Interesting voicemail regarding 1/5 noordam overbooking

[bermuda triangle]

Yesterday evening I was running some last minute errands...and I left my cell phone in the car. It was 6:08pm when I finally had a chance to listen to the message left.

 

It was someone from the travel agency we used. Apparently the 1/5 sailing is "Very Popular" and HAL contacted them to see if we were interested in an alternate sailing date along with a 50% refund.:eek: And to please call her back by 6 pm last night or else she will be in on Wed.

 

Soooooooooo did anyone else get this last minute phone call? We would have accepted the offer, but are not very flexible with the college kiddies schedule. And I REALLY NEED A VACATION!!!!!!

I am curious as to how overbooked the ship is. And if no one accepts HALs offer (I am sure some will as it is attractive) what happens then? And why wait until 4 days before the sailing to discover you are short cabins?

 

Laura

[sail7seas]

From time to time, they oversell a ship, the same as airlines oversell seats.

 

The difference is HAL will not bump anyone who does not agree to a different sailing. They will contact enough people in the categories they need until they reclaim the number of cabins they need.

 

For people who are flexible, the offers are wonderful and as you said, can be 50% and better.

 

But for someone who wishes to stay firm on taking the cruise they booked, they will do so with no problem.

 

Have a great cruise on that very beautiful ship.

 

Bon Voyage!!

 

Fair Winds and a Following Sea......

 

[echoss1]

I'm leaving on the Oosterdam out of San Diego Jan 5, while filling out my luggage tags I realized that I do not have an assigned room number yet. Holland America is closed today so I couldn't get any information. Has this happened to any one else? Should we have been asigned a room number by now? I can't reach anyone today because of the Holiday. Any ideas?

:confused:

[jrzebird]

Yesterday evening I was running some last minute errands...and I left my cell phone in the car. It was 6:08pm when I finally had a chance to listen to the message left.

 

It was someone from the travel agency we used. Apparently the 1/5 sailing is "Very Popular" and HAL contacted them to see if we were interested in an alternate sailing date along with a 50% refund.:eek: And to please call her back by 6 pm last night or else she will be in on Wed.

 

Soooooooooo did anyone else get this last minute phone call? We would have accepted the offer, but are not very flexible with the college kiddies schedule. And I REALLY NEED A VACATION!!!!!!

I am curious as to how overbooked the ship is. And if no one accepts HALs offer (I am sure some will as it is attractive) what happens then? And why wait until 4 days before the sailing to discover you are short cabins?

 

Laura

 

I haven't received that call yet. Perhaps no one wants a "c" cabin? Kenny and I discussed it, and chances are we'd consider it. Although, I'd much rather sail this Saturday. However a 50% rebate is hard to say no to.

 

Funny, we went out with family the other night and they said they had considered booking our cruise and surprising us. It was only over the last week and they said there are still inside cabins available. I thought this cruise was sold out several weeks ago? Anyway, they decided not to book because they didn't want an inside.

[Nancyquilts]

I'm leaving on the Oosterdam out of San Diego Jan 5, while filling out my luggage tags I realized that I do not have an assigned room number yet. Holland America is closed today so I couldn't get any information. Has this happened to any one else? Should we have been asigned a room number by now? I can't reach anyone today because of the Holiday. Any ideas?

:confused:

We just got our cabin on the Prinsendam for January 3rd assigned yesterday. I wouldn't have known, but went to the HAL site, looked up the section on booked guests and immigration forms, filled in the booking number and name, and lo, it appeared (about the 10th time I looked yesterday). Nancy

[echoss1]

Can anyone tell me if I will be able to watch the NFL playoffs, while at sea aboard the Oosterdam? Our San Diego Chargers are in the playoffs and we are hoping we will be able to see the game.

:)

[bermuda triangle]

From time to time, they oversell a ship, the same as airlines oversell seats.

 

The difference is HAL will not bump anyone who does not agree to a different sailing. They will contact enough people in the categories they need until they reclaim the number of cabins they need.

 

For people who are flexible, the offers are wonderful and as you said, can be 50% and better.

 

But for someone who wishes to stay firm on taking the cruise they booked, they will do so with no problem.

 

Have a great cruise on that very beautiful ship.

 

Bon Voyage!!

 

Fair Winds and a Following Sea......

 

 

Thank you Sail! I feel a little more relaxed now. Not like I have to be the first person at the pier on Sat am.

