Compensation for price drop right after final payment?

[sail7seas]

If the price increased, as happened to us on a few cruises, would you be willing to pay more? Would you offer?

[sail7seas]

It all depends on how your particular cruise is selling. If you are past final payment date, and the ship is only 60-70% full, then the passenger has a lot of clout to get fare reductions and other perks. If the ship is almost full, you don't have much of a chance to get any concessions. The most important thing in marketing cruises is "heads in beds". As we all know, your cruise fare is only about 70% of the total cruise cost. Your onboard spending is critical for making a cruise financially a winner for the bean counters. That's why 3rd & 4th persons in a cabin sail so cheaply. They make up for the low fare by those person's onboard spending.

 

 

AND that is why solos traveling alone in a ca bin pay for two people.

[Megamixer]

Unless I'm searching wrong, it seems our upcoming Panama Canal cruise on the Nieuw Amsterdam has dropped by almost $1400 pp? I've never seen a drop like that. Between all the website issues this time around and having a wait list for BOTH dinner seatings, (how can that be?) this might be my last HAL cruise for a while.

[corkpopr]

:cool: So what if there is a price drop. You paid when you purchased it and that's it, HAL should not refund anything.

[mcrcruiser]

Regardless of cruise lines it has been our experiences that cruises that are in demand there are never price breaks .Then there are cruises that have weak bookings & those I wait for after final payments to book ,so that I am in control & not the cruise line :)

 

What every one must decide when booking any cruise is are they satisfied with what they paid ,at the time of booking :rolleyes:

[Zoyanatalya]

We just recently made our final payment on a HAL cruise.  Our signature suite price dropped by 750 pp.  We were still in the stage where we would only lose our deposit if cancelled.   I booked with a big box travel agency.  I told them to call HAL to see if we could cancel, and of course lose our deposit, and rebook for the lower fare.  We would still have saved 750.00 by doing this.   They gave us 2 options.  1.  To cancel and rebook as stated or 2.  Be upgraded to a Neptune Suite at no additional cost. We could not believe it.  We grabbed that in a flash, as the reduced price of the Neptune suite was still 1450pp more than what we paid for our cabin.  Very pleased with this.  We are very excited as we have never had a Neptune Suite before.  

[DaveOKC]

16 minutes ago, Zoyanatalya said:

We just recently made our final payment on a HAL cruise.  Our signature suite price dropped by 750 pp.  We were still in the stage where we would only lose our deposit if cancelled.   I booked with a big box travel agency.  I told them to call HAL to see if we could cancel, and of course lose our deposit, and rebook for the lower fare.  We would still have saved 750.00 by doing this.   They gave us 2 options.  1.  To cancel and rebook as stated or 2.  Be upgraded to a Neptune Suite at no additional cost. We could not believe it.  We grabbed that in a flash, as the reduced price of the Neptune suite was still 1450pp more than what we paid for our cabin.  Very pleased with this.  We are very excited as we have never had a Neptune Suite before.  

Nice deal, especially since you would have lost your deposit otherwise.  Another way to look at it - you basically paid $750 (for 2 I assume) to upsell yourself to a Neptune and you know you have it done instead of waiting on an upsell offer that may never come.   

 

Good job!  And nice of HAL to do this IMO.

[orientodyssey]

We booked the 11 Day HAL Panama Canal cruise almost a year in advance - as a family of 4, we want to travel with our children at the spring break.  We choose Neptune Suite for the space and perks, and at time of booking, only the most expensive SA are open for quad occupation.  About four months before departure, there are cheaper SB and SC opening for booking.  We inquired with our TA to switch, but was told on our offer the deposit was non refundable.  The price difference was not big enough to loose the deposit and rebook.  So we leave the booking as is.  After the final payment about 2 months before departure, SA started to show a big price drop.  The same SA category for quad occupancy is about $1000 cheaper, plus various of OBC offer, making the overall difference to be about $1400.  We talked to the TA again who agreed to ask his manager to talk to HAL.  Since it is an SA booking, upgrade is not a feasible option (it would be the Pinnacle Suite which were all sold out long ago).  Eventually HAL agree to offer $750 General OBC for the sailing.  We are happy with what we got........  But next time, probably will not consider booking so early.    Of course it depends on the destinations also......

[NSWP]

On Noordam 21 April, had two price drops before final payment, neither my agent nor HAL would honour it.  Their answer is 'What you paid is the final price.  I normally cruise Princess and they always re fare.

