Booking Guru's Need Advice/Imput

[niceguyneastbay]

I have a few questions/scenarios and I hope someone can give advice.

1) If I book a cruise through a big box store and get the credits they are offering, can I have my PCC then take over the the booking?

2) If I book a Veranda room, my room I really want is a Signature Suite or Neptune which is sold out, who gets those room first if they should open up? The person(s) that have a confirmed itinerary or the people who are just waitlisted with no itinerary.

[pcur]

I have a few questions/scenarios and I hope someone can give advice.

1) If I book a cruise through a big box store and get the credits they are offering, can I have my PCC then take over the the booking?

2) If I book a Veranda room, my room I really want is a Signature Suite or Neptune which is sold out, who gets those room first if they should open up? The person(s) that have a confirmed itinerary or the people who are just waitlisted with no itinerary.

 

 

#1 answer is NO. The big box only gives the perks if they manage the booking. It is considered a group booking because the bookings are in the big box. Get out of the box, and lose the perks.

 

Don't know about #2.

[KroozNut]

Agree, stay with your 'big box' TA if they're offering perks that HAL may not be, such as shipboard credit. Why go back to HAL with the booking, because they will not match.

[bd1958]

If you book the veranda and prefer the suite, I've had luck moving up to suites (for the upsell fee) in the last week before the cruise. Sometimes calling every day to check for late cancellations, even up to two days prior to sailing. I guess that call would have to go to your TA?

 

Good luck getting the room you want.

 

Bruce

[DaveOKC]

If you book the veranda and prefer the suite, I've had luck moving up to suites (for the upsell fee) in the last week before the cruise. Sometimes calling every day to check for late cancellations, even up to two days prior to sailing. I guess that call would have to go to your TA?

 

Good luck getting the room you want.

 

Bruce

 

Generally speaking, the TA has to call HAL for you. If you book through HAL, they send you an email directly when "upsells" are available, with a number to call and the price they want (sometimes they will bargain with you). If you are in a veranda and want to move up to the lowest level suite (lets call it a mini-suite), you have a decent chance last minute as HAL offers these upsells from the highest level downward, so as people take these (from a min-suite to full suite) that opens up cabins for you.