 

Laur

[bermuda triangle]

I haven't received that call yet. Perhaps no one wants a "c" cabin? Kenny and I discussed it, and chances are we'd consider it. Although, I'd much rather sail this Saturday. However a 50% rebate is hard to say no to.

 

Funny, we went out with family the other night and they said they had considered booking our cruise and surprising us. It was only over the last week and they said there are still inside cabins available. I thought this cruise was sold out several weeks ago? Anyway, they decided not to book because they didn't want an inside.

 

That is interesting, we kept looking and saw nothing available for friends of ours for a long time.

We are booked in a Cat C cabin, so maybe that call is headed your way.

 

Laura

[sail7seas]

You'll be fine, Laura. They won't give away your cabin.

Have a great time!

 

 

 

 

Echoss1........ When you book a guarantee cabin, it is often last minute when you get your cabin assignment. Even if you see one on the web site, it can change again when you get to the terminal.

 

When you arrive, ask one of the stevedores to check the manifest when you are ready to hand over your luggage. They have a list of every guest and their cabin number. This will assure you know definitely to which cabin you have been assigned.

 

Have a GREAT time.

[O2B@C]

Can anyone tell me if I will be able to watch the NFL playoffs, while at sea aboard the Oosterdam? Our San Diego Chargers are in the playoffs and we are hoping we will be able to see the game.

:)

 

There's a recent thread on this subject, here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=682201

 

And just FYI for future reference, I have a suggestion - when you have a question that doesn't fit the title of an existing thread, it's better to start a new one. People who know the answer may not see your question when it's "buried" in a thread that has a title dealing with a different topic.

 

Good luck with your cabin assignment - hope the "upgrade fairy" sprinkles you generously with her magic dust! And regardless - enjoy your cruise!

[kryos]

I am curious as to how overbooked the ship is. And if no one accepts HALs offer (I am sure some will as it is attractive) what happens then? And why wait until 4 days before the sailing to discover you are short cabins?

They wait because people do cancel at the last minute and it is financially prudent for the line to take a wait/see attitude.

 

If no one accepts the offer, HAL will just keep sweetening the pot until someone does.

 

Just like the airlines, I think HAL oversells a goodly portion of their sailings and most times it works out fine. With cancellations, etc., they sail each week with a ship that is filled to capacity or close to it. But, sometimes they do come up short, and when that happens they make offers. Believe me, someone will take it. A 50% discount is nothing to sneeze at ... especially for someone who is flexible.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[jrzebird]

That is interesting, we kept looking and saw nothing available for friends of ours for a long time.

We are booked in a Cat C cabin, so maybe that call is headed your way.

 

Laura

 

You can't take that deal, I'm looking forward to meeting you and being 'neighbors' for 11 days! Of course, if we do get that call, it would be difficult to convince Kenny NOT to take it. He's retired, flexible and paying for it. :D

[bermuda triangle]

They wait because people do cancel at the last minute and it is financially prudent for the line to take a wait/see attitude.

 

If no one accepts the offer, HAL will just keep sweetening the pot until someone does.

 

Just like the airlines, I think HAL oversells a goodly portion of their sailings and most times it works out fine. With cancellations, etc., they sail each week with a ship that is filled to capacity or close to it. But, sometimes they do come up short, and when that happens they make offers. Believe me, someone will take it. A 50% discount is nothing to sneeze at ... especially for someone who is flexible.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

 

Obviously I understand the financial standpoint of the cruise line. It wasn't so much the why do they do it, as the why do they wait until so very close to the sail date. Perhaps I should have asked how soon to the sailing do they begin making these offers?

 

I know they were different times, but I can remember being upgraded when aboard on my last few HAL cruises. Ahh how time changes everything.

 

Laura

[bUU]

They wait because people do cancel at the last minute

Hmmm.... that's right. And that explains a lot: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=12805694&postcount=512

[bUU]

They wait because people do cancel at the last minute

Hmmm.... that's right. And that explains a lot: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=12805694&postcount=512

[bUU]

They wait because people do cancel at the last minute

Hmmm.... that's right. And that explains a lot: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=12805694&postcount=512

[George W. Bush]

I haven't received a call yet, but I'm booked in steerage which I think is still available. Actually, just checking my online TA (which shall remain nameless . . .) and they still have insides available. Around 25% more than I paid, which makes me smile.

 

I wonder, how many of you would be willing to downgrade to an inside? How sweet would they have to make the deal?