Need Advice

[Adoptionmsw]

I booked a September HAL cruise in July. Knowing there could be changes in price as the sail date approached, I deleted any bookmarks so I wouldn't inadvertently see fare changes. This morning DH asked what we had paid for cruise and blurted out the current much lower price. How do other cruisers handle and make peace with this knowledge? Any supportive advice is welcome. I know we will enjoy the cruise but really wish I didn't have this info.

 

 

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[kazu]

I booked a September HAL cruise in July. Knowing there could be changes in price as the sail date approached, I deleted any bookmarks so I wouldn't inadvertently see fare changes. This morning DH asked what we had paid for cruise and blurted out the current much lower price. How do other cruisers handle and make peace with this knowledge? Any supportive advice is welcome. I know we will enjoy the cruise but really wish I didn't have this info.

 

 

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My attitude - we were happy with the price we got at the time so there's no point in fretting now. Assuming you chose your room, it's worth a reminder that the "good room" we got would be gone by now, most likely. and, the cruise could have sold out - and you would have missed out all together.

[geoherb]

It's hard. Sometimes prices go down, but other times they go up. I book when the price is right for me and try not to look after the final payment date.

[Lady Arwen]

That is never a problem for us. Once final payment is made, we concentrate only on cruise planning and not price. Yes, sometimes that price goes down, but sometimes it goes up. We don't even think about it anymore. Like airfare, cruise prices fluctuate constantly and we refuse to get caught up in it.

 

Stop thinking about what you paid and think about what a fabulous time you'll have in the cabin that you chose at a price you were find with at the time. Have a terrific cruise!

[Krazy Kruizers]

Did you book a specific cabin?

If so, you can have your TA call HAL and explain that you see the price is now lower on your cabin and ask if they can give you some shipboard credit.

It never hurts to ask.

[RMLincoln]

Did you book a specific cabin?

If so, you can have your TA call HAL and explain that you see the price is now lower on your cabin and ask if they can give you some shipboard credit.

It never hurts to ask.

 

Although getting OBC is great when it happens, the last time I tried to get OBC after a price drop after final payment our PCC told us HAL is not inclined to do this anymore, but we got a nice cabin upgrade/upsell instead so I was very happy with that - we went from a K inside on Nieuw Amsterdam to a VH Balcony for $85pp, loved it! That jump would have been well out of our budget at the time we booked, so yes I watch the prices and watch for an even better deal.

And if the prices have dropped and I can't make an benefit out of it, I remember how happy I was when I booked it and how everything else has worked out too, hotels, airfares etc. It's the whole trip for me and I especially enjoy the advance planning and just having a cruise on my horizon!

Last minute sales are ok sometimes, and maybe someday you'll be able to take advantage of one, but this time I hope you can enjoy the big plan! m--

[RuthC]

This morning DH asked what we had paid for cruise and blurted out the current much lower price. How do other cruisers handle and make peace with this knowledge?

Tell yourself that you paid what you thought was a fair price, and one you could afford. You were satisfied with the price at the time, so no reason not to be satisfied now.

Also tell yourself that the current price is after final payment date, so is highly unlikely to have been what was charged at any time prior to final payment. To your knowledge (and his) this price was never available to you!

If you wanted to take this cruise, then you paid what you had to pay to board.

Then serve him cold cereal for supper for telling you the current price.

[doublebzz]

I absolutely agree with Krazy Kruizers that you should contact your TA and record your displeasure. You certainly have nothing to lose.

[Adoptionmsw]

Thank you all. Your posts have been helpful. I know we will have a wonderful cruise regardless.

 

 

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[SilvertoGold]

It is HARD!

Our worst scenario was a cruise that deceased in price by over $4000.00 pp. I wish we never knew, but an ad appeared in the local paper for the cruise and we read it......... ugh.

 

Booking really late in the game, which now seems to be about 6 weeks out, is likely the best bet and just concentrate on planning, as has been wisely suggested.

