Are we being disadvantaged when booking hal

[Gold Coast Cruisers]

I was very keen to book with HAL for the first time, cruising on Volendam whilst she is in Australia and New Zealand.

I could not believe what I was told regarding deposits for this cruise which was 28 nights. The costing was A$4137.00 per person 'ships guarantee'.

We were also advised that should we attempt to book directly on the HAL site we would be 'bumped' off before completing the booking because we are encouraged to book through their handling agent in Australia.

Here is the information:

The deposit will be $2398.00 per person within 7 days of a booking. Their deposit is based on a percentage basis of the cruise price.
Balance of payment would be due 90 days prior to departure

Cancellation fees:
90 - 64 days before departure - loss of deposit
63 - 43 days before departure - loss of 50%
42 - 22 days before departure - loss of 75%
21 - sailing - loss of 100%

Can someone confirm is this normal for HAL bookings?

Jillybean:confused:

[Kipling]

I was very keen to book with HAL for the first time, cruising on Volendam whilst she is in Australia and New Zealand.

I could not believe what I was told regarding deposits for this cruise which was 28 nights. The costing was A$4137.00 per person 'ships guarantee'.

We were also advised that should we attempt to book directly on the HAL site we would be 'bumped' off before completing the booking because we are encouraged to book through their handling agent in Australia.

Here is the information:

The deposit will be $2398.00 per person within 7 days of a booking. Their deposit is based on a percentage basis of the cruise price.
Balance of payment would be due 90 days prior to departure

Cancellation fees:
90 - 64 days before departure - loss of deposit
63 - 43 days before departure - loss of 50%
42 - 22 days before departure - loss of 75%
21 - sailing - loss of 100%

Can someone confirm is this normal for HAL bookings?

Jillybean:confused:

Hi,
As you know, because you often post to the P&O board, the issue of Australians booking in the US is the subject of a helpful article by a Cruisecritic editor at - http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=1119

On the question of large deposits I have also noticed that recently they have assumed mammoth proportions in some cases. But this is not confined to Australia. If you look at the US online agents you will find that they also have some huge deposit requirements. In many cases over 50%. Others say they have a special deal going with low deposits, and those ones are generally around USD 600, for a couple. If there is no special deal then you can pay around USD3,500, for two.
In Australia, of course, there are no special deals and you will pay the huge deposit. And an inflated price for the cruise.
So far as being "bumped" if you attempt to book on HAL's US site that is probably right because early in the booking process you have to click the US state in which you reside, and if you don't you can't go any further. Thats if you can get into HAL's US site, which is no longer easy if you live in the Antipodes. You can get into HAL's Australian site, but there are no bargains there and you will simply be referred to the local agent.
But why bother with HAL's web sites at all? The big online agents in the US will have better prices. And any US agent will have better terms and conditions than the locals

The solution? Easy. Book online in the US. Most will accept your booking - just talk to them.

We cruise a lot. But we would not cruise at all if we could only book with an Australian agent.

Cheers

[Kipling]

sorry - posted twice

[Gold Coast Cruisers]

Hi,
As you know, because you often post to the P&O board, the issue of Australians booking in the US is the subject of a helpful article by a Cruisecritic editor at - http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=1119

On the question of large deposits I have also noticed that recently they have assumed mammoth proportions in some cases. But this is not confined to Australia. If you look at the US online agents you will find that they also have some huge deposit requirements. In many cases over 50%. Others say they have a special deal going with low deposits, and those ones are generally around USD 600, for a couple. If there is no special deal then you can pay around USD3,500, for two.
In Australia, of course, there are no special deals and you will pay the huge deposit. And an inflated price for the cruise.
So far as being "bumped" if you attempt to book on HAL's US site that is probably right because early in the booking process you have to click the US state in which you reside, and if you don't you can't go any further. Thats if you can get into HAL's US site, which is no longer easy if you live in the Antipodes. You can get into HAL's Australian site, but there are no bargains there and you will simply be referred to the local agent.
But why bother with HAL's web sites at all? The big online agents in the US will have better prices. And any US agent will have better terms and conditions than the locals

The solution? Easy. Book online in the US. Most will accept your booking - just talk to them.

We cruise a lot. But we would not cruise at all if we could only book with an Australian agent.

Cheers


Hi Kipling,

You're lucky to be able to book HAL through a USA online Agent. They advised me that they are not permitted to do this unless I have a bonefide USA address.
We've cruised quite a bit but have never previously been asked to pay such a huge deposit by any other cruise company.

Jillybean:)

[Krazy Kruizers]

Yes -- even for those of us who live in the US -- the deposits can be large depending on the length of your cruise.

