Question about booking a group cruise

[limace]

As I've mentioned in some previous posts, my dad gave my mom a Christmas gift of "a quilting cruise for you and a companion who is not your husband". Fortunately, she picked me! :) We're looking at an 11 day HAL Noordam cruise for January 2014.

 

I was bummed, however, to realize that there doesn't seem to be any way to get a deal on a cruise booked this way-no OBC offered by TA, and no chance to get a reduced rate and OBC if the price drops after booking. Any tips or tricks I'm missing here? Obviously, we'll still book (after all, I'm not paying!!!!) but I do love to get a good deal....

[6rugrats]

If you are part of a group booking, I don't think so.

[SadieN]

It is possible to get OBC when on group bookings.

 

Going on a group cruise on Carnival cruise this weekend.

No OBC as a group perk (amenity points are being used in other ways). We do qualify for OBC as stockholders of Carnival Corp. HAL also qualifies for the Carnival Corp stock OBC. Others got OBC from a Mastercard special.

[cruiseco]

As I've mentioned in some previous posts, my dad gave my mom a Christmas gift of "a quilting cruise for you and a companion who is not your husband". Fortunately, she picked me! :) We're looking at an 11 day HAL Noordam cruise for January 2014.

 

I was bummed, however, to realize that there doesn't seem to be any way to get a deal on a cruise booked this way-no OBC offered by TA, and no chance to get a reduced rate and OBC if the price drops after booking. Any tips or tricks I'm missing here? Obviously, we'll still book (after all, I'm not paying!!!!) but I do love to get a good deal....

 

They're not offering an OBC because they don't have to. These type of specially organized groups are pretty much a take it or leave it proposition. Perhaps the "amenity points" for the group were all used for a cocktail party for the group, Or maybe they were used to "buy down" the TC structure so they can get more knitting instructors to give lessons. But there no reason to use the points to offer an OBC if it's not needed to fill the group, which apparently it isn't. But if you want to participate in the group's activities you can't book your cruise with another TA who might be willing to make a deal to get your business. You'd be on the same ship but shut out of the quilting fun.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I have yet to hear of HAL giving shipboard credit to people on group cruises.

And on HAL group cruises can not get a cheaper rate should the price drop.

Group cruises book at a certain rate which may include a cocktail party or guarantee a room for meetings, etc.