Continued price drops after final payment date

[Champagne Cruiser]

All cruise lines drop prices after final payment. When they are not full. Cruising is a business and the bottom line is they have to show a profit. We usually book one cruise far in advance, and then try to take advantage of last minute bargains for other cruises, but since we have to fly vs drive to most ports it can be difficult to book reasonable last minute airfares. However, just recently we were able to upgrade to a better cabin for very little extra due to price drops, so I am a happy cruiser!

[Vineyard View]

Is it true that if you book with TA that when these price drops occur, only the TA can negotiate with HAL?

On the first price drop post payment, she was able to help out with a guarantee to confirmed cabin in higher category of that classification of cabins. It was a huge drop in price - now with this second drop in price post payment she felt that there was no more room.

If I were talking total drop of a few hundred I wouldn't bother - but the total drop since purchase for both of us amounts to 2/3 of the price paid per person - for a balcony. A lot of money left on the table.

Clearly there is a reason that I do not gamble - and first time with HAL has been quite a lesson.

[mllewis48]

Sorry if I understand you correctly "a few hundred " is worth it to us. And secondly if you work with a HAL PCC like we do and not a TA it is very easy to resolve issues and fares as we have for the past 28 years. We've done the TA route and find it much easier to work with our PCC.

 

 

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[Vineyard View]

I have yet to work with a PCC, but may need to next time.

That said I guess I will try myself tomorrow. Thanks all

[ICUQT]

I kinda took it that Rich books directly with HAL and when happy with the price he doesn't look again.

 

Your TA best monitor that price, it is their fiduciary responsibility to work for you. If they didn't, they'd not be worth their weight in dirty diapers.

 

As far as the OP, you can always ask to see what you can get. What's the worst that would happen... they'd say 'too bad'.

 

Derek

 

Understand what your saying Derek which leads me to a question. Assuming you book directly with HA, using their PCC, say a year out does HAL tell you if the price goes down during the year they will automatically apply it to your booking? Not trying to be funny here I have never used a PCC nor booked on my own with HA. I also agree with your second statement concerning the use of a TA. That is why I use one. I check out pricing online for a particular cruise and cabin then call my TA to book it. What I see online for pricing is what I am charged by the TA. If I use a HA PCC does she/he offer a discount price? What benefit does booking directly with HA offer. Again, not trying to be funny I have never done bookings directly with HAL.

 

bob

[cruz chic]

Understand what your saying Derek which leads me to a question. Assuming you book directly with HA, using their PCC, say a year out does HAL tell you if the price goes down during the year they will automatically apply it to your booking? Not trying to be funny here I have never used a PCC nor booked on my own with HA. I also agree with your second statement concerning the use of a TA. That is why I use one. I check out pricing online for a particular cruise and cabin then call my TA to book it. What I see online for pricing is what I am charged by the TA. If I use a HA PCC does she/he offer a discount price? What benefit does booking directly with HA offer. Again, not trying to be funny I have never done bookings directly with HAL.

 

bob

There may be some PCC's that apply discounts but I would say as a rule they do not. As far as I can tell my former TA never looked for lower prices, I had to tell her. I don't like to have to deal with a "middleman" so that's why I book direct. I do realize that you didn't ask me.

[summersigh]

Most the time the cruises we do, do not go down in price. I can count on one hand how many times that has happened. You should have your TA contact Hal and see if they might give you some OBC for those price drops. Doesn't hurt to try.

 

So true ... our category for the Nov partial transit has gone up (and stayed up) by $200 each and we got $100 OBC which is not being offered by the line now. We booked in the spring having watched the prices fluxuations the year before. We thought we were getting the lowest for the year on the verandah and it appears we did.

 

Can you tell traveling is our hobby? :D

[DaveOKC]

So true ... our category for the Nov partial transit has gone up (and stayed up) by $200 each and we got $100 OBC which is not being offered by the line now. We booked in the spring having watched the prices fluxuations the year before. We thought we were getting the lowest for the year on the verandah and it appears we did.

 

Can you tell traveling is our hobby? :D

 

Interesting... Our end of Oct partial transit went down after final payment plus I got more OBC. Luckily I cancelled just prior to final payment and then was able to rebook about 3 weeks later. Saved $400 per person plus $100 pp in more OBC.

 

DaveOKC

[RuthC]

- maybe the real lesson is to quit looking!

Good lesson to apply to any purchase.

 

I choose the cruise I want, with the itinerary, cabin, and price that is acceptable to me at the time. And then I go about the rest of my business of arranging flights, pre-cruise hotels, tours, etc. I am happy with my plans when I make them, and will not go around second-guessing myself.

 

Should I read about a lower price on CC, or should my TA find the price has dropped, of course I take it! :D I'm not stupid, nor am I fully responsible for meeting HAL's bottom line.

But I can't live my life revisiting every decision I make.

 

Take the advice that's been given to have your TA see what, if anything, can be done. Then remember you were happy with your plans, so go and enjoy the cruise.

