Shame on Holland!!!! Never again!

[YubaSutter]

Why didn't the OP start out by sharing 1 cabin with mother? Why would a mother and child buy 2 cabins and pay for two single supplements? Makes no sense to me.

[Boytjie]

Originally Posted by YubaSutter

Why didn't the OP start out by sharing 1 cabin with mother? Why would a mother and child buy 2 cabins and pay for two single supplements? Makes no sense to me.

That is besides the point: it is nobody's business why they booked two cabins.

[sail7seas]

Originally Posted by YubaSutter

Why didn't the OP start out by sharing 1 cabin with mother? Why would a mother and child buy 2 cabins and pay for two single supplements? Makes no sense to me.

This is not a young child but rather an adult.

They have their own reasons for wanting their own cabins.
Doesn't have to make sense to any of us IMO

[CowPrincess]

Originally Posted by Boytjie

That doesn't sound right (2 guarantees into 1 cabin), as does the 'take it or get nothing' approach being alleged.

The "take it or get nothing" might make sense if the OP had agreed to the change without truly understanding that it wasn't a free balcony cabin for each traveller. Or if the TA did not explain that clearly enough when presenting the offer. To me, that is the only way any of this makes sense (and that is completely disregarding the assertion that each traveller is getting charged 2 X the port fees and taxes).

Like others, just because I'm travelling with someone does NOT mean I wanna be forced to share my space with them

[styles27]

Originally Posted by peaches from georgia

I just reread OP's original post. These were 'guarantee' bookings and this change to 1 cabin was their cabin assignment. I know you have to accept what ever HAL assigns when you book a guarantee, but would that include 2 linked cabins being changed to 1 cabin in a higher category? I don't see how that could be done since they had booked 2 separate guarantees (assuming we have all the corrct info about these bookings).

Not exactly. Yes it was a guarantee booking, however they were each assigned a cabin and given cabin numbers.


The change to 1 cabin just happened today.

[styles27]

Originally Posted by jhcrossfield;33593577
[B

and why did they wait until AFTER they already gave us specific cabin assignments[/b].......because they could not care less about their passengers. That's why!

The "take it or leave it" one cabin offer came after they had already been assigned their individual cabins.

Which makes it even more odd.

[Dayenu]

"Holland is offering to refund the cruise fare and upgrade us to a balcony cabin"

Maybe I am missing something here... you will get your money back (OK, some of it, your said, not the full amount - the port fees will not be refunded) AND a balcony cabin that you have to share with your mom?

If the above is correct, why don't I feel sympathy?

[ariawoman]

Originally Posted by YubaSutter

Why didn't the OP start out by sharing 1 cabin with mother? Why would a mother and child buy 2 cabins and pay for two single supplements? Makes no sense to me.

If not for the single supplement i'd always get my own cabin. Alone time is awesome. :-)

I personally can't sleep in a cabin with others. I do so with my boyfriend but that's where that ends, i'd never consider sharing one with a relative or any other friend, so I can very much relate to wanting your own cabin.

That's still not the point though.

I still say it's the TA....no way HAL would say sorry you have to share. They can't.

[styles27]

Originally Posted by Dayenu

"Holland is offering to refund the cruise fare and upgrade us to a balcony cabin"

Maybe I am missing something here... you will get your money back (OK, some of it, your said, not the full amount - the port fees will not be refunded) AND a balcony cabin that you have to share with your mom?

If the above is correct, why don't I feel sympathy?

They booked and paid for 2 rooms.

They were assigned 2 rooms yesterday.

Today their TA tells them that they are now in 1 room, "take it or leave it".

I'd be upset too.

They may be getting a refund for the extra surcharge cruise fare but they're losing their privacy and the money they paid for port charges and taxes.

Sounds like they're getting a rotten deal to me.

[sail7seas]

Originally Posted by Dayenu

"Holland is offering to refund the cruise fare and upgrade us to a balcony cabin"

Maybe I am missing something here... you will get your money back (OK, some of it, your said, not the full amount - the port fees will not be refunded) AND a balcony cabin that you have to share with your mom?

