HAL Deposit

[BM64]

My TA priced out the Noordam for next March for my family of four. She priced out a VF balcony cabin and I think the price is reasinable for a 10day cruise but she says HAL is asking for a $600 deposit per person. Does that seem like a big deposit or is that HAL's norm? I'm used to about $250pp.

[earl_m]

i AM DOING A 10 DAY CRUISE IN NOV. AND THEY ASK FOR $750. DOWN.

i THINK ITS REASONABLE.

[noblepa]

My TA priced out the Noordam for next March for my family of four. She priced out a VF balcony cabin and I think the price is reasinable for a 10day cruise but she says HAL is asking for a $600 deposit per person. Does that seem like a big deposit or is that HAL's norm? I'm used to about $250pp.

 

I believe that HAL normally asks for 25 percent as a deposit. When I booked our upcoming (April 7) seven day cruise on Zuiderdam, the total bill, including airfare and trip insurance, was a little over $3600 for two of us, in a VE cabin. The deposit was $900+. That's $450 pp. A ten day cruise obviously costs more than a seven day trip, so $600 doesn't sound impossible.

 

Is $600 equal to 25 percent of your total bill? If so, then I think that is normal.

[lvtotrvl1]

HAL deposits are 350 pp for a 7 night cruise...yes it's more than other cruiselines..normally 250 pp. I guess it's not unreasonable since people are paying it....less cancellations that way I suppose.

[pms4104]

The norm for a 10-day itinerary is $600 per person for cruise only.

 

And, if you were to purchase insurance thru the cruiseline, I believe that amount is to be paid in full with your initial deposit.

 

earl m: we deposited on a December 2007 10-day itinerary, and all they wanted was $600 per person ... I don't question the amount you paid, it just seems different from the norm.

[grannynurse]

I really think the destination more than the length of cruise determines the deposit. On transatlantics we've always been charged $850 or more for deposit. On a 35 day back to back we were going to have to pay 2 deposits each until HAL changed it to 1 cruise with the option of segments.

A 7 day Alaska in 2006 had a higher deposit than the Caribbean 11 day in 2005. In my experience it seems to be that destination is the first criterion.

GN

[jtl513]

On our two European 10-days we paid $600 pp and $750 pp. Those were 15% and 14% respectively. In addition to that we paid $259 pp and $329 pp respectively for HAL Platinum insurance at the time of booking.

 

For our upcoming 7-day Alaska it was $600 pp (18%) plus $259 pp insurance.

[Krazy Kruizers]

It's reasonable. When you are on your cruise, there will be a cruise consultant on board. If you book anything for the future, the deposit is only $100 per person plus you get ship board credit. You don't have to commit yourself to a certain date, ship or itinerary. Just sail sometime within 4 years of the deposit.

[BM64]

I think what's throwing me off is that the $600 for each kid is 80% of their fare. It is what it is and whether I pay it now or later, it's all the same. I'm just excited that our break will coincide with a Noordam sailing and I won't have to deal with airfare.

[Odd Ball]

My upcoming cruise was 600.00 PP.

[Susie51]

Our 7 day outside, partially-obstructed view room was 50%.

[Jade13]

We paid $1,800 total deposit for three for 10 day med (plus Hal Platinum which was $99 for the 3rd person), and we have a third person teenager in the cabin. It didn't show up as per person, but just off the total so that I didn't look at it as $600pp. I's all the same in the end.

[cnvh]

We booked the Noordam for the 10/31/07 sailing, and the deposit was $600 per person, plus all insurance paid up front. I believe in the brochure, it states that the deposits depend not on the COST of the cruise, but the LENGTH of the sailing.

 

It was rather a shock to pay that much up front, but the up-side is, now more than half the cost of our cruise is already paid for, and I'll have a smaller bill for final payment in August. Six of one, half-dozen of the other as they say... :) Happy sailing!

[tarheelmjfan]

We're considering HAL for the 1st time, so I'm reading everything I can about the line. The high deposit surprises me. I don't look at it as being the same in the end. We're used to paying $250 pp for a 7 night cruise. The potential of paying $350 pp more for the deposit is $1,050 of my money that's working for HAL instead of me. Not to mention the fact $600 is more than the 3rd person rate for the cruise we're considering. Oh well, it's definitely something we'll take into consideration.

[Sky Sweet]

A few days ago I booked two cabins for a Thanksgiving Cruise on Westerdam, which will be our first cruise on HAL.