[Vineyard View]

We will absolutely enjoy our cruise.....$2,800 drop though is rather shocking. As novice HAL (not overall) cruisers, we had no idea that the real value of the brand was so much lower...can't imagine anyone could feel okay about it - maybe we were just ignorant of how the game is played

Fool me once, shame on me I guess......

[Linda&Vern]

We will absolutely enjoy our cruise.....$2,800 drop though is rather shocking. As novice HAL (not overall) cruisers, we had no idea that the real value of the brand was so much lower...can't imagine anyone could feel okay about it - maybe we were just ignorant of how the game is played

Fool me once, shame on me I guess......

Just curious - is it the exact cabin category that has gone down $2,800 or just the "general" category? In other words, if you booked a D, is it the D's that went down so much or generally all outsides?

[BEAV]

The simple theory of supply and demand is why some sailings increase in price as time goes on, some remain the same, and some you notice have significant price drops. It's really nothing more than that -- no voodoo economics at play here!

 

If I'm at the supermarket and notice that ground round is 25% cheaper by the pound than it was two weeks ago when I bought some, there's nothing I can do about it.

 

If I pay $200 for a room at a Marriott, then get acquainted with the person in the room next door to me who paid $100 for the same type of room because Marriott chose to liquidate unsold inventory via Priceline, there's nothing I can do about it.

 

Yes, have your TA contact HAL and see if you can at least secure some OBC to soften the blow of the price reduction. If successful, you'll be way ahead of the people in the stateroom next door to you who don't think to monitor pricing after they've booked/paid.

[Vineyard View]

Same category - exactly the same.

 

I hear what you are saying - I completely understand supply & demand theory- i get it - i just never realized the fluctuation would be so huge. My bad, as the kids say. My ignorance with this cruise line.

 

Fool me once HAL....

 

I spoke my voice and now it is time to move on, just let it go, and have a great vacation.

[mllewis48]

Lessons learned, have a great cruise!

 

 

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[KAKcruiser]

Did you contact your travel agent yet? You definitely should at least try to get an upgrade or credit.

[ozcruizer]

For what it's worth, we had paid in full for our Mediterranean cruise earlier this year and then I found the price had dropped by a couple of hundred. At that point we had not been allocated a cabin (guarantee) although our guarantee was for a balcony on Deck 4 of the Noordam and it did not have a plexiglass balcony. Thinking we had nothing to lose, I rang the TA who in turn rang HA and the upshot of it was we got a much better cabin on Deck 6. Of course I don't know what category cabin we would have had if I had not rung the TA. However, my point is that you will never know if you don't give it a go.

 

Ozcruizer

[fuzzywuzzy]

For what it's worth, we had paid in full for our Mediterranean cruise earlier this year and then I found the price had dropped by a couple of hundred. At that point we had not been allocated a cabin (guarantee) although our guarantee was for a balcony on Deck 4 of the Noordam and it did not have a plexiglass balcony. Thinking we had nothing to lose, I rang the TA who in turn rang HA and the upshot of it was we got a much better cabin on Deck 6. Of course I don't know what category cabin we would have had if I had not rung the TA. However, my point is that you will never know if you don't give it a go.

 

Ozcruizer

 

 

Did you have to cancel the first and then rebook? :confused:

[serendipity1499]

Is it true that if you book with TA that when these price drops occur, only the TA can negotiate with HAL?

On the first price drop post payment, she was able to help out with a guarantee to confirmed cabin in higher category of that classification of cabins. It was a huge drop in price - now with this second drop in price post payment she felt that there was no more room.

If I were talking total drop of a few hundred I wouldn't bother - but the total drop since purchase for both of us amounts to 2/3 of the price paid per person - for a balcony. A lot of money left on the table.

Clearly there is a reason that I do not gamble - and first time with HAL has been quite a lesson.

 

We will absolutely enjoy our cruise.....$2,800 drop though is rather shocking. As novice HAL (not overall) cruisers, we had no idea that the real value of the brand was so much lower...can't imagine anyone could feel okay about it - maybe we were just ignorant of how the game is played

Fool me once, shame on me I guess......

 

HAL is not the only line to do this & is not trying to fool you..They want to sell their left over stock..That's what their shareholders want them to do..

 

Any good business person understands that if you have an abundance of stock which has not sold, you should put the left-over items on Sale..

 

Many people purchase new cars as soon as they come out in late summer & early fall.. Then when the year ends the following summer/early fall, the same exact car will go on sale, sometimes many thousands of dollars less.. That's what happened to my car only I bought it in late August last year., & saved almost $4,000... I know others who paid much more than I did, but I always try to wait for sales when buying something like that..

 

However, when I was much younger, one Christmas I was so enthralled with a new red Toyota Celica...I talked the dealer (a Friend of my Mom's) out of giving it to his daughter...But I paid him full price for that car!! Kept that car for years, & gave it to our Son but now I'm a lot smarter..Never Again will I pay full price for a car..

 

All consumer goods go on Sale.. If you can get an OBC or a better cabin, with your TA's help go for it, but if not please just enjoy your cruise..

