Price reduction

[timothy998]

Via our roll call, I learned last night that HAL cut prices for our late March western Caribbean cruise on the Nieuw Amsterdam. Since we're relatively close and have already made final payment, I called our TA to see what we could do, understanding full well that we were at HAL's mercy. He was not very optimistic but when he called HAL, they agreed to a $100 per cabin OBC (due to our family size we have two connecting cabins). Nothing ventured, nothing gained, and this is a nice gesture by HAL. We'd never have received the OBC had we not asked...so thanks to the members who mentioned the price cut!

[JJPacer]

Glad you got something.

[Randyk47]

I must be cursed. :) Never had a cruise go down in price. Up yes, down no. Congrats on at least getting something out of the change.

[kazu]

I've only seen the price go down once in all my cruises (and HAL did reduce the price). Most times, like Randy says, we only see the price go up.

 

Congrats on your obc.

[Netta7]

The price on our Med cruise (Summer 2011) has gone down twice in the past 3 weeks. We have a port stop in Tunisia scheduled on the trip. We thought uncertainty about the itinerary due to unrest in the area might be causing fewer reservations and the resulting price drops. It didn't occur to me that the price drops might be more wide spread.

[erewhon]

Via our roll call, I learned last night that HAL cut prices for our late March western Caribbean cruise on the Nieuw Amsterdam. Since we're relatively close and have already made final payment, I called our TA to see what we could do, understanding full well that we were at HAL's mercy. He was not very optimistic but when he called HAL, they agreed to a $100 per cabin OBC (due to our family size we have two connecting cabins). Nothing ventured, nothing gained, and this is a nice gesture by HAL. We'd never have received the OBC had we not asked...so thanks to the members who mentioned the price cut!

 

You will be pleased that you asked your TA to check with HAL.

It really does pay to read Cruise Critic!!

[treasure4two]

The price on our Med cruise (Summer 2011) has gone down twice in the past 3 weeks. We have a port stop in Tunisia scheduled on the trip. We thought uncertainty about the itinerary due to unrest in the area might be causing fewer reservations and the resulting price drops. It didn't occur to me that the price drops might be more wide spread.

 

Great on the price reduction. You will not be missing much if you do not go to Tunisia-we did it twice on our 17 day cruise and it was my least favorite place both times, plus the only place I felt concern for our safety plus saw our private tour guide get a real shakedown for money since we were not on a ship's tour from the port secuity people(not the HAL people). It was pretty scary!:mad:

[timothy998]

You will be pleased that you asked your TA to check with HAL.

It really does pay to read Cruise Critic!!

 

 

Exactly...I've found CC to be a great online community. And the hints and updates on here just help us stretch our travel dollars even further. And even though we are inexperienced cruisers, we have traveled extensively and try to give back to the boards with our experiences and findings.

[HamburgAvonLady]

:) Our cabin price has gone down twice since the original reserations !!! Was really surprized as HAL has the reputation for not being very flexible about prices. Thought maybe the cruise was not selling well but it is still over 7 months away. Yippee!! ;) More money for excursions/shopping !

[fishmom]

We are scheduled on the 4/28 Med Cruise on the Eurodam. In addition to DAILY reading these boards, have haunted the HAL site watching for a price change. Sure enough, 2 days after the final payment due, price dropped $100 pp.

 

Figured it woudn't hurt to call the TA to see if there was any way to take advantage of the price break. They were hopeful they might be able to get an upgrade or something. After waiting on hold a bit, they said the only thing they could over was a $35 pp OBC. Better than nothing, of course, but was hoping for a bit better. However, we are cat F, GTY, so that may have had something to do with it as well. Hoping the F turns into and E or better.

 

It may have something to do with Tunis on the itinerary. That is a port I am a bit ambivalent about anyway. But it isn't uncommon from my experience with other cruise lines to drop the price when it comes to the final 60 days of booking.

[SilvertoGold]

I must be cursed. :) Never had a cruise go down in price. Up yes, down no. Congrats on at least getting something out of the change.

 

You aren't the only one who is cursed!

Our cruises often not only do not go down in price, but they are taken off the site so you can't even see what the prices are! I guess we pick all the wrong ones and they sell out too fast.

 

Congratulations to the OP!