[Nang]

6 hours ago, NSWP said:

On Noordam 21 April, had two price drops before final payment, neither my agent nor HAL would honour it.  Their answer is 'What you paid is the final price.  I normally cruise Princess and they always re fare.

 

I have refared 4 or 5 times in the past 2-3 years and never had a request refused. Had you booked a non refundable fare? If so I understand, if not I find it very strange.

Edited March 13, 2019 by Nang

[RoyalVisit]

On 7/31/2018 at 10:07 PM, Cruisepucks said:

Greetings,

 

We had booked a cruise on board a HAL ship a few months ago and have just made final payment. The day after final payment, the price dropped by almost $400 per pax.

 

This hasn't happened to us on HAL for a while. In the past, (when priced dropped after final) we have been given OBC's, and more recently, a credit for a future cruise, but that was a couple years ago.

 

Can anyone tell us what the HAL current practice is for providing any compensation for price drops after final payment?

 

These drops really discourage folks from booking ahead and I'm sure the cruise line would rather keep people booking months ahead, but given the downturn in the cruise industry as recently reported, they should be doing something to take care of their returning passengers when the price drops after final.

 

Thanks for any recent information anyone can provide on HAL's current practices.

 

Cheers

 

Cruisepucks:cool:

 

We booked an Alaskan cruise for this coming May.  When we booked the deposit date was only a week earlier than the final payment date so we paid in full when we booked.  Within 10 days, the price drop significantly (around $180 pp) so I called HAL and our online travel agency and they upgraded us from a VE category guarantee to a confirmed V category stateroom.  They would not offer a refund as the final payment date had past.  I would have rather had an OBC but we're happy with the location of the confirmed cabin.

[MELso]

On 3/8/2019 at 4:13 AM, Zoyanatalya said:

We just recently made our final payment on a HAL cruise.  Our signature suite price dropped by 750 pp.  We were still in the stage where we would only lose our deposit if cancelled.   I booked with a big box travel agency.  I told them to call HAL to see if we could cancel, and of course lose our deposit, and rebook for the lower fare.  We would still have saved 750.00 by doing this.   They gave us 2 options.  1.  To cancel and rebook as stated or 2.  Be upgraded to a Neptune Suite at no additional cost. We could not believe it.  We grabbed that in a flash, as the reduced price of the Neptune suite was still 1450pp more than what we paid for our cabin.  Very pleased with this.  We are very excited as we have never had a Neptune Suite before.  

 

Just had a similar experience. I'm booked on a 10 night HAL cruise in early May and paid in full. At T-60, prices for non-refundable fares plunged by about 30%, so that Neptune suites cost about the same as what the Signature Suites were originally (I'd already got the first drop in prices before payment due date).

 

Wrote a polite letter to my TA that basically said 'I don't expect a refund but could you see whether HAL will give us an upgrade or some OBC'. HAL came back with a $A250 (~$US170) upsell offer from the SS Signature Suite to a SC Neptune Suite, so I grabbed that given that it comes with laundry (which is worth about $US90 on its own), more space (there are three of us travelling) and some other stuff.

 

A bargain given that SA suites are still another $2k (and the SC stateroom I booked is literally two doors down from SA), and we got to keep the $US250 in OBC we originally got...

[frankc98376]

This is the first time that fare has dropped significantly after final payment for us.  Dropped $1000 per person for a 7 night Alaska cruise in May in a NS just after final payment.

 

Normally wouldn't have even looked but friends were thinking about joining us and called to tell us.  Indeed stings a bit.

[RocketMan275]

On 3/12/2019 at 1:10 AM, orientodyssey said:

We booked the 11 Day HAL Panama Canal cruise almost a year in advance - as a family of 4, we want to travel with our children at the spring break.  We choose Neptune Suite for the space and perks, and at time of booking, only the most expensive SA are open for quad occupation.  About four months before departure, there are cheaper SB and SC opening for booking.  We inquired with our TA to switch, but was told on our offer the deposit was non refundable.  The price difference was not big enough to loose the deposit and rebook.  So we leave the booking as is.  After the final payment about 2 months before departure, SA started to show a big price drop.  The same SA category for quad occupancy is about $1000 cheaper, plus various of OBC offer, making the overall difference to be about $1400.  We talked to the TA again who agreed to ask his manager to talk to HAL.  Since it is an SA booking, upgrade is not a feasible option (it would be the Pinnacle Suite which were all sold out long ago).  Eventually HAL agree to offer $750 General OBC for the sailing.  We are happy with what we got........  But next time, probably will not consider booking so early.    Of course it depends on the destinations also......

