FYI - Eurodam 2/21/09 is Chartered

[kalypso333]

I have booked on the Eurodam on a charter for 2/21/09 and noticed it is still being sold on HAL. Having seen the angst this has caused in other instances, I thought it might be good to get the word out.

[innlady1]

Thanks...that was on my "short list"...to book with a B2B on the Noordam following it!

Back to the drawing board........:rolleyes:

[twinkletoes4445]

I don't get it...if someone can book a cruise through a charter, why on earth wouldn't HAL remove this cruise from their site? Either it's a charter or it isn't. This has been a frequent topic here...people being bumped for this reason. Hard to blame the TA's when HAL is still offering this cruise on their website!

 

I hope all who were booked on this cruise find another cruise that works for them. Knowing what I know now, I'd not book a 7-day cruise on HAL more than 3 or 4 months out...especially in the Caribbean. :(

[jhannah]

Thanks for the information. At least some folks will be able to make an informed decision whether or not to book passage on a charter ... or will be able to avoid getting bumped late in the game.

[KAKcruiser]

Are you sure it is a charter? Or does the company just have group space?

[kalypso333]

Are you sure it is a charter? Or does the company just have group space?

 

It is a full ship charter. Should be posted soon on rsvpvacations.com. Their charters are always full ship.

 

Kip

[hammybee]

I have read on other CC boards that it's an RSVP cruise.

 

The RSVP web site is not yet marketing it.

 

Speculation on my part .........thinking they may have an option to charter. When this happens, both the cruise line and the charter company sells space. If the charter organizer exercises the option, the cruise line cancels its bookings. If the charter organizer does not book enough cabins to make a go of the charter, it will cancel the charter bookings.

 

What makes this unusual is that RSVP can fill a ship with 3000 + passengers, so the Eurodam is a slam dunk. I suspect it's possible they are still negotiating and it's likely to happen.

[MattInFLL]

No, actually in the case of RSVP and Atlantis, when they announce a cruise, it's a done deal. They do not make the announcement public until after they have marketed it to their alumni first so the alumni can get the best cabin choice. On the Zuiderdam last week, they had full color brochures for the Eurodam and their other 2009 cruises, and about 30% of us booked for next year. They are running a Star Clipper charter this week, and I expect you will see the Eurodam go "public" at the RSVP site shortly thereafter.

 

Why HAL is still offering it on their site is a separate question, and makes one wonder.... but the Eurodam will be chartered next 2/21.

 

Unfortunately RSVP learned the hard way that it can *not* fill a 3000+ passenger ship that easily, and almost ran aground last year chartering Caribbean Princess and Queen Mary 2. They had to heavily discount those cruises, to the point where QM2 was being offered to people if they would just cover the fees and taxes so they could get bodies on board. If they could have gotten out of the QM2 charter, they would have... but these contracts are signed well in advance of them even announcing them to us (their alumni). Now RSVP has been bought by Atlantis, and are going back to the 2000 pax range.

[Basfreeman]

Wow--this is a close call. My wife and I are booked on the 2-14-2009 Eurodam. Hopefully, HAL won't charter the ship two weeks in a row. I guess there is less of a chance of running into charter problems if you book a 10 or 14 day cruise. I would prefer that length, but HAL's 2009 schedule did not offer very appealing selections in those categories. The 14 dayer out of Tampa was no longer on the schedule and the 10 dayers were lacking in my opinion. Most importantly, the Eurodam itinerary really caught my eye.

[twinkletoes4445]

I have booked on the Eurodam on a charter for 2/21/09 and noticed it is still being sold on HAL. Having seen the angst this has caused in other instances, I thought it might be good to get the word out.

 

I forgot to say...Hope you have a great cruise and thanks for posting this info here. :)

[twinkletoes4445]

 

Why HAL is still offering it on their site is a separate question, and makes one wonder.... but the Eurodam will be chartered next 2/21.

