Perks for booking HAL Cruise on ship??

[mp006]

Considering booking the Eurodam for our first Caribbean cruise in November. I read on these boards that there is a nice incentive for committing to a future booking on HAL while you are cruising. Questions:

 

How much deposit per person is required?

How long do they give you to book and take the next cruise?

How much is the onboard credit per person on the cruise you are on?

What is the penalty if you put down the deposit, but :( don't go?

 

Thank you so much! I'm trying to talk my dh into taking a southern cruise (all of ours have been cool cruises up north), and thought this might be a good idea. After the "RADIO" review of Westerdam, I have no doubt we will be hooked on HAL after our May Alaskan cruise.

[sail7seas]

If you book a seven to 11 day cruise while on a ship, you will receive $25pp shipboard credit for both an Inside or Outside cabin. If you book and VA/A - VF/BC category, you get $35 pp credit and for PS-S/SY, there is $50 pp shipboard credit.

 

For cruises of 12+ days, you receive $50 pp, $75pp and $100 pp for the various categories as outlined above.

 

You only have to place $100 deposit for most cruises.

 

If you wish, you can book a specific cruise OR you can book a 'to be determined' cruise. Please $100 pp deposit and you have four years to pick which cruise you wish to take. It is non- refundable.

[calteacher]

Is there always a HAL representative on board to accept bookings? We've been on six cruises and rarely saw anyone at the desk to accept bookings. How can we find out when and where such bookings are accepted?

[sail7seas]

Yes......all ships, all cruises, there is a future cruise consultant aboard. This program began going on about a year ago. Before then, it was inconsistent which cruises had a consultant aboard.

 

Their hours are published in the daily program and they have quite a lot of time when they are available. Of course, it varies by itinerary and how many port days etc as most guests are off the ship and, therefore, will not be looking for the cruise consultant. You will have no problem finding her.

 

[Marie321]

On the Westerdam last New Year's cruise, the consultant was at a desk by the business office on deck 1, mid-ship. Our consultant got sick--don't know if it was Noro or sea sickness since we had a rough stretch, but we had to check back quite often before we finally found her there.

[Compass Rose]

If you book a seven to 11 day cruise while on a ship, you will receive $25pp shipboard credit for both an Inside or Outside cabin. If you book and VA/A - VF/BC category, you get $35 pp credit and for PS-S/SY, there is $50 pp shipboard credit.

 

For cruises of 12+ days, you receive $50 pp, $75pp and $100 pp for the various categories as outlined above.

 

You only have to place $100 deposit for most cruises.

 

If you wish, you can book a specific cruise OR you can book a 'to be determined' cruise. Please $100 pp deposit and you have four years to pick which cruise you wish to take. It is non- refundable.

Wow........because we, too, are interested in the perks, we thought it would be a little more than what amounts to the price of a bottle of wine for booking while still cruising. Doesn't seem like a very good incentive to me...but what do I know.

[jhannah]

The booking incentive HAL offers is consistent with what Princess offers. Remember that the dollar amounts sail7seas provided are per person.

 

Although it's not like winning Wheel of Fortune, I think it's a very good deal that is virtually a no-brainer if you think you'll cruise within 4 years.

[Roz]

Rose,

 

On some of my cruises, I've had to put down a $600 deposit, so not having to tie up a lot of money (without interest) is an incentive for me, plus having the flexibility to move it around for 4 years.

 

The cruise consultant on my recent Oosterdam cruise, Dave Giventer (sp?) was very personable, helpful, and available. I saw a lot of passengers booking with him.

 

Roz

[mamaofami]

You also only have to put down a $100pp deposit. That's a big difference since we've always had to put down half at the time of booking.

[sail7seas]

It is also very nice to only have to put $100 deposit instead the usual $500 or so pp that we have to pay for the "S" cabins we book.

 

I think it great we get any benefit at all. Many folks seem to feel that way as a great many future bookings are being made on the ships. If there were not a sufficient number, the future cruise consultants would be history. Remember, they occupy cabin space, eat and earn wages etc.......

 

 

[sorry Roz and Carol. I was posting at the same time as you.]

 

[iflyrc5]

If you book your cruise on board you can also change your mind and move your $100 deposit to another HAL cruise within the 4 year period. As far as I am concerned it is really a no-brainer if you plan to do a HAL cruise within the 4 year period. On our Zuiderdam Cruise in April 07 we booked a Prinsendam cruise for Nov 08 plus purchased 2 of the FCC plans for $100 each to use later since we know we will be on HAL again sometime before Apr of 2011.

