VTcruisenut

WE missed out on the first offer we got when I posted this, HAL had major lay-offs and I couldn't get thru to make the required payment. However, I got an offer last week, we booked a 7 day leaving March 31st. It was Free for oceanview (which I have never had) you pay $200 to hold it and get the $200 as on board credit when you sail. plus port fees and taxes. Great deal! However, we upgraded to a balcony (again, I have never had) for $299 pp and port and taxes and still get the $200 on board credit when we go. We are hopeful!

same here. We decided there will be more offers!

The offer I got was for a free oceanview cabin, with $250 casino play and free drinks while in the casino playing. They were asking for $200 pp to hold the cabin and that would be returned to you as an OBC when you sail. Port fees and Taxes to be paid at 90 days prior to sail as they didn't have the updated rates for those and anticipated they would be going up. I tried to make my payment, no one answered the phone or returned my call after the 2000+ employees were laid off! I tried to make the payment on line and it wouldn't process my credit card, it said "the website was experiencing issues" I gave up. last I looked the booking was still on my account pending a payment being made!

So I received the free offer and decided to go out on a limb and book it for next March. I talked to my HAL cruise contact and told him I needed to firm up my plans with a friend first. The offer required us to pay $200 per person for the Oceanview cabin at free with $250 casino play and drinks. My consultant put a HOLD on the cabin for 24 hours he said and we were to call in on Friday to make the $200 payment. I called several times on Friday to upgrade to a balcony and to pay and left him 4 messages. Also left 2 messages on the general voice mail. I got concerned we would lose the deal so I went on the website and entered my reservation code to make the payment online. The payment wouldn't process! Called my credit card company, it was not my card or their issue, but a HAL issue. I got home from work and heard on the news 2000 employees of HAL were laid off. Here it is Monday a.m. and no call back and I can't process the payment. I'm not sure I want them holding my $$$ up either and at this point it doesn't look good for cruising even next March............sigh. hopeful for another offer when this mess is over!

We leave on the Veendam out of Fort Lauderdale this Wednesday, the 5th and we received this communication from HAL over the weekend. Pretty much the same verbage. I think they are sending it out to the passengers with the upcoming cruises in chronological order. As you can imagine, this virus has had an affect on travel worldwide and their office have been quite busy re-arranging some folks travel plans that have been affected.

did they give a reason for the hot tubs being down? and were they the ones in the Retreat Aft area? We too , board on the 5th

OK, now I am getting concerned!

NO! I think we are going to be sleeping on the Promenade deck or in a tender!

did you book an interior cabin? I was told that the Casino offers Interior cabins ALWAYS get the "N" category interior cabin and if there are other cabins available when the ship sails, you might get a "better" interior cabin. Right now, we still don't have our cabin assignment, we are still an "N" which on our ship the Veendam, is up front on Deck 4 beyond the infirmary. Not where I want to be, but a free cruise for just port fees and taxes, I guess I will take it!

My experience is that they are VERY slow to respond. I just go ahead and book my own cruises. They are also very slow to respond to issues. However, they regularly send out email blasts to try and get you to book another cruise. JMHO

I had seen a post stating that if you had OBC they only put a "hold" on your card for the difference between the 7 day hold amount and the OBC. Now I can't find the post.............

Thank you! But I haven't even gotten my cabin assignment! Another week to go!

Well everytime I have talked to HAL about the Casino offer, they state the Inside cabin on a Casino offer is always listed as an "N" cabin. but "usually" guests are assigned a higher category Interior if there are cabins available. ON our ship, the Veendam, the N cabins are on Deck 4 in the very front of the ship just beyond the infirmary!

We are on the Veendam Feburary 5th. On our Roll Call, others who have Suites or Balcony cabins began receiving them Sunday, Monday- yesterday were the Oceanview Cabins that reported they got an email. All of these are GUAR booked. They state the email comes in the evening as HAL Home office is on the West Coast and 2-3 hours later than we are. I am (im) patiently still awaiting our GUAR Inside cabin assignment!

is there a UBER app for San Juan?