Booking a Future Cruise Onboard

[Lady Arwen]

We're thinking of booking Koningsdam T/A for fall 2018. We'll be sailing on Kdam in 2017 in the Med. Is there any benefits to booking the T/A onboard instead of directly with HAL online or with our PCC. Reduced deposit? OBC? Cabin upgrade?

 

Thanks for your always helpful input!

[Stuart&John]

I have never done it, as we act as outside agents for our PCC. But we are leaving on the Nieuw Amsterdam this Friday, and recently came across a Veendam itinerary for next January that we are thinking about. So your question comes at a good time. We are thinking we might bite the bullet and visit the on board cruise consultant next week.

 

Yes, there is usually a reduced deposit. Occasionally, I think you can score better OBC. I am not sure that upgrades are usually part of it, at least not ones that are already out there (such as an upgrade from an oceanview to a verandah).

 

I will let you know what we find out!

[Lady Arwen]

I have never done it, as we act as outside agents for our PCC. But we are leaving on the Nieuw Amsterdam this Friday, and recently came across a Veendam itinerary for next January that we are thinking about. So your question comes at a good time. We are thinking we might bite the bullet and visit the on board cruise consultant next week.

 

Yes, there is usually a reduced deposit. Occasionally, I think you can score better OBC. I am not sure that upgrades are usually part of it, at least not ones that are already out there (such as an upgrade from an oceanview to a verandah).

 

I will let you know what we find out!

 

Thank you so much! Have a fabulous cruise! I am so jealous right now..lol!

[DaveOKC]

We're thinking of booking Koningsdam T/A for fall 2018. We'll be sailing on Kdam in 2017 in the Med. Is there any benefits to booking the T/A onboard instead of directly with HAL online or with our PCC. Reduced deposit? OBC? Cabin upgrade?

 

Thanks for your always helpful input!

 

First, I would not book until your 2017 Kdam cruise, as you can get some very nice OBC and greatly reduced deposits (see discussion below).

 

If you know EXACTLY what you want and what the current going rate is, booking onboard is a good idea. Obviously, you need to do your homework before you board, as it would be hard to do any comparison shopping afterwards.

 

By booking onboard you get a reduced deposit PLUS some OBC (amount depends on the length of your cruise plus you cabin category). HAL recently increased the amount of OBC you get, to match what you can get from using a Future Cruise Deposit (FCD).

 

As to a FCD, you can purchase these onboard. They will also give you the same reduced deposit, plus some OBC, but the OBC will be half the amount you get when booking onboard. HOWEVER - if you just purchase the FCD, within 2 weeks of returning home you will get an email thanking you for sailing with HAL and offering to DOUBLE the OBC you get from the FCD if you book within the following 2 months, thus ending up with the same OBC amount as booking onboard (confused yet??). I do this option as I like to book after I get home and can focus better.

 

Now, the onboard cruise consultant will not tell you about all of this, especially the double up email offer (code ZPM by the way). In fact, they will try to discourage you from purchasing a FCD as they get more "credit" if they sell you a cruise.

 

Since you indicate that you have a PCC, I recommend that you discuss this situation with him/her and follow their advice. I am certain they will appreciate it.

[Iris5383]

We do it on most of our cruises. Benefits are reduced deposit, amount depends on the number of days of the cruise; $100 per person for up to 21 days to $1,000 per person for over 50 days, which you pay when you sign up. Each person also gets an onboard credit, based on the room category and length of cruise, from $25 for an inside up to 10 days to $200 for a suite over 50 days.

 

You don't have to chose which cruise you will take. You can decide later, up to 4 years from the date you buy the future cruise deposit.

 

The deposit is per person. Say the person you're cruising with when you buy the future cruise deposit is not the one you want to take the next cruise with. You don't have to cruise with the same person. You buy the future cruise deposit, the other person buys one, you don't have to future-cruise together.

 

Stuart & John - my DH and I will also be sailing on the Nieuw Amsterdam in two days! Maybe we will see you at the meet & greet.

[Iris5383]

Also - forgot to say - you can book the cruise through your travel agent once you get home. Don't have to go through HAL.

[Lady Arwen]

Thanks everyone for your prompt replies......great advice! We'll wait til we're onboard Kdam to book our next cruise. The deposit right now for booking the T/A is $1560.00 (Canadian) as opposed to $100.00 (US) per person onboard. Huge difference!

[DeeniEncinitas]

We booked our next 28 day Inca Empires cruise

While on the Med cruise on The Eurodam this past Oct 29th.

We made out wonderfully!!

We paid our 600.00 as our deposit pp.

Received 500.00 pp OBC total $1,000.00

ALL gratuities paid

200.00 internet ( have no idea how many minutes that is)

Explore 4 package also!!!

