HAL giving travel agents a 2% kicker

[KirkNC]

If your agent calls, here is why,
 

https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/23285-holland-america-offers-bonus-commission-to-agents.html
 

 

[iancal]

The competition will do doubt follow!

[VMax1700]

They would want to do something 'cos the HAL website is not working for me in either chrome or firefox!

[Crazy For Cats]

18 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

They would want to do something 'cos the HAL website is not working for me in either chrome or firefox!

Trying to search for a cruise seems to be out of the question today.  Made me look for another cancellation notice.

[drsel]

If your agent calls, here is why,
 
https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/23285-holland-america-offers-bonus-commission-to-agents.html
 
 

The HAL Save Now Cruise Later promo offers up to $2,300 in extras on cruises booked later this year and on 2021 and 2022 voyages.
Extras include free drinks, free gratuities, free Signature Dining Packages, free Wi-Fi for suites and a 50% reduced deposits.

Are the prices bumped up because of the free drinks, etc?

[NCTribeFan]

I hope my TA gets this.  She just re-booked me last week from my April cancelled Zaandam cruise, sailing (hopefully) 1/9/21 on NA.

[DeeDee Groff]

I believe this is the time and place to mention an experience I had when calling 1-877-SAIL HAL last Friday evening.  Even though I use a wonderful TA, I had a question about an area of a deck plan, and because my agent was closed for the weekend, I decided to call HAL directly.

 

Perhaps I'm naive, but I was very surprised when the PCC to whom I was speaking told me she is a travel agent in Illinois and has been for 12 years.  It seems that HAL has reached out to travel agents to ask if they are interested in "manning an inbound call line."  She did not attempt to solicit me to call her business number, but she did give it to me "for possible future reference."

 

There will undoubtedly be four- and five-star Mariners and President's Club members reading this post, so I would appreciate

some feedback as to whether or not anyone finds my experience unusual.

Edited July 28, 2020 by DeeDee Groff

[Boatdrill]

It's a nice offer in theory, however HAL stills owes agents protected commissions from previous sailings. 

[YXU AC*SE]

25 minutes ago, Boatdrill said:

It's a nice offer in theory, however HAL stills owes agents protected commissions from previous sailings. 

 

 

Source: https://gohal.com/app/uploads/2020/07/Trade-FAQ__7_21_20-Final.pdf     Scott. 

 

 

 

[VMax1700]

27 minutes ago, YXU AC*SE said:

 

Source: https://gohal.com/app/uploads/2020/07/Trade-FAQ__7_21_20-Final.pdf     Scott. 

Thanks for posting the link.  Some light bedtime reading! 

[KirkNC]

Sounds like the TA’s are going through the same slow refund process that the rest of us did.

[Boatdrill]

Not only are some commission payments delayed,  many agents who had been paid their earned and  "protected" commissions after final payment had them taken back by HAL with no explanation.   In some cases the clients on those bookings have received their full refunds. Everyone has been made whole, except the agents who had their commissions recalled.  

 

Read the answer to question #2 "When Can I Expect My Commission Pay Out"  on the HAL notice previously posted.

The question asks about commissions, but the answer only references refunds.  Commissions are not refunds, although they may be to HAL accounting. To agents,  they're an earned pay check.

Edited July 28, 2020 by Boatdrill

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, KirkNC said:

Sounds like the TA’s are going through the same slow refund process that the rest of us did.

You do hope the good TAs survive this pandemic.

[Full-Count]

On 7/27/2020 at 9:52 PM, DeeDee Groff said:

I believe this is the time and place to mention an experience I had when calling 1-877-SAIL HAL last Friday evening.  Even though I use a wonderful TA, I had a question about an area of a deck plan, and because my agent was closed for the weekend, I decided to call HAL directly.

 

Perhaps I'm naive, but I was very surprised when the PCC to whom I was speaking told me she is a travel agent in Illinois and has been for 12 years.  It seems that HAL has reached out to travel agents to ask if they are interested in "manning an inbound call line."  She did not attempt to solicit me to call her business number, but she did give it to me "for possible future reference."

 

There will undoubtedly be four- and five-star Mariners and President's Club members reading this post, so I would appreciate

some feedback as to whether or not anyone finds my experience unusual.

Was considering a cruise on Sky Princess, PCC caller ID when he called back was a dive shop in Cali.   So whole CCL family of cruise lines must be farming out the work. 

[DeeDee Groff]

Would anyone care to speculate on the reason this offer is limited to Alaska, Alaska Land and Sea, Canada and New England, and Europe itineraries?

[wearesiamese]

1.A lot of people do not want to fly far or take long trans ocean crossings atm due to concerns about getting home or getting quarantined on board even after cruising is allowed  again theses days and I would speculate the  vast majority of cruisers come from Europe and the USA/Canada 

.2. even just as likely, they need to move ships around the world for the start of the summer season, most likely without passengers in 2021, 

3. those itineraries are popular with families(read more revenue for CCL) 

[colonialinnkeeper]

On 7/27/2020 at 3:08 PM, drsel said:

The HAL Save Now Cruise Later promo offers up to $2,300 in extras on cruises booked later this year and on 2021 and 2022 voyages.
Extras include free drinks, free gratuities, free Signature Dining Packages, free Wi-Fi for suites and a 50% reduced deposits.

Are the prices bumped up because of the free drinks, etc?

The first time we saw a "free drink" offer proposed (I think maybe 2011 or 2012) there was an actual savings.  Now we find that the pricing of the cruise is bumped up when "special offers" are included and there is no savings for us.  We always figure the pricing both ways and go with the best offer for the trip we are interested in.