HAL Made Me An Offer I Can Refuse

[sealady1]

Hello Everyone,

So here I am just two days until my long awaited cruise and I just received a phone call from my TA. She told me that she got a fax from HAL asking if I would be willing to switch my cruise to a later date. They offered me a 25% discount. I guess they must have overbooked and they are asking people to give up their cabins. What I don't understand is why they have waited until two days before the cruise to ask people to change their plans. Does this sort of thing happen very often? Normally the thought of saving $500 would be tempting but my DH and I booked this cruise over a year ago. We have counted down the days together in excited anticipation. I have been an active member of the roll call and we have a M&G planned. We had to arrange for this vacation time well in advance. We are all packed and ready to go so needless to say, I told my TA to tell HAL no thanks.

[Druke I]

They'll make the offer to others, sometimes sweeten it, until they get someone to "move-over".

 

It is not uncommon.

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Hello Everyone,

So here I am just two days until my long awaited cruise and I just received a phone call from my TA. She told me that she got a fax from HAL asking if I would be willing to switch my cruise to a later date. They offered me a 25% discount. I guess they must have overbooked and they are asking people to give up their cabins. What I don't understand is why they have waited until two days before the cruise to ask people to change their plans. Does this sort of thing happen very often? Normally the thought of saving $500 would be tempting but my DH and I booked this cruise over a year ago. We have counted down the days together in excited anticipation. I have been an active member of the roll call and we have a M&G planned. We had to arrange for this vacation time well in advance. We are all packed and ready to go so needless to say, I told my TA to tell HAL no thanks.

 

Hi, Sealady

 

Just last week, six days before my originally scheduled cruise departure, I received an attractive offer from HAL via my travel agent to change my booking to a later date. HAL had overbooked my sailing. Happily, because no air travel was involved, it didn't present a disruption to my schedule, and I live in the port of departure (Seattle), I was able to accept. This has never happened to me before, so I would say in my experience only, it's not usual, but it does happen. In your case, I would say that two days is cutting it close, however! Bon Voyage!

[Krazy Kruizers]

Yes -- HAL is known to over sell cruises. I can remember a couple of years in a row when HAL over sold the Canada/New England cruises -- and asking people anywhere from a week before the cruises to just days before the cruises to accept special offers.

 

I know that we would never be able to accept an offer as we have to fly and there are very, very few flights out of air port to anywhere.

 

Bon Voyage -- enjoy your cruise.

[COLLEYBERRY]

 

But, but... what if no one accepts the offers :eek: and there is not enough cabins for passengers arriving at the pier. Yikes.!!!

 

What % of the ship do they generally overbook ?

[chicopaige]

Sems like a very modest offer. A few years ago Princess offered our cruise at half price and an upgrade from an inside cabin to a balcony, if we went one week later. We were notified a week prior to our departure.

[luvcruisn']

My cruise on the Prinsendam in November 2009 was oversold. I was given an offer Monday morning, for the two days later Wednesday sailing. It was a good offer, but unfortunately, I had already taken the time off work, and I was flying out the next day to Fort Lauderdale so I couldn't accept. My roommate said that she would have accepted, as her plans were more flexible - she was retired, and was driving to the port. The cruises offered were for sailings in either January, February, or March, 2010, with either a refund or an upgrade included, but on a different ship.

[estebofarr]

We were offered an outside to a balcony, 10 days to 12 days if we could go the next month. No percent off. We could accept but others in the group couldn't so we didn't.

[sealady1]

Thank you everyone for your replies. Short of a free cruise, I wouldn't change my plans for this next week. We have been waiting so long for this cruise and now it is almost here!!!

Yippee!!!

Debbie

[Breadman54]

Hello Everyone,

So here I am just two days until my long awaited cruise and I just received a phone call from my TA. She told me that she got a fax from HAL asking if I would be willing to switch my cruise to a later date. They offered me a 25% discount. I guess they must have overbooked and they are asking people to give up their cabins. What I don't understand is why they have waited until two days before the cruise to ask people to change their plans. Does this sort of thing happen very often? Normally the thought of saving $500 would be tempting but my DH and I booked this cruise over a year ago. We have counted down the days together in excited anticipation. I have been an active member of the roll call and we have a M&G planned. We had to arrange for this vacation time well in advance. We are all packed and ready to go so needless to say, I told my TA to tell HAL no thanks.

How can u over book?When they (TA) make ur reservations doesn't it go into a computer

and then that room is taken off the list and when all rooms are off list u stop taking reservations?Right!

[pms4104]

Thank you everyone for your replies. Short of a free cruise, I wouldn't change my plans for this next week. We have been waiting so long for this cruise and now it is almost here!!!

Yippee!!!

Debbie

Well, free would be good ... but I think 25% off is a measly pittance when you consider that anyone who booked late, like somewhat after final payment, likely paid a fare less than the net (with 25% off) being offered you. Moot point, as you are unable to rearrange time off ... but still not much incentive to move over.

 

Enjoy your long-awaited holiday!:D

[cruisinjudy]

It sure seems like HAL would know before a few days before the cruise that not enough had canceled.

[pms4104]

How can u over book?When they (TA) make ur reservations doesn't it go into a computer

and then that room is taken off the list and when all rooms are off list u stop taking reservations?Right![/quote]

Obviously not. I surmise guarantees come into play when lines overbook because they certainly couldn't double-book a specific cabin.

[smslms]

Not much different than the airlines asking if someone wants to give up their seat. Last time it happened to us we were on our way home and it really didn't matter to us what time we got there. They offered us dinner, free night in a 4 star hotel, a first class flight home the next day and two free tickets anywhere they flew. Practically tripped over myself accepting that one. It all depends on your circumstances I guess.:)

[G&G]

As posted in other threads HAL overbooked and offered to exchange a 33 day cruise on the Rotterdam 1-2 weeks prior to sailing on 03/08/2010 with a 54 day cruise to Europe, roundtrip Ft Lauderdale, 03/24/2010, plus a $1500 credit. At no additional charge. It would have cost us $48/day/person to take the offer

[Typhoon1]

I could refuse that offer too.

