Available/Guarantee/Closed - What Are the Triggers?

[jhannah]

I don’t recall seeing this discussed, so I thought I’d tap the knowledge base here to see if anyone knows.

I was checking HAL’s website today for the cruises we have booked for next year (May and August) and it appears they are virtually sold out. Most all categories are designated “closed” with just a few categories listed as “guarantee.” What triggers the move from “available” to “guarantee?” Is it when they have only five cabins in that category left? Two? None? From there, how many guarantees will be booked in that category before they shut it down and mark that category as “closed?”


Anyone know?

[BCEagle78]

I believe that there are larger agencies that may reserve blocks of cabins. I know that AAA does this, for example. At various times as their outlook for selling those cabins change, the will turn back into HAL cabins that have not been sold. That would explain some of the jockeying around that you might see if you continue to monitor the status of various categories on a given voyage.

If you are interested in booking an guarentee, even if the category says available, you still may be able to book the category as a guarentee. I just did that when I booked on the Veendam for Nov 25, 2005. The category was showing as "Available", I asked if I could get this category as a Guarentee and they said yes. This is probably not the case with all categories but if you ask, you might get what you want.

Hope this helps.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Jim, Here is my take on what happens not sure this is correct but from seeing what has happened with my previous Ryndam cruise and my up coming cruises the same thing has happened for all 3. Here's what happened with the Ryndam I booked this cruise the end of May, about 5 1/2 months from sail date. When I booked almost all the catagories were closed and we hated what they showed available but I went and booked an Inside. Four weeks later I know that I would not want this inside so I called TA she had HAL put me on a waiting list for a Balcony or even a S cat. This was a Friday afternoon and amazingly Monday morning she called saying they found me an S cat. so I grabbed it. Well by that afternoon every cruise web site suddenly had many cabins available in A, B and S when there had been none.

Next cruise is Westerdam I booked this in the end of May about 9 1/2 months away, lots of available I booked an A cat. In October I decided that I wanted something better I find that suddenly many of the catagories are closed including S except for couple of aft cabins and a couple near the elevators on level 6 so I decide to move to a SS. Well, after coming home from the Ryndam I decide I really want a S so I check and low and behold there are suddenly several much better S catagories available. This is just about 10 short of 4 months not at the 90 final payment. Now it brings me to my Maasdam cruise, I wish I would of bit the bullet and booked the S when I saw it. I booked this cruise in September 9 1/2 months in advance and booked a B cat. Well of course I decided the end of November to get a S cat for this one too and every catagory above a F is closed. We are a little less than 7 months away. Based on the previous 2 cruises my guess it really is not sold out and suddenly about the middle of February there will be a bunch of open catagories.

In conclusion to this long explanation, I think for some reason HAL puts a block on the higher catagories at mid point letting a wait list get started. Then suddenly opens it up about 4 to 6 weeks before final payment. At least this is what I am hoping for with the Maasdam. Now it could be one travel agent that blocks these but it is interesting that when you go to numerous travel sites and go to book the cruise they all show the same available cabin numbers which leads me to believe they all go from the same pool of cabins that HAL offers so it would be HAL that shows them what is available.

Of course all of the above is just my take on what has been happening and I could be totally clueless but there seems to be a pattern in what has happened so far with me. Now that is not to say that your repositioning cruise did not get sold out right away or did it??:confused:

[jhannah]

Our repo cruise is one of them that appears sold out. Perhaps cabins will open later. That's not the point of my question. I have what I want for both sailings. I understand that cabin categories come and go. I'm just wondering what the numbers are that cause HAL to change the designation...even though that designation may later change. They must have some "magic" number they use.

[Arubalisa]

Is it possible that travel agenices take bigger blocks, or some agencies take blocks (on a sailing which they would not normally take) because they are able to offer a lower price point due to it being a repositioning sailing?

Thinking out loud...

[tcocktail]

I undertsand that, the consolidators purchase the rooms and have to sell them. But it seems that the industry is changing a bit, and I am not sure that is stil happning. It is all marketing.

[cru1s1ng]

Hi all. Thanks for bringing this up, Jhannah. I was wondering also. Two weeks ago I called HAL to book an H cat on Maasdam's 3/31/05 sailing. I was told by the agent the only H left was a wheelchair accessible, and would I take a H guarantee. I accepted. Today I checked, and the H is still listed as available. It just seemed odd. :confused:

[1cruiselvr]

Don't forget the obvious - people book and cancel all the time,especially before final payment. Right now my 11/05 cruise is closed in most categories, but I'm willing to bet ALL those categories open up the closer it gets to the final payment due date. Happy Sailing!