FREE CRUISE

[Haljo1935]

@Banditswife next time you get one for Alaska, please let me know; I will happily go as your "+1" and even cover your cost, lol!!  I've paid dearly for AK land cruise!!

Edited June 12, 2023 by Haljo1935
Typo

[Banditswife]

9 hours ago, Haljo1935 said:

@Banditswife next time you get one for Alaska, please let me know; I will happily go as your "+1" and even cover your cost, lol!!  I've paid dearly for AK land cruise!!

LOL--I wish these offers were transferable.  And why I get offers is another question.  I seriously doubt the cost of the McKinley explorer, hotels, & air would be included.  If I get another one I will try to get better details.  

 

[RynoWally]

1 hour ago, Banditswife said:

LOL--I wish these offers were transferable.  And why I get offers is another question.  I seriously doubt the cost of the McKinley explorer, hotels, & air would be included.  If I get another one I will try to get better details.  

 

Just booked the 14 day leaving on July 30th for this exact reason, everything was included. We just had to book RT to Vancouver and they will be taking care of the rest. If I hadn't looked at this post, it would have just passed by, offer expires tonight at 1159. So thank you.

[friendswithdave]

22 minutes ago, RynoWally said:

Just booked the 14 day leaving on July 30th for this exact reason, everything was included. We just had to book RT to Vancouver and they will be taking care of the rest. If I hadn't looked at this post, it would have just passed by, offer expires tonight at 1159. So thank you.

I must admit, a 14 day cruise / land tour for just the cost of taxes? That's the best deal I've EVER heard of!!! 

[Nickelpenny]

I have taken 2 free inside cabin cruises (one of them is my present cruise )and have 2 more booked. I don’t play in the casino. One I have booked - the 28 day Amazon River cruise- would have cost me close to $10000. I got it for $660 (port fees + $100 booking fee). It’s real and you can find great deals  I ended getting 2 separate emails with free inside offers 1 week apart!

[Colorado Klutch]

It would be impossible to figure out how HAL targets such offers. Likely demographics have a lot to do with it. Their marketing people might want to focus on a certain geographic region and people in a particular age and income bracket. The hope is they will tell all their friends and family which encourages them to book a cruise. From our point of view, there is no rhyme or reason.

 

TV shows are similar. A series with high ratings can easily get the axe because advertisers aren't interested in the rural boomers who watch the show. The network will replace that show with something else intended to pull in young, upscale urbanites. Fans of the show will be dumbfounded as why it got cancelled. 

[RynoWally]

35 minutes ago, Colorado Klutch said:

It would be impossible to figure out how HAL targets such offers. Likely demographics have a lot to do with it. Their marketing people might want to focus on a certain geographic region and people in a particular age and income bracket. The hope is they will tell all their friends and family which encourages them to book a cruise. From our point of view, there is no rhyme or reason.

 

TV shows are similar. A series with high ratings can easily get the axe because advertisers aren't interested in the rural boomers who watch the show. The network will replace that show with something else intended to pull in young, upscale urbanites. Fans of the show will be dumbfounded as why it got cancelled. 

Could be as simple as an answer to a end of cruise questionnaire! How likely are you to recommend Holland Line to family and friends....10 most likely....What is a little telling is that we will only be on a ship for 7 of the 14 days, with access to the casino. There has to be another facet involved other than casino spending for them to offer up all these land tours, hotels, and interstate flights at no cost...

Edited June 12, 2023 by RynoWally
Correction

[SilvertoGold]

13 minutes ago, RynoWally said:

Could be as simple as an answer to a end of cruise questionnaire! How likely are you to recommend Holland Line to family and friends....10 most likely....What is a little telling is that we will only be on a ship for 7 of the 14 days, with access to the casino. There has to be another facet involved other than casino spending for them to offer up all these land tours, hotels, and interstate flights at no cost...

Total spending on board might be a criteria.  Actual cruise fares don't seem to be the major profit for HAL. Sailing with warm bodies who spend on board is maybe the most profitable way to profit.  Keeping the spending type coming back is possibly worth much more than high fare pax. Add up money spent on board for shorex, booze / HIA packages, spa, casino, shops, specialty dining, photo gallery and you probably get more than the fare many pay, especially on the shorter cruises.

