Maasdam oversold for this Saturday

[clopaw]

Apparently this Saturday's sailing of the Maasdam is oversold. We just had a call for our TA offering us back half our fare to move our sailing to the following week or the week after that. Unfortunately changing our airfare would more than eat up the credit.

Even more unfortunately for us, they were offering half the fare back and a 10 day Rotterdam New England cruise in October. My job's busiest season is the fall, so that's not an option for us. (let's see, calling in sick from a cruise ship, would they fall for that? ;) )

[Krazy Kruizers]

:) Maasdam

How did that happen that HAL over sold a cruise?

Wonder how they selected you? Any clue?

HAL should realize that people who don't live near the port and have to fly have a hard time changing flights plus the additional cost.

:)

[boot]

I've just received the same call from my TA. If it were not 3 days away, I would seriously consider it. As it is now I would have to change too many arrangements, pet sitter, limo, etc.

[Roz]

Does this happen often? Do they overbook and then hope a certain number or percentage don't make the final payment? Sounds good though, if you're retired and live close enough to the port to drive.

Roz

[Krazy Kruizers]

:)

As far as I know it has never happened on any of our cruises on any cruise line.

Would like to know how it happened?

:)

[iluvcruzin]

If you could make the change it sounds like a good deal. Unfortuantely not everyone is so flexible. As far as how this happened.. my guess is they had too many guaranteed cabins sold. I could be wrong as it's just a guess.

[sail7seas]

CALL ME.......


Aside from the fact we have a friend flying in to join us aboard, I would "sell" back our cruise if asked.....IF THE OFFER WERE GOOD ENOUGH. What would be the big deal for us as we live in Boston. The only bad part would be if my husband could not rearrange his schedule.

We once sold back our Suite on Rotterdam Transatlantic 17 day cruise and the offer was AMAZING. They must have wanted a Suite big time!!

[Krazy Kruizers]

:)

Agree with you about their selling too many guaranteed cabins.

Sounds like their computer program may have broken down and several cabins were sold more than once.

:)

[stillfrantic]

Seems that even with the guarantees sold, the fianl payments would have determined how many were allowed to book. Seventy five days ago they should have know how many were left. Maybe too many took advantage of a last minute discount and instead of some reserving and not following through with full payment, everyone paid?

We wouldn't be able to cancel either because of airfare. I guess the OP booked their own air? Would they not offer the incentive to those using HAL air because then HAL would have to pay the change fees?

[clopaw]

Now they've changed it to the 10 day cruise of our choice, upgrade from outside to balcony and 25% refund. Just need to check dates with my boss. Obviously gives us much more flexibility with changing plane tickets

[FlorenceItaly]

What a deal! Very interesting.....please keep us posted.

Marie

[Cruiseoften]

There's a first time for everything!

NEVER heard of it on a cruise! Airlines do it all the time. Must be some very special VIP's looking for space. :eek:

Please keep us informed

[lknick]

So what happens? You get there and there is another bear in your cabin. Do you have to wait for the next ship a la the airlines?

[gizmo]

This is nothing new, but I haven't heard about it happening on Hal in a long time. It happens on all cruise lines and every now and then I see it posted on other boards.

[Cruiseoften]

:) How did that happen that HAL over sold a cruise?[/color][/font]
Wonder how they selected you? Any clue?[/color][/font]
HAL should realize that people who don't live near the port and have to fly have a hard time changing flights plus the additional cost.
:)

KKs, your post raises a question so................

Have to ask, Clopaw, - did you book the 'royal' Penthouse Suite? :D

[Krazy Kruizers]

:)

Keep us updated as to what is happening.

:)

[tankerjo2]

Happened to us twice on HAL. Wife and Mother's 7 day Alaska cruise in 93 was oversold...offered a 10 day cruise to Alaska out of SF with a nice upgrade, they declined the offer and happened once again 4 or 5 years ago we had 2 inside cabins booked for Alaska when we got a call offering us 2 balcony cabins to go the following week. Since it was Vancouver to Vancouver and since we had no air involved and we live within easy driving distance of Vancouver we jumped at the offer.

[clopaw]

Well, we are now booked on the Rotterdam 10 day Panama Canal cruise in December. We went from an outside far forward with portholes to a balcony with a refund of twenty five percent of what we paid for a week on the Maasdam. We could change the Boston tickets on Delta to Fort Lauderdale with a $100 charge per person. HAL is giving us a ship credit for the $200. While we had looked forward to the Canada/New England tour, we have wanted to do the Panana Canal so we are excited about this one, too.

