Question: Undersold Sailings?

[smoothsailors]

We noticed that, just two weeks out, the TA portion of our Collector's Cruise still has quite a few unsold cabins, in all categories. While we will certainly enjoy less crowding on board, have any of you been on a long, undersold sailing? And did you notice any dimunition of service, activities, food quality, etc?

 

Just wondering as we've never been on a ship that wasn't at full capacity and weren't sure what to expect...does HAL scale back for a lower passenger count or do they try to ramp up revenue by increased on-board spend opportunities?:rolleyes:

[Crew News]

We noticed that, just two weeks out, the TA portion of our Collector's Cruise still has quite a few unsold cabins, in all categories. While we will certainly enjoy less crowding on board, have any of you been on a long, undersold sailing? And did you notice any dimunition of service, activities, food quality, etc?

 

Just wondering as we've never been on a ship that wasn't at full capacity and weren't sure what to expect...does HAL scale back for a lower passenger count or do they try to ramp up revenue by increased on-board spend opportunities?:rolleyes:

Our November 2013 cruise to the Panama Canal on the Zuiderdam was seriously undersold and I remember hearing a crew member say around 1100 passengers. It was easy to get a table and very short Lido lines.

 

MDR service was a lot quicker and there was no decline in food quality that we noticed.

Edited March 15, 2014 by Crew News

[jtl513]

Our Prinsendam T-A was at about 70% of capacity and we didn't notice any change in service. Enjoyed the lack of people!

.

Edited March 15, 2014 by jtl513

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have done quite a few full transits of the Panama Canal. Only once was the ship about 75% full.

We didn't notice any cut backs due to fewer people.

[whogo]

The available cabins may disappear quickly as guaranteed cabins are assigned. Sailing on an 80% or 90% full vessel would be ideal, good service, no lines, and enough fellow passengers that the ship is not dead.

[kjw869]

The available cabins may disappear quickly as guaranteed cabins are assigned. Sailing on an 80% or 90% full vessel would be ideal, good service, no lines, and enough fellow passengers that the ship is not dead.

 

This is so true. Last year, there were many cabins listed for available booking on the Nieuw Amsterdam two weeks out. Then they closed the booking for a few days. When it reopened, only a few cabins were left as the GTY's must have been assigned.

 

We checked on an availability of any cabin for a friends who decided they may join us five days before we sailed and none were available. We sailed with a full ship.

[sail7seas]

This is so true. Last year, there were many cabins listed for available booking on the Nieuw Amsterdam two weeks out. Then they closed the booking for a few days. When it reopened, only a few cabins were left as the GTY's must have been assigned.

 

We checked on an availability of any cabin for a friends who decided they may join us five days before we sailed and none were available. We sailed with a full ship.

 

 

That.

Entirely possible.

 

[POA1]

We noticed that, just two weeks out, the TA portion of our Collector's Cruise still has quite a few unsold cabins, in all categories. While we will certainly enjoy less crowding on board, have any of you been on a long, undersold sailing? And did you notice any dimunition of service, activities, food quality, etc?

 

Just wondering as we've never been on a ship that wasn't at full capacity and weren't sure what to expect...does HAL scale back for a lower passenger count or do they try to ramp up revenue by increased on-board spend opportunities?:rolleyes:

 

In general, service should be better. It's not like the crew and staff get off just because there are fewer passengers. You should get a better experience simply during to the improved passenger to crew ratio.

[doublebzz]

The available cabins may disappear quickly as guaranteed cabins are assigned.

 

This is so true. Last year, there were many cabins listed for available booking on the Nieuw Amsterdam two weeks out. Then they closed the booking for a few days. When it reopened, only a few cabins were left as the GTY's must have been assigned.

 

We checked on an availability of any cabin for a friends who decided they may join us five days before we sailed and none were available. We sailed with a full ship.

 

Good observations; I never thought of this. So when I check the availability of cabins on my upcoming cruise, it really isn't much of an indication of the load. One would need to know how many "guarantees" were sold and that data isn't available to the public.

[jtl513]

One would need to know how many "guarantees" were sold ...

