HAL's latest promo

[chloes nana]

I read on here recently about a new promo from HAL I believe it was called above and beyond or something like this. Haven't seen it promoted on Hals website, can anyone help me out?? I know it was for 2014 sailings for Europe and Collectors cruises, of which I am currently booked. thanks!!:)

[sherilyn70]

I'm not sure how you missed it since it's on their front page, but here is the link that gives the details. :)

 

http://www.hollandamerica.com/pageByName/Simple.action?requestPage=Above_and_Beyond

[chloes nana]

:p thanks Sherilyn! I looked a few days ago and it wasn't there.

[Hlitner]

Promos....forget promos. This morning I happened to be working on some air arrangements for a future HAL cruise and decided to check on my cruise reservation. When I went into my TAs web site I noticed that the price of my cruise had dropped from over $18,000 to under $13,000 for the same cruise! Aquick (30 second) phone call to my TA was all it took to have him take care of the "repricing." Merry Christmas to me :)

 

Now I still have to deal with the air issues (need a one-way back from New Zealand) but the savings on the cruise will certainly cover upgrading to Economy Plus (or perhaps Business Class).

 

Hank

[trixiee]

wow! congrats on that huge price drop!!

...trixiee scurries away to check the HAL website!

[Krazy Kruizers]

Promos....forget promos. This morning I happened to be working on some air arrangements for a future HAL cruise and decided to check on my cruise reservation. When I went into my TAs web site I noticed that the price of my cruise had dropped from over $18,000 to under $13,000 for the same cruise! Aquick (30 second) phone call to my TA was all it took to have him take care of the "repricing." Merry Christmas to me :)

 

Now I still have to deal with the air issues (need a one-way back from New Zealand) but the savings on the cruise will certainly cover upgrading to Economy Plus (or perhaps Business Class).

 

Hank

 

 

That is a great savings.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Well

I just checked the "Above & Beyond" promo for one of our cruises.

And just like the Explore4 program, we would have to pay an Extra $660 total to qualify.

Not worth it.

[Love the beach]

The cruise I'm looking at only includes the beverage package.....

for those of us that don't drink the alcohol, soda or coffees....wonder if they would give us the same amount in onboard credit....guess we will have to ask.

[Hlitner]

Thought it might be fun to look back on a current HAL booking for a cruise next fall. We first booked this particular cruise in mid-November when HAL had the drink promo and our total cost was $22,819.98. As of this morning, with no more drink package, that same cabin on the same cruise is now invoiced at $12, 879.98. So in a matter of 6 weeks, by ditching the promotion (which we originally booked) and keeping an eye on pricing we have saved nearly $10,000! Even our TA joked (this morning) that we probably would not have been able to drink that much booze in 38 days. But the real moral here is that one needs to carefully monitor any cruise booking (we like to check once a week) and quickly take advantage of price drops. In the case of this particular booking we have had it repriced twice in only 6 weeks. I would add that in more then 40 years of cruising we have never seen this kind of price drop on a cruise that is still over 9months away.

 

Hank

[Krazy Kruizers]

I always check the prices on cruises that we have booked.

It has been years since the price of any of our cruises have gone down in price.

[teacher43]

Hank,

Thank you!!! I went to the cruise we have booked for the end of September and found it had dropped $1400. I called my TA and am enjoying a savings of that amount. Final payment isn't due until June 17th so I'll keep an eye out for further drops. Thanks to Cruise Critic and you!:D

Susan

[chloes nana]

Well

I just checked the "Above & Beyond" promo for one of our cruises.

And just like the Explore4 program, we would have to pay an Extra $660 total to qualify.

Not worth it.

 

I discovered today we would have to pay an additional $750 to get the promo and I don't even drink!:eek: thought it would be good for my morning coffee and hot chocolate fetish though. cheaper to just pay out of our shipboard pre paid account....

[erewhon]

Promos....forget promos. This morning I happened to be working on some air arrangements for a future HAL cruise and decided to check on my cruise reservation. When I went into my TAs web site I noticed that the price of my cruise had dropped from over $18,000 to under $13,000 for the same cruise! Aquick (30 second) phone call to my TA was all it took to have him take care of the "repricing." Merry Christmas to me :)

 

Now I still have to deal with the air issues (need a one-way back from New Zealand) but the savings on the cruise will certainly cover upgrading to Economy Plus (or perhaps Business Class).

 

Hank

 

May I ask which cruise the price drop occurred?

[Hlitner]

Hank,

Thank you!!! I went to the cruise we have booked for the end of September and found it had dropped $1400. I called my TA and am enjoying a savings of that amount. Final payment isn't due until June 17th so I'll keep an eye out for further drops. Thanks to Cruise Critic and you!:D

Susan

 

Susan,

Thank you for posting this as you have truly made my day. Sometimes we think we are **&^^^ in the wind when we post tips (or advice) so its great when we are able to truly help another cruiser.

[Hlitner]

May I ask which cruise the price drop occurred?

 

I have been hesitant to post all the details since we do not want to cause any difficulties on the board. But since you asked we are talking about the late Sept sailing of the Oosterdam (trans Pacific/Australia/NZ). My goal is not to boast about saving money on a particular cruise but simply back-up the advice we have given on CC for many years which is simply to shop around (among large reputable cruise agencies) and, once booked, monitor pricing on your cruise on a weekly basis.

 

Price drops can occur with nearly any cruise line so we make sure to use very reputable TAs that never charge a fee to "reprice" a cruise. Once upon a time we used a TA who charged us $25 to reprice/rebook a cruise at a substantially lower fare. That is the last time we ever used that TA...and since we cruise a lot (over 75 days a year) that agency has lost many thousands of dollars in commissions because of that $25 :)

 

Hank

[teacher43]

Hey Hank,

We're on that exact cruise, too!! I hesitate to start a roll call because I don't want to be in charge of arranging the meet and greet. Nice to meet a fellow cruiser!!

Susan

[Krazy Kruizers]

I discovered today we would have to pay an additional $750 to get the promo and I don't even drink!:eek: thought it would be good for my morning coffee and hot chocolate fetish though. cheaper to just pay out of our shipboard pre paid account....

 

 

Exactly

When the Explore4 promotion was out last summer, in order to get it HAL wanted an extra $1600 total for a different cruise. Again -- not worth it. And we had just booked that cruise only 3 weeks before the Explore4 program started.

[sherilyn70]

Hey Hank,

We're on that exact cruise, too!! I hesitate to start a roll call because I don't want to be in charge of arranging the meet and greet. Nice to meet a fellow cruiser!!

Susan

 

I don't think there is a rule that if you start a roll call that you have to arrange a meet and greet. Just start it and see who joins it. :) If enough people are in it then someone else may volunteer to take on the set up or you may all just decide on an informal gathering.

[erewhon]

I have been hesitant to post all the details since we do not want to cause any difficulties on the board. But since you asked we are talking about the late Sept sailing of the Oosterdam (trans Pacific/Australia/NZ). My goal is not to boast about saving money on a particular cruise but simply back-up the advice we have given on CC for many years which is simply to shop around (among large reputable cruise agencies) and, once booked, monitor pricing on your cruise on a weekly basis.

 

Price drops can occur with nearly any cruise line so we make sure to use very reputable TAs that never charge a fee to "reprice" a cruise. Once upon a time we used a TA who charged us $25 to reprice/rebook a cruise at a substantially lower fare. That is the last time we ever used that TA...and since we cruise a lot (over 75 days a year) that agency has lost many thousands of dollars in commissions because of that $25 :)

 

Hank

 

Thanks for your reply, hope you enjoy the cruises..