up and put one in your pocket when you go ashore!

[Boytjie]

We received two totes on our recent Maasdam Canada/New England cruise. They aren't huge, and word to the wise: don't wash and then dry them. My well-meaning husband washed and dried one, and it is suitable now for a midget. A midget with nothing to carry. It is TINY. And I am a little mad (no pun intended).

 

We use our HAL bags all the time for grocery shopping etc. They go in the laundy and come out fine.

[Ling Girl]

We received two on our recent trip with Westerdam. However we didn't use them on board simply because everyone else were carrying them around too. So I thought it's easy to get mixed up with others. They're great to use and light to carry.

[sail7seas]

If I am using one of our HAL totes on the ship, I transfer one of the luggage tags from my suitcase to the tote in the event someone thinks 'mine is theirs'. Easy to identify if your name is on it. :D

 

[herb]

We received the HAL bag on our first cruise with HAL. It'll suffice to bring a book, some lotion, and daily planner up to the pool :)

[wayzer]

In some ports it is suggested that you do not bring the Holland America tote bag ashore because you are a perfect target for some locals that might think that you are just a dumb tourist.

[sail7seas]

I think they know who the tourists are,,,,,, tote bag or not. :)

 

When the ship is in (or multiple ships are in), the locals have every reason to think most of the crowd are off the ship(s). Especially in the Caribbean.....

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

In some ports it is suggested that you do not bring the Holland America tote bag ashore because you are a perfect target for some locals that might think that you are just a dumb tourist.

 

Who suggested that you not take the tote bag ashore?

In the many, many ports -- it has never been suggested to us by anyone.

[wayzer]

You likely have not been to countries such as Columbia, Venezuela, Brazil, Haiti, Panama, India etc.. These countries are well known for the crimes against tourist and by carrying a Holland America bag is telling the bad guys that I am here today gone in a couple of hours and you are welcome to take my camera etc. During the briefings aboard the ship the host always tell you what part of town or ares to sray away from but there is always passengers that get "lost" and wonder into trouble.