Anybody booked a future cruise while onboard?

[jmpiterniak]

Curious to hear pros and cons. We sail next month and I'm interested in a Mediterranean cruise in 2019...but not 100% certain.

 

Would go for it if it was a minimal deposit/commitment to lock in an amazing deal. Thoughts?

 

Thanks!! JoAnne :cool:

[Krazy Kruizers]

There isn't any special pricing when you book while on the ship -- just the current prices as seen on HAL's site.

But you do get reduced deposits. And depending on the cabin category and the length of your cruise -- you will get some shipboard credit.

Usually the deposits are $100 per person and are good for years. If you don't use them by the end of 4 years, the deposits are credited back to your credit card.

Yes -- your credit card is charged right away for the deposits. They will not give you any extra credit points on your current cruise.

[DeeniEncinitas]

Yup!!! Always do. We were on The Eurodam this past September in The Med!!! We booked a round trip out of our home town San Diego doing a month cruise of South America! 600.00 deposit total because it was over 21 days. Under would of been 400total deposit. We received explorer 4 package, all gratuities, free laundry, Pinniacle Grill, and wifi!!

The best was 1000.00 total OBC!! We booked a SS suite.

We booked The Eurodam cruise in the Med on our Nieuw Amsterdam cruise of 24 days in the Med prior! Got explorer 4 package only. On The Nieuw Amsterdam we received 800.00 OBC. We have cruised 10 times on HAL and always have received some kind of incentive!

Hope it works for you!!!!

Smooth Sailings

Denise :)

[lenquixote66]

We always book at least one future cruise.

[kazu]

We don't book onboard.

 

We buy the future cruise deposits ($100) which give us the OBC and if we happen to book withing 60 days of our cruise we can get the additional OBC that you get on board.

 

the difference? I can check out what my TA offers. I can save them the work of transferring it and lastly, but more importantly,

 

I prefer to make a rationale decision at home and not to wast time on vacation with this stuff with people who I know can give misinformation (yes, I have heard it) perhas unwittingly, but once bitten - twice shy ;)

[knittinggirl]

If we like the cruise line, we get an open/future booking. We get reduced deposits, as well as OBC depending on length and category.

 

If you book w/ a travel agency, you can call the cruise line and try to book w/ your certificate. As what recently happened on Celebrity, we had to come up w/ full deposits, because it was after hours, and our certificate was w/ the TA.

[Scrapnana]

I have booked one, pre-booked another, and made a future cruise deposit while onboard. I have been happy with all. They give you the choice of placing the booked cruise with a TA or leaving it with HAL (which you can change once you are home).

[Stratheden]

We try to book something whilst on a cruise.

[ski ww]

We just buy the future cruise deposit. And then have four years to decide where & when we want to cruise.

Allan

[ExpatBride]

I've always been able to book for much cheaper online closer to the sailing. But I'm not picky about cabin location and I know my method isn't for everyone.

[DaveOKC]

We don't book onboard.

 

We buy the future cruise deposits ($100) which give us the OBC and if we happen to book withing 60 days of our cruise we can get the additional OBC that you get on board.

 

the difference? I can check out what my TA offers. I can save them the work of transferring it and lastly, but more importantly,

 

I prefer to make a rationale decision at home and not to wast time on vacation with this stuff with people who I know can give misinformation (yes, I have heard it) perhas unwittingly, but once bitten - twice shy ;)

 

We do the same - get the Future Cruise Deposits while onboard and then book while at home using email (Promo code ZPM) which double my On Board Credit for booking. I try to keep an extra FCD on hand also, for unexpected cruises that might come up during the year.

[RuthC]

I always want to leave the ship with at least one Future Cruise Deposit on hand. One never knows when that will come in handy---and it has, many times.

But if there is a particular cruise I know I want, and I am sailing at the time, I see no reason not to book it right then and there.

I will get the on-board credit that comes with booking on board, plus the ZPM promo is built in now, so nothing to tend to when I get home. I also get the cabin of my choice, which could disappear before I get to it if I wait until I am home. If I am with friends who also booked on board, it seems easier to get our bookings linked, as the same person is doing both bookings; we then each can transfer to the TA of our choice.

If we do transfer, then we get any lower fares and/or bennies that TA is offering.

 

It seems like the best of both worlds to book while I am aboard.

[Cristiano]

We booked onboard the Koningsdam last July for our cruise in April from FL to Copenhagen.

 

$100 AUD deposit; Explore 4 Package, Onboard Credit $400 US, $200 US internet, Gratuities, Pinnacle Dinner etc.

 

Could not even come close to that when I got home so will book again next time onboard!.

 

Ciao,

 

Cristiano.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Why not free on board credit.

[Bxianesq]

Always book our next cruise on board! Even if we don't know our schedule, we book to get the onboard credit. We have changed our minds twice after booking and have always just transferred the booking and still gotten the credit. Our cruise to Norway this summer will be the first time that we have actually taken the future cruise that we booked instead of a substitute.

[DFD1]

We have often booked future cruises while on board. One word of caution however. Be careful that you've done your homework and know exactly the terms of the cruise you're booking. Sometimes the on-board consultants are not well informed about those terms.

 

In one instance we booked a cruise which was priced to be absolutely non-refundable. The cruise consultant failed to inform us about this provision of the booking. Consequently, some months later when we decided to cancel that cruise and move the deposit to another cruise, HAL at first refused to move our payments.

 

It took some weeks and a lot of discussion to finally convince HAL that the on-board future cruise consultant was not well informed and had given us bad information. We finally did get the payments moved to the cruise we had selected.

 

Just be sure you don't rely completely on the on-board consultant to know all the facts about each particular cruise. Do your homework.

[blizzardboy]

If you purchase a $100 FCC, it serves as your deposit and they also match the $100 in OBC. I don't know if you have to book on board to get the matching deal. If I understand it correctly, they only match the first $100 FCC, but you can use whatever FCC you have purchased

[DaveOKC]

Always book our next cruise on board! Even if we don't know our schedule, we book to get the onboard credit. We have changed our minds twice after booking and have always just transferred the booking and still gotten the credit. Our cruise to Norway this summer will be the first time that we have actually taken the future cruise that we booked instead of a substitute.

 

Interesting - my HAL PCC tells me that depending on the situation (i.e. how long since you returned from your cruise), you might lose 1/2 of the OBC if you transfer it.