Koningsdam 2/5/17 is an RSVP cruise

[sugcarol]

Booked with online agency and they are going to penalize me 100.00 if I cancel. We have no desire to go on a GAY/lesbian cruise, how can they charge a penalty? Anyone have a similar experience? That cruise is no longer bookable even on HAL's site.

Edited October 6, 2015 by sugcarol

[Fouremco]

If the TA is unable to provide what you contracted for, it shouldn't be penalizing you, but getting the money back may be a challenge. Did HAL cancel the reservation or did you?

[RocketMan275]

Don't do anything. Your cruise isn't for almost two years. If this is a full charter and I suspect it is, you'll be contacted and offered a 'move over' to another cruise.

[3rdGenCunarder]

I agree with RocketMan275. You don't have to fix this immediately. If it has disappeared from the website, HAL may be anticipating a full charter.

 

Try calling reservations and asking about it. Play dumb--say you'd seen this cruise on the website and now it was gone and you wanted to know if it's possible to make a booking. You don't have to give your name or reservation number just to ask that.

[sugcarol]

I rec'd an email from agency and they sent me a cancellation form and a note which says if this is a chartered cruise, there is no penalty. I'm concerned with the word IF. If I fill out the form before agency has confirmed then I think they could penalize me. There are no other dates that will work for us and we only want Koningsdam.

[sail7seas]

RSVP cruises are always charters.

 

If RSVP is sailing that ship, that week, it is a charter cruise.

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

Just sit tight.

Eventually HAL will contact your TA and HAL will offer several other choices for cruises during that time slot -- and with shipboard credit.

Your TA can not charge a fee for cancelling your cruise when it is actually HAL doing the cancelling.

[blizzardboy]

Booked with online agency and they are going to penalize me 100.00 if I cancel. We have no desire to go on a GAY/lesbian cruise, how can they charge a penalty? Anyone have a similar experience? That cruise is no longer bookable even on HAL's site.

 

Did you ask them to cancel or did you ask them to transfer to another cruise? I agree with Rocketman's suggestion, but I'd first ask your TA to transfer your booking at no penalty. If denied, ask nicely to speak with a supervisor and explain that you are uncomfortable with being on board with this charter, and you expect it to sell out resulting in your being moved to another cruise anyway so you'd like to do it now to get better cabin selection. Be careful about making derogatory remarks about the type of charter as you don't know the orientation of the person with which you're speaking.

[cruz chic]

Did you ask them to cancel or did you ask them to transfer to another cruise? I agree with Rocketman's suggestion, but I'd first ask your TA to transfer your booking at no penalty. If denied, ask nicely to speak with a supervisor and explain that you are uncomfortable with being on board with this charter, and you expect it to sell out resulting in your being moved to another cruise anyway so you'd like to do it now to get better cabin selection. Be careful about making derogatory remarks about the type of charter as you don't know the orientation of the person with which you're speaking.

 

The problem is the op said no other dates work for them. That's one of the problems with using a ta. It's a great idea to find out what the fees are up front. I hope the op has a satisfactory outcome.

[Boytjie]

Did the online TA tell you it is an RSVP charter or how did you find out about this?

 

A charter can only be booked through the charter company and not through the cruise line so the TA would to have take some action to switch your booking from HAL to RSVP. I doubt they would (or could) do it without your consent. An RSVP charter is always more expensive than a regular cruise.

[sugcarol]

I am also a travel agent but I could not get as big a discount on the cruise even factoring in the commission as the online agency. I called travel agent line at HAL and it happened to be that the person I was talking to was in the next cubicle of the person who handles the charters. She talked to them and came back on the line to tell me that indeed it is an RSVP charter but not posted yet., however the sailing has disappeared from all websites including the online agency that I booked with. I did . post a question on the online agency's Facebook page and they answered immediately about my concern. Facebook is a great place to get info pronto because they don't want bad press to be seen by thousands. I was polite.

[SeaBands]

RSVP cruises always have named entertainment and the passengers are usually more attractive than the usual HAL guests.If they switch you, ask for a free upgrade.

[Fouremco]

RSVP cruises always have named entertainment and the passengers are usually more attractive than the usual HAL guests.If they switch you, ask for a free upgrade.

Huh? :confused:

[rafinmd]

Did the online TA tell you it is an RSVP charter or how did you find out about this?

 

A charter can only be booked through the charter company and not through the cruise line so the TA would to have take some action to switch your booking from HAL to RSVP. I doubt they would (or could) do it without your consent. An RSVP charter is always more expensive than a regular cruise.

