2nd passenger to be named later?

[vedettes1]

Is it possible to book for two but without naming the 2nd passenger at the time of booking?

[Mary229]

I recently asked HAL this.   I asked it “can I convert a solo to a double” and they said yes.  

[daisybertie]

We also did this but it was nine years ago. We booked for my sister before she found a travelling companion. No problems.

[richwmn]

This may be something that depends on who you talk to and when. I normally book as a solo and once when I asked about adding a second person it would be at the price package that was in effect when the change was made, not adding a second person with the package I originally booked. When I asked about booking a second person to be named later I was told it couldn't be done.

 

[Mary229]

6 minutes ago, richwmn said:

This may be something that depends on who you talk to and when. I normally book as a solo and once when I asked about adding a second person it would be at the price package that was in effect when the change was made, not adding a second person with the package I originally booked. When I asked about booking a second person to be named later I was told it couldn't be done.

 

I guess it depends if you choose to book a refundable fare?  Those non refundable/non changeable fares are a real bear.  

[baltic17]

Your other option is to book the double with a friend who may or may not be the person to be named later.  You are able to change the person sailing up until 7-10 days before you actually sail (TSA needs the info on who is sailing).  This was something I explored in 2019 when I wanted to do a cruise in 2020 my DH wasn't really interested in.  Our TA confirmed this with HAL at the time.

[kevingastreich]

45 minutes ago, baltic17 said:

Your other option is to book the double with a friend who may or may not be the person to be named later.  You are able to change the person sailing up until 7-10 days before you actually sail (TSA needs the info on who is sailing).  This was something I explored in 2019 when I wanted to do a cruise in 2020 my DH wasn't really interested in.  Our TA confirmed this with HAL at the time.

Interesting.  I've heard it said on these forums that HAL treats it as a cancellation (with corresponding loss of fare).  Glad to see that it's not necessarily so.

[richwmn]

5 minutes ago, kevingastreich said:

Interesting.  I've heard it said on these forums that HAL treats it as a cancellation (with corresponding loss of fare).  Glad to see that it's not necessarily so.

I was told when I asked about it that changing a name would also be a cancel / rebook at the current available package. Again, it seems like who you talk to and when.

[Reagan0712]

Last year I booked as a solo under the Have-It-All for a trans-atlantic for October of this year because I wanted a specific cabin. I was told at the time of booking that I could add a second person later and keep all the perks, which I did about a month later.

[wander]

I have done this 4 times since 2016.  One for the full WC, twice for the Asia-Pacific Grand Voyage and once for a back-to-=back cruise that went from Calif then through the South Pacific and around first New Zealand and then Australia and back to So. Calif.  While this was not a true Grand Voyage, many amenities were similar.  

 

I wanted to do the whole cruises while my husband tires of cruising after about 40 days.

 

The first time I did this my TA researched our options carefully!!!!  Looking into the best way I could get all of the extra amenities available for GV if you reserved early and reserved a  cabin above a certain "level".  (Like about 18 months before the cruise, getting shipping of luggage both ways, gratuities paid for us, a certain amount of no extra charge booze, and a number of other perks.)  

 

Anyhow, in order to secure my cabin choice I had to reserved as a solo and pay any money due accordingly (200%).  Thankfully my TA who is in Seattle - home of HAL was very familiar with HAL, in those days usually having 250+ passengers on the HAL World Cruise). This was necessary for several reasons including would assure that he would have a bed since they could not "sell" his bed to anyone else and I was assured he could be added as I "owned" the second reservation.   Once he decided what dates he wanted to sail she simply made his reservation and we paid for his true fare and then I was refunded the 100% extra I had paid for the single supplement. All went 100% smoothly for each of the cruises.  It was extra work for our TA but she made enough for our travels that she was most willing to do the extra work.  

 

So, it is doable (or at least was doable pre-Covid) .  We explored alternative ways of making the reservations but this worked the very best for all of us.  The only perk he did not get since he boarded in a foreign port was the free luggage service from home to ship to home.   But, since I had unlimited "free" luggage transport from our home to the port of departure and then home after the cruise I simply included a extra suitcase of his cruise clothes with my luggage.  (I still had far, far less luggage shopped than most of the Full cruisers.)  Wow,  some really brought an unbelievable amount of luggage.

 

I would assume that this same procedure is still available - or perhaps some other way to accomplish the same ends.  

[vicd1969]

I agree adding a second person placeholder during booking and changing the name should be viable, as long as it's before the final payment due date. 

 

8 minutes ago, wander said:

(I still had far, far less luggage shopped than most of the Full cruisers.)  Wow,  some really brought an unbelievable amount of luggage. 

 

Where does all that luggage get stored on a world cruise? I picture myself having a difficult time fitting more than 6 full pieces in a cabin.

[wander]

vicd 1969,

I hope you were not referencing my comments when you say "I agree adding a second person placeholder------".  That is a whole different process than what I described and would cause you problems - as mentioned by a previous writer.  That, at least in my experience, would require a major change in the whole reservation and perks lost - which is why I had to pay for a single supplement so it was a new, additional passenger - NOT a replacement passenger.

Wander

[vicd1969]

1 hour ago, wander said:

vicd 1969,

I hope you were not referencing my comments when you say "I agree adding a second person placeholder------". 

Sorry I wasn’t as clear - I was agreeing with Baltic17 who named a person at booking and then changed the name later. That is what I meant by having a second person as placeholder. I was referencing your previous quote for my slightly off-topic question about the luggage.

[whogo]

The cruise contract for those of us in the USA states, "Name changes require the prior approval of Carrier and may not always be possible.  Name changes and departure date changes are considered reservation cancellations and are subject to cancellation fees."

 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/legal-privacy/cruise-contract.html

[caroltovt]

Once tried to add a person and could not because the ship was at its limit of total passengers. TA had had a similar experience.