[Vanisle]

Three days before we were to cruise on a trip we had waited 2 years for as we need a HC stateroom our TA phoned with an offer of a free cruise in the fall plus all our $ back but we refused as there were no circle cruises to Hawaii out of Vancouver till April 11 and I was not waiting that long to go plus was already packed.

PS back yesterday had a great cruise after a rough and rocky first day and met many great folks!

[photomikey]

Why do they wait until 2 days before? Who knows. Why do the airlines wait until everyone is inside security, standing at the gate, bags checked, ready to board before they start counting heads? To me, that seems more ridiculous.

But, but... what if no one accepts the offers :eek: and there is not enough cabins for passengers arriving at the pier. Yikes.!!!

Consensus on this board is that if you sweeten the deal enough... *someone* will always accept. 25% isn't my number, but for 50% I'd seriously consider it. Not everyone has taken time off of work to cruise - seems many HALers are retirees, and I'm self employed. Every day is a bad day for me to take vacation! :-)

[maxout]

HAL : "We've over-booked your Cruise with a large contingent of Charismatic Nudist Polka Band Members, would you be willing to trade for another at 50% off??"

 

;) :D :p :eek:

[LRene]

We booked a BC Guarantee category cabin on the Zaandam for June about 2 months ago and there are FOUR of that category cabin on the entire ship. At the time of our booking, there were over 50 guarantee bookings in that category so although we usually pick a cabin, we rolled the dice on this impromptu trip and were upgraded to an AA.

 

I can see easily how they end up with over bookings doing it like that. Then if enough people don't cancel, they have to do something so they start making offers. A lot of people live in the port city or near enough that they can take the offers. It would be hard for me....I am counting down days, hours, minutes and would be so disappointed to have to wait longer. :o

[sealady1]

HAL : "We've over-booked your Cruise with a large contingent of Charismatic Nudist Polka Band Members, would you be willing to trade for another at 50% off??"

 

;) :D :p :eek:

I don't know...I think I would have to stick around for that one ;)

Thank you for the laugh!!!

[alpal1993]

Since we both work and DH only gets 2 weeks vacation, and I can only go on vacation certain times of the year,that would never work.

One year on Celebrity they decided to move the ship from Caribbean to Baltics.Tried to offer us another date,but as stated we could not.After some minutes on the phone my T/A got them to offer us the Baltic cruise(12 nights vs 9) same price, same room and 100$ on board credit.We jumped on it and so glad we did!

[sevenseasnomad]

We booked a BC Guarantee category cabin on the Zaandam for June about 2 months ago and there are FOUR of that category cabin on the entire ship. At the time of our booking, there were over 50 guarantee bookings in that category so although we usually pick a cabin, we rolled the dice on this impromptu trip and were upgraded to an AA.

 

I can see easily how they end up with over bookings doing it like that. Then if enough people don't cancel, they have to do something so they start making offers. A lot of people live in the port city or near enough that they can take the offers. It would be hard for me....I am counting down days, hours, minutes and would be so disappointed to have to wait longer. :o

 

Amen. We've been counting down the days since last August. We also have arranged time off, not easy to do since we're school teachers & it's the week before Christmas break. Yes, we're driving down to FLL so no flights to worry about, however, we've booked hotels along the way, one of which was so heavily discounted that if we cancel we get no money back. HAL would have to come up with some fabulous offer to make us change our plans. On the plus side though, our cruise has come down $300 pp since we booked, so at this moment we are happy, happy cruisers.

 

Corporate has already informed our TA that they may move us, as we are a couple in a quad cabin. Our TA's reply, "That would not be a wise move on your part." Have no idea what we could do about it if HAL forced the issue and did move us. We booked so far in advance (18 months) just to get that cabin so would be extremely disappointed if they played musical cabins with us.

 

Anyone else with a confirmed cabin # ever get moved when you've specifically stated you do not wish to be moved or upgraded?

[bksunbuddies]

Amen. We've been counting down the days since last August. We also have arranged time off, not easy to do since we're school teachers & it's the week before Christmas break. Yes, we're driving down to FLL so no flights to worry about, however, we've booked hotels along the way, one of which was so heavily discounted that if we cancel we get no money back. HAL would have to come up with some fabulous offer to make us change our plans. On the plus side though, our cruise has come down $300 pp since we booked, so at this moment we are happy, happy cruisers.

 

Corporate has already informed our TA that they may move us, as we are a couple in a quad cabin. Our TA's reply, "That would not be a wise move on your part." Have no idea what we could do about it if HAL forced the issue and did move us. We booked so far in advance (18 months) just to get that cabin so would be extremely disappointed if they played musical cabins with us.

 

Anyone else with a confirmed cabin # ever get moved when you've specifically stated you do not wish to be moved or upgraded?

 

I want to know the answer to that?? Can they move you without informing you? I don't think I would want to find out we had cabins moved unless they moved us to a suite!

:cool:

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Not that this is a common accurrence but it does happen but actually I am quite surprised that what the offered was so low and that they waited 2 days before :confused:

This year Princess cruise line seems to be doing this a lot for Alaska and the offer they are giving is really sweet and actually I know of several that have and their offeres are coming 4 weeks in advance. At just two days before I am guessing that it is maybe just trying to get people on that are waitlisted and cannot go another time.

You are definitely confirmed with a cabin so no need to even consider there is a problem, it is just the obligation of your TA to make that offer.