Peter

 

I am also a travel agent but I could not get as big a discount on the cruise even factoring in the commission as the online agency. I called travel agent line at HAL and it happened to be that the person I was talking to was in the next cubicle of the person who handles the charters. She talked to them and came back on the line to tell me that indeed it is an RSVP charter but not posted yet., however the sailing has disappeared from all websites including the online agency that I booked with. I did . post a question on the online agency's Facebook page and they answered immediately about my concern. Facebook is a great place to get info pronto because they don't want bad press to be seen by thousands. I was polite.

 

My sense was that the agent who told you this was out of bounds. I think Peter has said on other threads that RSVP makes a big event of announcing the next year's cruise during the current cruise. I think taking that element of drama out of the 2016 RSVP cruise is doing a big dis-service to a valued and loyal HAL customer.

 

They could have announced that the cruise was not for sale or even that the ship was chartered but naming the client before the client has had a chance to announce to their members was wrong.

 

Roy

[OVgirl]

My sense was that the agent who told you this was out of bounds. I think Peter has said on other threads that RSVP makes a big event of announcing the next year's cruise during the current cruise. I think taking that element of drama out of the 2016 RSVP cruise is doing a big dis-service to a valued and loyal HAL customer.

 

They could have announced that the cruise was not for sale or even that the ship was chartered but naming the client before the client has had a chance to announce to their members was wrong.

 

Roy

 

Seems that with the popularity of the different itineraries on the new Koningsdam, RSVP might have been forced to sign off on a charter earlier than usual. And there might not be any 'do not tell' clause in the contract.

 

And then of course, those of us who read the posts here already know that it was going to be a RSVP charter.

 

I was just hoping it would be later in February. Guess we just have to wait until HAL sends us a notice.

Edited October 7, 2015 by OVgirl

[sugcarol]

Holland America through online agency made us an attractive offer to sail on 1/15/2017 with a nice OBC to boot as an apology. I know I'm not supposed to mention pricing on this board, but I'm sure everyone who is booked on the 2/5/17 cruise will get the same treatment from HAL when they choose another sailing.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Holland America through online agency made us an attractive offer to sail on 1/15/2017 with a nice OBC to boot as an apology. I know I'm not supposed to mention pricing on this board, but I'm sure everyone who is booked on the 2/5/17 cruise will get the same treatment from HAL when they choose another sailing.

 

I hope you can make these dates work for you. Good for HAL for stepping up and being generous for your inconvenience.

[sail7seas]

Holland America through online agency made us an attractive offer to sail on 1/15/2017 with a nice OBC to boot as an apology. I know I'm not supposed to mention pricing on this board, but I'm sure everyone who is booked on the 2/5/17 cruise will get the same treatment from HAL when they choose another sailing.

 

Happy it worked out well for you.

 

Why are you not supposed to mention pricing here on this board? I never heard a rule like that. You cannot mention a TA or booking agency but can say $$ amounts.

 

[sugcarol]

I didn't realize that I could state that. Got AS Suite for 1199.00 PP and 200.00 OBC. We did accept the offer so we will be on Koningsdam afterall

Edited October 8, 2015 by sugcarol

[Boytjie]

Seems that with the popularity of the different itineraries on the new Koningsdam, RSVP might have been forced to sign off on a charter earlier than usual. And there might not be any 'do not tell' clause in the contract.

 

And then of course, those of us who read the posts here already know that it was going to be a RSVP charter.

 

I was just hoping it would be later in February. Guess we just have to wait until HAL sends us a notice.

 

I have not read much here that talked about it being a RSVP charter (until this thread).

Edited October 8, 2015 by Boytjie

[OVgirl]

I have not read much here that talked about it being a RSVP charter (until this thread).

 

I was under the impression that at some point RSVP would have a February 2017 charter on Koningsdam. It was just a question of which week they would choose.

 

Of course, I might have just misread posts from previous threads.

Edited October 8, 2015 by OVgirl

[sugcarol]

Boytjie, I see you are doing an RSVP February 2016. On that cruise will they announce the 2017 RSVP on Koningsdam or do they usually announce the next one earlier than that? If so, maybe that is why there is so little info about this yet.

[Boytjie]

Boytjie, I see you are doing an RSVP February 2016. On that cruise will they announce the 2017 RSVP on Koningsdam or do they usually announce the next one earlier than that? If so, maybe that is why there is so little info about this yet.

 

 

RSVP usually announces the next year's February Caribbean cruise on the current cruise: this February on the Regal Princess they announced - and started selling - the 2016 cruise on the Nieuw Amsterdam. Those on the cruise get first dibs at selecting cabins and there are some discounts usually involved.

[sugcarol]

OK that makes sense. It might even be a couple of months before they inform the majority of people on the 2/5/17 that it has been chartered. I just started to put 2 and 2 together when the sailing fell off the radar and when I called HAL it was confirmed.