rodndonna

I wouldn't think when they reopen it out at a deeply discounted rate3 months from cruise date (when FP is due) (at least not for a popular cruise) but if you can - go for it!

I assumed you meant unrealistically "low". Either way - not much of risk on a $1 deposit if the current price looks good today, and then the buyer cancels before final payment if the cruise is still looking empty. Low deposits do not appeal to me, but I can see why some folks like them.

Regardless of the reason - if someone can take advantage of an unrealistic price - go for it I say!

Found the answer - Google is wonderful. I "believe" I would be able to apply the FCC to another booking.

We have a NRD cruise booked for next year which was booked before Mar 1, 2023, which I understand if cancelled would return FCC (minus change fees). Would we be able to apply this FCC to another existing booking with X, or does FCC have to be a "new" booking?

Not sure if it really amounted to anything, but last year our PCC became part of a trial for PCC's to be able to use a schedule system for appointments. I REALLY like it - no phone tag and easy to just go on-line and pick a time-slot that works for us with a note about what it is regarding. Was just assuming all PCC's would navigate to it as an option, but maybe not. I don't think I would take another PCC (if she left) that didn't use a schedule system.

I will just add - if you can - avoid being born in mid-March, or you will never be in a position to celebrate a birthday with travel ...speaking from experience 😥

Those speak to delays and cancellations, but the poster was speaking to schedule changes - which is more of a grey area. Generally with Canadian airlines, when we are notified of a bigger schedule change (many hours), we get the option to accept the change, reschedule or cancel for a refund. Smaller reschedules tend to just notices with sometimes an offer to select a new flight. Somewhere ... there must be a clear delineation on the number of hours they can reschedule without offering, but I can't find it. I don't think a change of 4 hours in the layover would count though. Our major Canadian airlines (Air Canada and Westjet) offer pre-emptive rebooking as you pointed out with JetBlue. Very handy in the winter, where any potential delays or cancellations to a flight allow you to rebook your flight without penalty. They have done this for many years. VERY handy living in winter climate and have used it numerous times. I have yet to test access to that feature (which is easily done on-line on the airlines website) with a flight booked through FlightEase. I like to think because it is ticketed at that point, you can go to the airline site and rebook yourself, but have never (thankfully) tested it with a FlightEase booking.

Isn't that the case with most airlines? A change in 4 hours in layover, from 2 hours to 6 hours is not enough to allow you to cancel (at least with Air Canada and Westjet). They might allow you to rebook another flight with them if available, but they won't refund as a result of that kind of change in schedule.

I can't think of any reason not to book with FE at this point if the cost is comparable (at least as a backup). If the airline changes the flight times to something you don't like or a sale comes up, you can reprice it with FE (until final payment) or cancel and book independent.

You've just saved me the cost/effort of ancestory.com ... apparently I am part Irish! 😄

It just has to be approved by the board annually - in July each year. It appears safe that it is always approved ... Consider an AARP membership if you don't have on yet - some OBC there as well 😉

I don't see anything yet on that same 3rd party site.

Just updating to say the Canada/NE cruises for 2025 are now bookable on a 3rd party website so likely on HAL within days. The start of the 90 day countdown clock for eligibility for Mariner Society Early Booking Bonus is looming.... 😉

Odd - ours defaulted 100% to my husband. The room is booked with me as the primary guest and both names are on the account holding the stoc,k although his name shows first on that joint account. Won't matter in the end (what's his is mine!!!).. but odd how it was assigned for us.

As long as the price and offers are still the same as you approach final payment that would work. If booked with Early Booking bonus, then you would lose those rebooking close to final payment. I am contemplating rebooking a cruise that was booked with HIA Early booking bonus as well as Mariner Early bonus, but with full deposit. We are on a cruise in a couple of weeks, and I may rebook the with FCD to lower the deposit (don't really care about that) to get the FCD OBC bonus and the newer AARP bonus. We would lose the Mariner Early bonus, but it looks like we should still come out ahead in the end if the pricing is stable. And here i though all my math skills would go to waste after retiring. 🙄

Thanks - we were able to edit the pdf and statements electronically and received confirmation of our OBC on Monday - 😄

I wonder if the room/location/year are the reason ? The cruise I was pricing was Inside/Med/Oct 2024

Seems like a lot. Is that a nearer term booking or one that is further out? I just checked for a 10 day Med cruise in 2024 - and I still only get an upgrade cost of $58/pp/pd CDN. (2386-1802)/10 - $58.40 (Canadian pricing) If I look at our med cruise in 2 weeks, the cost to add HIA is MUCH higher, but whenever I look for early booking cruises, it is always that $45-50US/day with favourable exchange rate to CDN. EDIT: Just logged out and repriced same cruise without Casino discount and HIA was $70/pp/pd CDN. I never realized there was a difference in the HIA add on cost with the Casino discount .. but I guess there is.

Just to clarify - there are 2 "Early" types of bonus - The "Early Booking Bonus" and the "Mariner Society Early Booking Bonus". You can get both, BUT, you have to book when the cruises are first released to get the Mariner Society bonus (I think it is within 90 days of release). I believe April 2025 cruises have been out longer than that, but worth looking into. https://www.hollandamerica.com/en/ca/cruise-deals/mariner-early-booking-bonus

We have been lucky enough to get a couple of "free" staterooms offers in the past but really aren't expecting anymore - but I see what you mean, it is a nice feature.

Aha! We don't get the same thing.... Mine looks like this - it just says "Cruise Fare" - but that fare is a reduced fare from the original fare in the search by our Casino discount (usually 20-30%). I think your "Private Fare" is a better Casino offer ...

Somewhere here in CC I found an old thread that stated the rule comes about in that if there is more than 1 bar per deck, they are viewed as selling alcohol in Canada and would thus be required to account for and pay taxes on the alcohol sales while in port, which would be a huge hassle and expense. Canada does love "sin" taxes and our alcohol is quite heavily taxed. 😑

We ad 2 HAL cruises booked before the AARP OBC thing came into play. One was past final payment (is in 2 weeks) but we have one for next December that is refundable. When I check pricing it appears the same, maybe $50 more but I think that is just the currency exchange for our Canadian rates. I figure I can call our PCC and have it cancelled and rebooked to get the AARP OBC applied, but was wondering if people are just calling in and having it applied rather put them through the hassle of rebooking it. We have a GTY inside so no issue with rooms 😄

Apologies .. posted to wrong forum ... 😊