Wondering what it "means" .... if anything!

[kcscrapper]

I was just checking our cruise as if booking anew -- checking rates, etc. I see that there are a LOT of cabins, in various categories across all levels, still available for individual room number choice. Commonly about 6 cabin choices per category! Only the SY category of the suite level shows no specific cabin choice, but is selling as a guarantee.

 

We sail December 10, 2012.

 

Do any experienced HAL sailors have insight as to what this, apparent, wide choice of cabins still available might mean?

(And, FYI, I'm not "concerned" .... I'm curious!):)

[whogo]

Early December is not a popular time to cruise. You may have many unsold cabins. It is also possible that everyone has booked a guaranty cabin and there are very few left. Only Holland America knows how the cruise is selling and they are not telling.

[Mary Ellen]

whogo is spot on.

 

You may very well have more than 6 cabins available in all categories except SY (which I think has the fewest amount of cabins anyway). Six seems to be the maximum number they'll show. As whogo said, only HAL knows how well it is selling and part of their not telling is not showing exactly how many cabins are available.

[Krazy Kruizers]

First part of December -- slack time for most cruises.

Besides the 6 cabins that they show, there is place where you can type in a cabin number of your choice.

[KirkNC]

Probably means a sale is coming ;).

[kcscrapper]

Probably means a sale is coming ;).

 

:)Figured that ... based on the fact that today is "pay in full" day!

[Typhoon1]

Plenty of availability at bargain prices.

[arzz]

My personal guess is that the number of available cabins showing can be deceiving. Many folks book guarantees which are assigned shortly before sailing. Up until then any unassigned cabin will show as available for those willing to pay the tarriff for a specific cabin number. That does not mean that there are that many empty spaces on the ship.

 

They will stop selling cabins when the requisite number of cabins have been sold.

 

Say the ship has 100 cabins total and sixty folks have reserved specific cabins while thirty folks have reserved guarantees. There are now only ten spaces available to sell, but there are, in fact, forty unassigned cabins. Since the cruise line makes more money on specific cabin assignments than on guarantees, anyone willing to pay for a specific cabin will be given the choice, if they wish, of any of the forty unassigned cabins until the ship has accepted 100 bookings. At that point sales will stop and the guarantees will be assigned.

 

This may be simplistic and I am truly not sure that it works this way exactly, but I suspect that the truth is not far from this scenario. Add to that -- HAL does not want anyone to know for sure how empty (or full) a ship might be before it is sold out, when showing available cabins they may only show a certain number in any category at any given time.

[Joy R]

I was just checking our cruise as if booking anew -- checking rates, etc. I see that there are a LOT of cabins, in various categories across all levels, still available for individual room number choice. Commonly about 6 cabin choices per category! Only the SY category of the suite level shows no specific cabin choice, but is selling as a guarantee.

 

We sail December 10, 2012.

 

Do any experienced HAL sailors have insight as to what this, apparent, wide choice of cabins still available might mean?

(And, FYI, I'm not "concerned" .... I'm curious!):)

 

Just out of interest, how do we, in the UK, find out what you have found out? We too sail on December 10th, and I would love to know how our cruise has sold. But the only information we can get from the HAL site is whether or not a certain category of cabin is sold out (and by "certain category" I mean inside, outside, balcony or full suite, it's that vague!).

[vicocala]

a lot of cabins may be showing available as different travel agencies turn in their consignment cabins.

As has been stated this allows HAL to finish off the GTY cabins.

 

I hope to hear on my GTY balcony soon. I probably should of taken a GTY on my RCI cruise too, but since I am going solo, I'd just as soon pick a cabin that meets just my requirements.

[VMax1700]

Just out of interest, how do we, in the UK, find out what you have found out? We too sail on December 10th, and I would love to know how our cruise has sold. But the only information we can get from the HAL site is whether or not a certain category of cabin is sold out (and by "certain category" I mean inside, outside, balcony or full suite, it's that vague!).

 

just do a dummy booking for your dates on the HAL site.

If you select 'Veranda Suite' it will offer you a range of cabins, or a g'tee, or you can input a particular cabin number.

[tangerinebunny]

We've been sailing the Caribbean that first week in December for a few years and have noticed that we're more likely to get an upsell/upgrade on the Westerdam than on the N.A.

[LADYLAYLA]

a lot of cabins may be showing available as different travel agencies turn in their consignment cabins.

As has been stated this allows HAL to finish off the GTY cabins.

 

I hope to hear on my GTY balcony soon. I probably should of taken a GTY on my RCI cruise too, but since I am going solo, I'd just as soon pick a cabin that meets just my requirements.

 

 

You probably wont hear about your GTY balcony until December. You may get upsell offer prior to that

[kcscrapper]

My personal guess is that the number of available cabins showing can be deceiving. Many folks book guarantees which are assigned shortly before sailing. Up until then any unassigned cabin will show as available for those willing to pay the tarriff for a specific cabin number. That does not mean that there are that many empty spaces on the ship.

 

Logical -- thanks! I was just imagining us ... rattling around a big ole' ship ... no one to talk to but each other ... :D

[sail7seas]

We've been sailing the Caribbean that first week in December for a few years and have noticed that we're more likely to get an upsell/upgrade on the Westerdam than on the N.A.

 

 

That is interesting.

Any idea why? :confused:

 

[cruising cockroach]

How about deluxe and superior verandah suites disappearing and coming back? Seen S cabins go from 4 to 1 back up to 4. SY and SSs go from 5 to 1 and then back to (at least 6). Less than 5 weeks to go. A was not offered a few days ago, and now its back with 6 cabins.

[3rdGenCunarder]

How about deluxe and superior verandah suites disappearing and coming back? Seen S cabins go from 4 to 1 back up to 4. SY and SSs go from 5 to 1 and then back to (at least 6). Less than 5 weeks to go. A was not offered a few days ago, and now its back with 6 cabins.

 

I've seen changes like that, too. I think sometimes they pull cabins from website inventory if they're having a guarantee sale. Or maybe they're starting to assign some of the guarantees. Just a guess, it's a mystery!