Onboard Booking Confusion With Seattle Office

[spcl4cs_gal]

Two weeks off the Westerdam and I actually went in and booked my trip on her for next March Break. :rolleyes: Anyway, I had put $100 deposit down, while onboard this month, with the future cruise consultant and was given the impression that it would be my deposit on a future cruise and nothing else was due until final payment. My TA spoke with three separate agents at HAL in Seattle and none of them could agree to that deposit condition, saying that I had to pay a full deposit like any other passenger would. All of this even though the documentation I gave her from my onboard booking clearly states that the $100 was all I needed for the deposit. My TA was directed to another agent but that office was closed by the time she called so she told me she would deal with Seattle today. I have no intention of paying the full deposit and have to wonder what the advantage would be booking while onboard for $100 and then having to pay the full deposit when transferring the booking to a TA. I could have come home and done that. :confused:

[Krazy Kruizers]

Interesting.

 

We booked a cruise for 2008 while we were on the Maasdam the first part of March. We paid only $100 per person deposit. Our TA has since called us to let us know that everything was transfered over to her per our request. So far we haven't been informed that we owe any more for our deposit.

[doone]

When I booked my family on the Volendam, I was onboard the Rotterdam at the time, we all had to put the standard deposit down. I transferred this cruise to my TA and it became a group booking. But never was I ever told by the cruise consultant onboard about only having to put down $100 deposit. This was 2 or 3 years ago, so maybe this is something new also.

[sail7seas]

This is a relatively new program since they have now placed Future Cruise Consultants on all the ships. When we were aboard Noordam in January, it was firmly in place and everyone who booked (including for Eurodam's Inaugural Cruise) only paid $100 pp deposit. Your TA needs to keep calling Seattle until she finds a rep who knows this is the policy.

 

You are correct and should not pay anything more than the $100 pp deposit. Unfortunately, things happen in companies where not everyone who needs to know what is going on......knows. Keep calling until your TA finds someone who does.

 

How was your cruise?

Have to think you must have had a good time if you booked another while aboard. ;)

 

Welcome Back.

[jhannah]

I continue to find it incredulous that HAL phone reps so often don't know what's going on within their company. This happens (and is reported here) over and over again.

 

Sail7seas is correct that this a relatively new program for Holland America. Princess (and perhaps other brands in the family) have done this for years. It is a nice incentive to book onboard since you don't have to put so much money out of circulation until final payment time.

[Jade13]

Have you TA ask for Hals TA named Lance English. If this has not been transferd to you TA yet, ask for him yourself.

 

He knows about this program since I e-mailed him. He can't talk to you directly if this has already been transfer to your TA but can point you or your TA in the right direction...

 

I honestly think the best way to handle these bookings is to book directly with Hal (specific cruise) and have it transfered to your TA. It seems the "Future Cruise Request" is the causing the confusion.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Do let us know what happens.

[Brown Eyed Gurl]

We booked onboard and had the same deal - $100 down until final payment.

[spcl4cs_gal]

This is a relatively new program since they have now placed Future Cruise Consultants on all the ships. When we were aboard Noordam in January, it was firmly in place and everyone who booked (including for Eurodam's Inaugural Cruise) only paid $100 pp deposit. Your TA needs to keep calling Seattle until she finds a rep who knows this is the policy.

 

You are correct and should not pay anything more than the $100 pp deposit. Unfortunately, things happen in companies where not everyone who needs to know what is going on......knows. Keep calling until your TA finds someone who does.

 

How was your cruise?

Have to think you must have had a good time if you booked another while aboard. ;)

 

Welcome Back.

 

Well I dropped into my TA's office this morning and she told me that HAL had contacted her bright and early...they said that things had straightened themselves out and that my $100 has been credited to my booking and that no other $$$ is necessary until final payment day. Yay! I have to agree with jhannah though. I think everyone needs to be on the same page with this company, not the left hand not knowing what the right is doing half the time. :rolleyes:

 

Sail, the cruise was fantastic! I was so ready for a vacation after a hectic two terms of teaching and the Westerdam didn't disappoint. I can't imagine next year going to be better but with it being my first cruise in an SC suite, it most definitely can't get worse. :)

[doone]

Great, good to know about that $100 for future cruises. Like I said, when I booked onboard, they, at the time, still required the standard deposit. Glad things worked out well for you.

[arzz]

I have been pricing one of the Grand Voyages for 2008 -- so in addition to three different travel agents I also tried calling HAL -- I was transfered to their "grand voyage booking office", or whatever. I was then given a combination of correct and incorrect information (I was sitting at the phone with my Grand Voyage brochure) -- each time I had to quote the HAL agent from the brochure -- most of the corrections were looked up and then corrected by the HAL agent -- some were not -- that is the agent told me that the information I knew to be incorrect was, in fact correct. In the end, not only was I most unimpressed with dealing directly with the cruise line, their quote was the highest of the three that I have received so far for the trip (I am still waiting on the fourth quote to decide with whom to book).

 

I cannot see what the advantage of booking directly with the cruise line is -- I asked the agent why I should book with her rather than an outside agent (hoping for some incentive) and came up with nothing.

 

If I were to guess right now, I will probably book this trip with the same agent that I used on my last big trip.

[PAHORNER]

spcl4cs_gal, So glad things worked out, DH and I also took advantage of the future cruise deal in Jan aboard the Zuiderdam. I read your original post with great concern, I feel much better now, I know you do as well.

