Unreasonably large deposits from HAL

[DFD1]

Heads Up! I just booked a 14 day collectors cruise for May 18. The fare was $999.00 per person. The deposit was a Whopping $600.00 per person, more than half the cost of the cruise.

 

Seems out of line and unreasonable to me. What do you think?

[cmdchiefthom]

That seems like alot:confused: I just looked at my booking documents from May of 2012, and for my upcoming 7 day cruise aboard the Nieuw Amsterdam, my deposit was $350.00 PP. I also checked on an upcoming "Collectors" cruise in 2014, and I used two future cruise credits bought on our last HAL cruise and they were for $100.00 PP. Did you book through HAL?

[PathfinderEss]

I have to agree, it seems high to me. I know Hal is asking for a higher amount for deposits on longer cruises, but that seems excessive. I think I would re-check that with who ever you booked it thru.

[DFD1]

I've just checked with HAL and rechecked with my TA.

 

HAL's response is that while it is marketed as a Collectors Cruise, it is in fact two cruises Back to Back. They use this explaination to justify the unusually large deposit.

 

To my way of thinking, if they market it as a 14 day collectors cruise, and I booked it as a collectors cruise, then it's ONE cruise, NOT TWO.

 

I'm a long-time HAL fan, but I think this is excessive and deceptive.

 

IMO

[sail7seas]

I think this is a method they have started to use to stop holding so many cabins for people placing low deposits who put those cruises on their 'wish list' and were never really sure they'd be sailing. HAL has probably gotten fed up with selling the same cabin over and over because with low deposits people say, oh why not...... let's hold the cabin and we'll decide at final payment if we want to go. I've read of people holding two or three cabins on two or three different ships for same approximate dates.

 

Are people more serious about their bookings when they have to place a sizeable deposit?

 

[Padraic]

It seems a bit more than I have ever paid for the deposit. I have booked a 23 day "Collector" cruise in May. Actually a 16 day transatlantic and a 7 day Med cruise. Total was about $2,600 pp and the deposit was $850.

[sail7seas]

It seems a bit more than I have ever paid for the deposit. I have booked a 23 day "Collector" cruise in May. Actually a 16 day transatlantic and a 7 day Med cruise. Total was about $2,600 pp and the deposit was $850.

 

 

That does seem a very high deposit.

 

Best is to buy FCD's when on board and then use them as deposit when you are ready. They are good for 4 years.

 

[cruz chic]

I think this is a method they have started to use to stop holding so many cabins for people placing low deposits who put those cruises on their 'wish list' and were never really sure they'd be sailing. HAL has probably gotten fed up with selling the same cabin over and over because with low deposits people say, oh why not...... let's hold the cabin and we'll decide at final payment if we want to go. I've read of people holding two or three cabins on two or three different ships for same approximate dates.

 

Are people more serious about their bookings when they have to place a sizeable deposit?

 

That's a good way for HAL to get people to not commit early:rolleyes:. That said, it amazes me that people actually book cruises that they will likely never go on. I think it's time for a new hobby at that point.

 

OP, I agree. It's seems excessive.

[StartrainDD]

Heads Up! I just booked a 14 day collectors cruise for May 18. The fare was $999.00 per person. The deposit was a Whopping $600.00 per person, more than half the cost of the cruise.

 

Seems out of line and unreasonable to me. What do you think?

 

Where are you cruising in May for this fare? What ship? We are looking for a late May cruise for our anniversary.

[Randyk47]

I think this is a method they have started to use to stop holding so many cabins for people placing low deposits who put those cruises on their 'wish list' and were never really sure they'd be sailing. HAL has probably gotten fed up with selling the same cabin over and over because with low deposits people say, oh why not...... let's hold the cabin and we'll decide at final payment if we want to go. I've read of people holding two or three cabins on two or three different ships for same approximate dates.

 

Are people more serious about their bookings when they have to place a sizeable deposit?

 

 

I sure hope they don't but there are a couple lines now not returning the whole deposit. They hold like $200 as a "future cruise" deposit with like a two year expiration.

[sail7seas]

I sure hope they don't but there are a couple lines now not returning the whole deposit. They hold like $200 as a "future cruise" deposit with like a two year expiration.

 

 

That's another method to try and hold down the "pie in the sky" type of bookings.

 

Unless people have some 'money' in the game, it seems some will hold up cabins they know there is little chance they will use.

 

We have been shut out of cruises because cabins we wanted were already taken. We make alternative plans and then later learned the cabins freed up due to cancellation. There will always be some of that but it seems there is a lot of it going on.

 

[cruz chic]

I sure hope they don't but there are a couple lines now not returning the whole deposit. They hold like $200 as a "future cruise" deposit with like a two year expiration.

I could be wrong but I think that's like a early saver rate. I'd love it if HAL commited the best rate to early bookers.

[Randyk47]

I could be wrong but I think that's like a early saver rate. I'd love it if HAL commited the best rate to early bookers.

 

One line calls it an "administrative cancelation fee" but caveats it with saying it can be applied to a future cruise within two years. I wish they'd come up with early saver discounts, I'd even go with a "cancelation fee" if they did that.

[Krazy Kruizers]

That does seem a very high deposit.

