Does HAL honour price drops after final payment?

[B-May]

I just made final payment 2 weeks ago and now the prices are dropping for our Alaska cruise in mid-May. I could, if booking today, take a SC for the price of my SY and my SY is now $500 cheaper. I would rather take the SC as it was an xmas gift to my parents.

 

When I noticed a decrease a week ago my TA said that it was only for new bookings. Now the price is even lower and I want to upgrade and pay the very small ($12) difference.

 

Will HAL do that? I called and of course they won't talk to me, only my TA who said that cruises don't give you money back, you are stuck with what you paid. To me that's not fair, esp. since I know RCCL give back. Next time I book thru the cruiseline myself! Right now my TA said she's too busy to help me (and this is a friend!).

 

Advice pls. ASAP.

[weelv2cruise]

Hi-B May. Just went through this myself. HAL doesn't do the decrease once paid, but you should have your TA call HAL and ask to do the upgrade from SY to SC and pay the small difference. We were offered that but were happy with the cabin we had since we are with a group so we passed. Hope this helps.

[B-May]

Thanks I'll see what happens. I have a lazy TA and sent her an email begging for the upgrade. I am not asking for money back, I just want that upgrade since it's $15 more than what I paid.

 

It just seems so unfair when you book early and someone else can come along at last minute and snatch a deal on a good cabin. Other cruiselines give a credit but you have to monitor the prices yourself. As you can see this is my first HAL and could be my last if they don't honour my request.

[Pokeynose]

It just seems so unfair when you book early and someone else can come along at last minute and snatch a deal on a good cabin. Other cruiselines give a credit but you have to monitor the prices yourself. As you can see this is my first HAL and could be my last if they don't honour my request.

 

 

I feel the same way. We booked last July for a cruise this Sept. because we wanted a certain suite. I called yesterday to ask if the price went down after we paid our final payment would we get that price, I was told NO. I was to call my TA and he could get me an upgrade. Told her we could only go one up, Penthouse, and that ain't gonna happen. I then asked if we could get some OBC, again the answer was NO. I suppose we could cancel and rebook but would probably lose our suite so I guess rules are rules, not always fair.:(

[cp556]

Right now my TA said she's too busy to help me (and this is a friend!).

 

Advice pls. ASAP.

 

 

Just my .02: If your TA is too busy to help you now, you're too busy to book with her next time.

[serendipity1499]

Don't think HAL, will give you the lower price, as their literature always says this is for new bookings only..However, your TA should try to get you an Up grade..As CP 556 said, tell your TA that if she is too busy to help you then you will not book with her again! Friends like her you don't need!

JMO..Please, let us know how you make out..:)Betty

[Jade13]

I just made final payment 2 weeks ago and now the prices are dropping for our Alaska cruise in mid-May. I could, if booking today, take a SC for the price of my SY and my SY is now $500 cheaper. I would rather take the SC as it was an xmas gift to my parents.

 

When I noticed a decrease a week ago my TA said that it was only for new bookings. Now the price is even lower and I want to upgrade and pay the very small ($12) difference.

 

Will HAL do that? I called and of course they won't talk to me, only my TA who said that cruises don't give you money back, you are stuck with what you paid. To me that's not fair, esp. since I know RCCL give back. Next time I book thru the cruiseline myself! Right now my TA said she's too busy to help me (and this is a friend!).

 

Advice pls. ASAP.

 

HAL's price is final at final payment, or has always been. Celebrity honored a price drop after final and I was very surprised. The TA wanted a change fee but decided not to charge me since I had a couple other bookings with them.

 

The point is for the cruise line to sell cabins not to lose money and besides you had your pick of the best cabins.

[Jade13]

As you can see this is my first HAL and could be my last if they don't honour my request.

 

That is too bad but even the retail stores that have a pricing policy usually only give you 10-14 days. I was also once told by HAL that even with the last minute prices they usually do not have any air to offer s those passengers usually end up with expensive air.

 

If they were smart they would however work out a deal with your for the upgrade. It is worth a try.

[Jade13]

It just seems so unfair when you book early and someone else can come along at last minute and snatch a deal on a good cabin. Other cruiselines give a credit but you have to monitor the prices yourself. As you can see this is my first HAL and could be my last if they don't honour my request.

 

 

I feel the same way. We booked last July for a cruise this Sept. because we wanted a certain suite. I called yesterday to ask if the price went down after we paid our final payment would we get that price, I was told NO. I was to call my TA and he could get me an upgrade. Told her we could only go one up, Penthouse, and that ain't gonna happen. I then asked if we could get some OBC, again the answer was NO. I suppose we could cancel and rebook but would probably lose our suite so I guess rules are rules, not always fair.:(

 

For a September cruise you are not yet in the final payment stage, which is usually 90 days out.

[SDadw01]

Hal did reduce our price, after final payment for a May 2009 cruise!!!!!:):)

[B-May]

Thanks for your comments everyone. My TA did finally call HAL about the upgrade and they offered me $210 pp for the upgrade if I wanted it. I just couldn't get it through her head that this really wasn't much of a deal. She persisted and I finally said yes, do it. After 20 min. on hold she comes back on and says the agent cut her off, and the next agent said NO to an upgrade so she asked for the supervisor. Supposedly HAL ranted to her about how they will do it this time only, not to ask any more favours, etc., etc. but they gave me the upgrade free. I probably have a black mark next to my cabin number!

 

Then my TA proceeded to chew me out for 2 minutes for demanding her to do this upgrade today since I know that price reductions/cabins seem to disappear at a moment's notice. I hadn't realized that she was leaving in 1/2 hour when I originally called (she had to work 1/2 hour overtime for this transaction). After accusing me of having done this 3 times in the past week to check prices late in the day (it was 2 and told her so) she said goodbye. Needless to say I was stunned and very angry.

