Pricing Difference

[parislady40]

Being new to HAL, I have lots of questions. If the price of a cruise drops, can you be credited the difference if your TA contacts them. Not sure exactly how this works, as some people on the boards say they are waiting for a price drop for their specific cruise. I have just completed booked and fully paid for as I am within time limit. Pardon the obvious pun, but I feel like a fish out of water after spending my cruise life elsewhere. Just trying HAL for a change.:)

[hammybee]

When reading the boards and posters waiting for price drops, more than likely they have no yet reached final payment date. In these instances, the chances are quite good that the pax will be able to take advantage of savings, given they can cancel the original booking and rebook without penalty.

 

You mention that you have paid in full so I am assuming you are beyond the point of final payment date. If the cost of your cabins drops, it is unlikley any cruise line is going to refund you the difference or give you OBC. It never hurts to ask, but I think the success rate is very low.

[sailorbill]

After the final payment date, which is usually 75 to 90 days before the sailing date, most cruise lines will lower prices for a cruise with a substantial number of unsold cabins. But the lower prices are for new bookings only. It is important for the cruise line to get bods in beds because one third to one half of their profits are generated by on board spending. An empty cabin generates no revenue.

 

One of the games that frequent cruisers play is the "book early or book late gamble" to try to get the lowest price for a particular cruise or for any cruise at a particular time. Waiting for a low price after the final payment date on a popular cruise may mean "sorry, charlie! no deal!". On the other hand, booking late may result in substantial savings on an unpopular cruise.