NEWS FLASH: HAL to favor Triples and Quads

[0106]

34 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said:

What do mean by "rides on the ship"?

Maybe paying for amusement park type rides on Carnival and other cruise lines?

[YourWorldWithBill]

5 hours ago, ChinaShrek said:

Yeah, I see your point and realize that is also creating unmanageable expectations for people who book cabins. They definitely need to tell people that your cabin is only "tentative" and could be changed when someone with deeper pockets wants it.

If people are told at the time of booking, "The cabin you want is for four (or three) passengers. Please select another cabin," that's is decent sales. But to let you chose your stateroom for an extra fee, then move you..... No justification for that.

[YourWorldWithBill]

2 hours ago, Sea Hag said:

There's a thread on the Princess board with somebody complaining that Princess did the exact same thing to them - moved them out of their selected cabin that accommodates 3 or 4 into a cabin that was worse (obstructed view was worse than original obstructed view) that holds only two. 

I'd be interested in knowing whether that was a cruise selected cabin, or whether the passenger had paid to select their cabin.

[Wehwalt]

1 hour ago, RedIguana said:

 

The judgment of the Captain would not come into play until embarkation day, and is pretty well stated that it is for reasons of health, safety, or the unsuitability of the passenger or passengers.

"Or lodging" is included to address land portions of a trip, such as are found on the Alaskan cruisetours, not staterooms. 

I am surprised the contract does not state they can change your state room at their discretion, and I am pretty sure I have seen that in past contracts on other lines. Although I'm not sure what recourse one would have other than complaining.

Could be you are right. But I suspect a court will interpret "any reason" to mean, "any reason". The rest of it does not restrict the discretion of the cruise line. They would not be doing this unless they were comfortable that it is within their power. And if they find it is not, no doubt there will be a change to the terms and conditions.

 

I agree it would be difficult to maintain a court action. It might, for one thing, be difficult to prove damages. It would be interesting to see such an action attempted. 

Edited March 21 by Wehwalt

[Haljo1935]

14 minutes ago, 0106 said:

Maybe paying for amusement park type rides on Carnival and other cruise lines?

I was thinking that, but reconsidered since this is a HAL thread and they don't have them. You are probably right.

[retird]

39 minutes ago, SUESEABE said:

Correct

As stated by someone else “except for suites”

[Sea Hag]

28 minutes ago, YourWorldWithBill said:

I'd be interested in knowing whether that was a cruise selected cabin, or whether the passenger had paid to select their cabin.

It was customer-selected. 

 

 

[Sea Hag]

I've decided I'm not going to worry about this. It might come back to bite me, but I think it probably won't. I only have two cruises booked with HAL. One of them is in a cabin that only holds two, so no worries there. The other one is a balcony on Observation deck on the Noordam. It will accommodate four, but it's one of the ones with the very small balcony. We don't mind a small balcony for the two of us, but I'm thinking if HAL oosts a couple out of their booked cabin in favor of a party of three or four, the logical first choice won't be a cabin where the balcony can't accommodate three or four. Wishful thinking on my part maybe, but it seems reasonable to me. 

[crystalspin]

1 hour ago, Sea Hag said:

the logical first choice won't be a cabin where the balcony can't accommodate three or four. Wishful thinking on my part maybe, but it seems reasonable to me. 

This is my husband's thinking, but I'm just a nervous Nellie to end up even farther from the Crows Nest than 8025. Saving $2000 should placate him for having to climb two decks to the Exploration Cafe!

[Roz]

I never realized how many triple and quad cabins there are until I read this thread and took a close look at deck plans.

 

I cruise solo more often than not, but occasionally cruise with one of my sisters.  One year 2 of her friends wanted to go with us to Alaska.  It never in a million years occurred to us to book a quad.  The only way it was going to work was to book 2 cabins.  We weren't 20 somethings looking for a cheap getaway. 😄

 

With HAL being more adult oriented, I would think there are more bookings for twosomes than 3s or 4s.  Maybe I'm wrong about this.  Do those of you who cruise with someone other than a spouse or significant other like to limit it to 2 in a cabin, or do you try to cram everyone into a triple or quad?  If this policy is strictly enforced, it really limits the cabins a solo can book.  

