KAKcruiser

I don't believe that booking groups will prevent HAL from increasing fares. I think they will do both.

This is nothing new. Groups have been booked on ships for years. You just have to do your best to try to find out about them before you sign up for a particular cruise. HAL won't tell you even if you ask.

Many times when you call customer service you get a call center. When they can't resolve your issue and you ask for a pricing specialist or resolution specialist, they actually connect you with their supervisor rather than the person you asked for. I would wait until Monday when the regular staff is back at work and just keep calling and insisting on speaking to a pricing specialist until they actually connect you with one.

We are 4 star mariners and haven't been invited to a mariner's lunch since before covid. Maybe they are only on longer cruises. We generally cruise for 9 to 12 days.

They never tell you if a group is onboard.

While the lido is adequate, it is not as nice as the dining room. And, I wouldn't want to have to spend additional funds for specialty dining. I guess I would try to get main fixed dining. If that doesn't work, I guess you could try the earlier times in the dining room.

You are really lucky!

I read that your port of Grand Turk was changed to Amber Cove. Do you know why?

I would guess that there would have to be a cabin available that would accommodate 4 people.

Was there a Mariner's lunch on this cruise?

That is a good price to upgrade to a verandah. I think you would be much happier if you took the offer.

The category you book and pay for is controlling. In this case it would be VH. So, if there is a price decrease for VH you would be eligible. However, it is very hard to get the phone reps to understand this. Usually I have to ask for a pricing specialist who has more experience and is familiar with this.

Is the piano player, Derek, good?

What ship was this?

I was just looking at a travel agent website and it would only show me cabins available for 2 on the Koningsdam in the Caribbean March 2026. Anything for 3 or 4 was not shown. Then I went to the HAL website and it was the same thing. They must be serious about this.