Hal Just Doesn't Care

[hfeld]

HAL just dropped the price of our cruise $300 pp..They will not even consider a shipboard credit or cabin upgrade to make up the difference to people that have paid in full...In fact, you can't talk directly to HAL; you have to go through your travel agent who gets nowhere with them. This is our first cruise with HAL (always sailed Celebrity) and it will be our last. If we didn't stand to lose half of our money, we would cancel in a heartbeat. They are totally not into customer service or even making an effort to care about their passengers' concerns. HAL made a big point of saying they were trying to attract babyboomers with time and money to travel. This babyboomer will book my cruises with Celebrity next time. HAL you've lost this babyboomer's business.

[kakalina]

This is one of the reasons we book directly with HAL. You are able to speak with an agent that is taking care of you and also has some pull with the company. Our cuise consultant always goes with a lower price for us if it is offered. Once you have made final payment I an not sure that anything can be done with your price. I would think an OBC or upgrade would be more than possible, obviously they are not booked or there would not be a sale.

[sail7seas]

Just for the sake of conversation......

 

 

If the price had increased since the time you booked and 'locked in' your price, would you pay the increase?

 

While I understand your displeasure and unhappiness about it, it's a business. They are in the business of making money.

 

With that said........In the past, if we see the price of our cruise has dropped MORE than 10% since our final payment, we have always gotten the lower price from HAL. Our TA contacts them and works it out.

 

Did your price drop more than 10%.

 

[elmorejj]

IIRC, the price has to go down more than 10% of the original fare you paid to get the difference credited after final payment.........jean:cool:

[sail7seas]

HAL made a big point of saying they were trying to attract babyboomers with time and money to travel. This babyboomer will book my cruises with Celebrity next time. HAL you've lost this babyboomer's business.

 

I agree with you that HAL wants babyboomer's business but there are people here who will argue that HAL wants to attract the young families. Some think their emphasis is on attracting the "young 'uns".

 

I'm sure they don't want to lose anyone's business but know that it is inevitable they will.

 

 

[dakrewser]

There's also the question of whether this is a "price reduction" or a sale. Try going back to Macy's and demanding they refund the difference between today's sale price and what you paid last month...

 

Booking directly with HAL gets you no special service, and is - at best - like booking with a lower tier TA.

 

Any TA who claims they can't get heard by HAL is either blowing smoke or just isn't a very good TA.

[sail7seas]

I forgot about that.......

 

Many (most) times when prices drop like that, HAL puts the verbage "For new bookings only" and those of us who have previously booked do not get the sale price. If it is prior to final payment, you can cancel and rebook without penalty but risk losing your preferred dining time or cabin etc

 

 

 

[hammybee]

It is common for all cruise lines, including Celebrity, to deeply discount unsold cabins, as it approaches the date of sail. This happens with unsold airline seats, unsold hotel rooms and escorted tours too. In fact, there are many agents that specialize in last minute bookings, of all sorts.

 

And sometimes the opposite happens. When a cruise, plane, hotel or tour approaches capasity, the few remaining cabins, seats, rooms and places on tours can, and often does sell-out at a premium. And when this happens, your price is protected. In other words, the carrier does not come back at you for additional fare because it is selling out.

 

Your travel agent is your agent, not the cruise lines, any cruise line.

 

Please take the facts of travel into consideration so that it does not ruin your cruising vacation and do your best to enjoy your experience.

[hammybee]

This babyboomer will book my cruises with Celebrity next time. HAL you've lost this babyboomer's business.

 

Your previous posts suggest that you are not a big fan of X either. I wonder then, the intent of this thread. Perhaps cruising is simply not your thing. That's OK. Regardless, I hope you find something to your liking.

[frbob]

hfeld, I had this exact same problem with Celebrity (price drop after booking at higher price) some years back and was given the same negative response thru my TA, American Express PTS. I contacted Celebrity directly and got the run-around and ultimately the bums-rush. I agree this kind of treatment stinks, but it apparently isn't limited to HAL. :mad:

[hfeld]

The price dropped 25% and the cruise leaves 11/13/06. The TA says that HAL dictates the prices and there's nothing they can do to compensate me.....This is our 11th cruise but my last with HAL. I find it incredible that they have no concerns about their good will or customer service. Celebrity here we come....

[zaandam_2]

its possible its your TA is lacking clout. a friend of mine and I both booked the same category cabin through different TAs (prices were identical). i noticed a $250 price drop well after final payment and called my TA who was able to get me OBC. i emailed my friend immediatly. her TA was not able to get her the OBC. doesn't seem right, but that's how it worked out.

[jvermonttravel]

Yes, the OP is right that if you buy something at Macy's for a certain price and the next day there is a sale and the price goes down, you can't go back and say refund me the price difference. As someone said once you have a guaranteed protected booking, that is what it is (or is supposed to be!) - you are protected at that rate whether the price goes up or down.

 

Oops.....but that isn't so, is it? They also have that clever language in their contract that states they can raise your rate any time they want due to erroneous, etc., etc., etc. (See the past thread on Raising our Fares.)

 

Isn't it lovely to have it both ways?

[bepsf]

I'm sorry - I fail to understand exactly why we're supposed to feel sorry for you? (OP)

 

You agreed to pay a certain price for a certain non-essential luxury item some time ago.**As often happens, as the "sell-by" date approaches the price went down.

