PSA: Read the T&Cs for Every Promotion Very Carefully

[cbr663]

HAL always have multiple promotions on its site and it can be easy to fall into the mindset of thinking you understand the promotion without reading the T&Cs.  While reviewing the Canada Super Sale promotion, I thought to delve into the T&Cs as it was shockingly noted on another site that fares and deposits are non-refundable and final payment was due at booking.  That's typical of sailings that are within the final payment window so I didn't think too much about it, but, being a Canadian, thought I would check it out.  

 

I don't recall ever seeing this statement in a T&Cs though:

 

..."Departure dates may be substituted without prior notice."

 

Wow!  I cannot think of any other response at this time.

 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en/ca/cruise-deals/canada-super-sale

[kazu]

7 minutes ago, cbr663 said:

HAL always have multiple promotions on its site and it can be easy to fall into the mindset of thinking you understand the promotion without reading the T&Cs.  While reviewing the Canada Super Sale promotion, I thought to delve into the T&Cs as it was shockingly noted on another site that fares and deposits are non-refundable and final payment was due at booking.  That's typical of sailings that are within the final payment window so I didn't think too much about it, but, being a Canadian, thought I would check it out.  

 

I don't recall ever seeing this statement in a T&Cs though:

 

..."Departure dates may be substituted without prior notice."

 

Wow!  I cannot think of any other response at this time.

 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en/ca/cruise-deals/canada-super-sale

 

HAL has refundable and non refundable fares.  For certain promotions like a casino one for example, the full payment is due at the time of booking.

 

I’ve seen them offer super sales before and IIRC they have been payment in full since post covid.  I don’t recall what the T & C’s were pre-covid.  I don’t look at every Canada super sale but I do check them out and also do a dummy booking to see how good the deal really is 😉 

 

[OlsSalt]

We recently got caught up in that for a "private sale" price on a cruise we had been looking at. The T&C button did not work on that offer, so we just continued to book it anyway online since the offer was just for a lower price and  for a short time only.

 

Then pow, the full price was put on our credit card the next day. A phone call to HAL straightened this out and we were back to our originally expected and normal payment terms.

 

So the additional warning if booking online and the T&C button does not work ....... make sure you find out before you book.  And move fast if you got into something you did not expect. I believe they do have a 24 hour grace period on all reservations?

[Bill B]

 

Depending on a multitude of variables, there can be 20 different fares with different T&Cs for the same booking.

 

More generally, how many people have actually read their cruise/passage contract? The contracts all basically state the line can do anything it wants and the passenger has no recourse.

Edited January 11 by Bill B

[retird]

3 hours ago, cbr663 said:

HAL always have multiple promotions on its site and it can be easy to fall into the mindset of thinking you understand the promotion without reading the T&Cs.  While reviewing the Canada Super Sale promotion, I thought to delve into the T&Cs as it was shockingly noted on another site that fares and deposits are non-refundable and final payment was due at booking.  That's typical of sailings that are within the final payment window so I didn't think too much about it, but, being a Canadian, thought I would check it out.  

 

I don't recall ever seeing this statement in a T&Cs though:

 

..."Departure dates may be substituted without prior notice."

 

Wow!  I cannot think of any other response at this time.

 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en/ca/cruise-deals/canada-super-sale

It is the “departure dates may be substituted without prior notice” that would concern me.    What if you’re still working and that is only vacation period you have?  What if you already have air booked and sail date changes?

[daisy-mae]

The potential for a departure date change would be of concern to me as well, specially if it is without prior notice.

 

Does that mean that you could be bumped to the the next scheduled cruise on the same ship, or does it mean that the ship will sail a few days early or a day or two later? 

 

 

[ChinaShrek]

6 minutes ago, daisy-mae said:

The potential for a departure date change would be of concern to me as well, specially if it is without prior notice.

 

Does that mean that you could be bumped to the the next scheduled cruise on the same ship, or does it mean that the ship will sail a few days early or a day or two later? 

 

 

Many cruises are delayed a day or two returning to port and thus may leave a day or two later than originally scheduled. I always prepare for this eventuality.

[aa7yy]

Well I would  say the same for the $500 airfare on the Black Friday Sale. No strings attached when I booked a new cruise and re priced a middle cruise. The strings were attached the following week.

The $1000 airfare is good for $250. Three cruises B/B/B no money can be used for the flight in. No use for a flight on the middle and $250 for the flight out. Nothing in the Black Friday sales when I jumped in. Fine print added the following week.

[RuthC]

2 hours ago, retird said:

..."Departure dates may be substituted without prior notice."

This could be interpreted to mean that the departure dates with this promo could be changed, instead. It may (or may not) mean the booked passengers sailing dates are changed. Perhaps some offered dates with a given promo will be rescinded, while others will be added. 

[Mike07]

6 hours ago, cbr663 said:

HAL always have multiple promotions on its site and it can be easy to fall into the mindset of thinking you understand the promotion without reading the T&Cs.  While reviewing the Canada Super Sale promotion, I thought to delve into the T&Cs as it was shockingly noted on another site that fares and deposits are non-refundable and final payment was due at booking.  That's typical of sailings that are within the final payment window so I didn't think too much about it, but, being a Canadian, thought I would check it out.  

 

I don't recall ever seeing this statement in a T&Cs though:

 

..."Departure dates may be substituted without prior notice."

 

Wow!  I cannot think of any other response at this time.

 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en/ca/cruise-deals/canada-super-sale

 

 

I agree with others above, I think it's to allow HAL flexibility to add/remove itineraries from the sale depending on internal sales/revenue metrics.

 

That being said, all of the passenger contracts on every cruise line on here on CC generally allow them to bump you from a cruise for any reason. Now, I think they normally give you notice, and it's not like you're trying to board in Tokyo and then find out the cruise was overbooked and the computer caused you to draw the short stick...

[cbr663]

3 hours ago, retird said:

It is the “departure dates may be substituted without prior notice” that would concern me.    What if you’re still working and that is only vacation period you have?  What if you already have air booked and sail date changes?

 

This is my concern also.  I don't recall ever seeing this before on any HAL promotion.  I'm trying to think about my response of flying into a city and booking hotel rooms only to discover that HAL changed the departure dates without any notice.

[cbr663]

2 hours ago, daisy-mae said:

The potential for a departure date change would be of concern to me as well, specially if it is without prior notice.

 

Does that mean that you could be bumped to the the next scheduled cruise on the same ship, or does it mean that the ship will sail a few days early or a day or two later? 

 

 

 

I don't know what it exactly means.  Departure date means something very specific to mean and is completely different from say departure time.