Sail Standby for $49 a day- new program

[Laurie59]

We paid Dec 11..our bargain is up to $2600. With HAL package and gratuities.. hopefully I won’t be writing from prison after being in such close quarters with no windows🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

[boze9999]

At $49 x 2 per day, the standby is not always a "bargain". If you get better than an inside room, yes. If you only get an inside room....perhaps not always.....

[Eric from San Diego]

HAL  is certainly going great guns with this program.  Just checked the list and it looks like ALL sailings out of Seattle, Vancouver, Whittier, Boston and Montreal have been added from the summer season. The list is HUGE.  

[drtravel47]

10 minutes ago, Laurie59 said:

We paid Dec 11..our bargain is up to $2600. With HAL package and gratuities.. hopefully I won’t be writing from prison after being in such close quarters with no windows🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

I did the Queen Mary 2 twice inside.  I slept like a baby. But as we always say, "How much time do you spend in your cabin?"

 

PS....One of my clients paid about a month ago,  the other about 10 days ago. I wonder how long the standby list is!!??

 

 

[Laurie59]

9 minutes ago, drtravel47 said:

I did the Queen Mary 2 twice inside.  I slept like a baby. But as we always say, "How much time do you spend in your cabin?"

 

PS....One of my clients paid about a month ago,  the other about 10 days ago. I wonder how long the standby list is!!??

Looking forward to sleeping like a baby

 

 

[cbr663]

13 minutes ago, boze9999 said:

At $49 x 2 per day, the standby is not always a "bargain". If you get better than an inside room, yes. If you only get an inside room....perhaps not always.....

 

You really want to keep an eye on HAL's numerous sales.  For instance, I am Canadian and HAL has the 7 day Zaandam Wine and Country sailing on the Stand by list.  At $49US standby it isn't a bargain when it is currently advertised for $349 CDN for an inside cabin.  Better to pay $49 CDN pp/pd right now than roll the dice on paying $49 US pp/pd on standby.

[Laurie59]

2 minutes ago, cbr663 said:

 

You really want to keep an eye on HAL's numerous sales.  For instance, I am Canadian and HAL has the 7 day Zaandam Wine and Country sailing on the Stand by list.  At $49US standby it isn't a bargain when it is currently advertised for $349 CDN for an inside cabin.  Better to pay $49 CDN pp/pd right now than roll the dice on paying $49 US pp/pd on standby.

 

[Laurie59]

Totally agree, this would have been worth it if we got a better room.  At least we have the few perks with Hal package

[Chris and Marcy]

We are waiting for the March 29th on the Rotterdam too.  We decided to try standby because they said we would find out at least 2 days before. I'm getting a little nervous after reading that some were still waiting to find out under the 48 hour mark.  We have a long drive to port and would need to book a hotel the night before so hopefully we will have our notification(either going or not) by 3pm today.

[drtravel47]

2 hours ago, Chris and Marcy said:

We are waiting for the March 29th on the Rotterdam too.  We decided to try standby because they said we would find out at least 2 days before. I'm getting a little nervous after reading that some were still waiting to find out under the 48 hour mark.  We have a long drive to port and would need to book a hotel the night before so hopefully we will have our notification(either going or not) by 3pm today.

When did u book?

[Laurie59]

Dec 11

[Lauren Spray]

Congrats to all who cleared the wait list for their cruise.  Happy sailing!

 

Our sailing is April 13th so I don't expect to hear for awhile.

 

We booked in December too.

[Chris and Marcy]

Just got the email that we are sailing on March 29th! It came in at 11:31 so check your email peeps! It looks like they haven't assigned a room number?  It just says standard.  Did anyone get a room assignment?  How do they know where to send the luggage lol.

 

[Laurie59]

Ok we were cleared yesterday for an interior room we just got an upgrade offer for a veranda for $249 each. We’re so tormented, our bargain standby isn’t a bargain when we added the Hal Package. Now it will be another $500. All in for veranda port charges gratuity and upgrade would be $3000. Not sure what prices were for a regular sailing were since we only did the standby. Is that still a good deal and have others taken the upgrade 

[Laurie59]

5 minutes ago, Chris and Marcy said:

Just got the email that we are sailing on March 29th! It came in at 11:31 so check your email peeps! It looks like they haven't assigned a room number?  It just says standard.  Did anyone get a room assignment?  How do they know where to send the luggage lol.

