NEWS FLASH: HAL to favor Triples and Quads

[retird]

12 hours ago, SetAnOpenCourse said:

If I get bumped into the same or better category, no obstruction, tub/no tub to match cabin I chose (fwiw I’m a tub guy), same fwd/mid/aft to match, same size or larger, no noise issue, and within say two decks of the one I chose, then I wouldn’t mind much.  A major cruise line’s system is likely sophisticated enough to handle this.

And have you seen how reliable the IT system has been lately?

[Blackduck59]

3 minutes ago, retird said:

And when you are viewing the deck plan how do you know which cabin has a sofa vs a pullout?

See post #61, it shows the legend for the symbols on the deck plan. It is also on the deck plans themselves. 

[retird]

15 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

See post #61, it shows the legend for the symbols on the deck plan. It is also on the deck plans themselves. 

I did and since I am booked on Noordam, I checked deck 6 and deck 7 and none of the suites have those symbols.  Yet I know some are quads because I am in one. 

[Cruise Suzy]

5 minutes ago, retird said:

I did and since I am booked on Noordam, I checked deck 6 and deck 7 and none of the suites have those symbols.  Yet I know some are quads because I am in one. 

 

Also look at the description of the stateroom - it's always on the same page as the deck plan. 

[mawvkysc]

@retird download a pdf version of the deckplans or go to a non HAL booking site. I find they are much easier to navigate and have all of the symbols. 

[richwmn]

here is a link to the Noordam deck plan on the HAL site

 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/content/dam/hal/inventory-assets/ships/NO/pdf/hal-no-deckplan.pdf

 

each deck has an explanation of the symbols used for quads, triples, hc, and other classifications.

 

[retird]

10 minutes ago, Cruise Suzy said:

 

Also look at the description of the stateroom - it's always on the same page as the deck plan. 

And since the description of suites indicates, triple or quad for all of them, if im in a neptune as two and a triple or quad reservation gets assigned my cabin, wonder what equivelant cabin they could move me too.  I know it is hypothetical and maybe an overreaction of sorts, but the question begs to be asked considering the new policy

 

[Real NHDOC]

5 hours ago, Wehwalt said:

Just as a hasty glance, Paragraph 4, "Carrier may without liability for refund, payment, compensation or credit, except as provided herein, disembark or refuse to embark You, confine You in a stateroom, quarantine You, restrain You, change Your accommodations or disembark You at any time if, in the sole opinion of Carrier, the Captain or any doctor, You or any minor or other person in Your care during the Cruise, Cruisetour, and/or Land Trip(s), are unfit for any reason for the Cruise, Cruisetour, and/or Land Trip(s), or Your presence might be detrimental to Your health, comfort or safety or that of any other person, or in the judgment of the Captain is advisable for any reason." The key words being "Carrier may without liability for refund ... change your accommodations ... if ... in the judgment of the Captain is advisable for any reason."

 

Obviously the major purpose of that section is health but it covers anything.

 

Also Paragraph 8, "Except as otherwise provided, Carrier may, for any reason, without prior notice, cancel the cruise, Cruisetour, and/or Land Trip(s); deviate from the scheduled ports of call, route and timetable; call or omit to call at any port or place or cancel or modify any activity on or off the ship; comply with all governmental laws and orders given by governmental authorities; render assistance to preserve life and property; or change the date or time of sailing or arrival, change the port of embarkation or disembarkation, shorten the Cruise, Cruisetour and/or Land Trip(s), or substitute ships, aircraft or other transportation or lodging." Or lodging.

 

Personally, I think they should not move people like that especially when they've taken extra money to let people choose their cabin, but they're probably within their rights. It's pretty lousy for the people involved though.

The very liberal interpretation of those paragraphs would be hard to convince a judge to mean “we can move you from your chosen stateroom simply to maximize occupancy on the ship”.  That would violate the spirit of the contract in my opinion. If they wanted to include such a statement they certainly could but these sections simply don’t apply to motivations like maximizing revenue. Otherwise they could bump you every time someone was willing to pay more for your stateroom than you paid. 

