Price reduction before final payment?

[kelship]

Hi all, I'm new to HAL, have cruised with Royal and MSC before. About to book on Nieuw Statendam for December.

If I discover my cruise cost has gone down before final payment, can I revise my booking to the lower price? Or would I basically need to cancel that original cruise (and lose my non-refundable deposit) and re-book? 

What are the chances they'll have a sale for the 4th of July? 
Does HAL really even have "sales"? Or is the price the price.

Am booking an obstructed balcony guarantee, solo. I've never done a guarantee before, any tips? 

Thank you in advance! 

[Gigi1977]

My understanding and experience is:  IF your cruise is booked as a refundable fare and you find your cruise has dropped in price (in the meta category that you are booked in with like benefits) you can call your PCC or travel agent and get a price reduction.   We did this several times prior to vivid and shut down.   Post shutdown, I’ve never found a fare lower that met the criteria, so I’ve not been able to have an ‘adjustment’.  . . But  I do watch the fares!  

[oakridger]

50 minutes ago, kelship said:

Or would I basically need to cancel that original cruise (and lose my non-refundable deposit) and re-book? 

 

OP states their fare is nonrefundable.

[Mary229]

The fare sales on HAL are never that great.  Most of their specials offer the extras like shore excursions, HIA or other items at a discount.  Their favorite lately has been the reduced deposit scheme.  

[rodndonna]

8 hours ago, kelship said:

Hi all, I'm new to HAL, have cruised with Royal and MSC before. About to book on Nieuw Statendam for December.

If I discover my cruise cost has gone down before final payment, can I revise my booking to the lower price? Or would I basically need to cancel that original cruise (and lose my non-refundable deposit) and re-book? 

What are the chances they'll have a sale for the 4th of July? 
Does HAL really even have "sales"? Or is the price the price.

Am booking an obstructed balcony guarantee, solo. I've never done a guarantee before, any tips? 

Thank you in advance! 

 

Is your cruise an option for the current sale with 25$ deposits ? 

 

Edit: I do see NS cruises in December with $25 deposits - might be worth looking at those.

 

Edited May 27, 2023 by rodndonna
more info

[Ipeeinthepools]

On the subject of price reductions, do any TA's get group rates.  When I've sailed on other cruise lines I have often been able to book at a group rate through the TA at lower price.  I haven't seen any discussion about group rates on HAL cruises.

[Mary229]

49 minutes ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

On the subject of price reductions, do any TA's get group rates.  When I've sailed on other cruise lines I have often been able to book at a group rate through the TA at lower price.  I haven't seen any discussion about group rates on HAL cruises.

We are not allowed to discuss agencies on this board.  Best that can be said is to look around the web for the big agencies.  

[kelship]

1 hour ago, rodndonna said:

 

Is your cruise an option for the current sale with 25$ deposits ? 

 

Edit: I do see NS cruises in December with $25 deposits - might be worth looking at those.

 

Thanks for the suggestion! 

 

So, my TA 'held' a booking for me a few days ago. Deposit is $150, due today. 

 

I had planned to email her requesting to re-book with the $25 deposit, but the cruise cost has gone up $100. That won't kill me, but feels silly to pay more on the off chance of a future sale (that doesnt sound promising).

 

I appreciate you all, thank you! 

[Ipeeinthepools]

2 hours ago, Mary229 said:

We are not allowed to discuss agencies on this board.  Best that can be said is to look around the web for the big agencies.  

 

I'm not asking for any specific TA recommendations.  I'd just like to know if group rates exist on HAL.  If they do I'll continue my search, but so far I haven't found any TAs with group rates.   How often have you been able to find group rates on your HAL cruises?

[Mary229]

1 hour ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

I'm not asking for any specific TA recommendations.  I'd just like to know if group rates exist on HAL.  If they do I'll continue my search, but so far I haven't found any TAs with group rates.   How often have you been able to find group rates on your HAL cruises?

That is basically what the big boxes are doing when they offer you they give the extra OBC.  Group rates are simply commission give backs.  Current scuttle is HAL no longer allows fare discounts but the TA can give an OBC.  There is another current HAL thread discussing this in detail. 

[Ipeeinthepools]

1 hour ago, Mary229 said:

That is basically what the big boxes are doing when they offer you they give the extra OBC.  Group rates are simply commission give backs.  Current scuttle is HAL no longer allows fare discounts but the TA can give an OBC.  There is another current HAL thread discussing this in detail. 

 

Actually I've found it difficult to get group rates with the big box agencies.  The group rates I've found come from TA's that work with other large agencies.  Don't most TA's actually work for some large agency much like a real estate agent?  The agency gets a block of rooms at a reduced price.  I've never sensed this was a reduction in commission for the individual TA.

 

In any case can you send me a link for this other discussion or at least a hint to help my search, because I haven't seen it.

 

Thanks

[Mary229]

2 minutes ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

Actually I've found it difficult to get group rates with the big box agencies.  The group rates I've found come from TA's that work with other large agencies.  Don't most TA's actually work for some large agency much like a real estate agent?  The agency gets a block of rooms at a reduced price.  I've never sensed this was a reduction in commission for the individual TA.

