VOV Pricing - Why so High

We're Sailng Away mentioned that HAL was now taking FCRs for 2020 though. We are interested in a cruise in July 2020 on the Rotterdam that the Princendam used to do. So all we need to do is ask our HAL PCC to put in a FCR for the cabin we want and that's it? I'll call him today. I'll let you know what he has to say.

Yes, please let us know what you find out. Thank you. I emailed my PCC today but she is off. She will be back in the office tomorrow. I will update what I find out about the 2020 VOV cruise.

We just talked with our HAL PCC and they call it a Future Dam Booking. However, he knew what I was talking about when I said Future Cruise Request. He said he rarely does them and usually only for folks who are on a cruise looking to book a spot on a future world cruise, or segment, when they come out.

He also said the FDB date/time stamp is very important when the applicable "once a year" cruise becomes available. For example if someone on the first day is able to book the cabin you reserved in a FDB, your PCC (or TA) can get them bumped as the FDB based on the date/time stamp has priority. You can also use a future cruise credit, if you have one on your account, to reserve the FDB; otherwise you will have to pay a deposit to secure it.

Thank you We're Sailing Away for sharing that bit of very cool information. Now we don't have to bug our PCC on the first day when a particular "once a year" cruise we're waiting for finally becomes available.

One final note. It was late in the evening when our PCC told us this and he's going to verify its accuracy tomorrow and call us if anything changes. Of course if I learn anything different, I'll let you all know.

We just talked with our HAL PCC and they call it a Future Dam Booking. However, he knew what I was talking about when I said Future Cruise Request. He said he rarely does them and usually only for folks who are on a cruise looking to book a spot on a future world cruise, or segment, when they come out.

 

He also said the FDB date/time stamp is very important when the applicable "once a year" cruise becomes available. For example if someone on the first day is able to book the cabin you reserved in a FDB, your PCC (or TA) can get them bumped as the FDB based on the date/time stamp has priority. You can also use a future cruise credit, if you have one on your account, to reserve the FDB; otherwise you will have to pay a deposit to secure it.

 

Thank you We're Sailing Away for sharing that bit of very cool information. Now we don't have to bug our PCC on the first day when a particular "once a year" cruise we're waiting for finally becomes available.

 

One final note. It was late in the evening when our PCC told us this and he's going to verify its accuracy tomorrow and call us if anything changes. Of course if I learn anything different, I'll let you all know.

Talked again with our PCC today and everything he said above was correct. However, as We're Sailing Away stated, they are called Future Cruise Requests as we received our Future Cruise Request Confirmation via email today. We were also able to each use our $300 Future Cruise Credit to secure the FCR; otherwise we would have had to each pay $500 deposit to secure the 30+ day cruise and associated cabin we wanted to reserve. So all is good and we are ecstatic about learning this piece of advanced booking info! Thanks again We're Sailing Away!! :hearteyes::hearteyes:

Talked again with our PCC today and everything he said above was correct. However, as We're Sailing Away stated, they are called Future Cruise Requests as we received our Future Cruise Request Confirmation via email today. We were also able to each use our $300 Future Cruise Credit to secure the FCR; otherwise we would have had to each pay $500 deposit to secure the 30+ day cruise and associated cabin we wanted to reserve. So all is good and we are ecstatic about learning this piece of advanced booking info! Thanks again We're Sailing

 

 

 

[Away!! :hearteyes::hearteyes:

Glad it was helpfiul for you. Doing that worked perfectly for us and we got just what we wanted

Please let us know if you are able to get the booking you want.

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Future Cruise Request

YES, as I posted yesterday it is called a Future Cruise Request. ;)

Talked again with our PCC today and everything he said above was correct. However, as We're Sailing Away stated, they are called Future Cruise Requests as we received our Future Cruise Request Confirmation via email today. We were also able to each use our $300 Future Cruise Credit to secure the FCR; otherwise we would have had to each pay $500 deposit to secure the 30+ day cruise and associated cabin we wanted to reserve. So all is good and we are ecstatic about learning this piece of advanced booking info! Thanks again We're Sailing Away!! :hearteyes::hearteyes:

This is very helpful to know. Thank you. Were you given any dates, or are they still being established? I did not hear back from my PCC today!

This is very helpful to know. Thank you. Were you given any dates, or are they still being established? I did not hear back from my PCC today!

No dates from HAL were provided as the 2020 summer itineraries haven't been released yet. However, here's what part of our Future Cruise Request Confirmation said:

IMPORTANT NOTICES

In regards to your Future Cruise Request please review the following:

1. All requests are based on availability.

2. Ship, sailing dates, staterooms and dining will be matched as closely to your request as possible. If we do not have an itinerary that matches your request, you will be contacted to review itinerary options.

3. Once the future cruise request is converted you will receive an invoice with rates, ship, sailing date and itinerary. You will then be able to make changes, or add optional packages such as cancellation protection, air, transfers, or pre/post hotel stays.

4. Additional deposit may be due once the requested sailing is booked. Listed on your confirmation will be the additional deposit requirements and due date.