[cbr663]

1 hour ago, retird said:

As stated by someone else “except for suites”

 

FYI - on Pinnacle Class ships there are 4 categories of Neptune Suites - SA, SB, SC, and SQ.  SQ are forward on Deck 10 and SC are forward on Deck 11 and both these categories appear to be for 2 passengers only.  

 

[cbr663]

6 minutes ago, Roz said:

I never realized how many triple and quad cabins there are until I read this thread and took a close look at deck plans.

 

I cruise solo more often than not, but occasionally cruise with one of my sisters.  One year 2 of her friends wanted to go with us to Alaska.  It never in a million years occurred to us to book a quad.  The only way it was going to work was to book 2 cabins.  We weren't 20 somethings looking for a cheap getaway. 😄

 

With HAL being more adult oriented, I would think there are more bookings for twosomes than 3s or 4s.  Maybe I'm wrong about this.  Do those of you who cruise with someone other than a spouse or significant other like to limit it to 2 in a cabin, or do you try to cram everyone into a triple or quad?  If this policy is strictly enforced, it really limits the cabins a solo can book.  

 

We are empty nesters so travel just as a couple yet I can tell you that I have siblings and lots of relatives who travel with their adult children.  All cram everyone into one cabin and one hotel room.

[wdw1972]

21 minutes ago, Roz said:

Do those of you who cruise with someone other than a spouse or significant other like to limit it to 2 in a cabin, or do you try to cram everyone into a triple or quad?  If this policy is strictly enforced, it really limits the cabins a solo can book.  

I cruise with 1 or 2 other friends.  If it's 2 of us we book 2 staterooms.  If it's 3 of us we book 3 staterooms. We're not in our 20's and looking to cruise as cheaply as possible, and the idea of sharing a bedroom/bathroom with a friend is simply not acceptable to any of us. We're grown adults. I'm thinking of adding my husband to the standby list for the next cruise, if that exists then. Would love to have him onboard but don't want him in my stateroom either! Personal space is a wonderful thing, especially on a so-called vacation!

 

Sue/WDW1972

[retird]

13 minutes ago, wdw1972 said:

I cruise with 1 or 2 other friends.  If it's 2 of us we book 2 staterooms.  If it's 3 of us we book 3 staterooms. We're not in our 20's and looking to cruise as cheaply as possible, and the idea of sharing a bedroom/bathroom with a friend is simply not acceptable to any of us. We're grown adults. I'm thinking of adding my husband to the standby list for the next cruise, if that exists then. Would love to have him onboard but don't want him in my stateroom either! Personal space is a wonderful thing, especially on a so-called vacation!

 

Sue/WDW1972

Would it not be cheaper if you had him sleep in your stateroom rather than pay single supplement twice

[crystalspin]

30 minutes ago, Roz said:

Do those of you who cruise with someone other than a spouse or significant other like to limit it to 2 in a cabin, or do you try to cram everyone into a triple or quad?  If this policy is strictly enforced, it really limits the cabins a solo can book.  

Dr'spin and I have cruised with his mother and my mother (separately) in a INSIDE triple on the Auld Statendam -- a small ship with large cabins! and my mom in a Vista Suite on the Zaandam. We are not super private people, and the third bed in all of these cases was a sofa that FLIPPED rather than pulled out (no bars cutting the sleeper in half). 

 

I cannot imagine an adult opting for a pullman bunk. Note this photo is of an Observation Deck Verandah on a Vista Class ship, with a balcony that is barely a chair's depth.