 

Unfortunately, this isn't anything new. I suppose HAL will continue this practice until they get enough complaints, or individual passengers quit booking.

 

There have been many threads concerning the fact that booked passengers aren't being told by HAL that their cruise has been chartered. Some place the blame completely on the TA (LOL), and refuse to see where HAL might be in the wrong. Clearly HAL is in the wrong many times, and in this particular case.

 

IMO, HAL will, within the next year or so, have the title of King of the Caribbean Charters. So those that book more than a few months in advance will have to worry about this happening to them. Many don't care and are flexible enough to make the changes...some won't be able to. It will be interesting to see if there are enough passengers who can and will change their plans to fill the ships. Somewhat like musical chairs! Will there be a place for you? Not for all.

 

So they are selling this as a charter. No need for anyone to speculate.

[MattInFLL]

But the dynamics of filling a 2000 passenger ship are just so huge, I really can't imagine any tour operator being able to charter a ship less than a year out. In the case of RSVP and Atlantis, they negotiate well in advance of a year, and to have those full color brochures designed, printed and ready for us to have on board the Zuiderdam is at least 2 month lead time... and RSVP and Olivia (another big HAL charterer) have a decades long customer base to pull from and market to, and they still need a year to fill the ship.

 

I really don't think anyone can charter and fill a ship with only a 6 month lead time - again, I think this comes down to some internal issue with HAL not divulging this information.

[twinkletoes4445]

I personally think the should be a deadline. If you want to charter the ship, you have to do it by a certain date, then after that, the sailing opens to the general public. And there will be posters who come along and defend HAL for the way they handle charters by using the example that the individual passenger can cancel up to a certain date (without much, if any, penalty).

 

Like you, I think there is something else going on internally.

 

At any rate, the first time we're bumped, it will be the last time we cruise. If anything, CC has brought this to our attention so we know it's out there. I just think HAL should and could do a better job handling this situation. There's some booking engine (I don't know how it works or the details), but apparently the TA's have access to this and should be able to tell when a ship has been chartered, and then notify their clients.

 

Well, what about those that booked directly with HAL? There's another thread going with this same info, and one of the posters booked directly, and can't get an answer from HAL (the poster knows the ship is chartered).

 

We had a wonderful time on the Zuiderdam, and we have a cruise planned on the Noordam. I just wish HAL would be more upfront about this charter business. And the only way it's going to change is enough people complain. There are people out there who love HAL so much, they'll just roll with any of these things...but I am not one of those people. I think it's just good business to follow through and let the others that have booked in on their little secret.

 

And I agree, I really don't think a charter can fill a ship with only 6 months to sail. So something is going on.

[tip]

I booked this cruise through my TA over a month ago. No one has notified me of a charter.

 

Does anyone know what group has the charter? I am open minded, but on the other hand would choose not to participate in a cruise made up of the Republican National Committee! LOL!

[Mike2131]

I booked this cruise through my TA over a month ago. No one has notified me of a charter.

 

Does anyone know what group has the charter? I am open minded, but on the other hand would choose not to participate in a cruise made up of the Republican National Committee! LOL!

...you would rather sail with a ship full of Jacka***s than a ship full of Elephants - LOL?

[hammybee]

I booked this cruise through my TA over a month ago. No one has notified me of a charter.

 

Does anyone know what group has the charter? I am open minded, but on the other hand would choose not to participate in a cruise made up of the Republican National Committee! LOL!

 

It's RSVP. Neither they or HAL has made this public yet.

[hammybee]

No, actually in the case of RSVP and Atlantis, when they announce a cruise, it's a done deal. They do not make the announcement public until after they have marketed it to their alumni first so the alumni can get the best cabin choice. On the Zuiderdam last week, they had full color brochures for the Eurodam and their other 2009 cruises, and about 30% of us booked for next year. They are running a Star Clipper charter this week, and I expect you will see the Eurodam go "public" at the RSVP site shortly thereafter.

