Overbooked

[rwstout]

I understand that my cruise has been overbooked and they are asking people to change. If they don't get enough willing to do so what do they do?

[guestyguestyguesty]

Well, if they don't bump the "later bookings", how are you with sleeping 4 to a bed?

[luvcruisn']

I understand that my cruise has been overbooked and they are asking people to change. If they don't get enough willing to do so what do they do?

 

They keep sweetening the offer until enough people have changed their travel dates. I was given a really great offer to give up my 26 day cruise to the Amazon in 2009, but I couldn't take it due to work scheduling. My roommate for the trip, who is retired, said that she would have taken it right away. There are usually people with flexible schedules that will take a great offer, so there is no reason for you to worry. You won't be bumped off your sailing unless you want to be.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I see that you are on the Amsterdam -- that 14 day itinerary is great.

HAL will keep trying to sweeten the pot to get people to change.

But for some -- it could be difficult -- work schedules -- for us -- there is no way we could get new flights on such short notice. We have so few flights from where we live that it would be impossible to get seats on flights for a later date.

[The Odd Couple]

Pardon my ignorance, but how they they overbook? In my limited experience, I've never heard of a cruise actually being overbooked. I understand that scheduled airlines usually overbook on the assumption that not everyone will turn up for the flight, but how many people would do that with regard to a cruise? Where's the logic behind that?

[catl331]

Pardon my ignorance, but how they they overbook?

Cruise lines probably don't overbook as high a percentage as airlines, but they do it too, on the assumption that there will be a certain number of cancellations, particularly just before final payment time. The problem occurs when the cancellations as not as high as expected.

[soldham]

I am not contesting that they do it but am curious as to how. Are there cabins that they book that really don't exist?

[catl331]

I am not contesting that they do it but am curious as to how. Are there cabins that they book that really don't exist?

Guarantees - reservations of a cabin class with unassigned locations. The lowest step of each category (e.g. on Vista ships SZ, VH, HH, NN) are usually over-sold with guarantees, and if too many specific cabins are chosen and not enough people cancel ...

[paganwoman]

I was on the Nieuw Amsterdam for a European cruise in April. My TA emailed me about 6 days before and said HAL was offering to pay any charges for my airline changes plus upgrade me to not take the cruise the following week but wait 6 weeks and go then. It was even more days. Would I have taken it....you bet Problem was we had left a week early to spend some days in Paris and since I was already in Europe could not make the change. I had booked a specific cabin so my TA did not think there was any issue for me but told me to check in early which I always do anyway.

[Zyzygy]

I have a hunch that the recurring problem of large groups leads to some overbooking.

 

If the cruise line overbooks 20 cabins by making a sale of 200 cabins to a large group, they'll do it in a heartbeat.

 

And, as discussed in the recent AYWD thread, they'll also bump people with traditional dining reservations to open seating to accommodate the group.

 

I'm not sure that either procedure is sound business practice, but it seems to be the current trend.

[3rdGenCunarder]

I have a hunch that the recurring problem of large groups leads to some overbooking.

 

If the cruise line overbooks 20 cabins by making a sale of 200 cabins to a large group, they'll do it in a heartbeat.

 

And, as discussed in the recent AYWD thread, they'll also bump people with traditional dining reservations to open seating to accommodate the group.

 

I'm not sure that either procedure is sound business practice, but it seems to be the current trend.

 

It's never a good business practice to disappoint customers. OTOH, if we use your numbers as an example (because they make the math easy), if selling 200 cabins puts them only 20 over, it means that group sale bought 20 already sold cabins and 180 otherwise unsold cabins. That is good for the bottom line.

 

I have also been told (but I don't know if it's true) that passengers in a group booking get their dining preferences ahead of individual bookings, even if the group isn't all eating together as a group. I guess this means if an agency has a block of cabins, those passengers are more likely to get their "wish" for dining than other passengers. As i said, I don't know if this is true.

[WriterOnDeck]

I have a friend in the group travel business. He booked a block of rooms on a HAL ship a few years ago for some company's top sales people. They ended up about 4 weeks before the cruise with maybe 8 cabins too many, but the group had already paid (and he had the cabin numbers). He said HAL wouldn't give him any money back if he turned them back in, so he made a great deal to a few of us in a car club. I think we paid maybe $600 each for aft verandas, and so he could refund that to the company. As I recall, one consequence was that tips never hit our account, which I think was a mistake on someone's part. I just remember him saying that he was glad he could get some money back for his client, because he knew that HAL of course would not sail with the cabins empty anyway.

