OBC now being offered on our booked cruise

[threeedogmedia]

We just received an email from HAL that shows an OBC of up to $400 on the 33 day cruise we're booked for later this year. When I look at the terms and conditions, it says for "new bookings only". Is there any way that we can get this same offer? Our booking had no credits of any kind. Final payment isn't due until mid summer. I'm not used to this kind of price change. We usually cruise Oceania or Regent and they offer the best prices for early booking. The prices have never come down that I can remember. OH, we already have our cabin assigned as we were not aware that there was a reduction if you let the cruise line select your room. I'm quite happy with the assignment we have but would sure like the OBC to spend on the ship.

 

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Karen

[slabeaume]

Before final payment is due (or paid), they usually will add the offers. If not, you can just cancel and rebook. But if the price is higher now, you'll be paying the higher price. If you have any special deals like Beverage package, you might loose that, too.

[threeedogmedia]

Thanks Sue. The web site and the special offer we received show the same price we paid before and we didn't have anything offered to us like OBC's or beverage packages at all. Nothing to loose except maybe the particular stateroom that we like. If you rebook, do they let you have the same stateroom?

[slabeaume]

Thanks Sue. The web site and the special offer we received show the same price we paid before and we didn't have anything offered to us like OBC's or beverage packages at all. Nothing to loose except maybe the particular stateroom that we like. If you rebook, do they let you have the same stateroom?

 

I've added offers and gotten reductions before final payment and they never had to actually rebook the cruise. But if they did insist on rebooking it, I don't see why you couldn't choose that room again.

[RuthC]

Before you try to "rebook", have your TA ask that you be "re-fared"; there's a difference, with "re-fare" being the simpler process. It does not cancel your booking, so you keep the cabin, shore excursions, and other purchases you may have already.

[jeepster93]

Call HAL.

 

When I booked my cruise, I asked what happens if the published price drops.

The HAL rep said:

If the price drops before final payment, there will be no issue in getting the new price.

If the price drops AFTER final payment, call and ask for an OBC of the difference. You MUST call, HAL will not volunteer it.

They MAY or may not comply, but ask. She(hal) said they will most likely give the difference in obc).

[SilvertoGold]

Before you try to "rebook", have your TA ask that you be "re-fared"; there's a difference, with "re-fare" being the simpler process. It does not cancel your booking, so you keep the cabin, shore excursions, and other purchases you may have already.

 

YES!! Exactly right!

[mame42]

Usually my aggressive TA can get new offers added on to a previous booking, but this time it was no go. It may have something to do with the fact that I was able to take advantage of an unannounced "flash sale" over the holidays that reduced the price by $3200!

[threeedogmedia]

I'll talk to my TA this morning and see what we can figure out. I doubt that the cruise fare will go down as it's almost totally booked (the 33 days around Australia) but OBC's won't go to waste for sure. We don't drink but beverage packages would also be a plus for us since they cover most non-alcoholic beverages.

Thanks again to all of you.

Karen

[SFO Peter]

[endQUOTE=threeedogmedia;45237464]We just received an email from HAL that shows an OBC of up to $400 on the 33 day cruise we're booked for later this year. When I look at the terms and conditions, it says for "new bookings only". Is there any way that we can get this same offer? Our booking had no credits of any kind. Final payment isn't due until mid summer. I'm not used to this kind of price change. We usually cruise Oceania or Regent and they offer the best prices for early booking. The prices have never come down that I can remember. OH, we already have our cabin assigned as we were not aware that there was a reduction if you let the cruise line select your room. I'm quite happy with the assignment we have but would sure like the OBC to spend on the ship.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Karen[/endQUOTE]

====

 

Sounds like you need a good TA. This is SFO Peter here who is on your cruise. I got reduction and OBC on an existing booking (again on your cruise). Same assigned cabin. If you do cancel and rebook that is a "new booking" but be careful you don't lose your assigned cabin. You can also do a courtesy 24 hold HAL online booking without paying anything and point it out to your TA and see what happens. Then you could go either way...

Good luck.

 

Peter

[threeedogmedia]

Thanks Peter. I talked to my TA today and they were told by HAL that the price for my cruise actually went up by $300 and that the $400 OBC was for a category of room that we do not have. We're an AA and this offer was apparently for a BB. The email from HAL didn't specify what specific categories of Vista rooms were included so I'm going to go back and read it again to figure out what to do. Then I find out from my friend that they get a huge amount of miles by booking with a certain company and by using their branded card. All I get is my points per dollar spent and it's a darn platinum card to boot. I booked with friends who are TA's and in all honesty, they did get us a good price to start with so I should stop complaining and start getting excited about our incredible cruise...... it's just that it's so far off! I'll be posting some entries on your roll-call spreadsheet for those tours (ie GBR) that I think we want to join you on. The last time we were at the Great Barrier Reef, the weather was so stormy that snorkeling was almost impossible so our tour got cancelled. My husband was able to go diving so he was fine but I missed one thing from my "bucket list".

Karen