Sail Standby for $49 a day- new program

[myrivers88]

  I sailed standby last month on Nieuw Statendam solo for 11 days and had the inside cabin they notified me one week before sailing. I am booked again on the Eurodam on Feb 24th and hope to sail again.

[FancyTales]

21 hours ago, SoloYolo said:

Yes, that’s what I’ve been trying to figure out. I am on standby and it is exactly one week away so I’m curious what approximately is supposed to mean. By the time you get accepted there probably isn’t a chance to schedule anything. I thought I would try it, but I think it’s just a money grab . I’ll be curious to see how long it takes to get my refund if I’m not put on the ship.

It's 4 days until the cruise and we have not heard anything from HAL. Luckily we are only 4 hour drive to the port.

[publicpersona]

12 hours ago, Chicanocruiser said:

Based on my review of this thread, everyone on this thread who purchased a Standby Program booking was notified no later than 24 hours before departure that they were going to board the ship or get a refund. Does this seem accurate?

 

Insufficient data. I have asked for clarification a couple times, but I don't recall that anyone was notified that they were not sailing without them first having to call HAL and ask what the heck happened to the 7-day notice. Was anyone who took no action at all notified in advance of debarkation that they were not sailing?

 

I was explicitly told that the expectation was that you would show up at the terminal and learn 90 minutes before sail away that you didn't make it.

 

Regardless, if they want to define the program as being 24 or 48 notice, that's fine. But that's not what they said when we paid in full for the cruise.

 

Side note: The people that I talked to at HAL were extremely nice and understanding that what they promised was not the way it worked. And I was thrilled beyond words that my full refund was posted within a couple days of speaking with them about it. The *only* beef I have with them was the seven day misrepresentation.

 

 

[Chicanocruiser]

12 minutes ago, publicpersona said:

 

Insufficient data. I have asked for clarification a couple times, but I don't recall that anyone was notified that they were not sailing without them first having to call HAL and ask what the heck happened to the 7-day notice. Was anyone who took no action at all notified in advance of debarkation that they were not sailing?

 

I was explicitly told that the expectation was that you would show up at the terminal and learn 90 minutes before sail away that you didn't make it.

 

Regardless, if they want to define the program as being 24 or 48 notice, that's fine. But that's not what they said when we paid in full for the cruise.

 

Side note: The people that I talked to at HAL were extremely nice and understanding that what they promised was not the way it worked. And I was thrilled beyond words that my full refund was posted within a couple days of speaking with them about it. The *only* beef I have with them was the seven day misrepresentation.

 

 

They definitely should change the advertised notification timeline or actually follow the advertised timeline. No reasonable arbitrator, mediator, or jury would agree that the approximately seven days notification includes standing by at the port/dock up to 90 minutes before sail away.

[SoloYolo]

On 1/26/2024 at 2:59 PM, ChinaShrek said:

I just checked Royal for August and the cheapest rate $1100 plus taxes for an interior. Again, $350 for a solo is a steal. I can't even eat out around here for 7 days for under $350. The HAL standby program is a decent option for poor but flexible people.

I am trying standby . I think it is unfair that solos are charged double.  If the cabin is empty, more cruise line should do this. I don’t mind the one week prior notice since I live near the port . cruise prices have skyrocketed this year.

[FancyTales]

Just got off the phone with the resolution department. Our cruise is 1 day 11 hr away and we still don't know if we are going on this cruise! The information email can arrive up to the day of sailing. They did't say that in the stand-by program details. We won't do this again. Not worth the aggravation. 

[mcrcruiser]

1 hour ago, SoloYolo said:

I am trying standby . I think it is unfair that solos are charged double.  If the cabin is empty, more cruise line should do this. I don’t mind the one week prior notice since I live near the port . cruise prices have skyrocketed this year.

We agree with  you that cruise prices have gone up substantially . If the cruise  lines  think that they can keeping hiking prices , then it will back fire at some point in total bookings . It comes down to basic economics 

Cliff

[FancyTales]

35 minutes ago, FancyTales said:

Just got off the phone with the resolution department. Our cruise is 1 day 11 hr away and we still don't know if we are going on this cruise! The information email can arrive up to the day of sailing. They did't say that in the stand-by program details. We won't do this again. Not worth the aggravation. 

Well my phone call must have done something. Just received an email that we have been confirmed for this Saturday sailing! No cabin or boarding pass yet. Fingers crossed.

[mcrcruiser]

13 minutes ago, FancyTales said:

Well my phone call must have done something. Just received an email that we have been confirmed for this Saturday sailing! No cabin or boarding pass yet. Fingers crossed.

 Do you expect  to get any other than a inside cabin ?  We have to agree with the ither person most people would fing this last minute program that Holland out in  more aggravating that it is worth the discounts . & when you boil it all down see how much you did save over normal bookings . We don't believe that any cruise line is doing this because they care 

[FlorenceItaly]

1 minute ago, mcrcruiser said:

 Do you expect  to get any other than a inside cabin ?  We have to agree with the ither person most people would fing this last minute program that Holland out in  more aggravating that it is worth the discounts . & when you boil it all down see how much you did save over normal bookings . We don't believe that any cruise line is doing this because they care 

Several have received Vista Suites.

[daisy-mae]

55 minutes ago, FlorenceItaly said:

Several have received Vista Suites.

That's interesting. We have reserved an unobstructed verandah guarantee for an upcoming cruise and have already received two upsell offers for Vista Suites. Your news may or may not bode well for us, depending on the number of people who have opted for a standby spot.

