My First Puzzled Question

[norcal2]

I asked this question below in the trip cancellation string but thought I'd ask again:

If HAL cancels a cruise for any reason what happens to those cruisers who do have airline tickets prepaid for specific dates? In our upcoming trip we self-booked and paid the airline for next February and now I'm wondering if that was a bad idea.

Does the cruise line have the pull with the airline industry that allows cruisers to rebook for another date? Has anyone gone through this and if so, how did it work out?

[sail7seas]

We've read here in the past that when HAL has cancelled a cruise, they offer an OBC and the amount of it seems to be the usual cancellation fee airlines charge to change reservations.

If you book air with HAL, you will not be charged anything for change fee.

I have always said I think it unfair for HAL to not make people 'whole' when they cancel a sailing. I don't think they need to give anything more than what it has cost someone. No one should be out money because of HAL's cancellation IMO

We have also read here that many times, each case is handled individually. If you rebook, I think they work with people.

[Roz]

If you book your own air, you're on your own. Some airlines allow you to "re-ticket" for a fee, ususally around $50 - $100 per ticket. This is another instance where having travel insurance can pay off.

Roz

[heavenly]

Usually when HAL cancels a cruise, they will reimburse you for change fees if you book another HAL cruise, they will not do anything about any resulting fare increase, fuel supplements, etc. This is above and beyond any upgrades or OBC you might be offered.

[weluvcruisin']

This happened to us a few years ago, HAL sympathized with us but didn't really do much. They did offer us a shipboard credit. We had used air miles so we were really stuck, HAL did offer us $50 per person to change the tickets but with air miles that didn't help us at all and wasn't possible to re-book the flights.

we searched for another cruise at approx the same dates and found Celebrity that was within a few days of our original booking with HAL.

We still had a great time and didn't let it ruin our holiday.

[norcal2]

We've read here in the past that when HAL has cancelled a cruise, they offer an OBC and the amount of it seems to be the usual cancellation fee airlines charge to change reservations.

If you book air with HAL, you will not be charged anything for change fee.

I have always said I think it unfair for HAL to not make people 'whole' when they cancel a sailing. I don't think they need to give anything more than what it has cost someone. No one should be out money because of HAL's cancellation IMO

We have also read here that many times, each case is handled individually. If you rebook, I think they work with people.

I agree with you 100% on this; No one should be out money because the cruise line cancels. The reality of a cruise line cancelling had not even run through my mind when we paid the airline early. Kind of threw me off a bit. I also agree that they don't need to give more, just make whole. For us it is all about the cruise so we are fairly flexable. Nice to know they may factor that in with OBC. If no hard rules applies, at least it is a jumping point.

Given this new information I am not sure in the future I will prepay the air fare - but then again in this stage of the airline industry waiting can cost much more than any loss for a change of flight.

I had this vision of losing all the money we paid for the air tickets or trying to find things to do in Florida for 13 days as I watch everyone else sail but us. Thank you for your information. I do feel more comfortable with this potential.

[norcal2]

This happened to us a few years ago, HAL sympathized with us but didn't really do much. They did offer us a shipboard credit. We had used air miles so we were really stuck, HAL did offer us $50 per person to change the tickets but with air miles that didn't help us at all and wasn't possible to re-book the flights.

we searched for another cruise at approx the same dates and found Celebrity that was within a few days of our original booking with HAL.

We still had a great time and didn't let it ruin our holiday.

Oh My! We almost used our air miles and decided against it for our own convoluted reasoning (next trip.) I had NO idea that with the air miles this was the case. So you still used the booked flight but for another cruise? Fantastic! Glad you were able to make the most of it.

[tbrein]

Oh My! We almost used our air miles and decided against it for our own convoluted reasoning (next trip.) I had NO idea that with the air miles this was the case. So you still used the booked flight but for another cruise? Fantastic! Glad you were able to make the most of it.

It is my understanding that with frequent flier miles, you are able to change the date as long as the routing is the same at no cost. I have done that without a penalty.
Terri

[norcal2]

Thank you as well to Roz, heavenly and tbrein as I get the sense in reading all of the posts together that there is no firm rule other than we better book with potentials that are out of our control in mind - Something most of you already know I'm betting. Given how precarious the airline industry is (and perhaps the cruise industry) with the fuel situation, what you all pointed out, each in your own way, is that it is a good idea to cover bases when doing our own booking. No more second guessing for me. I now think it is a good idea to add the cost of insurance to any future trips I take. I know I should have done it even before. I always thought of "if I cancel' followed by "I absolutely won't" rather than if the ship cancels. No more "use it or lose it" flights for me. lol

Thank you all.

[O2B@C]

... If HAL cancels a cruise for any reason what happens to those cruisers who do have airline tickets prepaid for specific dates? ...

If you book your own air, you're on your own. Some airlines allow you to "re-ticket" for a fee, ususally around $50 - $100 per ticket. This is another instance where having travel insurance can pay off.
Roz

I couldn't agree more! In these days of flight cancellations, fare changes, fuel surcharges, etc., the only way to protect yourself is to get good travel insurance. Be sure to compare policies before you buy to make sure you are getting the coverage you need.

