weeeeeeeeee I'm booked!

[VermeulT]

I got in-touch with my TA about my cancelled August Alaska cruise.  And am very excited to have booked a Holiday cruise for this year and rebooked Alaska for next summer.

The deals right now made it worth putting down a deposit on both.

 

For the Holiday cruise - I could have the Have It All promotion with free gratuities, free internet and free drink package... but it's about $250 more pp than without the promotion.  Gratuities being about $100, internet would be a nice but won't be missed, the drink package would be nice for me - but my sister doesn't really drink - so I'd need a $300 bar bill for this promotion to be worth it.  The price is right, especially given it's New Year's.

 

For Alaska next year - I have the same cabin for the same 14 day voyage.  It'll cost $100pp.  Both times, it included free gratuities.  Internet - again, eh - especially since we can use our phones in most ports.  This year I had lots of OBC included - next year it'll be the drink package... even with us not drinking much more than a glass of wine a night - the promotion is worth it.  Since the demand for Alaska should be higher next year, with so many people having missed out on this summer, I'm not sure if we'll go in 2021 or maybe wait until 2022... but at least I have the promo locked in and can decide later.

 

I'm just so excited to have cruises to look forward to!  The last few months have been so gloomy.

 

 

[RuthC]

Your joy is virtually leaping out of my laptop! Happy that you have these cruises to look forward to. 

[HaveWeMetYet]

I would not put any money toward a cruise on HAL or actually any other line. There is no way all these cruise lines are going to survive an extended shut down and HAL is on my short list of who goes under first.

[SteelMagnolia9]

2 hours ago, HaveWeMetYet said:

I would not put any money toward a cruise on HAL or actually any other line. There is no way all these cruise lines are going to survive an extended shut down and HAL is on my short list of who goes under first.

I agree. I would not put any more money down toward a cruise right now. Too uncertain and refunds are being slow walked. And who knows what cruising will look like going forward?  I currently am waiting on a refund for a May cruise. Declined FCC. 

[luvteaching]

I'm with you OP! We had two cruises canceled - Eurodam to Hawaii (April 15) and Oosterdam to Alaska (August and they aren't bringing the ship to Seattle). I immediately had our TA move us over to the Eurodam Sept. 5th and we are preceding it with the Ruby Princess Aug. 29th. Now we keep fingers and toes crossed we get to go. Just having them to look forward to is worth so much. DH has health issues but everything is totally under control and cruising should be fine. His doctor and I talked before booking and we'll keep chatting. Be excited - I am - and it beats what we have now! In Washington our state parks are reopening next week - it's a start!

 

Karen

[Roger88]

Love reading posts like this. I just woke and your post made me happy 🙂 Holiday cruise sounds very exciting and I am sure by the end of the year you will be able to cruise. If I were you I wouldnt miss the bar package. I wouldnt save on that. I think its like one of the most requested gratitudes 

[Krazy Kruizers]

Good for you.

 

Hope all goes well with your cruises.

[wesport]

Thanks for the post. Its great to have something to look forward to. 

[puppycanducruise]

Good for you.

It's great to have something to look forward to.

[DFD1]

Good Luck !

[crusinbanjo]

9 hours ago, RuthC said:

Your joy is virtually leaping out of my laptop! Happy that you have these cruises to look forward to. 

 

I agree with you Ruth.  And also, I am not worried about booking a cruise for next year, the deposit is low, so the risk is low even if HAL were to go under, (which I don't believe will happen), CCL will step up and replace them with something comparable.  

The thing I worry about is that the older S class ships will be retired.  These are the ships that Mrs Banjo and I love to sail on.  If they go, sadly we will need to find alternatives.

[mysticsailor]

4 hours ago, crusinbanjo said:

 

I agree with you Ruth.  And also, I am not worried about booking a cruise for next year, the deposit is low, so the risk is low even if HAL were to go under, (which I don't believe will happen), CCL will step up and replace them with something comparable.  

The thing I worry about is that the older S class ships will be retired.  These are the ships that Mrs Banjo and I love to sail on.  If they go, sadly we will need to find alternatives.

 

I agreed with you re the S Class being my favorite, until I sailed my first R Class ship, the Volendam, two years ago.   Unfortunately sailing on the Veendam, S Class, Atlantic Adventurer* 2 years ago it seemed the public spaces were more crowded due to the additional staterooms added a few years back.

 

Additionally, with the R Class ships having the extra elevator midship sure is a convenience and in my opinion more than makes up for any increased walking in ship size. All in all, even the largest HAL ships are almost starting to sound perfectly acceptable if/when cruising becomes safe again health wise.

 

Our next cruise this October/November (becoming doubtful) was specifically chosen to ‘get out of Dodge’ while the political morass was climaxing leading up to the election. Now what shall I do to escape for those 6 weeks and a bit of peace during that social lapse of civility?

