richwmn

Rich,

 

Marine Corps, right? First off, let me thank you for your service to our country.

 

Secondly, thank you for starting this Thread - it has once again allowed CCers to display both their passions (in favor of & against TAs) and (in a few cases) their ignorance. IMO the "best ones" are those who bristled at my earlier comment that some people do not use TAs to "save a buck or two" and then proceeded to tell us how much they save or how many additional OBCs, upgrades and other perks they get by doing their own bookings ... hmmmm, sounds like "savings" to me but then what do I know about anything, as I'm just a poor country lawyer? Other totally missed the point about the value added by a TA - "headache insurance", convenience, inside info, etc.

 

Thirdly, thank you for maintaining a civil tone on this Thread when so many seem to resort to invective whenever someone doesn't agree with their opinions on any subject. Equally offensive are those who accuse others of being "wrong" for holding different opinions than they do ... and here I was foolish enough to think that opinions are just that - one's beliefs and not factual claims. Somehow you were able to maintain a civil tone in all your posts, while at the same time expressing your opinions.- for that I congratulate and thank you.

 

Enough of my rambling ...

 

Smooth sailing,

 

Rod

 

Actually NAVY, but thanks for all the kind words. I have also been impressed with the way this thread has evolved.

This thread has remained very civil and I thank all the members who have responded.

That particular cruise was 62 days, but many HAL cruisers routinely take long cruises. As to shorter cruises a basic rule of thumb is that you should be able to save 7-10% of the cruise fare if you shop around. Because of price controls imposed by the cruise lines much of the savings might be given as on board credits, per paid gratuities, etc. There are also many times when we can get a discount on the actual cruise price but this really varies depending on the specific cruise and cruise line. And you might want to consider that saving 10% on some long cruises (such as the HAL World Cruise) can amount to real money (some cabins on these cruises can easily cost over $100,000)

 

As to online "order takers" since we often do not bother dealing with a human (just a few clicks of the mouse can book nearly any cruise) we do not look for hand holding. Once we decide what we want it is simply a matter of spending a few minutes checking the pricing (and amenities) with a few online agencies and then booking. If we later notice that there has been a significant price reduction on a booked cruise we usually send a short e-mail (which takes about 1 min) to the agency asking for them to "reprice" the cruise. No time on the phone, no time on hold, no real effort. A short e-mail and the deed is usually done within an hour.

 

We agree that not everyone is comfortable with this kind of booking procedure, but that is why there are lots of options. But once upon a time folks used to go to TAs to book airfares and now most of us do that online with a few clicks of the mouse. In fact, some of the best airlines are optimized for onboard bookings and you can pay extra if you want to deal with a human. We started cruising in the era when one went to a travel agent, sat at a desk with deck plans and a professional agent, and eventually booked. Times are changing :). We actually asked our PCC if she was willing to match the deals we can get from some cruise agencies. She said "no" and that HAL was happy no matter who we used to book as long as we booked :).

 

Hank

Now is the time to "eat some crow". In the past I have randomly tried online TA to see what additional OBC would be offered. For my situation I have never been offered more than $60. Until today. I now have a quote to consider that is in the range of rebates that have been discussed by hlitner and iancal. I don't know if it will continue, but it is a start.

Rich

That particular cruise was 62 days, but many HAL cruisers routinely take long cruises. As to shorter cruises a basic rule of thumb is that you should be able to save 7-10% of the cruise fare if you shop around. Because of price controls imposed by the cruise lines much of the savings might be given as on board credits, per paid gratuities, etc. There are also many times when we can get a discount on the actual cruise price but this really varies depending on the specific cruise and cruise line. And you might want to consider that saving 10% on some long cruises (such as the HAL World Cruise) can amount to real money (some cabins on these cruises can easily cost over $100,000)

 

Hank

Hank, you conveniently quoted someone who responded to me instead of addressing my post, but here is my challenge to you. I agree that on longer cruises, or higher category cabins you could probably save what you state. My post specifically mentioned inside and outside cabins. So --

11-DAY SOUTHERN CARIBBEAN WAYFARER Monday Nov 16, 2015

this cruise is currently listed as#$2398 before taxes and port charges for a solo cruiser in an outside guarantee. At 7% you should be able to get about $175 off that price, 10% would be $240. When I have checked around the most I have been able to see was a $60 reduction.

