Price drop, upsell, and single occupancy

[farmfan1]

So im lazying around the house on sunday doing research on our upcoming cruise and just happen to notice a $640 per person price drop. We are past final payment but sent a quick email off to the travel agent to see if Holland America is willing to offer anything. So they offer us $300 in OBC or for $90 each we can have a VE balcany (move up from our IA interior room). So the upsell seems to be the best offer. The crazy part is my mother in-law who also has an IA room booked but is a single Holland America want almost $1000 to upgrade her to a VE. I couldn't believe it when i heard there was such a difference.

[debjo]

I agree, that price "upsell" difference is crazy...$180 for two in a cabin or $1000 for single...just crazy. Something similar happened to us on our recent cruise...only a mere three days after we made final payment, our price dropped $500 per person. How far from your final payment did you spot the price drop?

 

What we were "offered" was either a $500 onboard credit, or a no-cost upgrade from BQ (Spa) Balcony Cabin where we were booked to an A-Category. The pricing difference between the two cabins would have amounted to an $800 upgrade for the two of us. We took the upgrade, as it was a better deal, and put us in the original cabin category we would have chosen at booking, if we could have afforded it "then".

 

Our cruise was great...and we were thrilled that HAL honored the price drop after we made final payment. (According to the "fine print"...HAL wasn't obligated to do anything...so if they were willing to make any sort of amends, we would be happy.) One thing that proved to our advantage...our T.A. in ended up talking with different HAL customer service reps each time she called the office. Fortunately in our case, each "rep" gave her a better offer when she called them to let them know what our decision was...initially we were happy with the $500 OBC...but when she called them to let them know what we wanted to do, the "new" rep said that we'd lose our original OBC's (which amounted to $140), which our T.A. said wasn't acceptable. The "new" rep said he'd see what else could be done...and "voila"...the $800 upgrade was offered to us at no extra charge. It just goes to prove...no two "reps" are alike! I wish you luck in getting your dilemma resolved...hopefully you have a polite, but firm T.A. working on your behalf with the cruiseline.

 

Debjo

[farmfan1]

I noticed the drop 3 days after final payment. We were also offered an outside stateroom for the same price as we booked or the upsell to the balcany. We are happy with offer that we recieved because we did know that they didnt have to offer anything. Our travel agent is amazing and we have been using her for years. I think she was more amazed than we were. Just doesnt seem right that a single should have to pay that much more

[Scrapnana]

I noticed the drop 3 days after final payment. We were also offered an outside stateroom for the same price as we booked or the upsell to the balcany. We are happy with offer that we recieved because we did know that they didnt have to offer anything. Our travel agent is amazing and we have been using her for years. I think she was more amazed than we were. Just doesnt seem right that a single should have to pay that much more

 

Especially since she had to pay extra to start with. Solos seldom get good deals.:mad:

[RuthC]

Just doesnt seem right that a single should have to pay that much more

It's bad enough that a single can't get a break, but that "offer" was outrageous. :mad:

[cruz chic]

The offer should be double like yours is. Shame on Hal.

[farmfan1]

Our TA talked to Holland America again today and they said the same thing as yesterday. MIL took the $300 OBC as there really wasnt any other option. Really wasnt expecting much since it was after the final payment but still upset there was such a differnce in the offers

[MPowder]

I am just wondering if anyone email HAL to ask for price reduction compensation? What is the email address? Is the success rate less than a phone call?

 

It seems everytime I am available to call them they are closed.