What does it mean when there is a heap of cabins available and then they are all gone

[Australian family]

Looking at our cruise for December 6, which had a lot of cabins available a couple of days ago and now it is showing that none are available.

Even the Penthouse suite was available. What does that mean?

[CruiserBruce]

Can I ask how you know there was a "heap"? Most sites allow you to see at most 6 per cabin level.

My guess a sudden change in availibility means guarantees are now being assigned.

[Australian family]

The few categories I looked at had the 6 cabins available including the suites. And there was cabins available across most of the categories.

I wonder if HAL have given the allocations to TA to sell at a discounted rate to fill the cruise.

[IkeEsq]

From my observations and other people's comments, it appears that the day after final payments are due HAL opens up the lowest category room of each type (Inside, Outside, Verandah, Suite, etc.) if they were closed and normally puts them on "sale." Sometimes the sale price is lower than before, sometimes not. Usually it is non-refundable (highlighted in orange on HAL's site).

A lot of people buy guaranteed cabins in these categories, far more than there are actual cabins. For instance, on Vista-class ships there are only four VH cabins, the lowest level of Verandahs. However, dozens might be sold. At approximately 30 days out, depending on how sales are going, they will often start contacting people who have stated that they are willing to be upgraded and try to upsell cabins to them. For instance, offer a SZ (Suite) guarantee for an additional $299 pp to someone who has a VH guarantee (Verandah).

In addition, they will start upgrading people and perhaps assigning cabins (although that often occurs within the last week or two). Depending on how their up-sells and upgrades go, they may re-open certain cabins or classes of cabins a week or two later. If cabins remain unsold, the price of up-sells will often drop as the time of departure closes in.

- Ike

[IRL_Joanie]

From my observations and other people's comments, it appears that the day after final payments are due HAL opens up the lowest category room of each type (Inside, Outside, Verandah, Suite, etc.) if they were closed and normally puts them on "sale." Sometimes the sale price is lower than before, sometimes not. Usually it is non-refundable (highlighted in orange on HAL's site).

A lot of people buy guaranteed cabins in these categories, far more than there are actual cabins. For instance, on Vista-class ships there are only four VH cabins, the lowest level of Verandahs. However, dozens might be sold. At approximately 30 days out, depending on how sales are going, they will often start contacting people who have stated that they are willing to be upgraded and try to upsell cabins to them. For instance, offer a SZ (Suite) guarantee for an additional $299 pp to someone who has a VH guarantee (Verandah).

In addition, they will start upgrading people and perhaps assigning cabins (although that often occurs within the last week or two). Depending on how their up-sells and upgrades go, they may re-open certain cabins or classes of cabins a week or two later. If cabins remain unsold, the price of up-sells will often drop as the time of departure closes in.

- Ike


You stated exactly what my HAL PCC stated to me a few months ago.

PLUS, yesterday when I made our final payment for our cruise (in 93 days) I asked her how many staterooms are left unsold, she said 100. I asked her when HAL will start upgrades, she said at 90 days out from sailing HAL calls in all their staterooms from the TA's for the specific ship and HAL then starts offering them instead.

Joanie

[Australian family]

You stated exactly what my HAL PCC stated to me a few months ago.

PLUS, yesterday when I made our final payment for our cruise (in 93 days) I asked her how many staterooms are left unsold, she said 100. I asked her when HAL will start upgrades, she said at 90 days out from sailing HAL calls in all their staterooms from the TA's for the specific ship and HAL then starts offering them instead.

Joanie


Our cruise is Dec 6, and a lot of cabin categories became available after final payment, and now all have disappeared, so I can't imagine that HAL sold them overnight.

[Budget Queen]

Our cruise is Dec 6, and a lot of cabin categories became available after final payment, and now all have disappeared, so I can't imagine that HAL sold them overnight.

They became available because of the return of group blocked space. They are gone, because they have been sold at a substantial discount.

What people don't realize, is they think, of the general cruise passenger, booking cabins. There is a whole base of travel industry employees that also travel and pick up excellent, give away deals. The most flexable of those are airline employees.

[albertiger]

I am approx. 3 weeks out from my Eurodam cruise. I have been booked for almost a year in a cat H obstructed ocean view. I got a very good price booking so far in advance.
Yesterday, I had my TA check for an upsell and was offered a cat. VA balcony for $188. I jumped on it!:D

[IRL_Joanie]

I am approx. 3 weeks out from my Eurodam cruise. I have been booked for almost a year in a cat H obstructed ocean view. I got a very good price booking so far in advance.
Yesterday, I had my TA check for an upsell and was offered a cat. VA balcony for $188. I jumped on it!:D


WTG!!!

Joanie

[luvcruisn']

I am approx. 3 weeks out from my Eurodam cruise. I have been booked for almost a year in a cat H obstructed ocean view. I got a very good price booking so far in advance. Yesterday, I had my TA check for an upsell and was offered a cat. VA balcony for $188. I jumped on it!:D

That's a great upgrade! Enjoy your cruise.

[bobincm]

I noted last week that both on Travelocity and the HAL website, no cabins were available for the 11/28 Eurodam cruise. It appears that as HAL is contacting people for upgrades, they put a freeze on selling the cabins. My TA was contacted late Wednesday to see if I wanted to upgrade. I did upgrade yesterday and previous cabin showed up being available last night. As of this moment, the HAL site shows no cabins available. Once they know who will upgrade and who won't, and with satisfying the guests with guaranteed cabins, HAL will know how many cabins are left to sell which at this point doesn't appear to be very many.

Bob:)

[DAllenTCY]

Another thought on the subject.....I've seen those cabins reappear a week or so later. Generally you'll find that more cabins are available on Mondays and Tuesdays, and at a lower rate than the rest of the week. You may have noticed that airfares follow the same pattern.
David

[wldflr]

Looking at our cruise for December 6, which had a lot of cabins available a couple of days ago and now it is showing that none are available.

Now I'm wondering the same thing about our Dec. 5 cruise on the Eurodam. Several cruise websites as well as the HAL site now say that there are no cabins available and a week ago there seemed to be all balcony/suite category cabins showing up as bookable. Hmmm.

Didn't see a sale anywhere and actually a GTY VF was selling for $150 more than what we paid back in August.

Maybe the fall cold snap up north made everyone book a cruise??!:p

[iancal]

We use a European site that shows all available cabins on certain cruise lines. The do it via deckplans with pointers to all available cabins. We sometimes use this to determine if we should book in advance or wait until after the final payment due date to book. In fact, we are considering taking a chance on an upcoming Celebrity cruise...cancelling prior to final payment and booking after final payment in anticipation of reduced fare based upon low what appears to be low occupancy rates at the present time.

[foodsvcmgr]

Price fluctuations based on availability of inventory at various time
frames for most cruise lines (and hotels) are controlled by "yield
management" proprietary software programs.

The reason that changing inventory and rates are so confusing and
subject to so many different theories is because that is exactly how
the cruise lines want it.

In other words, if the customer knew how the system was controlled, they could work it to their advantage and the cruise line's detriment,
by only booking a certain number of days out, knowing exactly when
price drops occur, etc.