Last minute offer to switch cruises

[m steve]

My TA called yesterday saying our cruise this week was overbooked and HAL made us a great offer to cancel and take a different cruise. Unfortuanately our air can't easily be changed to Europe and I had prepaid for several private tours as well as setting up others to tour with us. I can see them offering this to people in Europe but why us? The logistics would be horrible even though the offer was great. Now if they had an offer for us on Florida departure I probably would have accepted it. Has anyone else had offers like this?

[sail7seas]

They make the offers to whoever has a cabin they can use.

 

You can say yes or no, as you know. :)

 

Some people are thrilled to grab it and get a good deal.

Sometimes they will pay air change fees.

 

[Kittycat2009]

We received two offers like this before our cruise leaving out of Spain in Sept 2011. Like you, the logistics made it impossible for us to change. Airfare, time booked off from work, etc. The airfare alone, dh had spent many hours on the phone getting the flights and connections. The first email I think was about 3 weeks before sailing, than 2 weeks before we got another, which was even more tempting as the perks were better.

[DeepWaterMariner]

We've had this happen to us once. It was with Princess and they wanted us to move to a cruise over Thanksgiving which was impossible for us due to kids coming home from college for the holiday. We did like the upgrade and on board credit we were being offered so I made a counter offer for another date and we arrived at a mutually beneficial arrangement.

[G&G]

Received offer to switch our 33 day South Pacific cruise in March 2010 roundtrip from San Diego to 54 day cruise to Europe in April 2010 roundtrip from Ft Lauderdale with no added charge and a $1,500 credit.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have never received any offers -- couldn't do it anyway because of flights

but i certainly have read here about others getting offers -- some for the caribbean -- some for canada/new england

[sail7seas]

We once had an offer for a first half of Viking cruise going transatlantic, Boston to Amsterdam (or Rotterdam.... I don't now remember which). We had our documents in hand and said No, thank you.

 

The offer increased and we still said No. By the third offer, it was too good to turn down and we accepted. We never regreted that as a set of circumstances developed due to that choice we made that we have always treasured since. ;)

 

[Bippie]

My TA called yesterday saying our cruise this week was overbooked and HAL made us a great offer to cancel and take a different cruise. Unfortuanately our air can't easily be changed to Europe and I had prepaid for several private tours as well as setting up others to tour with us. I can see them offering this to people in Europe but why us? The logistics would be horrible even though the offer was great. Now if they had an offer for us on Florida departure I probably would have accepted it. Has anyone else had offers like this?

 

I am curious about the details if you are willing to share...

[jhannah]

We've never been presented with such an offer. I'm with you in that other arrangements would be a mess to redo ... if possible at all. Were the departure from a U.S. port and the cruise line offered to pay the airline change fees, I'd seriously consider it.

[DeepWaterMariner]

In our case, it was back in the past when we had our air through Princess so they made the changes. We don't do that now a days so it would be harder to make one of these offers work.

[jp2001]

Received offer to switch our 33 day South Pacific cruise in March 2010 roundtrip from San Diego to 54 day cruise to Europe in April 2010 roundtrip from Ft Lauderdale with no added charge and a $1,500 credit.

 

wow, that's a great offer :)

[Boatdrill]

Received offer to switch our 33 day South Pacific cruise in March 2010 roundtrip from San Diego to 54 day cruise to Europe in April 2010 roundtrip from Ft Lauderdale with no added charge and a $1,500 credit.

 

Sweet !

 

But Tahiti vs trans-Atlantic round trip....I'd stick with Tahiti. :)

[KirkNC]

They did the same thing to us on a Med cruise last year. We could have gotten a cruise that was 9 days longer plus I think they said they would pay something (maybe $500) towards our air costs. It did not work for us but seemed to be a heck of a deal.

 

Kirk

[luvcruisn']

I received an offer to switch my cruise on the Monday - 2 days before my 26 day cruise to the Amazon was going to depart from Fort Lauderdale on Wed., Nov. 25/09. I couldn't take it as I had already booked the time off work. My roommate, who was retired, said she would have taken the offer. Here is the offer I received from my travel agent who forwarded it from HAL.

