Which HAL Sale is the Best Sale

[mcrcruiser]

HAL has so many sales it gets confusing . However ,there is one sale that is better than the others .Which one do you like the best ?

[CruiserBruce]

Many discussions here about the better HIA sale is one that includes gratuities, and has an OBC for booking early.

[Ken the cruiser]

Since we're usually just booking for the two of us, Sales are pretty much smoke and mirrors. OTOH for us the best time to book a cruise is:

 

1 - During the first 3 months of an itinerary being released:

 

Mariner Society Early Booking Bonus | Holland America Line

 

2 - At least 12 months prior to the cruise date:

 

Have It All Early Booking Bonus | Holland America Line

 

3 - Also, during those two early booking periods if you have booked a cruise with a refundable deposit, you should also be able to refare your booking if the cruise fare goes down while at the same time maintaining those early booking perks.

 

However, if the HIA Early Booking perks have given way to the regular HIA perks for that particular itinerary when considering the refare option, you may lose those extra Early Booking perks, so be sure it makes economic sense to do so if that is the case.

 

Edited August 26 by Ken the cruiser

[Gunther1]

This is a question like “what is your favorite  restaurant”….it varies , based on 39 variables that are different for each person.

[Mary229]

As @CruiserBruce mentioned, early booking is the best.  Of course things will change and last minute may become the best as it was years ago.  HAL offers refundable deposits so there is no need to worry about it 

[Sir PMP]

1 hour ago, ski ww said:

I actually like the one were 3-4 guest sail free it's a great way for families to enjoy a cruise which is affordable.

No, thank you.

[SUESEABE]

The one which holds the most value to you personally based on your cruising needs/wants.

[FlaMariner]

A HAL sale is rarely of any value to us....

 

I do compute the "price per day" no matter whether there is a sale or whatever.....So if there is a supposed "sale" say, with "free tips" then we compute that into the "price per day" and see how it changes the price per day....but usually "sales" only mean they increase the price of the cruise and toss in the benefit....as mentioned earlier "smoke and mirrors".

 

I still do the math when there is a "deal" on HIA but we have yet to conclude that booking HIA is worth it to us.  YMMV based on whether you would buy the benefits in HIA in the first place.  Not us. 

 

We have found, over the years, that booking early gives us the best prices....and the ability to cancel/rebook if the math turns out more beneficial later as long as it is before final payment.

 

 

[Cruise Suzy]

3 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

1 - During the first 3 months of an itinerary being released:

 

Mariner Society Early Booking Bonus | Holland America Line

 

2 - At least 12 months prior to the cruise date:

 

Have It All Early Booking Bonus | Holland America Line

 

We book within days of itineraries being released so we get the above two bonuses PLUS we get "our" stateroom.

[mcrcruiser]

Seems to us that the better price on sales is to  book as early as possible to get the bonus along with the better pricing . .The only problem with this is ttie up $1200  unless  you have  future cruise credits ,bought on a prior cruise ;which reminds us ro do that when we board 

[Mary229]

11 hours ago, mcrcruiser said:

Seems to us that the better price on sales is to  book as early as possible to get the bonus along with the better pricing . .The only problem with this is ttie up $1200  unless  you have  future cruise credits ,bought on a prior cruise ;which reminds us ro do that when we board 

If you have a good agent they will allow you to use only $100 each of your FCD and the other $200 each on credit card 

[SilvertoGold]

When we book after final payment we always save over all the early booking offers. Since we are happy with booking guarentees, this works well for us. Sometimes we get Gratuiites included and/or OBC, too.

[shadow 123]

18 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

Many discussions here about the better HIA sale is one that includes gratuities, and has an OBC for booking early.

That's the 1 I like

[FlaMariner]

10 minutes ago, SilvertoGold said:

When we book after final payment we always save over all the early booking offers. Since we are happy with booking guarentees, this works well for us. Sometimes we get Gratuiites included and/or OBC, too.

 

I'd really like to be more like that....

 

....we are fine with guarantee cabins but.....do you find that you lose out on:

 

• lower airfares
• booking tours
• getting tickets to "must see" venues/museums etc?
• getting the preferred fixed seating
• other issues because of booking late?

 

 

[BermudaBound2014]

11 minutes ago, FlaMariner said:

 

I'd really like to be more like that....

 

....we are fine with guarantee cabins but.....do you find that you lose out on:

 

• lower airfares
• booking tours
• getting tickets to "must see" venues/museums etc?
• getting the preferred fixed seating
• other issues because of booking late?

 

 

 

Pre-covid it was a rare occurrence if I booked before final payment was due. Post covid the game is a bit different.

 

There is no reason to lose out on lower airfare because I booked my airfare early (months before I secured a cruise). I chose travel dates so that several cruises fit between my arrival and departure date (I have no cruise line loyalty).  If we didn't get on a cruise we were fine with a land vacation. Being flexible is key to getting the best rates. BTW: We always got on a cruise. 

 

This also worked for private tours booking refundable tickets. We opt for anytime dining, but I would guess that early dining on HAL would be sold out if booking late (although probably able to get that choice once onboard). 