I have emails at yahoo and gmail which are my screen name here. To keep it honest, you might pick a couple of others who have emails posted to send the information to as well.

Good luck

I see that iancal has chimed in with similar claims so I extend the challenge to Iancal as well

We also have a very nice PCC who calls and e-mails on a regular basis. But when it comes time to book a cruise we simply go online to a few or our favored cruise agencies and check out their offerings. In the end our business goes to whichever agency has the best deal. On most bookings we do it all online without ever talking to a human and process takes a few minutes. On a single Prinsendam cruise we once saved over $3000 by NOT booking through our PCC. As nice as our PCC seems to be we just do not think her phony on the phone friendship is worth that kind of money :)

 

Hank

Hank, you and others constantly point out on threads relating to Travel Agents that you saved substantial amounts of money with your online Agencies. It is impossible to save $3000 on a cruise that doesn't cost that much to begin with.

While those that book suites might be paying enough in the first place that the TA can afford to lose that much in commissions those of us that book outside and inside cabins won't get that much. The most I have been quoted, with the exception of my recent 27 day cruise, has been a savings of $50 - $60, not enough to keep me from booking with my PCC.

As to you use of the term "phony on the phone friendship", I think you are doing some if not all of the PCCs an injustice. While I don't think that any of the PCCs I have had are my "bff", I do feel that there is more of a relationship than you seem to believe exists.

Bite your tongue Rich!:D As you know we normally book the longer cruises.. Our TA always gives us a 8% to 12% discount on all our cruises & can even get us a discount on insurance.. He too belongs to a consortium of TA's, gives us both OBC from his Agency & HAL.. I was in the Airline business & am perfectly capable of booking our cruises, hotels, air, cars etc.. In 2006 I booked two cabins to the Amazon...But thanks to Randy & Heather on Cruise Critic I decided to check out several Agents & found I could not get the fare which an on-line Agent could give us.. I still do all of the investigation of details & when we've decided on a cruise I call our TA to book it.. He too gives us Pinnacle dinners, OBC's or gifts..

I am always biting my tongue. The reason I said that was because of the article. I appreciate that several responses have been from members who have found fabulous travel agents. My problem is that the one that I spent the most time with really turned me off to using one. When I asked her several questions, her answer was basically to try google. I was sitting in her office when she answered the phone and told the person she was talking to the same thing.

A couple of years ago a friend told me his mother was a cruise specialist. I called and talked to her for a few minutes and she basically recommended a cruise I had already pretty much decided on. She was disappointed when I told her I would book it thru my PCC and transfer it to her (I guess she thought I wouldn't do it). When I did transfer it - no thanks, no gift etc.

Agree with you! I too check for price drops & then will e-mail our TA to have him negotiate OBC.. Like your idea of the "headache insurance"..;)Hope our TA stays in business for a. long time.. Also like the fact that we can phone him if we have a question..

I am glad that you and JTL513 (and others) have a Travel Agent that you like. For me, the PCC I have is great and I will continue to book that way - and transfer to a TA if the transfer is warranted.

Thanks everyone for the responses. I find the whole subject very interesting. Cruise Critics has posted an article as well

What to Expect on a Cruise Booking a Cruise with a Travel Agent.

I do take exception with two statements in the article

1. The statement, when talking about cruise line agents, that most have not cruised on the ships they are selling.

2. Travel agents -- cruise specialists, in particular -- have been onboard many cruise ships.

I don't think that either generality fits. Those working for the cruise line may not have been on a cruise, but I don't think that MOST of them have not. And, in the same way, not all travel agents have been on a cruise. Maybe all cruise specialists have, but not ALL travel agents.

Today on Yahoo finance you will find an article about jobs that are in a decline. The second one listed is Travel Agents. The article concludes with "Job prospects should be best for travel agents who specialize in specific destinations or groups with special interests or agents for corporate travelers."

