All Australians overcharged by HAL

[patseacruiser]

I have used a USA TA in the past, but when contacted this time he was very apologetic that he is now unable to handle any HAL or Princess reservations, but can still do Celebrity at this point. When we go onto HAL site to book, it automatically goes through to Travel The World in Sydney on my 'puter....:confused: I was lucky enough to get a good price from TTW this time, but in the past have had to pay higher prices than others. Mind you, when asking about upgrades or upsells, was basically told....not going to happen. As an Australian I would prefer to deal with AFTA, but not at the risk of so great a difference in prices. Oh Well! If I want to cruise I just have to wear it I guess....:(

Petrakae - Perhaps you didn't tell them that you had booked with them in the past? According to the email from HAL - after 12/30/10 they will have to be prior clients and HAL will check. If they are prior clients then you will be able to book with them. I don't want to beat an already dead horse here - I just can't say much more than I am without getting my head chopped off - just remind them that you are a prior client and to check with HAL before discarding you.

[goodearth]

Actually, I don't get the idea.

 

I was trying to make the point that nothing costs the same around the world by using those examples............it was an attempt to illustrate that concept. Everywhere I travel there are different 'costs'. That includes gas prices in the USA. Is it right? Is it ethical? Is it legal? I could give an opinion, but regardless, "it is, what it is" until things change....

[iancal]

I do not mind about different costs in different countries. What I take objection to is someone in Australia or the UK being charged much more that I would be (in Canada) for a cruise an Alaskan cruise, a Med cruise, or a Carib. cruise. The per diem costs of those cruises are all different but everyone should have access to the same or to a very similar pricing schedule at any given point in time on each individual cruise.

 

I live in Canada. We sometimes use US airports to get to FLL or MIA because we save anywhere for 40-60 percent. A typical return fare would be $300-350 US vs. $650-800 from Canada. The point is when I book that fare on the web, as a Canadian, I pay exactly the same fare that a US resident would pay. I certainly would not like it if the airlines tried to force me to buy that ticket at the inflated Canadian rate (nor would it work because we would simply buy the ticket in the US vs. over the internet) using the lame excuse that I am a non resident.

[luxurysailer]

The possibility should also be considered that the higher prices charged to Aussies could be the fault of your TA's. Are you certain that the Australian TA's don't have some sort of agreement among themselves to keep prices high and therefore increase their commissions?

[Opinions]

Spot on! Apparently some here don't know that HAL's HQ is in Seattle, Washington, USA nor that HAL is owned by Carnival Corp. with HQ in a suburb of Miami, Florida, USA.

 

Apparently there are some here who don't know that the Carnival Corp. is not a U.S. company...They are incorporated in the Republic of Panama!!!

[Opinions]

Spot on! Apparently some here don't know that HAL's HQ is in Seattle, Washington, USA nor that HAL is owned by Carnival Corp. with HQ in a suburb of Miami, Florida, USA.

 

Apparently there are some here who don't know that the Carnival Corp. is not a U.S. company...They are incorporated in the Republic of Panama!!!

[hommar2]

Patseacruiser

 

Does the prior bookings have to be a cruise? - certainly have used US agents to book air travel.

 

cheers

[minz56]

I was trying to make the point that nothing costs the same around the world by using those examples............it was an attempt to illustrate that concept. Everywhere I travel there are different 'costs'. That includes gas prices in the USA. Is it right? Is it ethical? Is it legal? I could give an opinion, but regardless, "it is, what it is" until things change....

 

I think that everyone understands that goods and services have different prices depending on where you are in the world. That will never change.

 

My point here is that as a consumer I should be allowed to buy that product, in this case a cruise, wherever I want to and not be forced to buy it in my local market. The Internet has changed the world in this respect and if I am happy to take the risk of booking outside my own country then I should be allowed to do so.

[hommar2]

By the way - in Australia if you book direct with the shipping companies or airlines, you are not covered under the travel compensation scheme so most of the time we are not covered unless we take out insurance.

[Fontana]

By the way - in Australia if you book direct with the shipping companies or airlines, you are not covered under the travel compensation scheme so most of the time we are not covered unless we take out insurance.

 

Yes, that is correct. ^^

 

At the moment our Aussie $ is high, which is very pleasing, and making it possible for me to order clothing items at huge savings, online from the States.

 

Unfortunately, some of the companies will not ship internationally and/or accept an Australian CC, so I am using a mail | parcel forwarding company.:) All mail\parcel items are forwarded to an allocated USA address and then sent on.