[Sale Away]

Maybe someone can answer this question. I booked this year's sailing on last year's cruise. Had it transferred to my TA when I got back. Had considered possibly cancelling this year's trip. When I talked to the TA, she said that if I canceled and didn't move it to a specific sailing (instead of leaving it open for another future sailing), I'd lose the credit? That didn't sound right to me.

[jhannah]

That's entirely possible. Since your booking was placed on a specific cruise it no longer was in the open category. If it dropped, for whatever reason, it could be lost.

 

Has anyone faced this and can share that experience with us?

[mrspeck]

Wow! I didn't realize that you were sometimes made to deposit half or even $500pp at booking. I've only booked one cruise, which is still upcoming...I only had to put $100pp down for a Eurodam penthouse!

[jhannah]

Sometimes specials are run with reduced deposits. But generally speaking the standard deposit HAL requires is $600 per person.

[CruiserBruce]

Sometimes specials are run with reduced deposits. But generally speaking the standard deposit HAL requires is $600 per person.

 

That depends upon the cruise. We had to put down nearly 25% for our upcoming 19 day repo cruise.

 

Sooooo... I will be looking seriously at the $100 deposit for our next planned cruise- a 20 day Med in 2010.

[mp006]

Thanks for the info! My dh is waffling on the November cruise this year (we've got an added expense of my son's wedding in June:) destination wedding to the mountains near Portland, Oregon), but if it's good for four years, you can't beat the $100.00 deposit and the $50.00 in our account!

[Jade13]

Wow! I didn't realize that you were sometimes made to deposit half or even $500pp at booking. I've only booked one cruise, which is still upcoming...I only had to put $100pp down for a Eurodam penthouse!

 

So, you only put a $100.00 deposit on a PH and it was made by phone? I assume this was not booked directly with HAL? This must have to do with your TA? I have seen one other post from someone that uses a TA (large Corp) that only requires a $100.00 deposit each cruise. None of us could figure it out and by board rules he could could not post his TA.

[Jade13]

Wow........because we, too, are interested in the perks, we thought it would be a little more than what amounts to the price of a bottle of wine for booking while still cruising. Doesn't seem like a very good incentive to me...but what do I know.

 

I personally thought mine was low but that's because we booked another VA for a 10 night Med cruise and so the perk was $35.00pp ($70.00 total). It seems low because it is an expensive cruise/cabin and would look diff if we were in the Carribean. We thought it should have been at least $50.00pp. Oh well.

 

It works out well if you are doing multiple cruises, so you can pay off the one you are on (additional tours, hotels etc) prior to paying for the next cruise.

 

Btw, the best incentive is if you pick a specific cruise you get to pick the cabin that you want.

[mrspeck]

So, you only put a $100.00 deposit on a PH and it was made by phone? I assume this was not booked directly with HAL? This must have to do with your TA? I have seen one other post from someone that uses a TA (large Corp) that only requires a $100.00 deposit each cruise. None of us could figure it out and by board rules he could could not post his TA.

 

It was not through HAL directly...an online TA...I believe it was linked from an ad on this board.

[Lurker1]

That depends upon the cruise. We had to put down nearly 25% for our upcoming 19 day repo cruise.

 

Sooooo... I will be looking seriously at the $100 deposit for our next planned cruise- a 20 day Med in 2010.

 

Hi Bruce. As you know from the role call, we're on that same cruise.

Last year we booked it through the consultant while we were on the Maasdam, and they only wanted $100 pp for a 19 day cruise. Our TA got the credit for it.

[CruiserBruce]

Hi Bruce. As you know from the role call, we're on that same cruise.

 

Last year we booked it through the consultant while we were on the Maasdam, and they only wanted $100 pp for a 19 day cruise. Our TA got the credit for it.

 

Smart move Lurker1:D! Can you confirm it was just $100, or $100 per person?

 

Just re-inforced my plan to see about getting the $100 (or $200) deposit for our next cruise.

[CruiserBruce]

And- is the OBC offered for the current cruise, or for the future cruise:confused:

[Lurker1]

Smart move Lurker1:D! Can you confirm it was just $100, or $100 per person?

 

Just re-inforced my plan to see about getting the $100 (or $200) deposit for our next cruise.

 

$100 per person. They will try and sell you inusrance at the same time, but I believe that insurance comes under the "4 year rule"; that is to the future cruise you take, even if you change from cruise a to cruise b, etc. But double-check.

[iflyrc5]

It is $100 per person and the OBC is for the cruise that you book - not the one that you are on.