Booking your next cruise while on a cruise

[jmk22574]

Hello everyone....I should have paid better attention to previous threads, but I never guessed I would get such an itch to plan my next cruise before even stepping foot on our first ever cruise.

 

We're going to Alaska in September on the Noordam, can't wait! Before I relay my "excitement" to my husband, I want to make sure I understand the facts surrounding booking your next cruise (on HAL) while on a cruise. Is it true that if the two of us knew we wanted to do a future cruise on HAL (currently debating New England/Canada and/or also Australia), we would talk with someone on the Noordam, only have to pay $100 each and pick our destination, etc., within the next four years? Final payment would then be the time the remainder of the payment was due, and the $100 deposit for each of us would hold our spot through our booking? Just wanted to make sure I understand this before I get any more excited and potentially misinform my husband.

 

I know there are some very helpful, experienced cruisers on here who have cruised either or both of these itineraries (New England/Canada and/or Australia). Any personal thoughts or experiences with either of these itineraries would be greatly appreciated - thank you. :)

 

Jill

[advocado]

Well -- I just got off the Noordam and booked a future cruise while on board. The guy to see is David Oppermann, Cruise Consultant. His desk is across from the front desk on the Main Deck. Very nice man. He loves what he is doing and perfectly suited for it. Contrary to your understanding, however, I believe that you do have book a specific, future cruise. You pay $100 per guest at this time. This deposit, however, is transferrable to any other HAL cruise during the next 4 years if you cancel. So, just be sure to make up your mind before the "drop dead date" and you should be fine. By the way... do NOT wait until the last day to book with David. The closer to the end of the cruise, the busier he gets. Regards.

 

advocado

[RuthC]

When you book on board you have a couple of choices.

You can book a specific cruise, as if you were dealing with your favorite TA, and deposit $100 per person. The balance is due at final payment.

There will be an on-board credit given as incentive and you may assign the booking to your TA right then, transfer it later, or let the Future Cruise Consultant assign it to someone with HAL in Seattle.

Or, you can put down that same $100 per person and leave the booking open. Within the next four years you can then assign that deposit to the next cruise of your dreams. Balance is due at final payment. Whatever on-board credit you received at deposit will be part of that cruise.

I've taken the 10-day NYC to Montreal cruise twice. Even though I live in the area and have traveled all over New England/eastern Canada by land I still enjoyed it from the cruisers point of view.

I recommend it. :)

[jmk22574]

Thanks so much for the quick responses. I'll be sure to write down Mr. Oppermann's name and hope he'll still be with the Noordam in late September, and Ruth, thank you for the recommendation regarding the 10-day NYC to Montreal cruise. Now that I can give my husband some definite facts, we'll have to start looking a bit more closely where our next cruise should be. We'll also be sure to relax and enjoy our very first cruise ever, to Alaska - can't wait!

 

Jill

[hammybee]

Thanks so much for the quick responses. I'll be sure to write down Mr. Oppermann's name and hope he'll still be with the Noordam in late September, and Ruth, thank you for the recommendation regarding the 10-day NYC to Montreal cruise. Now that I can give my husband some definite facts, we'll have to start looking a bit more closely where our next cruise should be. We'll also be sure to relax and enjoy our very first cruise ever, to Alaska - can't wait!

 

Jill

 

David Opperman will leave the Noordam at the end of June. Never fear, someone else will take his place.

 

As RuthC said, you do not have to book a specific cruise to take advantage of the $100 deposit feature. You have 4 years to apply it to a specific cruise.

 

While the $100 deposit is good for the majority of sailings, it's not available for all, especially some longer voyages.

[Lurker1]

When you book on board, the matter of trip insurance will come up. We took HAL's insurance when we booked our next cruise while we were on our last one because it covers any pre-existing conditions, and because the price of the cruise dropped a bit while we pondered a couple of days, the insurance dropped in price with it. But they wanted us to pay for the insurance right away. I believe if change the booking to another booking (have 4 years), the insurance goes with it.

If you have a TA, contact them first and ask about trip insurance, what it covers, how much, and will it carry over to another booking if you change to another booking.

[cruznon]

The $100 pp deposit is a good deal. As Ruth explained, you have options in future bookings. Great way to book months in advance without huge deposits

[Krazy Kruizers]

While we were on the Maasdam we booked a couple of cruises for 2008.

 

We did not buy HAL's insurance. Our consultant asked us if we wanted the insurance and we said "no". That was the end of that discussioon. She never tried to force it on us.