HELP - Upgraded to worse cabin - best course of action?

[vagporto]

Hi dear HAL veterans,

 

I am embarking tomorrow on the Volendam (Inside Passage) on my first cruise. I specifically booked my cabin (3347) because I wanted an inside on promenade deck, midship, not close to elevators, without galleys or promenade above me.

 

When I checked tonight at a Vancouver hotel (after a transatlantic and a trans-USA flights) I received an email from HAL stating that I was moved to cabin 2547 (OV, but the exact opposite of what I wanted when I booked). I fired an email to HAL-reservations saying that I will not accept the change, but have not heard back from them.

 

I did not book a guarantee fare, but a specific cabin. Can they bump me into another one that no one wants, and sell my cabin to someone else? Is this common HAL guest service? I intend to raise hell tomorrow at Canada Place, but do you guys have any suggestion of an email I can use to complain through a more efficient channel?

 

My first cruising experience is not starting as expected, and HAL is starting on the wrong foot to me.

 

Vasco

[kazu]

Hi dear HAL veterans,

 

I am embarking tomorrow on the Volendam (Inside Passage) on my first cruise. I specifically booked my cabin (3347) because I wanted an inside on promenade deck, midship, not close to elevators, without galleys or promenade above me.

 

When I checked tonight at a Vancouver hotel (after a transatlantic and a trans-USA flights) I received an email from HAL stating that I was moved to cabin 2547 (OV, but the exact opposite of what I wanted when I booked). I fired an email to HAL-reservations saying that I will not accept the change, but have not heard back from them.

 

I did not book a guarantee fare, but a specific cabin. Can they bump me into another one that no one wants, and sell my cabin to someone else? Is this common HAL guest service? I intend to raise hell tomorrow at Canada Place, but do you guys have any suggestion of an email I can use to complain through a more efficient channel?

 

My first cruising experience is not starting as expected, and HAL is starting on the wrong foot to me.

 

Vasco

 

If you didn't mark your cabin "no upgrade", then yes, they can upgrade you. You might not like the location but it is an upgrade.

 

Did you book with HAL or through a TA or PCC?

 

The ship is probably full now, but on the off chance it's not - how about a call to HAL (if you can use the toll free number) and inquire if it can be changed. Sometimes you get more with honey than with venom, so I would be polite but firm.

 

Know when you email or call, that unless you said "no upgrade", they have not technically done anything wrong and go for trying to get it resolved.

[SilvertoGold]

Agree with Kazu.

 

Sorry for your disappointment!

 

I would get onto my TA very quickly about this! You never know.

[Roz]

Raising hell at Canada Place probably isn't going to get you anywhere, except to make you look foolish. The people who process you at boarding have nothing to do with cabin assignments.

 

Roz

[SilvertoGold]

Raising hell at Canada Place probably isn't going to get you anywhere, except to make you look foolish. The people who process you at boarding have nothing to do with cabin assignments.

 

Roz

 

Right, absolutely.

 

If the TA can't do anything, the OP could ask at the Front Desk if there is anything more amenable available.

[solocanadian]

Right, absolutely.

 

If the TA can't do anything, the OP could ask at the Front Desk if there is anything more amenable available.

 

They won't be able to anything at the Front Desk until 1/2 an hour after the ship has sailed from Canada Place. The Front Desk has to check with Seattle.

Suggest you go to Front Desk after your board and ask them to check with Seattle after the ship has sailed. Only Seattle will know the inventory on what cabins will be available.

If I were you I'd graciously accept the upgrade. The Inside passage has pretty calm waters so you won't have to worry about motion in the OV cabin. I'd ask your cabin steward to separate the beds so that you have a good view out the window. I've had 7 cruises to Alaska with Hal.:)Do enjoy your cruise. The Volendam is a great ship.

[vagporto]

Thanks for your input... I was on the phone with HAL (Seattle, I assume), and they blamed the TA for saying I was ok with an upgrade (it is a +9hr difference to my TA office, so no help with them sorting this out with the TA. I cannot understand the logic of automatic upgrades, because I had the option of a GTY for less money than what I paid...

 

Anyway, I will follow your advice, leave the check-in people alone, and head to the front desk and request a change.

[sail7seas]

While I understand your TA can't do much for you at this point given the time difference, I most assuredly would do the 'raising your anger' with her. She knew you wanted that specific cabin and should have been careful to check the 'do not upgrade' box. If what Seattle rep told you is accurate, she is the one who did not look after you.

 

[StartrainDD]

Of your list, the only thing is it is close to an elevator. We find that to be a benefit. We never heard (in the cabin) any noise from the elevator or elevator lobby area.

 

2547 is under another cabin, not a galley or showroom.

 

Try it, you just might enjoy having that starboard window on the Alaska cruise!

[Vict0riann]

We're going to be on the Volendam on June 10. I booked a specific stateroom on a specific deck to be near DH's sister and her DH, and at the time (I booked with a HAL phone rep) we agreed we would not want to move. I've already had an upsell offer from HAL and so I'm wondering if more people are requesting the LP deck than they have staterooms! Hope we do not get moved, too.

