richwmn

I'll be waving late from the Elegant Explorer I hope. Plan to be along the Promenade deck towards the stern. :D

Have a great time! Have the ship ready for me on the 18th.

Sorry our paths won't cross

My experience last month was quite different.

 

I book with a TA but I take care of submitting my CCL info myself.

 

Doing so, I faxed my info to HAL on a Sunday and received email confirmation on Monday. About an 18 hour turnaround.

 

It now shows in my reservation account.

Does it show in your reservation account on the HAL website, or on the website your TA maintains?

Can you provide a source for the above cited "HAL rules"?

I posed that question to my PCC in an email. Here is the response:

The rule is - if someone cancels out of a two person stateroom, the person left has to pay a single rate. The policy isn't in writing outside of training manuals.

I'm not sure why everyone seems to think the "single supplement" is an additional fare.

All it means is that anyone cruising solo is going to pay the price of 2 less the port fees and taxes. There isn't an extra fee on top of that.

Cruise fares are advertised as "Per Person / Double Occupancy".

For Verandah and above cabins, a single will generally pay the same as two people less the port charges and taxes.

For Inside and Outside Cabins (and occasionally higher), the Solo Cruiser may pay between 150% and 200% of the per person rate - that is what is referred to as the single supplement.

Per HAL rules, when a second person cancels after final payment his fare is forfeit based on a percentage listed in the contract. The remaining passenger is then re-fared at the single rate. The result may come out to be more than the double would have been, particularly if the passenger that does sail is the one that paid the entire double fare.

Several years ago I booked a Caribbean Cruise for myself and a friend. I knew for sure several weeks out that he would not be going. I contacted my PCC to check on options. There were several conversations involved, but the outcome of each was that if I notified HAL that he would not be sailing it would cost me more at the time of the notification. I was advised to let the reservation stand. When I boarded the ship I said I wasn't sure of his status but he didn't show. About a week after the cruise I got a refund of the port charges.

I did read carefully - that is why I expressed doubt about the notion that if one cancels his fare is not refunded and the other has to pay single supplement.

 

That does not seem to be what was presented to you when you were told you would have to pay just $200 or so more -- which is nowhere near what a single supplement on an outside cabin for seven days would come to.

 

Yes, PCC's are meant to assist passengers- but I hope you do not think that HAL pays them to help reduce HAL's potential income by evading "the rules they are given",

 

Once more - can anyone verify the notion that HAL's practice is to absorb the fare paid by a cancelling roommate and then to charge the remaining roommate the single supplement?

OK, my bad. When I stated above that I booked the cruise I thought it would be understood that I paid for the entire booking. If I had canceled the amount charged for the solo supplement was around $200 more than the refund of the second passenger. Does that make it easier to understand?

Thanks for your input - it does seem that the about $200 (which you mentioned) would be a very low single supplement - I assume you are talking about a three or four day cruise - probably in an inside for it to be in that range.

 

Actually, if PCC's regularly advise passengers how to evade cancellation/billing policies of their employer - perhaps a low opinion of them is warranted.

If you had read carefully, you would have understood that the $200 was on top of the full payment I had made for the booking of two people in the cabin. It was a seven day cruise in an outside cabin.

As to your second point, PCC's work to give passengers the best deal possible working within the rules they are given.

Either I was very lucky and slid under the radar, or HAL has changed things since July 2003. A friend and I were booked on Zuiderdam for 7 day Eastern Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale. A couple of weeks before sailing, a family emergency came up: he contacted the line and, while he was advised he could not get a fare refund, they did refund him the port charges --- but there was no mention of hitting me for a single supplement. As I recall I gave him a couple of hundred dollars to ease his pain -- and to sort of pay for the unexpected additional space I enjoyed.

 

I remain stunned by what seems to be the experience so many posters here report --- or could it be urban legend? Have posters here actually experienced first hand the absurd outcome of having to pay a single supplement after a roommate bails after making full final payment. I do not mean did they hear from their wife's cousin that it happened to the brother in law of someone they knew at work.

I wonder if PCC's simply try to avoid the uncompensated work involved in changing a booking, and suggest the passenger simply show up and play dumb on boarding day.

 

I still would like to hear if it has ever actually happened to someone that, after a roommate bailed, he had to pay a single supplement in addition to the line keeping the half of the cabin fare already paid by the bailing passenger.

I'll ask again: have you personal knowledge of this happening - or can you refer to anything in HAL's pubic information setting forth this policy?

 

I ask because I have personal knowledge of it NOT happening - admittedly back in 2003 - but still it seems that such an extraordinary procedure would be documented more definitively than by word of mouth on a chat room like this.