 

Yes it's safe to say that this TA has been fired! I will not book any more cruises with her, nor recommend her to anyone else (over the years I have kept her busy with mine and friends/colleagues business). I thot I was the client but I guess not!

 

I should be excited about this upgrade but right now I have a bitter taste in my mouth. At least my parents will be delighted and very surprised!

[cp556]

I'm very happy that your parents got the upgrade, but I'm distressed about the actions of your TA.

 

As a former cruise agency owner, who still does cruise sales, what you have described is the type of behavior that gives TAs a bad name. Shame on this person!

 

And I must say that if her attitude toward you was what it was, just imagine her attitude when she was speaking to HAL ... you're probably lucky that they did the upgrade at all.

 

I fully support your not using this agent in the future.

 

AND, I suggest you go online to the HAL website, and look under FOR BOOKED GUESTS to make sure your parents' new cabin # is showing correctly.

 

But don't call the TA again ... you don't want to make the poor thing work for a living ... lol.

[hammybee]

 

It just seems so unfair when you book early and someone else can come along at last minute and snatch a deal on a good cabin. Other cruiselines give a credit but you have to monitor the prices yourself. As you can see this is my first HAL and could be my last if they don't honour my request.

 

Which other cruise lines? I see threads on Carnival, NCL, RCL, Princess and Celebrity all about price declines being restricted to new bookings after final payment date. And interestingly, many posters on these other boards also claim, that all the other cruise lines are matching or something.

 

I am curious which cruise lines are accommodating prior bookings after final payment date.

[wrp96]

I am curious which cruise lines are accommodating prior bookings after final payment date.

 

Royal Caribbean and Celebrity will still honor price drops after final payment unless the price drop is a sale special for new bookings only (typically found on Tuesdays).

[gentlemancruiser]

Same thing has happened TWICE since we booked our cruise, which at the time was supposed to be a 'flash' sale. I called the mariner number and they explained that since the final payment had been made, there is nothing they can do.

I explained that just 48 hours after booking was made and making final payment (because we're so close to sailing) the price had dropped. It dropped again last Friday so I called and the best they could do was offer me a 1 category upgrade, which didn't offer me very much because I'm already in guar category.

 

I guess I should trust my better instincts and ignore those 'flash' or RUSH sales jobs they do.

[hammybee]

 

Royal Caribbean and Celebrity will still honor price drops after final payment unless the price drop is a sale special for new bookings only (typically found on Tuesdays).

 

Thanks. This explains the mixed messages.

 

I guess it's fair then to say that RCL/Celebrity and HAL do not play ball when the promo is restricted to new bookings.

[Jade13]

Which other cruise lines? I see threads on Carnival, NCL, RCL, Princess and Celebrity all about price declines being restricted to new bookings after final payment date. And interestingly, many posters on these other boards also claim, that all the other cruise lines are matching or something.

 

I am curious which cruise lines are accommodating prior bookings after final payment date.

 

Hammy, we received the price reduction for Celebrity Century Feb 2008 and after final payment. I only asked because someone on CC posted that RCCL did it all the time.

[Opinions]

Actually it is not when final payment is made but when the cancellation charges begin which determines if you receive a reduction in fare...Last April on a HAL Med cruise we made final payment about 10 days before the cancellation charges began...About 2 days after we made the final payment there was a large reduction in fares...We contacted the TA and received a large refund...It involved cancelling and re-booking but the savings made it well worth it.

[stressfreak]

hi, i actually had the same problem. first time cruising to alaska in may 2009 in ms zuiderdam. how did you get them to give you the upgrade for free?

 

my TA said that i can only upgrade, but it would cost an additional $315 per person. well since the alaska cruise is $850, that's a pretty hefty price.

[B-May]

Since my cruise price for an SY cost me thousands of dollars, then dropped $550 after final payment I was not happy being told it would be another $210 pp to upgrade to an SC when the difference between what I paid last year for an SY and what it would cost in March for an SC was only $15 I didn't think it fair. From what I was told by my ex-TA was that HAL was not happy with my demands but in the end relented due to the conflicting answers received from different reps (one said yes it could be done, another said no). I assume they gave it to me to shut up my TA - I wasn't privy to the conversation so have no idea. I am used to RCCL/X who will honour price reductions and at the time of my initial question about reductions I had no idea of HAL's policy to not honour reductions. Since no airfare is involved in this cruise I guess I should have waited til now to book. I don't dare go in and see what the prices are today in case they are even lower - best not to know!

 

Good luck to you - I hope you get the upgrade.

[Alexat2]

I just made final payment 2 weeks ago and now the prices are dropping for our Alaska cruise in mid-May. I could, if booking today, take a SC for the price of my SY and my SY is now $500 cheaper. I would rather take the SC as it was an xmas gift to my parents.

 

When I noticed a decrease a week ago my TA said that it was only for new bookings. Now the price is even lower and I want to upgrade and pay the very small ($12) difference.

 

If you've got a good TA - they CAN get it done. I just did it for my Noordam cruise. Mine had to talk to 2 supervisors, but they got it done AND I got the new discounted price.

 

Lydia

[Jade13]

Actually it is not when final payment is made but when the cancellation charges begin which determines if you receive a reduction in fare...Last April on a HAL Med cruise we made final payment about 10 days before the cancellation charges began...About 2 days after we made the final payment there was a large reduction in fares...We contacted the TA and received a large refund...It involved cancelling and re-booking but the savings made it well worth it.

 

Good point. But beware of insurance risks/issues associated with canceling and rebooking the same cruise. It is clear in many policies covering pre-existing conditions.

[carolmacey]

Just my .02: If your TA is too busy to help you now, you're too busy to book with her next time.

 

Call and ask for her boss.