It was not that long ago that the Travel Agent provided a service. When you went to one it was very likely that someone in the office had visited your destination and could give you information about it. While this may still be true now, it seems that most entities that are billed as Travel Agencies are essentially booking agents that want to book your cruise and have little or no responsibility after the fact.

So the question becomes "Is there still a place for Travel Agents?" or should the Cruise Lines follow the example of the Airlines and drop the commission to them and allow those who want or need the services of a full service agency to pay that agency separately?

It definitely is up to whoever is the Future Cruise Consultant. On the Maasdam in late March the FCC would not give out the form until she had them delivered to the mailboxes. I asked early in the cruise and was told to wait until that form arrived.

I'm familiar with how Princess does lifeboat drills which have been after sailaway and you don't go to your actual muster station.

 

I understand HAL is different. From above it says you don't take life vests.

 

Do you go to your actual muster station and does it take place BEFORE sailaway?

 

Thanks. We'll be on Oosterdam 1 week from today. Yeah!

On HAL it is generally about a half hour before sailaway at the actual lifeboat station on the promenade deck. Can take between 15 and 30 minutes depending on stragglers.

btw - like your avatar!

Rich

(Slackware user)

This just goes to show that at HAL, like a lot of large corporations, if you ask 3 different people a question you get 4 different answers. My PCC checked and said it could be used for anything.

Perhaps this is like the stockholder credit. On the terms and conditions for the stockholder credit it clearly states that it can not be used for gratuities. However, many people including myself have posted that once aboard the ship it just becomes a general credit which is commonly used for gratuities.

One thing is for sure, we will have a more definite answer when someone is actually aboard a ship and either uses it or is refused for something other than excursions.

You should receive your pin on the cruise - probably in your cabin. If not, just ask at the front desk and they will have these sent to you. There will be a Mariner Society affair prior to the luncheon where you will be acknowledged, have a photo with the officers, and you may receive your pin at that event.

I became a 4 star Mariner on my cruise last year and the pin was delivered to my cabin - but I don't get the benefits such as free laundrey until my next cruise. One of my trivia team mates also reached 4 star status a couple of days earlier and also had her pin delivered to her cabin.

 

Neither of us were invited to or acknowledged at the Mariner Society function on board.

Any decision as to when you receive your pin / acknowledgment would be based on when you crossed the threshold.

Those who are on cruises that the number of days in the cruise cause you to move up to a new level could get their pin on the that cruise. If your spending bonus moves you up, that would not be determined until after the cruise.

Previous threads on this subject have had responses that people received their pins in the mail a couple of weeks after the cruise. If you have not, I would contact the Mariners Society.

Yes it can and I think it automatically goes to the TA you used to book your cruise, unless you tell them not to at the time of purchase.

 

No time window to transfer to TA, but there is a time window (60 or 90 days as I recall) to use the Thank You For Sailing email offer.

About a year ago I was on a cruise that had been transferred to a TA. When I went to get a Future Cruise Deposit I wanted to make sure it was not assigned to a TA. I was told at that time that a cruise booked would be assigned to the current TA unless otherwise requested, but the deposits were always "open".

As always, YMMV - different people at HAL (and all large corporations) may have different answers to the same question.

Since some of those photos are watermarked, it's safe to assume that Cruise Critic has secured the proper permissions and/or paid the license fees, right?

In post 15 op states that cuise critics hired photographers to take the picftures

On my recent cruise I had a beverage package. It was set up on my S&S/Cabin Key Card, it was not a separate card.

Don't know if this is fleet wide, or was a test on the Maasdam.

Rich

Looks ike the OP's cruise is only 1 night, and some expedited procedure will be needed. Any ideas?

 

Roy

On a one-nighter I don't want to waste time waiting to see the FCC. Will the forms be available to be filled out and put in the drop box?

If you will email rich at wa70.com I will send you a copy of the form. You could then drop it off with the consultant

Looks ike the OP's cruise is only 1 night, and some expedited procedure will be needed. Any ideas?

 

Roy

On the 1 day cruise the steps provided would probably work. However, I didn't want anyone to think that the same procedure would always work. On most of my cruises it was as stated. On this particular cruise the Consultant wanted all of them at once.

