Sail Standby for $49 a day- new program

[publicpersona]

On 1/18/2024 at 9:23 AM, SittingDuck said:

We signed up STANDBY on Jan. 4 for a HAL cruise departing Friday, Jan. 26. We were told we would be notified approx. 7 days before departure.

 

We are standby for the same cruise but got on the standby list Dec 26. I'm hoping we hear something Monday or Tuesday which would be 4 or 3 days .. about the closest in that any reasonable person could define as "about 7 days".

 

Unless I missed it, I don't recall any data points in this thread as to when negative news (i.e., the likely scenario - you are not sailing) comes. I hope HAL doesn't consider that notification any less important.

[SittingDuck]

@publicpersona... After reading this entire thread several times...I think we are looking at a 48hr notice, at best. Doable for us, but not "approx. 7 days" as advertised. I think that is really poor business judgement on the part of HAL. I would have still signed up if the notification had been 48hrs, go or no/go... but the stress of waiting to hear at "approx. 7 days" is unnecessary. 🙂
We will need a cruise after this. 🙂

[OCJayGuy]

Interesting concept. I hope everyone makes their standby cruise. My control issues got a flare up rash reading all this 😊

[publicpersona]

Well, when we got within 46 hours of closing out boarding and having heard nothing one way or the other, I called and talked to several different departments. The last person that I spoke to repeated the line that you may get called to board up until boarding closes 90 minutes before sailaway, and there is the expectation if you haven't been notified, that you show up in the terminal ready to go. That's how the program works.

 

There was agreement that nothing like that is described in the terms and conditions, and "approximately 7 days" in their copy of the T&Cs says "within 7 days." She took the time to visit their webpage to note the discrepancy.

 

 

[ChinaShrek]

5 minutes ago, publicpersona said:

Well, when we got within 46 hours of closing out boarding and having heard nothing one way or the other, I called and talked to several different departments. The last person that I spoke to repeated the line that you may get called to board up until boarding closes 90 minutes before sailaway, and there is the expectation if you haven't been notified, that you show up in the terminal ready to go. That's how the program works.

 

 

 

I guess HAL really wants cruising to be like flying. Many people fly standby for an earlier flight and arrive at the airport just to hangout and see if they get the flight. People could start doing that at cruise terminals now.

[HappyInVan]

6 minutes ago, publicpersona said:

The last person that I spoke to repeated the line that you may get called to board up until boarding closes 90 minutes before sailaway, and there is the expectation if you haven't been notified, that you show up in the terminal ready to go. That's how the program works.

 

 

 

This is insane! 😬

[NWFloriday]

I just finished a "chat" with one of the agents and was told we would be notified 1 day prior to embarkation. Knowing that we may only get one day notice or less we would not have signed up for this program. They need to change the wording on the program as it seems to be extremely misleading. Very disappointed and am envious of the people who got 48 hours notice ;). 

[Skvalloney]

Page #2 of my HAL confirmation states …”guest will only be cleared for standby to cruise when/if the guest receives official confirmation from HAL approximately 7 days before cruise’s departure.” So, I don’t know where they get off notifying people hours before. My cruise is showing sold out on the HAL web site. Upon calling I was told we are still “waitlisted”. Guess they want you to have car gassed up, bags packed in car, all ready to go!

[SittingDuck]

5 minutes ago, publicpersona said:

Well, when we got within 46 hours of closing out boarding and having heard nothing one way or the other, I called and talked to several different departments. The last person that I spoke to repeated the line that you may get called to board up until boarding closes 90 minutes before sailaway, and there is the expectation if you haven't been notified, that you show up in the terminal ready to go. That's how the program works.

 

There was agreement that nothing like that is described in the terms and conditions, and "approximately 7 days" in their copy of the T&Cs says "within 7 days." She took the time to visit their webpage to note the discrepancy.

 

 

Same cruise.
We just finished "chatting" with HAL and they told us we would be notified 1 day before sailing. 😞
So, "Notification approx. 7 days before sailing" in our contract magically morphed into "1 day before sailing" which was whittled to "90 minutes before sailing" and now has further decayed to "You are expected to be in the parking lot".
Really, really disappointing. 😞

 

[NWFloriday]

5 minutes ago, ChinaShrek said:

I guess HAL really wants cruising to be like flying. Many people fly standby for an earlier flight and arrive at the airport just to hangout and see if they get the flight. People could start doing that at cruise terminals now.

If that's how the program works then they need to clearly say that on their website and on the booking receipt. I can't imagine that very many people could get a call 90 minutes before departure and make it on time and who's going to show up without being cleared hoping to get on? Crazy!! 