[dcsam]

I agree... You might just enjoy having the outside. I know you booked a specific cabin, but personally, I'd be thrilled with that upgrade. Regardless - as others have said, be kind with the people at checkin and at the front desk, and don't 'raise hell'. There is very little they can do, and I just hate it when people take their frustrations out on them. On an Azamara cruise, we kindly asked the front desk about the possibility of a paid upgrade to a balcony (we booked an outside). We had to wait until the ship was underway, but there was a 'no-show', and we gladly paid the difference.

Enjoy the cruise.

[frankc98376]

Shouldn't be a noisy cabin. No jogging signs are on the Promenade above. If this is your first time to Alaska (or even your 10th) having a window is wonderful- so much to see the entire cruise.

[summer slope]

After your post I contacted my TA to make sure my booking for next year was marked no upgrade. Thank you for your post and I hope everything works out great for you.

[the2ofus]

A note of caution to VictOrianne....make sure the people with whom your reservation is linked have marked their reservation as Do Not Upgrade. Even if you have done so, you could be "upgraded" to keep your cabin locations together. It happened to us, and we all ended up in a very noisy location after carefully selecting one we knew we'd enjoy.

[Vict0riann]

A note of caution to VictOrianne....make sure the people with whom your reservation is linked have marked their reservation as Do Not Upgrade. Even if you have done so, you could be "upgraded" to keep your cabin locations together. It happened to us, and we all ended up in a very noisy location after carefully selecting one we knew we'd enjoy.

 

That's so funny.:D We're planning to surprise them! Who knows what will happen...

[Krazy Kruizers]

JMO -- but I like the fact that you now have a window -- no obstructed views.

Try it -- you may like it.

[trident one]

If you can only sleep in total darkness I can see why you would be upset, otherwise I do not understand why you would prefer an inside when you could have views of Alaska. It is such a scenic cruise. Motion wise I don't think the ride will be any different in either cabin, and the OV maybe a tad larger.

 

For me it has to be a balcony, doesn't. matter if it is forward, amidships, aft or whether it is warm or cold under the Lido or above the stage. The view is what it is all about.

[RuthC]

I certainly understand you wanting to be returned to "your" chosen cabin 3347 (love that location), rather than the one you were "upgraded" to. I wouldn't consider it an upgrade, either.

 

I'm not so sure that nothing can be done at this point. Since you were given another cabin, the people now assigned to "your" 3347 have also had a recent switch. They have no particular bond with "your" cabin.

I would tell my TA that I want "my" cabin back, and HAL should just give the people recently assigned to it the new assignment of 2547---your "upgrade". In other words, just switch the two parties in the involved cabins. There's no need to go looking for vacancies.

 

They may be thrilled at the chance to move down to the outside on Main Deck.

[qsuzi]

I certainly understand you wanting to be returned to "your" chosen cabin 3347 (love that location), rather than the one you were "upgraded" to. I wouldn't consider it an upgrade, either.

 

I'm not so sure that nothing can be done at this point. Since you were given another cabin, the people now assigned to "your" 3347 have also had a recent switch. They have no particular bond with "your" cabin.

I would tell my TA that I want "my" cabin back, and HAL should just give the people recently assigned to it the new assignment of 2547---your "upgrade". In other words, just switch the two parties in the involved cabins. There's no need to go looking for vacancies.

 

They may be thrilled at the chance to move down to the outside on Main Deck.

What a thoughtful post and good suggestion!

[Homosassa]

Shouldn't be a noisy cabin. No jogging signs are on the Promenade above.

 

I wouldn't count on not hearing noise from the promenade above you. Deck chairs will be stacked in the evening and moved back VERY early in the morning. And although there are no jogging signs, very early risers will often be moving said deck chairs around the deck.

 

In addition, for ports where you are tied up on your side or where the tenders leave from that side, you will definitely hear noise from outside.

[Itasca]

I certainly hope you can resolve your concerns, but if one of them was minimizing possible motion of the ship let me assure you that this itinerary is more like river cruising.

I have used this cruise to introduce non-cruising family members to the joys of Alaskan cruising several times with great success.

If you're a scenery buff, let me suggest the Tracy Arm and Misty Fjords excursions.

[RuthC]

Shouldn't be a noisy cabin. No jogging signs are on the Promenade above.

The way some people walk, one would think they are stomping grapes.

Even walkers can make a lot of noise above when you're trying to sleep.

[cruz chic]

I wouldn't count on not hearing noise from the promenade above you. Deck chairs will be stacked in the evening and moved back VERY early in the morning. And although there are no jogging signs, very early risers will often be moving said deck chairs around the deck.

 

In addition, for ports where you are tied up on your side or where the tenders leave from that side, you will definitely hear noise from outside.

 

I've never seen those chairs stacked.

[SilvertoGold]

I've never seen those chairs stacked.

 

 

I've seen them stacked and moved several times when the weather forecast is for wind and high seas.

[frankc98376]

I've seen them stacked and moved several times when the weather forecast is for wind and high seas.

 

Stormy seas are highly unlikely on an inside passage out of Vancouver- possibly rough out of Seattle but cruises out of Vancouver tend to be more like a river cruise.