Get the same cabin if I rebook because of price drop?

[bcd2010]

I was so excited to see an email about a huge price drop on PC cruises, and it listed sailing dates all the way out to next spring. But the price drop was only for Oct & Nov sailings (my cruise is in March).

 

Of course, I'm wishin' and hopin' there will be price drops for my sailing in the next 4 months (final payment is due in Dec). These prices are often/usually for new bookings. I know I can rebook - but how likely is it that I will keep the same cabin (I used a HAL PCC, if that matters). I'd probably lose my late fixed dining, right? I'd go to the bottom of the waitlist? And all those PG dinners I booked before the price went up - I'd have to re-reserve at the higher price (the price drop would probably make up for that, but I might not be able to get the same nights)? Haven't booked any shore excursions yet

[pms4104]

When you rebook, I believe that you lose everything ... cabin, confirmed dining, PG reservations, shore ex, etc. It'll be like a fresh/new booking ... and, yes, you'll be at the bottom of any waitlists and also pay the going rate for PG and for shore ex. While the shore ex are added to your onboard account, you will be charged the price at the time you rebook them and not as originally reserved. I know, you said you haven't booked any shore ex yet ... but that's what would happen if you reserve them on your current booking then do a cancel and rebook on the sailing.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Barbara, there is absolutely no reason to rebook. If you see a price drop then call up and ask to have it refared. The only way they would require you to rebook is if there was a special Mariner Promotion for your sailing. Even if there was a special flash rate you would keep the same reservation number and it can be refared.

[tcook052]

Agree with LAFFNVEGAS and as I posted on another thread on the topic of price drops I will casually mention I'll cancel & rebook and usually it's enough to have the res. agent put me on hold and come back and say her supervisor allowed her to rebook me at the lower rate even though it's normally for new bookings only. It's just easier to ammend/update an exisiting file than to waste everyone's time by refunding a reservation and rebooking and rebuilding a new one with new deposit.

[bcd2010]

Barbara, there is absolutely no reason to rebook. If you see a price drop then call up and ask to have it refared. The only way they would require you to rebook is if there was a special Mariner Promotion for your sailing. Even if there was a special flash rate you would keep the same reservation number and it can be refared.

 

Agree with LAFFNVEGAS and as I posted on another thread on the topic of price drops I will casually mention I'll cancel & rebook and usually it's enough to have the res. agent put me on hold and come back and say her supervisor allowed her to rebook me at the lower rate even though it's normally for new bookings only. It's just easier to ammend/update an exisiting file than to waste everyone's time by refunding a reservation and rebooking and rebuilding a new one with new deposit.

 

Thank you both. This is a long cruise and DSs budgets mandate inside cabins. I deliberately selected cabins on the navigation deck because there are fewer cabins (esp with the deluxe suites), i.e., fewer people - I get a sense of being over-crowded on the lower decks. Anyway, I want to keep the cabins and get any price drops - selfish, greedy me!

 

Just for clarification, I can ask for refaring before final payment and hope for something (OBC or whatever) after, right? That is, I'm unlikely to get a refare after final payment.

[tcook052]

Just for clarification, I can ask for refaring before final payment and hope for something (OBC or whatever) after, right? That is, I'm unlikely to get a refare after final payment.

 

No, refaring pre-final payment will get you a lower price and it's only after final payment you may get an OBC or upgrade though as other threads on page one note even that isn't guaranteed. :)

[HamburgAvonLady]

Does this happen as the cruise departure gets closer? I thought the prices would stay the same but have never cruised HAL before.

[tcook052]

Does this happen as the cruise departure gets closer? I thought the prices would stay the same but have never cruised HAL before.

 

All depends on how full or empty that sailing is as naturally if it's fairly full prices aren't likely to drop but if they have lots of cabins to fill prices can fall closer to sailing but still outside of final payment. never hurts to keep an eye open on HAL's sight for sales and ask your TA if you spot one.

[agabbymama]

Make sure you ask the agent, if you call to do any changes, BEFORE making those changes.

 

I was booked in a balcony cabin, saw the price for the deluxe balcony had gone down. I called to see about upgrading and the agent indeed told me I would have to cancel my existing reservation and re-book to get the new cabin.

 

I don't know about just re-faring your existing cabin, as on all my cruises the price has always gone up, NOT DOWN.

[BumperII]

The timing of this thread is amazing. I just came home from grocery shopping and found an email from our TA. Seems she found a better rate for our upcoming Hawaii cruise, saved us $560.00, and had it confirmed. Everything on the confirmation remained the same including the OBC offered by HAL. She was able to take advantage of the lower rate because our final payment isn't due until November 17. This kind of service is why we keep going back to the same TA after 25 cruises.

On each cruise, we try to work with the Future Cruise Consultant, and take advantage of the $100.00 pp deposit. Other than that, we leave everything to our TA. Any one who has been doing this for a while knows that a good TA is worth her weight in gold!

[vbmom87]

Barbara, there is absolutely no reason to rebook. If you see a price drop then call up and ask to have it refared. The only way they would require you to rebook is if there was a special Mariner Promotion for your sailing. Even if there was a special flash rate you would keep the same reservation number and it can be refared.

 

I am not an expert, but on my two HAL cruises there was a promotion for new bookings only. Both cruises had to be canceled and rebooked. The first time it was our first cruise on HAL. Never heard of refaring, but will ask. My first HAL cruise was with a local TA and this most recent cruises was with an online agency. Neither mentioned anything about refaring. Since we aren't fussy about cabins other than they not be forward, we didn't much care about losing our original cabins. However, I was told that if I watch online to see when my original cabin got released, to just call them and they would move me back into it. Seems to me like different agents are willing to provide different levels of service when it comes to taking advantage of price drops. Personally, I don't care about the process it is going to take, just the end result: a lower fare :D.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I am not an expert, but on my two HAL cruises there was a promotion for new bookings only. Both cruises had to be canceled and rebooked. The first time it was our first cruise on HAL. Never heard of refaring, but will ask. My first HAL cruise was with a local TA and this most recent cruises was with an online agency. Neither mentioned anything about refaring. Since we aren't fussy about cabins other than they not be forward, we didn't much care about losing our original cabins. However, I was told that if I watch online to see when my original cabin got released, to just call them and they would move me back into it. Seems to me like different agents are willing to provide different levels of service when it comes to taking advantage of price drops. Personally, I don't care about the process it is going to take, just the end result: a lower fare :D.

Trust me it can be done ;) The only time you absolutely have to cancel and rebook is if you are booking into a Regional Mariner Promotion that is NOT combinable with any other offers or group amenities and is absolutely for NEW bookings only.

Even after final if you find a great deal on a Flash promotion that is a higher category than you are currently in they will change you and your reservation number remains the same.

There is a current promotion on called RH6 and that is totally combinable with Groups amenities and if that promotion is on your sailing you can have your price adjusted to the new rate and everything remains the same :)