[ChinaShrek]

12 minutes ago, NWFloriday said:

If that's how the program works then they need to clearly say that on their website and on the booking receipt. I can't imagine that very many people could get a call 90 minutes before departure and make it on time and who's going to show up without being cleared hoping to get on? Crazy!! 

I actually agree with you. I can't imagine who would want to pay for parking at the terminal just to wait around and see if they get a berth.

[SittingDuck]

I just spent an hour on the phone with HAL and finally with a resolution team member (Georgio in Resolutions) and I was just told we would know for sure by 24 hours prior to check-in (12:00 EST) if we made the list or not. The ship sails out of Ft. Lauderdale Friday. Check-in is noon. When I pinned him down to make sure what he said was we would receive a go/nogo email by noon tomorrow, EST....he changed it to close of business at HAL offices in Seattle (7PM PST).
No kidding....he really did that. 🤬 
So, we have been assured by HAL that we should expect the official email NLT 10PM tomorrow night...for a cruise that leaves the next morning.
In the course of our conversation he changed it from 24 hours to 14 hours. 
When I told him it was iffy to make it in 14 hours (we would have to drive all night) he was quick to tell me I was on the hook for all charges if I didn't make it.
I felt that was the only part of the program that he was sure about.
He really could have cared less. 🤬


 

[Skvalloney]

9 minutes ago, SittingDuck said:

I just spent an hour on the phone with HAL and finally with a resolution team member (Georgio in Resolutions) and I was just told we would know for sure by 24 hours prior to check-in (12:00 EST) if we made the list or not. The ship sails out of Ft. Lauderdale Friday. Check-in is noon. When I pinned him down to make sure what he said was we would receive a go/nogo email by noon tomorrow, EST....he changed it to close of business at HAL offices in Seattle (7PM PST).
No kidding....he really did that. 🤬 
So, we have been assured by HAL that we should expect the official email NLT 10PM tomorrow night...for a cruise that leaves the next morning.
In the course of our conversation he changed it from 24 hours to 14 hours. 
When I told him it was iffy to make it in 14 hours (we would have to drive all night) he was quick to tell me I was on the hook for all charges if I didn't make it.
I felt that was the only part of the program that he was sure about.
He really could have cared less. 🤬


 

I fear this is going to be me in 3 weeks. This is just wrong! “Approximately 7 days” is not the same as 14 hours. My drive is 4 hours so not as bad as you however to cancel my parking incurs penalty charges. By the time you embark(hopefully) you’ll be exhausted.

[FlaMariner]

Seems like the Holland America Line STANDBY program works like one would think a STANDBY program would work.....It's for folks that are fine jumping on the ship at the last minute....All other folks need not apply......

 

....I do appreciate all the first hand accounts.....It's helped us realize it is not for us.....but more power to those who are fine cruising STANDBY.

 

(And it is a great way for HAL to max capacity....there is nothing worse for $$$$ than an empty cabin)

 

Enjoy sailing STANDBY

Edited January 25 by FlaMariner

[publicpersona]

1 hour ago, FlaMariner said:

Seems like the Holland America Line STANDBY program works like one would think a STANDBY program would work.

 

... unless Holland America tells you something different. It's fine if they want a standby program which means you must show up at the terminal ready to sail. But that's not what they said when they were taking our money.

[*Miss G*]

When I was a teenager, I used to take advantage of the student standby rate of $50 per flight to fly anywhere in Canada.  I would show up at the terminal, get checked in, and then sit at the gate waiting to be cleared for the flight.  There was only one time where I couldn’t board and had to wait for the next flight.  (I was pretty nomadic so I took advantage of that fare a lot.)

 

HAL’s program sounds more like the above experience than “approximately 7 days”, which would be great for a last-minute traveler.  That is a HUGE difference, and works better for a nomadic traveler than someone who just wants to catch a last-minute (7 day) cancellation.

 

HAL definitely needs to be clear in their terms and conditions.

[cbr663]

2 hours ago, FlaMariner said:

Seems like the Holland America Line STANDBY program works like one would think a STANDBY program would work.....It's for folks that are fine jumping on the ship at the last minute....All other folks need not apply......

 

....

 

I agree.  I also understand why some people may be very upset with HAL as it did post contradicting messages with the need to be within driving distance of the port to passengers receiving notice about 7 days prior to departure.

 

Perhaps this is a case, as so often in large corporations, of one department not knowing what another does?  The marketing department may very well had thought that passenger would be notified within 7 days, but the Ship Inventory department simply cannot meet that standard.  Any of us who have sailed on ships can appreciate the flurry of activity that is going on with Ship Inventory as sail day approaches with all the guaranteed cabins needed to be assigned, all the upgrades and upsells, last minute cancellations, late arrivals, wait lists and now a standby list.  One of the most asked questions on CC is when are guaranteed cabins assigned with many posters noting not receiving their cabin number until 7 days or less of sailing.

