Recession Blues, To many unsold Cabins;

[alohadad]

HAL ships are not selling out like in the past. In the past most category's would be sold out less than 60 days before sailing. Not so now, some HAL ships have more than 200 cabins open less than 60 days out. Would anyone know how close to sailing can you book a cruise and will HAL give a LARGE discount on those cabins?. "E" tickets might be a great thing for last minute cruises.

[pms4104]

While I agree that ships may not be selling out as quickly as in the past, I don't know where you get the idea that on some sailings there still are 200 empties 60 days out. Number of cabins sold/empty generally is not revealed to the public nor to travel agents.

 

If you are shopping for a bargain ... it's a matter of how much of a gambler you are. Waiting too long and all cabins could be gone, or perhaps the prices won't drop as low as you'd like for last-minute. No way of knowing for sure.

[ger_77]

I'm sorry I don't have an answer to your question Alohadad, but I do have one for you: how do you know that some ships have more than 200 cabins still available? I'd love to know how many are open on ours, as that might give me an idea what the chances of an upgrade would be(besides slim to nil).

 

Smooth Sailing! :):):)

[airlink diva]

HAL ships are not selling out like in the past. In the past most category's would be sold out less than 60 days before sailing. Not so now, some HAL ships have more than 200 cabins open less than 60 days out. Would anyone know how close to sailing can you book a cruise and will HAL give a LARGE discount on those cabins?. "E" tickets might be a great thing for last minute cruises.

 

I work for a regional airline and I receive weekly e-mails from a well known interline travel agency (they primary deal with airline employees). They offer "pack and go" cruises. These are cruises that leave in less than two weeks (normally within a week) that offer some rock bottom rates.

Often these cabins are inside or outside. You have to book them asap.

They are good if you are very flexible and can get to the port right away. The people that I know that primary take advantage of the rates are part-timers who swap shifts,someone who had vacation time with no plans or retirees.

There are a few online agencies and travel agents that also offer these. Often they are e-mails or calls sent to people who live close to port areas and can take advantage of this. On my cruise in May, I sailed out of New Orleans. There were quite a few people that were from New Orleans or close by that took advantage of huge discount rates on our sailing. They were booking them five days until sailing.

If you live a good distance from a port, the savings is not worth it, esp if you are booking last minute airfare.

 

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Now playing: Kirk Whalum - Groverworked & Underpaid

via FoxyTunes

[alohadad]

I'm sorry I don't have an answer to your question Alohadad, but I do have one for you: how do you know that some ships have more than 200 cabins still available? I'd love to know how many are open on ours, as that might give me an idea what the chances of an upgrade would be(besides slim to nil).

 

Smooth Sailing! :):):)

 

Tell me your sailing date and ship and give me a hour or two...

[Aunty Pat]

I’ve been keeping track of the availability of cabins for my clients wanting to cruise to Alaska and on my upcoming September 6 cruise (now wait list only). There may be space left 60 days out but by 30 days out there are very few cabins left (usually suites) and if cabins can be waitlisted it’s at full fare. So it looks like if you are bargain shopping if you haven’t booked 12 to 9 months out, 60 days out is the time to jump. This also gives you time to avoid the last minute airfares.

Aunty Pat

 

Barefoot Windjammer - Phantom ‘81

K&D German Rhine Line ‘84

NCL - Norway ’85, Pride of America ’05, Southward ’87, Star ’97 & ‘05, Starward ’92, Sun ’02 & Windward ’93

RCC - Song of America ‘89

American Hawaiian - Independence ‘98

HAL - Volendam ’99, Noordam ’06, Oosterdam ’07 & ‘09, Statendam ’02 & ‘08, Prinsendam ’03 & ’06, & Zuiderdam ’04, ’06 & ‘07

Carnival - Spirit ‘05

Celebrity – Summit ‘05

Cruise West - Yorktown Clipper ‘06

Princess - Golden Princess ‘07

A & K - East Queen ‘07

Cunard - QM2 ’08

Pending Cruises:

HAL – Westerdam, September 6, 2009

Oceania – Insignia, June 17, 2010

[ger_77]

Tell me your sailing date and ship and give me a hour or two...

 

MS Rotterdam, Oct 3 from Athens.

 

Should I time you (tick, tick, tick) ? :p

 

Smooth Sailing! :):):)

[Jemima]

Are you counting up available cabins shown on one of the TA websites? If so, they are showing cabins that haven't been specifically booked and not guarantees. Also, they usually don't show more than six cabins per category.

You would either have to know the total number of cabin bookings, both specific and guarantee OR the actual number of empty cabins after all guarantees were assigned. HAL doesn't give out that information.

[pipedreams62]

Is Christmas/ New Years cruises. I can't believe how cheap they are. This was always a primo time and the price never dropped. It's a whole different story this year. My Holiday cruise has dropped three times since I booked. (good for me though)

[Topsham]

Tell me your sailing date and ship and give me a hour or two...

 

 

How about VOLENDAM from YVR on 16th September?

 

Tks.

[Himself]

I did B2B on the Volendam in June and on both cruises (June 10-17 and June 17-24) the ship was full.

[chloes nana]

Tell me your sailing date and ship and give me a hour or two...

how about the Noordam for the 8/27 sailing for Mediterranean 20 days? I still don't have a cabin assignment. Any help there? thanks;)

[alohadad]

MS Rotterdam, Oct 3 from Athens.

