Cancel and rebook after final payment date - sailing is more than 30 days away

[Jersey42]

I have a cruise booked and paid for that is sailing in two months.  I booked an oceanview guarantee and have still not been assigned a stateroom.  The current price for the most expensive oceanview stateroom is a little less than what I paid for the guarantee.  At least 17 of the rooms in the highest category are showing as available.  I would be very happy with any of them.  What is the best way to get one of those rooms?

 

I posed the question to my TA this morning and asked if HAL would assign me one of those rooms. So far no response.

 

The alternative is to cancel the current booking, and get an FCC from HAL.  Then book one of the desirable rooms using the FCC.  I would have enough for the upcoming cruise and there would be $125-$150 left over for a future cruise. Will this work?  Or, will HAL impose a waiting period to use the FCC.  This approach seems to me more complicated for all parties and I would be more than happy with the first approach.  The small amount of leftover FCCs would not be worth the extra hassles unless HAL says no to the first request.

 

Has anyone tried any of these approaches?  Any other ideas?

Edited August 8, 2022 by Jersey42
Changed title

[crystalspin]

I would see what your TA can negotiate with HAL. With that many "acceptable" OV's available, I wouldn't get too much in a hurry. 

 

I did cancel after final payment (a week later!), ~90 days before sailing, using the Flexible Cancellation part of Worryfree Booking Plan. But I use a PCC and set up my desires in an email, including what I wanted to apply the FCC/refund to.

 

Hopefully your TA has a good contact at HAL that is tuned to the relatively new wrinkle the Flexible Cancellation puts in such bookings. 

 

ETA: Since you booked through a TA, I think even a cancellation needs to be done through them. Refresh your TA's memory about the Flexible Cancellation policy, if necessary. They may fall back on the "After Final Payment you have no leverage" idea that has always been the rule of thumb.

Edited August 8, 2022 by crystalspin

[Jersey42]

12 hours ago, crystalspin said:

I would see what your TA can negotiate with HAL. With that many "acceptable" OV's available, I wouldn't get too much in a hurry. 

Yes, that is definitely plan A.  The only hurry would be when we get closer to the 30 day flexible cancelation deadline and my other option is gone.  We still have a few weeks. Plus most of the lower category cabins are now only available as a guarantee, so I might eventually get one of the preferred cabins anyway.

 

12 hours ago, crystalspin said:

Hopefully your TA has a good contact at HAL that is tuned to the relatively new wrinkle the Flexible Cancellation puts in such bookings. 

 

ETA: Since you booked through a TA, I think even a cancellation needs to be done through them. Refresh your TA's memory about the Flexible Cancellation policy, if necessary. They may fall back on the "After Final Payment you have no leverage" idea that has always been the rule of thumb.

This is plan B. I would only consider this if HAL rejects plan A. Unfortunately the TA has made comments in the past about difficulties dealing with HAL, so we will see.  And you are right, this has to go through the TA.  I have already reminded him about the Flexible Cancellation policy.

 

I was hoping someone might have had experience with getting HAL to assign them a cabin in similar circumstances. If not, experience trying to cancel for FCCs and then immediately rebooking with the FCCs.  My fear is they HAL not let me use the FCCs immediately.

[Jersey42]

TA talked with HAL and they did not offer us anything.

• HAL would not assign us any cabin at this time. They reminded the TA that they had no obligation to assign us any cabin prior to boarding.
• We could cancel using the Flexible Cancelation policy and we would receive a combination of FCCs and credits back to our credit card as per the policy.  But, the FCCs would not be available for us to use for a minimum of two weeks. So if we wanted to rebook immediately, we would have pay for the rebooking and have the FCCs available for another cruise. 

 

So we will just do nothing at this time.

[crystalspin]

1 hour ago, Jersey42 said:

• We could cancel using the Flexible Cancelation policy and we would receive a combination of FCCs and credits back to our credit card as per the policy.  But, the FCCs would not be available for us to use for a minimum of two weeks. So if we wanted to rebook immediately, we would have pay for the rebooking and have the FCCs available for another cruise. 

 

So we will just do nothing at this time.

