dawcruiser Posted October 25, 2023 #1 Share Posted October 25, 2023 I just book an 11 day cruise Eastern cruise. I paid $630 for both of us. It is a gaurantee inside room. Plus we get $200 on board credit!. I got an email giving me this offer. Funny thing is I am going on the same ship 23/10/23 and it was also a free cabin. All I needed to pay was port fees. I love Holland! Much better cruise line than NCL. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Haljo1935 Posted October 25, 2023 #2 Share Posted October 25, 2023 Congrats @dawcruiser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Gail & Marty sailing away Posted October 25, 2023 #3 Share Posted October 25, 2023 Nice job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ski ww Posted October 25, 2023 #4 Share Posted October 25, 2023 Sounds like you got a good deal, enjoy your cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Despegue Posted October 25, 2023 #5 Share Posted October 25, 2023 Nothing like that at all, ever, for non US passengers. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare VMax1700 Posted October 25, 2023 #6 Share Posted October 25, 2023 1 minute ago, Despegue said: Nothing like that at all, ever, for non US passengers. You are reading my mind! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare puppycanducruise Posted October 25, 2023 #7 Share Posted October 25, 2023 Good for you. Enjoy. I wish I'd get offers like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riversedge Posted October 25, 2023 #8 Share Posted October 25, 2023 Wish those offers went out to others. I’ve never gotten one and kind of resent paying full price when others go almost free. 3 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare cbr663 Posted October 25, 2023 #9 Share Posted October 25, 2023 1 hour ago, Riversedge said: Wish those offers went out to others. I’ve never gotten one and kind of resent paying full price when others go almost free. I frequent other social media sites and see members of those sites also posting of all the free cruises they have been offered from HAL. I realize that HAL is doing this as it is having difficulty selling its ships. Like you, I also resent paying the advertised price for a cruise. With HAL actively promoting to others that its cruises are worth so little, I believe them. HAL has been giving away cruises for months now and just this morning I commented to my DW that I feel like a fool for paying for a HAL cruise. I've cancelled our future cruises and have 1 on the books for next month and have no plans on booking any other. I am not willing to pay for something that HAL is so willing to practically give away. Just my opinion - HAL should look at changing its dynamic pricing model so that it doesn't have to give away so many freebies. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiting2retire Posted October 25, 2023 #10 Share Posted October 25, 2023 I was so excited when I got the email with those offers for the first time ever last week. Believe me, I would have loved to take advantage, but the airfare on relatively short notice (under 3months) and around holiday periods, would have been over $1,000. Kinda negates the deeply discounted cruise for those of us not near a port 😞 Hopefully there will be a next time that will work better for me. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YourWorldWithBill Posted October 25, 2023 #11 Share Posted October 25, 2023 1 hour ago, waiting2retire said: I was so excited when I got the email with those offers for the first time ever last week. Believe me, I would have loved to take advantage, but the airfare on relatively short notice (under 3months) and around holiday periods, would have been over $1,000. Kinda negates the deeply discounted cruise for those of us not near a port 😞 Hopefully there will be a next time that will work better for me. Same with us: The airfare has also stopped us from taking advantage of offers for a couple of cruises we really liked. Takes the fun away. I've started checking Google air, which I recently discovered is the best source for finding the best fares. And the booking goes directly to whatever airline is chosen, so there's no intermediary. There's a site called Jack's Flight Club; from that I got an email a few weeks ago that SAS was having an amazing sale that lasted only three days, but it was to the locations of a cruise I had just booked. Maybe worth checking out; that's how I found out about Google air. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crystalspin Posted October 25, 2023 #12 Share Posted October 25, 2023 2 hours ago, cbr663 said: ...I've cancelled our future cruises and have 1 on the books for next month and have no plans on booking any other. I am not willing to pay for something that HAL is so willing to practically give away. JMO, in your desire to punish HAL, you are punishing yourselves. Were your cancellations for Inside Guarantees in potentially the worse/noisiest locations? I probably wouldn't pay for them either! 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
breakiron Posted October 25, 2023 #13 Share Posted October 25, 2023 I received these offers awhile back. I booked a 22 night South America/ Antarctica cruise for just paying the taxes, $510. Awesome deal considering a cruise of this type costs thousands! I did have to pay airfare and hotel costs, etc. but I probably wouldn't have chosen this particular cruise if I wouldn't have received this amazing discount! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare cbr663 Posted October 25, 2023 #14 Share Posted October 25, 2023 (edited) 2 hours ago, crystalspin said: JMO, in your desire to punish HAL, you are punishing yourselves. Were your cancellations for Inside Guarantees in potentially the worse/noisiest locations? I probably wouldn't pay for them either! Nope, not punishing myself at all. Have redirected the funds to land based travel and other cruise lines. We have other options and we are exercising them. Edited October 25, 2023 by cbr663 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackduck59 Posted October 25, 2023 #15 Share Posted October 25, 2023 I think we would find that all cruise lines make small window opportunities to some people on every cruise. It's nice for those who can take advantage of them, good on them. Am I going to cancel my long planned (third time lucky, twice cancelled) down under adventure because some random stranger got a guarantee cabin in steerage dirt cheap? Not so much. We chose the itinerary, were able to get an enhanced group of perks and picked our cabin. We felt the price was fair and booked it onboard our last cruise with a $100.00 (CDN) deposit each. 11 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Banditswife Posted October 25, 2023 #16 Share Posted October 25, 2023 We have booked a few of these & yes the airfare is usually more than the cruise fare- we live in Kansas, difficult to drive to any port for us. And yes, they are always for a guarantee cabin, usually inside, occasionally OV. We figure we are not in the cabin very much & don't mind the less attractive location we end up in. If we like the itinerary, can mange the airfare & time away- why not? 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackduck59 Posted October 26, 2023 #17 Share Posted October 26, 2023 I'm not sure we would ever be able to or want to take advantage of these offers. We are a little particular about our cabin type and location. Of course the biggest hurdle would be having to fly to almost any port to embark. We could only get to Vancouver and Seattle without flying so that limits the itineraries. I think our cruising days are numbered because flying is getting less and less enjoyable. As I said earlier for those who get these offers and can take advantage of them good on you. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ski ww Posted October 26, 2023 #18 Share Posted October 26, 2023 If you get a cheap cruise & have to pay regular air fare you're still saving money. When we first started cruising we always did an inside cabin, we did 30 & 40 day trans Pacific cruises in an inside, this allowed us to do more cruises. I guess we're spoiled now we only do balcony or Ocean view. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Banditswife Posted October 26, 2023 #19 Share Posted October 26, 2023 I agree that even if I pay a big amount for air, I am still saving $. We usually spend $ in the casino & elsewhere on the ship. Selling these "free" is a way for the cruise lines to make $ on cabins that are less likely to be sold. And remember they are not totally free- we pay port fees, taxes, crew appreciation, buy drinks, specialty restaurants, & spend a bit in the shops. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riversedge Posted October 26, 2023 #20 Share Posted October 26, 2023 7 minutes ago, Banditswife said: And remember they are not totally free- we pay port fees, taxes, crew appreciation, buy drinks, specialty restaurants, & spend a bit in the shops. But so do I….on top of my expensive cabin. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Banditswife Posted October 26, 2023 #21 Share Posted October 26, 2023 Just now, Riversedge said: But so do I….on top of my expensive cabin. I am sorry you are not getting these offers, I have no idea of why I get them & you do not. The question is, would you be willing to take whatever cabin THEY choose for you & not know until about 10 days ahead of your cruise what cabin you ended up with? I have had some decent cabins & some not so great cabins, but I am willing to accept whatever I get. 5 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawcruiser Posted November 4, 2023 Author #22 Share Posted November 4, 2023 On 10/25/2023 at 3:22 PM, Blackduck59 said: I think we would find that all cruise lines make small window opportunities to some people on every cruise. It's nice for those who can take advantage of them, good on them. Am I going to cancel my long planned (third time lucky, twice cancelled) down under adventure because some random stranger got a guarantee cabin in steerage dirt cheap? Not so much. We chose the itinerary, were able to get an enhanced group of perks and picked our cabin. We felt the price was fair and booked it onboard our last cruise with a $100.00 (CDN) deposit each. Not bragging but we did get $200 onboard credit. So cruise only cost me $430. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare kazu Posted November 4, 2023 #23 Share Posted November 4, 2023 2 hours ago, dawcruiser said: Not bragging but we did get $200 onboard credit. So cruise only cost me $430. That pretty much sounds like a casino offer to me. Assuming I am correct, for those thinking HAL is “giving away” the cabins, they are not. The casino is picking up the tab for the difference. 4 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YourWorldWithBill Posted November 4, 2023 #24 Share Posted November 4, 2023 12 hours ago, kazu said: That pretty much sounds like a casino offer to me. Assuming I am correct, for those thinking HAL is “giving away” the cabins, they are not. The casino is picking up the tab for the difference. That's a good point that many may not be aware of: the casino is operated by a US casino through an arrangement with Carnival Cruise Line. It is a separate operation. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawcruiser Posted November 4, 2023 Author #25 Share Posted November 4, 2023 12 hours ago, kazu said: That pretty much sounds like a casino offer to me. Assuming I am correct, for those thinking HAL is “giving away” the cabins, they are not. The casino is picking up the tab for the difference. It might be a casino cruise but3 in over 40 cruises I haven't spent overv $500 in any cr 12 hours ago, kazu said: That pretty much sounds like a casino offer to me. Assuming I am correct, for those thinking HAL is “giving away” the cabins, they are not. The casino is picking up the tab for the difference. Might be but I don't every lose more thm $20 in any casino. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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