Cancel or no-show the second guest in my stateroom?

[seven.seas]

Hi everybody -- I'd appreciate your guidance on navigating HAL's cancellation policy for an upcoming sailing where we're already in the "no refund" window.

 

Here's the situation:

• We currently have two staterooms booked: the first has guests "A", "B", and "C"; the second has guests "D" and "E"
• Guest "E" needs to cancel
• If possible, we would like to move guest "C" to the second room (so the first room would have "A" and "B" and the second "C" and "D")

 

I have two questions:

1. What's the best way to cancel guest "E"? If there is a charge to cancel, should we just have guest "E" be a no-show?
2. Assuming we cancel guest "E" in advance, would Holland America let us move guest "C" to the second stateroom?

 

Thank you for all your help!

 

[CruiserBruce]

You need to ask HAL this. I doubt its a problem, but you must notify them. They need to account for everyone that is supposed to be on the ship.

[FlaMariner]

As far as moving folks from one room to another, we did that (pre Covid) ourselves once we were onboard w/no problem. We even went to Guest Services and got a proper key card.  All the mail and stuff still came to the original room but that was no problem.

 

As far as "no shows", if it costs you more if you tell them prior to sailing that this person is cancelling, I would not....I'd just let the chips fall once onboard.  Find that out first by asking your TA to earn their pay and find out.  Perhaps play the Covid card and if they test positive, you are home free!

 

(I would work hard to not have to pay more $$$ for less people to travel)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[CruiserBruce]

Oh yes, dishonesty is always the best policy.

[KirkNC]

I think it’s best to talk it through with HAL either directly or via your travel agent.

[HamOp]

57 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

Oh yes, dishonesty is always the best policy.

Sometimes easier to ask forgiveness than to ask permission.

[Boatdrill]

1 hour ago, FlaMariner said:

As far as "no shows", if it costs you more if you tell them prior to sailing that this person is cancelling, I would not....I'd just let the chips fall once onboard.  Find that out first by asking your TA to earn their pay and find out.  

 

"Earn their pay..." 

By the time the cruise sails, HAL has paid out  the commissions for those bookings to the travel agency.  If passenger "E" is a no show, HAL will take back that booking's commission, even though the TA did  the work booking passenger "E". The TA will not be compensated  for his/her time on this booking unless he/she has charged an upfront, non refundable booking fee to her client.

 

If the client doesn't notify the TA about passenger E's cancellation,  it will be quite a surprise to the TA when the commission is recalled by HAL. 

 

Why would someone do that to their TA ?  

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 9, 2021 by Boatdrill

[VMax1700]

1 minute ago, Boatdrill said:

If the client doesn't notify the TA about passenger E's cancellation,  it will be quite a surprise to the TA when the commission is recalled by HAL. 

So if pax E is a no show, then HAL keeps all the fare paid AND penalises the TA? 

[Jersey42]

Let us know what happens, but be careful.  In the past I have have seen multiple threads across various cruise lines with the following situation:

• One room with passengers D & E.
• It is past final payment date and E cancels.
• E loses their entire fare (less taxes and fees)
• D is charged the single supplement.

People may have fought this and won, but it happens. Winning means E loses there fare, but D is not charged a supplement.  I have also seen threads where D successfully replaces E with another person, but I can't recall a situation where the other person was already booked as the third passenger in another room.

 

As far as the second part of your question, you will have no problem moving C to the other room once onboard.  We have done this many times.  In our situation the onboard charges for both rooms were billed to the same credit card.  I am not sure what happens if you need to have HAL separate the charges.

 

[seven.seas]

Thank you, everybody, for your input!

 

Given what I've heard from the group, it doesn't sound like there's any downside to me asking HAL if it's possible to cancel guest "E" and move "C" into the second room. Worst case, they tell me that guest "D" needs to pay the single supplement, in which case we can re-evaluate our plans.

 

I'll let you know what I hear.

[seven.seas]

Hi everybody,

 

Closing the loop here. HAL helped update my rooms as requested without having to pay a single supplement. Glad that it all worked out!

[VennDiagram]

Thanks for letting us know the outcome.  I'm glad it worked out!

[FlaMariner]

that's good to hear and many thanks for taking the time to let us know how it landed.....enjoy the cruise!

[HamOp]

Always great to hear the final (and good) outcome. 

Thanks for getting back.

[zgscl]

On 12/16/2021 at 2:02 AM, seven.seas said:

Hi everybody,

 

Closing the loop here. HAL helped update my rooms as requested without having to pay a single supplement. Glad that it all worked out!

Great news! Thanks for sharing