Recommended Ship-Boarding Time? (and a tipping question)

THEY find YOU. No problem!

Eileen

Rich Cacace wrote:
> We've never been on HAL but it sounds like a pain trying to find the waiters
> who gave you drinks during the week or carrying money with you in order to
> tip on the spot. I suppose it goes along with their "no tipping" policy.

I think I'd rather have it added to the bill.

"Eileen Garland" <emgarland@> wrote in message
news:IKOdnbbrpaTC3QmiRVn-gQ@...
> THEY find YOU. No problem!
>
> Eileen
>
> Rich Cacace wrote:
> > We've never been on HAL but it sounds like a pain trying to find the
waiters
> > who gave you drinks during the week or carrying money with you in order
to
> > tip on the spot. I suppose it goes along with their "no tipping"
policy.
>

That is what I do since I don't frequent one lounge. You aren't tipping
twice since the tip is not included in the bill. It's like tipping the
waiter in a bar at home.

>
>
>I've never been on a cruise where the 15 % tip for drinks was not added
>automatically to the total. Do you actually tip cash for each & every
>drink? If so, I think your tipping twice for the service.
>
>"Odysseus" <x@x.x> wrote in message
>news:NAFkb.832563$uu5.145976@sccrnsc04...
>
>>
>> Tip the same as you would on any other mass market line. You will need
>> to carry cash for drink servers because you can't add the tip to your
>> bill.
>>
>
>

HAL has changed their boarding at FLL. Now you can board starting at 11:30,
but may not be able to get into your room until 1.

Mark T.
"Ron C" <ron46936m> wrote in message
news:249edabc.0310192100.68d2712c@c om...
> When we went on the Volendam last Spring we arrived about 11:30 and
> had a considerable wait.Plus they didn't have enough seating so we had
> to stand. It was long enough that our luggage made it to the room
> before we did. I would wait until 1:00 or later if you mind waiting.
>
> Ron
>
> Odysseus <x@x.x> wrote in message
news:<NAFkb.832563$uu5.145976@sccrnsc04>...
> > >
> > >We'll have arrived in Ft. Lauderdale the night before, so in theory we
> > >could arrive any time, but don't want to waste a lot of time just
> > >sitting around looking at the ship from the outside... we'd rather be
> > >boarded early to look at the ship from the INside!
> >
> > My experience has been that if you arrive between 11:00 and 11:30 AM,
you
> > don't have much of a wait to board.
> >
> > >Also, can someone tell me what's the recommended tipping schedule for
> > >the various people who make our stay comfy and fun, like the room
> > >steward, dinner maitre'd, etc.?
> >
> >
> > Tip the same as you would on any other mass market line. You will need
> > to carry cash for drink servers because you can't add the tip to your
> > bill.

Ah, not so, grasshopper. The people on HAL don't ever tag along after you
looking for a handout on the last night. Nice attitude to end the cruise.

Mark T.
"Eileen Garland" <emgarland@> wrote in message
news:IKOdnbbrpaTC3QmiRVn-gQ@...
> THEY find YOU. No problem!
>
> Eileen
>
> Rich Cacace wrote:
> > We've never been on HAL but it sounds like a pain trying to find the
waiters
> > who gave you drinks during the week or carrying money with you in order
to
> > tip on the spot. I suppose it goes along with their "no tipping"
policy.
>

I wouldn't say they tag after you; they find you the first time you want
something, and generally the same person finds you the NEXT time you
want something (and are in the same area), and all the subsequent times.
Nothing wrong with that, in MY book!

Most of the time, all I want is a glass of water. I am delighted to tip
for the smiling service I get.

Eileen

MarkT wrote:

> Ah, not so, grasshopper. The people on HAL don't ever tag along after you
> looking for a handout on the last night. Nice attitude to end the cruise.
>
> Mark T.
> "Eileen Garland" <emgarland@> wrote in message
> news:IKOdnbbrpaTC3QmiRVn-gQ@...
>
>>THEY find YOU. No problem!

......and how do you calculate a tip for drink service after a week of
ordering drinks? (especially since you had different servers)

"Eileen Garland" <emgarland@> wrote in message
news:IKOdnbbrpaTC3QmiRVn-gQ@...
> THEY find YOU. No problem!
>
> Eileen
>
> Rich Cacace wrote:
> > We've never been on HAL but it sounds like a pain trying to find the
waiters
> > who gave you drinks during the week or carrying money with you in order
to
> > tip on the spot. I suppose it goes along with their "no tipping"
policy.
>

Karen, I hope you'll post a review of this cruise. We are on the 12/28
New Year's sailing of the Volendam and are anxious to hear all about
this ship. Our previous HAL experience was on the Rotterdam in July
2001 and we just loved it. Anyone else on the New Year's cruise? Helen


Karen M Chan <kmchan@linkline.com> wrote in message news:<3F930C73.C5AECA57@linkline.com>...
> We're leaving on the HAL 10-Day Southern Carib Seafarer cruise on the
> Volendam on Nov. 1 -- yippee!! The documents say embarkation time is
> 3:00 p.m. (with a 5:00 pm. departure time) -- what's a good time to
> arrive at Port Everglades to go through security, etc.? Can we get on
> the ship earlier than 3:00?
>
> We'll have arrived in Ft. Lauderdale the night before, so in theory we
> could arrive any time, but don't want to waste a lot of time just
> sitting around looking at the ship from the outside... we'd rather be
> boarded early to look at the ship from the INside!
>
> Also, can someone tell me what's the recommended tipping schedule for
> the various people who make our stay comfy and fun, like the room
> steward, dinner maitre'd, etc.?
>
> Thanks!
> Karen
> kmchan@linkline.com

Yes, I second this. I just booked for an Alaska cruise on the Volendam in
July. Please, let us know how you liked it.

Harvey

"Helen" <elind@pcisys.net> wrote in message
news:ac3918ce.0310210548.3ebbe64f@c om...
> Karen, I hope you'll post a review of this cruise. We are on the 12/28
> New Year's sailing of the Volendam and are anxious to hear all about
> this ship. Our previous HAL experience was on the Rotterdam in July
> 2001 and we just loved it. Anyone else on the New Year's cruise? Helen
>
>
> Karen M Chan <kmchan@linkline.com> wrote in message
news:<3F930C73.C5AECA57@linkline.com>...
> > We're leaving on the HAL 10-Day Southern Carib Seafarer cruise on the
> > Volendam on Nov. 1 -- yippee!! The documents say embarkation time is
> > 3:00 p.m. (with a 5:00 pm. departure time) -- what's a good time to
> > arrive at Port Everglades to go through security, etc.? Can we get on
> > the ship earlier than 3:00?
> >
> > We'll have arrived in Ft. Lauderdale the night before, so in theory we
> > could arrive any time, but don't want to waste a lot of time just
> > sitting around looking at the ship from the outside... we'd rather be
> > boarded early to look at the ship from the INside!
> >
> > Also, can someone tell me what's the recommended tipping schedule for
> > the various people who make our stay comfy and fun, like the room
> > steward, dinner maitre'd, etc.?
> >
> > Thanks!
> > Karen
> > kmchan@linkline.com

We will be on NOV 1st cruise -