It is my understanding that with frequent flier miles, you are able to change the date as long as the routing is the same at no cost. I have done that without a penalty. Terri

True, but the problem is availability. The seats available for booking with frequent flyer miles are very limited, and popular routes "sell out" months in advance. If your cruise is cancelled, you may be able to rebook the cruise for another date - HAL will help you out on that - but if you're close to the departure date for the replacement cruise, you may find that all the "free" seats on your airline are gone. The airline will put the miles back into your account if you cancel the original flight (sometimes for a small service charge), but you may be stuck having to pay for the replacement flight - if you can even find available seats.

[Krazy Kruizers]

It did happen to us a couple of years ago. HAL gave up shipboard credit and even though we had booked our own air, we were also given additional shipboard credit to cover the $100 per person to change our airplane tickets for another cruise.

[twinkletoes4445]

Oh My! We almost used our air miles and decided against it for our own convoluted reasoning (next trip.) I had NO idea that with the air miles this was the case. So you still used the booked flight but for another cruise? Fantastic! Glad you were able to make the most of it.

I would not use air miles for a cruise. HAL's 7-day Caribbean cruises seem to be chartered out a lot. When we were on the Zuiderdam, the cruises around us were charters, which is partially why when we booked our next cruise, we booked a 10-day cruise. I know anything is possible, but I am hoping that a 10-day isn't as likely to charter as a 7-day does.

Part of the complaints from cruisers is how long it takes to finally be notified that they've been bumped. For our last cruise on HAL, I booked our airfare the same day I booked the cruise...but I didn't do that this time. I still haven't booked our airfare for our January cruise.

I think it's crazy that they can bump you like that, but it is what it is. On the flip side, as has been mentioned here, a booked passenger can cancel their cruise up until their final payment is due without any penalties. When cruising, especially on a 7-day Caribbean cruise on HAL, I'd have a "Plan B" worked out. If my vacation was carved in stone, and I couldn't move it to another week, I'd probably not book a cruise. We're pretty flexible, so we'd probably just move to another week. But not everyone has this option.

HAL isn't the only cruise line that does this, but HAL is the only site I post at and read (for the most part), so my observations are from posters that post here on this board.

When I mentioned taking another cruise, hubby's only request is that it be on HAL. Our first cruise on HAL was wonderful, so we're just going to keep our fingers crossed that our cruise doesn't end up being a charter.

Hope you have a wonderful cruise! :)

[tbrein]

True, but the problem is availability. The seats available for booking with frequent flyer miles are very limited, and popular routes "sell out" months in advance. If your cruise is cancelled, you may be able to rebook the cruise for another date - HAL will help you out on that - but if you're close to the departure date for the replacement cruise, you may find that all the "free" seats on your airline are gone. The airline will put the miles back into your account if you cancel the original flight (sometimes for a small service charge), but you may be stuck having to pay for the replacement flight - if you can even find available seats.

I have booked FF tickets for our upcoming cruise beginning in Barcelona. My ticket has been changed 7 times since I booked it last Nov. This was mainly due to changes in airline scheduling. Each time the ticket was reissued.-- even when I asked to make the change because I was not happy with the new flight I was on. I felt there was not enough connection time in JFK. I understand the availability of free seats, but many times they can accommodate you. I don't think I would be that concerned about using FF tickets.
Terri

[weluvcruisin']

It is my understanding that with frequent flier miles, you are able to change the date as long as the routing is the same at no cost. I have done that without a penalty.
Terri

We were using Air Canada airmiles which aren't very flexible at all. They will charge you for any change that you make after the original booking unless they initiate the change first then you have a bit of flexibility. We don't live in a gateway city so it's always a problem finding airmile seats on smaller planes to get to the gateway city, we have to book at least 6-10 months out to get the seats, so if there is any change in the cruise we are up the creek. Having said that we don't usually have a problem (touch wood) it has only happened once.

[sail7seas]

While I would hate if our cruise was pulled to enable them to charter, I always keep in mind just about everything in life bears some risk. Life's lessons teach us to 'deal with it'. Not worth the stress and angyst of overly fretting about some things.

Take reasonable precautions and what will be, will be.

[norcal2]

I have booked FF tickets for our upcoming cruise beginning in Barcelona. My ticket has been changed 7 times since I booked it last Nov. This was mainly due to changes in airline scheduling. Each time the ticket was reissued.-- even when I asked to make the change because I was not happy with the new flight I was on. I felt there was not enough connection time in JFK. I understand the availability of free seats, but many times they can accommodate you. I don't think I would be that concerned about using FF tickets.
Terri

We got changed twice in a month and we have many months to go. The first change was to a different plane going the non-stop we wanted so no big. The second change was the Delta non-stops to the location were cancelled. Are they getting more into multi-stops now and avoiding or cutting down on the non-stops or is it just our bad luck? In the second situation our online gave us a few options for one stops that were actually cheaper than our original now turned into one stop, and because it was Delta's doing we were allowed to cancel and rebook the new flight at no cost. I prefer a non-stop on the way rather than having my luggage change planes and end up lost with me looking homeless on the ship. But I can't have everything I want I guess. lol

Things are a little crazy right now.