 

As someone else here said - do you take your purchases back to Macy's and expect a refund to the lower sale price at the end of the season?* Did you go back to the car dealer and expect them to give you a price reduction when the new models came out?

 

This is a business. *If the lines gave everyone who booked months ago price reductions or credits based on what they feel they need to sell space for today in order to have a full sailing, they'd be out of business - simple as that.* Incidentally, your TA also gains no benefit for going to extra work to get you a lower price - he/she also gets a lower commission on the sale when the transaction price is lower.

 

HAL is obliged to provide the service that they contracted with you for at the price they contracted with you for - no more, no less.

 

IMO, you (OP) are being unreasonable.

[Sea King]

can't agree more with comments from Brian and Sails ..

 

IMHO, they have it right

 

if you've ever flown, there are probably 5 or more different fares being paid by the same pax on your flight

 

likewise, I doubt that everyone on board a given cruise is paying "penny for penny" the same exact price for the same category room

 

if everyone is being treated equally, can't see the basis to complain, let alone threaten

 

of course it's disappointing.. who doesn't want to save money:rolleyes:

 

at the same time, maybe you'll get "lucky" the next time out and be the "late booker" who gets the last minute deal:)

 

baby boomer or not: your ship will hopefully sail on time

 

with or without you is your decision

[jvermonttravel]

bepsf: We have to be careful. Remember we all learned from the "Raising our fares" thread you cannot say, "HAL is obliged to provide the service that they contracted with you for at the price they contracted with you for - no more, no less."

[Frick_&_Frack]

hfeld -

 

My parents cruise HAL (and only HAL). Over the years, from time-to-time, there have been changes in pricing, etc. We book directly and have been able to move them, from time to time, into other cabins with the difference (as long as the change in price is not for a "new" booking).

 

NCL has the same policy (though I book directly with them sometimes) and have managed to be moved.

 

I would go back to my TA and have them call HAL again - with you on the line if possible. If you would like to change cabins (and HAL would choose the new cabin) they may listen to the request. OBC is very difficult to obtain.

[KAKcruiser]

Where are you seeing the price decrease? Is it on HAL's web site or a travel agent? If it is on HAL's web site and it is more than a 10% decrease, it is possible that HAL will work with you. But, they will only deal with your TA since that is who you contracted with. If you feel you are entitled to this discount, you should speak to your TA again. If you don't get satisfaction there, talk to the TA's supervisor. But, it is possible that this fare is for new bookings only. In that case, people are given the rooms that are left -- usually the worse ones.

[AAAAmerican]

I agree with JVermontTravel too:

As well::

 

With the illiteracy rate still climbing in America.. and still not many people READ the Cruise Contracts they get.

 

As you have seen a Cruise Line can and does charge and do anything it wants to do/charge. Look even at as an example the Refferenced Thread here and how about NCL what they charge for the so called FEES and TAXES.. which is (IMHO) absurd... having the same ports and twice :mad: the F&T ?

 

The comment cards are still a wonderful tool to expose everyones views.

 

 

bepsf: We have to be careful. Remember we all learned from the "Raising our fares" thread you cannot say, "HAL is obliged to provide the service that they contracted with you for at the price they contracted with you for - no more, no less."

[imacrusing]

The price dropped 25% and the cruise leaves 11/13/06. The TA says that HAL dictates the prices and there's nothing they can do to compensate me.....This is our 11th cruise but my last with HAL. I find it incredible that they have no concerns about their good will or customer service. Celebrity here we come....

 

 

 

Sorry but ya know you wouldnt pay higher price if it went up so,,,,hope you enjoy celebrity cause Iwont.....sticking with my friend HAL.

[bepsf]

bepsf: We have to be careful. Remember we all learned from the "Raising our fares" thread you cannot say, "HAL is obliged to provide the service that they contracted with you for at the price they contracted with you for - no more, no less."

 

Not having read that thread and having no familiarity with the situation, I went back and had a review...

...and these are two completely different situations.

 

Those situations in Sept were clearly due to some system error - I wouldn't have liked it either, but I've been on both sides of mistakes like that in business dealings in the past and it's never been a happy situation for either party.

 

This is a much different situation.

[clm101798]

Yes, the OP is right that if you buy something at Macy's for a certain price and the next day there is a sale and the price goes down, you can't go back and say refund me the price difference.

QUOTE]

 

Actually, you can and I have.

[AAAAmerican]

Yes I too do. When a price goes down instead of returning it they give a price adjustment... make sure they include the TAXATION as well if that is on the item(s)...

 

Most places do adjust within a given period of time.. even KMart before they took over Sears did and that was a Very Long Time Period too..to return items in adjustments..

 

You have to Read the Stores Policies which have to be posted in plain view.:cool:

 

Yes, the OP is right that if you buy something at Macy's for a certain price and the next day there is a sale and the price goes down, you can't go back and say refund me the price difference.

QUOTE]

 

Actually, you can and I have.

[hammybee]

Looks like we are off to the races again, as I suspect the OP intended.

 

We can take the bait or pass on it.

[barbels]

Last year I noticed a price drop for mini-suites that brought the price below what I was paying for a standard veranda cabin on an NCL cruise after I had made full payment. I called my agent and she got NCL to give me the mini-suite but no refund. Cruise lines do give some consideration other than refunds after final payment on occasion. After all you are very upset and I think you have a right to be. Ask for a move to a better cabin. Maybe that will work.