Cancel and rebook? Is this possible?

[sppunk]

My parents are sailing this summer and are outside final payment window. I was poking around a large online TA site and found their cruise was about $900 cheaper than they are scheduled to pay (which is the rate HAL is charging, but they booked with a TA).

 

I've never personally tried this, but can they just cancel their current booking and then book from the online site? They TA said she can't meet their price, only HAL's online pricing.

[cruise_bunnies]

Depends on the TA. Most TA's in the USA allow you to cancel before final payment or in a 90 day window before cruising. Some TA's will ask for a cancellation fee, some don't.

 

$900 isn't spare change, so I'd definitely look into it if I were you. Preferably fast, as prices can change rapidly.

[sppunk]

They can cancel without any penalty from their TA.

 

The only hangup I can see is the online site is offering a beverage package and it said it's only applicable to new bookings, not cancel and rebooked guests. They don't drink so couldn't care less about that package, so I'm not sure if they can get the price quoted without it and do a cancel/rebook.

[cruise_bunnies]

But for the online site, it will be a new booking. If I were you, I'd get a 24 hour hold (usually free) based on the price and the type of cabin they want with the new TA. Then cancel the old booking and pay the deposit for the new booking.

Edited April 17, 2014 by cruise_bunnies

[Alberta Quilter]

They can cancel without any penalty from their TA.

 

The only hangup I can see is the online site is offering a beverage package and it said it's only applicable to new bookings, not cancel and rebooked guests. They don't drink so couldn't care less about that package, so I'm not sure if they can get the price quoted without it and do a cancel/rebook.

 

Last year, I canceled my booking for my upcoming cruise with my TA and rebooked with an online TA to get the Explore4 package. (The Explore4 would have cost us more money if I kept the original booking.) Yes, it will work. I basically had both bookings open for a short while as I wanted to make sure the online booking went through before instructing the TA to cancel her booking.

 

As cruisebunnies said, to the online TA, it is a new booking and your parents should get the beverage package. It's not just for alcohol so your parents may use it more than they think. There is no way that we would come close to using it to the max but we are pleased to get/try specialty coffees, mocktails, etc., for free, that we are ordinarily too frugal to purchase.

[sppunk]

But for the online site, it will be a new booking. If I were you, I'd get a 24 hour hold (usually free) based on the price and the type of cabin they want with the new TA. Then cancel the old booking and pay the deposit for the new booking.

Called the TA and confirmed this - I actually called before I read your post ... you could've saved me time. :)

 

I will get them to book and hold, then cancel. Only little hiccup is they'll lose the FCD for this cruise (it'll be tied back to the Mariner number) but I doubt they can use it in time and have to pay the deposit outright. Nothing major, just a little hiccup.

 

Thank you!

[cruise_bunnies]

Called the TA and confirmed this - I actually called before I read your post ... you could've saved me time. :)

 

I will get them to book and hold, then cancel. Only little hiccup is they'll lose the FCD for this cruise (it'll be tied back to the Mariner number) but I doubt they can use it in time and have to pay the deposit outright. Nothing major, just a little hiccup.

 

Thank you!

 

You are very welcome. They must be overjoyed that you saved them so much $$$.

 

One extra tip, if they bought one of the newer FCD's it's also possible to get them refunded to a CC instead of reverted back to the Mariner number. That might make the bigger deposit easier on them!

[drgrinch]

If you booked directly with HAL, is there a way to take advantage of a fare reduction without being hit by penalties?

[cruise_bunnies]

If you booked directly with HAL, is there a way to take advantage of a fare reduction without being hit by penalties?

 

Depends on your nationality (different booking/cancellation policies). In general, citizens of the USA can rebook with 0 costs outside of final payment (usually 90 day window, but not always) so will take advantage of price drops.

 

Due to consumer protection, most cruisers from the UK, EU, AUS etc. can't. I have booked with a flexible booking policy (was part of the sale going on at the time) so I can. So far, my cruise has gone up in price, so the point is moot.

[kjw869]

Called the TA and confirmed this - I actually called before I read your post ... you could've saved me time. :)

 

I will get them to book and hold, then cancel. Only little hiccup is they'll lose the FCD for this cruise (it'll be tied back to the Mariner number) but I doubt they can use it in time and have to pay the deposit outright. Nothing major, just a little hiccup.

 

Thank you!

 

You still should be able to use the FCD, we always have. After it goes back to their Mariner number, have it applied as part of the final payment. We have done this many times with an online TA, as a form of payment when the balance is due. We turned one in for our January 2014 on the Final Payment date back in 2013.