You seem to have a very low opinion of PCC's in general and mine in particular. For the record, my cruise was in October of 2008, so well after yours. When I was sure that my friend couldn't join me, I called to see how the pricing would change. Since I mostly sail solo, I was well aware of the single supplement. My PCC spent time with me going over the various options. I was given a dollar amount - from memory over $200 - that I would need to pay if I canceled him. I was also told that we could do him as a no show and not pay the extra. I chose not to pay, as would most people who were in the same situation.

If you would like, just so you could get first hand knowledge, I would be happy to book a cruise with you then cancel. Maybe your luck would be better than mine and the other two that have posted the same thing.

Thank you so much. This is great advice and information! I was not aware that the check-in people have no power, but it makes complete sense of course. So I think I"ll do as you advised and just tell them at check-in about the no-shows, check in as "singles" and then on board ask the Concierges in the lounge what can be done. (Maybe my Dad and yours were friends!) :)

I would wait to mention the no shows until just before sailing. Mention that they had other travel arrangements. Just before sailing you might get a call asking if the others will be trying to catch the ship later. Mention the no shows then.

Either I was very lucky and slid under the radar, or HAL has changed things since July 2003. A friend and I were booked on Zuiderdam for 7 day Eastern Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale. A couple of weeks before sailing, a family emergency came up: he contacted the line and, while he was advised he could not get a fare refund, they did refund him the port charges --- but there was no mention of hitting me for a single supplement. As I recall I gave him a couple of hundred dollars to ease his pain -- and to sort of pay for the unexpected additional space I enjoyed.

 

I remain stunned by what seems to be the experience so many posters here report --- or could it be urban legend? Have posters here actually experienced first hand the absurd outcome of having to pay a single supplement after a roommate bails after making full final payment. I do not mean did they hear from their wife's cousin that it happened to the brother in law of someone they knew at work.

Several years ago I booked a Caribbean Cruise for myself and a friend. I knew for sure several weeks out that he would not be going. I contacted my PCC to check on options. There were several conversations involved, but the outcome of each was that if I notified HAL that he would not be sailing it would cost me more at the time of the notification. I was advised to let the reservation stand. When I boarded the ship I said I wasn't sure of his status but he didn't show. About a week after the cruise I got a refund of the port charges.

I came in late on this discussion, and .I have not read ALL the posts, but as .I see it, If the cabin has been paid twin occupancy, the line can't charge again for single.

 

 

 

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If you do read all the posts, you will find that they can - and most if not all cruise lines do. If you go from a dual to a single occupancy it will generally take money out of your pocket.

Questions: Suppose two individuals are sailing in the same room.

- How is that reservation booked?

It can be booked several different ways, including each person in the cabin having a different booking.

- Is it booked as a combined reservation where each person pays half or does one person pay all and is reimbursed by the second?

Even if it is booked as a combined reservation, payment can be made by as many or as few people as you want. Someone who is not even on the reservation can pay part or all of a reservation.

- Same question about buying Hollands cruise "insurance"?

No answer.

So if you tell them before embarkation, they recalculate if rates have gone up?

They will recalculate it as a solo fare. I don't remember if the recalculate was based on the fare when I originally booked or the current fare, but the total became about $100 more.

That sounds unlikely - by what rationale would the fare go up.

It may sound unlikely to you, but it is the HAL policy.

The rationale is that they charge more for a solo passenger than the "per person" rate for a double cabin.

Is there a close friend or relative who might be compatible to be asked to join. Seems a shame to less the un-redeemable fare go to waste - of course you'd have to contact the line in advance to approve such a change, but I know HAL permits it.

Remember that HAL considers a name change as a cancel and rebook when they allow it, so a penalty may apply.

My question would be wants the harm of telling the line now?

The fare for the passenger who is staying will be redone as a solo. When I had this happen many years ago, if I had told them that the second passenger was a no show it would have ended up costing me more than I had already paid. As it was, I did get the port fees back.

Where the Wine Package is concerned there are only two delivery options on embarkation day, stateroom or dining room. Since "at sea" isn't an option, should we assume no tax will be charged?

Or do we need to choose "dining room" to not have to pay the tax?

If it is only the stateroom option, then I think you are safe to order.

 

I hate to "assume" but if there is no "at sea" option, I think you should be good.

However, you won't normally get to the dining room until you are "at sea". I think I would take the dining room option if you don't want to pay the tax, just to be safe.

Of the movies that are available to borrow, are any of them suitable for small children? (Herbie the Love Bug, The Absent Minded Professor, That Darn Cat!, or The Shaggy Dog to name a few examples.)

if you are on a ship that still has the library you can go to

http://halfacts.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/ShipFlicks2.pdf

which is the list as of about a year ago.

