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GAP Programs - Family Reunion Package vs Wedding Package vs GAP Points


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Hello,

I’m organizing my 2nd cruise next summer on the Koningsdam. I’ve decided on the July 2019, 12 night Ancient Empires Cruise. We plan on doing a vow renewal and celebrate my birthday. I received the 2018 Group Advantage Program guide from HAL. I called the group line at HAL today and I couldn’t get clear answers. I also did a 10 year search on CC and there weren’t a lot of answers regarding group perks and benefits.

 

It appears that the Family Reunion and the Wedding package offers the best incentives for your guests. Group Guests get some nice perks such as champagne, lunch and soda cards. I was told that no matter how many people you have, your GAP points are given to your group and that’s the amount you get. For our proposed cruise, we would get 4 GAP points. This would give us 1 dinner and chocolate covered strawberries. Why would a group organizer choose GAP points over the family reunion or wedding package?

 

Can someone clarify what the below means? Does this mean you’ll get an upgrade within your booked category?

 

“Complimentary “best available” between meta upgrades

 

Below are the packages:

 

2018 AFFINITY GROUP PACKAGES

 

2018 Wedding Package for family groups of 8 or more staterooms Benefits below are in lieu of GAP Points

FOR THE WEDDING COUPLE

Wedding Couple Reward — Complimentary “best available” between meta upgrade[emoji812] Complimentary Wedding Cake for up to 16 guestsu

Pinnacle Grill Lunch per guest❖

Chocolate-dipped Strawberries per stateroom

Bottle of Prosecco Sparkling Wine per stateroom

Private Winetasting per guest — approximately one-hour tasting featuring five wines and domestic cheeses* ADDITIONAL GUESTS

Pinnacle Grill Lunch per guest❖

Chocolate-dipped Strawberries per stateroom

Bottle of Prosecco Sparkling Wine per stateroom

Private Winetasting per guest — approximately one-hour tasting featuring five wines and domestic cheeses*

 

 

2018 Family Reunion Package for family groups of 8 or more staterooms ◗ Benefits below are in lieu of GAP Points

Head of the Family Reward — Complimentary “best available” between meta upgrade[emoji812]

Family Member Reward — Complimentary “best available” upgrades within meta category for all family members✤ $50-value Fountain Soda Card per stateroom

Pinnacle Grill Lunch for all family members❖

$50-value Beverage Card per stateroom

 

 

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hello! I was hoping I could get a few tips with groups. Does anyone have feedback or when they think the 2019 GAP program will be released? I’m leaning towards using a big box hot dog store to book our group trip. Thanks!

 

 

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I would talk to a PCC. They would have the best insight. I agree that what you have posted isn't very clear.

 

Thanks. When I called HAL, they weren’t all that helpful. I was transferred to 3 different people. They really couldn’t tell me why someone would choose GAP vs the Family Reunion package.

 

I was hoping to hear from people who have organized group cruises. But, from searching this board, most people book on their own, and if they are a part of a group, they haven’t been involved with the backend planning.

 

 

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For clarification, were any of the people you spoke with a Personal Cruise Consultant or were they just customer service-type people?

 

 

 

I was transferred to a PCC who was quite eager to take my booking. But, when I started to ask questions about the group perks and program, that when I started to get bounced around.

 

Hopefully, someone on this board has organized groups and can give me a few tips on how to maximize group perks/program.

 

Thanks!

 

 

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Aww. So sorry. I hope someone comes along to answer your questions. Good luck!

 

 

 

Thanks! I might have to search for another Board since I’m not having much luck on this one. I would have thought more people had experience with HAL group bookings. Bummer!

 

 

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Thanks! I might have to search for another Board since I’m not having much luck on this one. I would have thought more people had experience with HAL group bookings. Bummer!

 

 

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Perhaps an experienced travel agent could help you? The good ones frequently know more than the HAL reps.

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Thanks! I might have to search for another Board since I’m not having much luck on this one. I would have thought more people had experience with HAL group bookings. Bummer!

 

 

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Sorry I can't help you from personal experience, but several years ago I inquired about a group booking and was directed to a specific department within HAL. A quick search found this:

for eight or more cabins please contact the groups department and they can assist. 1–877–932–4259. It would be a great family vacation!

and

For more information, contact your travel agent partner or our Groups Department at 888-425-9477.

This was part of a blog entry that can be found at Group Bookings
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Sorry I can't help you from personal experience, but several years ago I inquired about a group booking and was directed to a specific department within HAL. A quick search found this:

 

and

 

This was part of a blog entry that can be found at Group Bookings

 

 

 

Yes, thanks. The blog was helpful before I called HAL and they connected me with their group specialists. The only difference they could tell me is that the packages needed 8 or more cabins, the GAP program would be applied for 5 or more. So, if I didn’t think I could get 8 in our group, we would only be eligible for 4 GAP points for our cruise (each cruise is given a play GAP point amount). Which is essentially a dinner and a bottle of bubbly.

 

 

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Perhaps an experienced travel agent could help you? The good ones frequently know more than the HAL reps.

 

 

 

We used a travel agent for our last group. She retired and didn’t have a referral for us. I contacted a big box store and have been working with the agent who responded to my group booking request. We used to have a travel agency in town, but they closed up last year. The agent we are using seems nice enough, he just doesn’t have first hand knowledge of group bookings. He booked plenty, just hasn’t been in one himself.

