Oversold Cruises

I am sure that this has been discussed somewhere on this site, but i could not find it....sorry. I just received a call offering upgrades and refunds on a cruise on Majesty that we are sailing on tomorrow. We are travelling with friends from out of state so we obviously cant change our plans. If we were sailing alone it would have been a great deal and we likely would have taken advantage of the offer.

My question is, what DO they do if they can not get enough people to change? How do they decide who sails and who doesn't?

When the oversold condition has been reported here, it's been someone with a guarantee (no specific stateroom) that has gotten bumped.

My MJ cruise for Monday four night has been showing sold out for some time now.

I would be willing to take some perks to rebook, but they better be really, really good

perks. ;)

And no, I am not in a guarantee cabin.

I am not booked in a guarantee so i was very surprised to get the call...the offer was quite generous, but obviously poor timing.

I am not booked in a guarantee so i was very surprised to get the call...the offer was quite generous, but obviously poor timing.

Naturally you are on a popular 3 day holiday cruise...with lots of graduating students. I can see where it could easily be oversold.

Naturally you are on a popular 3 day holiday cruise...with lots of graduating students. I can see where it could easily be oversold.

Oh I absolutely understand how it can be oversold (trust me if it weren't for my out of state friends I would not be on a Memorial Day cruise). But what if they can not get enough people to change their plans and switch dates?

Oh I absolutely understand how it can be oversold (trust me if it weren't for my out of state friends I would not be on a Memorial Day cruise). But what if they can not get enough people to change their plans and switch dates?

I think Bob (Clarea) answered that for you. Another reason not to book a guarantee cabin during a popular cruise. :o

Since you are not in a guarantee, you should be fine.

Funny you mentioned you would not normally be on a holiday cruise. Our anniversary just happens to fall on June 1st, hence the reason for our cruise on Monday. I asked the DH if he would like to book anniversary cruise for next year on MJ....but that would put us on the 3 night holiday cruise....he declined.

Understand totally how you feel.

Perhaps I'm just naive, but I didn't realize that cruise lines over book! I have cruised for several years, and never encountered it. I book a year in advance and spend the whole year looking forward to my cruise, I certaintly would not want to cancel and rebook to a different ship! They can't make you cancel, can they? Sounds like the problem with airlines, and I heard they were going to make them stop their over booking.

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Perhaps I'm just naive, but I didn't realize that cruise lines over book! I have cruised for several years, and never encountered it. I book a year in advance and spend the whole year looking forward to my cruise, I certaintly would not want to cancel and rebook to a different ship! They can't make you cancel, can they? Sounds like the problem with airlines, and I heard they were going to make them stop their over booking.

 

 

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Closely guarded secret. ;)

You are asking people to speculate or guess

When the oversold condition has been reported here, it's been someone with a guarantee (no specific stateroom) that has gotten bumped.

I know this is slightly off-topic. But I wonder if this will remain the same with guarantee cabins getting non-refundable deposits. Though I guess by sailing dates every cabin is non-refundable.

I know this is slightly off-topic. But I wonder if this will remain the same with guarantee cabins getting non-refundable deposits. Though I guess by sailing dates every cabin is non-refundable.

I'm just guessing, but I expect that if they still have to bump people involuntarily, they would first pick from guarantee bookings, and it that case, they would refund the deposit in any case.

They call local people first, on the assumption that they don't have airfare to change and are much more likely to take the offer.

They call local people first, on the assumption that they don't have airfare to change and are much more likely to take the offer.

Smart thinking! ;)

They can bump me anytime. I'd be all over it.

They can bump me anytime. I'd be all over it.

It's all about the perks offered to inconvenience us baby!! Bring on that carrot stick!! :hearteyes:

We live just 90 minutes from Port Canaveral and usually sail from there. If the incentives were good enough, I would definitely take them up on their offer. I am sure there will be people who will on your cruise.

For me to even consider letting them bump me the incentive would have to be HUGE!

I am talking about 100% credit to be applied to the cruise of my choice within the next two years AND a sizeable cash payment immediately.

Not that I am that sentimental about a vacation destination, I can be happy going any of a hundred places. But I am VERY sentimental about the vacation time we would both lose. Try getting a nice hotel and transportation to a popular vacation destination a couple of days in advance. Probably impossible...and I don't take vacation days to lay around the house. I can do that on weekends.

For me to even consider letting them bump me the incentive would have to be HUGE!

 

I am talking about 100% credit to be applied to the cruise of my choice within the next two years AND a sizeable cash payment immediately.

 

Not that I am that sentimental about a vacation destination, I can be happy going any of a hundred places. But I am VERY sentimental about the vacation time we would both lose. Try getting a nice hotel and transportation to a popular vacation destination a couple of days in advance. Probably impossible...and I don't take vacation days to lay around the house. I can do that on weekends.

Don't think cruise line would offer free cruise & cash like a airline could....

I'm just guessing, but I expect that if they still have to bump people involuntarily, they would first pick from guarantee bookings, and it that case, they would refund the deposit in any case.

By definition of the word "Guarantee" this should not be true. A stateroom booked as a Guarantee status would carry the same weight as a stateroom not booked as a Guarantee -- either of them can be contacted with offers in an over-booked situation. I know cruises get over-booked, but like was answered earlier, I believe they start with locals that cruise often, have more flexibility, and have not booked flights to the port of departure. I would have to guess that close to 100% of the time the cruise lines find willing volunteers -- this is why you rarely hear about over-bookings on cruises.

For me to even consider letting them bump me the incentive would have to be HUGE!

Before getting all excited about how HUGE the compensation would be, might be best to read the contract. The hammers in Royal's hand, and if you are in a "bumped" situation, you'll pretty much get what they offer.

Some think we have a negotiating position in situations like this but best to understand the contract before setting that line in the sand.

If I was ever called as someone "bumped" I'd keep a civil tone and do the best I could knowing they can in fact just give me back my money and wish me a nice day.

Back in 2009, Princess made us an offer to change our cruise. If we agreed to move our cruise, they would upgrade our cabins from balcony to minisuite, and would give us 100% of our cruisefare refunded to us after we completed the cruise. They gave us a choice of sailings, but we were able to negotiate that to include a sailing that was most convenient for us.

By definition of the word "Guarantee" this should not be true. A stateroom booked as a Guarantee status would carry the same weight as a stateroom not booked as a Guarantee -- either of them can be contacted with offers in an over-booked situation. I know cruises get over-booked, but like was answered earlier, I believe they start with locals that cruise often, have more flexibility, and have not booked flights to the port of departure. I would have to guess that close to 100% of the time the cruise lines find willing volunteers -- this is why you rarely hear about over-bookings on cruises.

This is us to a T. We are locals who cruise often so this all makes sense!

Let's hope they don't get the United treatment.

You are asking people to speculate or guess

Isn't that what this Forum thrives on. [emoji6]

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