Our travel agent says that in her experience Princess is the line that most commonly overbooks, but she has seen it on HAL as well. This will be our ninth cruise, first on HAL. We have never had any kind of upgrade in the past...always happy with the room we've paid for. Who know?...maybe HAL will be our new favorite.

I have no idea why they chose us. Our TA said we were her only passengers on this sailing, so I have no idea how widespread their offer was. We're from Ohio, so they probably could have guessed we would be flying, but not with their air. I'm just glad they chose us.:D

[FlorenceItaly]

WOW!!!!!!!!!! I am a recent first time HAL'er, first cruise on the Maasdam last month, but from what I have read on here, and in talking to other passengers Rotterdam is a favorite ship among MANY. It sounds like you are going on a wonderful ship AND a wonderful itinerary. HAL was very generous.
How exciting! Congrats.

Btw, I DID love the NE/Canada cruise and the Maasdam so make sure you book it for next summer :).

Marie

[peaches from georgia]

CONGRATULATIONS, clopaw! I loved the Maasdam and the Canada/NE cruise, but we have taken the 10 day Panama Canal cruise on the Rotterdam and it is the BEST!!! You got a GREAT deal! :)

[Aussie Gal]

Clopaw,

How wonderful for you. That will be such an exciting trip especially on the lovely Rotterdam.

It could never happen to us, living so far away from the action, but it is great when nice things happen for others.

Jennie

[clopaw]

We're excited. It just seemed like a great opportunity. The last two cruises we've done have been 10 days, and the idea of going back to a 7 day was a little difficult. Still, the ports were all new to us on the Maasdam cruise, and we were looking forward to our first HAL cruise. Now we just have longer to look forward to it. :D I had used these boards a lot for information, so I'm starting over.

[Flyingfish]

Yes this does happen! We booked HAL's Amsterdam for their 17 day Copenhagen to NYC Northern Adventure (forgot the proper cruise name). This happened in 2001. The TA called twice to try to talk us out of an inside room. The offer was fantastic, but, we weren't giving up this cruise having missed it the year before (Maasdam). We never regretted it!!

[Krazy Kruizers]

:) clopaw

Glad you were able to work something out. You will love the Panama Canal, the Rotterdam, and the verandah.

Enjoy.

:)

[tjcox9]

We were on a 5/8 Caribbean Princess cruise that was overbooked. We did not get a call about rebooking, but the boards had comments from many that did get the offer to rebook.

[Vistadeck]

We had an outside guarantee on the Rotterdam for a 10 day Canada/New England cruise a couple of years ago, a week or two before our TA called and HAL was overbooked, they gave us one cruise fair back less the port charges, and gave us an inside handicap cabin, which was very spacious, we loved the trip :).

Tina

[jazzsea]

You will love the Rotterdam. Please post a review for those of us sailing the same itinerary and ship in January. I am so glad that you could take advantage of the offer.

[Krazy Kruizers]

A few days ago we got an e-mail from HAL advertising certain dates for the Maasdam's Canada?New England cruises that still have a lot of empty cabins. Looks like that was just one of those things when the Maasdam was overbooked for that one cruise.

[clopaw]

As it turns out, I had an extremely hectic week at work the week we were supposed to be gone. It's just as well from that point of view that we didn't go. The company that I work for is busy in the warm weather. December is usually quiet. My husband and I are really looking forward to the Panama Canal. I've been busy figuring out excursions. Thanks to all the good advice here, we are booked on the Tortuguero Canal tour. HAL has not released the excursions from Colon yet, but we are planning to take the train after going through the locks both ways.

[Krazy Kruizers]

clopaw

You'll love the Tortuguero Canal and the train ride from the canal.

Great tours - we did them and loved them.

[localady]

Well, we are now booked on the Rotterdam 10 day Panama Canal cruise in December. We went from an outside far forward with portholes to a balcony with a refund of twenty five percent of what we paid for a week on the Maasdam. We could change the Boston tickets on Delta to Fort Lauderdale with a $100 charge per person. HAL is giving us a ship credit for the $200. While we had looked forward to the Canada/New England tour, we have wanted to do the Panana Canal so we are excited about this one, too.

Clopaw-
Will you be taking the Dec. 2nd Rotterdam cruise???? My DH and I, and friends are booked for the trip also! I was excited before but now I hear that the improvements will be made at HMC too, and that is exciting!!! :D Hope you are joining us! :cool: P.S. We have reserved the Orange cabana, come by and say hi if you are on the cruise.:D :cool: