Collector's cruise cabin assignment

[tacrum43]

Just an update...I finally got around to calling the travel agency I booked with today. They checked with HAL, and HAL apparently said "No" to letting me have a specific cabin in my category. The agent said they told him that all rooms are guarantees for that cruise (Aug 26, 2013 22-day Collectors).

 

I find it hard to believe they won't release any specific cabins for anybody doing the 22 day Collectors cruise, especially since other posters here have said they've gotten HAL to do it on other Collectors cruises. I prefer having an assigned cabin as both times I've previously had a guarantee (though this was on Princess) I still got the same category I booked, and couldn't choose the location.

 

It's irritating, but I guess that's what I have to put up with to get the cheaper cruise. Booking it as two 11-day cruises is 1.5 times as much. The agent told me to try calling again in a month or two and see if HAL would change their minds.

[RuthC]

Just an update...I finally got around to calling the travel agency I booked with today. They checked with HAL, and HAL apparently said "No" to letting me have a specific cabin in my category. The agent said they told him that all rooms are guarantees for that cruise (Aug 26, 2013 22-day Collectors).

That's a shame, and makes absolutely no sense to me. You want to purchase a cabin. Wonder how they would feel about it if you said "Then all right. But I want to sail in that cabin, and since you won't sell it to me, I'll have to look elsewhere".

 

I fell into a similar situation last May. I wanted a Collector's Cruise, and could not get my favorite cabin. I didn't check, and didn't realize until later, that "my" cabin was available if I purchased it as two separate cruises. :rolleyes:

So, I took a cabin one category lower, and it has turned out to be a better choice than the one I originally wanted. From now on I go for that one! HAL has lost a potential sale on a higher category cabin from here on out just because of that incident.

 

Maybe, just maybe, if you find a category that is selling specific cabins for the full cruise you'll find a better choice, too!

[rkacruiser]

tacrum43,

 

Did your agent actually check to see if there was a particular cabin in your desired category available on both of the two cruises? Or did the agent take HAL's word for it?

 

If the agent told you to call HAL in a month or so, it sounds to me that the agent is making you do the work that he/she should be doing.

[Aruba]

I fell into a similar situation last May. I wanted a Collector's Cruise, and could not get my favorite cabin. I didn't check, and didn't realize until later, that "my" cabin was available if I purchased it as two separate cruises. :rolleyes:

What is your favorite cabin Ruth?

[RuthC]

What is your favorite cabin Ruth?

On the S-ships (which that cruise was on), it was a J-category on Lower Promenade, just aft of the atrium. It's a large inside, very convenient to the great outdoors, and easy to get to/from muster drill when walking is problematic. It was handy to sit outside, yet go back to the cabin easily when necessary.

The downside of that cabin is that it's always at least a little trek out of the way to an elevator. Backtracking is a constant.

 

I found a K-category on Main Deck. It's one of those "sideways" cabins, which are larger even than the J-cabins. It's right next to the forward elevator bank, so I save those extra steps every time I go to/from the cabin. Over the course of a cruise, those extra steps add up, and are not pleasant.

The downside of this cabin is that it is a little tougher getting back from muster, since there's a long wait for the elevator.

 

I chose waiting after muster over constant backtracking. And I've booked the same "new favorite" on the Maasdam next year.

[serendipity1499]

Honestly don't think it makes any difference if it's advertised as a Collectors cruise, a Grand cruise or two cruises together..

We're booked on the 68 day Prinsendam Grand Cruise in Jan..It's actually two cruises a 36 day & a 32 day..By booking it as one cruise the HAL price is about a 13% saving over the brochure price & by booking with our Travel Agent into a group allotment we saved much more over the HAL brochure price for the 68 day cruise..

We're also receiving Prepaid Hotel Service charges, a generous ship board credit from HAL for booking before May 15 & within 60 days of disembarking the Nieuw Amsterdam..Also receiving luggage pickup service from & to our home, a tour from our TA in one of the ports as well as a discount from the Agt on our Insurance..OOPS almost forgot our $250 OBC for owning Carnival stock..

All in all we saved about 21% over & above Hal's initial brochure price for two cruises by booking through our Agent..Also by paying in full by May 31 of this year we saved an additional 2 1/2%..I love to save $$$..:):)LOL

I couldn't care less if it's called a Collectors Cruise or a Grand Cruise..

We're also booked on a 21 day Collectors Cruise on the Noordam this Nov... Haven't figured out what that saving is, but on that one we received a VF from HAL on a special sale even though we paid for an outside cabin..:)

We have our confirmed cabin Numbers for both cruises..