 

Some TAs do not make an effort to have the FCD applied after the cruise is booked. It's worth a try. On our next cruise in three weeks, we are buying four more FCDs and one will be used for our already booked January 2015 cruise.

 

Of course the problem might be that it takes some time for the FCD o get back on the Mariner Account. Things have gotten much faster with HALs website. In the past, when I booked through an online/brick and mortar TA, it would take sometimes a week for the booking to appear on my HAL account. Now, the booking is posted on the same day.

[drgrinch]

Depends on your nationality (different booking/cancellation policies). In general, citizens of the USA can rebook with 0 costs outside of final payment (usually 90 day window, but not always) so will take advantage of price drops.

 

Due to consumer protection, most cruisers from the UK, EU, AUS etc. can't. I have booked with a flexible booking policy (was part of the sale going on at the time) so I can. So far, my cruise has gone up in price, so the point is moot.

 

I appreciate the information and will keep watch for sales on our cabin class. Thank you!

[kazu]

Called the TA and confirmed this - I actually called before I read your post ... you could've saved me time. :)

 

I will get them to book and hold, then cancel. Only little hiccup is they'll lose the FCD for this cruise (it'll be tied back to the Mariner number) but I doubt they can use it in time and have to pay the deposit outright. Nothing major, just a little hiccup.

 

Thank you!

 

I will chime in just to say that they shouldn't lose their FCD. Once the other cruise is cancelled their FCD is put back in the bank (they are outside of cancellation right?) so they shouldn't have to pay a large deposit.

 

hiccup? no wherever did you hear that term? LOL

[POA1]

hiccup? no wherever did you hear that term? LOL

 

I'm advocating "singultus" just to send people to their dictionaries. :)

[grandgeezer]

If you booked directly with HAL, is there a way to take advantage of a fare reduction without being hit by penalties?

I've never done this with HAL, but with RCL or X, all you have to do is call them and they will adjust your price. But, the lower price has to be published by the cruise line, not from anybody else. It also has to be before final payment.

[drgrinch]

My thanks grandgeezer!

[sppunk]

New cruise booked, old canceled and the FCD should be back to the Mariner number in the morning for them to apply. They have the new one as a "hold" for 24 hours. If not they can always pay the deposit then ask HAL to refund to their CC to recoup it if needed.

 

They'll likely use the FCD later so it doesn't matter much anyway since the deal they just booked had a $100 pp deposit offer too.

 

Thanks everyone. Also BumperII you have mail. :)

[kjw869]

New cruise booked, old canceled and the FCD should be back to the Mariner number in the morning for them to apply. They have the new one as a "hold" for 24 hours. If not they can always pay the deposit then ask HAL to refund to their CC to recoup it if needed.

 

They'll likely use the FCD later so it doesn't matter much anyway since the deal they just booked had a $100 pp deposit offer too.

 

Thanks everyone. Also BumperII you have mail. :)

 

It's great it worked out for them!!

[selma]

Depends on your nationality (different booking/cancellation policies). In general, citizens of the USA can rebook with 0 costs outside of final payment (usually 90 day window, but not always) so will take advantage of price drops.

 

Due to consumer protection, most cruisers from the UK, EU, AUS etc. can't. I have booked with a flexible booking policy (was part of the sale going on at the time) so I can. So far, my cruise has gone up in price, so the point is moot.

 

Actually, its not an explore4 perk but rather hal putting the lught on the fact they altered general policy for eu bookings. Any booking you can alter (sail date, itineray, cat. stateroom etc) until 90 days out without penalty. Have changed my 2014 reservations loads of time incl (too, unfortunately) many itinerary switches. Officially eavh and all have been "cancelling an rebooking". No issue at all. Penalty we do stil have is the 20% cancellation fee that kicks in at day of putting deposit down if you flat out cancel instead of switch to later date (on same or different itinerary etc).

 

Not sure if they'll also allow cancel + rebook with other ta but given the fact our ta's only are a negative and I only deal with hal any way given my very specific special needs, I dont really are that interested in that to pay much attention ;-)

 

Before this bettering of policy somewhere in 2013, we could already benefit from price drops before 90 days out. Within 90 days depended on agent if yould got nothing or would be upgrade for "free" to a higher cat. stateroom with a new price at or below the fare yould have on your reservation. This would also both trigger a "cancellation" and new booking incl new confirmation number but without penalties. Also done that plenty of times last year. Move to higher cat stateroom only fell through since no accessible ones were available anymore but otgerwise wouldve gotten the move when price dropped within the 90 days.

 

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