How hard is it to change a booking name?

[chicopaige]

Three friends and I booked a cruise on the Maasdam departing from Montreal June 12, 2010. One of my cruisemates is unable to go due to an illness. Has anyone had experience changing the booking name so that another friend can buy her space?

[iamaqt2]

Were all 4 of you booked into 1 cabin? Or were there 2 cabins involved for the 4 of you?

 

I believe the change fee is 250.00 so she may not be willing to absorb that much. If all 4 of you are willing to split it, that might help a bit.

 

Otherwise, I think the original cruiser might be out their fare.

[DutchByAssociation]

Three friends and I booked a cruise on the Maasdam departing from Montreal June 12, 2010. One of my cruisemates is unable to go due to an illness. Has anyone had experience changing the booking name so that another friend can buy her space?

 

Penalties for the guest no longer going would apply based on time until cruise and the penalty structure at that time (obviously insurance minimizes these penalties if it was selected) and the new person would pay their fare to go.

[DutchByAssociation]

Were all 4 of you booked into 1 cabin? Or were there 2 cabins involved for the 4 of you?

 

I believe the change fee is 250.00 so she may not be willing to absorb that much. If all 4 of you are willing to split it, that might help a bit.

 

Otherwise, I think the original cruiser might be out their fare.

 

There is no set amount. It's based on 3 things:

• How many days til sailing
  
• Amount Paid
  
• Did you get insurance
  

 

TECHNICALLY there's also the matter of, if you went through an agent... do THEY charge a fee to cancel someone.

[maxout]

It can be done and there will be a charge, but you need to contact either your TA or HAL (whoever you booked with) and get this done ASAP.

[chicopaige]

We booked two rooms for the four of us--and have no insurance:(

[DutchByAssociation]

We booked two rooms for the four of us--and have no insurance:(

 

So in that case the penalties that would apply will be assessed to the booking. The new party would have to pay their full amount, not the balance due as the system shows it, in order to kick back the remaining amount to the cancelling party.

 

Reservations can assist you (or the TA) with the specific figures. Just as a side note, had you selected one of the plans through HAL the penalties would have been shaved down to 10% or 20% of what will end up being applied. Other plans would possibly minimize based on their policies, etc.

 

Regardless of all the info for future times up above, I hope the medical conditions aren't serious and that the cancelling party can sail again soon.

 

DBA

[maxout]

Regardless of all the info for future times up above, I hope the medical conditions aren't serious and that the cancelling party can sail again soon.

 

DBA

 

Well said!

[serendipity1499]

In case you don't know, Dutch by Association works for HAL...Take his advice as no one else here can give you a definitive answer..There are too many factors involved as it's only a month before sailing..This is one reason why it's so important to purchase insurance..Hope your Friend recovers..

 

Good luck...Betty

[chicopaige]

Thanks for your help. My friend getting healthy is definitely the priority for all of us. If there is a way for her to get at least a part of her money back I want to do what I can. Another option is for us to take turns having a cabin to ourselves and paying her back her cruise fare.

[iamaqt2]

So in that case the penalties that would apply will be assessed to the booking. The new party would have to pay their full amount, not the balance due as the system shows it, in order to kick back the remaining amount to the cancelling party.

 

Reservations can assist you (or the TA) with the specific figures. Just as a side note, had you selected one of the plans through HAL the penalties would have been shaved down to 10% or 20% of what will end up being applied. Other plans would possibly minimize based on their policies, etc.

 

Regardless of all the info for future times up above, I hope the medical conditions aren't serious and that the cancelling party can sail again soon.

 

DBA

 

With the sailing date mentioned... obviously final payment has been met and there is no balance due. OP is talking about switching out a fully paid cruiser for another. Unfortunately at this late date it might not be possible.

 

This is taken directly from HAL's site in their policy section:

Name changes require the prior approval of Holland America and may not always be possible. Cruise and Cruisetour Contracts are nontransferable. Name changes and departure date changes are considered reservation cancellations and are subject to cancellation fees.

 

I was quoting the dollar amounts mentioned on here by previous cruisers who were successful in changing names. But not everyone is going to have the same experience.

[room010]

You'd think that simply changing the name on a fully paid ticket would be easy (and free). Cruiselines don't see it that way and will charge whatever they can get away with :mad: I hope you can sort something out.

[pms4104]

From your post above:

 

This is taken directly from HAL's site in their policy section: Quote:

Name changes require the prior approval of Holland America and may not always be possible. Cruise and Cruisetour Contracts are nontransferable. Name changes and departure date changes are considered reservation cancellations and are subject to cancellation fees

 

HAL's statement seems to be some kind of doublespeak ... name changes "not always possible" and "name changes ... considered cancellations" with cancel fees. Maybe I'm stupid, but it doesn't make sense to me.

[iamaqt2]

From your post above:

 

This is taken directly from HAL's site in their policy section: Quote:

Name changes require the prior approval of Holland America and may not always be possible. Cruise and Cruisetour Contracts are nontransferable. Name changes and departure date changes are considered reservation cancellations and are subject to cancellation fees

 

HAL's statement seems to be some kind of doublespeak ... name changes "not always possible" and "name changes ... considered cancellations" with cancel fees. Maybe I'm stupid, but it doesn't make sense to me.

 

I didn't write it,,, I just quoted it...

 

I also remember a quote that says... " Stupid is as Stupid Does"

[pms4104]

I didn't write it,,, I just quoted it...

 

I also remember a quote that says... " Stupid is as Stupid Does"

I wasn't inferring anything about you or your writing skills ... just pointing out that HAL's statement seemed contradictory.

