Price Drops after Final Payment - Has this happened to You?

[trishbk]

We are 5-Star Mariners on HAL and have been sailing with them for over 30 years. We recently booked a new cruise and the base price of the cruise dropped about a week after final payment. We didn’t book a “Have it All” or a gratuities included package, just the base. We booked a guaranteed balcony (VH guarantee). With the price drop the nicer balconies are less than what we paid and gratuities are now included. We reached out to HAL and asked if they could simply assign us a balcony, we were not asking for a cash refund or to have the gratuities included. We were told by HAL that we need to work through our TA which is a large volume cruise agency. 
 

Our TA said the only way he could assign us a cabin is to forfeit some of our shipboard credit. We don’t understand why we would have to forfeit our shipboard credit simply to get an assigned cabin. 
 

Interested to hear from my fellow Cruise Critics if this has happened to you and what you were able to accomplish when the price drops.

[luv2travel06]

If you booked through a TA, any changes have to go through the TA. Just this week our TA (who has booked 30+ cruises for us) helped us get a verandah instead of the oceanview we booked based on a new promotion after final payment. He has previously done this for us as well. But in the past, we have lost certain benefits of a prior promotion if we wanted the benefits of a new promotion, so it is necessary to do the math sometimes to see if you come out ahead.

 

So it is likely they are currently in the process of doing upsells and cabin assignments. Assuming guarantee cabins are assigned last, you are essentially asking them to move you to the front of the line instead of assign the cabin based on their schedule/process. Maybe your travel agent can make that happen, but if not, you will get a cabin assigned eventually.

 

Best wishes for getting a great cabin!

[Blackduck59]

I guess you will have to work with your travel agent to find your best solution. Is the OBC you will lose more than the "crew appreciation" which would be included in the new situation?

We tend to choose an itinerary, choose a cabin and ask the price. If we feel the price works for us, we book the cruise. We don't look at the deal we missed or what others got.

You booked a "guarantee" knowing what that meant, now you want the deal that is being offered to fill unsold inventory. That's like buying a new car at the beginning of the model year and then being upset that your friend bought a better version of the same car for less money at the end of the year sales event.

Edited September 23, 2023 by Blackduck59

[KAKcruiser]

Your TA is not helpful enough.  They should be able to negotiate something for you.  HAL doesn't have to do anything but often they will.  Call your TA again and be more aggressive.

[Sea42]

Is the OBC from HAL or the TA?

[Ka Honu]

58 minutes ago, KAKcruiser said:

Your TA is not helpful enough. 

Got no dog in this fight but agree completely.

 

With very few exceptions we've suffered more poor service and inability to properly and satisfactorily resolve issues similar to the OP's from "large volume cruise agency" bookings than any of the other available options. To avoid this problem in the future, my unsolicited advice is to stay away from them and stick with a HAL PCC or a trusted "independent" TA who has decent experience and good references.  

 

Jus' sayin'...

 

[KAKcruiser]

I have given up the discounts of TAs to be able to control my own booking by dealing directly with Holland America.

[Blackduck59]

We use a local TA that works under a large international brand name travel company. She works in a local office, we are able to make appointments to talk to her face to face. If we have a question emails are answered quickly and she is the one doing phone calls on our behalf. We have better things to do than wait on hold.

[RD64]

In a similar situation (but without the OBC), the price of very good balconies dropped, to far less than my outside booking. I knew that I was not eligible for cash back - nor was I asking for any. However I asked my pvp if she could slide me into a balcony - provided her with a list of open cabins, and switched in a minute.

[Tapi]

When we sailed on the Westerdam to Alaska, (booked through a TA), we had reserved an oceanview stateroom. Not even 24 hours after final payment, rates dropped. I emailed my TA and she had the price adjusted and my credit card refunded for the difference. She claimed that HAL did it as a “one time courtesy”, but that they weren’t required to do so since technically we were now inside the final payment phase. 
 

But a week before sailing, rates for balconies dropped significantly, and below what I’d paid for my ocean view stateroom. I once again emailed my TA, not expecting much based on our previous conversation, but she got us upgraded to a balcony, AND they issued the price difference as OBC. I was pretty surprised that they did it, but didn’t question it.

 

Dont know if all of this happened because we had a good TA, or because someone at HAL made an exception, but I was very satisfied with the way everything was handled in our favor. 

[oaktreerb]

This happened to me with the large international discount retailer.  I noticed the price drop and I called them and said, “With what I paid I. could have had a Suite.’. The answer: “Would you like a suite”.  Yes.  They called HAL and got me the only suite left…a handicapped suite on the front of the ship.  My husband loved that front facing window in Alaska.  The room was large, the veranda very small.  It never hurts to ask, but it won’t be a price adjustment.

