First let me be clear, what I am referring to is when you book multiple cruise itineraries with a single reservation. For example, you book back-to-back 14-night cruises with a single reservation. For the purpose of this, I’ll refer to the segments as “1st” which sails on the 1st of the month and “2nd” which would sail of the 14th of the month.
One is allowed to book tours and make specialty dining reservations nearly up to the time of sailing. I believe that it is based upon when the cruise data is uploaded to each ship. Once it is uploaded then it comes under the control of the ship. Which is about 48 hours prior to the sailing.
So, if you are on only booked on the 2nd sailing you are able to make tour and specialty dining reservations until 48 hours prior to the sailing. However, if you are booked on both the 1st and 2nd sailing under a back-to-back combined invoiced cruise, you may only book the tours and specialty dining reservations for the 2nd sailing until 48 hours prior to the 1st sailing. You are essentially locked out of arranging tours and specialty dining reservations for the 2nd and any subsequent segment(s) of your cruise until approximately 48 hours prior the start of each subsequent segment.
I wonder if HAL’s management is aware of this limitation. It’s almost as if one is being punished for booking back-to-back cruises.
To be clear we make a number of reservations prior to boarding the ship, circumstances change and we would like to be afforded the same abilities to book reservations throughout our cruise once we board the ship as other have who have yet to board. After all someone who only books a single cruise has the flexibility to grab reservations while we are locked out.
