Courtesy Hold - how long?

[VMax1700]

I was about to make a booking on Rotterdam for the Baltics in September 2021 with the current promotion.  

The promotion is different to the N American 'View and Verandah' promotion.  It is named 'SeaYouSoon - the Ultimate Upgrade Event'.  I believe it is very similar to the V&V promo, but when I made the booking there was no option for a deposit, only full payment!  So I looked at 'Courtesy Hold' and it says......

Put Your Reservation On Hold For 200 Days

Deposit of $xxxx due on June 28, 2021

 

Anyone think I would get away with this?? 

[Lady Arwen]

I can tell you one thing about this cruise that may be of interest to you.  The date and itinerary will possibly be changed.  We are on the Trans Atlantic sailing of Rotterdam, which was originally set to sail October 10.  Due to the CDA restrictions, ships could neither embark or debark in the US before Nov 1st. Lots of people booked the Baltic cruise BTB with the TA, making it a 24 night sailing.  We were notified that our TA would now sail on October 20 arriving in Ft Lauderdale Nov 3.  The folks booked on the Baltic now had 10 days after their cruise in limbo before the TA sailing, which really frustrated a lot of people.  HAL will only tell them that either the Baltic cruise will be moved forward 10 days and sailing would be a ten day itinerary, instead of 14 or the other option is that HAL will insert a totally new 10 day cruise in between the end of the Baltic cruise and the beginning of the TA.  
This is really quite confusing to many of people on the roll call, and some have cancelled either just the Baltic sailing or that and the TA.  So if you need that date and a 14 day itinerary, then you could be disappointed.  Lots of people have called HAL many times and they either have no idea or they make something up.  Not a great situation.

 

We are staying on the TA portion and waiting to see what happens to those 10 days floating about.  Sorry for such a long post, but I wanted you to know exactly where things are at the moment.  We may see you onboard!

[VMax1700]

@Lady Arwen Thanks for the info!

 

[Mary229]

The online version gave me 7 days but when my agent called to make a change to my itinerary they gave me  until final payment day, sometime next spring.   Mine is an Alaskan cruise

Edited December 10, 2020 by Mary229

[VMax1700]

I phoned HAL in UK this morning.  Seems that because I was 'logged in' when I made the booking, the system recognised that I had FCD's and processed them. Although the system consumed two of my FCD, it did not use any of DW's.   As a FCD permits cancellation it was classed as a 'Courtesy Hold'.  So in fact, I had made a booking and used two of my FCD's but only received one amount of OBC.  

The booking has now been cancelled and re instated as a Courtesy Hold until next week.

 

I asked about the rescheduling of the Trans Atlantic cruise and what was happening with the 'vacant' 10 days and they had no information.

 

[VMax1700]

@Lady Arwen the 10 days between the Baltic cruise and the TA will be a British Isles cruise, round trip Amsterdam, calling at Southampton, Le Havre, Cherbourg and possibly Dublin among others. It is in HAL's system but not on sale yet. Perhaps @AtlantaCruiser72 will confirm this?

Edited December 15, 2020 by VMax1700

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

10 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

@Lady Arwen the 10 days between the Baltic cruise and the TA will be a British Isles cruise, round trip Amsterdam, calling at Southampton, Le Havre, Cherbourg and possibly Dublin among others. It is in HAL's system but not on sale yet. Perhaps @AtlantaCruiser72 will confirm this?

[VMax1700]

HAL in UK told me that the 10 days had been uploaded but not on sale. My laptop is getting repaired so am doing it all on phone! Hal website is bad on a computer but excrutiatingly painfull on a phone 😭🤡

At least you seem to confirm the information. 👍

Edited December 15, 2020 by VMax1700
Fat fingers!

[Lady Arwen]

1 hour ago, VMax1700 said:

@Lady Arwen the 10 days between the Baltic cruise and the TA will be a British Isles cruise, round trip Amsterdam, calling at Southampton, Le Havre, Cherbourg and possibly Dublin among others. It is in HAL's system but not on sale yet. Perhaps @AtlantaCruiser72 will confirm this?

Thanks!  A member of our roll call also posted this info.  Prices and booking will be available early next week.

[BobbiSox]

On 12/10/2020 at 4:44 PM, Lady Arwen said:

I can tell you one thing about this cruise that may be of interest to you.  The date and itinerary will possibly be changed.  We are on the Trans Atlantic sailing of Rotterdam, which was originally set to sail October 10.  Due to the CDA restrictions, ships could neither embark or debark in the US before Nov 1st. Lots of people booked the Baltic cruise BTB with the TA, making it a 24 night sailing.  We were notified that our TA would now sail on October 20 arriving in Ft Lauderdale Nov 3.  The folks booked on the Baltic now had 10 days after their cruise in limbo before the TA sailing, which really frustrated a lot of people.  HAL will only tell them that either the Baltic cruise will be moved forward 10 days and sailing would be a ten day itinerary, instead of 14 or the other option is that HAL will insert a totally new 10 day cruise in between the end of the Baltic cruise and the beginning of the TA.  
This is really quite confusing to many of people on the roll call, and some have cancelled either just the Baltic sailing or that and the TA.  So if you need that date and a 14 day itinerary, then you could be disappointed.  Lots of people have called HAL many times and they either have no idea or they make something up.  Not a great situation.

 

We are staying on the TA portion and waiting to see what happens to those 10 days floating about.  Sorry for such a long post, but I wanted you to know exactly where things are at the moment.  We may see you onboard!

 

[BobbiSox]

9 minutes ago, BobbiSox said:

 

I have sailed for over 20 years on HAL and the one thing all the cruise personnel  have in common is their lack of the ability to utter the words "I don't know". I believe they are forbidden to say it, and they may be told to make up something instead. I have learned to stop asking.