Fairly empty/underbooked ship: When to book?

[cruising cockroach]

I am currently booked on the Nieuw Amsterdam's TATL cruise in October. Am tempted to shift onto the Ryndam sailing 3 days earlier for various reasons.

 

Currently on this Ryndam cruise, there appear to be a lot of empty cabins. For interiors, MM (lowest) is currently GTY but most of the other interior including M have several cabins to choose from. All outside window cabins are the same (lots to choose from) and all verandahs except BC (going for more than S suites!) and BB (what I intend to book).

 

About T-129 days for this cruise. I wonder when HAL may start reducing prices further?

[Robkat]

OK ... I am giving in and (finally!) have to ask:

what is TATL????:confused:

 

I get TA (trans-atlantic), but I can't figure out the TL. However, like so many other things, I just know that I'm going to kick myself once I hear what it is! :rolleyes:

[CruiserBruce]

Not until after final payment. What you can see for available cabins doesn't reflect the number of GTY cabins already booked. There isn't a way to see how many GTY cabins are booked.

 

TATL also means Trans Atlantic.

[cruising cockroach]

Not until after final payment. What you can see for available cabins doesn't reflect the number of GTY cabins already booked. There isn't a way to see how many GTY cabins are booked.

 

I imagine GTY become available when at least the number of cabins in that grade have been booked? Or can you decline to get an assigned cabin within a grade if it is available when you book?

 

Final payment if D-75? How soon after final payment do they drop prices?

[CruiserBruce]

I don't know the policy for when GTY becomes available, and I don't know if it is public info. But as you can be moved up quite a bit, or not at all, they could book more than the available cabins in a given GTY level easily. Say there are 30 inside cabins. They could easily book 10 to 50 (or more)GTY insides, and just upgrade people if some level above weren't selling well.

 

I don't think you can decline a GTY assignment.

 

It seems prices usually drop- if they drop at all, 10-20 days after final payment.

[Typhoon1]

Final payment if D-75? How soon after final payment do they drop prices?

 

If the ship looks pretty under booked at that point. Prices will start falling.

[RedmondCruiser]

Your way too far out to predict cabin prices. The action really takes place much closer to sailing. Of coarse the ship can fill in the mean time and you would be out of luck. TA sailings tend to offer some great deals closer to sailing time so, if you are flexible, you might put it off and see what shakes out. HAL will never reveal its hand and tell you how it is going to price a perticular sailing so you are on your own. As far as empty cabins, you cannot tell about availablity by seeing what is currently available. That can all change in a heart beat when a wholesaler books a big block of cabins. I'd stick to the Eurodam for now. ----- remember "be carefull what you ask for - you may get it"

[Shmoo here]

OK ... I am giving in and (finally!) have to ask:

what is TATL????:confused:

 

I get TA (trans-atlantic), but I can't figure out the TL. However, like so many other things, I just know that I'm going to kick myself once I hear what it is! :rolleyes:

 

That's one way I've seen TransATLantic abbreviated.

 

To separate it from TA for Travel Agent.

 

:)

[3rdGenCunarder]

I don't know the policy for when GTY becomes available, and I don't know if it is public info. But as you can be moved up quite a bit, or not at all, they could book more than the available cabins in a given GTY level easily. Say there are 30 inside cabins. They could easily book 10 to 50 (or more)GTY insides, and just upgrade people if some level above weren't selling well.

 

I don't think you can decline a GTY assignment.

 

It seems prices usually drop- if they drop at all, 10-20 days after final payment.

 

I've seen a fair number of flash sales after final payment. I think one thing that happens is that travel agencies have to return unsold rooms in their block at the time for final payment, so the number of available cabins increases if the blocks aren't fully sold.

 

I watched cabin availability for my Maasdam cruise last fall. It was fascinating. Some days certain categories were unavailable, then a few days later there would be availability in those same categories. I guess that's the result of cabin assignments and also upsell/upgrades going on.

[SwissMyst]

For a TA I personally would go with the Ryndam (wonderfully run ship) - the fun of having all those sea days is feeling like a small group, all in it together - the smaller the ship the more it starts feeling like recognizable family.

[Okie1946]

How do you know if a cruise is undersold? Have seen this subject mentioned on several other threads and have been curious about it.

 

Thanks.

 

SMILE - :D - it will always confuse an oncoming frown.

Previous Cruises:

Alaska - Westerdam - September 2009

Alaska- Rotterdam - September 2010

Mexican Riveria - Oosterdam - April 2011

[RuthC]

How do you know if a cruise is undersold? Have seen this subject mentioned on several other threads and have been curious about it.

You really can't, as far as I can see. All it takes is one or two available cabins in a high category, to make cabins available in all categories below it---even if they are all booked out.

For example, if the entire ship were booked, except for two cabins at the SS level, and I wanted something in a D-cat, they could sell me the D cabin, and upgrade folks in the categories inbetween.

