Sold Out - Wait List Help

[CTStein]

A sailing I’ve been eyeing on HAL is now sold out. The ship leaves within the next few weeks and I’m not sure if space will open or not. Earlier in the week there was plenty of cabins to choose from but now nothing is available. I called HAL and they suggested being placed on a waitlist. Does anyone know if HAL plays games and will open the inventory up again? Any insight into how waitlist pricing is determined would be helpful. I’m concerned that even on the waitlist the rate would be “Rack” but I am hopeful it’s the last published rate. I’m certainly flexible up to one week in advance if that helps my situation any. Would love to know what the experts think. Hurry my ship is leaving soon.:eek:

[canadianbear]

I'm not really sure but if it sails in the next few weeks that would mean everyone has had to make final payment already....doesn't sound promising but you never know. I wonder if an on-line travel agency would have some rooms available? I'm sure someone with knowledge will pipe in soon-good luck!

[IRL_Joanie]

... Do not count on being on her. I have not said anything about this until today to anyone other than my hubby, but Noordam is sold out for the Caribbean 10 and 11 day sailings. She has been sold out for a few months from what I've been told.

From every review I have read about her, I understand why and I cannot wait to board her in 25 and a wake up:)

Joanie

[sail7seas]

Your vest chance of going to the top of the wait list is to place a refundable deposit.

Why would HAL play games? Either they have a cabin to sell or they don't.
There are probably a few last minute cancellations for most cruises. One of two unexpected emergencies are probably rather common.

Good luck. Noordam is a very beautiful ship with a wonderful crew.

[djhsolara]

The first sailing we booked with HAL was booked about two weeks out. It was showing with nothing available and then one evening I saw something open up. As soon as I saw that I called and booked. They told me I got the only available stateroom on the ship.

We are sailing on Eurodam in two weeks. Early last week our sailing was showing almost all categories of balcony staterooms available and then suddenly everything disappeared. We had booked a guarantee and just today received our stateroom assignment. I don't know how it works but we're thinking that perhaps if anything is available it may show in the next few days.

Best Wishes!!


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[LAFFNVEGAS]

You can be placed on a waitlist with HAL or a TA, the deposit is refundable if they do not come up with a cabin or price you like. The price will be the last published rate so many times it will be from their recent sale like the one they have now or even if the category went Flash. The more categories you have them waitlist you in the better chance you have. Say if you waitlist for All Inside OV and Balcony I would say you have a 95% chance of getting on;) If it is still 2 weeks even better.

[TiogaCruiser]

Lisa-
Do you know if whether you are waitlisted with a paid deposit as a single supplement, if there is a lesser chance of clearing? (Do they only clear you if there is a proper match?). Also, how many days from sail away is full payment due (or does it depend on the cruise?)

Thanks- =D

~ TC

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Lisa-
Do you know if whether you are waitlisted with a paid deposit as a single supplement, if there is a lesser chance of clearing? (Do they only clear you if there is a proper match?). Also, how many days from sail away is full payment due (or does it depend on the cruise?)

Thanks- =D

~ TC
Single or Double makes absolutely no difference, where it gets harder is for triple and quad cabins. Just do not expect a lower Single Supplement but what I will say is that many times I have seen singles get on the wait list cleared quickly and usually end up with what had been a flash rate pricing.

[kazu]

Single or Double makes absolutely no difference, where it gets harder is for triple and quad cabins. Just do not expect a lower Single Supplement but what I will say is that many times I have seen singles get on the wait list cleared quickly and usually end up with what had been a flash rate pricing.

Listen to Lisa - she knows of what she speaks:):) We are very lucky to have her on the board:D

[TiogaCruiser]

Thanks Lisa- And I see I made a mistake;

I meant to ask if waitlisting as a SINGLE SHARE, (with HAL doing the matching) not single supplement, made a difference. (Because the supplement on a share is lower per person than a single alone).

[cmdchiefthom]

Anyone even thinking of a Caribbean cruise with HAL after 9 April is out of luck until the fall. And that means all of the passengers are within the final payment deadline. So my guess is the waitlist from HAL would be filling cancellations, and you might want to hurry and contact an agency to see if anyone has cabins left in their pockets.;)

[keyconnie]

I wish you the best of luck! You deserve it. My suggestion to you would be to get your act together and book in a timely manner!! Happy travels!!

[HokiePoq]

It's a numbers game at the last minute. They apparently overbook and expect a certain number of cancellations. We were a last minute cancel on our cruise in the Caribbean last January. We had the "for any reason" insurance, fortunately. Our CC advised us to wait until the last minute just in case we might be offered a buyout due to overbooking. He said that's rare but does happen on occasion. I'd get on the waitlist and hope for the best.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

contact an agency to see if anyone has cabins left in their pockets.;)
This is rather miss information that somehow people seem to think that agencies hold cabins. Unfortunately this is not normally the case. (especially with HAL) Agencies do not say hold particular cabin numbers or blocks. Now in the case of a very large group or partial charter then this group may actually have paid in full for some cabins of that is extremely rare.
There are cruise lines that agencies do have groups set up that have a certain number they can sell in each category for groups but for many other cruise lines (Not HAL) they close out the groups several weeks before the sailing depending on how many the agency has sold. But at no time is there a block of cabins or at least it is very very rare.

But yes any agency can contact the cruise line and place a person on a wait list. It is actually wise to wait list every single category you would be willing to pay for. The more categories the better chance you will clear the wait list.
If you are at least three week away and the sailing is showing closed you still have a good chance of clearing a wait list as long as you are not wanting to be picky and want only an S Suite on a S Class ship. ;) And yes they mostly come from cancellations but there is also some extra cabins in there too.

[TiogaCruiser]

Thanks Lisa.

Here's hoping- almost a year away.......

[woody73]

We learned that some friends were going on an upcoming cruise (not HAL), and they asked us to join them. We tried to book, but it was sold out. The cruise line put us on a waitlist, and we paid a small refundable deposit. We were No. 22.

As the cruise got closer, I called and learned we were moving up the waitlist.

A few days before the cruise, we got a call from the cruise line saying a cabin became available, and we had three hours to decide, otherwise they would offer it to someone else.

YMMV

Woody

[CTStein]

After a few weeks of being on the waitlist I got a call yesterday afternoon and learned the ship had plenty of cabins. I was given information on several different categories. The challenge was the ship was leaving from Australia the following day and I had no way to arrange a flight that would get me there in time. I don't understand why they would not have contacted me on Friday as I would have been able to secure my air travel, they certainly had enough cabins. HAL was also clear that my confirmation would be via email and not by phone. Had I decided to take the gamble and make my journey to Australia I would have been out of luck since they have my landline on file not my mobile. I'm not disappointed as there is always another cruise that will sail the same waters. HAL could have done a better job in communications.

Thanks to everyone who responded.