Lauren Spray

....continuing.  We cleared the wait list.  We got what we paid for, maybe a better location, but that's all. Maybe we will be offered an upsell.  Maybe not.  I don't care.

I hadn't packed yet, but I took my clothes out of the closet before, in case.  That did the trick.😁

That's fine with me. 

Good luck to others who are waiting to hear on their cruise. It is nerve wracking having to wait!

Well, our wait listed sailing is Saturday (4/13) and as of 6:15 EDT (4/10) we are still wait listed.  I called HAL and the person I talked to confirmed it.

Please let us know already, Holland America.  We figured out we aren't the type who should choose this option in the future.  It was an experiment for us but in the future, we are going to pay the money and choose what works for us.

To be continued...

1 hour ago, Haljo1935 said:

Mine are crossed for you, too. 🤞 I don't live close enough to sign up, so might as well throw some well wishes to someone 😊

Thank you for the good wishes and positive vibes!  

Not ready to pack yet, just in case, but I set Wednesday as a packing day so trying to multiply the positive vibes.  Not taking that much (haha!) so easy enough to unpack if not going.

What will also disappoint me is the after cruise temporary plans to visit friends I haven't seen in a very long time.

Our wait listed sailing is next Saturday.  I know we should not expect to hear until next Thursday (earliest of latest?) but that doesn't stop me from continuously checking and having my heart stop every time I see an email from Holland America.

Fingers crossed, but the sailing is showing sold out, so maybe not going.

Waiting is torture.

Congrats to all who cleared the wait list for their cruise.  Happy sailing!

Our sailing is April 13th so I don't expect to hear for awhile.

We booked in December too.

51 minutes ago, CrusinCanadian said:

Just as a follow up for those interested, I called HAL 47 hours out from sailing time and was advised that I was still on standby, I just called today as boarding begins soon and was advised that I was no longer on standby status, reservation cancelled by HAL as of yesterday, zero chance of getting on cruise and that my payment had been refunded (not showing on my card yet of course). I asked the agent to double check with Ship Inventory for availability and he said they are closed today (Sunday). I asked for email confirmation so that I could leave Lauderdale and go with my Plan B. Good luck to all!

Sorry you didn't make it on board.  Hope your alternative vacation plan is still enjoyable for you.

10 hours ago, expattraveler said:

Just thought I’d report on our recent standby experience.

 

We live very close to the cruise terminal in San Diego. We had an upcoming week with nothing planned so decided we’d give the standby option a try.  
 

Two weeks ago I spoke to our HAL representative and asked him to be put on the list for the Koningsdam 7 day Mexican Riviera departing San Diego tomorrow March 23. He said I was the first person that asked him to try the standby list so something new for both of us. He added us to the list.

 

Our HAL representative actually called me this past Wednesday morning and asked if I’d received any emails from HAL about clearing the waitlist? I said I hadn’t checked email yet that morning. He said he checked the booking out of curiosity to see if it had been cleared, and he said “it appears that you’ve been cleared”. He didn’t want us to lose our non-refundable payment if I wasn’t checking emails daily. Very kind of him to call, and the reason we’re very happy with him as our HAL representative.
 

After our call I then checked my email. I was notified by HAL this past Wednesday morning, March 20, that we cleared the standby for the March 23 Koningsdam sailing. I also received an additional email within minutes with an upgrade offer.
 

I called the number attached to the upgrade email. We were offered a few different upgrade options. After reviewing the options with the representative on the phone we accepted a VB on deck 11 for $249 PP.

 

Since it was so close to sailing I wanted to ensure a few additional discounted items so I called our HAL rep in Seattle and he finalized these items for us before the window closed. 

 

Notification of clearing the standby was only a little over 2 days before our departure tomorrow morning, but it worked really well for us since we can actually walk to the terminal.

 

Wishing anyone on standby good wishes for success! 
 

All the best….

How wonderful.

Best wishes for an excellent cruise. 

Now you should try playing the lottery.😃

We paid $49/per person for stand by.  I went in to our reservation on line for the Eurodam trans-Canal.  I was able to complete our booking and print luggage tags (no cabin number haha), but not our boarding pass (as expected).

I was also able to make dinner reservations at Tamarind (2 times) and at the Pinnacle Grill (1 time).  Got good times, too.  If we don't go, I will obviously cancel and get a refund.  But just in case...Tamarind is our favorite restaurant and we always love a good steak.