[ReneeWI]

We're also dealing with an onboard booking mess. We put a deposit down on another cruise, but had to drop our paperwork at the front desk as the future cruise consultant didn't have any more desk hours. (She was expecting the paperwork and told us to leave it at the front desk.) She apparently never ran the deposit. Our travel agent received the booking, but it said we had to pay a full regular deposit--which we didn't so I'm sure the reservation was canceled. Our agent is making some calls on our behalf.

[spcl4cs_gal]

It appears that HAL still has some kinks to work out with this onboard booking process. :(

[sail7seas]

spcl4cs_gal............

 

So happy you had such a wonderful time. That is great to hear and also good to hear you worked out the confusion about the $100 deposit issue.

No question you (and Jim) are absolutely correct that all the reps should have the most up to date, correct information. All is well that ends well but it would have been nice if you did not have any 'wrinkles' concerning your future booking.

 

How fun you now have a future cruise to look forward to. It'll get you through the days when the 'teaching gets tough'.

 

[spcl4cs_gal]

spcl4cs_gal............

 

So happy you had such a wonderful time. That is great to hear and also good to hear you worked out the confusion about the $100 deposit issue.

No question you (and Jim) are absolutely correct that all the reps should have the most up to date, correct information. All is well that ends well but it would have been nice if you did not have any 'wrinkles' concerning your future booking.

 

How fun you now have a future cruise to look forward to. It'll get you through the days when the 'teaching gets tough'.

 

 

Gee, and only 346 days to go 'til Sail-Away too. :D

[pms4104]

OP: Do you have the confirmation generated by the onboard Future Cruise Consultant? That should clear it up once and for all. Also, has your credit card been charged? Do you have a receipt for your arrangements? With proper documentation, your T/A should have no prob cleaning up the confusion.

 

Oooooops ... sorry, I did not read ALL the posts before I posed these questions. Glad it all worked out fine for you.

[Barocl]

We were told the $100 on board deposit was good for 4 years. As long as you used it in that time period it wasn't lost. We were also told it couldn't be used as a deposit for any Grand or World cruises. Take care.

[midwestsolo]

Regarding this $100 deposit. I am cruising by myself this year to Alaska, but my daughter may accompany me on a cruise next year-couldn't this year due to college/internship schedule. If I put a deposit down for myself on a future cruise, would I be able to get the same $100 deposit for her when I book that future cruise? Or would I have to pay the full deposit for her? :confused:

[spcl4cs_gal]

Regarding this $100 deposit. I am cruising by myself this year to Alaska, but my daughter may accompany me on a cruise next year-couldn't this year due to college/internship schedule. If I put a deposit down for myself on a future cruise, would I be able to get the same $100 deposit for her when I book that future cruise? Or would I have to pay the full deposit for her? :confused:

 

I will be sailing with my cousin next March and, although I received the credit for my onboard deposit, she is required to pay a full deposit.

[tinkerbell1951]

I continue to find it incredulous that HAL phone reps so often don't know what's going on within their company. This happens (and is reported here) over and over again.

 

Sail7seas is correct that this a relatively new program for Holland America. Princess (and perhaps other brands in the family) have done this for years. It is a nice incentive to book onboard since you don't have to put so much money out of circulation until final payment time.

 

J - it isn't just HAL ... it's probably all ... the turnover rate is high among CRs so would assume they just don't get all the info. When NCL started their onboard Latitudes Bonus Reward Program ... deposit 500 and blah blah blah ... there was only 1 person in the entire department that knew what was going on ... she became so overwhelmed with 1000+ pax and their TAs calling that she quit.

 

Why is it, do you suppose that we're all so quick to criticize when we are not perfect ourselves ?:confused:

[tinkerbell1951]

I will be sailing with my cousin next March and, although I received the credit for my onboard deposit, she is required to pay a full deposit.

 

Okay, now that I have stuck in my 2 cents ... I have a question ... what is it about the amount of deposit that has everyone concerned ? Does HAL not refund your deposit if you have to cancel or is it just that you want to keep your money invested yourself till the last minute? :confused:

[pms4104]

I get the impression that some pax who book onboard pick a cruise/any cruise just to get that $100 deposit feature and OBC's good for up to four years ... with NO intention of taking the specific cruise deposited.

 

Guess I'm surprised that any line would offer such a bargain-basement deposit arrangement ... must make for some interesting cabin inventory issues as final pay date approaches. It also doesn't seem fair to pax wiling to pay full deposit and unable to get a specific cabin because someone else who never intended to take that particular trip has reserved that space. Just my opinion.

 

We always make full deposit realizing it's less to pay later. But that's just how we do things.

[spcl4cs_gal]

I get the impression that some pax who book onboard pick a cruise/any cruise just to get that $100 deposit feature and OBC's good for up to four years ... with NO intention of taking the specific cruise deposited.

 

Guess I'm surprised that any line would offer such a bargain-basement deposit arrangement ... must make for some interesting cabin inventory issues as final pay date approaches. It also doesn't seem fair to pax wiling to pay full deposit and unable to get a specific cabin because someone else who never intended to take that particular trip has reserved that space. Just my opinion.

 

We always make full deposit realizing it's less to pay later. But that's just how we do things.

 

Putting a deposit on a future cruise while onboard is not usually done for a particular cruise...at least it wasn't in my case. My $100 was put onto my Mariner account and would stay there for up to four years, during which time I could use it for a deposit on any future cruise I decided upon. I don't know anyone who would put up $100 who was not going to use it in the end. HAL doesn't refund this money should you decide not to cruise at the end of the four year period.

[pms4104]

Sorry ... guess I misunderstood all the interest in the $100 deposit. I had the impression that pax generally put money down on a specific trip ... and I'm guessing some do so and others do not. Guessing the onboard consultant would prefer to lock in a specific sailing.