My wife and I put $1200 down in August, 2010 for an Alaska cruise in May of this year. A week or so before we were to pay the balance of the cruise, some $7K, we received some paperwork from Holland America and when I looked thru the flight schedules, I realized they had made our flights from Michigan to Vancouver with but a little over 30 minutes between two of the connections, both going and coming. We immediately contacted our travel agent who contacted HAL and they said they would change the flights but wanted $50 per person to do so. I couldn't believe they would book flights with so close departures in the first place, given the on-time rates of airlines or the fact that you usually need to go from one terminal to another in airports like Detroit, but the fact that they wanted to jab us for $100 to make the change on a computer was, to us, an inkling of what might be in store for us if we continued with HAL. We told our travel agent to cancel the whole thing and we received our $1200 deposit back, but this has left us with a sour disposition toward HAL. They apparently just tapped out the reservations without anyone actually looking at them and sent them to us with a take it or leave it attitude. That's the part that distresses us about this cruise line.
We cancelled before the 75 days prior to departure so we got our money back. A lesson to the wise: make sure you look at what the cruise line prepares for you before you pay the balance due and preferably with enough lead time so you can get it ALL back. And, the other thing is to probably think twice before you book with Holland America. Their attitude leaves alot to be desired.
I would say it is always best to book your own flights, because sometimes you can get better rates.
I would say it is always best to book your own flights, because sometimes you can get better rates.
I always say it is better never to say "always"!
What is always the best idea is to have a good full service Travel Agent go over it carefully for you and compare all the options. Cruise/air has a bad reputation, but sometimes it can work very well and be a very good price. Booking independently gives you control and freedom and often, but not "always", a good price. Another option a TA has is to book through a "consolidator" which frequently is the very best price of all.
But 'tiz a puzzlement sorting through it all. A good TA is trained to do just that and has the resources in more powerful programs than are available online.
The other thing is that a good TA will explain things to you and let you know the ins and outs. If the OP had been booked by a good TA, they would have been aware of exactly the terms they were complaining about and known the choices. Apparently they were not.
I leave this week for Canada/New England and I took HAL's package, so I will have to return here and give my feedback.
They are suppose to take care of everything. At least on paper, their arrangements look great. Leave at 10 Am and change once, arrive in Montreal and stay at the Hyatt. Ship leaves the next day.
I'm back and everything worked great. The cruiseline took care of everything as promised. So I can recommend taking cruise air and hotels.
Since the ship couldn't get into port...high water made a bridge impassable, it worked best that I had the total package.
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PAST TRIPS= Enchanted Capri
Carnival: Inspiration, Legend, Valor, Destiny, Holiday, Triumph, Splendor, Fantasy
HAL: Maasdam twice, Statendam, Oosterdam
I had a similar experience with Princess in 2009. I had to cancel due to an unexpected surgery. Princess would not refund my $1200.00 deposit or any part of it.
I had a similar experience with Princess in 2009. I had to cancel due to an unexpected surgery. Princess would not refund my $1200.00 deposit or any part of it.
Absolutely right. That is exactly what their contract states. You have my sympathy on the surgery, but that does not void the contract.
Unexpected occurrences like that are precisely what cruise insurance is for. If you chose not to buy insurance, then it is your bad, not any fault of Princess.
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