Free Gratuity 5 Day Sale

[canadianbear]

59 minutes ago, Woofbite said:

I found it this morning.  Offers say they apply to stateroom based on double occupancy.  Do they apply to a single? Seems they should so I'll call later to find out.

I am contemplating a cruise solo and when I asked yesterday was told gratuities included.  

[Alberta Quilter]

21 minutes ago, BaltimoreCruise said:

Alberta Quilter,

I am currently booked in a Spa OV on Deck 10.  I was looking forward to trying this cabin category (view perspective) and didn't want to give it up.  The big box TA said that I could upgrade my cabin category to the next level and get the promotion for $300 more.  I am not interested in an obstructed view balcony or paying $300 more.  Before our two trips on the Veendam in 2018 and 2019 we always sailed in a balcony cabin.  We liked the OV cabin (we had the same cabin each sailing) on the Veendam so we thought we would try an OV on a larger ship.  As I said earlier, I will be sure to look at the Black Friday sale this year. I hope your DS is successful with adding the promotion.

BC 

 

I just checked my TA website and see that the only OVs available for that one week sailing are on Deck 1.  So, while I think you were fed a line at first (that the promo was available only for non refundable fares), this one about the cabin category seems to be valid.  I don't blame you one bit for not wanting to change categories and pay $300 more.  Hopefully, the Black Friday/Cyber Sale will come through for you.  (It did for me last year!)

[WScruiser]

I called this morning, and our fares were reduced by $235 per person, with free gratuities.  We lost $300 in OBC, but we're still ahead $576.

[dchip]

We added the promo yesterday on a cruise we booked two weeks ago during the $25 deposit sale. We did have to increase our deposit to $1750 but it is fully refundable. Ours is a 43 day cruise. Free gratuities are a big bonus. All other Explore 4 perks stayed in place. Our fare didn't change either. 

 

Cheers, Denise 

Edited August 28, 2019 by dchip
Added content

[StartrainDD]

Our T/A successfully obtained the free gratuities for our Rotterdam cruise next April with no other changes to our booking.  That is a big deal on a 16 night trans-Atlantic and we are very happy with this one!  Friends are going on the same cruise with the Explore 4 and they also had the free gratuities added with no other changes.  We both just booked last week.

[Woofbite]

My big box TA checked three promotions and all were higher in price than value of extras but he called

HAL to double check and came back with free gratuities for a single balcony VE 22 days in December 2020.

All other OBCs and fare remain unchanged.

[grest]

44 minutes ago, Woofbite said:

My big box TA checked three promotions and all were higher in price than value of extras but he called

HAL to double check and came back with free gratuities for a single balcony VE 22 days in December 2020.

All other OBCs and fare remain unchanged.

Well, I am giving it a shot....have called and have sent an email to my TA...we'll see what happens!

[cowmilker]

19 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

Oh and for what it’s worth, it’s $82 a day once you add taxes and port charges!

 

LOL Of course, but we don't mention that.  It sounds better without it.  

[grest]

Oh my gosh, HAL gave it to us!!!!   Woohoo!

[CruisinNana]

Unfortunately, we were past the final payment due date so no paid gratuities.  I am happy for all of you who got it.  It was a nice chunk of change!  Safe voyages.....

[kazu]

Well, I had no luck on booked cruise as the price had gone up, but I scored on a new one with the no price increase 😄

 

Very happy with that as SBP doesn’t work totally for us.  We’ll still bring wine and pay corkage and do wine packages at dinner. Happy hour, here we come 😉 

Now, to hope that the Pan Pacific has a deal next year before we head to Japan.

 

edited to say - I detest auto correct.

[VermeulT]

I went ahead and booked Alaska for next year.  14 day Maasdam.  Outside cabin.  $675 in OBC plus pinnacle, plus beverage card, plus free gratuities... and apparently both my sister and I had a FCD left so deposit is paid for and add another $100 in OBC...

When I add my stockholder credit - I'll have over $1000 in OBC plus free gratuities!!!  And the rate is decent enough so I wouldn't expect much of a price drop unless I could keep all the promotions.

 

I LOVE THIS SALE!!

[Loreto]

I called my big box TA to see about upcoming cruises and the possibility of free gratuities.  Since I already made my final payment on my 30 night November  Amazon cruise, a HAL pricing specialist took a look at what we paid, got back to TA who called me and gave us a huge amount of future cruise credit.  We get to keep all the other perks and are thrilled with the FCC and will definitely use it.  Just an example of what calling can get!  It never hurts to just ask.

Karen

[fatcat04]

Woo hoo! TA got back to us. No price change (and our Save on Sunshine fare was great), we keep all our obc, and now gratuities on top. Our fcd became non-refundable but final payment is a month out so I'll take this and be happy!! 🥂

[grest]

On the other hand, I called my TA at a different agency regarding our November Nieuw Amsterdam cruise, which we got at an incredible price, a non refundable fare.  It was a no go...