[iamaqt2]

I wasn't inferring anything about you or your writing skills ... just pointing out that HAL's statement seemed contradictory.

 

 

My quote was directed at the contradictory nature of HAL not your post... sorry if it came across that way

[pms4104]

My quote was directed at the contradictory nature of HAL not your post... sorry if it came across that way

No worries ... no offense.

[doctork]

I have done last minute changes without difficulty or substantial fees - but they were on full charter cruises with HAL. Most recently, in March, I had booked a cabin to sail solo and about 10 days before the cruise, a friend decided to come along too, sharing the cabin with me. Just added her name to the cabin and booking and paid the difference in fares. They were no doubt glad to have the extra revenue.

 

Another time, my husband decided about 1 month in advance not to cruise with me. There was a modest fee, maybe $50 to change to a single occupancy (160% of the double rate). I had insured the trip, but HAL or the agency that handled the charter decided to accept the 160% as payment in full, so I didn't file an insurance claim.

 

The third cruise change (and I have only taken 3 cruises!) occurred on that same cruise where my husband canceled. A friend wanted his daughter to join the cruise part way through, and I said I would be happy to share my cabin with her if she were able to make it. As it happened, she couldn't, but the arrangement with HAL (or the chartering agency) was that they had to know 90 minutes in advance of sailing (she would have embarked with us at a Norwegian port), and that the fare paid would need to be 100% despite taking only part of the cruise, plus that modest change fee - $50 or $100.

 

I realize a charter cruise is different, but it does illustrate what the "real costs" might be vs what is charged.

[room010]

The "real cost" involves a HAL employee changing the name on a computer from Passenger A to Passenger B, ie, no cost at all. Came cabin, same bed, same ship, same fare - what can possibly justify charging hundreds of dollars? It's not just HAL, all cruiselines do this (also airlines, etc) usually in the name of "security" and it's nonsense. They get away with because they can. Grrrrrr.

[Jade13]

Unless something has changed one person is canceling and the other is a new booking. I am not sure if HAL has something in place where the new person would get the original fare or not (assuming the new fare is more). I don't think they do "name changes".

 

If the person canceling had HALs platinum insurance they would only have a 5% penalty (plus the cost of the insurance) if they had canceled at 31 plus days.

[sealady1]

I would think that HAL or any cruiseline for that matter, would be glad to accept a name change and still have a body on board buying drinks, using spa services, gambling in the casino or otherwise creating revenue rather than have an outright cancellation especially so close to sailaway. JMHO

[serendipity1499]

I have done last minute changes without difficulty or substantial fees - but they were on full charter cruises with HAL. Most recently, in March, I had booked a cabin to sail solo and about 10 days before the cruise, a friend decided to come along too, sharing the cabin with me. Just added her name to the cabin and booking and paid the difference in fares. They were no doubt glad to have the extra revenue.

 

Another time, my husband decided about 1 month in advance not to cruise with me. There was a modest fee, maybe $50 to change to a single occupancy (160% of the double rate). I had insured the trip, but HAL or the agency that handled the charter decided to accept the 160% as payment in full, so I didn't file an insurance claim.

 

The third cruise change (and I have only taken 3 cruises!) occurred on that same cruise where my husband canceled. A friend wanted his daughter to join the cruise part way through, and I said I would be happy to share my cabin with her if she were able to make it. As it happened, she couldn't, but the arrangement with HAL (or the chartering agency) was that they had to know 90 minutes in advance of sailing (she would have embarked with us at a Norwegian port), and that the fare paid would need to be 100% despite taking only part of the cruise, plus that modest change fee - $50 or $100.

 

I realize a charter cruise is different, but it does illustrate what the "real costs" might be vs what is charged.

 

You are comparing apples to oranges! And it does not illustrate what the "real costs" might be..

Full ship Charters are NOT handled the same way as normally scheduled cruises..As Dutch said, the OP should contact HAL or her TA immediately since there are many things to be considered..

Chartering organizations pay HAL a set price for the cruise.. The Chartering organization then determines what the fare chargesd should be..Normally a chartering organization makes a profit on charters & they determine what to charge for name changes according to their contract with HAL..

Cheers....:)Betty

[jtl513]

Three friends and I booked a cruise on the Maasdam departing from Montreal June 12, 2010. One of my cruisemates is unable to go due to an illness. Has anyone had experience changing the booking name so that another friend can buy her space?

Do something quick: without insurance, the cancellation fee is 50% for days 56 to 29 days before sailing. Day 29 for you is Fri, the 14th, so Sat the cancellation fee will be 75%.

See: http://www.hollandamerica.com/cruise-vacation-planning/CruisePreparation.action?contentMenu=Changes%20&%20Cancellations&contentSubMenu=Cancellation%20Policies

 

(And substituting a new person is considered a cancellation and a new booking.)

[A.S.]

Does anyone know what the charge would be for a 3rd person dropping out after final payment?

 

For this cruise they are only charging the 3rd person taxes and fees. My niece is traveling with her mother and would like to bring along a friend.

 

Would my sister only lose the taxes and fees she paid or is there a penalty too if this friend changes her mind?

 

Thanks for any info you can provide.

[serendipity1499]

Does anyone know what the charge would be for a 3rd person dropping out after final payment?

 

For this cruise they are only charging the 3rd person taxes and fees. My niece is traveling with her mother and would like to bring along a friend.

 

Would my sister only lose the taxes and fees she paid or is there a penalty too if this friend changes her mind?

 

Thanks for any info you can provide.

 

That again is a question that only HAL or your Sister's TA can answer! Suggest your Sister call either HAL or her TA & ask what the cancellation penality would be for the third person who is only paying taxes & fees..

Cheers...Betty