[Menocchio]

5 minutes ago, retird said:

And since the description of suites indicates, triple or quad for all of them, if im in a neptune as two and a triple or quad reservation gets assigned my cabin, wonder what equivelant cabin they could move me too.  I know it is hypothetical and maybe an overreaction of sorts, but the question begs to be asked considering the new policy

 

I really don't think this will affect suites. The OP was looking at a veranda cabin. The person who got bumped by Princess was in a ocean view. This I think is to put families in the verandas, ocean views, and interiors with multiple pull out beds. In those cases, they'd be able to provide a nominally equivalent (that is, about the same price to book) stateroom to the bumped. Potentially the very next cabin if the Princess incident is any guide.

 

I just don't see them kicking honeymooners out of suites to accommodate a late-booking family. The folks in the veranda a deck below can be moved next door, though. What's frustrating is that we don't know what staterooms are apt to be assigned to large groups. 

[3rdGenCunarder]

2 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

In the last 12 months or so, I've watched with increasing dismay some of the questionable practices launched by the cruise industry under the umbrella of greater profitability. 

 

Personally, I've thought for years that the cruise contract gives cruise lines way too much latitude at the expense of customer rights. I'm no lawyer -- but have heard it opined by others who are -- that some of those clauses really should be challenged as there are such things as consumer rights and protections. However, as long as people keep booking and the lines sail full, I very much doubt there is any likelihood we'll see change.

 

As a solo passenger, welcome to my world. Some cruise lines (not HAL, at least not in my experience) won't even let solos book cabins on certain cruises -- not even at a full supplement. Some won't let solos book Guarantee cabins. Others, like Celebrity are aggressively making solos feel unwelcome in other ways -- such as charging way ABOVE 200% supplement if they want to book. As an example, a good (on CC) friend who's sailed Celebrity solo for years wanted to book a cruise later this spring on X. For a cabin that was listed as $1099 per person, double occupany, she was quoted a rate of $5500 for a solo....

 

 

 

That's outrageous!!! I understand the argument for the supplement--I don't like paying it, but I understand. They could have two people in a cabin, and they don't expect a solo to buy as many drinks or excursions as a couple would. But we also use less water, fewer towels, fewer dishes. We eat less and we take up less waitstaff time. 

 

What happens when a solo wants a cabin on a two-for-one offer? 

Edited March 21 by 3rdGenCunarder

[Sea Hag]

8 hours ago, MISTER 67 said:

We’ve been also cruising with Princess and Celebrity for many years, we also sail with MSC but aren’t wild about the drive to Miami, Port Everglades is our favorite port.

There's a thread on the Princess board with somebody complaining that Princess did the exact same thing to them - moved them out of their selected cabin that accommodates 3 or 4 into a cabin that was worse (obstructed view was worse than original obstructed view) that holds only two. 

[TiogaCruiser]

16 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

What happens when a solo wants a cabin on a two-for-one offer? 

Prior to Covid I looked at several “special “ offers that were twofers. The cost for a solo was about 3x. On HAL, private sale 

[Sea Hag]

4 hours ago, FlaMariner said:

 

Acceptable ship elevator passenger capacity drops as the cruise days pass.....Scientifically proven.  Less capacity on the ship elevators at disembarkation than embarkation.

You're right about that. On our first, and only so far, sailing on HAL we were on the Westerdam last September. The vast majority of people seemed to never find the midship elevators, the ones that look out to sea, until the last two days. We had those elevators virtually to ourselves until the last two days. Up until then, the elevator capacity was very acceptable.

[MISTER 67]

14 minutes ago, Sea Hag said:

There's a thread on the Princess board with somebody complaining that Princess did the exact same thing to them - moved them out of their selected cabin that accommodates 3 or 4 into a cabin that was worse (obstructed view was worse than original obstructed view) that holds only two. 

Must be a Carnival Corporation thing.

[RedIguana]

5 hours ago, Wehwalt said:

The key words being "Carrier may without liability for refund ... change your accommodations ... if ... in the judgment of the Captain is advisable for any reason."

 

 

5 hours ago, Wehwalt said:

Or lodging

The judgment of the Captain would not come into play until embarkation day, and is pretty well stated that it is for reasons of health, safety, or the unsuitability of the passenger or passengers.

"Or lodging" is included to address land portions of a trip, such as are found on the Alaskan cruisetours, not staterooms. 

