Reserve two cruises - decide and cancel one later

[sparks1093]

I find this practice highly unethical and boardering on fraud. By this post, and ones before it, I'm led to believe this behavior is widely accepted and growing. Believe it or not, it cost cruise lines and travel agents money to enter bookings and cancelling them (not so much on this end). Do you work for free? What about the people you prevented from taking the cruise of their dreams because the cruise/stateroom was unavaiable, and had to settle for second or third choices? Next time you go on a cruise and one of your favorite activities were cut, or the quality of food or service drops, to cut cost, maybe this practice had something to do with it.

I hope the cruise lines and travel agents read this and start charging cancellation fees when a cruise is cancelled. The real cruisers will continue to cruise only be more diligent in finding the right cruise.

Let the flaming begin...

 

I won't flame you, but I will disagree. Evidently the cruise lines do also or they would have more stringent cancellation guidelines.

[awestover89]

I have never done this and really don't see a huge problem with it...however, if it is a handicapped cabin being held, "just in case". That I think is unfair, since there aren't that many of them on the ships to begin with. I would hate to think I was withholding someone from booking a handicapped cabin, just because I booked one that I'm not sure if I will want or not. JMO

 

 

Gwen :)

 

I'd definitely take into consideration the likely impact on other travelers by doing this. Personally, I wouldn't reserve a handicap room unless it was the only one still available, even if I knew for a fact I'd be going on the cruise. Just wouldn't feel right. For an interior more than a year in advance, with the intention of making our final determination with about 5 months left before sailing, I don't feel that double booking is likely to impact other travelers.

 

Instead of cancelling one cruise you could always reschedule to a later date. I do it all the time. ;)

 

Right now we can really only do one cruise a year, both financially and timing wise. Trying to get both of our vacations lined up, and my husband's company only allows vacations from May through October. I'm also doing my Masters, which school summer break runs from mid June through the first week of September, which further limits us.

 

Maybe in a few years... I'd love to do a B2B eventually. But this year we want my brother-in-laws with us before they go off to college and military respectively. Then it will be back to just cruising with the two of us.

[awestover89]

Actually, it looks like this year I won't be able to do the double reserve, might just have to go with August 9th since it's safer. Thought the deposit was per stateroom, not per person, so what I was expecting to be $250 down will actually be $1K down.

[sheba2008]

I admit at one point recently we had four different cruises booked for next spring and we'll be taking just one. We have two booked for next fall.

 

We have since decided on the spring cruise and are now canceling the three we won't be taking. Our T/A has always been good about it.

 

I always feel badly for our UK friends since this option isn't open to them, their deposits aren't refundable.

 

It is also the same in Belgium, if it is booked you got to go!!!

Cancel it means a big penalty (even when cancel 5 minutes later) to pay per person!!!!

We always are carefull of booking, booking is going here :)

[Krazy Kruizers]

As long as your TA doesn't charge you for cancelling one of the cruises -- go for it.