 

Why HAL is still offering it on their site is a separate question, and makes one wonder.... but the Eurodam will be chartered next 2/21.

 

 

Like you, I have absolutely no doubt that RSVP can and will fill the ship. Established charter organizers like them and some of the Blues/Jazz fests often pre-sell cabin space to existing customers before they have a done deal contract and make it public. It's all about the financing/terms and absolute certainty that the charter organizer is going to be able to pull off the charter and do so profitably.

 

Think about it, it makes no sense for a cruise line to continue to promote/ sell cabins on a ship they are absolutely certain will be chartered. It costs them money to do so and disappoints passengers who are booked.

 

The size of the HAL and Celebrity ships make them the perfect choice for so many charters and each cruise line usually has 4-5 G/L charters a year. RCL, Carnival, NCL, Windstar, Star Clippers and Regent also have G/L charters, this year.

[twinkletoes4445]

The bottom line with cruising is if you book early, you may have to deal with being bumped by a charter. It's seems to be happening more and more lately. If you book your own air you may be stuck with paying penalties to make changes because HAL will not get involved (they will if you purchase through them).

 

From what I have read, HAL does very little for those that are being bumped. It's so long, so sad. Another poster posted that when Celebrity bumps for charters, they are much more gracious to those who were dumped.

 

Some people are locked into a specific week that they can vacation, and don't have the flexibility to budge. I've read where families have booked many cabins only to find themselves in this situation.

 

It's stinks, but it's a fact of life with HAL. What we can do is take our vacation $$$ elsewhere. If enough people are afraid to book a cruise for fear of this happening, the cruise lines may change the way they do this. IMO, HAL is becoming the Charter King of the Caribbean, especially on their 7-day cruises.

 

Would I book a 7-day Caribbean cruise on HAL more than 6 months out? No way.

 

And if I were someone booked on a 7-day Caribbean, I'd hold off on buying my air (unless I was having HAL do this). It's just too risky.

 

As for being able to drop the cruise prior to making final payment...yes, you can do that. I can also cancel my hotel room, but the hotel isn't going to call me and tell me I've been bumped because someone came along and offered them more money. We've yet to ever lose a hotel room under any circumstances remotely close to this.

 

Charters seem to be happening more and more often these days. I would imagine it's a more profitable deal for the cruise lines, and I guess staying afloat is a good thing. This is just something that's part of cruising. I'd never heard of this charter business until I read about it here, so I am thankful that I at least know it's out there.

 

For those that were bumped, all I can say is I am sorry. I know it's frustrating, and sure hope you are able to find something that works for you.

[twinkletoes4445]

I booked this cruise through my TA over a month ago. No one has notified me of a charter.

 

Does anyone know what group has the charter? I am open minded, but on the other hand would choose not to participate in a cruise made up of the Republican National Committee! LOL!

 

Call your TA and have her/him deal with HAL. Last year Shonuf went through this and finally her TA was able to get HAL to admit it was a charter, and she moved to another HAL ship. Shonuf was with the TA when the call was made. HAL wouldn't talk with her because she used a TA to book it.

 

Good luck! I hope you find a time that works for you. :)

[Typhoon1]

Matt and I were on board the RSVP chartered Zuiderdam last month. During that cruise I learned RSVP is HALs largest customer in terms of charter revenue.

 

Consequently, when RSVP calls, HAL listens.

[twinkletoes4445]

Matt and I were on board the RSVP chartered Zuiderdam last month. During that cruise I learned RSVP is HALs largest customer in terms of charter revenue.

 

Consequently, when RSVP calls, HAL listens.

 

That's interesting. I guess HAL knows who butters their bread. :)

 

Like it or not, it sounds like charters are very popular and we'll be seeing more of them. It's good to know these things, then we can all make decisions that best suit our own needs.

[tip]

...you would rather sail with a ship full of Jacka***s than a ship full of Elephants - LOL?

 

 

...but it is the elephants who are walking all over us!!