 

Post covid my cruising style has shifted to much longer cruises so this strategy no longer works for me, but for people who are doing typical 'bus' runs and are flexible (being flexible is key), booking after final payment will be the best rate 99% of the time. 

 

 

 

 

[FlaMariner]

1 hour ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

Post covid my cruising style has shifted to much longer cruises so this strategy no longer works for me, but for people who are doing typical 'bus' runs and are flexible (being flexible is key), booking after final payment will be the best rate 99% of the time. 

 

Good info....That's the key....We are also booking longer cruises and going to "once in a lifetime" bucket list trips so I think I am better off booking early and forgoing the "last minute" route.....Yea, if I was heading to the Caribbean/Alaska for a week, there is not much serious planning to those trips and I'd be fine with last minute booking.

 

Let the early trip planning resume.......

[BermudaBound2014]

13 minutes ago, FlaMariner said:

 

Good info....That's the key....We are also booking longer cruises and going to "once in a lifetime" bucket list trips so I think I am better off booking early and forgoing the "last minute" route.....Yea, if I was heading to the Caribbean/Alaska for a week, there is not much serious planning to those trips and I'd be fine with last minute booking.

 

Let the early trip planning resume.......

 

Yep, and IMO the other key is refundable deposit (or a deposit you don't mind losing). I just repriced an early booking trip I had for Antarctica. I did lose the premium internet and upgraded drink package (went down to surf and the regular beverage), but they are offering crew appreciation again (you no longer need to book early to get crew appreciation included) so I kept crew appreciation and saved almost $1,000. I'll use that savings to upgrade to premium internet onboard and we are fine with the regular beverage package since DH is a beer guy. In this case, the early booking was not the cheapest, but it makes sense to secure a booking early and price monitor. Of course, all this depends on room category also 🙂 

[Oceansaway17]

21 hours ago, mcrcruiser said:

HAL has so many sales it gets confusing . However ,there is one sale that is better than the others .Which one do you like the best ?

just make sure you are careful about booking non refundable vs refundable. Also make sure you understand the rules for booking vacation protection at time of deposit.    HAL is sneaky and confusing at bes.

[SilvertoGold]

2 hours ago, FlaMariner said:

 

I'd really like to be more like that....

 

....we are fine with guarantee cabins but.....do you find that you lose out on:

 

• lower airfares
• booking tours
• getting tickets to "must see" venues/museums etc?
• getting the preferred fixed seating
• other issues because of booking late?

 

 

Often, no air needed, but this is a good point if you do need air (although the savings from booking late often covers any higher air pricing). Don't book tours, been there done those. Same for Museums, etc. Always get the dinner seating we ask for. For us it works well. We saved about $5000 for 2 on our last 39 day cruise, air was reasonable.  Might have got tips ($1326 for 2) and a couple of other perks if booked early, but not enough to make it a good deal. YMMV!

Edited August 27 by SilvertoGold

[FlaMariner]

2 hours ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

the other key is refundable deposit (or a deposit you don't mind losing).

 

Good point also......That's another reason to load up on the $100 FCD's when onboard.....If needed, that's not a huge sum to lose.

[BermudaBound2014]

1 hour ago, FlaMariner said:

 

Good point also......That's another reason to load up on the $100 FCD's when onboard.....If needed, that's not a huge sum to lose.

 

What is a $100 FCD?

 

I purchased a FCD on my last cruise but it was $300. Do I have a choice?

[CruiserBruce]

11 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

What is a $100 FCD?

 

I purchased a FCD on my last cruise but it was $300. Do I have a choice?

The various prices are for cruises of various lengths. I don't remember the exact numbers, but its something like $100 for a cruise up to 13 days, $300 for 14-25, $500 above that. Something like that.

 

If you want to book a cruise that requires a great FCD than you have, you can "fill up" the FCD at the time of booking.

[Mary229]

1 hour ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

What is a $100 FCD?

 

I purchased a FCD on my last cruise but it was $300. Do I have a choice?

Buy a bunch of $100s. I only ever use $100 per person at a time.  They always allow me to bump up the other $200 with a credit card payment.  That way my FCD bank is always full 

[mcrcruiser]

4 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

Buy a bunch of $100s. I only ever use $100 per person at a time.  They always allow me to bump up the other $200 with a credit card payment.  That way my FCD bank is always full 

Mary we should have kept the $100 FCC we once had . Imo that is rthe best method for deposit cash when booking any HAL cruise . We book very early because we need a full handicap stateroom ,so we cn get the early booking credits as well . not having $1200 our on a cruise deposit is nuch better when using the $100 per person FCCs 

 

[mcrcruiser]

1 hour ago, CruiserBruce said:

The various prices are for cruises of various lengths. I don't remember the exact numbers, but its something like $100 for a cruise up to 13 days, $300 for 14-25, $500 above that. Something like that.

 

If you want to book a cruise that requires a great FCD than you have, you can "fill up" the FCD at the time of booking.

Bruce you are saying as a example the deposit for a 14 days cruise with FCCs is now $300 . imo that is still high especially if you add Club Orange  into the mix . I know you do not make the rules , just that other cruise lines deposits are lower  but no HAL