 

 

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Hello! I just booked a group of my own family and friends (36 of us, thus far) on a 2019 sailing. The system was tricky to learn, but I think I understand most of the ins and outs. I agree, it was difficult getting consistent answers on the telephone. If would like to correspond via email, let me know, and we can try to figure out how to get in touch. Cheers!

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Hello! I just booked a group of my own family and friends (36 of us, thus far) on a 2019 sailing. The system was tricky to learn, but I think I understand most of the ins and outs. I agree, it was difficult getting consistent answers on the telephone. If would like to correspond via email, let me know, and we can try to figure out how to get in touch. Cheers!

 

 

 

That would be lovely. Since we aren’t allowed email addresses here, my contact info can be found at http://www.nancybui.com

 

I would appreciate any help you could provide.

 

 

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Hello,

 

Why would a group organizer choose GAP points over the family reunion or wedding package?

 

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It depends on the perceived value of what you'll be getting.

 

Example: Which would better suit members in your group:

$50 soda card + $50 beverage card + PG lunch (Family Reunion Package)

-or-

a dinner in the PG + a dinner in the Tamarind (6 GAP points total in HAL's small group Connections program)

 

The PG lunch is worth $10 per person. Added to the cards, that's $110.

The PG dinner is worth $35, and the Tamarind dinner is $25. So that's $60; a $50 difference.

It sounds like the package would be better, BUT how many in the group will use a $50 soda card ?

Will there be a few children in the group ? Soda cards are good for them.

But some adults may not use them, so that's $50 with no value.

 

Would everyone in your group use the PG and Tamarind dinners ? The adults would

because it's an exceptional dining experience.

 

It's about what would be of value to your group.

Some groups would prefer the package, others would use the GAP points for the dinners.

Edited by Boatdrill
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It depends on the perceived value of what you'll be getting.

 

Example: Which would better suit members in your group:

$50 soda card + $50 beverage card + PG lunch (Family Reunion Package)

-or-

a dinner in the PG + a dinner in the Tamarind (6 GAP points total in HAL's small group Connections program)

 

The PG lunch is worth $10 per person. Added to the cards, that's $110.

The PG dinner is worth $35, and the Tamarind dinner is $25. So that's $60; a $50 difference.

It sounds like the package would be better, BUT how many in the group will use a $50 soda card ?

Will there be a few children in the group ? Soda cards are good for them.

But some adults may not use them, so that's $50 with no value.

 

Would everyone in your group use the PG and Tamarind dinners ? The adults would

because it's an exceptional dining experience.

 

It's about what would be of value to your group.

Some groups would prefer the package, others would use the GAP points for the dinners.

 

 

 

Thanks, Boatdrill. I appreciate your response.

 

The biggest difference that I can tell between the GAP points and the packages is the room upgrade possibility. For example, our cruise is awarded 4 GAP points.

 

With 4 GAP points we could get one Pinnacle Dinner ($35) and one bottle of Bon Voyage bubbly ($30) = $60 value per person

 

With the Family Reunion package, you essentially get the same $60 value (yes, you don’t get to pick your perks, but I would basically pick this list anyhow) and you get an opportunity to have your guests upgraded within the category they picked and the organizer would get an upgrade to the next category (based on availability). For example, as the organizer, I would book the verandah, and hope to get upgraded to a Vista. My guests would pick a VH (obstructed) and hope for a V.

 

It seems like a lot to give up a possible room-category upgrade to pick your perks meager perks.

 

Maybe I’m missing something?

 

 

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The upgrades sound nice, and are very tempting, but you have no control over them. You used two words that jumped out at me:

possible, and hope (twice). Will you be happy if the upgrades don't come through ? Will your friends be happy in their Obstructed Veranda View for 12 days ? A 12 day Med cruise is a large investment in time and money when you add in flights, hotels, time away from home.

 

So for me, as a group coordinator, I would take the room upgrades out of the equation when assessing value. The reason is that I want to know exactly what my group is getting, and knowing that helps me keep my guests happy and satisfied with their investment. I can assure the group that they will get "This and that for this cruise fare."

 

Aim for what would make you and everyone else happy for 12 days, and make people feel that they got their money's worth.

Remember that "Price is what you pay, value is what you get."

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The upgrades sound nice, and are very tempting, but you have no control over them. You used two words that jumped out at me:

possible, and hope (twice). Will you be happy if the upgrades don't come through ? Will your friends be happy in their Obstructed Veranda View for 12 days ? A 12 day Med cruise is a large investment in time and money when you add in flights, hotels, time away from home.

 

So for me, as a group coordinator, I would take the room upgrades out of the equation when assessing value. The reason is that I want to know exactly what my group is getting, and knowing that helps me keep my guests happy and satisfied with their investment. I can assure the group that they will get "This and that for this cruise fare."

 

Aim for what would make you and everyone else happy for 12 days, and make people feel that they got their money's worth.

Remember that "Price is what you pay, value is what you get."

 

 

 

Thank you! I definitely intend to tell my group to pick the room they want and not expect an upgrade. Most of us really have no idea which room they want. I’ve posted a few options here, but have had little response. Since the GAP points program and the Family Reunion package are essentially the same “perks” that we would be interested in, besides the possible room upgrades, we are most likely going to book with the Family Reunion package since we have nothing to lose and everything to gain with an upgrade. If we get good upgrades, fab, if not, oh wells. We didn’t lose out on an perks.

 

I’m still navigating the PCC vs big box store agent. That’s been an interesting process!

 

 

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That sounds like a great plan.

When you quote the fare to your guests, break it down into a per day cost. It reduces the sticker shock of the entire price, is easier for them to understand what they're getting, and will help them make a decision.

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