1. Go see the Future Cruise Consultant.

2. Tell him/her you want to purchase a future cruise deposit and for how long of a cruise.

3. They will charge your credit card for the amount and give you a future cruise deposit sheet outlining the details.

4. Wait about 2 weeks and you should get a "thank you for sailing with us" email from Holland, which will offer to double the OBC you get from the future cruise deposit you purchased onboard (you use offer code ZPM).

5. Call your TA or PCC and give them your future cruise deposit sheet information and the code ZPM.

6. Book your cruise.

 

Any questions?

Recent 11 day Maasdam, tried 1 & 2, was told that the forms would be in our mailboxes later in the cruise and I should wait until I got them and place the completed form in a conveniently located box next to her desk. Form was delivered on day 9, returned and the card was charged several hours later.

I'd love to see some of them if it isn't too much work!

Sorry, I just saw this tonight. I am getting ready to leave tomorrow but will take care of this when I return.

Rich

Unless my memory is incorrect, that was the first Fall the Zaandam was in service. I was aboard her in July of that year (again if my dates are correct), not too long after she entered service. Somewhere in my archives, I still have my programs, menus, etc. as well.

You are correct - from the HAL website:

Dedicated: May 2000, by actresses Mary-Kate & Ashley Olsen

I was going thru some boxes and found Daily Programs from my first cruise on the Zaandam in Sept 2000. If anyone is interested in seeing them I will scan and post them.

Rich

Our question, can our friend, while on board her HAL cruise, purchase on our behalf:

 

• Two FCDs for this longer cruise
  
• And/or book the cruise on our behalf?
  

I purchased FCD deposits for friends on a recent cruise, so yes it can be done and is very easy if mariner numbers are available. If you don't have the mariner number it is a little more difficult, but still do able. Another consideration is that the FCDs you already have can be "topped off" to use for the longer cruise. I have done that as well.

I don't know if someone on board can actually book a cruise for someone else, but I would suspect that would only be possible if the person on board was part of the booking party.

What I have been told recently was that I had to submit the request no more that 6 months out showing that I currently owned the stock.

Has anyone ever done the math to figure out how often you need to cruise for this to be worthwhile?

 

I'm good at finance but suck at math!

The answer - it depends!

 

At the current stock price ($43), the dividend yield is about 2.3%.

 

For each 7 day cruise (per year) that you take, you earn $100, or another 2.3%.

 

If you take a 15 day or longer cruise, you earn $250, or another 5.8%.

 

Work with these numbers to determine what is worthwhile to you.

My answer would be similar, but I would ask the following questions.

1. Can you afford the money to buy the stock? This would include having the money in a retirement account that allows you to buy stocks.

2. Can this be a long term investment?

3. Do you plan on cruising on Carnival Corp Lines?

4. What return are you currently getting on the money you would use to purchase the stock?

5. If you have to sell the stock quickly, can you afford to lose some money on the transaction.

From my standpoint, I purchased the stock many years ago and have taken multiple and long cruises several years. While I am down a bit on the price I paid for the stock, I have received far more in dividends and benefits than I have lost.

Added:

I just checked, I purchased the stock 9 years ago. What I have (or will have by the end of the year) received in dividends and benefits is over half of what I paid.

I should have mentioned, I checked in around 10pm.

Our next cruise starts as a two-day port in Quebec. I know we have to be on ship a minimum of 90 minutes before the ship actually leaves, but how late can someone arrive on day 1 and staff will be there to check passengers in? Do they close down at 5 pm? How late are porters there handling luggage?

I did that cruise in June of 2014. My experience with checking in late was that it was very easy.

A couple of things to watch out for -

There were no porters, and basically no one around to ask for information.

I arrived at the ship around 9pm.

My cab driver took me to an area that provided access directly to the ship and told me to go that way. I started out and looked up and saw the jetway. Then I knew that I had to find the entrance to the building.

Once I found the entrance, there was a person that checked my paperwork, then let me proceed. Another check at the beginning of the jetway, then at the actual entrance to the ship.

Once I boarded the ship a crew member took my bag to the cabin.

I then went to the front desk and checked in without a problem.