[albingirl]

It's happened to us and we've been able to get a cabin switch, if the ship is not sold out.  Otherwise, some OBC has been given to us.  I've never been unhappy, so I figure we were probably treated well enough.  Their job is generally to keep you happy or they will lose your business.

[ChinaShrek]

4 hours ago, KAKcruiser said:

Your TA is not helpful enough.  They should be able to negotiate something for you.  HAL doesn't have to do anything but often they will.  Call your TA again and be more aggressive.

In theory I agree with you, but my TA is actually really busy and has actually stopped taking new clients. He will book the cruise and give me OBC and that's it. If I need any service, he says he has no time to help. Being aggressive would get me nowhere.

[albingirl]

11 minutes ago, ChinaShrek said:

In theory I agree with you, but my TA is actually really busy and has actually stopped taking new clients. He will book the cruise and give me OBC and that's it. If I need any service, he says he has no time to help. Being aggressive would get me nowhere.

If he has no time to help you, don't you think that's a form of passive aggression? He doesn't sound very nice.

[ChinaShrek]

17 minutes ago, albingirl said:

If he has no time to help you, don't you think that's a form of passive aggression? He doesn't sound very nice.

He's nice when I book my cruise but after that I have to call the general number of the Travel Agency to get any service. For example, if I want to add Club Orange to a cruise, I have to email a general support email and see if someone else will do that for me. I like getting 10% back in OBC or I would have moved on.

[Mary229]

Some of your OBC could have been attached to a special fare which you are now trading in for a cheaper fare.  I have had this happen and I have a very hard working TA.   Sometimes the TA has gotten something in lieu of the OBC such as a dinner.  Somethings are very dear and others are very cheap to HAL 

[richwmn]

2 hours ago, ChinaShrek said:

He's nice when I book my cruise but after that I have to call the general number of the Travel Agency to get any service. For example, if I want to add Club Orange to a cruise, I have to email a general support email and see if someone else will do that for me. I like getting 10% back in OBC or I would have moved on.

There are quite a few agencies that will give you the rebate and good service, mine does.

I have no problems talking to my agent when I need to, and she is aware of my preferences.

[Blackduck59]

5 hours ago, ChinaShrek said:

In theory I agree with you, but my TA is actually really busy and has actually stopped taking new clients. He will book the cruise and give me OBC and that's it. If I need any service, he says he has no time to help. Being aggressive would get me nowhere.

 

Kindly inform your TA that he has exactly 10 seconds to find some time for you or you will find a TA that does have time. I would also inform your TAs boss why you are taking your business elsewhere and telling any friends who book with the agency to stop booking there. Clearly he wants the pay but doesn't want to do the work.

[KAKcruiser]

Well, you have to go through your TA so your only option is to call him again.  Or call his supervisor.

[HappyInVan]

12 hours ago, trishbk said:

Interested to hear from my fellow Cruise Critics if this has happened to you and what you were able to accomplish when the price drops.

 

Definitely! I've just been assigned a cabin in the Signature Suites on a guarantee SZ booking. A couple of weeks ago, prices collapsed 30%. Verandahs are still available 7 days from sailing at a super special price.

 

What happened was that the ship had a serious problem with vacancies. They managed to clear the Neptunes at a 50% upsell discount to the last retail price. That left a large number of Signatures available. I didn't take the offer for the Neptunes because I was sure that I could get a good stateroom.

 

After the big price cut, I watched HAL sell the Deck 6 SS cabins at a price just higher than the price for a Verandah just two months ago. Naturally, I realized that I had made a mistake. Should have secured a Neptune at the discounted price, or booked a last minute deal in the first place.

 

I was not pleased with the SY cabin assigned to me. IMO, HAL should have reserved a SS cabin for me; whilst selling the Deck 8 cabins. This was a different experience from my last HAL cruise where I secured a 40% discount with a last minute booking.

 

Is your situation unique? No, plenty of under-booked HAL cruises. Its HAL's fault. The industry has excess capacity. Most brands sell early bookings at a realistic price, and raise the prices as vacancies dwindle. The last minute booking should be the most expensive.

 

Instead, HAL is doing it the wrong way. Setting high initial prices and retreating too slowly. It doesn't help when HAL has been offering $1 deposits and the competitors offer 30-40% discounts.