 

In any case can you send me a link for this other discussion or at least a hint to help my search, because I haven't seen it.

 

Thanks

Not anymore.  The agent receives commission and perhaps a comped room.  The agent then can turn around and give away some of that commission and spread the savings from the comped room (source: sister owns a large agency).  It has to be some sort of kick back as the cruise lines don’t want discounted fares showing.     So far the cruise lines continue to pay commissions, many air carriers and hotels now encourage direct bookings by offering the consumer the reduced rate for direct booking.  I don’t know if it because cruise lines can’t or don’t want to work with consumers or if it is because most consumers find the booking process too daunting.   
 

 

[Ipeeinthepools]

28 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

Not anymore.  The agent receives commission and perhaps a comped room.  The agent then can turn around and give away some of that commission and spread the savings from the comped room (source: sister owns a large agency).  It has to be some sort of kick back as the cruise lines don’t want discounted fares showing.     So far the cruise lines continue to pay commissions, many air carriers and hotels now encourage direct bookings by offering the consumer the reduced rate for direct booking.  I don’t know if it because cruise lines can’t or don’t want to work with consumers or if it is because most consumers find the booking process too daunting.   
 

 

 

Thanks for the link.  However you and I are talking about completely different experiences.  I've worked with a couple TAs that have blocks of rooms at reduced prices and there was a limited amount of these cabins.  They weren't on every cruise, they weren't in every cabin category and I have never seen them advertised.  You would need to call the TA and have them check on the particular cruise.  Now perhaps the TA's could sell these cabins at the regular price and get a larger commission and provide kick-backs out of that larger pot.  I don't know.  The TA's I have worked with just provide the lower rate.  

[Mary229]

40 minutes ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

Thanks for the link.  However you and I are talking about completely different experiences.  I've worked with a couple TAs that have blocks of rooms at reduced prices and there was a limited amount of these cabins.  They weren't on every cruise, they weren't in every cabin category and I have never seen them advertised.  You would need to call the TA and have them check on the particular cruise.  Now perhaps the TA's could sell these cabins at the regular price and get a larger commission and provide kick-backs out of that larger pot.  I don't know.  The TA's I have worked with just provide the lower rate.  

 The lines don’t want that and they control who they work with.  It is silly really.  If you get the discount as OBC what on earth is the difference .  I guess it is all about appearances.   Some people don’t like to see others get discounts🤷‍♀️

[SusieKIslandGirl]

Just finishing 14 days on the Nieuw Statendam. After final payment prices did go down. I had my TA call and ask about an upsell from a balcony to a Vista although I knew the price was actually lower. I was able to get the Vista cabin for no additional money and kept all the perks I already had. (I did have a refundable deposit.) It never hurts to ask but just be sure to verify if there are any changes to the package.

[YXU AC*SE]

On 5/27/2023 at 12:24 PM, Ipeeinthepools said:

I'd just like to know if group rates exist on HAL.

 

Short answer = yes.  

 

Random HAL cruise, random date, name of the cruise-only high volume online agency redacted.  

 

 

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

On 5/27/2023 at 1:44 PM, Mary229 said:

That is basically what the big boxes are doing when they offer you they give the extra OBC.  Group rates are simply commission give backs.  Current scuttle is HAL no longer allows fare discounts but the TA can give an OBC.  There is another current HAL thread discussing this in detail. 

GAP       group amenities points 

[BermudaBound2014]

On 5/27/2023 at 12:24 PM, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

I'm not asking for any specific TA recommendations.  I'd just like to know if group rates exist on HAL.  If they do I'll continue my search, but so far I haven't found any TAs with group rates.   How often have you been able to find group rates on your HAL cruises?

 

Yes, group rates still exist on HAL.

 

On 5/27/2023 at 3:23 PM, Mary229 said:

     So far the cruise lines continue to pay commissions, many air carriers and hotels now encourage direct bookings by offering the consumer the reduced rate for direct booking.  I don’t know if it because cruise lines can’t or don’t want to work with consumers or if it is because most consumers find the booking process too daunting.   

 

 

RCL tried the direct booking route a decade ago. It blew up in their face. Apparently the majority of people booking a cruise want an agent. Not sure if that holds true today. I have an article on this saved somewhere but can't find it now. Will share later :). 

 

 

[Mary229]

1 hour ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

Yes, group rates still exist on HAL.

 

 

RCL tried the direct booking route a decade ago. It blew up in their face. Apparently the majority of people booking a cruise want an agent. Not sure if that holds true today. I have an article on this saved somewhere but can't find it now. Will share later :). 

 

 

The airlines got it to work when they allowed the 24 hours cancellation, something the cruise lines do not yet allow.  The airlines also improved the technology for booking.   In the past decade, cruising has become much younger, technology has advanced and self directed travel has become much more common.   I think the cruise line’s biggest stumbling block is their inability to understand the internet and their unwillingness to update their technology .   Look at HAL’s website.  Where is the phone number?  That is basic.  Instead of hiring the same ad agency over and over they need a new ad agency that also integrates modern website design.