 

"Due to the popularity of the ms Prinsendam November 25th 2009, 26-day Amazon cruise, we are making offers to move your guests to an alternative departure date."

 

Offer #1: Guests who choose to accept this offer will receive a 75% Cruise Fare Refund (does not include non-discountable amount or taxes/fees), and sail in similar accommodations to what they currently have. In addition, guests can choose to move to any one of the following departures:

 

1) Amsterdam January 6th : 33 days Fort Lauderdale to Buenos Aires

2) Prinsendam February 23rd: 29 days Buenos Aires to Fort Lauderdale

3) Veendam March 25th: 31 days Rio to New York

4) Veendam March 25th: 28 days Rio to Fort Lauderdale

 

Offer #2: Guests who choose to accept this offer will receive an upgrade to a higher category cabin and receive complimentary air. In addition, guests can choose to move to any one of the following departures:

 

1) Amsterdam January 6th : 33 days Fort Lauderdale to Buenos Aires

2) Prinsendam February 23rd: 29 days Buenos Aires to Fort Lauderdale

3) Veendam March 25th: 31 days Rio to New York

4) Veendam March 25th: 28 days Rio to Fort Lauderdale

 

This is the only offer I have ever received to switch my cruise.

[mycruise2]

We had an offer several years ago...with Princess not HAL.

Offer was to move to a different sailing, upgrade to balcony from an inside, refund of 1 full fare (including the port fees but not govt. taxes) as well as airline change fees and airfare additional cost. It was a Caribbean sailing.

 

Worked out for us as we were considering canceling due to a family illness which would have been covered by our insurance. Call came 3 days before departure while we were waiting for a last minute go ahead to travel and we gladly accepted the offer.

 

We had to document our additional flight costs and received a check at that time. The refund came as an OBC for our sailing which was months later. We cashed out at the end of that cruise.

[alpal1993]

We had a cruise booked that was a 9 night Caribbean Western/Southern out of FL.Several months before I found out on our roll call board that the ship was being moved.I had to contact my T/A(CC had the info before her) Found out that the cruise was now a 12 Night Baltic R/T Amsterdam.After going back and forth for a 1/2 hour We were offered to stay on the cruise keep our original cabin and were offered 100 OBC.We just had to pay for air.We turned a 10 minute drive into a 10 hour flight,but it sure was worth it

[Arwen]

Received offer to switch our 33 day South Pacific cruise in March 2010 roundtrip from San Diego to 54 day cruise to Europe in April 2010 roundtrip from Ft Lauderdale with no added charge and a $1,500 credit.

 

 

All I can say is "WOW"!!! That was a wonderful offer if a person is able to take the time off or is retired. However, I do hope that you did take the 33 day South Pacific cruise at some point. Out of 9 cruises, the 33 day South Pacific was absolutely THE best and the memories are priceless.:)

[GetOnABoat]

My mother got an offer like this once. Everyone that got the offer got a full refund on the original cruise and a no charge booking on the next, which was the same cruise leaving a day later from the same port, plus some on board credit. Not a bad deal.

 

If they don't offer you any sort of refund and/or it'd be a hassle for you to take the deal, don't. Let the people who can do it easily do it. Don't add stress if you don't have to.

[Gunther1]

It happens...last year we booked a four day cruise and were asked about a month before it the date if we wanted to be bumped to a seven day cruise. It took us about .304 seconds to say yes :).

[G&G]

All I can say is "WOW"!!! That was a wonderful offer if a person is able to take the time off or is retired. However, I do hope that you did take the 33 day South Pacific cruise at some point. Out of 9 cruises, the 33 day South Pacific was absolutely THE best and the memories are priceless.:)

 

We did not take offer but a CC couple did. We have done the South Pacific twice; 2008 & 2010. 2nd best cruise; Best cruise was The Voyage of the Vikings in July/August 2010.

 

We are retired and took our first last minute cruise deal on 04/13/11, 10 day Caribbean cruise out of Ft Lauderdale. Price was $499/person !!! We were assigned a inside cabin on bottom deck but relocated on Day 2 to outside cabin three decks up after noise issues with cabin.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Thay must really need that room