[cruz chic]

HAL is not the only line to do this & is not trying to fool you..They want to sell their left over stock..That's what their shareholders want them to do..

 

Any good business person understands that if you have an abundance of stock which has not sold, you should put the left-over items on Sale..

 

Many people purchase new cars as soon as they come out in late summer & early fall.. Then when the year ends the following summer/early fall, the same exact car will go on sale, sometimes many thousands of dollars less.. That's what happened to my car only I bought it in late August last year., & saved almost $4,000... I know others who paid much more than I did, but I always try to wait for sales when buying something like that..

 

However, when I was much younger, one Christmas I was so enthralled with a new red Toyota Celica...I talked the dealer (a Friend of my Mom's) out of giving it to his daughter...But I paid him full price for that car!! Kept that car for years, & gave it to our Son but now I'm a lot smarter..Never Again will I pay full price for a car..

 

All consumer goods go on Sale.. If you can get an OBC or a better cabin, with your TA's help go for it, but if not please just enjoy your cruise..

 

I think most people are pretty aware of how supply and demand works. What my question is, is why does HAL have to come out of the gate with stupid high prices to just cut them a few months later? It's a pattern with them and if they don't stop people will just wait until after final if they can. I'm talking more bread and butter runs than exotic cruises. No one needs to explain how their particular cruise has gone up. That will happen too. Now HAL tries to get people to book early by offering the "free" explore 4. I can tell you, it's not free. HAL is making me run to Princess with these games.

[PathfinderEss]

I think most people are pretty aware of how supply and demand works. What my question is, is why does HAL have to come out of the gate with stupid high prices to just cut them a few months later? It's a pattern with them and if they don't stop people will just wait until after final if they can. I'm talking more bread and butter runs than exotic cruises. No one needs to explain how their particular cruise has gone up. That will happen too. Now HAL tries to get people to book early by offering the "free" explore 4. I can tell you, it's not free. HAL is making me run to Princess with these games.

 

You are absolutely correct it is not free. I noticed our Alaska cruise for 2015 has gone up any where between 1,000 to 2,000 dollars more from this year to next but they're offering the Explore 4 for next years Alaska cruises. Your paying for it one way or the other, don't kid yourselves.

 

We found that out when we booked in May this year without Explore 4 and it was a 1,000 dollar less then the cruises in June with the Explore 4 added on. There was only a weeks difference in dates but way higher priced.

[fuzzywuzzy]

 

You are absolutely correct it is not free. I noticed our Alaska cruise for 2015 has gone up any where between 1,000 to 2,000 dollars more from this year to next but they're offering the Explore 4 for next years Alaska cruises. Your paying for it one way or the other, don't kid yourselves.

 

We found that out when we booked in May this year without Explore 4 and it was a 1,000 dollar less then the cruises in June with the Explore 4 added on. There was only a weeks difference in dates but way higher priced.

 

Absolutely. They are getting their money one way or another. I got this straight from the horse's mouth.

[floridababa]

We loved HAL until last Christmas on the Noordam. Our balcony cabin had a lifeboat in front of us.If we looked out we had to be standing to see the water. We spoke to customer service and the main person was as nasty as can be. We then wiended up with the hotel big shot and he was even worse. I felt likewe were treated lie criminals. Sorry but I have been on 45cruises and never had we been treated as poorly. Not an apology, not a comp for specialty restaurant just told that is not an obstruction. Most cruse lines are very exact when thereis any typeof ostruction even when it is minor. HAL does not.

We will not cruise with them again- We don't need to be tr eated so poorly.

Shame on them!

[RuthC]

We loved HAL until last Christmas on the Noordam. Our balcony cabin had a lifeboat in front of us.

A balcony cabin with a lifeboat in front of it? Please, do tell---what ship and cabin was that? I have never heard of such a thing on any HAL ship.

 

I know the deckplans fairly well, and realize there are balcony cabins with lifeboats below the balcony level. But in front of the balcony???

[fuzzywuzzy]

We loved HAL until last Christmas on the Noordam. Our balcony cabin had a lifeboat in front of us.If we looked out we had to be standing to see the water. We spoke to customer service and the main person was as nasty as can be. We then wiended up with the hotel big shot and he was even worse. I felt likewe were treated lie criminals. Sorry but I have been on 45cruises and never had we been treated as poorly. Not an apology, not a comp for specialty restaurant just told that is not an obstruction. Most cruse lines are very exact when thereis any typeof ostruction even when it is minor. HAL does not.

We will not cruise with them again- We don't need to be tr eated so poorly.

Shame on them!

 

"Balcony cabin" with lifeboat in front? That seems impossible unless you had an outside cabin. Those are advertised as "obstructed". Maybe you were upgraded from an inside to an obstructed outside.

[missmom2cruise]

Is that ever true. The flight for economy for my November cruise was stupid expensive. For about $400 I booked business class. I could have found something a bit cheaper but I refuse to fly on United.

 

Now this is a soulmate! I'd pay that much not to fly United as well:D Good job! In fact I think I almost did for my upcoming cruise:eek: