Collector's cruise cabin assignment

[tacrum43]

I recently booked a Collectors cruise on the Noordam 8/26/13 which is two 11 day cruises back to back (looking forward to this a lot). But anyway, is it normal to not be able to book a specific cabin this far out? It's over a year away! I checked for every category of balcony cabin and it would only give me a guarantee, so I booked it for VF. I checked and if you buy the two cruises individually (which costs more), you can get an assigned cabin.

[kazu]

I recently booked a Collectors cruise on the Noordam 8/26/13 which is two 11 day cruises back to back (looking forward to this a lot). But anyway, is it normal to not be able to book a specific cabin this far out? It's over a year away! I checked for every category of balcony cabin and it would only give me a guarantee, so I booked it for VF. I checked and if you buy the two cruises individually (which costs more), you can get an assigned cabin.

 

This happened to us on our collectors' cruise as well. I had a TA so I asked her and she had HAL pull cabins out of their inventory. If you booked directly with HAL call them and tell them you would like to choose a cabin. They will most likely pull some out of inventory for you.

[Krazy Kruizers]

This is where you need to have a good TA.

Many times we book Collectors cruises over 1 1/2 years out. We are not able to book the cruises as a Collector Cruise. We have to book each cruise separately -- thus we have 2 booking numbers -- but we get the cabin we want.

My TA and I keep watching for when HAL will make the cruises a Collectors Cruise -- usually about 8 or 9 months out from the sailing. Then she calls HAL and gets them combined -- and we get a little bit of a savings.

[tacrum43]

This happened to us on our collectors' cruise as well. I had a TA so I asked her and she had HAL pull cabins out of their inventory. If you booked directly with HAL call them and tell them you would like to choose a cabin. They will most likely pull some out of inventory for you.

 

Interesting. Thank you for sharing your experience with this. I booked through Costco Travel as they were offering $640 onboard credit with a VF cabin, so I will try calling them about it. I'd like to avoid the deck with the smaller balconies if possible.

 

This is where you need to have a good TA.

 

Many times we book Collectors cruises over 1 1/2 years out. We are not able to book the cruises as a Collector Cruise. We have to book each cruise separately -- thus we have 2 booking numbers -- but we get the cabin we want.

 

My TA and I keep watching for when HAL will make the cruises a Collectors Cruise -- usually about 8 or 9 months out from the sailing. Then she calls HAL and gets them combined -- and we get a little bit of a savings.

 

Wow, that is some advanced planning. This one was already available as a Collector's cruise, so I booked it as such. Thanks for the info.

[Minoushka]

We just finished the collectors cruise which was very port intensive .it was fabulous and exhausting .plus very very very hot in July

I hope you will not be as hot

 

Re cabin do not get a cabin under lido deck I did not care for ours get sandwiched between 2 decks instead

 

Michele

[tacrum43]

We just finished the collectors cruise which was very port intensive .it was fabulous and exhausting .plus very very very hot in July

I hope you will not be as hot

 

Re cabin do not get a cabin under lido deck I did not care for ours get sandwiched between 2 decks instead

 

Michele

 

Glad to hear it was a great cruise for you. I booked it at the end of August/early September with the hope that it won't be quite as hot. I sunburn very easily. I'm also hoping there may be slightly less tourists there to compete with for space since it will be after school is back in session in most places.

 

I've had a cabin under the pool deck on other cruises before, so now I also try hard to book a room between two passengers decks. On that one cruise, the running track was above our cabin and there are apparently a lot of early morning joggers who like to cruise (not me).

[BumperII]

We have learned to keep at least one cruise booked ahead, and of late, we book our next collectors cruise while aboard a cruise. There are two big advantages. a. We only need a $100.00 pp deposit and b. The onboard cruise consultant can send a message to Seattle to get the cabin we want released from inventory. That way, the cabin is locked in by the end of the current cruise.

[PathfinderEss]

We've only been on one collector cruise and unbeknowns to us it happen after we booked the cruise. We did not find out about it until we got on board. It was a very nice surprise.

[rkacruiser]

Recently booked the final 2013 Baltic cruise aboard the Eurodam followed by the Viking Passage to New York. My travel agent was able to find a desireable cabin that was available for each of the two segments, but not shown as available for both cruises back to back. She contacted HAL and asked them to book that cabin for me for both cruises at a lower price than if the cabin was booked separately for each segment. They were willing to do this.

 

It pays to have a travel agent that knows the tricks of the trade and how to get things done to the client's advantage!

[High C's]

Sorry to butt in but I have to ask - what's a "collectors cruise"? (first time to HAL a week from Sunday, hence the newbie question :o)

[rkacruiser]

Sorry to butt in but I have to ask - what's a "collectors cruise"? (first time to HAL a week from Sunday' date=' hence the newbie question :o)[/size']

 

Two cruises that are back to back that have different itineraries. Sometimes, in the HAL brochures, these are listed as such. Sometimes, they are not and may or may not be recognized by the onboard personnel as a Collector's Cruise.

[kazu]

Sorry to butt in but I have to ask - what's a "collectors cruise"? (first time to HAL a week from Sunday' date=' hence the newbie question :o)[/size']

 

Just to add - the collectors' cruise is usually 2 different segments that can be combined - if you combine them - there is a lower price and some savings:D We're finally doing our first one - it will be kind of fun to watch those that have to get off (just doing the first segment) while we stay on (except for my friends that will be getting off that is:()

[tacrum43]

We did not find out about it until we got on board. It was a very nice surprise.

 

Sometimes, they are not and may or may not be recognized by the onboard personnel as a Collector's Cruise.

 

Is there some additional benefit/perk to it being a Collector's cruise other than it costs less than booking separately as two cruises? Just asking because I wasn't aware of any.