 

http://www.shipito.com/

[Karennella]

I had decided not to do a cruise this year as I was not happy about the differential pricing. However, with a daughter living in England, we go to Europe each year and found a cruise too tempting to pass up. The decision having been made, I dont worry about the cost any more. I am extremely grateful that I live in a time and place in history that enables me to travel and to see family on the other side of the world so often.

When we were in Zimbabwe years ago, we were a bit floored to find out how much cheaper their local rates were and I guess the cruise prices are another version of it (the cruise companies basically being American despite where they are registered)

There are only just over twenty million of us so we really dont have much economic significance in the world. I doubt if a few of us boycotting Carnival Corp will make much difference.

[patseacruiser]

Patseacruiser

 

Does the prior bookings have to be a cruise? - certainly have used US agents to book air travel.

 

cheers

 

It has to be a HAL booking so HAL can check if you are a prior client. Could the agent put up a good fight that you are a prior client? I don't know but if they're willing to then they might have a case for it.

[RDC1]

Differences in travel prices because of national residence is not unusual.

 

For example I, being a US resident, cannot book an Air New Zealand flight on the domestic Air New Zealand web site, even though those fares a much cheaper than those that are available on their US published rates for the same flights.

 

Some are driven by different laws for selling travel (bundling, traveler protections, etc. for example Australians booking cruises with local agents are "protected by local consumer laws should the agency become insolvent), some are due to regulation concerning rates and fees (having to get approval for rates), some are contractual in nature (for example if a companies contracts with a local company to sell its products, in those cases the contracts would provide them with some degree of exclusivity and profit margin). Then, of course there is also the laws of supply and demand and the various pricing models/strategies that the companies use.

 

It is their business they can price however they want. We as consumers can make the decision if we want to pay it or not. If Australian demand were to drop then it might impact their pricing policy or it might not.

[Jade13]

This is a copy of an Email sent to HAL

 

I have noted that for a category H cabin on the Amsterdam sailing 05 August 2011 you are charging A$3561.47, whereas booking the same cruise and same cabin in America only costs US$2680.49 (through Orbitz and half a dozen other agents) .

 

Could you please explain why Australians are being charged about $1000 extra to go on the same cruise with the same cabin?

 

It certainly appears that we are being grossly overcharged, as you are using an exchange rate of about 0.75 from the Australian dollar to the US dollar, the current rate being about parity.

 

Please confirm that you are able to price match with the American agents, or alternatively allow our bookings to be made in America. I am quite happy to pay in US$.

 

The reply -

 

All pricing is based on local market rates, not on an exchange rate

 

Still leaves all Australians being grossly overcharged by HAL, needlss to say I will not be travellin with them.:(

 

HAL does not price match any agents. Why don't you just purchase the cruise only from an American agent? We meet Europeans all the time that do just that.

[hommar2]

HAL does not price match any agents. Why don't you just purchase the cruise only from an American agent? We meet Europeans all the time that do just that.

 

HAL will not allow an American agent to book for us, unless we are prior customers

[Kiwi Kruzer]

HAL will not allow an American agent to book for us, unless we are prior customers

 

I have my eye on another HAL cruise and tried a cruise specialist in the States for a quote.

Could not get one....all I got was....

 

You must be a resident of the United States or Canada to purchase a cruise from this cruise line. If you are a US or Canadian resident then please check the appropriate box and select the nearest airport even if you don't want airfare from the cruise line.

[erewhon]

Differences in travel prices because of national residence is not unusual.

 

For example I, being a US resident, cannot book an Air New Zealand flight on the domestic Air New Zealand web site, even though those fares a much cheaper than those that are available on their US published rates for the same flights.

 

 

Was not aware of this, thank you for posting the information.

[Fontana]

Differences in travel prices because of national residence is not unusual.

 

For example I, being a US resident, cannot book an Air New Zealand flight on the domestic Air New Zealand web site, even though those fares a much cheaper than those that are available on their US published rates for the same flights.

 

 

Was not aware of this, thank you for posting the information.

 

Have you enquired with your local TA to see if they are able to obtain the local New Zealand airfares for you as advertised on the NZ Airline Website?

 

When we travel internally OS, we always check out the OS airline websites to ensure our TA is able to secure tickets at the lowest price offered. :)

[Fontana]

I thought it worthwhile to add this article here for those who may not have seen it previously.