And not just for your cabin category. You would have to know the number of gty below you as well, as some of them may be oversold. The bottom step of each class (NN. HH, VH, SZ) are usually oversold. Edited March 15, 2014 by jtl513

[doublebzz]

And not just for your cabin category. You would have to know the number of gty below you as well, as some of them may be oversold. The bottom step of each class (NN. HH, VH, SZ) are usually oversold.

 

Very true. One learns something new every day on these boards.

[readboat]

How do you check to see how many cabins are sold?

[doublebzz]

How do you check to see how many cabins are sold?

 

That is the question of the day. Absent any further insights, I would guess checking the price of the cruise as it approaches sailing date would be as good as any indicator of the load factor. If prices remain low, then probably there are available cabins with the converse also being true.

[innlady1]

We did a Westbound TA last fall on the NA and I heard there were somewhere between 1700 and 1800 passengers on board. I believe the capacity is around 2100. I've heard that usually the TA's do not sail full.

[serendipity1499]

How do you check to see how many cabins are sold?

You really can't see how many are sold.. Only thing to do is try to make fake bookings in different classes & see what cabins are avail for booking.. But that is time consuming..

 

When you check in you can ask if the ship is full..

[Crew News]

How do you check to see how many cabins are sold?

If you have a nice HAL PCC, he/she might be able to see the unsold stateroom inventory at least after the TA's return all of their not-sold cabins near the final payment due date. That will not be the number of passengers NOT on board but you could make a reasonable guess.

Edited March 16, 2014 by Crew News

[puppycanducruise]

We were on the Eurodam last spring on a cruise that wasn't full.

We did not notice any cutbacks.

But we did notice 2 things worth mentioning -

1, we got an upsell and an upgrade! (started with MM guarantee and ended up in a Neptune Suite)

2, some of the crew had their families aboard. There may have been even more smiles from the crew, I know one of the concierges was beaming (and her daughter was adorable).

[Hlitner]

A couple of years ago we did a 62 day Grand Med cruise on the Prinsendam where there were never more then 600 on our ship (the actual number varied between different segments). We actually think service improves when a ship is less then full, as the staff has to deal with fewer customers.

 

Hank

[smoothsailors]

Thanks, everyone! Glad to hear all the positive responses and looking forward to our sailing!:)

[doublebzz]

 

 

When you check in you can ask if the ship is full..

 

I think many folks want to get a handle on ship loading before sailing so they can make an informed decision on upgrades/upsells if they are offered.

[Randyk47]

We noticed that, just two weeks out, the TA portion of our Collector's Cruise still has quite a few unsold cabins, in all categories. While we will certainly enjoy less crowding on board, have any of you been on a long, undersold sailing? And did you notice any dimunition of service, activities, food quality, etc?

 

Just wondering as we've never been on a ship that wasn't at full capacity and weren't sure what to expect...does HAL scale back for a lower passenger count or do they try to ramp up revenue by increased on-board spend opportunities?:rolleyes:

 

Unlike a land-based hotel or restaurant where staff can be adjusted (i.e., sent home if not busy) cruise ships stay at a steady state staff wise from cruise to cruise. Other than repositioning cruises HAL, and most of the mass market lines, run the same basic itineraries over and over again. Some sailings sell better than others even on the same itinerary. Some itineraries don't work for whatever reason but even then lines will stick with the itinerary for the season and adjust accordingly after the season is over. Our only experience with a significantly less than full cruise was a couple of years ago and it was actually quite nice. Good service, good food, and much shorter lines. Worked for us. :)

[serendipity1499]

We were on the Eurodam last spring on a cruise that wasn't full.

We did not notice any cutbacks.

But we did notice 2 things worth mentioning -

1, we got an upsell and an upgrade! (started with MM guarantee and ended up in a Neptune Suite)

2, some of the crew had their families aboard. There may have been even more smiles from the crew, I know one of the concierges was beaming (and her daughter was adorable).

 

We've been on several not full cruises & never noticed a reduction in service..

 

On one of our cruises an Officer's two sisters sat with us ..He also joined us on several formal nights.. The ladies were delightful dinner companions & so was the Officer..

 

Betty