ChinaShrek

It's also interesting that the other cruise lines are still 10% off including Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Celebrity.

I thought I was the only one with invoice issues with my TA! I often book HAL and Carnival cruises on the website and then transfer to my TA for either OBC or a reduction in price. The percentage I receive seems to vary based on a number of unknown factors. Recently, I booked a $2200 Carnival cruise and received $200 off the price. Cool. Then I booked a HAL cruise for $2180 and he said he could only give me $150 in OBC. These are both 2025 cruises. Okay, fine. Now I am not complaining about the incentive but I reserved these cruises weeks ago and I have only received one of the invoices, I will have to chase down the other invoice by email, which I am prepared to do. It seems that my TA has his assistant do this work and she does them in batches. So, I wait. What's my point? I guess I have two. The cash back percentage seems to vary and TAs seem in no rush to get invoices out.

It sounds like his TA would take at least a week to apply them! 😂

If this is a special art cruise then there are people (maybe hundreds?) who have paid to enjoy the Park West art talks on the cruise. While some people are inconvenienced, others are happy. I have a friend that loves going to Park West talks and feels that it is a good way to learn business practices or marketing.

Not if you're a family of 4. They can't move you to a smaller cabin.

My first thought is this. I can absolutely see what HAL is doing. They are using groups to subsidize their cruises and make a profit. Do we want cruise fares to increase significantly or should HAL book group events on their cruises in lieu of increasing fares?

Did you pay the Club Orange fee? It is $25 pp/pd for cruises up to 13 days and $15 pp/pd for cruises 14 days or longer.

But these initiatives attract younger customers who do not want to sail for years to have elite status and like the idea of putting $1.00 down on a couple of cruises for 2026. As many of the old customers migrate to other lines (for whatever reason) new customers will replace them. Why do I sail HAL? Cool itineraries, good food, great staff, and low casino pricing. No other line comes close.

I noticed HAL has a microbrewery tour for Victoria. Is Victoria known for its beer? I might take that tour if you guys have good beer.

How much is HIA now if you add it on after booking?

This is great to know and I don't see why people would book cruise only non-refundable.

Does Dan Schneider work for HAL?

I hope everyone who complained about missing the Production Shows attends them and does not complain about them on here. When HAL tried something different, many people weren't happy. So now HAL is responding. I do not cruise for the entertainment. I cruise for the itinerary. I just want "something" to watch or listen to at night.

I guess I do not understand the purpose of playing and listening to classical music. Yes, I understand if they are performing in a concert hall or auditorium or closed off room on a ship then the audience should be silent. However, if they are just performing on a deck somewhere or at dinner then people should be allowed to talk. I see classical music as background music and prefer it that way.

I think a lot of people who avoid Carnival really want to avoid children.

Is a virus not an option?

I have had several aircraft changes over the years but that was always done weeks or months before the flight. Nevertheless, I am not entitled to an refund due to a seat change. I can cancel and get a flight credit. Of course, Southwest doesn't even guarantee a specific seat!

Still a better deal if you are traveling solo, no?

I have been thinking about this situation but I am wondering how is this different from the airlines If you purchase a seat on a flight the airline can move you to another seat without asking you. This happens if the crew needs it or if there is an aircraft change. In fact, you are not "guaranteed" your seat, just transportation. How is this different from cruise ships? Maybe we are just paying for transportation?

Sure, but if I check-in I'm hungry and that's when I want to eat. It's like going to Olive Garden, if there is a wait, I don't stay.

Yes, my TA notified me that they have to call when making a payment with a Gift Card with HAL. She also said it makes more work for them. LOL

I always feel Carnival does this on purpose so people will not go down and complain about the gratuities and have them removed early on in the cruise.

Not for my free casino cruises.

I am suggesting that the passenger demographics are becoming more similar over time. I was on the Carnival Pride last month with only 160 kids on the ship out of of 2600 passengers, This was an 8 night cruise. I had dinner every night with retirees in their 70s and 80s who were great to talk with. Many of them very wealthy (but frugal). I have also been on HAL ships packed with hundreds of kids running around.

HAL is not an adults only line. Everyone should know this. Some cruises will attract large numbers of families and kids. HAL is actively marketing to these groups. However, longer itineraries will have less kids and families. HAL is also marketing to refined adults. HAL and is really not much different from Carnival now. Some Carnival cruises have very few kids and older couples while some HAL cruises will have tons of kids. This is how a cruise line stays in business.