 

We got a room assignment for interior. Got notice yesterday.. just received an offer to upgrade to veranda for $249 pp.  you will get room soon

[drtravel47]

25 minutes ago, Laurie59 said:

We got a room assignment for interior. Got notice yesterday.. just received an offer to upgrade to veranda for $249 pp.  you will get room soon

One of my clients got the email; the other one didn't.   But I don't know if they won't get it later. 

 

[St Pete Cruiser]

45 minutes ago, Laurie59 said:

Ok we were cleared yesterday for an interior room we just got an upgrade offer for a veranda for $249 each. We’re so tormented, our bargain standby isn’t a bargain when we added the Hal Package. Now it will be another $500. All in for veranda port charges gratuity and upgrade would be $3000. Not sure what prices were for a regular sailing were since we only did the standby. Is that still a good deal and have others taken the upgrade 

How many days is your cruise? 

[Laurie59]

6 minutes ago, St Pete Cruiser said:

How many days is your cruise? 

9 days

[Sea42]

1 hour ago, Laurie59 said:

Ok we were cleared yesterday for an interior room we just got an upgrade offer for a veranda for $249 each. We’re so tormented, our bargain standby isn’t a bargain when we added the Hal Package. Now it will be another $500. All in for veranda port charges gratuity and upgrade would be $3000. Not sure what prices were for a regular sailing were since we only did the standby. Is that still a good deal and have others taken the upgrade 

I'd say for a 9 day cruise, balcony, with HIA $3000 is a good price. Maybe not an awesome bargain but pretty good!

Have a wonderful trip!

[St Pete Cruiser]

1 hour ago, Sea42 said:

I'd say for a 9 day cruise, balcony, with HIA $3000 is a good price. Maybe not an awesome bargain but pretty good!

Have a wonderful trip!

Yes it is. HIA taxes and gratuities is a big portion of it.

[pghflyer]

48 minutes ago, St Pete Cruiser said:

Yes it is. HIA taxes and gratuities is a big portion of it.

I don't believe HIA includes gratuities any longer....which add $34 per day for a 2-person non-suite.....or maybe I misread and that isn't what you were saying and was just indicating that $3K out the door isn't bad.

Edited March 27 by pghflyer

[KAKcruiser]

That is a good price to upgrade to a verandah.  I think you would be much happier if you took the offer.

[rj59]

It sounds like HAL is tweaking the program to increase revenue potential. Another poster and I received suites on a January Koningsdam sailing, but not they appear to be giving people insides and then offering upgrades, just as they really push HAI. That's actually good for me, used to being solo on an inside, because those who can't contemplate the uncertainty or spending a week in an inside cabin might not be competing with me for a spot. I'm on standby for Noordam on April 30, which should be easy to make, since it's only 5 days so low demand, but I'm not sure where to try later in the summer for Alaska. Zaandam is lowest in fare now, most families will probably choose Koningsdam, Eurodam/Westerdam are much more expensive out of Seattle, so I figure that they're more likely to be sold out and even over 100%, with families. So I think I might try Zaandam, despite the 1400-pax limit, since it would be less crowded, visits Glacier Bay and goes the calmer inside side of Vancouver Island, and doesn't make the evening stop in Victoria on the way back. I live an hour away from Vancouver, so can keep trying if I don't make it at first. I'm already booked on Zaandam, since it was only $750 for the end of May, plus $200 in OBC, plus certainty, so it makes an interesting trade-off and calculation. All the other Mexico cruises I like have simply skyrocketed in price for a solo, due to huge demand, so the standby program really offers me a way to maintain my habit of 8 or so cruises a year.

[Laurie59]

1 hour ago, KAKcruiser said:

That is a good price to upgrade to a verandah.  I think you would be much happier if you took the offer.

Much happier 

[ORTravelGal]

3 hours ago, Laurie59 said:

Much happier 

The suspense is killing me.  So, did you take it?