Is it better to book direct with HAL?

Because I'm noticing huge price differences booking with big name online sites, enough to make a cruise that seemed out of reach budget wise possible, but I'm nervous about it because I've always booked with HAL and I've heard horror stories about bad customer service with internet sites.

I would love some feedback because an $800 per person discount is huge. In case anyone is wondering, my Mariner credit didn't help much, if at all, although we're only two star.

Because I'm noticing huge price differences booking with big name online sites, enough to make a cruise that seemed out of reach budget wise possible, but I'm nervous about it because I've always booked with HAL and I've heard horror stories about bad customer service with internet sites.

 

I would love some feedback because an $800 per person discount is huge. In case anyone is wondering, my Mariner credit didn't help much, if at all, although we're only two star.

Do your research on the prospective travel agent first. Google their name...if there have been complaints they will generally surface.

Ask yourself what level of customer service you are comfortable with. Do you care if you don't have a dedicated person? Can you handle many details yourself? (Check in online, print your own docs etc.) Ask for a reference - send them an email to check em out.

One huge red flag is if you pay your money to them vice the cruise line. Don't ever do that. Your credit card charge should always be from the cruise line.

Many, many people use TA's other than HAL and are quite happy.

I always believe in booking with a TA but just not any TA. Rather find a TA who knows the Holland product and who friends recommend.

They can not only offer you amenities beyond what Holland will offer but should something go wrong they can be your advocate with the cruise line.

Keith

We prefer to book with a TA and have been fortunate to have had a great one for 26 years.

HAL's prices are higher and there are no perks. Via our TA we get perks plus we also get shipboard credit from her and American Express. We do get shipboard credit from HAL but they will not give us American Express shipboard credit.

I don't like the idea of using an internet agency. I much prefer to be able to go and see my TA or call her any time I want.

One of the reasons I like booking direct through HAL is that I get better access to upsells, which I use on virtually every cruise. I like the way the email offers go directly to me, not the TA.

However, based on my recent experiences, I am afraid that HAL has reduced the value of upsells (charging more for them than previously), so I may have to rethink using a TA.

I was fortunate when I was directed to a couple of TA. Neither are local. Both are small, almost family agencies. They know me and they call me by name when I call. Both offer generous discounts, usually 10%, on Holland and Princess. Some complain about losing control of their reservations when they use a TA. One has the same control using a TA or booking directly. It's just a matter of the number you call.

I have done it both ways and have had success all the way around.

You can book with whomever you want - for the most part, "better" is subjective

We book with our big box, buck fiddy hot dog combo TA and always got better deals - not just in price but in extras like OBC and the like.

Just do your due diligence

The only time we booked direct with HAL....we later transferred the booking to one of our favorite cruise agencies (who added another $1050 in OBCs). As we have posted in the past, those who book direct with HAL and leave the booking with HAL are paying about 7-10% more for their overall cruise package.

Hank

I usually do my own research. As a solo cruiser, I have to be especially alert for deals, so I have a list of online agencies and websites I watch closely. I do check cruise line sites, too, but you usually see similar deals to the other sites.

I have booked through some of the larger online agencies, and I have found that once my money is paid, they are through with me. They will call day any night to sell a cruise, but there isn't much attention to customer service after the transaction is complete.

A friend of mine is a cruise agent. She lives in another part of the country, so I am still not dealing with a store front agency. She works rather independently, although she is affiliated with a larger agency (for licensing and technology, I think). If I see a great deal somewhere which includes some added perks (OBC, paid gratuities, premium dining, etc.) she can usually work with the cruise line to match it.

What I appreciate most about working with my agent is the attention to detail and superior customer service that continues long after the final payment is made. She responds quickly to questions and requests, and she has the phone numbers and contacts that I don't. Also, when I am preparing to depart, I simply give her contact information to my family/friends in case of emergency. Who knows better how to get in touch with me via cruise line than her?

Thank you for the great responses once again, normally I have a pretty good handle on booking cruises, but personal circumstances combined with the changes to the industry itself have made it more complicated, at least for me, which puts me back in the newbie category, so thank you for your patience, I will have many more questions I am sure.

I normally am an independent traveler....do all my own advance research and planning. By the time I get to some town I have the city map in my head and a controlled list of restaurants, attractions and specific interest destinations. I allow for flexibility, but don't want to have my days controlled by a set agenda or tour guide.

Cruising is new to me, however. Next month's cruise will only be our second. Just as I might take a city tour to get an initial orientation, I felt I needed help with all the daunting decisions involved in such an expensive travel package. So, I went with an agency that I have trusted for decades. It starts with three A's, but I realize I can't tell you which it is. I found the agent to be very patient, helpful and an excellent liaison with HAL reps who she had dealt with often and with whom she had a positive relationship.

In the future I might venture out on my own to see what I can arrange directly with HAL...or give the hot dog vender a try (although my preference is the Polish).

I booked direct with HAL, but then I book all our travel myself. Although I'm retired, when I was working, booking everything from travel, conferences, and trade shows was a large part of my job, so it's not a problem for me. If you're not comfortable doing on your own, use a TA.

I normally like to book directly with the cruise company unless the hot dog company is going to give me a better deal. We just booked today with hot dogs and saved a thousand dollars (including the OBC) over booking directly with HAL. Add in the Cyber Sale amenities and we saved a nice chunk of change. I don't like to give up control of my bookings, but this was definitely worth it.

Be careful with hidden TA fees, especially with the brick and mortar TA's. Many of them include a bunch of hidden fees which can include a cancellation fee (above and beyond HAL's cancellation fees), consultation fee, document fees, etc. We were going to try using a local Seabourn Diamond Elite agent last year but their fees were so outrageous that we ended up just booking directly with Seabourn.