If the above is correct, why don't I feel sympathy?

They made the choice to book two cabins. It is the way they want it. I feel bad they are not getting what they want but still think there's a TA story here that has not been fully disclosed.

JMO.....

[IRL_Joanie]

Originally Posted by jhcrossfield

To be clear:

This was NOT optional. If we want to go on the cruise we must acept their offer share the cabin. My agent verified this twice at my request. She even presented alternatives such as booking another date, etc. Those were expressly refused. So, we either take the cruisefare portion of what was paid as a refund and consolidate to one cabin or we don't go.

One pays cruise fare, port charges and taxes in total---the two of us combined paid what it would cost 4 people to have 2 cabins since the single supplement was 100%. The cruise fare portion of the total was so low that it counted for a little over half of what was charged. The rest was port charges and taxes. The port charges amounted to what they charge 4 people even though only 2 were going and since the taxes were based on the total cruise fare portion of what was paid there is nothing "wrong" with what they charged there.

Anyway, buyer beware.........it's not the way to start a vacation and I do not plan on speding my week fighting it onboard.

I think Lisa or Candy here to help try and figure out what the OP is saying and to help him/her out.

I, like many others, think the TA is at fault in, at the very least, explaining what is happening to the OP and possibly to us.

Can someone do the math for me here please?? (I'm lousy at math)

In Sept 2011 we paid per person in our stateroom for our cruise to Alaska:

Cruise Fare: $2199.00
Taxes: $110.40
Port Fees: $235.00

What is the percentage of Taxes and Port Fess (Which HAL has no control of, btw) that we paid per person?

Joanie

[iancal]

Good luck to you.

Put their feet to fire and don't just 'settle', settle for something in your favor-not theirs. They created the problem.

[innlady1]

Originally Posted by sail7seas

They made the choice to book two cabins. It is the way they want it. I feel bad they are not getting what they want but still think there's a TA story here that has not been fully disclosed.

JMO.....

I've never heard of HAL doing this to anyone else. Never. I agree...I think the travel agent goofed somehow.

[mamaofami]

Something is very wrong here. They booked two cabins because they wanted two cabins. I can not see or believe that HAL would put them together in one cabin, take it or leave it. I agree that somewhere there was either a misunderstanding between the TA and OP or the TA and Hal. The bottom line is they are sailing tomorrow and I don't see how this can be rectified now.

[lcand1923]

I cannot understand how 2 cabins (each paid for and assigned) can become 1 cabin -- take it or leave it. Personally, I'd have to leave it. I'd be disappointed at not taking a cruise, but I wouldn't share a cabin if I hadn't planned on doing it from the beginning. (Don't know the cost of the airfare and possible pre & post hotel stays, but I'd probably eat them rather than share a cabin.)

[Typhoon1]

When someone sorts this all out, be sure to let the rest of us know.

[styles27]

This thread has me so paranoid that I've already gone to the Holland America site twice to be sure my stateroom number is still there for this weekend's cruise.

I know our cruise is oversold and they were making offers yesterday...I really hope enough people take them up on those offers.

[mamaofami]

If you want to be sure you get what you paid for, book with a reputable TA to begin with. I can't imagine my TA agreeing to such a thing if she knew we wanted two cabins. Do your homework before you book.

[innlady1]

Originally Posted by mamaofami

If you want to be sure you get what you paid for, book with a reputable TA to begin with. I can't imagine my TA agreeing to such a thing if she knew we wanted two cabins. Do your homework before you book.

Exactly. I honestly feel we have no worries...ever...because of that.

[peaches from georgia]

As someone mentioned in another post, it is worth taking a quick look at OP's previous posts over the years. Most posts are grievances against all the cruiselines he has sailed and gotten "ripped off"- Seabourn, Celebrity and Azamara for starters. Complaints about all of them.

I apologize if I am wrong, but I'm beginning to wonder if we are getting the complete and true story. It's unusual that any one pax would be ripped off by every cruiseline he sails.