So, HAL would list all the categories from SS on down as available.

[Okie1946]

You really can't, as far as I can see. All it takes is one or two available cabins in a high category, to make cabins available in all categories below it---even if they are all booked out.

 

For example, if the entire ship were booked, except for two cabins at the SS level, and I wanted something in a D-cat, they could sell me the D cabin, and upgrade folks in the categories inbetween.

So, HAL would list all the categories from SS on down as available.

 

So that is the reasoning as to why some people will book with a guaranteed cabin rather than an assigned one.

 

SMILE - :D - it will always confuse an oncoming frown.

Previous Cruises:

Alaska - Westerdam - September 2009

Alaska- Rotterdam - September 2010

Mexican Riveria - Oosterdam - April 2011

 

[RuthC]

So that is the reasoning as to why some people will book with a guaranteed cabin rather than an assigned one.

Go to the head of the class!

[cruising cockroach]

In this particular sailing, there are a lot of cabins available for assignment right now except in NN, N (both "sold out"), MM, BC and BB (only GTY available). I will have to see where the rates goes in the next few weeks. The rates for the Noordam's TATL sailing on 22 Oct has gone down to the same level as the Nieuw Amsterdam for an extra day and more sailing distance (VH is currently $999 for both sailings). Unfortunately I've purchased my flights from Florida and don't want to spend 9 days/nights there.

[cruising cockroach]

Just a follow up on pricing with 3-4 1/2 weeks before sailing. Noordam and Ruyndam seem to be the 2 ships in demand for the upper categories as they're "call for pricing". Can't say I've followed these prices on these two (only briefly entertained the Ryndam until I was offered a private sale for the Prinsendam). VH on the Nieuw Amsterdam has gone down to $799 from $999 which is a pretty hefty drop (2x$100 in past 10 days). Both the NA and the Prinsendam have upper categories still for sale. Managed to get AB GTY on the Prinsendam for same as a BC GTY (private sale). The BC category dropped from $1,199 to $999 a week or so ago before selling out in the past day.

[sail7seas]

Just a follow up on pricing with 3-4 1/2 weeks before sailing. Noordam and Ruyndam seem to be the 2 ships in demand for the upper categories as they're "call for pricing". Can't say I've followed these prices on these two (only briefly entertained the Ryndam until I was offered a private sale for the Prinsendam). VH on the Nieuw Amsterdam has gone down to $799 from $999 which is a pretty hefty drop (2x$100 in past 10 days). Both the NA and the Prinsendam have upper categories still for sale. Managed to get AB GTY on the Prinsendam for same as a BC GTY (private sale). The BC category dropped from $1,199 to $999 a week or so ago before selling out in the past day.

 

 

:confujed: "....Private sale for the Prinsendam" ??

What do you mean?

 

[PathfinderEss]

:confujed: "....Private sale for the Prinsendam" ??

What do you mean?

 

I want to know too......

[cruising cockroach]

:confujed: "....Private sale for the Prinsendam" ??

What do you mean?

 

 

HAL sent me an "Private-Sale Fares on Europe Cruises" e-mail in early August offering various cruises for less than the published, prevailing rates. In my case, $1,499 instead of $1,199 for an AB GTY (same as BC GTY at the time) + either $200 OBC or $500 air credit per booking (the OBC/air credit was not publicly offered). Not only that but I had 5 days to pay w/o deposit while the BC was a special fare requiring immediate payment.

 

I'd recommend getting new email accounts and signing up for the special fares. Never know what you get. I've never sailed HAL before but did cancel a booking on the Nieuw Amsterdam a little bit before. My wife has sailed with HAL but nearly 20 years ago and only for 2 nts. I've got at least 2 MS numbers.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Just a follow up on pricing with 3-4 1/2 weeks before sailing. Noordam and Ruyndam seem to be the 2 ships in demand for the upper categories as they're "call for pricing". Can't say I've followed these prices on these two (only briefly entertained the Ryndam until I was offered a private sale for the Prinsendam). VH on the Nieuw Amsterdam has gone down to $799 from $999 which is a pretty hefty drop (2x$100 in past 10 days). Both the NA and the Prinsendam have upper categories still for sale. Managed to get AB GTY on the Prinsendam for same as a BC GTY (private sale). The BC category dropped from $1,199 to $999 a week or so ago before selling out in the past day.

 

We were talking to our TA last week. The European cruises are not selling well on any cruise line.

The air prices are keeping people from flying over there.

[sapper1]

HAL sent me an "Private-Sale Fares on Europe Cruises" e-mail in early August offering various cruises for less than the published, prevailing rates. In my case, $1,499 instead of $1,199 for an AB GTY (same as BC GTY at the time) + either $200 OBC or $500 air credit per booking (the OBC/air credit was not publicly offered). Not only that but I had 5 days to pay w/o deposit while the BC was a special fare requiring immediate payment.