[tamsocal]

]

our recent booking total cruise fare ~$1400

DEPOSIT was $600 per person-- $1200

essentially our cruise is paid for 8 months in advance due to the high deposit

[hockey grannys go 4]

]

our recent booking total cruise fare ~$1400

DEPOSIT was $600 per person-- $1200

essentially our cruise is paid for 8 months in advance due to the high deposit
I think it has to be the TA Our recent booking june 13 total cruise fare $3672 Deposit was $379 per person total $758

[tamsocal]

I think it has to be the TA Our recent booking june 13 total cruise fare $3672 Deposit was $379 per person total $758

it was direct from HAL- we live in california

[Tailskid]

I was very keen to book with HAL for the first time, cruising on Volendam whilst she is in Australia and New Zealand.

I could not believe what I was told regarding deposits for this cruise which was 28 nights. The costing was A$4137.00 per person 'ships guarantee'.

We were also advised that should we attempt to book directly on the HAL site we would be 'bumped' off before completing the booking because we are encouraged to book through their handling agent in Australia.

Here is the information:

The deposit will be $2398.00 per person within 7 days of a booking. Their deposit is based on a percentage basis of the cruise price.
Balance of payment would be due 90 days prior to departure

Cancellation fees:
90 - 64 days before departure - loss of deposit
63 - 43 days before departure - loss of 50%
42 - 22 days before departure - loss of 75%
21 - sailing - loss of 100%

Can someone confirm is this normal for HAL bookings?

Jillybean:confused:
No. It does not seem normal. I am booked on HAL for a 30 day cruise later this year and it cost me a $US 300. BUT - perhaps you should take into consideration that in many parts of the world the Aussie "penal colony" heritage has a negative effect on the amount of deposits asked.
Tailskid

[fann1sh]

Gold Coast Cruisers, perhaps you should shop around to a few more online agencies. Due to board rules, I can't name specific companies. However, some are more lenient with regard to "real" U.S. (or Canadian) addresses.

They just want your business.

There are other cruise boards where posters can name agencies.

As for the HAL site, I feel your pain. Even though HAL Seattle sells cruises to Canadians, it can be troublesome for Canucks to get a quote in U.S. dollars. Quotes in C$ factor in an unfavourable exchange rate.

Good luck. I :mad: discriminatory regional pricing.

[Gold Coast Cruisers]

Gold Coast Cruisers, perhaps you should shop around to a few more online agencies. Due to board rules, I can't name specific companies. However, some are more lenient with regard to "real" U.S. (or Canadian) addresses.

They just want your business.

There are other cruise boards where posters can name agencies.

As for the HAL site, I feel your pain. Even though HAL Seattle sells cruises to Canadians, it can be troublesome for Canucks to get a quote in U.S. dollars. Quotes in C$ factor in an unfavourable exchange rate.

Good luck. I :mad: discriminatory regional pricing.


Thank you Patricia, it's not a good feeling to know that some get better deals than others. I think if the cruiseline wants to cruise in international waters then they have to offer the same policy for all who book with them.

Jillybean:)

[Kipling]

No. It does not seem normal. I am booked on HAL for a 30 day cruise later this year and it cost me a $US 300.
Tailskid

As I said previously, some cruises can be booked with deposits of USD 600 for 2 people. Thats what you booked. There are many others with giant deposit requirements. The fact that you got a low deposit does not mean that large deposits are "not normal".

And perhaps you would care to elaborate on your statement that--- " you should take into consideration that in many parts of the world the Aussie "penal colony" heritage has a negative effect on the amount of deposits asked." What on earth are you talking about?

[jtl513]

Balance of payment would be due 90 days prior to departure

Cancellation fees:
90 - 64 days before departure - loss of deposit
63 - 43 days before departure - loss of 50%
42 - 22 days before departure - loss of 75%
21 - sailing - loss of 100%

Can someone confirm is this normal for HAL bookings?

Jillybean:confused:Those time breakpoints are for longer cruises. "Normal" on shorter cruises is:
75-57 days before commencing travel: an amount equal to deposit requirement
56-29 days before commencing travel: 50% of gross fare
28-16 days before commencing travel: 75% of gross fare
15 days or less before commencing travel: 100% of gross fare

[Gold Coast Cruisers]

As I said previously, some cruises can be booked with deposits of USD 600 for 2 people. Thats what you booked. There are many others with giant deposit requirements. The fact that you got a low deposit does not mean that large deposits are "not normal".

And perhaps you would care to elaborate on your statement that--- " you should take into consideration that in many parts of the world the Aussie "penal colony" heritage has a negative effect on the amount of deposits asked." What on earth are you talking about?


Here here Kipling......I'm wondering too.

Jillybean:)