Paid waitlist

Good evening all,

Could someone offer an explanation as to how the HAL paid waitlist system works please? Can you refuse to accept an offer of a stateroom if you do not like the allocation or the cost? Do you get the full amount back if you are not offered a stateroom or if you do not accept an offer?

Any information will be much appreciated.

Many thanks,

Delvinium

HAL has no paid waitlist unless you are referring to booking a guarantee cabin.

If you are unhappy with the cabin you are assigned under the guarantee program, you can ask for a different one. If one is available in the category that you booked you will likely be able to have it.

In view of the fact that guarantee program often does not assign cabins until well after Final Payment, I will say that any refund would be at the Cancellation Rate described in the cruise contract. If you didn't receive your assignment until a day or two before sailing you would be in the 100% penalty period.

Reports are numerous that many guarantee cabins are not assigned until the last week before sailing.

It is also reported that guarantee passengers often receive higher category cabins than they originally booked. Some have gotten a balcony assigned when they only paid for an inside.

One should be a bit careful with HAL category guarantees (we have often done these ourselves). Unlike some other cruise lines, HAL will often not assign a cabin until only a few days prior to the cruise....and sometimes not until you actually arrive at the port. Because of the late date of cabin assignments it can be very difficult (to impossible) to change cabins (unless the cruise is not sold out). We have always been happy with our HAL guarantees....but that is because we are not very choosy about our cabin location. For us, what often makes a bad cabin are noisy neighbors....and there is just no way to predict that problem when choosing a cabin.

Hank

I was waitlisted 5 years ago for a cruise and didn't have to pay to be on the waitlist. Once cleared, I had to make my deposit. That was 10 months prior to sailing.

I called HAL last August and asked about getting on an Alaskan cruise leaving a few weeks later that was listed as sold out. The rep confirmed it was sold out and I asked about getting on a wait list and said that I supposed there would be a charge/fee for that. This was confirmed. Then the rep checked somewhere/something and offered an obstructed view cabin for $20 more than an inside which we had been looking for. We took it.

Sorry folks but HAL has started paid wait lists - the 2018 world cruise is the latest example and it was a hefty sum. Was not wait listed so not sure how it worked(s) out. Maybe someone who was wait listed can chime in here.

About mid 1998, we knew we wanted to be on HAL ship for Millenium New Years eve. HAL had not yet t set up itineraries for all thei r ships and there were no prices available. We placed a deposit for a 'future cruise request. We specified, we wanted to be on b-to-b for Christmas and New Years in the Caribbean and which ever ship wou dl be fine. We indicated we wanteda cagteogry "S" suite as Nepptune Suites were called back then. As soon as HAL started being serious about taking bokings for that major , cdelebration, They advised us we could have our b-to-b "S" suite on Rottererdam and they took our firm booking. They would have re funded our deposit if we did not finalize the booking. It worked great for us and we had an amazing two weeks on the beautiful Rotterdam.