 

It's great to read though that for some early adopters of this program that they have had great success.  

[HappyInVan]

IMHO, it is inappropriate to compare flight standby with cruise standby.

 

As I understand it, the main reason to standby for a flight is a scheduling problem. I have a booking, but I prefer an earlier flight. So, it's worth the bother to arrive at the airport earlier and stand by.

 

For pax with extreme budget constraints, they can purchase advance fares or last minute deals. Or, turn to budget airlines.

 

As a cruise pax, I carefully choose an itinerary and slot the cruise into my calendar. I would book a specific cabin. I can see no reason why I would want to accept a standby status on 24-hour notice.

 

Why would a cruise line extend an offer for 24-hour standby? Surely they would know the vacancy situation >2 weeks prior to embarkation? Makes no sense to wait for 24-hours. Surely it's a sign of problems with HAL's pricing program.

 

Here's the big question. Is HAL desperate enough to accept backpacker pax? How much would they spend onboard?

 

IMO, not a good potent for HAL's future!

 

[syesmar]

6 hours ago, cbr663 said:

…Perhaps this is a case, as so often in large corporations, of one department not knowing what another does?  The marketing department may very well had thought that passenger would be notified within 7 days, but the Ship Inventory department simply cannot meet that standard….

HAL should ensure their website information is accurate, immediately. It’s so unfortunate that what is stated at https://www.hollandamerica.com/en/us/cruise-deals/standby-program is clearly not the experience of all customers. 

 

I would imagine some media attention on the current disconnect between what a guest is told initially, and what the reality is might make a difference. There is no definition of “approximately” that would conform to what has been expected of some standby passengers. 

[*Miss G*]

36 minutes ago, HappyInVan said:

Here's the big question. Is HAL desperate enough to accept backpacker pax? How much would they spend onboard?

 

IMO, not a good potent for HAL's future!

 

Back when you could more readily access PEV, you could purchase unsold cabins on the day of sailing.  My Dad would “go for a drive” then come back and tell my Mum to pack up; they were going on a cruise.  I imagine this is their target passenger.

 

$50 per day, times the number of cruise days, plus port fees and taxes, plus daily crew appreciation charges, times two, doesn’t really scream “backpacker” to me.

 

Edited January 25 by *Miss G*

[FlaMariner]

10 hours ago, publicpersona said:

 

... unless Holland America tells you something different. It's fine if they want a standby program which means you must show up at the terminal ready to sail. But that's not what they said when they were taking our money.

 

I agree with that!

 

We are usually not "early adopters" (this example is a good reason why) so it's been great intel to see how this "new" program really rolls.......Now that we see that it is exactly as it states...a STANDBY program, it will not work for us.....Unless we move next door to the port....not a bad idea, actually. LOL. 

 

I'm glad HAL has a plan to fill up the ship with $$$ for situations when guests do not make it to the ship......but for us, planning is half the fun.

[Real NHDOC]

It seems like a bean counter at HAL figured out that the people who buy the cancel for any reason insurance exposed them to higher last minute vacancies than perhaps they had expected and decided they needed to come up with a plan to squeeze people into those cabins which had been previously sold but were left unsold at the last minute. It’s really the best explanation for why they may not know until sailing time whether a standby passenger will get a cabin or not. It’s a way for them to have a last chance to sell a cabin that might otherwise go empty (albeit having already generated substantial revenue through the CFAR insurance fees and 10% penalty). 

[SittingDuck]

In the midst of this debacle...I would like to take a moment to recognize a person from HAL's reservations team; Her name is Erin. She was extremely friendly, went out of her way to help resolve our issue and hung with me as she called every department she could to try to get to the bottom of the Standby mess. Even though we made no progress towards a resolution...you were a champ!
Thank you, Erin! I hope management recognizes what a jewel of an employee you are!

[Skvalloney]

8 minutes ago, SittingDuck said:

In the midst of this debacle...I would like to take a moment to recognize a person from HAL's reservations team; Her name is Erin. She was extremely friendly, went out of her way to help resolve our issue and hung with me as she called every department she could to try to get to the bottom of the Standby mess. Even though we made no progress towards a resolution...you were a champ!
Thank you, Erin! I hope management recognizes what a jewel of an employee you are!

I am waiting with bated breath to know if you get on. Debacle is a good term for it.

[SittingDuck]

Nope, no cruise for us. 😞
HAL cancelled our cruise. We were told to expect our refund in 7-10 days. We didn't ask if that was calendar days or business days because, well, did they mean solar days, lunar days, 24 hr periods based on EST or PST, etc.
We learned our lesson. 🙂

 

Edited January 25 by SittingDuck