Your Ship Overbooked....What Would YOU Do???

[bob brown]

Thanks Sail, for that reassurance. As you said, I would be happy to get any cabin, just as long as I go!:)

[smgapp]

We were on the 3/31 Noordam. We had four cabins booked for our family. HAL overbooked the ship, they called our travel agent and asked us if we wanted to give up two non balcony outside rooms for a suite- they also offered a bit of a refund and gave the other two rooms a shipboard credit. They also moved one of our triple rooms to a 4 person room since a passenger with a health issue wanted a room that adjoined their family members ( and we were booked in that room). I am not sure giving up two separate outside rooms is worth it for a suite with only one bathroom, but my family was thrilled for the upgrade to the suite even though there were 4 people in it.

[CruiseBumm]

I agree with Brian , Lets make aDeal sounds like fun. Alaska in may or Austraila in January, HUm?:D

[chasetf]

........Are all these people paid in full? Are many people waitlisted or on guarantees?

They are guarantees who have not gotten their cabin assignment yet.

........So say I am booked in cabin 4132.....does that mean someone else is also booked in my cabin?

If you are book in 4132, then it is yours. What they are trying to do is intice someone like you to give it up so it can be assigned to one of those guarantees.

So basically when the ship is fully booked they go ahead and book and accept full payment for guarantees? I wasn't worried.....just wondered where these people were "placed" when a ship is "full".

Just because it is "fully booked" does not mean it will sail full. They know from past experience that a certain percentage of people will cancel.... all the way up to the final payment date (and sometimes past). So they are just "covering their bets" by accepting additional bookings. What happens when they have to make these offers is not as many people cancelled as they expected or anticipated.

[RuthC]

I've got a cruise booked and HAL wants my cabin? And they're willing to give me something extra for it?

What to do? :confused: What to do? :confused:

Guess it depends on how badly I want to take that cruise vs what HAL is going to give me in exchange. And I think that could vary depending on the cruise. If it's something I've taken before, and one on which I know few, if any, other passengers---sure, I'll think about giving it up. How sweet can HAL make that pot? (And we're not talking chocolate here. ;) )

If it's a unique cruise, or has lots of CC friends going, then I probably won't want to give it up.

A while back kyros told of an offer to give up a 30-day South Pacific cruise in return for 65-ish days of the World Cruise.

I'd take that deal in a heartbeat.

[Tricia724]

My dream is for an airline or cruiseline to offer me a real deal. So far, it hasn't happened. Every time an airline asks for volunteers to give up their seats, I step up.....but I never seem to end up with the free ticket. The best we've done is a first-class seat on a short flight. A few years back, I was working and in a tight time frame. Now I'm retired and flexible. Come on people......make me an offer I can't refuse!

 

As long as our airfare penalty was covered, I think we'd be willing to consider offers from the cruiseline that would be to our benefit. So far, it hasn't happened, but if it does in the future, we'll certainly hear them out.

[dakrewser]

My dream is for an airline or cruiseline to offer me a real deal. So far, it hasn't happened. Every time an airline asks for volunteers to give up their seats, I step up.

 

When we lived in Austin, TX I'd always be flying (on AA) via DFW. I'd always be sure to book the last flight back from DFW to Austin which was always overbooked. Frequently they'd offer a $500 credit for volunteers. When they did, I always stepped up and took it. Then I'd call Hertz, book a 1-way to Austin (a 3 hour drive) and pay roughly $50 for the car. The $450 left easily covered two round trips to just about anywhere in the US.

 

Sadly, the "new" AA doesn't do that any more :(

[caviargal]

According to HAL, the 5/27 Noordam sailing is completely sold out in all categories. I was trying to book for some friends to go with us. They helpfully told me there was a group holding some cabins and I followed up with that, to be told that the group was completely sold out.

 

We are booked in an SZ GTY so will happy with whatever we get but unless something happens with last minute cancellations, I imagine they will indeed be dialing for cabins.

 

In this case, we cannot be flexible unless we can sail very shortly thereafter. Work commitments will make the final determination and I prefer to avoid the summer family rush and that starts around mid June which is the reason we booked the last May sailing.

 

If the offer were for a SA/SB/SC within 2 weeks of our sailing and they absorbed airfare fees, then I would definitely consider changing. For the same cabin category, not a chance.

[Mary Ellen]

Last summer my friend/neighbor was booked (one of HAL's 'sister' lines - NOT HAL) on an Alaskan cruise. The had booked directly with the line for an inside gty. Received cabin, docs and then 3 days before flying to Seattle the offers started. They were asked if they were interested in changing their dates. The offer was upgrade to a balcony, the $100 airfare fees paid, and either one of them had the cruise fare refunded - or half refunded, I don't remember (making it 50% of the total or 25% of the total refunded). Considering they had booked an inside gty at a VERY nice price they thought this an excellent offer, but they declined. The first contacts were by e-mail, but when a cruise rep called and they told him no, they weren't contacted again and went on their cruise as planned.

 

Over booking DOES happen, but you aren't forced to take the offers. They just keep upping the offers until they get the cabins they need (as Sail found out).

[SakeDad]

According to HAL, the 5/27 Noordam sailing is completely sold out in all categories. I was trying to book for some friends to go with us. They helpfully told me there was a group holding some cabins and I followed up with that, to be told that the group was completely sold out.

 

We are booked in an SZ GTY so will happy with whatever we get but unless something happens with last minute cancellations, I imagine they will indeed be dialing for cabins.

 

In this case, we cannot be flexible unless we can sail very shortly thereafter. Work commitments will make the final determination and I prefer to avoid the summer family rush and that starts around mid June which is the reason we booked the last May sailing.

 

If the offer were for a SA/SB/SC within 2 weeks of our sailing and they absorbed airfare fees, then I would definitely consider changing. For the same cabin category, not a chance.

 

Caviargal....we could sail together yet!:D Just tell 'em we BOTH want SC+ for the 5/20 sailing and we'll have a real party!

[chasetf]

My dream is for an airline or cruiseline to offer me a real deal. So far, it hasn't happened. Every time an airline asks for volunteers to give up their seats, I step up.....but I never seem to end up with the free ticket. The best we've done is a first-class seat on a short flight. A few years back, I was working and in a tight time frame. Now I'm retired and flexible. Come on people......make me an offer I can't refuse!

 

As long as our airfare penalty was covered, I think we'd be willing to consider offers from the cruiseline that would be to our benefit. So far, it hasn't happened, but if it does in the future, we'll certainly hear them out.

You are might be in the same boat as us.... We have never gotten an "offer" either ....We are retired and tend to always book off season.... and those probably are never overbooked... at least not in our category.