[Florida_gal_50]

24 minutes ago, SilvertoGold said:

Total spending on board might be a criteria.  Actual cruise fares don't seem to be the major profit for HAL. Sailing with warm bodies who spend on board is maybe the most profitable way to profit.  Keeping the spending type coming back is possibly worth much more than high fare pax. Add up money spent on board for shorex, booze / HIA packages, spa, casino, shops, specialty dining, photo gallery and you probably get more than the fare many pay, especially on the shorter cruises.

If people are complaining about having to pay the tax really spending a ton on board?  While some may, I'm thinking that is not true of everyone.  These offers seem to be for inside and oceanview rooms.  When I look at cruises later in the game those seem to be the ones that are left.  I also don't understand the logic of offering free cruises to those that have cruise already booked with Hal.  What is to prevent people from cancelling every "full" fare cruise to take all free cruises unless these "full" fare cruises are non-refundable.

[Haljo1935]

4 hours ago, RynoWally said:

Just booked the 14 day leaving on July 30th for this exact reason, everything was included. We just had to book RT to Vancouver and they will be taking care of the rest. If I hadn't looked at this post, it would have just passed by, offer expires tonight at 1159. So thank you.

I genuinely hope you enjoy your cruise and am thrilled you received and accepted the offer.

I am genuinely sad for myself as I spent a significant amount of $$ last May on AK land cruise 😞

[Banditswife]

9 hours ago, RynoWally said:

Just booked the 14 day leaving on July 30th for this exact reason, everything was included. We just had to book RT to Vancouver and they will be taking care of the rest. If I hadn't looked at this post, it would have just passed by, offer expires tonight at 1159. So thank you.

Do you mind giving a rough estimate of cost?  I did check RT airfare from Kansas to Vancouver-$650 pp.  We have cruises booked for Oct, Nov & Feb, so I just couldn't justify another for this summer.

[oakridger]

 

I kind of feel like when I hear all about a fabulous party that I wasn't invited to...........................

 

 

~Nancy

[Florida_gal_50]

12 minutes ago, oakridger said:

 

I kind of feel like when I hear all about a fabulous party that I wasn't invited to...........................

 

 

~Nancy

While it’s not in the cards for me until I retire I’d love to do an Amazon cruise.  Earlier in this thread I’m pretty sure someone said they are paying $660 for this 28 days cruise.  I have “Mariner pricing” on this and it’s coming out to $10k for me.  Even if I could do it no way I’d be forking over $10k while someone is paying less than $1000.  Hal can’t be hurting too bad when they pull stuff like that. I’m sure I’ve poured $100 to $150 k into the hal coffers easily in the years I’ve cruised with hal.  This is the thank you you get for that.  

[Haljo1935]

5 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

While it’s not in the cards for me until I retire I’d love to do an Amazon cruise.  Earlier in this thread I’m pretty sure someone said they are paying $660 for this 28 days cruise.  I have “Mariner pricing” on this and it’s coming out to $10k for me.  Even if I could do it no way I’d be forking over $10k while someone is paying less than $1000.  Hal can’t be hurting too bad when they pull stuff like that. I’m sure I’ve poured $100 to $150 k into the hal coffers easily in the years I’ve cruised with hal.  This is the thank you you get for that.  

Very similar situation. I don't begrudge the people here who are able to benefit from those offers, but when I paid well over $5000 for an AK land cruise (that was an absolute disaster, btw) that someone else gets for airfare, if makes me a bit bitter toward HAL. 4* who really wants to stay and has current bookings but it hurts.

[Hobby3333]

My wife talked me into a HAL cruise to Alaska last September.   Loved the cruise and we booked another HAL cruise that leaves from Amsterdam in 32 days.  The other day I received email for a free cruise.  Just booked one for December 15th.  Total cost was $570.00 but will have $200.00 OBC.  Too good to pass 

[Haljo1935]

13 minutes ago, Hobby3333 said:

My wife talked me into a HAL cruise to Alaska last September.   Loved the cruise and we booked another HAL cruise that leaves from Amsterdam in 32 days.  The other day I received email for a free cruise.  Just booked one for December 15th.  Total cost was $570.00 but will have $200.00 OBC.  Too good to pass 

And why would you pass when net after OBC is $370?!?! You can't get a hotel for that - much less hotel for the other nights and the food. Congrats - enjoy your cruise!