Cheers...:)Betty

[kazu]

Just an update...I finally got around to calling the travel agency I booked with today. They checked with HAL, and HAL apparently said "No" to letting me have a specific cabin in my category. The agent said they told him that all rooms are guarantees for that cruise (Aug 26, 2013 22-day Collectors).

 

I find it hard to believe they won't release any specific cabins for anybody doing the 22 day Collectors cruise, especially since other posters here have said they've gotten HAL to do it on other Collectors cruises. I prefer having an assigned cabin as both times I've previously had a guarantee (though this was on Princess) I still got the same category I booked, and couldn't choose the location.

 

It's irritating, but I guess that's what I have to put up with to get the cheaper cruise. Booking it as two 11-day cruises is 1.5 times as much. The agent told me to try calling again in a month or two and see if HAL would change their minds.

 

That is a real shame IMO:) Collectors should have first choice - not last - each time someone books a cabin your choice goes down.:(

 

I'm very lucky then as my TA had them pull cabins out of inventory for me (2 months later they were on the HAL website but my cabin most likely may not have been there).

 

It makes no sense to me why someone booking a segment can get a cabin and someone booking for many more days cannot.

 

Wondering if you TA really did their job, cares or just doesn't know how to approach HAL?

 

Here's a suggestion - call HAL - pretend it's a new booking (don't give them your name) and when they tell you it's a guarantee - tell them you don't like that - see if they offer to pull it out of inventory. And if you get someone who's obviously unco-operative call back.

 

that way you will know. :D Otherwise it's a huge disappointment IMO:eek: and not a good way to treat someone who's going to be on the ship longer than someone else who CAN choose a cabin:rolleyes:

[bloofer]

I am doing a 21-day collectors cruise on the Noordam in March 2013. I booked it in late January 2012 and had no problem getting exactly the stateroom (stern) that I wanted. I was concerned that I might have to change staterooms on the "between" day. Thankfully, I don't have to. :):)

[Aruba]

I found a K-category on Main Deck. It's one of those "sideways" cabins, which are larger even than the J-cabins. And I've booked the same "new favorite" on the Maasdam next year.

I know those cabins -- I have one booked on Ryndam in October!:)

[tacrum43]

tacrum43,

 

Did your agent actually check to see if there was a particular cabin in your desired category available on both of the two cruises? Or did the agent take HAL's word for it?

 

If the agent told you to call HAL in a month or so, it sounds to me that the agent is making you do the work that he/she should be doing.

 

Yes, he did call (or at least he said he did). I don't have a real cruise travel agent at the moment (the one my family used for years retired), so it's through an online agency. I'm sure there is better service to be had out there.

 

I did check for a specific cabin online before I called (by starting a new dummy booking) to see if it was available on both segments, and it was when you book the cruises separately. I gave him a specific cabin number to request from HAL.

 

Oh well, maybe we'll get a free upgrade this way. It's a VF guarantee on the Noordam. I was hoping to avoid the VF's that have the small balcony. I wouldn't mind having a VF on the deck with the steel railing, and I was trying to book a specific cabin on that deck. Still not that big of a deal, and not big enough to pay an extra $800 to get a VD guarantee.

 

Since I live in Seattle, maybe I should go knock on HAL's front door and demand answers. :)

[tacrum43]

That's a shame, and makes absolutely no sense to me. You want to purchase a cabin. Wonder how they would feel about it if you said "Then all right. But I want to sail in that cabin, and since you won't sell it to me, I'll have to look elsewhere".

 

I fell into a similar situation last May. I wanted a Collector's Cruise, and could not get my favorite cabin. I didn't check, and didn't realize until later, that "my" cabin was available if I purchased it as two separate cruises. :rolleyes:

So, I took a cabin one category lower, and it has turned out to be a better choice than the one I originally wanted. From now on I go for that one! HAL has lost a potential sale on a higher category cabin from here on out just because of that incident.

 

Maybe, just maybe, if you find a category that is selling specific cabins for the full cruise you'll find a better choice, too!

 

I agree that it's probably not in their best interest business-wise, but I guess it must work or else they wouldn't be doing it.

 

I did look at other cabin categories, and they are ALL guarantees. This is the 22-day 8/26/13 cruise on the Noordam...if anybody can find a bookable specific cabin on that cruise, I'd be interested to know.

 

Glad you found a new favorite cabin that works for you, Ruth.