[Jemima]

I have a hunch that the recurring problem of large groups leads to some overbooking.

If the cruise line overbooks 20 cabins by making a sale of 200 cabins to a large group, they'll do it in a heartbeat...

 

I've been a participant in two large groups. The groups were set up months before sailing and there was a limit on the number of cabins available to the group and possibly a deadline for booking. These were with non-HAL cruiselines, but that's probably the usual procedure. It needs to be done well ahead as there are agreements on meeting rooms, parties, times.

 

Overbooking probably usually has nothing to do with large groups booking extra cabins. It is probably just fewer cancellations than usual.

[DutchByAssociation]

It's never a good business practice to disappoint customers.

 

Not sure anyone is really being disappointed given the offers that take place and the fact it is voluntary. The person being contacted is in full control of whether it is accepted or not.

 

I'm not familiar with all the ins and outs of this process, but of that much I am certain.

[DutchByAssociation]

I have also been told (but I don't know if it's true) that passengers in a group booking get their dining preferences ahead of individual bookings, even if the group isn't all eating together as a group. I guess this means if an agency has a block of cabins, those passengers are more likely to get their "wish" for dining than other passengers. As i said, I don't know if this is true.

 

They will usually send in a group dining request to have them in the same area and at tables that also hold the group members.

 

For those that don't know, it's possible to contact Ship Services and see about a specific table and confirm it before the cruise. It's not a very common request and the ship has to come back to the staff iNS eattle and okay the request based on prior requests on that cruise and make sure there are no duplicates, etc... But it does happen from time to time.

[Zyzygy]

Please see the companion thread: "Misunderstandings by new people concerning the various dining options. "

 

There, as in numerous other threads over the years, passengers have complained about having their confirmed dinner seating reservations cancelled by HAL because of a subsequent booking by a large group.

 

It seems to me that a cruise line that is willing to dishonor a confirmed dinner seating assignment would also be willing to overbook cabins to confirm a large group.

 

Sorry, that's just my opinion.

 

Not every group books two years in advance.

[lettienets]

They will usually send in a group dining request to have them in the same area and at tables that also hold the group members.

 

.........

DBA, have you get any upcoming cruises booked?

[Globaliser]

It seems to me that a cruise line that is willing to dishonor a confirmed dinner seating assignment would also be willing to overbook cabins to confirm a large group.

Maybe, maybe not.

 

But I would be willing to bet that a great deal of overbooking is just normal business practice for the cruise lines, as for similar businesses (eg airlines, hotels and car rental companies). They have to do it, because otherwise their ships etc would always be less than full because of cancellations - which would mean higher fares for all of us.

[3rdGenCunarder]

They will usually send in a group dining request to have them in the same area and at tables that also hold the group members.

 

Yes, I was told that a group dining request is submitted. When does this happen, after they have sold the block of cabins or as late as final payment?

[m steve]

and declined only to cancel the trip 2 days later and no need for my cabin. If you are offered take the deal as fate can play weird tricks. We could have the same or equal cruise in like cabin or upgrade with 75% back and adjustment for air deviation. I really felt stupid in refusing the offer after the fact.

[DutchByAssociation]

DBA, have you get any upcoming cruises booked?

 

Joining friends on a couple ships, yes. Why do you ask?

[DutchByAssociation]

Yes, I was told that a group dining request is submitted. When does this happen, after they have sold the block of cabins or as late as final payment?

 

Unfortunately, I'm not familiar with the time frame.

[lettienets]

Joining friends on a couple ships, yes. Why do you ask?

Just wondering if we ever get to meet you or if you are onboard incognito!

[HokiePoq]

We held out hope for overbooking until the last minute on our cruise last January. I was injured in an auto accident and knew I would have to use our HAL insurance. I was promptly in touch with our cruise consultant at HAL. He advised us to wait until closer to our sail date and maybe they would offer an out. Unfortunately this did not happen but I'll always appreciate the way our consultant advised us.

[VinoJon]

I can't help but wonder if this is why we haven't received our cabin assignments yet, three days prior to sail date.

 

We have a guaranteed veranda suite on Volendam this week, has this ever happened to any of you?