Just in case we don't hear until 48 hrs before, I am going to pack any way.  Easy enough to unpack.  I would rather cruise, so will be disappointed if we stay home.  I'll think of something else.

On 12/28/2023 at 1:56 PM, Troysers1 said:

I can confirm the exact opposite of clearing the standby list. 

 

Apparently after HAL incorrectly put me on a waitlist (as opposed to the standby list) when HAL went to correct the situation an automatic refund was generated to my credit card, so no transfer to the standby list could be performed.

 

Lessons learned include this standby program is very new to HAL and they are "still figuring it out."  Very few agents seem to be knowledgeable about the program.  I am thankful for using a travel agent in this situation as it has saved me the hassle and frustration of sorting things out with HAL.

What is the difference between the stand by program and the new wait list program for $49 pp/per day + port fees?

Please explain.

Thank you!

On 12/8/2023 at 9:37 AM, Laurie59 said:

Has anyone tried to do the new stand by program on Holland America that is offered for Dec and 2024 cruises

We are trying the wait list.  10 day Eurodam in April.  Either we get it or we don't.  We live within driving distance to Ft Lauderdale.  We cruise a lot.

But I have learned so much reading this board that I think I will try other alternative booking options next time.

Will come back a week before (or when we find out) and let you know if we were successful. 

Ok, will try.

Thanks.

Will do.  Thanks!

Hi Ken,

Did you go to the M&G?

Mike put a lot of thought and effort into making the event special for all who planned to attend.

I haven't read anything about it.

I have really enjoyed sharing the trip with you since I had to cancel at the last minute.

I look forward to Part 2.

Lauri

Help!  Hope you have been more successful than me in accessing your booking on line.  I have tried since Sunday and eventually I get a message that Princess is experiencing technical difficulties.  That's a long time without fixing the problem.  We leave in a few weeks time and I want to print out docs, luggage tags, etc, and book some dining reservations

Is it my terrible internet or is it Princess?

Suggestions?

Lauri

Nobody bothered to call us either the whole time, room service insisted on coming in to deliver the trays even though we met them at the door and tried to take the tray from them, but HAL made sure we were hustled off the ship before the other guests, put on a bus and whisked directly to the airport.  Adios, amigos.

So glad we weren't on the ship that recently docked in Sydney, Australia with 800 cases on board.  Thankful for small things.

Get well soon.

Always wanted to go to Israel.

Good for you that you finally got some action on your claim.

I enjoy traveling along with you on this great journey.  I look forward to more chapters.

I agree!

3 hours ago, Tigrou said:

 

I share your frustration!

 

I was also quarantined on Rotterdam, in my case for the last 4 days of the cruise which ended on 25 Sep 22.  Still no sign of the promised FCC.  Nothing except the auto-response from Guest Relations when I tried to chase it up by e-mail.

 

The letter said the FCC must be used for a cruise within 12 months of my first day of isolation.  I'm already almost 8 weeks into that 12 months and the FCC still hasn't been issued.

 

 

Maybe if enough people complain, it will move the needle and we will see some results.

Thanks everyone for your responses

We were quarantined for 5 days on the Rotterdam in September.  We also received the letter stating that we would receive an FCC equal to the per-day rate for the number of days we were isolated and it would be posted to our Mariner account within the next 2 weeks.  We disembarked on August 11th.  As of November 12th, it has not been posted.

I think I was pretty reasonable when I called Guest Relations and the Mariner Society twice in October and November.  Talk about a long wait on hold to speak to someone who could not tell me anything.

A few days ago I resorted to sending an email to Guest Relations and received a form letter that my request was going in the queue and it would take 6-8 weeks for a response.  That is when I blew my stack.  Not that it does any good!

I know Holland America reads Cruise Critic and they want past passengers to keep coming back.  We actually want to use our FCC for a cruise in February but final payment is due on booking and we want to use our FCC, so I am extremely frustrated.  Can't you tell?

If anyone has some suggestions on what worked for them, I would love to hear.

Maybe I should take a "chill pill"

Thanks for reading this!

Lauri

Sounds great!  I wonder if they will offer this cruise next year?  If yes, it will be the 4th time we

have tried to cruise here.   Is the universe trying to tell me something, I wonder?

Yes, of course I will follow along!

Have an awesome time!

Lauri

Thanks for the good suggestions Trivimp, Stefmaia, TrumpyNor and for taking the time to respond. 

You are funny Motown Voice.

I have a better idea what to do now.

Our cruise leaves in 3 weeks after 2 years of cancellations for our itinerary.  Yay!

Lauri