Zaandam vista suites?

I (and my swedish travel-agent) can not understand why Vista-suites, category BC are much (23-30%) more expensive than the other Vista.

For me, they all looks the same. Perhaps I would expect BC to be among the cheapest, as they are located near aft. Anyone who knows?

(To mail HAL, is like sending to a black hole.)

WKR Ralf

It will help us help you if you provide the sailing date and region you're pricing out. I have a cruise booked on the Zaandam for next April. The BC is less expensive than any other Vista Suite for my cruise.

I'm happy to check your cruise on the Canadian website to see if the same pricing imbalance is there. And, I'm sure someone in the US will check the American pricing.

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

Agree -- lots of us can check prices for you.

Just give us the date of the cruise you are interested in.

I (and my swedish travel-agent) can not understand why Vista-suites, category BC are much (23-30%) more expensive than the other Vista.

For me, they all looks the same. Perhaps I would expect BC to be among the cheapest, as they are located near aft. Anyone who knows?

(To mail HAL, is like sending to a black hole.)

WKR Ralf

If I understand right, current pricing for the sailing you are viewing shows other vista suite categories at better prices than BC?

Book one of the higher categories then. Sounds like you found a great deal.

All of the rooms will be equipped identically unless there is something in the deck plan that indicates otherwise

On many sailings HAL keeps one of the lower cabins in each category at a very high price. That gives them the option to offer a "really good" sale price on these cabins closer to sailing. And when they offer the lower price they tend to be guarantee cabins.

Not sure if that is what is happening on the cruise that you are looking at, but HAL wants you to book the higher cabins.

Thanks for answers.

My case is this:

1. Booked a cruise from Valparaiso 31:st januari. Outside categori EE.

2. Were now offered upgrade to Vista, any Vista, for a fixed price.

3. The different (A,AA,B and BB) Vista have current list-price between 60" and 63" sek. But BC is listed 78" sek.

4. Clever as I am, I choosed the expensive Vista. Golden shower-hose?

5. Or is it HAL pulling my legs with pricelist made for someone like me?

I (and my swedish travel-agent) can not understand why Vista-suites, category BC are much (23-30%) more expensive than the other Vista.

For me, they all looks the same. Perhaps I would expect BC to be among the cheapest, as they are located near aft. Anyone who knows?

(To mail HAL, is like sending to a black hole.)

WKR Ralf

On the Zaandam and most of the other smaller HAL ships, the Vista categories rank (from lowest to highest): BC, BB, B, AA, A. HAL changed alot of cabin rankings about 1-2 years ago, so this should tell you that the cabins are pretty much the same. Difference therefore is basically location (midship higher, below pool lower, etc.).

Why is the BC more expensive in your case? Hard to say for certain, but most likely it is due to how full the category is (note that there are only 6 BC cabins on the Zaandam). Also, it could be that HAL is doing some other promotions and want to hold back some categories. It happens alot more often than you might think.

DaveOKS, you made me a bit dissapointed. Cabin 7082 is aft and below pool area. Worst possible. And it seems that I can not expect something hidden extra. I learn as long as I live. Can only hope for a cruise with no wind an waves. In that case I´m up to zero again.

DaveOKS, you made me a bit dissapointed. Cabin 7082 is aft and below pool area. Worst possible. And it seems that I can not expect something hidden extra. I learn as long as I live. Can only hope for a cruise with no wind an waves. In that case I´m up to zero again.

If you are on a cold or cool weather cruise, there will be little action at the aft Seaview pool above you, so this should not be a major problem. On warm weather cruises, noise will mostly be during the day. Either way, IMO its not a big problem - go and enjoy your cruise.

Thanks for answers.

My case is this:

1. Booked a cruise from Valparaiso 31:st januari. Outside categori EE.

2. Were now offered upgrade to Vista, any Vista, for a fixed price.

3. The different (A,AA,B and BB) Vista have current list-price between 60" and 63" sek. But BC is listed 78" sek.

4. Clever as I am, I choosed the expensive Vista. Golden shower-hose?

5. Or is it HAL pulling my legs with pricelist made for someone like me?

I looked up your cruise on the Canadian website. The BC is the least expensive of all of the cabins:

BC - C$8,398.80

BB - C$10,258.80

B - C$10,438.80

AA - C$10,618.80

A - C$10,858.80

plus port, fees and taxes of C$526.61.

I suspect that OVGirl is correct and HAL is saving the BC's for future flash sales but I would have thought that would be reflected in the pricing above.

At any rate, I would suggest that if you booked the most expensive category for your fixed price, you made a really good deal. Of course, that's without knowing the current conversion of the SEK to the C$!!

Enjoy your cruise!

I'm sorry, I misundestood your post. I was thinking you went for an A category, not a BC. Can you try to change it? If you're not keen on wind and waves, you would be better mid ship. And, one never knows going around the Horn, whether it's Drake's Lake or Drake's Shake!

The possibility of change I do not know. If I had know what I know now, after your information here on forum, I probably had choosen another cabin. But now I will stay with my choice. For my next cruise I will take use of this forum. Before order. Thanks.

Alberta, I am surprised. Your rates are very opposite to European. Thanks to you, HAL has something to explain. It stands between their excurisions and independent. WKR Ralf.