stillfrantic Posted June 30, 2004 #1 Share Posted June 30, 2004 I am sailing in September on the Zuiderdam and check the rate daily. For months it never varied. I figured after final payments were due, the rate would likely drop. While categories that had previously been closed or guaranteed did open up as available, the price really jumped. It is only the first week in September that is a good bit higher. It had been a little lower than the other weeks. I am just surprised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Roz Posted June 30, 2004 #2 Share Posted June 30, 2004 Frantic, I've noticed that on other cruises. I think it may have something to do with the Labor Day weekend. Lots of working people (myself among them!) like to combine cruises with long holiday weekends in order to maximize our annual leave. Anyone else have another explanation? Roz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAKcruiser Posted June 30, 2004 #3 Share Posted June 30, 2004 It seems dumb to me but as the day of the cruise draws closer, HAL raises its prices on their web site but the travel agents lower their prices. I think HAL must sell them to the travel agents for less as the sailing date gets closer. For instance, HAL is selling their category S on the Volendam for December 6 for about $3,000. Cheaper Travel has it for about $1,900. This doesn't make any sense to me. Same thing for the Rotterdam Category S on December 2. HAL web site lists it for $3,700. Cheaper Travel is charging about $2,800. I think I heard that travel agents sell 90% of cruises. I guess that's why the cruise lines don't care so much about selling directly to passengers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krazy Kruizers Posted June 30, 2004 #4 Share Posted June 30, 2004 On our January cruises the price dropped quite a bit last weekend. But on our Feb/Mar cruises the prices have gone up nearly $500 per person per cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Roz Posted June 30, 2004 #5 Share Posted June 30, 2004 I think the law of supply and demand is at work. Roz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gizmo Posted June 30, 2004 #6 Share Posted June 30, 2004 KAKcruiser is correct. I have seen this many times. It seems the closer the cruise gets, the price on Hal's site goes up and the TA prices go down. This may not always be the case but I have seen it lots of times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stillfrantic Posted June 30, 2004 Author #7 Share Posted June 30, 2004 I guess it doesn't help me even if TA's lower the prices since the HAL price is higher and our reservation is with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
localady Posted June 30, 2004 #8 Share Posted June 30, 2004 I would recommend you contact the agency advertising the lowest price and ask them if you can transfer the booking to one of their agents. Bookings are routinely transfered from HAL to an agent as most cruises are cheaper that way. All it requires is you faxing a letter to HAL saying you wish to transfer your booking and the booking number, along with the name of the Agent and agency. If you haven't made final payment yet, you can still do this. Good luck!:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tatka Posted June 30, 2004 #9 Share Posted June 30, 2004 [quote name='localady']I would recommend you contact the agency advertising the lowest price and ask them if you can transfer the booking to one of their agents. Bookings are routinely transfered from HAL to an agent as most cruises are cheaper that way. All it requires is you faxing a letter to HAL saying you wish to transfer your booking and the booking number, along with the name of the Agent and agency. If you haven't made final payment yet, you can still do this. Good luck!:D[/QUOTE] Why does anybody want to book thru HAL (or any other cruiseline anyway)? Price difference always seems huge! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catlib55 Posted June 30, 2004 #10 Share Posted June 30, 2004 We sail on the Rotterdam in December, and I have been watching the prices on the cabins just about daily. They all seem to have gone up rather than down. There are no inside cabins available any more, and most suites are full. It is interesting to watch. When we sailed on the Statendam in April of '03, I watched the price of our category go down significantly, so I called our TA and he got us the lower rate. So I am watching the prices of this cruise also. But they are significantly higher than what we have paid, and they have gone even higher since I have been watching them. Wierd! Til we sail on Rotterdam, Mary Ellen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debi_D Posted June 30, 2004 #11 Share Posted June 30, 2004 I notice that for our next cruise on the Oosterdam, we booked Suite (S) for 1,240.00 and now it is up to 2,270.00 on travelocity and it does not included all the fees. I can't believe how much the price jump:confused: Debi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
localady Posted June 30, 2004 #12 Share Posted June 30, 2004 [font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=purple]Tatka- [/color][/size][/font] [font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=purple] I think it may be that some are concerned that they will lose control of the booking. Or possibly they don't realize the financial difference. :eek: I am not the brightest choochoo on the block and it took me a while to understand how it works! I find the best of both worlds by securing the cabin directly thru HAL, then transferring it to my Agent for a competitve price. :D [/color][/size][/font] [font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=purple][/color][/size][/font] [font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=purple]Debi D- That veranda will be even sweeter knowing what you paid for the Suite:cool: [/color][/size][/font] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAKcruiser Posted June 30, 2004 #13 Share Posted June 30, 2004 I also book directly with HAL and after I have everything in order like dining requests, shareholder shipboard credit, then I search for a travel agent. I usually transfer right before final payment is due. I never used to do this because HAL used to offer pretty good prices when the sailing got close. But, nowadays I always get a better deal with a travel agent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stillfrantic Posted July 1, 2004 Author #14 Share Posted July 1, 2004 My husband booked the trip as a gift to me and at the time HAL had the same prices as online agencies he checked with. The trip is paid in full so I will just keep checking the HAL website, although it sounds like HAL sells high at the end to individuals. I was just surprised by the change since the 4th had been the cheapest week in September, and now, although it has more availability, the price has really escalated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cusyl Posted July 1, 2004 #15 Share Posted July 1, 2004 My travel agent told me that the cruiselines raise the price considerably at times on one category in able to book more in the other categories. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orcrone Posted July 1, 2004 #16 Share Posted July 1, 2004 Took a look at my cruise today. The inside and outside categories stayed the same, although the lowest priced insides vanished. However, the verandahs went up by about $150 per person. Glad I'm locked in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F5Loar Posted July 1, 2004 #17 Share Posted July 1, 2004 Cruise rates must be tied to the federal interest rates! They went up today too! Look for more trickle down increase in everything including your cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stillfrantic Posted July 1, 2004 Author #18 Share Posted July 1, 2004 Trickle down crusinomics! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orcrone Posted July 1, 2004 #19 Share Posted July 1, 2004 I really wish Greenspan would consider the average cruiser before setting policy.:mad: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinbad37 Posted July 1, 2004 #20 Share Posted July 1, 2004 [quote name='stillfrantic']Trickle down crusinomics![/QUOTE] [b][font=Arial Black]GREAT WAY WITH WORDS![/font][/b] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAKcruiser Posted July 1, 2004 #21 Share Posted July 1, 2004 Always check with HAL for the lowest price. You can't always rely on their web site. Last week the Zuiderdam for September 25 in the S category went up to $1,698. I called them and found out promo #300 was still in place and the suite could be purchased for $1,402. When I asked them why the web site wasn't showing the lowest price, they said that sometimes that just happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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