[FlorenceItaly]

2 minutes ago, daisy-mae said:

That's interesting. We have reserved an unobstructed verandah guarantee for an upcoming cruise and have already received two upsell offers for Vista Suites. Your news may or may not bode well for us, depending on the number of people who have opted for a standby spot.

I believe it is this thread where people have shared this.  You would have to go back to page 1 and read through.  The standby program states you are guaranteed an inside room.  What HAL assigns is outside ones control.  One always has the option to participate in the standby program.

[daisy-mae]

11 minutes ago, FlorenceItaly said:

 The standby program states you are guaranteed an inside room.  What HAL assigns is outside ones control.  One always has the option to participate in the standby program.

Understood. But if there is no uptake on the Vista upsells, then the folks who have reserved a guarantee in a verandah category may be next in line - or they may not - depending on the total number in the pool. Just having a little fun speculating; we'll have to wait until the dust settles to see what we get.

[SoloYolo]

1 hour ago, FancyTales said:

Well my phone call must have done something. Just received an email that we have been confirmed for this Saturday sailing! No cabin or boarding pass yet. Fingers crossed.

I just got my phone call Tuesday for a Sunday departure.

I had to laugh when I saw someone posted They got Vista suites this way.

 I got the inside cabin on the lowest deck you can get so I’ll see how this goes.
as a solo traveler, it’s still cheaper than paying double so I have no complaints and I look forward to seeing what my first experience on Holland America Will be like. I am sapphire on Ncl and wanted to start experiencing other cruise lines.

[FlorenceItaly]

1 minute ago, daisy-mae said:

Understood. But if there is no uptake on the Vista upsells, then the folks who have reserved a guarantee in a verandah category may be next in line - or they may not - depending on the total number in the pool. Just having a little fun speculating; we'll have to wait until the dust settles to see what we get.

There is no rhyme or reason to what HAL does....seriously....wishing you a wonderful cruise!

[publicpersona]

7 hours ago, FlorenceItaly said:

Several have received Vista Suites.

 

Only one person (Raybit) said that they ended up with a Vista Suite. That has been quoted and discussed in a few other posts, but no, only one person has said this.

 

One shouldn't go into this program expecting anything better than an inside cabin with an earth-shaking-at-4AM aft thruster below, and an all-night heavy metal bar immediately above. Anything better would be icing on the cake. 

 

Edited February 2 by publicpersona

[Haljo1935]

1 hour ago, publicpersona said:

...One shouldn't go into this program expecting anything better than an inside cabin with an earth-shaking-at-4AM aft thruster below, and an all-night heavy metal bar immediately above....

All-night heavy metal bar? Am I in the wrong place - I thought this was a HAL thread.

[Chicanocruiser]

1 hour ago, publicpersona said:

 

Only one person (Raybit) said that they ended up with a Vista Suite. That has been quoted and discussed in a few other posts, but no, only one person has said this.

 

One shouldn't go into this program expecting anything better than an inside cabin with an earth-shaking-at-4AM aft thruster below, and an all-night heavy metal bar immediately above. Anything better would be icing on the cake. 

 

Someone posted getting into a signature suite.

[sunviking90]

1 hour ago, Haljo1935 said:

All-night heavy metal bar? Am I in the wrong place - I thought this was a HAL thread.

Well, I’ve been cruising since 1991 and I don’t know how many cruises, but a few weeks ago I accompanied my sister on a “free” cruise offer on the Koningsdam. We paid to upgrade to obstructed balcony and were given 4047 (we couldn’t choose). The music from decks below us was SO loud we could make out each song and lyrics! It was the first time I’ve been bothered by loud music on a cruise to that extent, and we’ve often had guarantees. 
We called down to the front desk and they were very nice and luckily able to move us to a nice quiet veranda aft on deck 8 the next day. I think they “knew”.

The new Holland America?

[CruiseDuckDuo]

On our standby cruise, we did get a Vista Suite (Category A) which was the cabin of a couple that cancelled last minute. (package/lanyards for their group were still in the cabin when we got aboard)

 

That said, the standby program is for a INSIDE CABIN, (category N) however if you get lucky and fill in for a last minute cancellation, it seems you get the category of that person/couple.  (my guess)

[HappyInVan]

10 hours ago, CruiseDuckDuo said:

On our standby cruise, we did get a Vista Suite (Category A) which was the cabin of a couple that cancelled last minute. (package/lanyards for their group were still in the cabin when we got aboard)

 

That said, the standby program is for a INSIDE CABIN, (category N) however if you get lucky and fill in for a last minute cancellation, it seems you get the category of that person/couple.  (my guess)

 

 

That's interesting. Why would I pay big bucks for a suite when I could try for standby?

 

That must be why my next HAL cruise is for a partial ocean view, after suites on three 2023 cruises . Well done HAL! 🤩

Edited February 2 by HappyInVan

[FancyTales]

Received our cabin assignment today.  Deck 8 verandah mid ship!  Way better than I thought we would get. We were prepared for inside.

[daisy-mae]

5 minutes ago, FancyTales said:

Received our cabin assignment today.  Deck 8 verandah mid ship!  Way better than I thought we would get. We were prepared for inside.

Just curious - when do you sail?

[FlorenceItaly]

5 minutes ago, daisy-mae said:

Just curious - when do you sail?

I believe they sail tomorrow.

[FancyTales]

31 minutes ago, daisy-mae said:

Just curious - when do you sail?

Tomorrow out of Ft Lauderdale