Has the Westerdam been chartered (09/20/2014)?

[RandumbPerson]

I am booked on the September 20, 2014 sailing to Alaska. Last night I noticed the worrisome "Call us for availability & price" message on the HAL website. It's still there today. I don't suppose anyone has heard anything?

 

Clouds are looming on the horizon!

[sail7seas]

What are the 'clouds'?

A full charter ten months out is a problem? :confused:

IF it is a charter.

[catl331]

A charter would not show "Call us for availability & price", it would completely disappear from HAL's listings. But, that phrase could indicate that a large group has booked many rooms.

 

So far no groups are known for that time. See

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1940858

and watch for periodic updates.

Edited December 5, 2013 by catl331

[sail7seas]

A charter would not show "Call us for availability & price", it would completely disappear from HAL's listings. But, that could indicate that a large group has booked many rooms.

 

So far no groups are known for that time. See

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1940858

and watch for periodic updates.

 

 

I went to the HAL site to look at that saililng and every category cabin is marked "call us for availability & price". Perhaps it is just a computer glitch at the moment?

 

Or maybe as you say a very large group?

It is too far away to think the whole ship is sold out for that sailing without something going on.

 

[RandumbPerson]

I still feel a little bit nervous, but thank you both for your help.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I am booked on the September 20, 2014 sailing to Alaska. Last night I noticed the worrisome "Call us for availability & price" message on the HAL website. It's still there today. I don't suppose anyone has heard anything?

 

Clouds are looming on the horizon!

 

I know of quite a few that have booked this week as well.... and I had not heard anything. It is too late tonight for me to find out any information but I will check on this tomorrow. I have to admit it does seem a bit strange. It is kind of late in the Alaska season for someone to charter the ship and being just 10 months out I also find it strange. It definitely would not be sold out this early. My first thought is the ship going into Dry Dock in Vancouver. Has anything been mentioned that something needs to be done with the Westerdam before she does her Panama Canal. What I had not noticed in the past and find very interesting is that the Westerdam is doing a round trip Mexican Riviera on October 3rd. It is too bad I am already planning on doing the Maasdam on October 18th :(

[CJcruzer]

I am booked on the September 20, 2014 sailing to Alaska. Last night I noticed the worrisome "Call us for availability & price" message on the HAL website. It's still there today. I don't suppose anyone has heard anything?

 

Clouds are looming on the horizon!

 

I am thinking that if it was a full charter, it would be off the site completely. Possibly a large group on the cruise, but even then, they are usually not large enough to affect public sales.

 

I will keep my eyes open when researching for the groups/charters/out of service list I generate. Will advise as soon as I come across anything.

 

Carol

[frankc98376]

I know of quite a few that have booked this week as well.... and I had not heard anything. It is too late tonight for me to find out any information but I will check on this tomorrow. I have to admit it does seem a bit strange. It is kind of late in the Alaska season for someone to charter the ship and being just 10 months out I also find it strange. It definitely would not be sold out this early. My first thought is the ship going into Dry Dock in Vancouver. Has anything been mentioned that something needs to be done with the Westerdam before she does her Panama Canal. What I had not noticed in the past and find very interesting is that the Westerdam is doing a round trip Mexican Riviera on October 3rd. It is too bad I am already planning on doing the Maasdam on October 18th :(

 

Possibly dry dock to install sneeze guards in the Neptune :D :D

Edited December 5, 2013 by frankc98376

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Well I have to confirm that in fact the Westerdam has been chartered. They are just in the process of of finishing up the contract for the group that chartered it for September 20th, 2014. Notifications should go out within the next few days with offers to move to another sailing.

[cruz chic]

Possibly dry dock to install sneeze guards in the Neptune :D :D

Now that's funny:D.

[sail7seas]

Possibly dry dock to install sneeze guards in the Neptune :D :D

 

 

Love it!!! :D :cool:

 

[sail7seas]

Well I have to confirm that in fact the Westerdam has been chartered. They are just in the process of of finishing up the contract for the group that chartered it for September 20th, 2014. Notifications should go out within the next few days with offers to move to another sailing.

 

 

Thanks, Lisa.

 

Sorry for anyone who will be disappointed with this news. Hopefully there will be another cruise/ship that will work for you.

[Typhoon1]

If it were a full charter, it would disappear completely from booking availability.

[RandumbPerson]

Well I have to confirm that in fact the Westerdam has been chartered. They are just in the process of of finishing up the contract for the group that chartered it for September 20th, 2014. Notifications should go out within the next few days with offers to move to another sailing.

 

Thank you for your efforts, Lisa!

[sail7seas]

If it were a full charter, it would disappear completely from booking availability.

 

 

Lisa said they are in the process of finishing up the contract etc

 

[solocanadian]

Possibly dry dock to install sneeze guards in the Neptune :D :D

 

Great minds think alike, Frank.:):D:)

[DeerLittleLadyBug]

Thank you everyone for your headsup! It is indeed Chartered and my TA was ticked off that she wasn't notified by HAL and that I had to find out through Cruise Critic and tell her. We're re-booked for the 13th and got an additional $300 Shipboard Credit! not bad in my mind.....;)

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you everyone for your headsup! It is indeed Chartered and my TA was ticked off that she wasn't notified by HAL and that I had to find out through Cruise Critic and tell her. We're re-booked for the 13th and got an additional $300 Shipboard Credit! not bad in my mind.....;)

 

 

That is terrible that your TA was not notified by HAL.

Glad you found out here and were able to switch to another date and got very nice shipboard credit.

[Typhoon1]

Thank you everyone for your headsup! It is indeed Chartered and my TA was ticked off that she wasn't notified by HAL and that I had to find out through Cruise Critic and tell her. We're re-booked for the 13th and got an additional $300 Shipboard Credit! not bad in my mind.....;)

 

Indeed, it has disappeared from the HAL website.

[spazwok]

Does this happen very often? It's kind of scary for international travellers!

[jkspringtexas]

Does anyone know who chartered the Westerdam for Sept. 20-27?

[Boytjie]

Does this happen very often? It's kind of scary for international travellers!

 

Charters are usually contracted about a year out, so this is rather unusual.

 

As for cruise lines' web sites showing availability after a ship was charted, it varies: it does not always disappear completely right away; it may take a while to be removed from availability or it may be in a transitional stage ("call for availability")

[jkspringtexas]

I called HAL yesterday, the agent said it was chartered but she couldn't see on her computer by what company. She suggested (and even tried herself) to google it, with no success.

[RuthC]

Charters are usually contracted about a year out, so this is rather unusual.

Peter, this thread started last December. Agreed, a little on the short side of the charter timeline, but not nearly as short as not realizing this is a bumped thread would make you think!

[Boytjie]

Peter, this thread started last December. Agreed, a little on the short side of the charter timeline, but not nearly as short as not realizing this is a bumped thread would make you think!

 

For a change I did look at the first post date and decided to post about the general rule i.e. charters are usually finalized a year out. :)