 

* Atlantic Adventurer--- I so miss those Ft Lauderdale double T/A with no overseas flights!  Time for another letter to corporate requesting a return of this very popular cruise! Care to join in?

Edited April 28, 2020 by mysticsailor
left out a sentence, spelling

[RuthC]

2 hours ago, crusinbanjo said:

The thing I worry about is that the older S class ships will be retired.  These are the ships that Mrs Banjo and I love to sail on.  If they go, sadly we will need to find alternatives.

Oh, how I understand that sentiment! And agree completely. I feel fortunate that I was able to cruise so much when ships were smaller than what is coming out of shipyards now. I started on ships in the 20,000-25,000 ton range! and loved every cruise on them. 

[VermeulT]

I love the smaller ships also.  The holidays will be my first trip on the Rotterdam so that adds another Dam ship to my list (soon to be 7). 

Thanks for sharing in my excitement (most of you anyway).

 

[summer slope]

Don't forget the drink package includes coffees, water, and sodas.

[VermeulT]

13 minutes ago, summer slope said:

Don't forget the drink package includes coffees, water, and sodas.

yes but I can't fathom $300 worth of coffees, water & soda by 2 people in a week.

[ger_77]

Glad you were able to rebook - it's always nice having one to look forward to!

 

Smooth Sailing!  🙂🙂🙂

[Stateroom_Sailor]

I'm happy to see that our Fall 2021 Rotterdam cruise got upgraded to go around Newfoundland, and would cost $1,300 extra pp if I were rebooking today.  I could also look at it as if I got a Signature Suite for the price of an OV. 

 

 We used our Westerdam FCC towards a 17 nigh Panamal Canal in 2022, with all the perks except internet.  We got an extended veranda next to the lifeboats, on the hump, for a wider view.  Things might be gloomy now, but plenty to look forward to ahead of us.

[gailellen12]

I would love to rebook my Med. cruise now for next April but am waiting for clarification from HAL regarding their over 70 policy.  I am 72 and a very well controlled diabetic - Upon my most recent physical my MD said I could easily live another 20 years!  Will wait a bit for this policy to be ironed out.  I would be traveling solo. 

[Sharon in AZ]

16 hours ago, VermeulT said:

I got in-touch with my TA about my cancelled August Alaska cruise.  And am very excited to have booked a Holiday cruise for this year and rebooked Alaska for next summer.

The deals right now made it worth putting down a deposit on both.

Congrats on your booked cruises!  Your excitement is wonderful.  I was looking at those holiday cruises myself and the Have it all promo.  I'll have to look at them again.

[bouhunter]

13 hours ago, SteelMagnolia9 said:

I agree. I would not put any more money down toward a cruise right now. Too uncertain and refunds are being slow walked. And who knows what cruising will look like going forward?  I currently am waiting on a refund for a May cruise. Declined FCC. 

Agree - won't be sending a penny to any cruise line anytime soon.  Won't risk the money, and waiting to see what cruising will even be like.

 

OP - good luck hope your holiday cruise happens.  Hope you don't have to wear a mask all day if it does.

[MudderBear]

Am waiting for my paid in full Alaska 2020 cruise refund.  However, I did put a deposit down on Alaska for next year.  I'm taking the gamble with the deposit.  I'd rather lose the $600.00 then have everything be hunky dory next year but I am priced out of a cruise or there is no availability.  Alaska is Alaska.  Small window of time to cruise.  However, I also put a deposit down on a Princess Alaska cruise.  Right now that might be the better value........Time will tell..............

[Sue from Canada]

I broke down yesterday and booked a 17 day cruise out of Boston for August 2021 on the Rotterdam.  I feel so much better now that I have a cruise to look forward to - probably???  I only had to put $400 down.  Still waiting for refund from HAL for my cancelled cruise next month☹️  

[chisoxfan]

Certainly hope the OP enjoys a wonderful cruise and I understand their excitement.  It was painful to cancel our January HAL cruise (obviously still waiting for funds).

Optimism is great but I would also not lay down hard money on this 'bet'.

The cruise lines pretty much have full control of the situation after your final payment is made- they can change itinerary, change

embarkation and shipboard health restrictions, and cancel the cruise entirely. Future and likely delays in cruising start ups will only make the cruise lines' financial condition worse with the real onus of bankruptcy ahead.  I really don't want to include the

thought of whether or not my cruise payments will be lost as part of my vacation thoughts.

JMHO

 

[VermeulT]

39 minutes ago, chisoxfan said:

The cruise lines pretty much have full control of the situation after your final payment is made- they can change itinerary, change embarkation and shipboard health restrictions, and cancel the cruise entirely.

 

 

You know this has always been the case right?  WAY before Covid.