NEWS FLASH: HAL to favor Triples and Quads

[crystalspin]

Had a phone conversation with my PCC yesterday, to confirm cancelling Voyage of Vikings 2024 and booking VOV 2025. The ship is the Zuiderdam both years, and we were booked in a Verandah on Observation Deck 10 and wanted to stay in that area for 2025. I had emailed her with choice of cabin.

 

After a couple days of phone tag, we finally connected. She had done the cancellation and was holding my cabin of choice, but wanted to tell me that Holland America was going to the system (like Carnival and Princess) of only booking the max number of pax in a cabin... PCCs were told of this change last month. In the meantime, they are allowed to book solos and couples into triples and quads, BUT she informed me that if a "family" wanted the cabin, we would be bumped! At which time, we might not have much of a selection of two-only cabins, so she recommended I look at a different deck -- all of the outside cabins on Deck 10 are quads! Suddenly I understood why one time last week, the website was not showing me any cabins on Observation Deck -- I was searching for just the two of us.

 

I have no reason to doubt her word, she has been a PCC a long time and been my PCC since before the shutdown. 

[albingirl]

Wow. Just wow.

[Riversedge]

It seems like they’re shooting themselves in the foot on this one.  Are they forgetting that they cater to an older clientele?  I doubt that many of those are going to fill a cabin for 4 on a long cruise.  This seems totally unrealistic on their part.  Maybe their first priority should be fixing entertainment, not thinking up silly rules.  

[scooter6139]

I just did a quick search of the cabins on Westerdam and I think all of them can sleep 3 or 4.  

 

So how would this rule make any sense when 95% of cruisers are couples?

[DaveOKC]

I find this hard to believe.

[Menocchio]

Does this apply only to some higher occupancy large cabins, or are solos effectively banned since there's only a scant handful of designated single occupancy cabins across the entire fleet?

[3rdGenCunarder]

3 minutes ago, scooter6139 said:

I just did a quick search of the cabins on Westerdam and I think all of them can sleep 3 or 4.  

 

So how would this rule make any sense when 95% of cruisers are couples?

 

Your post made me curious, so I checked. Westy has a lot of triples and quads, but not most cabins. The OV seem to have a lot of triples, but very few cabins on 7 and 8 are triples and no quads there. But all verandahs on 10 are quads. 

[3rdGenCunarder]

1 minute ago, Menocchio said:

Does this apply only to some higher occupancy large cabins, or are solos effectively banned since there's only a scant handful of designated single occupancy cabins across the entire fleet?

 

I doubt it. They get the full fare from a single anyhow. But a single in a quad might be bumped before a couple, on the idea that fewer people would be affected. 

[3rdGenCunarder]

30 minutes ago, Riversedge said:

It seems like they’re shooting themselves in the foot on this one.  Are they forgetting that they cater to an older clientele?  I doubt that many of those are going to fill a cabin for 4 on a long cruise.  This seems totally unrealistic on their part.  Maybe their first priority should be fixing entertainment, not thinking up silly rules.  

 

I don't see a lot of kids on a long cruise like VOV. But when they do kids sail free promos, it could happen. And remember that HAL does guarantees, so those are people who could be put anywhere depending on what's available. That gives HAL flexibility in booking triples and quads. 

[Sea42]

Saw this thread on the Princess board

 

[YourWorldWithBill]

Another amazing move, and hard to understand. 

But I guess it's an indication of the direction they want to go.

[alwaysfrantic]

So odd.  I almost only ever see older couples onboard.  The few times I saw a child they belonged to an officer.  

[SilvertoGold]

 Picking a cabin will be even more complicated and will need to be done even farther out. We will continue to bok Guarentees:)  HAL is certainly looking at the bottom line in an industrious manner and that should please the shareholders.

[FlaMariner]

Makes sense.  They are all working hard to increase occupancy.  Follows the same category as the new "stand by" program......max out the capacity. 

 

I can hear them in the corporate office: "the ship is sailing, get as many 'heads in beds' as you can...we've got a huge debt to payoff and we need to turn a profit to stay employed"

 

I understand that a lot of folks are very picky about their particular cabin so that's the price to pay for higher 'yield management'. 

 

For us, we see no issue with this.  I realize for other folks, it's a big deal.

 

[Roz]

8 minutes ago, alwaysfrantic said:

So odd.  I almost only ever see older couples onboard.  The few times I saw a child they belonged to an officer.  

Quite a few families and extended families in Alaska. 

[mwj]

The problem is that some of the most desirable rooms are rated for more than two.

 

In particular, on the Vista class ships, inside rooms cat I deck 6 and cat J deck 1 are all rated for more than two.

 

Imagine booking one of those rooms, and then getting booted at the last minute to a smaller room that does not have a sofa, or won't fit your scooter.

[FlaMariner]

17 minutes ago, Roz said:

Quite a few families and extended families in Alaska

 

Experienced the same for the Caribbean during our 2022 Thanksgiving cruise......

[YourWorldWithBill]

19 minutes ago, Roz said:

Quite a few families and extended families in Alaska. 

So, it might be sensible to have more quads or triples, but not to boot out people who make reservations in a certain cabin. I mean, it obviously makes economic sense for HAL, but loyal customers also make economic sense.

[ChinaShrek]

Would folks rather HAL not allow solos or couples to book cabins that fit 3-4 people? They could have done that so no one would be disappointed and to increase profit.

[Windsailer]

I wonder how Club Orange factors into this? On three of my upcoming cruises - all on the Noordam - I upgraded from a VH to a VA. The VAs are either triples or quads? I travel solo. Are they going to kick me out of my cabin if a family wants it? I would not be a happy camper. Especially if it happened after final payment. 

[Curlingwhiz]

Our CC also told this last week.  We were booking two cabins for two people each and wanted side by side.  She stated that this would take her a few minutes to work out as she didn't want to put us in triple or quads due to policy change.  She also mentioned that she had the unenviable task of phoning some booked people and changing their cabins.

 

I think HA has shot themselves in the foot on this.  I feel that if I am paying a published price and making my booking with lots of notice, then I deserve to get and KEEP the cabin I chose.

[Haljo1935]

3 minutes ago, Windsailer said:

I wonder how Club Orange factors into this? On three of my upcoming cruises - all on the Noordam - I upgraded from a VH to a VA. The VAs are either triples or quads? I travel solo. Are they going to kick me out of my cabin if a family wants it? I would not be a happy camper. Especially if it happened after final payment. 

Will be interesting to see how this plays out.

[Let It Go]

I too was told of this new practice by our PCC.  I believe and trust her.  I was making a new booking and wanted a particular Vista Suite ... (we have booked this same suite on previous cruises and have it booked on several future sailings).   Apparently, if a family/quad wants to book ... you will simply receive an email that you have been moved.  Hmm!

[AncientWanderer]

This really is interesting.  Practically every cabin is a triple because there's a sofa that can convert.  The room is really designed for two, but it's sorta, "Knock yourself out if you want to jam another person in there."

 

I guess my big concern -- more than finding an available cabin -- is that along with this will come all the special deals for 3rd and 4th guests in the stateroom.  We've experienced that on some summer cruises, and the ships feel really crowded.   Not pleasant.   If that's to become the norm all the time, we'll probably rethink how we travel. 

[REOVA]

I don't think this is new. Even prior to the shut down we were told if we booked a quad cabin, there would be a chance we would have to move if a family needed it. And it's also done on accessible cabins if you don't need the accessible cabin. Although most people don't book accessible cabins if they don't need it (unless it's the only one left).