Claiming special offer (free night in hotel) for exisiting booking

[Silverwing]

Back in June we booked an S suite on the Ryndam for an Alaska cruise next July from Vancouver to Seward. Just seen that HAL are now offering a free night in a Vancouver hotel for deluxe verandah suite passengers. It says in the small print that the "free room offer is valid on all 2007 Inside Passage cruises from Vancouver with the purchase of category S". Does anyone have experience of trying to claim an offer like this for an exisiting booking made several months before the offer is announced? We booked through our local TA (we are in Chichester, England) so I think I'll pay her a visit tomorrow morning and see what she has to say. We are flying independently and spending a week before the cruise and two weeks after driving around (including Camp Denali!) - it's going to be a very expensive trip so any help in keeping costs down would be welcome! It's our first vist to Alaska and our planning and booking (hotels, cars, tours etc) are now complete so we can relax and enjoy the anticipation!

 

Cheryl

[hammybee]

If you were a U.S. passenger, you probably could cancel your booking and start a new one, with no certainty that yow would get the same cabin. I am however, aware that there may be different policies for non U.S. passengers.

 

I am not sure if those policies are cruise line or T/A imposed, and have no idea why they are different. Does anyone know?

 

BTW, the British exchange rate is working well in favor of non U.S. passengers.

[grannynurse]

Last year we booked an S on the Westerdam to Alaska for September '06. After we booked (can't remember how long after) the free hotel offer was announced. Our travel agent called HAL and got us included in the promo. It was not a problem.

GN

[territax]

Can you tell me where you found this offer? We're booked in an S suite on the Volendam next September and already have a hotel booked in Vancouver but if I can get one for free I'm going for it.

[Silverwing]

This is the link for the current HAL Alaska promotions:

 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/show/tahq/contactus.do

 

When you have that page click on "Get Promotions and Sales Tools" on the top left side. That will open a new window. Click on "Alaska" then you will see the "Vancouver Suite Celebration" - click on that to get the details. Hope that's helpful.

 

Many thanks to 'grannynurse' for letting me know that it worked for you. Let's hope my TA will be able to sort it out for me too!

 

Cheryl

[fman]

They're also doing this for some sailings from Seattle if you book a suite.

 

I'm booked on a sailing in June from Vancouver and I asked my TA to investigate. They told me I could do it, but the price would be $150/person higher (for the same suite) IF I wanted the 'free' hotel night. Maybe I;m getting a group rate, or other special, but I was a bit let down to find out that I would have to pay an addtional $300 if I wanted a free hotel night.

[Navy_Chief]

I've had no problem getting these promos direct with HAL and a TA should be able to do the same thing. This type of promo will not or should not require a "re-booking". Our cruise offered a free hometown motorcoach round trip to the pier in NYC as long as we had a veranda cabin. At first, the agent said it was for "new" bookings but after telling the agent that I was told differently when I booked got results from the call desk supervisor who confirmed it was valid to my current booking.

[Gsel]

We got this with no problem for our June sailing out of Seattle. All your TA has to do is ask!

[territax]

Thanks for the link, I'm forwarding this thread to my TA, sounds like it worked for others so it should for us.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I have to agree with Gsel, we booked the Noordam for June 17th while we were on the Veendam. A few weeks ago my TA called me to say that a HAL Rep called her wanting to know if we wanted the nights Pre Stay in Seattle. She said " YES" for us then called and we of course said she did not the right thing since we planned to go up the day before.

[clogaltocruise]

Hello ~

 

Yes, this past September (and in July 2003) we received a complimentary stay in Vancouver. We were booked in a Deluxe Suite through a local TA. We did us HAL's air and transfer. I don't know if that is a requirement to get the free room. It was exceptional and the hotel handled the luggage transfer to the ship.

Kathy

[FoxyTerrier]

I got all excited when I saw this tread, but the fine print says Select sailings out of Seattle. So I then figured it was worth a shot, but...

 

For us it won't work out as we are getting 2 cabins, 1 Suite for DH and I and 1 Inside for the teens. I checked in to book an additional room for the teens will be around $400. I think we can do better booking 2 less expensive hotel rooms.

 

We have stayed at several Fairmont hotels and they are GREAT. The one at Vancouver airport is very convientent for early morning flights home as the hotel is in the airport.

[FoxyTerrier]

I know the Fairmont in Vancouver is right across the street from the pier which so convient.

 

What about in Seattle? Can you walk from the Fairmont to the HAL terminal?

[Gsel]

FoxyTerrier, it is about 2 miles from the Fairmont to the pier so I wouldn't try walking with luggage! But, with the free room came transfers! That was unexpected for us. We probably won't use that part because we prefer to get there before noon, but is a nice perk if you want it.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

FoxyTerrier, it is about 2 miles from the Fairmont to the pier so I wouldn't try walking with luggage! But, with the free room came transfers! That was unexpected for us. We probably won't use that part because we prefer to get there before noon, but is a nice perk if you want it.