Booked Maasdam round trip from our home town San Diego 2/25/2018.

PS also. PG dinner!

We did well!

Denise :)

[Stuart&John]

Stuart & John - my DH and I will also be sailing on the Nieuw Amsterdam in two days! Maybe we will see you at the meet & greet.

 

Yup! we're planning on being there. Checked in for our flight tomorrow online already!

[blizzardboy]

Is there any benefits to booking the T/A onboard instead of directly with HAL online or with our PCC. Reduced deposit? OBC? Cabin upgrade?

 

Thanks for your always helpful input!

 

Ask your HAL PCC for the ins and outs as a cruise booked on board will be assigned to the PCC anyway. My PCC explained to me that each of us buying a $100 FCC was smart as you get $100 towards your deposit and $100 OBC, but only on the first $100 FCC per person. I may not have the lingo correct, but it boiled down to doubling your money on the first $100 with no incentive to buy more FCC. I can't remember what he said about booking on board other than it comes to him anyway. I'll be talking to him later today or in the morning and I'll go over it again and will post an update here after.

Edited January 4, 2017 by blizzardboy

[DeeniEncinitas]

Sorry I need to change our deposit!

300.00 pp not 600.00

Did not proof read🙄

Denise:)

[Lady Arwen]

We booked our next 28 day Inca Empires cruise

While on the Med cruise on The Eurodam this past Oct 29th.

We made out wonderfully!!

We paid our 600.00 as our deposit pp.

Received 500.00 pp OBC total $1,000.00

ALL gratuities paid

200.00 internet ( have no idea how many minutes that is)

Explore 4 package also!!!

Booked Maasdam round trip from our home town San Diego 2/25/2018.

PS also. PG dinner!

We did well!

Denise :)

 

Wow! You really did well! Hopefully, this will be our experience, too. Thanks for letting me know.

[OVgirl]

Thanks everyone for your prompt replies......great advice! We'll wait til we're onboard Kdam to book our next cruise. The deposit right now for booking the T/A is $1560.00 (Canadian) as opposed to $100.00 (US) per person onboard. Huge difference!

 

Don't forget to check the difference in pricing between CAD and US funds. You can buy the future cruise deposit in CAD funds if it seems to be a better exchange rate.

[debut]

Cruising in Feb., going to book fcc while on board, can you get this and book a cruise after purchasing fcc. Sounds like you get more when you book a cruise on board than at home.

Thanks

Debbie

[Lady Arwen]

Don't forget to check the difference in pricing between CAD and US funds. You can buy the future cruise deposit in CAD funds if it seems to be a better exchange rate.

 

We would never pay anything in US funds. Much rather pay CAD and not have to worry about the exchange rate. I doubt if we'll buy a f.c.d. We'd rather just book the cruise (or perhaps 2) that we really want.

[kazu]

Cruising in Feb., going to book fcc while on board, can you get this and book a cruise after purchasing fcc. Sounds like you get more when you book a cruise on board than at home.

Thanks

Debbie

 

I don't book on board, but I have checked pricing, etc.

 

I have never found a better deal. In fact, I usually get a better deal when I get home with my TA. We simply buy the Future Cruise Deposit which lessens the deposit and gives you OBC, add on the ZPM (booking within 60 days) for more obc and ask the TA on pricing.

 

Sometimes it is best to book without the extras, sometimes it is not and sometimes you can't book without the extras ;)

 

For the fun of it, I will check my next cruise when I am on my upcoming one (if the FCC is not too busy - I have never understood why people line up or wait for too long to book another cruise on board), but I can practically bet serious money, that the pricing, etc. I have will not come close to being matched on board ;)

 

As long as everyone is happy with their pricing though, that is the main thing :)

[Overhead Fred]

I booked two new cruises during our Nov 27-Dec 11 2016 Nieuw Amsterdam sailing. Both Future Cruise Consultants were quite pleasant to deal with. It worked out nicely for us as I was able to get the Cyber Sale promotion on one cruise and View & Verandah promotion on the other. (Retirement is a wonderful thing!)

 

You get a lower deposit ($100 per person for cruises up to 21 days long) and double the shipboard credit ($50 to $400 per person depending on the length of the cruise and cabin class) as compared to a Future Cruise Deposit ($25 to $200). If you later decide to cancel the booking (before final payment of course) you made on-board, it reverts to a Future Cruise Deposit.

 

So the real, and perhaps only, advantage to booking on-board is the extra shipboard credit. And it sounds like you can get the extra shipboard credit by using the "welcome back" promotion. If you can take advantage of that then there is no benefit to booking on-board - except the satisfaction of bragging to your table-mates at dinner about the great cruise you just booked!