 

I agree with KK and others: ask your TA. The more the pricing decreased, the better your chance of something. If you so, we would love to hear what happened.

 

As noted, the pricing was probably much more earlier than you paid in July, so you did save a lot!

[sail7seas]

I booked a September HAL cruise in July. Knowing there could be changes in price as the sail date approached, I deleted any bookmarks so I wouldn't inadvertently see fare changes. This morning DH asked what we had paid for cruise and blurted out the current much lower price. How do other cruisers handle and make peace with this knowledge? Any supportive advice is welcome. I know we will enjoy the cruise but really wish I didn't have this info.

 

 

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It is my thinking that I thought thtat cruise worth th e amount of money I am paying or I would not have booked i. t If I was fine with the price at the time I booked it, I am still fine with it. If the cruise was worth that amount of money to me, it still is. Whatever higher I maY BE paying saved the cab in of my choice for all that time. If I waited until price reduction to book in order to get a little off, I would likely not be able to have the cabin I want. That has real value to someone like me who cares about which c abin I occupy.

[doublebzz]

It is HARD!

Our worst scenario was a cruise that deceased in price by over $4000.00 pp. I wish we never knew, but an ad appeared in the local paper for the cruise and we read it......... ugh.

 

 

Many posters seem pretty cavalier about huge price reductions after final payment. Either they have unlimited discretionary funds or cabin selection trump's cost. Good for them but I'd be pretty "po'd" if the cost of my cruise decreased by $8,000 unless you're talking about a cruise that runs into six figures.

[sail7seas]

Many posters seem pretty cavalier about huge price reductions after final payment. Either they have unlimited discretionary funds or cabin selection trump's cost. Good for them but I'd be pretty "po'd" if the cost of my cruise decreased by $8,000 unless you're talking about a cruise that runs into six figures.

 

 

If you reference my post in addition to others, i hope you read and digested my point. No oone I know is happy when there is a prie reeuxtion they cxxannotr take advanta age of. If anyone promosed you fair in life, they were mistaken. Life is not always fair. My point is that vbvy booking early and payingthe price chafged at that time, I get the cabin I want. The cruis line is hold ing my cabint for me and that has monetary value for me.. You don't need to agree.though it is great if one gets the point. I want the cabin Iwant and I get i t when I book early before therr are closer to sail date p;rice reductions TO STATE one is cavalier is tantamount to telling others how to spend their money What is worth cash to me may not be to you but as along as I am paying my bill, that is my business.

[doublebzz]

TO STATE one is cavalier is tantamount to telling others how to spend their money What is worth cash to me may not be to you but as along as I am paying my bill, that is my business.

 

To suggest that someone just "suck up" an $8,000 price reduction without seeking some recompense seems pretty cavalier to me. I'm not suggesting how people spend their money particularity if its not an issue with them and I certainly agree that cabin choice is worth added costs if that's an important factor in their cruise. The question in the case cited is what was the cost of the cruise - I guess that if it was a $100,000 cruise, $8,000 is "suckable", but if the cruise price was less that $20,00 for instance, I'd find that pretty hard to take.

[SilvertoGold]

Many posters seem pretty cavalier about huge price reductions after final payment. Either they have unlimited discretionary funds or cabin selection trump's cost. Good for them but I'd be pretty "po'd" if the cost of my cruise decreased by $8,000 unless you're talking about a cruise that runs into six figures.

 

Not near 6 figures. And it was for an inside K GUAR on a Grand, 60-some days. We were assigned a DD which we loved. No, not thrilled, but we should never, ever have booked far out and never did again: we learned a lesson big time.

Thanks for your post!

[sail7seas]

To suggest that someone just "suck up" an $8,000 price reduction without seeking some recompense seems pretty cavalier to me. I'm not suggesting how people spend their money particularity if its not an issue with them and I certainly agree that cabin choice is worth added costs if that's an important factor in their cruise. The question in the case cited is what was the cost of the cruise - I guess that if it was a $100,000 cruise, $8,000 is "suckable", but if the cruise price was less that $20,00 for instance, I'd find that pretty hard to take.