 

I was thrill it had free transfers as well, but I had not thought that it is probably one of those HAL tours. Darn:( we too like to be at the pier very early. I wonder if the Fairmont in Seattle has a shuttle service to the pier that would take us earlier?

[Gsel]

Didn't think of that! We are just going to take a cab, but let us know if you find out about a shuttle.

[Lee77]

This is the link for the current HAL Alaska promotions:

 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/show/tahq/contactus.do

 

When you have that page click on "Get Promotions and Sales Tools" on the top left side. That will open a new window. Click on "Alaska" then you will see the "Vancouver Suite Celebration" - click on that to get the details. Hope that's helpful.

 

Many thanks to 'grannynurse' for letting me know that it worked for you. Let's hope my TA will be able to sort it out for me too!

 

Cheryl

 

Could you please tell me what led to this link? I looked at hollandamerica.com and could not find it.

[kiwiKeith]

I have contacted my TA about this but she is away a present (family bereavement) so I won't here back from her for a few days. I am curious to know which hotels HAL uses in Vancouver. We have already booked our pre-cruise hotel in Vancouver but can cancel if HAL gives us something better and for free. Thanks.

[Silverwing]

I have now heard back from my TA - she spoke to HAL in England who emailed HAL in Seattle etc. We are able to use this offer but it only applies to 2 people and there are 4 of us. The charge for the extra two people is £55 (about US$100) per person. They won't say which hotel - just that it's a 4 or 5 * downtown. Not sure whether we will use it as £110 is about the same amount as we have already booked to pay (for all four of us) for a superior room with two queen beds at the Blue Horizon Hotel, which is has good reviews on Trip Advisor. It's certainly a great offer if there are only two of you - not so attractive if there are four of you!

 

For Lee77 - I'm sorry I can't remember how how I originally found that link. I've had that special offers page bookmarked for ages and just keep checking in case anything of interest appears. Busy today, but when I have a minute I'll see if I can find it for you.

 

Cheryl

[GrammaZ]

Talked to Holland America yesterday and they added it to our cruise on the 15th of September out of Vancouver no problem. Their agent told me the hotels they use in Vancouver are the Fairmount Downtown, Fairmount Waterfront and the Pan Pacifac. We are going to chose the Pan Pacifac as it is the hotel in the Pier complex. The promotion also includes the Fairmount Airport.

[Tinknock50]

Keep in mind that the Vancouver offer states "or airport Hotel".

This wouldn't be so great, a downtown Hotel would be much better to go for walks and explore the town.....or watch the ships leave for the previous days cruises. Not sure they will give you the choice of where, but you can ask.

 

But hey, its free.:)

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Talked to Holland America yesterday and they added it to our cruise on the 15th of September out of Vancouver no problem. Their agent told me the hotels they use in Vancouver are the Fairmount Downtown, Fairmount Waterfront and the Pan Pacifac. We are going to chose the Pan Pacifac as it is the hotel in the Pier complex. The promotion also includes the Fairmount Airport.

 

Just a warning you may not get the hotel you choose or are told you will have. We went to Vancouver twice last year. First was in May for the Ryndam. We signed up for the Pan Pacific. When we recieved our Docs it stated we were at the Fairmont Waterfront. Our TA tried to get HAL to change it since that was what I thought we had and they claimed they could not. Our original paperwork when we first purchased this package stated Pan Pacific. We ended up loving the Fairmont Waterfront and were excited because we thought we were staying again at the Fairmont for our 4 day repo cruise on the Veendam. Guess what when we received our Docs this time they had us at the Pan Pacific. I guess they like to keep you guessing. We ended up liking the Pan Pacific a lot as well. So for Vancouver if you get either one they are great.

Now we are being told that for June 16th we will be at the Fairmont in Seattle. I do not think they use another 5 star hotel in the Seattle area so hopefully that will stay the same;)

[GrammaZ]

Thanks for the heads up, Lisa. It really doesn't matter where they put us as all the hotels are very close to the pier. Pan Pacific is just a bit more convenient as we don't have to cab it over but a free night is a free night, I won't complain.

[RuthC]

Pan Pacific is just a bit more convenient as we don't have to cab it over .

The Fairmont Waterfront is directly across a narrow-for-a-downtown street. There's even an underground passageway over to the Pan Pacific that can be used in inclement weather.

Either hotel is well more than fine.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

The Fairmont Waterfront is directly across a narrow-for-a-downtown street. There's even an underground passageway over to the Pan Pacific that can be used in inclement weather.

Either hotel is well more than fine.

 

Ruth, you are right. We loved them both and loved the view we had from both. Although the best was the amazing room they gave us at the Pan Pacific. we had a suite that over looked Canada Place and had a 180 degree view. We could look down over the ships on both sides. They are both fantastic hotels. We will be returning to one of them October 6th next year for the night before we board the Ryndam for a Coastal Cruise.