HAL Veranda Rates?

[Fyrefly]

Thanks to the amazing people on my last thread, I've narrowed down my decision to HAL and Princess, since Glacier Bay is a must. I will be doing a 7-night 1-way. At the moment Northbound or Southbound does not matter.

 

But I'm trying to price out each category as we have not decided yet on Inside, Oceanview, or Veranda. Princess has their rates online, but when I called the representative at HAL, she told me that verandas are held for cruisetour participants until 75-90 days before the cruise, and I would either need to reserve an oceanview now and waitlist to veranda and accept or decline the price later, or go directly into waitlist veranda and find out how much it costs when they are available...

 

I want to book as soon as I can, and I don't want to be waiting around until May and end up paying more for a fully booked ship if this doesn't pan out. She wouldn't even give me price estimates for comparison purposes when I said I was trying to pick between the two - maybe HAL doesn't mind losing business to Princess? :rolleyes:

 

What I would love to know, is could anybody who has sailed a Veranda suite (the cheaper one) in August recently tell me how much they paid, once all taxes and such were out of the way?

 

We are doing 3 people in the room and would be doing either an August 7th or 14th sailing, though the 7th is far more likely. I get that prices will probably fluctuate by a hundred or two, but it would at least get me a ballpark when I'm picking a line.

 

Thanks for all your help!

[vbmom87]

In general, Princess balconies seem to be cheaper than HAL. If you really want HAL, book an oceanview or inside and then when the verandas open up you can change if the price is within your budget. In 2008 my sister put her name on the wait list, and was offered a veranda. However, as a single traveler she thought it was too expensive. (It was in the $4500 range for a single. In 2008 a single paid an extra half fare.)

 

One thing about HAL is they often have deals where the 3rd and 4th person in a cabin are free (just pay taxes).

 

What I like about Princess is their southbound cruise tours BOTH Glacier Bay and Hubbard Glacier. (The two gems of glaciers in Alaska all on one cruise :) ). The NB cruises on both HAL and Princess (at least in the past) had enough time in Juneau to do the independent Adventure Bound tour into Tracy Arm Fjord. :)

[CowPrincess]

vbmom87, a small correction. On HAL, singles can pay around 150% for lone occupancy of some of the OV or inside rooms, but as far as I know, a solo in a balcony or suite has always had to pay double the fare.

 

As vbmom87 mentioned, HAL often has 3rd/4th travels free, but again IIRC not all veranda cabins accommodate more than 2 people.

 

Sorry I can't give you any info on the costs -- might be worth your while to contact a large travel agent near you and see if they have last year's info.

[Yukon]

Although not available to book, the current fare for a BB Verandah on the Aug 14 Statendam (as an example) is $2,494 per person including taxes.

[Fyrefly]

Although not available to book, the current fare for a BB Verandah on the Aug 14 Statendam (as an example) is $2,494 per person including taxes.

 

Is there a place I missed where you found that rate? I'd like to price all our projected sailings and see what the 3rd person rates are for them, if possible and it would be great if there is some backdoor way you got that price from.

[Yukon]

Is there a place I missed where you found that rate?

 

You didn't miss it - it's on a password-protected part of the site.

[vbmom87]

Is there a place I missed where you found that rate? I'd like to price all our projected sailings and see what the 3rd person rates are for them, if possible and it would be great if there is some backdoor way you got that price from.

 

Often the cruiselines have sales. Whomever you book with, make sure you keep watching prices. As long as it is before final payment, you should be able to get the lower price. Don't depend on a travel agent to inform you of the price drop. You have to be vigilant yourself. Also, before booking check if the agency (whether local or online) has any fees involved for changes like price drops, change of cabin, cancellation, etc.

[vbmom87]

vbmom87, a small correction. On HAL, singles can pay around 150% for lone occupancy of some of the OV or inside rooms, but as far as I know, a solo in a balcony or suite has always had to pay double the fare.

 

Thanks for the clarification. I am pretty sure the year we went, the brochure did not mention the 150% for just certain cabins, but I could be wrong. So much information overload sometimes!!!!! She was just glad she didn't have to pay double, like she did on NCL in Hawaii. Thanks again for the correction. I wouldn't want to mislead anyone.

[jeniferlyn]

I ran into the same problem with HAL. We really enjoyed our cruise with them last year, so I was trying to book a verandah with them for July. They told me all verandahs are held for cruisetour passengers. I booked with RCCL and we are leaving on July 29th. I don't understand HAL's policy. When we went last summer the cruisetour passengers did not get on the ship until the fourth day of the cruise. I guess they include the verandah cabin in the price of the trip.

[Budget Queen]

I ran into the same problem with HAL. We really enjoyed our cruise with them last year, so I was trying to book a verandah with them for July. They told me all verandahs are held for cruisetour passengers. I booked with RCCL and we are leaving on July 29th. I don't understand HAL's policy. When we went last summer the cruisetour passengers did not get on the ship until the fourth day of the cruise. I guess they include the verandah cabin in the price of the trip.

 

Those cabins weren't empty, they were occupied with passengers taking the cruisetour AFTER the cruise, on another cruisetour.

[Yukon]

Those cabins weren't empty, they were occupied with passengers taking the cruisetour AFTER the cruise, on another cruisetour.

 

HAL actually does have some cabins on the one-ways empty for half the cruise - the ones booked by people taking the 10-day Yukon-Alaska cruisetours out of or into Skagway. It is occasionally possible to book the other half (ie a short Skagway-Vancouver cruise), but the rates have not yet been reasonable.

[Budget Queen]

HAL actually does have some cabins on the one-ways empty for half the cruise - the ones booked by people taking the 10-day Yukon-Alaska cruisetours out of or into Skagway. It is occasionally possible to book the other half (ie a short Skagway-Vancouver cruise), but the rates have not yet been reasonable.

 

 

Murray, the HAL Yukon cruisetours are ONLY on the round trip Vancouver cruises. They do not use the one way cruises on this package. They offer them with both a 3 and 4 day cruise. I would think they both are selling.

[Yukon]

Murray, the HAL Yukon cruisetours are ONLY on the round trip Vancouver cruises. They do not use the one way cruises on this package. They offer them with both a 3 and 4 day cruise. I would think they both are selling.

 

Sorry, you're right, it is the round-trips. But they do offer the 3 and 4-day leftovers to book occasionally, though never mid-season - last year they were available in May and for most of June.