[Lido deck main]

 

16 hours ago, grest said:

On the other hand, I called my TA at a different agency regarding our November Nieuw Amsterdam cruise, which we got at an incredible price, a non refundable fare.  It was a no go...

Hi GREST, It’s weird I just made a new courtesy hold booking yesterday directly with HAL, for the free gratuities,  quote is $6,500 and deposit $1,500 fully refundable until Jan. 2020.  So I decided to call big box ( if I could get same deal, just book with them, wouldn’t have to fill out the form) quote for same room was $100 higher and deposit of $750.00 was non refundable.  I ask big box isn’t there a $1,500.00 refundable deposit and was advised no.  Maybe call HAL directly to see if they have a quote for you on the cruise you want with a refundable deposit.

[grest]

19 minutes ago, Lido deck main said:

 

Hi GREST, It’s weird I just made a new courtesy hold booking yesterday directly with HAL, for the free gratuities,  quote is $6,500 and deposit $1,500 fully refundable until Jan. 2020.  So I decided to call big box ( if I could get same deal, just book with them, wouldn’t have to fill out the form) quote for same room was $100 higher and deposit of $750.00 was non refundable.  I ask big box isn’t there a $1,500.00 refundable deposit and was advised no.  Maybe call HAL directly to see if they have a quote for you on the cruise you want with a refundable deposit.

We always need to stay vigilant!   I am happy that we got free grats for our 16 day transatlantic, never expected it as we got a great price, nonrefundable, but HAL said yes.  Then no to the one week Caribbean that was rock bottom nonrefundable, but we paid so little that I'm ok with that.

[DaveOKC]

Checked my Dec cruise and  even though prices dropped and I got free grats I would lose enough OBC that it was a "wash".  Oh well, you win some.....

 

 

[lindaler]

I had checked with my PCC on Monday and he said I would have to pay so much more that it would not be worth rebooking. However, I am a pest and called today since it's ending in a few hours and he just called back to say, he had good news and bad. The bad was I would pay $12 more for all of us but the good news was that I got the hotel prepaid svc charge promo which will save me over a thousand. I am so happy I am doing a happy dance. 

 

My advise is to double check before 5 tonight to see if you might get it. It doesn't hurt to ask. 

[FlorenceItaly]

Just now, lindaler said:

I had checked with my PCC on Monday and he said I would have to pay so much more that it would not be worth rebooking. However, I am a pest and called today since it's ending in a few hours and he just called back to say, he had good news and bad. The bad was I would pay $12 more for all of us but the good news was that I got the hotel prepaid svc charge promo which will save me over a thousand. I am so happy I am doing a happy dance. 

 

My advise is to double check before 5 tonight to see if you might get it. It doesn't hurt to ask. 

Great news.  I am curious how your PCC explained that he said was not able to on the first call, but, can now?  I am not being snarky as I also use a PCC and he was able to accomplish it for me upon first contact.  However, if I would have called the first time and told no, and then called again and he said yes, it may cause me to not have much confidence in him in the future.  What if you had not called back????

[Caymus88]

20 hours ago, grest said:

On the other hand, I called my TA at a different agency regarding our November Nieuw Amsterdam cruise, which we got at an incredible price, a non refundable fare.  It was a no go...

We are a group of 4 couples on this cruise. No go for us, too.

wish I had known about I shouldn’t book with non refundable dep

[canadarocks]

Check and re-check daily everyone! On Tuesday I got an email from HAL offering the free gratuities. My T.A. got them on Wednesday and managed to keep my original private fare booking (so still refundable). Checked yesterday and for the exact same category of cabin the private sale rate was MUCH cheaper than it was originally. My T.A. called and got the new discounted price and managed to keep our original cabin.

 

On Wednesday I saved almost $500. Today I saved an additional $900+.

And this is on a cruise I had already booked!! 🤸‍♀️🎉

[DaveOKC]

I noticed a fare drop as well mid-week, after the 5 day promotion was already in effect, so perhaps that is why the various results reported here.  In my case, on Tues it was a "no go" but on Thurs it was a "wash" due to the fare drop.

 

[lindaler]

Just checked the price on the cabin next door and it is still the same price, due to private fares, he wasn't able to do it at the first of the week but the discount allowed it today. I am not looking a gift horse in the mouth and as long as it works, I am just glad that I checked again. 

[GeezerCouple]

Very glad I just read this here.

 

We are probably  going to book our first HAL cruise, and we may have waited a couple of days!
Our TA was indeed able to got the free gratuities!  Nice, for 14 nights in a Neptune suite.

(What are the regular pries for gratuities for suites on HAL?  I'm just getting started absorbing the website!)

 

Many thanks!

 

CC is just wonderful!

 

GC