I am surprised the contract does not state they can change your state room at their discretion, and I am pretty sure I have seen that in past contracts on other lines. Although I'm not sure what recourse one would have other than complaining.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

3 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

In the last 12 months or so, I've watched with increasing dismay some of the questionable practices launched by the cruise industry under the umbrella of greater profitability. 

 

Personally, I've thought for years that the cruise contract gives cruise lines way too much latitude at the expense of customer rights. I'm no lawyer -- but have heard it opined by others who are -- that some of those clauses really should be challenged as there are such things as consumer rights and protections. However, as long as people keep booking and the lines sail full, I very much doubt there is any likelihood we'll see change.

 

As a solo passenger, welcome to my world. Some cruise lines (not HAL, at least not in my experience) won't even let solos book cabins on certain cruises -- not even at a full supplement. Some won't let solos book Guarantee cabins. Others, like Celebrity are aggressively making solos feel unwelcome in other ways -- such as charging way ABOVE 200% supplement if they want to book. As an example, a good (on CC) friend who's sailed Celebrity solo for years wanted to book a cruise later this spring on X. For a cabin that was listed as $1099 per person, double occupany, she was quoted a rate of $5500 for a solo....

 

 

 

 

 

I have not read every comment in this thread but wanted to comment on this because this is exactly what is happening, it is really terrible with the single price gouging. But I just saw a single price an hour ago for X and saw that there was a special price code for single supplement that was not showing yesterday. The pricing was more in line with the 200% and not the 300% to 500% that X has been doing the last several months.

Another thing that that cruise line with the really big ships is doing they may have 19 Junior Suites available all have occupancy of 3 to 4 and they absolutely will not sell a cabin to a couple even if there is a triple cabin in their party booking.

Interestingly enough Carnival has been doing something very similar to this for over 10 years now. Disney is also going this route. Basically they want to fill these ships up to max capacity, have as many passengers they can paying paying crew incentive (remember 3rd and 4th are not included in Have It All Plus).

Right now the only cruise line I am aware of that is not pulling this is Norwegian Cruise Lines.

[ChinaShrek]

4 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

Maybe not deeper pockets, if there's a kids or 3rd/4th sail free promo.

Kids can bring in lots of money through soda packages, specialty dinners, shore excursions, and rides on the ship.

[craig01020]

17 hours ago, SUESEABE said:

Check deck plan map and staterooms will have a symbol to indicate type of cabin.

No symbol equals cabin for two?

[Ipeeinthepools]

1 minute ago, craig01020 said:

No symbol equals cabin for two?

That’s correct for non-suite cabins.  For suites you need to read the description 

[Haljo1935]

33 minutes ago, ChinaShrek said:

Kids can bring in lots of money through soda packages, specialty dinners, shore excursions, and rides on the ship.

What do mean by "rides on the ship"?

[Haljo1935]

3 minutes ago, craig01020 said:

No symbol equals cabin for two?

Yes

[visagrunt]

On 3/20/2024 at 3:34 PM, Riversedge said:

It seems like they’re shooting themselves in the foot on this one.  Are they forgetting that they cater to an older clientele?  I doubt that many of those are going to fill a cabin for 4 on a long cruise.  This seems totally unrealistic on their part.  Maybe their first priority should be fixing entertainment, not thinking up silly rules.  

I suspect that this is, in fact, front and centre in their calculus.  An older clientele is going to stop being their clientele in the medium term and that clientele must be replaced.

Younger cruisers and multi-generational family groups are the new deep pockets and they are more likely to want/need 3+ berths, and HAL would be foolish to turn them away when there are twos to move people to.

And, frankly, from a commercial perspective, the three that they can build a relationship with is a higher priority than the two with an established one.

Don't take it personally, this is business and you're as valuable as your contribution to the bottom line.

[craig01020]

I have my first two HAL cruises booked. Thankfully, both cabins are for 2 people.

If they just want to cram as many passengers as possible, they could switch to the same model as hotels: no choosing your room.

I always thought that one of the major advantages of cruising is that you can pick your cabin.

This new policy sucks!

[SUESEABE]

21 minutes ago, craig01020 said:

No symbol equals cabin for two?

Correct

[craig01020]

Would it be possible to book a cabin for 3 and then delete the third person just before the cruise leaves?