Not being snarky, sincere congrats.

Edited June 13, 2023 by Haljo1935

[RynoWally]

2 hours ago, Banditswife said:

Do you mind giving a rough estimate of cost?  I did check RT airfare from Kansas to Vancouver-$650 pp.  We have cruises booked for Oct, Nov & Feb, so I just couldn't justify another for this summer.

Cost was aprox $1200 for port taxes, fees, and whatever else. We get $200 of that back in OBC. We had vouchers for the airfare, but when I went online to check, it would have been around $1000 a piece for RT from MN on Delta. 

[RynoWally]

2 minutes ago, RynoWally said:

Cost was aprox $1200 for port taxes, fees, and whatever else. We get $200 of that back in OBC. We had vouchers for the airfare, but when I went online to check, it would have been around $1000 a piece for RT from MN on Delta. 

About 2 months ago, we had sworn off ever cruising with HAL again after we thought they reneged on their Worry Free Promise from last year's Norway cruise. We had to spend 10 extra days in Amsterdam, until my wife tested negative back in May 2022. Lo and Behold, went out to the mailbox toward the end of April 2023 and sure enough there was a very sizable reimbursement check in the box! 

[friendswithdave]

While it's probably obvious to most, the free trips being given away are trips HAL is CERTAIN that will not sell out - at least for inside rooms. Their algorithms probably also tell them that the people being offered these free trips will NOT be booking that or a similar trip. Two of the cruises mentioned are ones I have my eye on in December because they are typically very undersold. I cruise on these because rates are rock bottom making it affordable for me. I probably won't get a free cruise since they know I tend to book these less popular cruises already. 

 

While there are a few people frustrated they have to pay for something someone else gets for free, I'm sure this works in HAL's favor in terms of revenues. They know these cruises will not sell out so the goodwill and extra on-board spending they get out of free cruises make up for the frustration those on these boards feel. 

[Haljo1935]

While I mostly agree with you @friendswithdave I do know of free offers on popular itineraries such as AK.

[friendswithdave]

True on most Alaska itineraries, but the one-way trips are heavily discounted on inside rooms. Those can be had for $300 - $400 per week on most cruise lines including HAL. We've taken one of these before in an inside room and got a spectacular deal.

[Haljo1935]

I would love to get one of those offers - never received an offer for AK, but recently saw a flyer - there were some great itineraries on it.

[sunviking90]

4 minutes ago, friendswithdave said:

True on most Alaska itineraries, but the one-way trips are heavily discounted on inside rooms. Those can be had for $300 - $400 per week on most cruise lines including HAL. We've taken one of these before in an inside room and got a spectacular deal.

Yes, this is true. I have restricted fares showing for almost all of the one way Alaska itineraries in my account of $329 Canadian inside and $369 Canadian outside! Port taxes and fees are pricey, but still an excellent price. I’m just not ready to jump back on HAL after their accounting errors and “customer is always wrong” attitude afterwards from my cruise last summer.

Edited June 13, 2023 by sunviking90

[Haljo1935]

30 minutes ago, sunviking90 said:

Yes, this is true. I have restricted fares showing for almost all of the one way Alaska itineraries in my account of $329 Canadian inside and $369 Canadian outside! Port taxes and fees are pricey, but still an excellent price. I’m just not ready to jump back on HAL after their accounting errors and “customer is always wrong” attitude afterwards from my cruise last summer.

I agree w/the poor customer service, but at same time w/o being a HAL cheerleader (as I do believe all lines have their issues) I am trying to find compelling reason to stay loyal, as a 4* Mariner who appreciates that status.

We are fortunate to be able to cruise at all, but don’t have unlimited resources, so we need to be frugal w/our budgets and make good choices w/our vacation $$. Utilizing the free and discounted offers are ways we can do that.

[Ellencruise]

Gee can’t wait to get my offer!