Sounds like that is best. We had the situation where the FCC that was moved from one cruise to another cruise immediately -- was actually an OLD fcc from March 2020 (pandemic cancellation). The other funds were credit card and AARP gift cards that went back to where they came from.

 

If that's what they say, that's what they say. 

[SilvertoGold]

I really wonder what HAL is thinking.  HAL wants their "guests" to come back, to fill their ships, to make them some profit.  So, no, HAL doesn't have to do anything for their guests, nor show any flexibility. I am actually surprised that HAL took the time to explain the options.

 

Given the circumstances outlined in post #1, HAL could break a "rule", please the guests, keep them happy, impress them with some flexibility. A bit of graciousness, some "thanks for booking with us, for having some faith in HAL being able to put on a good cruise at this time".  Honestly, what would it take for HAL to learn some cheap public relations?

[FlorenceItaly]

26 minutes ago, SilvertoGold said:

I really wonder what HAL is thinking.  HAL wants their "guests" to come back, to fill their ships, to make them some profit.  So, no, HAL doesn't have to do anything for their guests, nor show any flexibility. I am actually surprised that HAL took the time to explain the options.

 

Given the circumstances outlined in post #1, HAL could break a "rule", please the guests, keep them happy, impress them with some flexibility. A bit of graciousness, some "thanks for booking with us, for having some faith in HAL being able to put on a good cruise at this time".  Honestly, what would it take for HAL to learn some cheap public relations?

Well said!

[Jersey42]

34 minutes ago, SilvertoGold said:

I really wonder what HAL is thinking.  HAL wants their "guests" to come back, to fill their ships, to make them some profit.  So, no, HAL doesn't have to do anything for their guests, nor show any flexibility. I am actually surprised that HAL took the time to explain the options.

 

Given the circumstances outlined in post #1, HAL could break a "rule", please the guests, keep them happy, impress them with some flexibility. A bit of graciousness, some "thanks for booking with us, for having some faith in HAL being able to put on a good cruise at this time".  Honestly, what would it take for HAL to learn some cheap public relations?

Yep.  It would have been a very easy thing for them to do and keep everyone happy.  They have the cabins, they would keep everything I paid and everyone would avoid the hassles of a cancel and rebook at a lower price.  

 

HAL actually did not explain any of my options. My TA threw out the various options to HAL, but HAL would not budge.  If I cancel, they would also not guarantee I would see the FCCs in two weeks, it was a minimum of two weeks.  

[SilvertoGold]

1 hour ago, Jersey42 said:

Yep.  It would have been a very easy thing for them to do and keep everyone happy.  They have the cabins, they would keep everything I paid and everyone would avoid the hassles of a cancel and rebook at a lower price.  

 

HAL actually did not explain any of my options. My TA threw out the various options to HAL, but HAL would not budge.  If I cancel, they would also not guarantee I would see the FCCs in two weeks, it was a minimum of two weeks.  

I am wondering who in what department your TA talked to and if she asked to speak to a supervisor.

Some on this board have mentioned an Accounting department at 1- 888-663-5384.  A Resolution Manager might work or if not that department, they could possibly guide you to an appropriate one.

[iflyrc5]

From what my TA told me and he confirmed with HAL that the FCC from cancelling will not be available to use for 4 to 6 weeks so it would not be available to rebook immediately.  I cancelled a cruise 2 weeks ago and the FCC from my deposit is not showing on my account.

 

[Horizon chaser 1957]

9 hours ago, Jersey42 said:

A talked with HAL and they did not offer us anything.

• HAL would not assign us any cabin at this time. They reminded the TA that they had no obligation to assign us any cabin prior to boarding.

Someone was certainly having a bad day and taking it out on their customers! True, they have no obligation to assign you a cabin prior to boarding, but they certainly have the ability to do so. In fact, most guarantees are assigned prior to boarding.

5 hours ago, SilvertoGold said:

I am wondering who in what department your TA talked to and if she asked to speak to a supervisor.

Some on this board have mentioned an Accounting department at 1- 888-663-5384.  A Resolution Manager might work or if not that department, they could possibly guide you to an appropriate one.

Yes, your TA really needs to talk to to a supervisor, or a ‘Lead’ as they call them. It doesn’t sound like your TA has a great relationship with whoever their contact is at HAL, and needs to move up the chain.