Page 18 of the pdf starts the "Family" dvds that are available

I used to think it was a complimentary 24 hour hold but one TA told me they could hold it for up to 5 days. Not sure if that varies by sailing, etc. Or not.

I would think it is not the TA's policies, but the lines. If the line wants a deposit within 24 or 48 hours, or whatever, I doubt any TA would make an advance for the benefit of a customer.

I would think that if the TA is part of one of the big groups that reserve blocks of cabins, that group could set their policy differently from the cruise line policy. so they might well have a 5 or 6 day policy.

On our last cruise, I asked at the front desk about leftover OBC, and when she looked at our account, she said it could be refunded in cash or returned to our card after the cruise. Our OBC came from three sources: HAL promotion, TA credit, and stock ownership. I don't know when this applies, but it was a nice surprise.

 

 

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TA credit is refundable, it is considered a gift. Stock and HAL promotion would generally be non refundable, but as mentioned earlier, this is not always strictly enforced.

I guess they are only at February ;) We don't sail until March.

I got my notification for a Feb 12th cruise yesterday.

Also remember that a significant number of passengers will not go ashore at all and others will go ashore later just for a quick visit

On the page that shows all your reservations, at the top of each reservation, there is a link to the portion of the website for purchasing the cruise. It shows the title of the cruise. If you click on that there will be a link to email the itinerary.

Good to know. I really don't expect to use a PCC since I usually do my research and book through C.

Have not had overall good experience with PCC's assigned to me.

On NCL Jade cruise PCC told me I would have a wrap around balcony on aft suite (not correct). On recent X booking was give an A1 upgrade and the PCC made a big deal of assigning me a hump cabin (very desirable). Only after checking did I see that it was a clearly marked obstructed balcony (window washing equipment).She never even mentioned this.

If the PCC has access to some special deals or insight great but if all you are going to get is misinformation what is the point. JMHO

I have experience only with HAL PCCs and my experience has only been positive. Over the years I have had 3, all of which have been excellent.

Your listed experience has not been with HAL and while it was not good, PCCs like anything else can be good or bad and it is possible that you have just had some bad luck. Trying again with any line might provide you with a better experience.

We typically book with the big Cos. Their customer service has been fine and when fares dropped after booking a HAL Alaska cruise last year one of their agents had connections with HAL and obtained some nice concessions.

Transferring booking WITHIN ALLOWED TIME FRAMES is simple and you retain all of your initial booking benes. That said, I had been contacted by a HAL PCC who has quoted me some fares on different cruises but nothing above and beyond what I saw online. Over the weekend I saw a desirable aft cabin and booked directly through C. While I hate to shut out anyone that is trying to assist me there just isn't any advantage (from what I can see) in booking with a PCC. My impression also was that if you transfer the booking from them to another TA they don't receive 'credit' anyway. Just curious how this works.

If a PCC had worked closely with me to arrange a booking I might feel inclined not to transfer but for the little assistance seemingly offered I cannot forgo 200 plus dollars of big store credit.

It has been reported here several times, and verified by my PCC a number of times, that as long as the PCC gets the initial booking they get the 'credit' they need even if the reservation later gets moved to a TA.

Interesting....I didn't know it was refundable.

 

Too bad it can only be purchased on board. Although I do see sales sometimes with reduced deposits. But that isn't always a plus when at that time fares might be higher during those "sales". Then a reduced deposit doesn't have long term value if in the end the cruise costs more.

True, it has to be purchased on board, but if you need one and trust someone who is on a cruise or about to board, they can purchase one for you. All they need is your mariner number or the phone number that is associated with your account.

I have purchased several for others, in one case as an incentive to try HAL for some friends that have sailed on Carnival and Princess.

Has anyone else experienced this? Solution ??

We have nearly 300 days and nearly 5-star mariners.

We have three bookings (2 in December and 1 in March). My DH went in to add some restaurant reservations and realized there was nearly 3000.00 difference in pricing for a party of 2 for the December back to back bookings. No $50 might be happen chance but $3000 is real $. We tried customer service with no help.

check and make sure that all your perks are included in the new fare. You have posted to the Dec 20th Zaandam cruise which is 21 days. If you have the Explore4 package and they are now pricing without it, that would be a major part of the difference.

You mention a b2b, if the other part is the previous Zaandam cruise the total would be 35 days and dropping the Explore4 package would cover that difference.

If you want the lower fare, it would be with the perks that currently accompany it.

Quite frankly- this is unethical and quite disappointing to very loyal (now stupid) customers.

Disappointing, maybe.

Be aware that in Panama there is no option for private tours. You must be on a ships tour to leave the ship in Gatun Lake. This is a requirement of the Panamanian Government.