The Booking Game?

[golfbagger]

We just booked a 10day Eurodam cruise for Jan. 2024 via a phone call to a HAL PCC.😁  No prior experience with direct booking, but after searching HAL website offers, received a contact from a PCC.  The offer given was $80 higher than online, however the big surprise was that a $1200 deposit (vs.$600online) was required to have the deposit refundable.  The PCC then said that more options/perks were available if I added the "have-it-all" package.

She also said that better "Cruise only" promos might come along, and that my deposit would be safe to 90days prior--so we booked! Wondering now  if I understand the booking game?

[azalice]

The game is confusing so I try to keep it basic for my understanding. First, we don’t drink any longer so that part of “have it all” booking is not interesting to us. WiFi would be nice but it seldom works well for us onboard so it becomes worthless to us. A specialty dining is also no longer a bit deal to us as we eat smaller meals in our older years. A refundable deposit may or may not be a big deal to someone but if we are sure of our plans we may take a chance on a non- refundable deposit. Basically we end up taking the cheapest fare for our category cabin and then it feels like it is less of a game. However, if your situation is different, you will need to total costs both ways, with perks and without to decide what you want to do.

[DaveOKC]

I THINK what you experienced (the $80 difference) was due to the HAL PCC being a refundable/cancellable reservation vs the non-refundable one you saw online (and both being basic fares only with limited perks).  While saving the money is nice, the cheaper fare option does not allow you to "refare" if the price goes down before final payment date.  In the past I have refared my cruises multiple times before final payment, so I almost never take the non-refundable fare.  If you do the cheapest route, you might consider purchasing the cancel for any reason insurance from HAL at the time of booking.  On the slightly higher priced fare I do not take this insurance until a couple of days prior to final payment date, as you can forefit it with a refare.

[12cruise2]

I completely agree with azalice above.  We like the base fare; then, if we want to add a specialty dinner to the mix when we are on board, we can; it's much cheaper than adding the HIA providing liquor we don't drink and more big meals in specialty restaurants that we can't really enjoy as we, too, eat smaller portions.  We do provide the $600 deposit, however, so that it is refundable, especially when you're booking so far out.  We always book with a huge travel agency that already has lower fares than HAL directly.

November 2021 I got a quote from the future cruise consultant onboard for a February 2022 oceanview cabin for three on the same ship.  When I got home, I booked through a huge cruise travel agency and saved more than 40% for the same booking than buying the cruise from the future cruise consultant onboard.  And I always book a specific cabin; no guarantees; too risky where one will end up with noises below/above, rock and roll of the ship, etc.

(Hi, Dave OKC--met you at the Mariner's cocktail party in August on the Eurodam to Alaska--happy holidays!)

Edited December 24, 2022 by 12cruise2

[DaveOKC]

41 minutes ago, 12cruise2 said:

I completely agree with azalice above.  We like the base fare; then, if we want to add a specialty dinner to the mix when we are on board, we can; it's much cheaper than adding the HIA providing liquor we don't drink and more big meals in specialty restaurants that we can't really enjoy as we, too, eat smaller portions.  We do provide the $600 deposit, however, so that it is refundable, especially when you're booking so far out.  We always book with a huge travel agency that already has lower fares than HAL directly.

November 2021 I got a quote from the future cruise consultant onboard for a February 2022 oceanview cabin for three on the same ship.  When I got home, I booked through a huge cruise travel agency and saved more than 40% for the same booking than buying the cruise from the future cruise consultant onboard.  And I always book a specific cabin; no guarantees; too risky where one will end up with noises below/above, rock and roll of the ship, etc.

(Hi, Dave OKC--met you at the Mariner's cocktail party in August on the Eurodam to Alaska--happy holidays!)

Hi 12cruise2 - glad to hear from you!

Another point to add - I always get a couple of Future Cruise Deposits on each cruise for $100 per person, so that I can avoid the large deposits when booking, plus I get a few $ in OBC as well.

 

[cbr663]

Seems to me that you understand the booking game quite well.

 

HAL has packages available that may appeal to some passengers.  The Have It All bundles features together for a certain price.  Like any bundled offer, it is really only attractive if the features are those that you would chose anyway.  The biggest cost item in the package is the beverage package.  We have never taken a beverage package as we rarely consume alcohol so even bundled with other features the Have It All is of no interest to us.

 

The Lowest Cost cruise only fare that HAL advertises has a non-refundable deposit.  Some may not mind that but as @DaveOKC so wonderfully explained, being able to refare a cruise may be important to you.  This was important to us as we will be going through the Boxing Day promos soon and it allows us the option to completely cancel the cruise prior to final payment if needed.  For the $80 (being Canadian ours was $100), it was a small price for the flexibility.

[golfbagger]

Thanks folks for the info.  Wish We had thought about the $100 future deposit on our '22 cruise.  Also wish I could get my old, pre-pandemic,TA  back.