 

Best is to buy FCD's when on board and then use them as deposit when you are ready. They are good for 4 years.

 

 

And if you don't use the FCD's within the 4 years, the deposits will be refunded to your credit card.

[Randyk47]

That's another method to try and hold down the "pie in the sky" type of bookings.

 

Unless people have some 'money' in the game, it seems some will hold up cabins they know there is little chance they will use.

 

We have been shut out of cruises because cabins we wanted were already taken. We make alternative plans and then later learned the cabins freed up due to cancellation. There will always be some of that but it seems there is a lot of it going on.

 

 

A friend who is a TA with a local travel agency says more and more people have been booking then canceling than they can recall in the past. They write it off to partially the economy and hopes things will get better then don't. They also think the last minute sales are starting to take their toll in terms of people jumping to other vacations because of the deals. According to her it's not just cruising but the whole vacation industry.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Where are you cruising in May for this fare? What ship? We are looking for a late May cruise for our anniversary.

 

May 18 -- Maasdam -- Canada/New England -- round trip from Boston.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Even using FCD -- the deposits have now changed on them:

Future cruises … effective October 2012

 

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[StartrainDD]

May 18 -- Maasdam -- Canada/New England -- round trip from Boston.

 

Would love to sail Maasdam, but just did the Canada / Maine cruise in the autumn. Guess that's why I hadn't tripped over this. Thank you!

[solocanadian]

I've just checked with HAL and rechecked with my TA.

 

HAL's response is that while it is marketed as a Collectors Cruise, it is in fact two cruises Back to Back. They use this explaination to justify the unusually large deposit.

 

To my way of thinking, if they market it as a 14 day collectors cruise, and I booked it as a collectors cruise, then it's ONE cruise, NOT TWO.

 

I'm a long-time HAL fan, but I think this is excessive and deceptive.

 

IMO

I could not agree with you more.

[petrakae]

Welcome to my world! In Sept.2012 had to pay a $4000 deposit on an $8000 cruise for May 2013. We have had several cruises and always had to pay 50% deposit.... But then again, we only book cruises we intend to take.... Not a 'maybe' cruise. Paying the deposit is just a payment towards the cruise, nothing lost! Travel Insurance is always taken out the day we pay the deposit, so if anything untoward were to happen, we are covered for refunds. JMO! I do agree that there are numerous people who book a certain cabin with only a vague intention of actually going on the cruise, thereby preventing a certainty cruiser from selecting that cabin. Again, just my opinion formed through observations both here on CC and other sites.

[kazu]

A very interesting thread - I've used FCD's for a few years (thanks cruise critic:D) but prior to that we paid the standard deposits. I checked and my old deposit for a 15 day cruise a number of years ago was $650 so I don't things have changed that much:confused:

 

My understanding has always been that the deposits are the same no matter what the price (and this may be what is making the deposit look so high for the op and others.).

 

For the fun of it I went to my upcoming cruise - 31 days - if I book an inside cabin, the deposit is $3,500 - if I book a suite the deposit is $3,500 - so basically the same $$ no matter the category. Needless to say there is a big discrepancy between the price of an S and the lowest category inside cabin on the Prinsendam.

 

Looks like things haven't changed that much;) The fact that the cruise is a buy doesn't decrease the deposit

[vbmom87]

I think this is a method they have started to use to stop holding so many cabins for people placing low deposits who put those cruises on their 'wish list' and were never really sure they'd be sailing. HAL has probably gotten fed up with selling the same cabin over and over because with low deposits people say, oh why not...... let's hold the cabin and we'll decide at final payment if we want to go. I've read of people holding two or three cabins on two or three different ships for same approximate dates.

 

Are people more serious about their bookings when they have to place a sizeable deposit?

 

 

This makes sense. If a lot of people are holding cabins until final payment and then cancelling just before, I could understand HAL making their deposits higher in an effort to deter this from happening. If this is their reason, I wonder if it is working? Another option instead, might be to charge a cancellation fee.

 

I am looking at a cruise for my DD and the cruise cost is $799 pp and the deposit is $700 for the cabin. I thought that was high. The agent I used for my last cruise, however, is only requiring a $200 deposit for the same cruise/cabin.

[cruz chic]

<snip>I wish they'd come up with early saver discounts, I'd even go with a "cancelation fee" if they did that.

Me too.

[Amy5000]

Hi all. I'm new to cruising but when I booked our Alaskan cruise tour in November HAL also collected $1200 per room for our 13 day cruise tour. Last week I switched to a cruise-only at a rate of $750 pp. So HAL is now holding a huge deposit for us but I'm planing on going so no biggie.

 

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

[sail7seas]

One line calls it an "administrative cancelation fee" but caveats it with saying it can be applied to a future cruise within two years. I wish they'd come up with early saver discounts, I'd even go with a "cancelation fee" if they did that.

 

 

I AGREE.

 

 

 

Would love to sail Maasdam, but just did the Canada / Maine cruise in the autumn. Guess that's why I hadn't tripped over this. Thank you!

 

 

We sail Maasdam every summer, Boston to Montreal to Boston, on Maasdam and never get tired of that cruise. We love that ship, her crew and those ports. :)