price adjustments

[Martezz]

Does it make a difference on who you book your cruise with to get a price adjustment? In addition, are all price adjustments equal depending on who you book with? I made my original booking on board ship and then turned over the booking to my regular on line TA. On my upcoming 83 day cruise round Africa, several people are posting their discounts. MY TA only got a very minimal adjustment from HAL for us. Is this typical? Should I book my next cruise thru a different travel agentry? Do you think Hal deals differently with different Travel agencies?

[sherilyn70]

Are they reporting lower rates than what is posted on HALs website? Are you paying the current rate as listed there as well? If you're paying the posted rate then your TA isn't cheating you on anything but a larger one may give out more incentives.

 

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Edited May 21, 2014 by sherilyn70

[Krazy Kruizers]

Do you know the original prices that they booked? What cabin categories did they book? Guarantees?

[eandj]

Using the same TA (loyalty) or booking on a large internet based TA should get you better TA obc's, prices, discounts etc.

Smaller agencies that sell don't sell in volume often will/can not give up any of their commisions.

That being said, if HAL itself is offering room discounts, before you envy others, you need to find out if all categories are being dropped. SOmetimes only certain levels are cut. Or the people with top categories will get much bigger cuts than those with an ocean view or inside. A suite could be cut $600 but an inside or ocean view only $50.

We switched TA's a couple times before finding two that we have been loyal to for over 10 years. Because of that we sometimes get group rates, always a nicer base price and more obc's than the cruiseline is offering. If you feel you aren't getting what you want, then yes of course you are free to change agencies.

Edited May 21, 2014 by eandj

[oaktreerb]

Does it make a difference on who you book your cruise with to get a price adjustment? In addition, are all price adjustments equal depending on who you book with? I made my original booking on board ship and then turned over the booking to my regular on line TA. On my upcoming 83 day cruise round Africa, several people are posting their discounts. MY TA only got a very minimal adjustment from HAL for us. Is this typical? Should I book my next cruise thru a different travel agentry? Do you think Hal deals differently with different Travel agencies?

 

Are you past final payment?

 

What is the HAL published price of your stateroom category on the date you are sailing?

 

If the price is currently lower and you are not past final payment you can call your TA and have the price adjusted to the published price. If you are past final payment and the price is lower for your stateroom you can ask for onboard credit or ask to be upgraded to a higher category if the price has gone down that much.

 

You always have to do your homework. If you have seen better offers and you are before final payment you can call your TA and see what they can do. If it is after final payment you cannot get a price adjustment but may be able to negotiate something else.

 

When onboard you are better off to just get the future cruise credit and then book your cruise when the cruise line or TA has a special offer going. As far as I know the TA's sell at HAL prices but they may then offer special incentives to get the booking.

[Martezz]

Thanks for all the responses. We were not past final payment, but had paid for the cruise. I think our category C is pretty much sold out, so HAL is not discounting it as much as other categories.

[eandj]

Thanks for all the responses. We were not past final payment, but had paid for the cruise. I think our category C is pretty much sold out, so HAL is not discounting it as much as other categories.

 

 

Early paying for a cruise does make getting drops a little more tricky. But you may be offered a "sale" higher category if available and close to cost of your original booking.

Edited May 22, 2014 by eandj

[CaveDiving]

I have been in the situation where Cruise Critic people were posting that there were significant recent discounts for a future cruise on which we were booked.

 

When I contacted our TA, he could show me that the price we had originally booked was as low as the “reduced” prices now being offered.

 

Be careful to check the actual price being paid verses the reduced price being advertised presently. Apples to apples, you know.

 

Scott & Karen

[eandj]

When I contacted our TA, he could show me that the price we had originally booked was as low as the “reduced” prices now being offered.

Be careful to check the actual price being paid verses the reduced price being advertised presently. Apples to apples, you know.

 

Scott & Karen

 

 

Good point. If your TA can book a group rate or some other liquidator price early on, even with later cruiseline sales, you might still be ahead. This is where we are right no on our August cruise. A couple drops still haven't matched, let alone saved on our original booking. And remember to make sure amounts being compared include all fees and taxes.

Another thought, if you book with an agency that charges change fees, you need to work that into any obc's or drops that you think you are entitled to.