 

[Ipeeinthepools]

I would opt for the Pullman bunk over the shared sofa bed 

[ChinaShrek]

2 hours ago, 0106 said:

Maybe paying for amusement park type rides on Carnival and other cruise lines?

Yes, exactly. HAL could easily add bumper cars, ice skating, or a roller coaster to some of their ships and charge for this.

[wdw1972]

10 minutes ago, retird said:

Would it not be cheaper if you had him sleep in your stateroom rather than pay single supplement twice

Not sure.  I booked with the early booking & mariner bonus stuff, so adding someone might mean I lose some of that.  If he cruises it'll be on the standby list - $49/day plus port fees. He likes inside staterooms - I won't ever stay in one. For that price he can have his own room - we'll spend time together, but won't have to share a room.

 

Sue/WDW1972

[jimdee3636]

I'm a retired lawyer. Regarding the legality of the cruise line's standard contract with passengers, it's what's called a "contract of adhesion," which basically means a contract in which the terms are dictated entirely by one party (in this example, the cruise line), with no right to negotiate by the other party (the passenger). In other words, take it or leave it. 

 

Contracts of adhesion are not inherently unenforceable, but in a disputed case they're examined closely by the court, and a judge is not necessarily going to rubber-stamp it just because the passenger "agreed" to it. If a judge believes the contract---or the action taken by the cruise line---was "unconscionable" or "misleading, unfair, or deceptive," the contract can be voided, and monetary damages can be awarded to the passenger.

 

As a practical matter, contract cases don't usually wind up in court unless a lot of money is at stake. But there are "class actions," where similarly-injured plaintiffs can band together, so there may be some hope for passengers financially injured by being involuntarily bumped.

 

Jim

[Blackduck59]

7 minutes ago, ChinaShrek said:

Yes, exactly. HAL could easily add bumper cars, ice skating, or a roller coaster to some of their ships and charge for this.

You are joking? Those things are not "easily" added, and many many people cruise HAL because they don't have those things. Just in case you weren't joking.

[Haljo1935]

8 minutes ago, ChinaShrek said:

Yes, exactly. HAL could easily add bumper cars, ice skating, or a roller coaster to some of their ships and charge for this.

Yes they could, but many (myself included) would stop booking with them; if/when that's the experience you're looking for, you book a different cruiseline.

And I really believe we're talking current conditions, not future - they can't put all that on a ship tomorrow. 

[SUESEABE]

14 minutes ago, ChinaShrek said:

Yes, exactly. HAL could easily add bumper cars, ice skating, or a roller coaster to some of their ships and charge for this.

Don't forget the Rock Climbing Wall😉

[Sea Hag]

1 hour ago, crystalspin said:

This is my husband's thinking, but I'm just a nervous Nellie to end up even farther from the Crows Nest than 8025. Saving $2000 should placate him for having to climb two decks to the Exploration Cafe!

Early morning coffee is definitely worth two decks of stairs. 😁

[POA1]

1 hour ago, wdw1972 said:

Not sure.  I booked with the early booking & mariner bonus stuff, so adding someone might mean I lose some of that.  If he cruises it'll be on the standby list - $49/day plus port fees. He likes inside staterooms - I won't ever stay in one. For that price he can have his own room - we'll spend time together, but won't have to share a room.

 

Sue/WDW1972

If you are paying double already, can't your husband be added for taxes, fees and port expenses only?

 

You may have to top up the deposit, but the fare codes should not change.

[YourWorldWithBill]

I just booked a new cruise with my PCC - who I like - and asked her about this policy, just to see what she would say. She had never said anything about it, but confirmed it (of course) using the language that you would expect. I was nice about it, since all she can do is repeat the company line, but I made the point that many loyal cruisers on CC were pretty unhappy about it, and HAL should be aware of that. At least she can pass along the message.

 

We're probably all tired after sending letters (emails) about the MDR lunch on embarkation, but at some point we should probably think about another campaign. I know, the more we do, the less significant they start to feel. Maybe after resting a while.....