Everyone has to decide for themselves what is 'suckab le' (as you put it) for themselves. What one person says is suckable may not be for another.

 

 

 

One person buys a pricey SUV and someone else b uys a used N sisan. Who istto say who is right or wrong? Not me. Who is so say what is 'suckable' for someone elsed's budget.? Not me. I am not someone who like s to try and count someone else' money. Not my business.

[iancal]

I would contact HAl via your TA. You have nothing to loose.

 

This is one of the reasons why we typically book cruises inside the final payment window. We are not that fussy when it comes to cabin location and our preferred cruise lines are so similar to each other that we only focus on the itinerary and the ship. Once we have booked/paid we don't bother with the price changes-up or down.

 

We started to really get into booking this way once when we had an indication that a cruise that we had booked early was not selling well. We took a chance and cancelled two days before final payment. We r-ebooked a week or two later in a better cabin and at a more attractive fare. We had our eye on a back up option on another ship if the original cruise price had increased substantially instead of decreasing. It is a crap shoot. You win some, you loose some. Go and have a great time on your cruise. No doubt it will be wonderful.

[sail7seas]

I would contact HAl via your TA. You have nothing to loose.

 

This is one of the reasons why we typically book cruises inside the final payment window. We are not that fussy when it comes to cabin location and our preferred cruise lines are so similar to each other that we only focus on the itinerary and the ship. Once we have booked/paid we don't bother with the price changes-up or down.

 

We started to really get into booking this way once when we had an indication that a cruise that we had booked early was not selling well. We took a chance and cancelled two days before final payment. We r-ebooked a week or two later in a better cabin and at a more attractive fare. We had our eye on a back up option on another ship if the original cruise price had increased substantially instead of decreasing. It is a crap shoot. You win some, you loose some. Go and have a great time on your cruise. No doubt it will be wonderful.

 

Your plan like that works grea t for you but does not work forf all. I am on Medicare and will not travel outside the countrry if I do not have medical insurance. One has buy that within prescribed time intefval after booking a cruise to have pre-existing condition coverage. If one cancels, tthey lose the premium *much of the time) If they try to rebook on sam ship, same c ruise togfet lowswer pric,e they cannot insure fo r prre-exisitng condiitons. Insurers will c onsider that fistbboookin as the dat eot count from for pre-exisitng. Forsomeone to whom this applies (which is manymos t? seniors in U.S.,whatever ffare thdey may y sav could be so ou paced by medical bills they could get stuck with if they havew an illnews or accident and are uninsured. There is no one size fits all, or one way works for all when it comes to travel booking and an educated traveler learns the traps and thegbest way around them to suit their circumstance.

[VennDiagram]

It is HARD!

Our worst scenario was a cruise that deceased in price by over $4000.00 pp. I wish we never knew, but an ad appeared in the local paper for the cruise and we read it......... ugh.

 

 

Ugh!!! :( Worst for me was one time sailing solo, about 70% pp decrease a few days before sailing. That hurt a lot, but not to the $$$ level of your pain! :eek:

 

I watch and I will play the game sometimes. Our last cruise to Alaska I cancelled just before FP date. I did NOT cancel our booked-months-in-advance-hotel.

 

I watched and watched, and fumed and fussed. And moaned to a few people ;) Finally the price hit the sweet spot and we booked. Ended up with a higher-grade cabin and more OBCs, for less money than the original booking. But we all know it doesn't always work out that way! One cruise we booked a loooooong way out. Apparently hit the sweet spot on that one, too, since the price of our category kept going up and up. It more than doubled by sail date.

 

It's a crap shoot.

 

 

After final pmt date I will still watch, to see if we can improve our cabin category for little or no $$$s

[SilvertoGold]

Ugh!!! :( Worst for me was one time sailing solo, about 70% pp decrease a few days before sailing. That hurt a lot, but not to the $$$ level of your pain! :eek:

 

I watch and I will play the game sometimes. Our last cruise to Alaska I cancelled just before FP date. I did NOT cancel our booked-months-in-advance-hotel.