 

 

Special Report: Australian Cruise Passengers Punished for Shopping Around?

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=3847

 

......Although the cruise lines talk in very strict, well-defined terms, the U.S. agents we spoke to think the issue is less black and white. While they agree that their contracts with the cruise lines forbid them from marketing their offers outside North America, they can legally accept business from around the world.

 

In fact, there is no law forbidding U.S. travel agencies from selling to international travelers. And while it's true that some retailers strictly adhere to the cruise lines' policies because they have contracts with the lines, others are willing to accept international bookings and up their sales, even if they run the risk of getting their wrists slapped by the cruise lines........

 

[DoverHeights]

We're travelling with HAL end July and noticed that the Oz cost was approx 17% dearer than the US for the same cabin. (Since then the Oz $ has appreciated another 5c on the US - so the disparity is worse). The US people were also getting other freebies - cruise spending money, cheap air travel, etc. There is no other reason for the disparity except supply and demand and the fact that Oz is treated scandalously because it is "at the end of the world". When our main supplier was Britain, they happily added another 50% markup. When DVDs were split into World areas, Australia was NOT grouped with its nearest Asian duty free cities. And the US happily carries on this tradition.

 

Our only consolation as travellers is that our currency is appreciating and all of the others are going down the gurgler - at the moment.

 

The other drawback to living so far from the action, is that it means you need to book a cruise well in advance together with the extensive air arrangements - so last minute offers are not really feasible.

 

GRRRRR!!!

[RDC1]

 

Have you enquired with your local TA to see if they are able to obtain the local New Zealand airfares for you as advertised on the NZ Airline Website?

 

When we travel internally OS, we always check out the OS airline websites to ensure our TA is able to secure tickets at the lowest price offered. :)

 

 

The answer was that those fares were only for New Zealand Residents.

[MMDown Under]

Differences in travel prices because of national residence is not unusual.

 

For example I, being a US resident, cannot book an Air New Zealand flight on the domestic Air New Zealand web site, even though those fares a much cheaper than those that are available on their US published rates for the same flights.

 

 

The internet allows you to book flights in overseas countries, at local prices.

 

I have booked, in Australia, flights from UK to Europe, from Canada to Australia and from Honolulu to Kona, Hawaii.

 

In addition, I have booked, in Australia, overseas train travel, ferry travel, bus travel, theatre, etc., all at local prices.

 

In travel, it is only the cruise line industry, which wants you to book overseas cruises, in Australia, at inflated prices.

[erewhon]

 

 

The answer was that those fares were only for New Zealand Residents.

 

I was not aware that non NZ citizens cannot book Air NewZealand flights on the Air New Zealand domestic website.

Always learning something new here on CC:)

[AmandasPanda]

I sailed on MS Volendam in January this year and whilst on board booked a cruise for 2012 through the onboard future cruise consultant.

 

The Holland America rep allowed up to choose if we wanted to book in Aus$ or US$ - and because US was cheaper we chose US$.

 

We wanted to book a second cruise but the particular cruise schedule had not yet been released so the cruise consultant onboard advised us we would need to call the Holland America offices in the US to book the second leg of our cruise - we were fine with this.

 

Well booking the second leg has been the worst experience ever. We called overseas to the US offices several times to attempt to book the second leg of the cruise.

 

The end result - they cancelled our cruise for which we had already paid well over half the cost of because we were from Australia and the booking was in US$. Even though i explained to them that it was their own rep who completed the booking and offered this too us - they said that it was against their policy and that they had to cancel the booking.

They offered to rebook the cruise in Aus$ which resulted in the cruise costing over $1000 more pp.

 

We declined to take them up on this offer. They have refunded out money (all expect the original booking amounts $100 pp in their hope we will rebook with them) and as a result of bank fees and exchange rates we are currently down $480 with no cruise in sight!

 

What annoys me about this is we were offered this by Holland Americas own onboard staff - they are the future cruise consultants - if we couldn't book in US$ why was this offered to us??

 

As a result of this experience Holland America is no longer a cruise line we want to cruise on.

[erewhon]

Amandaspanda,

 

From your post I am understanding that Holland America will only book Australians on cruises who will pay in Australian Dollars.

This seems quite strange.

Why would the Future cruise consultant on the Volendam not allow you to book the second leg of the proposed cruise through your local Travel Agent.?

Have you contacted the Australian agent for Holland America?

 

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