[Sea42]

We received a free dinner at the Pinnacle Grill and a bottle of wine from the Captain on the Nieuw Amsterdam in January.

We were invited to a cocktail reception with the Captain and a larger evening reception with various officers but I don't know if those were the result of the Collector's Cruise or not. There were invites to a lunch and a brunch but we didn't go to those.

[tacrum43]

We received a free dinner at the Pinnacle Grill and a bottle of wine from the Captain on the Nieuw Amsterdam in January.

We were invited to a cocktail reception with the Captain and a larger evening reception with various officers but I don't know if those were the result of the Collector's Cruise or not. There were invites to a lunch and a brunch but we didn't go to those.

 

Interesting. That's nice to get a free Pinnacle dinner and wine. I hope I get that with my cruise. :)

 

Anybody else get these little extra benefits with their collector's cruise in the past?

[solocanadian]

Jacqui: it will be kind of fun to watch those that have to get off (just doing the first segment) while we stay on (except for my friends that will be getting off that is:() It is a great feeling, especially if you have a view of the dock from your verandah or cabin watching people leave & then new pax arriving. San Diego is a great port for this. :D

[kazu]

Jacqui: it will be kind of fun to watch those that have to get off (just doing the first segment) while we stay on (except for my friends that will be getting off that is:() It is a great feeling, especially if you have a view of the dock from your verandah or cabin watching people leave & then new pax arriving. San Diego is a great port for this. :D

 

Never been to Tilbury port before - so I will have to wait to see what the view is like:) Always envied those that were staying on when we got off - this time it will be our turn:D

[TiogaCruiser]

Jacqui: it will be kind of fun to watch those that have to get off (just doing the first segment) while we stay on (except for my friends that will be getting off that is:() It is a great feeling, especially if you have a view of the dock from your verandah or cabin watching people leave & then new pax arriving. San Diego is a great port for this. :D

 

Don't you have to get off at least briefly so the ship can zero down?

[CruiseGal60]

Don't you have to get off at least briefly so the ship can zero down?

 

We will be doing a collectors from Ft. Lauderdale in 2013. I was told by HAL that we had to get off until the zero down. Anyone know if this is true?

[Krazy Kruizers]

We will be doing a collectors from Ft. Lauderdale in 2013. I was told by HAL that we had to get off until the zero down. Anyone know if this is true?

 

Yes -- all Intransit passengers are required to go through immigration at the end of the first cruise.

You will get a letter the last full day of the first cruise explaining where you are to meet and at what time -- usually around 9:30. You will be given an Intransit Card to show the officials along with your Passport. Then you will go to a sitting area and wait until the ship gets down to "Zero" count. Once that happens you can get back on the ship and do whatever you want.

Sometimes we have waited 20 minutes to get back on the ship -- sometimes we we have waited 1 1/2 hours.

 

Forgot -- you will also be required to attend the second lifeboat drill as well.

[Mary Ellen]

Don't you have to get off at least briefly so the ship can zero down?

This depends upon the port involved. We once did 3 in a row while in Europe, never had to get off so the ship could 'zero down'. We were at different ports for the turnaround day even. Neither HAL nor the ports/countries involved cared if we stayed on board. We know someone who did 5 in a row (they wanted to see some of Europe and they don't fly ;) ) and they didn't have to temporarily disembark at the end of any segments either. Now, if a U.S. port is involved, particularly Ft. Lauderdale, yes one is required to disembark so the ship can 'zero down'.

[TinyG]

Hi

We usually sail on Carnival, we thought of trying HAL for a chance of pace and different ports. The first cruise would end, would we then qualify for a past cruiser benefits? We are also stock holders, so I know about the OBC that I can apply for.

 

We are looking at either deck 5 (VC5139) or 6 (VB6117)in the aft section. Any good tips on VA-VB-VC. We would like the same cabin. Do they do price drops like Carnival? Thanks for any help anyone can add.

 

I have looked through the boards...so many posts:)

[RuthC]

This depends upon the port involved. We once did 3 in a row while in Europe, never had to get off so the ship could 'zero down'. ... Now, if a U.S. port is involved, particularly Ft. Lauderdale, yes one is required to disembark so the ship can 'zero down'.

That's it in a nutshell: In a US port, the ship has to zero down. In a turn-around port other than US, the ship does not have to zero down.

I have stayed aboard on any number of turn-around days, in any number of ports. They were not in the US, though.

[maxout]

Hi

We usually sail on Carnival, we thought of trying HAL for a chance of pace and different ports. The first cruise would end, would we then qualify for a past cruiser benefits? We are also stock holders, so I know about the OBC that I can apply for.

 

We are looking at either deck 5 (VC5139) or 6 (VB6117)in the aft section. Any good tips on VA-VB-VC. We would like the same cabin. Do they do price drops like Carnival? Thanks for any help anyone can add.

 

I have looked through the boards...so many posts:)

 

You would do better to post these questions in a new thread as you will get much better response.

[CruiseGal60]

Yes -- all Intransit passengers are required to go through immigration at the end of the first cruise.

 

You will get a letter the last full day of the first cruise explaining where you are to meet and at what time -- usually around 9:30. You will be given an Intransit Card to show the officials along with your Passport. Then you will go to a sitting area and wait until the ship gets down to "Zero" count. Once that happens you can get back on the ship and do whatever you want.

 

Sometimes we have waited 20 minutes to get back on the ship -- sometimes we we have waited 1 1/2 hours.

 

Forgot -- you will also be required to attend the second lifeboat drill as well.

 

Thank you. I will have to be sure to bring some reading material. With my luck it will be the 1 1/2 hour wait.