Last Minute Cancel...

[cwd79]

Hi All. Hoping for some insight and advice. Supposed to be going on cruise in a few days. There will be three of us. I am the main guest on the booking. Booked under a casino rate (not free, just lower price) and have come down with a cold/strep throat (not covid). Feeling pretty awful and don't believe it's smart for me to travel sick and be around a large group of people. I have the platinum cruise protection but my question is in regards to the two other guests on the booking. I am a 4 star mariner so the third guest cost was minimal as they only paid for port taxes and fees and HIA... So, If I cancel, I know I will get back my port taxes and fees, but I am assuming the rest of the cruise cost I would not get back since it would go from three people to two people in the room as a normal double occupancy? Would I get the HIA back that I paid for myself? Prepaid gratuities I paid? Does anyone know if the cost of the cruise is increased to the other two people since it was booked under a casino rate under my name and now I wouldn't be cruising? Thank for any info you can provide. 

[LAFFNVEGAS]

You really need to call Holland America. In most cases if the main/first passenger cancels the whole reservations cancels. Unfortunately you are going to hear numerous answers and suggestions some may be right some may not be at all correct. The correct answer for your situation must come from Holland America directly since it sounds ike you booked with them and the Casino Department.

[tuolumne couple]

32 minutes ago, cwd79 said:

 I  have come down with a cold/strep throat (not covid). Feeling pretty awful and don't believe it's smart for me to travel sick and be around a large group of people.

First of all, that is extremely thoughtful and responsible of you to think it smart to not travel. Strep can be contagious. That being said, I wish you a speedy recovery and sorry you are feeling awful. This is a decision that only you and your care provider can make. Take care, and feel better. 

Edited May 3, 2023 by tuolumne couple

[sahara1]

Please let us know what happens. It is an issue many of us worry about.

 

[lissie]

Do  you have travel insurance? 

[Haljo1935]

Similar situation - I'm Guest 1 of 3 on a free casino booking. We paid small fee to upgrade to verandah and added Club Orange so we could get a very nice verandah.

We are still outside final payment, although we have paid in full; it is non-refundable because it's casino rate.

I called twice to ask about removing myself from the booking - received the same info both times:

Rate is tied to me - if I come off and neither of the other 2 passengers have received a casino offer for the sailing, their rate will change. Basically the rate is there because I'm there  

They checked for both of the other guests and that promo code was not valid for either of them, so no deal on them getting the rate w/o me.

Options:

1) I (guest w/the free offer) stay on the booking and just no show - they get to cruise w/no change in rate. You don't tell HAL in advance you won't be there, you simply don't show up.

2) I come off and it gets refared to lowest rate showing under their Mariner numbers (that was $2808pp vs $499 - ouch!). I would receive port fees & taxes refunded.

Whether or not Guest 1 (who rate is tied to) has insurance has no bearing - if their name gets removed, the rate is not honored. 

Definetly call HAL to get specifics for your booking, but I suspect it will be similar to mine.

Please keep us posted and hope you feel better.

 

[erdufylla]

You would think in this post-pandemic world we find ourselves in that they would have some official policy for how to handle things like this. Their solution, to simply refare the remaining guests at the non-promotional rate only provides an incentive for people to travel when ill and risk transmitting whatever they have to others on board, which isn’t good. You would think maybe they’d have a program for these types of bookings where instead of outright cancelling the one individual’s booking and refaring the rest, they’d maybe offer to keep the booking as-is, with no refund given, but then issue a limited-time FCC for the one person’s booking. Or some other compensation to incentivize them to stay home and not travel when they’re sick.

[DaveOKC]

10 hours ago, erdufylla said:

You would think in this post-pandemic world we find ourselves in that they would have some official policy for how to handle things like this. Their solution, to simply refare the remaining guests at the non-promotional rate only provides an incentive for people to travel when ill and risk transmitting whatever they have to others on board, which isn’t good. You would think maybe they’d have a program for these types of bookings where instead of outright cancelling the one individual’s booking and refaring the rest, they’d maybe offer to keep the booking as-is, with no refund given, but then issue a limited-time FCC for the one person’s booking. Or some other compensation to incentivize them to stay home and not travel when they’re sick.

What you suggest makes sense and seems fair, however consider the spot that this puts HAL in if they make it a policy.  People who get the casino offers could then book a cabin at the free rate, then cancel later and let the other 2 in the cabin sail, thus at the free (or very reduced) rate.  Doing this gives the other 2 the casino deal that they are not entitled to (by gambling alot).  

 

I would like to think that most people would not do this on purpose, but experience has taught me (and the cruise line) that some people will try to take advantage of the situation and thus spoil it for the rest of us.  So, HAL has to protect against this.

 

[3Shelaghs]

To my knowledge if you are on antibiotics, you are no longer contagious after 48 hrs of treatment. 

[AFNavigator]

10 hours ago, 3Shelaghs said:

To my knowledge if you are on antibiotics, you are no longer contagious after 48 hrs of treatment. 

The OP said he/she came down "with a cold/strep throat (not covid)".  With those conditions, the antibiotic treatments may have made the strep (bacterial) noncontagious (anyone medical able to verify the time of contagiousness?) but the antibiotics wouldn't affect contagiousness of a cold (virus).  Antibiotics do not treat viruses.

[cwd79]

Hi. I wanted to give a update as I am the OP. I did not go on the cruise due to the illness. I had called a few days before and was told if they remove me from the cruise then either it cancels the cruise for the other two people or the 3rd guest would need to pay my portion (even though it was already paid by me and I was going to lose that). I am a 4 star so the 3rd guest was no charge outside of the taxes and port fees. So, I just didn't show up. I was refunded my taxes and port fees a few weeks after the cruise. When the other two boarded they were asked if I was coming and they stated they didn't know. They were not charged anything additional. 

[Haljo1935]

4 minutes ago, cwd79 said:

Hi. I wanted to give a update as I am the OP. I did not go on the cruise due to the illness. I had called a few days before and was told if they remove me from the cruise then either it cancels the cruise for the other two people or the 3rd guest would need to pay my portion (even though it was already paid by me and I was going to lose that). I am a 4 star so the 3rd guest was no charge outside of the taxes and port fees. So, I just didn't show up. I was refunded my taxes and port fees a few weeks after the cruise. When the other two boarded they were asked if I was coming and they stated they didn't know. They were not charged anything additional. 

Hope you're feeling better and appreciate the update. Your final experience aligns with mine, as well. Bottom line, I believe, is the rate is tied to Guest 1.

[SusieKIslandGirl]

Thanks for the update. Now if I can remember the answer if the situation arises!

 

[Haljo1935]

4 minutes ago, SusieKIslandGirl said:

Thanks for the update. Now if I can remember the answer if the situation arises!

 

Let's hope you never have to. 😎

[SusieKIslandGirl]

@Haljo1935You are so right!

[OlsSalt]

Recent call yesterday to HAL contact number, because the website was totally screwed up yesterday, ended up in an Indian Call Center - I  was trying to cancel a FlightEase flight - answers were all over the place. Beware.

 

I recommend calling several times with the same question, if you don't like what you first get.

[Haljo1935]

2 minutes ago, OlsSalt said:

Recent call yesterday to HAL contact number, because the website was totally screwed up yesterday, ended up in an Indian Call Center - I  was trying to cancel a FlightEase flight - answers were all over the place. Beware.

 

I recommend calling several times with the same question, if you don't like what you first get.

Oh I will - so far, I've made 4 separate calls.