Does Club Orange need to be paid at time of booking?

[Blackduck59]

I was under the impression that "courtesy holds" are a very short time frame. Most people wouldn't expect to "hold" as many as 9 cruises for very long. As the old saying goes s**t or get off the pot.

[canadianbear]

1 hour ago, IAcruising said:

 

... and that sucks, big time. Please don't do that.

 

 

And why not?  If HAL allows it, so be it.  

[ChinaShrek]

8 hours ago, canadianbear said:

And why not?  If HAL allows it, so be it.  

It ties up a lot of cabins that other people cannot book. One should think of other people and not just oneself. It is also provides false financial data to HAL and the share holders. They think these cruises are going to be paid in full when many are not.

[canadianbear]

6 minutes ago, ChinaShrek said:

It ties up a lot of cabins that other people cannot book. One should think of other people and not just oneself. It is also provides false financial data to HAL and the share holders. They think these cruises are going to be paid in full when many are not.

Oh I realize that and I don’t agree it’s right but if HAL allows it nothing we can do.  I don’t slam people for taking advantage of it.  I also don’t agree that they should be allowed to book so many. I think that is HAL’s goal about showing how booked they are. I do wish  they’d limit it but until they do….🤷‍♀️

Edited September 16, 2023 by canadianbear

[Sun&Sand52]

11 hours ago, IAcruising said:

 

... and that sucks, big time. Please don't do that.

 

 

I personally did not do that.  No deposit money was given.  Mine were simply was on a courtesy hold. HAL allows you to put cabins on a courtesy hold, as do all cruise lines.  

 

But again, just to be clear…. Mine were only “holds” NOT put on a deposit.  No money handed over to HAL that would cause the cabin to be out of inventory until final payment.

 

Edited September 16, 2023 by margar

[POA1]

I know people who book a bunch of cruises out of Fort Lauderdale every winter. It's less expensive to be on the ship than it is to get a hotel on land. If they stack up a lot of cruises, they can string a nice seasonal getaway together.

 

For those of you just joining the broadcast, we live in Fort Lauderdale. We often joke that "at these rates we can't afford to stay home."

[Sun&Sand52]

POA1 that is a strategy that I would love to employ upon retirement!  Sometimes it might be cheaper as you said.👍🏻

 

[POA1]

13 minutes ago, margar said:

POA1 that is a strategy that I would love to employ upon retirement!  Sometimes it might be cheaper as you said.👍🏻

 

It really is. Between the mortgage and taxes we pay a cruise is often a better deal.

[KAKcruiser]

But, back to the original question - I don't understand how a PCC could just cancel your cruise if it was on a courtesy hold.  I would pursue this with a supervisor just for the satisfaction of making it right.

[canadianbear]

3 minutes ago, KAKcruiser said:

But, back to the original question - I don't understand how a PCC could just cancel your cruise if it was on a courtesy hold.  I would pursue this with a supervisor just for the satisfaction of making it right.

They can only hold them for so long…my PCC held one cruise for me for 5 days because I was away.  Usually I think it’s 24 hour hold. 

[Blackduck59]

2 minutes ago, KAKcruiser said:

But, back to the original question - I don't understand how a PCC could just cancel your cruise if it was on a courtesy hold.  I would pursue this with a supervisor just for the satisfaction of making it right.

At no point was it mentioned as to how long the cruise had been on "courtesy hold". How long is the cruise line expected to hold the cabin and perks without a firm booking? 

I see @canadianbear posted pretty much the same comment at the same time. 

[KAKcruiser]

I'm okay with it cancelling because of lack of deposit.  But the original poster said that the PCC cancelled it deliberately before payment was due.

[Blackduck59]

6 minutes ago, KAKcruiser said:

I'm okay with it cancelling because of lack of deposit.  But the original poster said that the PCC cancelled it deliberately before payment was due.

I'm afraid that apparently there were as many as 9 cruises on "courtesy hold" with no deposit on anything.  And the OP has failed to mention how long these 9 cruises were on hold with no commitment of any kind, other than some expectation of being able to pick and choose at leisure which one if any they would book. With a $1.00 deposit. 

Edited September 16, 2023 by Blackduck59

[KAKcruiser]

I agree that having 9 cruises on courtesy hold is excessive and I'm not debating whether that is right or wrong.  What I have a problem with is a booking being deliberately cancelled while it is on courtesy hold.  If the system works the way it is supposed to, those booking would automatically cancel on the date the deposit is due, usually between one and five days.  It is hard for me to accept that a PCC has a right to cancel a booking before that date.

[IAcruising]

16 hours ago, crystalspin said:

That would be between the passenger and HAL. Now wouldn't it?

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

 

Of course. But that doesn't consider other passengers looking to book that cabin. It is what it is, until it isn't.

 

Thank you for the welcome! New to CC =/= to new to cruising.

 

 

[canadianbear]

5 minutes ago, IAcruising said:

 

Of course. But that doesn't consider other passengers looking to book that cabin. It is what it is, until it isn't.

 

Thank you for the welcome! New to CC =/= to new to cruising.

 

 

I agree with you, people making a bunch of $1 deposits tying up cabins should not be allowed.  Perhaps the limit should be set at 4?  Not sure really.  Putting holds on cabins usually only lasts a few days but the $1 deposits tie up the cabin for many months until final payment.

 

Another welcome to CC and cruising! 

[Toofarfromthesea]

21 hours ago, crystalspin said:

That would be between the passenger and HAL. Now wouldn't it?