 

This is corporate hubris; where HAL HQ has misjudged the market, and the value of their brand. 😟

 

 

[LocoLoco1]

5 hours ago, HappyInVan said:

 

Definitely! I've just been assigned a cabin in the Signature Suites on a guarantee SZ booking. A couple of weeks ago, prices collapsed 30%. Verandahs are still available 7 days from sailing at a super special price.

 

What happened was that the ship had a serious problem with vacancies. They managed to clear the Neptunes at a 50% upsell discount to the last retail price. That left a large number of Signatures available. I didn't take the offer for the Neptunes because I was sure that I could get a good stateroom.

 

After the big price cut, I watched HAL sell the Deck 6 SS cabins at a price just higher than the price for a Verandah just two months ago. Naturally, I realized that I had made a mistake. Should have secured a Neptune at the discounted price, or booked a last minute deal in the first place.

 

I was not pleased with the SY cabin assigned to me. IMO, HAL should have reserved a SS cabin for me; whilst selling the Deck 8 cabins. This was a different experience from my last HAL cruise where I secured a 40% discount with a last minute booking.

 

Is your situation unique? No, plenty of under-booked HAL cruises. Its HAL's fault. The industry has excess capacity. Most brands sell early bookings at a realistic price, and raise the prices as vacancies dwindle. The last minute booking should be the most expensive.

 

Instead, HAL is doing it the wrong way. Setting high initial prices and retreating too slowly. It doesn't help when HAL has been offering $1 deposits and the competitors offer 30-40% discounts.

 

This is corporate hubris; where HAL HQ has misjudged the market, and the value of their brand. 😟

 

 

Methinks HAL’s marketing algorithms and/or ‘Fill those beds’ Dept. have periodic tussles amongst themselves; so I agree with you…somewhat. My experience on longer cruises (14/day +) is that when the stars align and one can cruise on a moment’s notice on a poorly received itinerary AND HAL’s final drop dead payment date is imminent THAT is when a cruise can be 1/2 price or nearly $Free$ with a Casino offer.  I’ve booked  cabins Trans-Atlantic for $800/pp when our dinner companions paid much much more. Wife and friend sailed recently on a nice cruise that was barely 60% full and their late booked fare reflected the Computer’s desire to ‘Fill that bed!!’

[sambamama]

Well, HAL's new philosophy is all solos pay a 79% to 100% supplement. This has left this long time 4 star Mariner opting out of all HAL cruise bookings. I have a great TA, but there are no bargains out there any more, or at least with HAL. My TA always steps in to get what I need. 

[KAKcruiser]

I haven't seen any single supplements for less than 100% in years.  I'd be happy to get 79%.

[HappyInVan]

7 hours ago, LocoLoco1 said:

Methinks HAL’s marketing algorithms and/or ‘Fill those beds’ Dept. have periodic tussles amongst themselves; so I agree with you…somewhat.

 

We're all familiar with the flight reservation and pricing experiences with airlines. The algorithms merely price the vacancies from day to day. However, humans do set the base retail price from which the machines begin. And, humans do set the capacity models.

 

I've been tracking an MSC itinerary sailing in November. The non-Yacht Club prices started out cheaply, and has since ticked upwards. Presumably, the ship is heavily booked. On the other hand, there are substantial YC vacancies. On Deck 15, almost all the base suites are available. So far, MSC has held the line on YC pricing. 

 

Will they be able to upsell enough of the YC  cabins to maintain the retail price? This is of vital interest to pax with early bookings.

[crzntsnz]

On 9/23/2023 at 7:31 AM, trishbk said:

We are 5-Star Mariners on HAL and have been sailing with them for over 30 years. We recently booked a new cruise and the base price of the cruise dropped about a week after final payment. We didn’t book a “Have it All” or a gratuities included package, just the base. We booked a guaranteed balcony (VH guarantee). With the price drop the nicer balconies are less than what we paid and gratuities are now included. We reached out to HAL and asked if they could simply assign us a balcony, we were not asking for a cash refund or to have the gratuities included. We were told by HAL that we need to work through our TA which is a large volume cruise agency. 
 

Our TA said the only way he could assign us a cabin is to forfeit some of our shipboard credit. We don’t understand why we would have to forfeit our shipboard credit simply to get an assigned cabin. 
 

Interested to hear from my fellow Cruise Critics if this has happened to you and what you were able to accomplish when the price drops.

We are 4 stars with HAL. I’ve found that working with TA vrs a HAL cruise specialist, is a better and less expensive way to work for the  best price. Since you have a TA, I would see what they can do with the price of the cruise. If that fails I would then throw yourself on the mercy of the line itself. I have found that going the source will many times reap some benefits, especially being a 5 Star. Good luck. 

Edited September 24, 2023 by crzntsnz