Just don't book non-refundable cruises.  You can always change to a non-refundable later.

[Hawaiidan]

On 7/31/2018 at 6:30 PM, SilvertoGold said:

"HAL will do absolutely nothing for you" is the way a TA I know put it. She runs into this all the time now.

The wont do anything for you even if the price drops before final payment !      Every time the price goes down they make you cancel and re book....  Thats my  expereience.    Re pricing at 190 day out they still make you cancel and forfet your deposit...    Moral:   wait till the last few weeks.... to book.    Eariler booking will not be in your best interest.  Even My Travel Agent is frustrated at the new HAL ethic

[Hawaiidan]

On 3/12/2019 at 11:32 PM, NSWP said:

On Noordam 21 April, had two price drops before final payment, neither my agent nor HAL would honour it.  Their answer is 'What you paid is the final price.  I normally cruise Princess and they always re fare.

HAL  is fair.....to HAL..... that it amigo...  end of line

[Hawaiidan]

1 hour ago, RocketMan275 said:

Just don't book non-refundable cruises.  You can always change to a non-refundable later.

problem  for the most part  HAL dosent clearly tell you what is refundable or not !!!!!

[RocketMan275]

7 minutes ago, Hawaiidan said:

problem  for the most part  HAL dosent clearly tell you what is refundable or not !!!!!

When in doubt, ask.

[RocketMan275]

12 hours ago, Hawaiidan said:

The wont do anything for you even if the price drops before final payment !      Every time the price goes down they make you cancel and re book....  Thats my  expereience.    Re pricing at 190 day out they still make you cancel and forfet your deposit...    Moral:   wait till the last few weeks.... to book.    Eariler booking will not be in your best interest.  Even My Travel Agent is frustrated at the new HAL ethic

I've simply not experienced that.  I always book 12 or more months out.  I've always been able to get price drops.  Are you complaining about losing perks when you rebook?

12 hours ago, Hawaiidan said:

problem  for the most part  HAL dosent clearly tell you what is refundable or not !!!!!

It's been very clear what is refundable and what isn't.  

[DaveOKC]

14 hours ago, Hawaiidan said:

The wont do anything for you even if the price drops before final payment !      Every time the price goes down they make you cancel and re book....  Thats my  expereience.    Re pricing at 190 day out they still make you cancel and forfet your deposit...    Moral:   wait till the last few weeks.... to book.    Eariler booking will not be in your best interest.  Even My Travel Agent is frustrated at the new HAL ethic

Sounds like your TA is booking you with HAL's non-refundable fare.  While it is less expensive,  you cannot get  lower fare unless you are willing to lose the deposit.  IMO, pay a bit more and book with the "normal", fully refundable fare - this is expecially the case when you book 190 days or more out. 

[frankc98376]

We hadn't booked a non refundable fare.  The fare drop after final payment was one of the restricted fares that are non refundable unless CPP is purchased.  We purchase the Platinum CPP so would be covered in either event.

 

What HAL offered was poor enough to make us wonder if we really wanted to work to get to 5 star.  

Edited March 27, 2019 by frankc98376

[RocketMan275]

4 minutes ago, frankc98376 said:

We hadn't booked a non refundable fare.  The fare drop after final payment was one of the restricted fares that are non refundable unless CPP is purchased.

Could you rephrase that?  Sounds like a non refundable booking.

[frankc98376]

1 minute ago, RocketMan275 said:

Could you rephrase that?  Sounds like a non refundable booking.

Our original booking was a fully refundable fare.  The fare that came out just after final payment was $1000 less per person and was non refundable without CPP

[RocketMan275]

23 minutes ago, frankc98376 said:

Our original booking was a fully refundable fare.  The fare that came out just after final payment was $1000 less per person and was non refundable without CPP

Now I  understand what happened.  

[iancal]

Why only compensation for a price drop after final payment?  What about people who buy inside the final payment window and the price subsequently drops or they discover the price was lower two months go.  No different that someone who makes payment at final payment time in the knowledge that it is non refundable.

 

Is the suggestion that the cruise line should give everyone who asks either the lowest price right, upgrades or some other sort of  compensation  until sailing time no matter when they booked?

 

Does this sound like a reasonable business model?

Edited March 27, 2019 by iancal