 

If you know what cruise you want I would recommend booking on-board. If you are unsure, do some on-board research using the computers in the Explorations Cafe; there is free (but slow) access to the HAL website. If you cannot decide, then try for the welcome back promotion.

[kazu]

I booked two new cruises during our Nov 27-Dec 11 2016 Nieuw Amsterdam sailing. Both Future Cruise Consultants were quite pleasant to deal with. It worked out nicely for us as I was able to get the Cyber Sale promotion on one cruise and View & Verandah promotion on the other. (Retirement is a wonderful thing!)

 

You get a lower deposit ($100 per person for cruises up to 21 days long) and double the shipboard credit ($50 to $400 per person depending on the length of the cruise and cabin class) as compared to a Future Cruise Deposit ($25 to $200). If you later decide to cancel the booking (before final payment of course) you made on-board, it reverts to a Future Cruise Deposit.

 

So the real, and perhaps only, advantage to booking on-board is the extra shipboard credit. And it sounds like you can get the extra shipboard credit by using the "welcome back" promotion. If you can take advantage of that then there is no benefit to booking on-board - except the satisfaction of bragging to your table-mates at dinner about the great cruise you just booked!

 

If you know what cruise you want I would recommend booking on-board. If you are unsure, do some on-board research using the computers in the Explorations Cafe; there is free (but slow) access to the HAL website. If you cannot decide, then try for the welcome back promotion.

 

The offered OBC for booking on board is no different than buying a Future Cruise Deposit and the welcome back offer (which doubles it).

 

Exactly the same deal from the comfort of your home as you get booking on board.

 

One of the reasons I don't like the sales pitch on board of "doubling your OBC". It is easily done when you get home with the FCD and booking within the required time line ;)

[DaveOKC]

The offered OBC for booking on board is no different than buying a Future Cruise Deposit and the welcome back offer (which doubles it).

 

Exactly the same deal from the comfort of your home as you get booking on board.

 

One of the reasons I don't like the sales pitch on board of "doubling your OBC". It is easily done when you get home with the FCD and booking within the required time line ;)

 

As I mentioned already, I agree with this approach as you get the same OBC and reduced deposit using the FCD (but you must use the code ZPM when booking). You can use this code even if you do not get the email, as long as you are within 60 days of your last cruise.

[RocketMan275]

Ask your HAL PCC for the ins and outs as a cruise booked on board will be assigned to the PCC anyway.

 

A cruise booked on board will be assigned to the agency you used to book the cruise your currently on. If you booked through a PCC, then it will be assigned to the PCC. If you used a T/A to book the cruise you are on, then the cruise you book on board will be assigned to that T/A. Those are the defaults. You can request different assignments.

[kazu]

We're thinking of booking Koningsdam T/A for fall 2018. We'll be sailing on Kdam in 2017 in the Med. Is there any benefits to booking the T/A onboard instead of directly with HAL online or with our PCC. Reduced deposit? OBC? Cabin upgrade?

 

Thanks for your always helpful input!

 

Have you checked this booking on the HAL website? I ask as there seems to be some EBS (early booking savings) coming back on HAL. There was a really nice price on our 2018 cruise - totally different than the HAL price. It apparently expires mid January - not sure but I think it is the 10th.

 

Not sure what cruises get it. The sale is not advertised, I just logged in and got a very pleasant surprise. Might be worth a look now, in case.

 

I know the EBS we got for the Rotterdam sailing hasn't come near the current pricing and that pricing has to drop a LOT after final payment to hit our number ;)

[blizzardboy]

A cruise booked on board will be assigned to the agency you used to book the cruise your currently on. If you booked through a PCC, then it will be assigned to the PCC. If you used a T/A to book the cruise you are on, then the cruise you book on board will be assigned to that T/A. Those are the defaults. You can request different assignments.

You are correct, however I was directing my post to the OP who referred to "booking onboard instead of directly with HAL online or with our PCC.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Keep in mind -- when you decide to buy the future deposits (or even book the cruise while on the ship) -- it will be charged to your credit card right away -- not to your shipboard account.

[Lady Arwen]

Keep in mind -- when you decide to buy the future deposits (or even book the cruise while on the ship) -- it will be charged to your credit card right away -- not to your shipboard account.

 

I assumed that, thanks. We've booked onboard with Celebrity many times, but never with HAL.

[blizzardboy]

By this time, things have been pretty well explained. Kazu sounded like a recording of my PCC explaining the "double" OBC offered on cruises, etc. The minimal deposit by using a FCC when booking is a nice benefit that is too good to pass up. My PCC said to get a quote on board and compare it to what we've already discussed. Starting 17 months out, any pricing we book at now will probably get re-fared at least twice as sales/promos come out.

I transfer my booking to the TA prior to final payment to take advantage of their OBC perk and the additional port info/resources they offer.