Oosterdam Booking Problems

[lovesandiego]

I am so upset with HAL and my travel agent. In December we called and told her that we were booking around 12 cabins for an 80th birthday celebration in November. We gave her an "unbrella" name so that all of us would be booked under the same name and seated near each other in the dining rooms.

I received my confirmation for main/upper seating. As the Some of the party are now in the process of booking and we are being told that we cannot have the late seating since a group of 350 or so booked last summer. The travel agent seems to be trying to get us to cancel our cruise. She even left a message yesterday saying she would cancel on Monday, HAL didn't care if we cancelled, there was no way we could get a late seating. I called back and left a message (this agency isn't open on weekends) NOT to cancel. The person in charge of the arrangements for his mother is in Mexico and not able to deal with this.

I don't understand why they are trying to get us to cancel. Several people have already purchased their airline tickets, some are teachers who have alrady made arrangements with the school district to be off at this time, and everyone is getting very upset. I"m not sure if the entire shop is overbooked, or what the deal is. I guess at this point we will have to take whatever seating they give us, but she is just acting like she wants us to cancel.

I've used this agent for a previous cruise, but will never use her again. I'm just at a loss for what to do, hopefully she hasn't already cancelled eveyoner before talking ot the people involved.

Any suggestions, or information as to how this could have happened, and who nobody seems to care at HAL or the cruise agency? Thanks for any help you can give me.

[Pudgesmom]

Did you make deposits on all cabins at the time you gave the "umbrella" name? I don't think you can hold a cabin more than a couple days without a deposit.

Beth

[lovesandiego]

No, each person made their own deposit, but the rooms don't seem to be the problem, just the dinner times and seating arrangements, so not sure why she is so quick to want to cancel and lose that much commission. But thanks, it's good to know that a deposit has to be made for an entire group at the same time, that may be the issue.

Vicki

[peaches from georgia]

Your TA may be trying to do you a favor, at least in her eyes and from her experience. Have you ever cruised on a ship with a large group? Not getting your preferred dining time will be just the beginning of disappointments for you and your friends.

The ship will cater to the wishes of this group, various public rooms will be closed at certain times for their convenience and meetings and lounges can become the domain of the group, with other pax being intruders more or less.

I would not be too quick to blame your TA and would talk to her as to why she might be suggesting cancellation and see what her advice is and why.

[Sea Island Lady]

Could it be that the cruise ship has been chartered and HAL is cancelling your cruise. That's the problem with booking a cruise way in advance and your air on your own.

[CaptData]

Have you thought of another ship leaving at the same time as a possiblity. I know you do not want to cancel but there may be no choice :mad: . See if another ship is near by ie Miami instead of FLL. Same length of time and day. Just a thought.

[KSCnCA]

Just curious, what sailing date is it? We are on Nov 26, 2005 and I don't think I would like to be with a group of 350!

[lovesandiego]

It's sailing out of San Diego November 12. Thanks for all of your replies, I hadn't thought about not wanting to sail with a large group aboard.

There is a Princess Cruise out of LA on the same date, so I'll talk to my friend and see if he thinks his family would consider that. They haven't said that HAL is canceling us, the travel agent just keeps saying she's going to cancel, but not really giving a reason, jsut that we can't get the early seating. Hopefully I can talk to her on Monday and get more information, but my friend won't be back until next Friday, and he will have to talk to his family about any cancellation or changes. Thanks again, for your insight.

[iv18-Diane]

Love, What I can't understand is why the TA is so quick to cancel, Unless she has group space on another ship on the same week. Why she didn't give you an explanation is what bothers me.

Diane

[kruzkeen]

Couple of things.

I agree with Peaches, a big group can be a pain in the neck. However, we were on a cruise with 100s of Red Hats (ladies of a certain age who wear purple outfits and red hats). They were a hoot. I think they only were a presence in the casino and the gift shop.

It does seem strange that you cannot get seating for your group (12 cabins, not many more than 25 passengers) at main(late) seating. Early seating always fills up sooner.

Your TA's company may be under pressure to release blocks well in advance of the 90 days required.

[wander]

I agree that a large group could be a real pain, but my only experience was when there was a very large group - almost half the ship. Except for the fact that they got all the large tables (6 & 8) in the dining room and they wore namebadges full time, one would never know such a group was on board. They had their own things going on many times during the day, but for the rest of us shipboard life was the same as always - and in fact better since there were fewer people looking for lounge chairs, to use gym equipment, walk the decks. Their activities never interfered with the normal ship routine.

So, I imagine that a large group could lead to a trip from h---, but it is not necessarily so.

[sail7seas]

IMO,

A group of 350 out of approximately 1,800 is not that huge a group that it should have all that much impact upon the others not included in the group. We have been aboard when 70% of the ship was populated by a group and it was a nightmare. I don't think a group comprising 20% of the ship would be nearly as disruptive to the other pax.

[iluvcruzin]

lovesandiego, Before jumping ship.. Call HAL and ask for Ship Services. Talk with them and explain your situation - that you need late dining and wish to keep everyone together to celebrate a 80th birthday. See if they can help you. Your TA will have to put in the request via FAX. I find the people in this department to be very helpful.

If your TA automatically cancels your cruise.. Contact another TA. You don't need to do business like this. You may also be able to get a group rate if you switch TA's. Many lines offer perks for 12 cabins booked.

[shipcafe]

I would call ship services and get additional details. I don't think that anyone is trying to "get you off the ship". Just does not make sense.

Ship Services : 800-541-1576

[1cruiselvr]

Maybe your TA has an attitude problem. I don't think it's HAL from the description of your problem it sounds like the TA isn't willing to work thru the problem with such a large group and would rather just forget the whole thing by encouraging cancellation. Sounds like you need a new TA.

[lovesandiego]

Thank you all so much for your help. I will talk to the TA in the morning and see what she has to say. And thanks for the ship services number, maybe they can help us out. I don't understand it either, she gave no explanation as to why she was cancelling, and she is even saying that my friend suggested it first since we couldn't get a late seating. Which he DIDN'T, cancelling seems to be her idea. Hopefully I will find out more tomorrw.


I agree, I DO need a new TA. She said that when she contacted HAL about us cancelling they said that they didn't care. We did get a good group rate, maybe this is the problem, they want to sell these cabins at a higher rate.

Thanks again, Vicki