5. If the deadline passes and you do not fulfill deposit requirement your booking will be cancelled.

6. Any cancellation of an accepted reservation will be subject to cancellation fees.

No dates from HAL were provided as the 2020 summer itineraries haven't been released yet. However, here's what part of our Future Cruise Request Confirmation said:

 

IMPORTANT NOTICES

 

In regards to your Future Cruise Request please review the following:

 

1. All requests are based on availability.

2. Ship, sailing dates, staterooms and dining will be matched as closely to your request as possible. If we do not have an itinerary that matches your request, you will be contacted to review itinerary options.

3. Once the future cruise request is converted you will receive an invoice with rates, ship, sailing date and itinerary. You will then be able to make changes, or add optional packages such as cancellation protection, air, transfers, or pre/post hotel stays.

4. Additional deposit may be due once the requested sailing is booked. Listed on your confirmation will be the additional deposit requirements and due date.

5. If the deadline passes and you do not fulfill deposit requirement your booking will be cancelled.

6. Any cancellation of an accepted reservation will be subject to cancellation fees.

Thank you so much. I have a FCD. Also, will be on a HAL ship November 10.

WoW what a read this thread has been! Thanks to Sails and Sailing Away!

FCR -- are these for any cruise? i.e. what about 2020 Alaska cruises? What if there's no way (or no way I know) to know what ship will be doing which itinerary? HAL switches around which ships do any particular itinerary in Alaska year to year...

I have literally been checking every day for new AK listings (even though I know I will hear it first on CC).

I have no FCC because I was so turned off by the guy at the FC desk's attitude (overheard while enjoying the Explorer's Lounge) on our last cruise, that I vowed not even to speak to him. I did report this in my post-cruise survey!

WoW what a read this thread has been! Thanks to Sails and Sailing Away!

 

FCR -- are these for any cruise? i.e. what about 2020 Alaska cruises? What if there's no way (or no way I know) to know what ship will be doing which itinerary? HAL switches around which ships do any particular itinerary in Alaska year to year...

 

I have literally been checking every day for new AK listings (even though I know I will hear it first on CC).

 

I have no FCC because I was so turned off by the guy at the FC desk's attitude (overheard while enjoying the Explorer's Lounge) on our last cruise, that I vowed not even to speak to him. I did report this in my post-cruise survey!

From what I understand, the FCR is for "once a year" type cruises, such as the world cruise. In my case, now that I have my FCR with specific cabin requests firmly in place :D, it is for the 34 day "Spitzbergen, Fjords and Scottish Highlands Explore" cruise, which basically does the Arctic, Iceland, the UK and Ireland. The Prinsendam did it once a year and the Rotterdam took over the July 2019 sailing when it was sold.

This does not mean I have an inside source telling me the dates or even if the cruise is going to happen in July 2020. I just looked up the itinerary for July 2019 and referenced it when I requested the FCR.

From what I understand, which really doesn't mean much and from what I gathered from We're Sailing Away's comments, it's just a way to reserve a cabin on a once a year HAL cruise. I don't think it's meant to allow folks to reserve a cabin on a particular future itinerary that HAL does multiple times on possibly multiple ships in a season. But you or your TA can call HAL and see if they would. If they do, please let us know.

I neglected to state the fct of our Future Cuise Request was for ne;ptune Sutie, b-to-b for millenium Chrisgmqs and NEW yers Eve cruises. t here was huge demnd for thosed cab ins nd becaused of our doin gthe FCR deposit, I THINK WE WEREW HE ONOY ON ROTTGERDAM TO GET netune for b-to-b. Had we wied we m

From what I understand, the FCR is for "once a year" type cruises, such as the world cruise.

IN our case, the cruises we wanted were to be in same Neptune Suite, for Christmas cruise and MILLENIUM NEW years Eve cruise. . We knew there would be high demand. This was Not a once a yer a cruise but once in our lifeitme. (millenium only comes,,,,,,,,,,,, .. how often? :)) We sailed Rotterdam for those cruises and it was all we hoped for. Constant parties, treats, , pillow gifts.. Fabulous

We wngedIn my case, now that I have my FCR with specific cabin requests firmly in place :D, it is for the 34 day "Spitzbergen, Fjords and Scottish Highlands Explore" cruise, which basically does the Arctic, Iceland, the UK and Ireland. The Prinsendam did it once a year and the Rotterdam took over the July 2019 sailing when it was sold.

This does not mean I have an inside source telling me the dates or even if the cruise is going to happen in July 2020. I just looked up the itinerary for July 2019 and referenced it when I requested the FCR.

From what I understand, which really doesn't mean much and from what I gathered from We're Sailing Away's comments, it's just a way to reserve a cabin on a once a year HAL cruise. Or once in a lifetime ;) (Millenium ) I don't think it's meant to allow folks to reserve a cabin on a particular future itinerary that HAL does multiple times on possibly multiple ships in a season. But you or your TA can call HAL and see if they would. If they do, please let us know.

OIC, thanks Sail7! That makes sense, I can see that having hundreds of pre-bookings on many future sailings would be a nightmare waiting to happen.