 

I watched and watched, and fumed and fussed. And moaned to a few people ;) Finally the price hit the sweet spot and we booked. Ended up with a higher-grade cabin and more OBCs, for less money than the original booking. But we all know it doesn't always work out that way! One cruise we booked a loooooong way out. Apparently hit the sweet spot on that one, too, since the price of our category kept going up and up. It more than doubled by sail date.

 

It's a crap shoot.

 

 

After final pmt date I will still watch, to see if we can improve our cabin category for little or no $$$s

 

Interesting! What you describe is good reading and informative. I am glad this method has worked for you.

 

I wish I could think this will continue now, as HAL has definitely been changing their pricing schemes. "Sold Out" seems to be more common now than a decent decrease in pricing cloer to sail date. Depends on the cruise, of course, we've seen a lot of Sold Outs with no significant decreases before. Our CND is not helping, either.

[msmayor]

We booked the Westerdam about 6 weeks out, so had to pay in full up front. Eight days later, the price had dropped $100 pp...I called my PCC about the drop and said I couldn't get the drop or OBC, but she offered me the chance to change my inside guarantee to a VH guarantee for $50 pp. We'd never had a balcony before, and paying the $50 pp gave us one for 7 days at only $549 pp. Huge bargain in my eyes, especially since we ended up with a VB aft extended balcony.

 

I'm watching an itinerary now for next year on a different line...they have the same itinerary during the same week 'this' year...and I'm watching 'this' year's pricing trends to see if I can find the lowest price point. Not a perfect science, but knowing what the lowest offering price is and approximately what time this price was offered may help me decide when to book this cruise. It means a guarantee room...and I'm OK with that. If I wanted a specific room I know I'd need to book now at the higher price.

[iancal]

msmayor...that is exactly what we do. We watch the pricing across as may as three ships/cruise lines. We get to understand what is a good price and we establish a strike price. When our price hits, we book. In the past this has been particularly good for Med cruises. Itinerary and ship is often similar between three cruise lines. We have had one or two instances where booking well in advance has yielded what we consider to be a great price. Our last cruise was like this so it does happen.

 

We do this for most travel products-especially air. If the late booking cruise requires air we usually are watching both at the same time. Two cruise lines actually allow us to get cruise air pricing on line without a booking and gives us multiple options-one way, open jaw, return, etc. Our last Med cruise was booked this way. The cruise line offered an excellent cruise fare and one way air fare home. We knew what both were prior to contacting on online TA to book it for us.

[Roz]

I assume those of you who play "chicken" ;) with prices are able to drive to the port and don't have to concern yourself with flights and hotels. Before I book anything I look at flight availability and airfare, as well as hotel availability and price. As a solo cruiser, another thing I've run into is not being able to book at the bargain rates. They're often only offered to those booking doubles.

 

Roz

[AV8rix]

I assume those of you who play "chicken" ;) with prices are able to drive to the port and don't have to concern yourself with flights and hotels. Before I book anything I look at flight availability and airfare, as well as hotel availability and price. As a solo cruiser, another thing I've run into is not being able to book at the bargain rates. They're often only offered to those booking doubles.

 

Roz

 

First, a disclaimer: I do live close to Seattle and Vancouver so I’m able to wait until last minute for cruises departing from those ports.

But, here’s what I do for Ft Lauderdale: I book air and hotel sometimes 6-7 months in advance for a cruise that I’m watching. But I do it with airlines and hotels that permit cancellations (within a reasonable amount of time). So with transportation and accommodation locked in, I am able to watch and wait the cruise price, same as I do for the cruises departing from my local ports.

I’m solo too, so the price is VERY important to me. Not so much the supplement, because I understand why it is necessary for the line to do that, but because HAL doesn’t award double loyalty-program points to us solos paying the supplement. Many other lines do. But that’s just my pet peeve.

[Roz]

Good points and advice, Av8rix.

 

Roz

 

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