Alaskan cruise through DVC

[Minybear]

WDWguru

Thanks for all of your GREAT advise. I will hopefully book this 10-9 months prior or sooner then that.

I assume I have to pay everything at the time of booking with DVC (ie like the $1000 you paid for your room)? I wish they were like CRO just put a deposit and pay 45 days later.

Thanks again for answering all my questions .

 

[BVC4us]

Hi, we are taking the Holland America inside passage cruise to Alaska this July. We've never cruised before so I'm really looking forward to it. I know Holland America has a "no tip required" policy but I'm sure everyone does tip something. Can you give me any idea on how much we should tip on this cruise? This is all new to me.
This may sound stupid but I have read that room service is included. What do you tip on "free" room service.
Thanks for all the info that you have provided so far.

 

[WDWguru]

You're very welcome! I wish I could answer more specifically on some of this stuff. (FYI, I'm leaving the country for a week tomorrow, so hope someone else can jump in or you can wait till I return to answer more!)

Yes, you do pay for all of your fees upfront. We just put it on a credit card over the phone. Took all of fifteen minutes to book - MS puts you on hold while they talk to HAL and may come back to ask you questions or clarify something. They send you some kind of form to sign and send back within 10 days (iirc, it had something to do with the trade-out contract), then you get your confirmation after that. Once that's done, you make any additional arrangements directly with the cruise line.

As for tipping, I'm really NOT an expert on that part. The "normal" way to tip on cruises is to make envelopes for everyone (cabin steward, waiters, etc) and give them the week's tips at the end of the cruise. I would guess room service stewards would work the same way. In fact, I think the cabin steward does deliver room service as well as his/her other duties, but I'm not positive. While HAL is "no tipping required" most people still do tip if they feel the service warrants. As for amounts, I'm clueless, but I know cruisecritic.com could definitely help there.

 

[kem330]

Re: time of year, July is probably the best time weather wise and you will find more bear out, etc. as well as the salmon running. We went the very end of May- beginning of June and the weather was decent but not as many bears. Saw lots of orcas, seals and a distant humpback. It was not very crowded which was nice as most schools get out later. But July would be better in terms of your children making friends and having more companions in the kids program. I would encourage you to do shore excursions- you can bypass the ship and book them directly at the pier or ahead of time online and save a few $$. I think your kids might enjoy the train ride into the Yukon Pass at Skagway, among other things.

 

[Mary Ellen]

We've been on 7 HAL cruises now, so I do have some experience with their tipping.

Their company policy doesn't allow them to suggest how much or to whom you should tip. Some other lines deliver addressed envelopes (with tip amounts on them) to your cabin. HAL does not.

The 'industry standard' is $3.50 per person, per day to each - cabin steward and waiter and $1.75(?) per person, per day to your asst. waiter. This comes to about $100 for a couple on a 7-day cruise. Our service on HAL has always been SO wonderful that we've tipped more than this amount. I get a variety of small bills before leaving home and envelopes for the tips.

Enjoy!

 

[WDWguru]

We just returned a few weeks ago and, as expected, loved it even more than our first cruise. You are exactly right about the tipping. They do it the way they do to avoid the crass solicitation of tips that happens on other lines, but tipping is expected as part of most of the staff's salary and is greatly appreciated. We tipped a little higher than the recommended standard.

We did most of it at the end of the week with envelopes, but did a few dollars here and there in some of the bars and for room services -- the services where you don't usually get the same people each time.

 

[Minybear]

WDWguru

Welcome back. Do you have any photo's of the ship and of the cruise? I (and maybe others) would love to see them . Points for the Alaska cruise for 2004 still has not come out .

 

[WDWguru]

Are you kidding?! These are just the digitals...

Click here... be sure to click the "more photos" link at the end of page seven. The second set has most of the ship pictures!

Keep in mind we paid additional to upgrade to a category B verandah mini-suite when we booked, then even more at the last minute when we found out a full suite was available. The room we got for our points plus about $1000 is about half this size, but still very nice.

 

[eva]

That suite looks fantastic. Do you mind me asking, how much more did you pay over the $1000 for that suite? After seeing those pictures I'm sold on the cruise.

 

[Minybear]

Thanks WDWguru for posting those photos.

WOW Those photos are FANTASTIC. Ok DVC where are the POINTS for 2004 . I have things to do. Reservations to make (ok there goes Hawaii).

 

[Mary Ellen]

Thanks for the pictures. We had a similar suite on the Zaandam this year, DH is now spoiled.

We paid a special HAL alumni price of about $1600 per person - for 2 adults, NO points, in late May. Last years cat. B mini-suite on the Amsterdam was about the same price for late Aug. With the Alumni pricing, we've just paid $ and saved our points for WDW.