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Because I'm noticing huge price differences booking with big name online sites, enough to make a cruise that seemed out of reach budget wise possible, but I'm nervous about it because I've always booked with HAL and I've heard horror stories about bad customer service with internet sites.

 

I would love some feedback because an $800 per person discount is huge. In case anyone is wondering, my Mariner credit didn't help much, if at all, although we're only two star.

We always book with a TA ,never with a cruise line.

I always believe in booking with a TA but just not any TA. Rather find a TA who knows the Holland product and who friends recommend.

 

They can not only offer you amenities beyond what Holland will offer but should something go wrong they can be your advocate with the cruise line.

 

Keith

Excellent advice.

Absolutely do your research if you choose to go with a TA. Get recommendations from others. I`ve heard good and bad about the internet companies. One big box TA seems fine from all reports.

But by all means book with HAL - you can transfer to a TA at any time before final payment date, and get further perks from the TA. And as I have noted on other threads - you don't have to book with HAL to get upsells or upgrades; I've gotten them through my TA on every cruise.

I've booked both ways, with the cruise line and with TA's in the past, but the only direct bookings with the cruise line these days are when I book while onboard. Those bookings are immediately transferred to a TA who almost always discounts the price. If I'm not onboard I book exclusively with TA's and I'm not that particular about which one. I pick the one that offers the best deal from those that provide competitive pricing for the cruise I'm interested in booking on a website that fosters competition for my business. I do the work of finding the cruise that fits my interest and the TA's compete for my booking. For very long cruises I deal with a particular TA that specializes in that type of cruise.

I am 4-star. I don't know about being better with HAL, but today when I called Seattle, before I could say a word, the cruise consultant (not mine, since she's taking the week off) greeted me by name and rattled off my confirmation, then asked how she could help me. It may take little to impress me, but I was impressed with her efficiency and friendliness. She quickly confessed that my caller ID was on her screen!

This is my first cruise booked directly with HAL instead of our local TA who, over the years, has given less and less accommodating service. Thus far, I've been very happy with booking directly with HAL and plan on booking the next cruise with the same consultant once I decide where I want to go.

I am 4-star. I don't know about being better with HAL, but today when I called Seattle, before I could say a word, the cruise consultant (not mine, since she's taking the week off) greeted me by name and rattled off my confirmation, then asked how she could help me. It may take little to impress me, but I was impressed with her efficiency and friendliness. She quickly confessed that my caller ID was on her screen!

 

This is my first cruise booked directly with HAL instead of our local TA who, over the years, has given less and less accommodating service. Thus far, I've been very happy with booking directly with HAL and plan on booking the next cruise with the same consultant once I decide where I want to go.

My TA always answers my calls by "Hello, (First Name)". She always discounts Holland cruises by at least 10%.

Some HAL cruisers are easy to please. Just give them a worthless Medallion, and make sure that Seattle has Caller ID which brings up the name of passenger on a screen...and they are happy as lambs :). As to me, I will take the money booking elsewhere. The greeting I get is something like good to hear from you again, and we can add $1000+ of OBC to the deal you got from HAL. As to the Medallions, they are either in a bottom drawer somewhere..or perhaps got thrown out during a major house cleaning.

Hank

If I booked directly with HAL and got Explore4, can I transfer the booking to an independent TA for a potentially better deal and still keep the Explore4 promo?

How does this work? I've always booked directly with the cruise line, but am interested in possibly going to a TA after reading some of the comments in this thread.

Thanks..

If I booked directly with HAL and got Explore4, can I transfer the booking to an independent TA for a potentially better deal and still keep the Explore4 promo?

 

How does this work? I've always booked directly with the cruise line, but am interested in possibly going to a TA after reading some of the comments in this thread.

 

Thanks..

The answer is likely yes, but each case is different depending on what you paid, terms of the promo, which cruise agency, etc. And you must transfer prior to the final payment. My advice is to first shop around among several reputable cruise agencies. You might look at some of their pricing and deals online...but in the end you are going to call them, tell them you have a HAL booking that you are thinking of transferring, and what can they do for you if you give them the booking. If and when you find a deal and agency you like (and you should ask them for an e-mail confirming what they will give you which should be an OBC)...then you simply call HAL and tell them you want to transfer an existing booking. They will forward your call to another person who will want to know your HAL Booking Number and the name and phone number (ask the agency you use for this number) of the agency you want to use. And thats it. With HAL the process will not take more than a minute (and they are very helpful). And of course, make it clear to the agency that you have the Explore 4 Package and want to keep it. When we recently transferred a booking the agency asked us to e-mail or Fax a copy of the HAL's booking paperwork. This gives them all the info they need to calculate exactly how much they can give you...and avoids any misunderstandings.

When we do a transfer we will normally hear from the cruise agency within a few days with a confirmation that they got the transfer info...and most agencies will send you a detailed invoice showing all the info. From that point on,.,,if you have any issues or changes to the HAL booking you will need to deal with your cruise agency.

But I want to emphasize that we do not ask HAL (or any other line) to transfer a booking until we know exactly what we are getting (from the agency) and have that in writing (usually an e-mail). Having things in writing will help avoid any future problem or mis understanding. This sounds complicated....but is actually quite simple. And the agencies love to get transferred bookings since its easy money. Even though they should give you a generous OBC (at least 7% of the cruise price) they still make a commission.

Hank

Hank, Thanks for the detailed explanation... it is much appreciated!:)

I’d also recommend that you make sure they will not charge a fee to make any future adjustments

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