 

I'd recommend getting new email accounts and signing up for the special fares. Never know what you get. I've never sailed HAL before but did cancel a booking on the Nieuw Amsterdam a little bit before. My wife has sailed with HAL but nearly 20 years ago and only for 2 nts. I've got at least 2 MS numbers.

 

My goodness, all your wheeling and dealing on this and another thread has my head spinning like a top. If I felt I had to go through all that to book a cruise I wouldn't bother. We book more than a year out, pay the price for our cabin and forget about it. If the price is reduced at final payment our TA secures it for us.

 

It does not bother me in the least that some may have paid less for the same category of cabin. We would not have booked in the first place if we were not comfortable with the asking price.

[classless]

My goodness, all your wheeling and dealing on this and another thread has my head spinning like a top. If I felt I had to go through all that to book a cruise I wouldn't bother. We book more than a year out, pay the price for our cabin and forget about it. If the price is reduced at final payment our TA secures it for us.

 

It does not bother me in the least that some may have paid less for the same category of cabin. We would not have booked in the first place if we were not comfortable with the asking price.

 

 

I think it all comes down to consumer style. Some people don't want to do any homework or do not have the time and just pay the price.They just pay sticker price! Others,unable, or not wanting to pay the first price they find for a cruise, want tips and ideas on how to save $$$. That is what this thread seems to be about.

Cruise prices flux like the market! I have been cruising for many years and watching prices. I personally like to use my money wisely and probably would be in the middle as far as homework. I check many different websites,compare and look over a period of time. Also,some websites give perks...free insurance,pre-paid tips,free special-restaurant dinner,etc. Homework has definitely worked in our favor.

[Randyk47]

I think it all comes down to consumer style. Some people don't want to do any homework or do not have the time and just pay the price.They just pay sticker price! Others,unable, or not wanting to pay the first price they find for a cruise, want tips and ideas on how to save $$$. That is what this thread seems to be about.

Cruise prices flux like the market! I have been cruising for many years and watching prices. I personally like to use my money wisely and probably would be in the middle as far as homework. I check many different websites,compare and look over a period of time. Also,some websites give perks...free insurance,pre-paid tips,free special-restaurant dinner,etc. Homework has definitely worked in our favor.

 

Totally agree. I don't have a lot of friends who cruise but a few and they're pretty much all over the place in terms of how they decide on a cruise and how they book their cruises. What works for me doesn't necessarily work for them and vice versa. There's no cruising "tube sock" where one size fits all. We've always been destination cruisers, meaning we focus in on a couple of general areas we'd like to go to and research potential cruise lines and deals. Years and years ago a fellow CC'er on an Oosterdam cruise "educated" me on how to do the shopping end of the research and that part of the homework has also definitely worked in our favor.

[cruising cockroach]

I guess it all depends on how much money you have and how badly you want to hang on to what you have. I like the most bang for my buck and am totally flexible, and will switch lines in a minute (since I've never sailed on HAL but am drawn by its very-reasonable BYOW policy) or have a completely different trip.

 

As for how under-booked European cruises are, HAL doesn't do a good selling job for that market. Quite a few cruises I was looking at are not offered on a variety of European booking sites. In this regard, HAL is definitely more America than Holland (I'll be headed over to Europe on the real Dutch (air)line.)

 

FWIW, VH GTY on the Nieuw Amsterdam 13-day TATL have just dropped to a jaw-dropping $699.

[kazu]

I guess it all depends on how much money you have and how badly you want to hang on to what you have. I like the most bang for my buck and am totally flexible, and will switch lines in a minute (since I've never sailed on HAL but am drawn by its very-reasonable BYOW policy) or have a completely different trip.

 

As for how under-booked European cruises are, HAL doesn't do a good selling job for that market. Quite a few cruises I was looking at are not offered on a variety of European booking sites. In this regard, HAL is definitely more America than Holland (I'll be headed over to Europe on the real Dutch (air)line.)

 

FWIW, VH GTY on the Nieuw Amsterdam 13-day TATL have just dropped to a jaw-dropping $699.

 

I think part of it also depends upon where you are going, the air you want and how you are getting it. If you want to use FF miles of any sort (and heck if you are going to - why not grab business class if you are doing a TA) you pretty much need to book as soon as they open up (for the one I use around 355 days out). So, for some of us, we need to know where/what we are doing well in advance. I've been on numerous ships and I won't hop a line for the sake a few $$$. I like to save money as much as the next person but I am also looking for certain itineraries and certain features (as I suspect Sapper1) is as well.

 

You also need to take into account that those that do this have saved on air fare substantially so can potentially invest a bit more in their cruise if they are so inclined;) Theoretically, the $$$ I have saved in air fare helps me justify my cabin:)

 

As Randy said there is no tube sock. My category on my cruise is completely sold out now, so if I wanted it - it had to be booked early.

 

That being said - if there is a sweetheart of a deal - we could potentially change our minds - but somehow i doubt that will happen:p;)

 

Smooth seas and following winds