For as low as $99 per day, Holland America Line’s Standby program is their best-kept secret, allowing guests to cruise for the most affordable prices around.
It’s nearly a no-brainer to book a Standby cruise fare. But is this “steal of a deal” too good to be true? What’s the catch? While you dream of booking your next vacation using this option, we are sharing the things to be aware of before putting your credit card down.
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Overview of Holland America Line’s Standby Program
The Standby program is a unique way HAL is one of the fantastic things that makes HAL unique. It is great for people with flexible schedules who aren’t picky about where their stateroom is on a cruise ship and can travel at a moment’s notice. Though Standby has pros and cons, this revolutionary new program allows guests to sail for a fraction of the cost of a full-price cruise.
Similar to the chance that airline passengers take when they arrive at an airport to fly standby, HAL’s Standby program is a way for Holland America Line (HAL) to fill vacant cabins on fast-approaching cruises within a week of the sail date. However, unlike an airline's standby list, HAL’s standby program is less uncertain. For instance, you do not travel the the port to “cruise Standy” in hopes you might get a space — you only travel to the port once confirmed on the cruise, which you know before embarkation day.
Standby offers a variety of cruises to destinations such as Alaska, the Caribbean, Panama, Canada, and New England from major United States cruise ports.
Below, we’ll review the following:
The catch of Holland America Line's Standby program.
Read about the firsthand experience of a guest who has cruised Standby several times.
How to find the best deals for HAL if you aren't a great candidate for Standby.
What’s the Catch of the Holland America Line Standby Program?
You may be asking yourself if this is too good to be true. It's not – it's a very real option, and the cost is a steal. But here are some things to understand if you're skeptical:
The $99 or $129 per day fee (depending on if you choose an Inside or Oceanview, or Verandah room) excludes gratuities. Consider this when you book to understand the entire cruise cost for budgeting.
Standby is not offered from every port. See “how to book” for a list of the currently offered ports of embarkation.
You must be able to travel at a moment’s notice because you may not know if you’re going until two days before the cruise.
Staterooms are assigned, so you cannot get your exact preferred stateroom number compared to if you were booking a full-fare cruise, where you’re able to select the exact cabin number you want from a deck plan of available options. But being onboard is better than not being on the ship, especially if you’re not picky! However, you can select an Inside or Oceanview stateroom, or a Verandah room ahead of time. Rooms are assigned based on availability.
You need to be okay with the charge on your credit card as soon as you add yourself to the Standby List. If you are not confirmed on the cruise, HAL will refund you but it could take between four to six weeks to receive the refund. For example, this could mean that you're paying $693 for one person on the reservation for a 7-day cruise, or $1,386 for two people in an Inside stateroom for a 7-day cruise.
There is a possibility that you will not be selected for the cruise.
If selected, the cruise is non-refundable. So you must be sure you can and want to go when you sign up.
These minimal “catches” aside, the seemingly too-good-to-be-true price is truthful. And if you can get to the port at a moment’s notice, it’s a wonderful opportunity to sail for far less than if you booked ahead of time as a usual passenger.
The program is a win-win situation for HAL and guests who wouldn’t otherwise be onboard: HAL can fill vacant cabins in the weeks leading to the cruise, and guests who weren’t going to otherwise sail are rewarded with a low fare for their willingness to cruise at the last minute with a fantastic cruise line.
Who is the Standby Program Ideal For?
Ideal Standby program candidates are:
People who don’t mind uncertainty for a period of time. You may not know if you’re accepted from the Standby List until seven to two days prior to embarkation.
Individuals who live close to the key departure homeport markets where the program is offered, including Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Vancouver, and Seattle.
Individuals who don’t live near the port of embarkation or disembarkation, who don’t mind the financial or scheduling risk involved with having to book last-minute transportation to get to the port, like flights. However, HAL notes on its website that the program is intended for people who reside within driving distance from a port.
People who can make quick arrangements for others to care for their homes on short notice—pets included if need be.
Solo travelers looking for cost-effective cruise options.
An open-minded person who has a somewhat spontaneous personality.
People with work-from-anywhere remote jobs or remote capabilities. If you can work on Wi-Fi alone, consider this one of the coolest office options. Take the spotty nature of Wi-Fi on cruises into account. Thanks to technological advancements, it’s progressed from years past but, nonetheless, it’s not 100% reliable. Consider how much your day-to-day job responsibilities rely on Wi-Fi before signing up. We had good luck with HAL’s onboard Wi-Fi during our Canada and New England cruise included in the “Have It All” package. Regardless, we always travel with our favorite Wi-Fi hotspot for use in international ports.
We Always Travel with Our Solis Hotspot
WiFi on up to 10 devices
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Works in popular port cities worldwide
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Holland America Line’s Standby Program: FAQs & Additional Clarification
Here are other important things to know about Standby:
The first guest on the Standby List reservation must be 21 or older.
The price per day is per person for the first and second person in the stateroom. For example, if you're traveling solo, an inside or oceanview stateroom or verandah stateroom is $99 or $129, respectively. For two people, it's $198/$258 (inside or oceanview stateroom/verandah).
The third and fourth guests in your stateroom are free.
When you call to add your name to the Standby list, you must also add the additional guests (whether the second, third, or fourth guests) to the reservation. This ensures you can get a triple or quad cabin when you're assigned a room.
HAL's “Mariner Program” does not help you get priority for a Standby spot. Guests are added in the order in which they signed up for the Standby List.
There is no single supplement for solo travelers, whereas the usual cruise fares incure solo supplement charges. The exception to the solo supplement charge for a normal HAL cruise is if there is a special promotion going on or if you book one of the Single Staterooms on one of the three Pinnacle Class ships.
You can add on HAL's “Have It All” option if you cruise Standby. This includes a shore excursion credit, drinks package, specialty dining, and Wi-Fi. If added before the cruise, the cost is $55 per guest per day. You do not have to decide if you want to add this when making your booking. Guests are welcome to add it at any time before embarkation or while onboard. Note two things: 1) If you add it on while onboard, the price increases to $65. “Have It All” pricing is the same for all guests, regardless of the cruise fare you book, including Standby; 2) If you are more than one person in a stateroom, you must add it for both guests. “Have It All” is only available for guests 1 and 2 in a stateroom, not guest 3 and/or 4.
If you sign up for Standby for a Verandah room and no Verandah is available, you might have the option to take an Inside stateroom or Outside stateroom, if available. If you do not wish to take this option and no Verandah room is available, you can cancel. This is the ONLY way you can cancel Standby once you commit.
Booking and Confirmation Process
If you have decided this program is for you, you’re likely itching to book. Let’s dive into how you see the Standby availability and get confirmed on a cruise.
Call 877-724-5425 or contact your preferred travel advisor to get yourself on the Standby list. Have your credit card ready.
Ask the HAL representative or your travel advisor any questions you have that we haven't covered here. Share your desired Standby cruise and add yourself to the list! It's imperative to make sure that your email and phone number are accurate because that's how you'll be contacted if you get on the cruise.
Guests who get on the cruise from the Standby List are notified by phone or email within seven to two days prior to the cruise. Commitment is required; you cannot remove yourself from the list once added, and Standby is nonrefundable.
Standby Program Benefits
There are several benefits of the program for guests and HAL. It’s a symbiotic arrangement.
Benefits for Guests
Solo cruisers only pay $99 or $129 per day based on stateroom preference (Inside/Oceanview stateroom or a Verandah room, respectively). Solo Standby guests do not incur the standard single supplement for a double stateroom that is found on regular bookings.
The cost is incredibly low. For many people, it costs less money to be on a cruise than to be at home, considering the cost of groceries, utilities, gas money, and a social life. For instance, at home, if you want to see a show, you need to buy tickets to the performance. On a Holland America Line cruise, you just show up at the theater to enjoy live performances.
It gets you on the cruise! If you think, “Who cares where my room is? I’m only going to sleep there — I’ll be otherwise exploring the ship and ports,” this is for you. And who knows? You could end up with a fabulous room.
Benefits for Holland America Line
HAL can fill empty cabins last minute with the Standby program.
The program reduces the loss from last-minute cancellations.
A Happy HAL Standby List Guest Shares Her Experience and Insight
Though we haven’t had the chance to cruise Standby with HAL yet, we had the opportunity to speak with an avid HAL guest, Claudia Ellingwood. She has successfully cruised Standby several times.
What Makes Claudia an Ideal Standby Program Guest
Claudia’s location in Miami Beach, Florida, is ideal for the program because of two popular nearby ports. Port Miami is close to Miami Beach and Port Everglades, in Fort Lauderdale, is just an hour north. She is retired and, as she explained to us, has lots of time on her hands, no plans, and no schedule. She expressed that her retired lifestyle was a big factor when decided to cruise Standby for the first time. But it’s also why she loved the program and why it works for her.
As of publication, she has taken five Holland America Line cruises on Standby. Her longest cruise was 14 days, and her shortest was 10 days. As this program is relatively new and few people know about it, we inquired to ask her how she heard about it. Her answer made us smile: she and another passenger were in the ship’s sauna at the same time, and he told her about it. Who would have thought that some time in the onboard spa could be life-changing for future vacations?
She has already traveled the world and is open-minded about future cruise destinations; thus, she chooses Standby dates that work for her rather than prioritizing specific itineraries.
Firsthand Holland America Line Standby List Insight
Once confirmed on the Standby cruises she signed up for, Claudia shared that she could sign into her account on the HAL website and select excursions from what was left once she was confirmed on the cruise.
Claudia’s advice for Standby options is to “Keep checking the list and make sure you’re completely flexible. Because when you commit, you’re committing.” Holland America Line updates the Standby List quarterly.
Other Options for Holland America Line Deals if Standby Isn't For You
We understand that this program is not for everyone. If you are looking for deals outside of Standby, here are a few recommendations to make cruising on Holland America Line more affordable:
Contact our preferred travel advisors, who can help you book an ideal cruise for your budget to your ideal location.
Sign up for our newsletter. We occasionally email our subscribers if there is an awesome deal, which usually has a limited time to book. This is especially true during Wave Season.
Follow us on social media, including Instagram, Threads, Facebook, and TikTok, because if the deal has a very short window to book, we'll share the information on our social channels.