 

Should I time you (tick, tick, tick) ? :p

 

Smooth Sailing! :):):)

 

TIME IS UP; 103 outside + 3 penthouse = 105 as of 8:00pm PST

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I’ve been keeping track of the availability of cabins for my clients wanting to cruise to Alaska and on my upcoming September 6 cruise (now wait list only). There may be space left 60 days out but by 30 days out there are very few cabins left (usually suites) and if cabins can be waitlisted it’s at full fare. So it looks like if you are bargain shopping if you haven’t booked 12 to 9 months out, 60 days out is the time to jump. This also gives you time to avoid the last minute airfares.

 

 

Aunty Pat

I agree with Aunty Pat and disagree with the OP especially HAL ships. While granted Alaska did not sell out as early as in past years they certainly do not have any cabins left. At the 30 day mark all the HAL ships have been totally full, same with Princess. about the only cruiseline that you might find an inside cabin 3 weeks out is NCL at least for Alaska.

Now the little 3 and 4 day cruises (HAL does not do those) if you do not care what cabin category you want you can pretty much get on one of the 3 days in advance but it is either a Inside and or a Pent House :D You just never know.

This summer HAL and Princess has sold very well and you could not grab one of their cruises unless you were at least 5 weeks out. Now granted in past years it was more like 8 weeks but certainly going out with any empty cabins where you could get a great last minute deal.

[alcpa1]

I am new to HAL but not cruising so it is very surprising that on our 11/29 Ryndam sailing the penthouse and a number of the suites are still available. We have been sailing on Celebrity for the most part and I will chalk it up to the economic times because I have never been on a ship in thirty years with the penthouse available with a little over 90 days to go.

I know you cannot tell how many open cabins there are from the web sites but available suites are a definite clue.

I checked the HAL sale today to see if our fare was on sale and nada. I will certainly keep on looking.

[ger_77]

TIME IS UP; 103 outside + 3 penthouse = 105 as of 8:00pm PST

 

You rock! There's still a chance we'll be upgraded to a penthouse :D.

 

I don't know how you did it, but it's interesting news. We've still got 49 days till we sail, so who knows where we'll be on the ship. Thanks for the info.

 

Smooth Sailing! :):):)

[Sharon in AZ]

You rock! There's still a chance we'll be upgraded to a penthouse :D.

 

I don't know how you did it, but it's interesting news. We've still got 49 days till we sail, so who knows where we'll be on the ship. Thanks for the info.

 

Smooth Sailing! :):):)

 

Probably not the penthouse suite. We have sailed a full ship and the penthouse suite was empty. We were close by in a suite and one day were offered a tour of the penthouse suite, which was unoccupied. Really enjoyed seeing how the good life lives even though I thought I was already living the good life in a suite.

[ger_77]

Probably not the penthouse suite.

 

What was that sound? Oh right, my bubble being burst. :( I can always dream.

 

Thanks again Alohadad, it's nice to know there'll be a bunch of us onboard; nothing worse than a half-empty ship!

 

Smooth Sailing! :):):)

[YXU AC*SE]

Not to diminish from Alohadad's effort, but what he has counted are cabins that remain unassigned (eg are still bookable out of inventory) prior to sail date. How may customers are booked, sitting as guarantees, and are awaiting their cabin assignments? It's a little like going into a seat map of an airline booking site and trying to predict how many pax are going to actually be on the plane when you board.

 

Scott.

[alohadad]

Not to diminish from Alohadad's effort, but what he has counted are cabins that remain unassigned (eg are still bookable out of inventory) prior to sail date. How may customers are booked, sitting as guarantees, and are awaiting their cabin assignments? It's a little like going into a seat map of an airline booking site and trying to predict how many pax are going to actually be on the plane when you board.

 

Scott.

 

I really don't and I can't say how I' am able to get ships inventory. I did this once for someone here tonight and that's the last time I will talk about it. Cheers Alohadad

[Tamaracboy]

HAL ships are not selling out like in the past. In the past most category's would be sold out less than 60 days before sailing. Not so now, some HAL ships have more than 200 cabins open less than 60 days out. Would anyone know how close to sailing can you book a cruise and will HAL give a LARGE discount on those cabins?. "E" tickets might be a great thing for last minute cruises.

 

OP Aloha,

 

The answer to your original question about how late you can book is even as close as 90 minutes before sailing. :cool:

But for practical reasons make that 2 hours.

If you book directly with the cruise ship line and can be at the port 90 minutes before sailing.

Do Not try to just show up at the port and get on without having a PAID booking and confirmation No..

No passenger access is allowed during the final hour due to Homeland Security and the manifest being closed.

[Candy]

Tell me your sailing date and ship and give me a hour or two...

 

How about PH, SA, SB, SC on Zuidy October 14 Panama Canal?

 

TIA

Candy

[brucory]

"E" tickets might be a great thing for last minute cruises.

 

I was under the impression that this was the way ticketing is now managed by HAL for most of their bookings...

 

:D:D:D

[Nasmas]

I keep reading about how bad the recession is affecting the travel industry, and the great bargains to be had but personally, I've not found any of those great bargains. We went to New Orleans in May and we certainly didn't get any great deal. The flight was expensive and so was the room. The cost of dining in New Orleans has shot thru the roof since we were last there. We've booked a cruise in October and the prices we've gotten for airfare, cruise and a room the night before are still very expensive. Everytime before when we tried to wait til last minute, we were disappointed. I'm sure there are bargains there if you're not really picky about when & where you go.

[Bakincakes]

Friends of ours just returned from NO(business trip) and found the same.

 

NO is trying to make up for lost time, it seems.

 

I haven't traveled to NO in years. I would rather spend my money elsewhere.