Any benefit to booking while onboard?

[bethd]

Will be on the Rotterdam 3/16 and was wondering if there is any added benefit to booking our next HAL cruise while on board? Can I then transfer it to my at home TA?

Thanks and Happy Cruising everyone

Beth

Rotterdam 3/16/05
Zaandam 12/18/04
Rotterdam 2/12/04

[localady]

Hello! Yes there is a benefit. You can get a shipboard credit for the booking. You give them the name of your TA and then contact them when you get home. The amount of the shipboard credit varies with number of days of your new booking.:cool:

[Candy]

You can book a future cruise while onboard and receive various shipboard credits for that cruise. If there is no representative onboard, you will be given a toll-free number for the Seattle Ship Services department to call from your cabin. When you get home, simply call your TA and find out how to transfer the booking.

[jhannah]

Your shipboard credit will be:

7-10 day inside $25pp, outside $50pp, deluxe $75pp
10-15 days inside $50pp, outside $100pp, deluxe $125pp
16 days or more inside $75pp, outside $150pp, deluxe $175pp
I think it's a great deal, and am waiting to book for 2006 while aboard the Zaandam in May.

[grannynurse]

onboard credit for the next cruise and a bottle of wine for now on booking our 34 day transatlantic (2004) while on board the Rotterdam the summer before (2003).

Of course we an an onboard cruise specialist, MaryAnn, who last summer booked us on the Zaandam for New Year's 2005 with a $75 on board credit and another bottle of wine.

Our TA didn't receive notice from HAL for about 3 weeks but everything went very smoothly.

MaryAnn gave us a lot of information about booking multiple cabins, mariner discounts, combining discounts etc. I'd love to have her job!

Yes, I agree there are benefits to booking onboard.
GN

[cruznon]

We wanted to book when we were on board the Oosterdam two weeks ago, but I didn't just want to book over the phone to Seattle. We had hoped there would be a tour desk to speak directly with someone with ship diagrams, etc.

I've heard that other cruise lines do this...Carnival, Princesss....People we met told us that the future-tour desk on their last Princess cruise was the busiest place on board. (You had to make reservations to make cruise reservations!)

[grannynurse]

don't have a future cruise consultant. I was really surprised to see one on our 11 day Zaandam trip.
GN

[Candy]

They are only on cruises greater than 7 nights long. The only drawback to the phone contact is that it's difficult to choose a cabin without the personal feedback, deck plans, etc.

don't have a future cruise consultant. I was really surprised to see one on our 11 day Zaandam trip.
GN

[bluehorizonlover123]

Lots of benefits. REduced deposit of $100 pp instead of $250 and shipboard credits are given out.

[travelingman]

On my past cruises I have been able to book the cruise at a lot lower price through my agent vs. directly with Holland America.
Question is : Is booking while on-board and getting a shipboard credit plus whatever price they will give you offset the very good price I get from my agent?
The agent usually beats the Holland America price by several hundred dollars or more.
Thanks,

[RuthC]

travelingman---here's what you do:

Book on board and get the on-board credits and bottle of wine.
Then transfer the booking to your TA. If your TA has a lower price you should be able to get the reduction and keep the HAL bennies.

[bluehorizonlover123]

Always book while on board and take all the freebies they give you while on board. Then when you get home. Just ask your real travel agent for prices on the same cruise. Don't even tell her you have a booking made already. Find your best price.... then turn your booking over to the agent. You will still get all the freebies they offered you while on board plus you will have the cheaper fares that your TA gave you at home.

[jhannah]

I thought it was interesting that when I booked on board the Prinsendam for this year's fall cruise, the onboard future cruise consultant found a lower price by the end of the day. Since my TA is with a national agency, when she entered the info into the system the lower price popped up. She was so excited for me she called our stateroom to tell me!

[Aussie Gal]

You were lucky Jim. When we booked on board - on the next cruise after yours - our cruise in July was more expensive than we expected. Just the luck of the draw!

Still I shouldn't grumble as it has been booked out for months and the prices have only gone up.

Jennie

[doone]

I booked a 10-day cruise for this March on the Volendam while sailing on the Rotterdam last year. I booked an inside cabin and received $75 per person or $150 per cabin shipboard credit. It didn't matter that I had an inside cabin.

[jhannah]

You were lucky Jim. When we booked on board - on the next cruise after yours - our cruise in July was more expensive than we expected. Just the luck of the draw! Well, our cruise wasn't a bargain by any means. The TA's price was just better by several hundred dollars. Since the cruise we booked is a one-time itinerary this year they didn't have to price it quite like they do other itineraries. But we're really going to enjoy it.