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

 

Not really.  If you put a $2 deposit on a variety of cruises, or particular cabins on a cruise, only planning to use only one it blockcs those cruisers and/or cabins from other people who want to book those.  It seems a little selfish to me.

[Toofarfromthesea]

4 hours ago, canadianbear said:

I agree with you, people making a bunch of $1 deposits tying up cabins should not be allowed.  Perhaps the limit should be set at 4?  Not sure really.  Putting holds on cabins usually only lasts a few days but the $1 deposits tie up the cabin for many months until final payment.

 

Another welcome to CC and cruising! 

 

I think limiting the number of bookings that can be held long term with a $1 deposit on each is a good idea and one I would like to see HAL adopt.

 

IAC I don't agree with the notion that just because HAL lets you do something, that doing it is not wrong.  HAL lets you order multiple entrees in the MDR, but ordering 5 entrees and taking 2 bites of each would still be wrong, I'm my eyes.  Even though HAL allows it.  As the Good Book says:  All things are permitted, but not all things are of benefit.

[Blackduck59]

Still no word from @margar as to just how long these 9 cruises were on "courtesy hold" before the one she apparently was going to book got cancelled. I mentioned this in the $1.00 deposit thread, I would hope and I do believe that the vast majority of cruisers book cruises they intend to take. But then there are those few that book a whole bunch of cruises and tie up those cabins with a $1.00 deposit, and they have no intension of going on all or even any of them. They may view themselves as "clever", others think of them as selfish and rude; and some will think I am rude for pointing this out.

[IAcruising]

19 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

But then there are those few that book a whole bunch of cruises and tie up those cabins with a $1.00 deposit, and they have no intension of going on all or even any of them. They may view themselves as "clever", others think of them as selfish and rude; and some will think I am rude for pointing this out.

 

You are not rude for pointing these people out. They should be banned from cruising, and all travel life, to be honest.

 

[DaveOKC]

On 9/15/2023 at 5:31 PM, margar said:

I agree with you. HAL allowed me to make multiple courtesy holds during the $1.00 deposit day.  Not my fault that they allowed me to do that.  The PCC told me when too many bookings are made they flag your account and she was trying to save it from being "flagged".  Hogwash?  Or truth?  I have no idea.  My fault as I did get a little carried away and made 9 bookings for various months and the one that was way out in 2025.  But, I thought we were allowed to do that in order to make decisions.  Cabins go fast sometimes.  Anyway, it's done.  My cabin is gone to someone else.  Not the end of the world. But it leaves a bad feeling for me with this particular PCC.

This is exactly why I do not like the $1 deposit promotion that HAL has been running lately.  Ties up the better cabins for us who are trying to make a "real" reservation.  Recently I have had issues getting my preferred cabin location, even for 2024 cruises - never had this issue before when booking over 6 months out.

 

[rodndonna]

On 9/15/2023 at 4:55 PM, hbsurfcitycruiser said:

I love my PCC but my goodness he is sooooooooooo busy. We basically only email because we can never find a free time that agrees with both of our schedules.

 

Not sure if it really amounted to anything, but last year our PCC became part of a trial for PCC's to be able to use a schedule system for appointments. I REALLY like it - no phone tag and easy to just go on-line and pick a time-slot that works for us with a note about what it is regarding. Was just assuming all PCC's would navigate to it as an option, but maybe not. I don't think I would take another PCC (if she left) that didn't use a schedule system. 

[DaveOKC]

5 hours ago, rodndonna said:

 

Not sure if it really amounted to anything, but last year our PCC became part of a trial for PCC's to be able to use a schedule system for appointments. I REALLY like it - no phone tag and easy to just go on-line and pick a time-slot that works for us with a note about what it is regarding. Was just assuming all PCC's would navigate to it as an option, but maybe not. I don't think I would take another PCC (if she left) that didn't use a schedule system. 

Mine just started with this system.  I have not tried it yet.

 

[Sun&Sand52]

20 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

Still no word from @margar as to just how long these 9 cruises were on "courtesy hold" before the one she apparently was going to book got cancelled. I mentioned this in the $1.00 deposit thread, I would hope and I do believe that the vast majority of cruisers book cruises they intend to take. But then there are those few that book a whole bunch of cruises and tie up those cabins with a $1.00 deposit, and they have no intension of going on all or even any of them. They may view themselves as "clever", others think of them as selfish and rude; and some will think I am rude for pointing this out.

Hello again - Original poster here…. Just checked back and saw this.  I would like to clear something up and that is that the cruises were on hold for only 2 days when the PCC canceled this one particular cruise.  I do not consider 2 days to be a long time frame for something to be on hold.  And just to repeat, this was a simple “courtesy hold”, NOT a cruise where a deposit ($2.00 or otherwise) was made.  Just a simple “hold”.  In addition, as mentioned previously in this thread, this cruise that the PCC canceled was a sailing all the way out in the spring of 2025.

[Blackduck59]

6 minutes ago, margar said:

Hello again - Original poster here…. Just checked back and saw this.  I would like to clear something up and that is that the cruises were on hold for only 2 days when the PCC canceled this one particular cruise.  I do not consider 2 days to be a long time frame for something to be on hold.  And just to repeat, this was a simple “courtesy hold”, NOT a cruise where a deposit ($2.00 or otherwise) was made.  Just a simple “hold”.  In addition, as mentioned previously in this thread, this cruise that the PCC canceled was a sailing all the way out in the spring of 2025.

So I guess you found the limits of the "courtesy" part of courtesy hold.