 

When we book cruises on Celebrity, I usually wait until final payment is due to buy travel insurance, but HAL told me that if I didn't buy their insurance when I made my deposit, I would not have the option of buying it from them at a later point in time. I chose not to buy insurance at this point in time and plan to buy it from a third party company before I make our final payment.

 

Do most people buy HAL's travel insurance when they make their initial deposit or buy it from a third party company at a later point in time?

 

Thanks in advance :)

[smoothsailors]

We buy third-party insurance (which covers interruption as well as just cancellation)...BUT the catch-22 is that you MUST purchase the insurance within 14 days of your initial deposit if you want to be covered for pre-existing conditions. This is a must for us, so I wonder if any of you can answer this question: if we take advantage of the HAL $100/pp deposit on a future trip while we're aboard the Prinsendam in June, is this considered a true booking so that I'd have to obtain (and pay) for insurance immediately? Thanks for any input!

[Sky Sweet]

We buy third-party insurance (which covers interruption as well as just cancellation)...BUT the catch-22 is that you MUST purchase the insurance within 14 days of your initial deposit if you want to be covered for pre-existing conditions. This is a must for us, so I wonder if any of you can answer this question: if we take advantage of the HAL $100/pp deposit on a future trip while we're aboard the Prinsendam in June, is this considered a true booking so that I'd have to obtain (and pay) for insurance immediately? Thanks for any input!

 

Hi Smoothsailors :)

 

If you buy travel insurance from a third party company shortly after you make your intital deposit and subsequently cancel that cruise prior to the penalty period, do you lose the entire amount you paid for insurance?

[Jade13]

We buy third-party insurance (which covers interruption as well as just cancellation)...BUT the catch-22 is that you MUST purchase the insurance within 14 days of your initial deposit if you want to be covered for pre-existing conditions. This is a must for us, so I wonder if any of you can answer this question: if we take advantage of the HAL $100/pp deposit on a future trip while we're aboard the Prinsendam in June, is this considered a true booking so that I'd have to obtain (and pay) for insurance immediately? Thanks for any input!

 

Yes, I asked them this. It's $100pp plus the insurance, unless you just book a "future cruise request" not a specific cruise and cabin. And, my research so far is showing that all 3rd party policys that have "cancel for any reason" have to be paid within 14 days.

[2boyzmom]

We are also cruising on the Noordam 10 day sailing next year and 2 adults , 2 kids was $2400 deposit. I was shocked, but the nice thing is the cruise will be over 60% paid with the deposit alone :)

[Aussie Gal]

It's reasonable. When you are on your cruise, there will be a cruise consultant on board. If you book anything for the future, the deposit is only $100 per person plus you get ship board credit. You don't have to commit yourself to a certain date, ship or itinerary. Just sail sometime within 4 years of the deposit.

 

KK,

 

Have HAL changed the rules recently. We booked our Amazon cruise for 2006, when we were on the Maasdam in 2005 and we had to pay a deposit of $1200p.p. for the trip. We booked it through the Cruise Consultant on board. There was no insurance involved and it was for a 35 day cruise which could have made the deposit higher. There certainly was no offer of a $100p.p. deposit.

 

Jennie

[ore-ee-gun]

Hmmm, our deposit was $600 for both of us, plus $198 for the insurance. We're doing a 7-day'er to Mexico in Dec....

[RuthC]

Have HAL changed the rules recently.

Hi, Jennie! I can answer your question since I'm here.

Yes, HAL did very recently change the rules; IIRC it was in January.

All HAL ships are supposed to have a cruise consultant aboard now. While onboard you can book a cruise with a $100 pp deposit. If you change your mind you can roll that deposit over to a different cruise.

PLUS you can place a deposit of $100 with an open booking to be placed within four years. However, if you don't use that deposit within the four years you lose it.

All in all, not a bad deal.

[Aussie Gal]

Ruth,

 

Thanks for that. Great to hear from you. I did enjoy your email. Obviously HAL is now doing what Princess has been doing for years, a small deposit and not having to take a cruise for four years.

 

At least we have the use of our money until final payment day!!

 

Jennie

[newfarmers]

Deposit HAL requested (in Feb) for our Three Continents (in Oct) was USD2900 of a total USD6200. Would have loved it to be only 20-25%. Could have still been in our offset account helping to get that mortgage paid sooner. Final payment due August!

[BM64]

Hi 2boyzmom,

When are you sailing? We are on the March 19th sailing.

 

Brigitte