CruiseMark Posted November 8, 2023 #1 Share Posted November 8, 2023 Holland America announced what their Black Friday sale will be. Starting Nov 17th, 30% off select cruises plus free gratuities. More info here: https://www.cruisehive.com/holland-america-line-offers-major-black-friday-savings/115084 I don’t know any details beyond what’s in the article. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare puppycanducruise Posted November 8, 2023 #2 Share Posted November 8, 2023 Thanks for the link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thetideishigh2021 Posted November 8, 2023 #3 Share Posted November 8, 2023 Sounds juicy, fingers crossed thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare FlaMariner Posted November 8, 2023 #4 Share Posted November 8, 2023 Sharpening my pencil......hoping for the best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Gail & Marty sailing away Posted November 8, 2023 #5 Share Posted November 8, 2023 Thanks for sharing// Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ski ww Posted November 8, 2023 #6 Share Posted November 8, 2023 We'll be looking to see if we can find a good deal for our 2025 cruise. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crewsgirl Posted November 9, 2023 #7 Share Posted November 9, 2023 Does anybody think that HAL will be posting cheaper prices than popular online big cruise agencies? Do they typically include any OBC or other perks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crystalspin Posted November 9, 2023 #8 Share Posted November 9, 2023 I was considering waiting for Black Friday (who knew it was going to start a week early?) to see if I could get gratuities on my bare-bones Voyage of Vikings '24, but the email on the HIA pppd rate going up 10% on Friday -- with the published press release on the other BF thread -- won me over to paying for HIA today. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare FlaMariner Posted November 9, 2023 #9 Share Posted November 9, 2023 12 hours ago, crewsgirl said: Does anybody think that HAL will be posting cheaper prices than popular online big cruise agencies? Do they typically include any OBC or other perks? I always compare the HAL (online) prices to the big internet TA and the big internet TA always has had the lowest fare and does offer OBC and the "free gratuities" if available (Sometimes, the big internet TA will have an even lower price than what is listed online once I ask for a quote....for instance, their online balcony price is for a VH guarantee but if I ask for a quote for a VF specific cabin, the price is sometimes the same....not sure if this is the case with HAL as I only use their online price). Also, prices that include HIA are available on the big internet TA (but never buy that so clueless on the price comparison w/HIA). When comparing prices, I credit back OBC or other perks to equally compare the different prices. Then, the lowest "cruise fare" wins and for me, it has always been the big internet TA. YMMV.....enjoy shopping for cruises. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ka Honu Posted November 9, 2023 #10 Share Posted November 9, 2023 When taking advantage of any "big box" agency lower rates/higher perks (which are offered relatively often), make sure you research their cancelation rules. If you book with HAL (or many travel agents), you get a 100% refund (or some form of FCC) if you cancel before the final payment date. Many of the "big box" agencies keep your entire deposit no matter when you cancel (or rebook for a different cruise). For us that's usually unacceptable, especially if the deposit is substantial and the cruise is a long way off. Jus' sayin'... 5 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naismith Posted November 12, 2023 #11 Share Posted November 12, 2023 Another plus of using a TA is that sometimes they offer a much better deal on insurance. We still have an elderly parent at home, and of course medical evacuation is always a concern. On our last cruise, we found out that our TA could add the coverage to a week before the actual cruise for a pittance, so that was a huge advantage. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare FlaMariner Posted November 14, 2023 #12 Share Posted November 14, 2023 On 11/9/2023 at 10:40 AM, Ka Honu said: Many of the "big box" agencies keep your entire deposit no matter when you cancel Good point but if I cancel because of a covered reason (health, family health, hurricane hits house, jury duty, etc) I've got insurance for that. So far, we have never cancelled just because we wanted to do something else. As long as I book a cruise I plan to take, I should be good....And if I did "change my mind" (which would be hard to imagine), my walk away from using a FCD is only $100 per person....(not outrageous). What am I missing? I actually always thought deposits were non-refundable anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ka Honu Posted November 14, 2023 #13 Share Posted November 14, 2023 4 hours ago, FlaMariner said: Good point but if I cancel because of a covered reason (health, family health, hurricane hits house, jury duty, etc) I've got insurance for that. I know very little about cruise insurance but I would think that should work if you buy the insurance at the same time you book the cruise. I know some folks book the cruise pretty far ahead but don't decide on insurance until closer to the final payment deadline. As I understand the insurance thing, you pay for it when you buy it. It seems to me that if you have to use it before the cruise final payment date, the premium you pay simply replaces the deposit in the "trash heap" of expenses you would otherwise have not incurred. So far, we have never cancelled just because we wanted to do something else. I wish I were that organized and prescient. I could book a cruise two years down the road and know that no one in the circle of my family or friends would have an "emergency" or "occasion" that would force me to cancel and there wouldn't be a war or natural disaster (like maybe a volcano in Iceland or a war in the Middle East) that changes the itinerary to something I didn't want. As long as I book a cruise I plan to take, I should be good....And if I did "change my mind" (which would be hard to imagine), my walk away from using a FCD is only $100 per person....(not outrageous). I'm not sure what you meant here but you're correct - if all you lose is $100 it might be worth the perks you wouldn't have gotten from another source. What am I missing? Probably nothing. My only goal was to make sure people were aware of the possibilities - I wasn't trying to talk them into or out of using any particular ticket source. Everyone's mileage varies to some extent or another. I actually always thought deposits were non-refundable anyway. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare FlaMariner Posted November 14, 2023 #14 Share Posted November 14, 2023 23 minutes ago, Ka Honu said: As I understand the insurance thing, you pay for it when you buy it. I'm counting on my Bank of America Premium Rewards card travel insurance that is included with my card and includes cancel insurance.......so not lost expense there. I appreciate you bringing this topic up...good points....I use it to check my plans to make sure I'm still "keeping it between the buoys" as Alan Jackson and the late great Mr Buffett sang. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torquer Posted November 17, 2023 #15 Share Posted November 17, 2023 On 11/14/2023 at 10:12 AM, FlaMariner said: What am I missing? I actually always thought deposits were non-refundable anyway. We also thought we would never cancel a cruise, except for health reasons. However, we had a cruise booked for summer of 2024 to Egypt and Israel, along with other Mediterranean ports. Well it is extremely unlikely this cruise will go to Egypt or Israel next summer, which is the main reason we booked the cruise, so we cancelled. Now HAL will never totally cancel the cruise, but will go somewhere else like the Greek islands, but we have been there. When we booked it, we never could have imagined what is going on in Israel now. If it were summer right now, I'm not sure if cruises would be going to Iceland. You just never know what events are going to happen in the world. BTW, a deposit for cruise-only fare is supposedly non-refundable, although years ago they did allow us to transfer to a different cruise. If you get HIA, then those deposits are fully refundable, which is what we had for our cruise next summer. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthC Posted November 17, 2023 #16 Share Posted November 17, 2023 2 minutes ago, Torquer said: BTW, a deposit for cruise-only fare is supposedly non-refundable, This is incorrect and misleading as phrased, as it leaves out the Advantage Fare, which does not have HIA, but is fully refundable. 7 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare sunviking90 Posted November 17, 2023 #17 Share Posted November 17, 2023 The sale is live now. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hkymre Posted November 17, 2023 #18 Share Posted November 17, 2023 I had a quote last week for the 14 day Jewel of the Baltic in Sept.24 We decided to wait for the Black Friday sale... And now it's £560 dearer & the OBC isn't added! Having spoken to HAL it appears that the Black Friday sale isn't live in the UK yet & they have no details as to when it might be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Mary229 Posted November 17, 2023 #19 Share Posted November 17, 2023 1 hour ago, hkymre said: I had a quote last week for the 14 day Jewel of the Baltic in Sept.24 We decided to wait for the Black Friday sale... And now it's £560 dearer & the OBC isn't added! Having spoken to HAL it appears that the Black Friday sale isn't live in the UK yet & they have no details as to when it might be A word of advice. I always book a refundable fare once I have decided on a cruise. HAL allows me to re-fare any booking until final payment date. I find this the best course of action 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Gail & Marty sailing away Posted November 17, 2023 #20 Share Posted November 17, 2023 On 11/8/2023 at 8:54 PM, crewsgirl said: Does anybody think that HAL will be posting cheaper prices than popular online big cruise agencies? Do they typically include any OBC or other perks? Yes and Yes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdakda Posted November 17, 2023 #21 Share Posted November 17, 2023 Have checked several times this morning and when I book an Alaskan cruise for next summer that is labeled "Black Friday", nothing shows up about pre-paid gratuities. Have tried both the Cruise Only and HIA fares. By the way, the price is slightly lower than in the past weeks, but that lower price was visible a few days ago, so no further price change. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare FlaMariner Posted November 17, 2023 #22 Share Posted November 17, 2023 Not seeing anything worthy of a "Black Friday" deal w/our big online TA site on the HAL cruises we are tracking for 2025. Also, our booked HAL cruises (before final payment) in 2024 are all priced higher. I will keep checking next week. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Crazy For Cats Posted November 17, 2023 #23 Share Posted November 17, 2023 I reviewed our upcoming cruises and there's no need to reach out to the PCC to apply the sale. Most were booked during the early booking bonus, prices went up since then. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leerathje Posted November 17, 2023 #24 Share Posted November 17, 2023 I had an Alaskan cruise w/Have it All that I tentatively booked on Wednesday before the $99. deposit ended. If Black Friday sale was better, My plan was that I would cancel that and re-book for Black Friday. So, With Black Friday I would get crew appreciation, but my deposit went up $200. No matter, it is refundable, and with crew appreciation, I'll save $200 over all. Black Friday it is! 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thetideishigh2021 Posted November 17, 2023 #25 Share Posted November 17, 2023 1 hour ago, kdakda said: Have checked several times this morning and when I book an Alaskan cruise for next summer that is labeled "Black Friday", nothing shows up about pre-paid gratuities. Have tried both the Cruise Only and HIA fares. By the way, the price is slightly lower than in the past weeks, but that lower price was visible a few days ago, so no further price change. 1 hour ago, kdakda said: Have checked several times this morning and when I book an Alaskan cruise for next summer that is labeled "Black Friday", nothing shows up about pre-paid gratuities. Have tried both the Cruise Only and HIA fares. By the way, the price is slightly lower than in the past weeks, but that lower price was visible a few days ago, so no further price change. Also, the port tax has inceased, we booked the Noordam May 5/24 back in June we thought maybe we could get a price adjustment with the BF sale, the pt was Cad $325pp. Yesterday when I checked it was cad $375pp. Yes the cruise fare went down a little bit so the overall cruise is now Cad $29 less but no pre paid crew grats . Now I can’t get onto the HAL website. Will try later 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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