 

[Janet2k]

Wow! What great info in this thread and what wonderful photos. Minybear, if you book that cruise, we'll be expecting a complete report upon your return (with photos, of course).

 

[Minybear]

Now I have to decide. Hawaii (Oahu) on cash or Alaska cruise on points. Hummmmmm. Wish I could have both. Those photos were great .

 

[WDWguru]

Normally, you would have a travel agent who would speak to the cruise line and request you be notified when/if a paid or complimentary upgrade becomes available. In our case, DVC was our "agent" and no help at all after the transaction was complete.

We got lucky and found a contact at HAL in their special services department who gave us great advice. With a few phone calls and a strategically timed fax, we were offered the upgrade about a week out for $300 additional per person. That brought our total to 422 points and $1600, taxes and port charges included. That may seem high but consider the retail value of the suite is about $5,000-$6,000! We were quite pleased. Considering it was high season in Alaska and the cruise was completely sold out, we got VERY lucky!

MaryEllen, re: using points... We actually did consider just paying for this one, or renting points and using the cash, but when we priced what we wanted it turned out to be about even. Since we wanted a higher category and were going at prime season, there were no deals on the price of the cruise even as a Mariner member. Since we own 700 points and it's just the two of us, we figured why not use the points? That's why we bought them and we're lucky enough to have plenty.

 

[Minybear]

I just called MS about the points for 2004. They have gone up 6 pts from 211. They are now 217 per person and if I want to upgrade to the verandah suite its $375 (gone up $75 from last year). If we want to get to upgrade to the mini suite is $515 per person.

Ok now I have to decide Hawaii or Alaska for 2004.

 

[WDWguru]

What ship is this on? The verandah suite and mini suite were the same thing on the Maasdam and her three sister ships -- categories A and B. Are you sure the designations they gave you were right? Because if the $515 is for a full suite, like we were in, I'd jump on that!

I just looked at the deck plan on HAL's site and it looks like they're changing some room designations after her drydock this fall. They're taking away the name "mini suite" and just calling the A and B categories "deluxe verandah outside" and the full suites "deluxe verandah suites". It sounds to me like they haven't raised the upgrade rates... we paid $375 each to upgrade to the mini-suite (now called deluxe verandah outside) with DVC - including the port charges. Are you sure they aren't quoting you the $75 port charge with that figure? If so, it hasn't changed.

I'd confirm this with MS ... get the actual letter designation of the cabins from them and then check the HAL site. If that $515 is for a full suite, that's quite a deal! We were quoted $1000 each to upgrade to that before deciding to wait.

Oh, and to me the six points aren't that big a deal. It's too bad they have to go up, but last year (or maybe the year before?) they actually went down. Completely worth it for the experience. At a "net worth" of $6 (dues plus cost over the life of the loan), you're spending an extra $72 for two people. If you prefer to use the $10 rental rate, then it's an extra $120. Considering the cost of a HAL Alaska cruise for cash, that's not enough to cancel the trip over, imho.

 

[Minybear]

WDWguru

The MS quoted me on the Amsterdam. I called and just wanted how many points it would be for 2004 Alaska crusie and she gave me these quotes for the Amsterdam. I didn't ask her for the different ships.

 

[Minybear]

Originally posted by Minybear
WDWguru

The MS quoted me on the Amsterdam. I called and just wanted how many points it would be for 2004 Alaska crusie and she gave me these quotes for the Amsterdam. I didn't ask her for the different ships.

Yes you are correct the mini suite is now cat A.

 

[WDWguru]

Just looking at their staterooms online, it seems similar to the Maasdam in terms of the difference in A and B. The cabins are identical, but the As are in a more desireable location (mid ship as opposed to forward or back). It's not worth the price to upgrade just for location unless you get extremely seasick, imho.

I think it's funny there's such a big difference. The retail price is almost the same for an A or B, but it does depend on the ship. They have different layouts and the same letter assignment can mean different things on different ships. You should spend some time on www.hollandamerica.com and go through their online booking process. You can cancel out at any time, but it would at least allow you to choose the itinerary and sailing date you most likely would take. This will give you the exact ship you would be on, then you could find out exactly what the categories and prices are for that ship. I wouldn't get too upset about it until you have information on the exact cruise you would most likely book. Even on the same line, the ships and room designations can vary greatly.

 

[Minybear]

Thanks for your expert advise WDWguru. I will definately look at the HAL web site more carefully and their brochures and videos to pick the ship and the date we really want to do. At this point we may have to put off our Hawaiian trip to do the Alaska cruise (DVC) instead.