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Waiting for room assignment is torture :)

dznymom

By dznymom,
in Holland America Line

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dznymom

dznymom

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Sorry, just looking for sympathy as I wait for my room assignment for my cruise which is still 2 months away. I almost never book a guarantee because I am a control freak, so this is rough :) I booked through the casino, and they only do guarantees so I had no choice. I check the available rooms everyday, and I check my booking just on the off chance it is assigned early. This will be an adventure!

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SilvertoGold

SilvertoGold

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I know how it feels! 2 months out is pretty far out to start looking, though.

 

Once you get to 21 days, you can get serious and look twice a day, and at 14 days you can start looking at least 4 times a day. An adventure, for sure, and that is the best attitude to take with GUARs.

 

Good luck with the wait! Love to know how you do.

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VMax1700 "Live from...." Rare

VMax1700

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FWIW most if not all of our 9 assignments came around 19:00 to 20:00 Eastern, or just before close-of-business in Seattle. Maybe coincidence!

 

We have only done 3 guarantees and the notification email arrived each time between 6pm and 7pm local time (10 am to 11 am Seattle time). All where between 5 and 10 days from embarkation.

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dznymom

dznymom

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I know how it feels! 2 months out is pretty far out to start looking, though.

 

Once you get to 21 days, you can get serious and look twice a day, and at 14 days you can start looking at least 4 times a day. An adventure, for sure, and that is the best attitude to take with GUARs.

 

Good luck with the wait! Love to know how you do.

 

Haha, 4 times a day! You seem to know me well :D

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dznymom

dznymom

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Thanks to VMax1700 and catl331 for times to pay special attention to when sailing date gets closer!

 

Skip the torture and book specific cabin. :)

Good luck

I have never booked hrough casino so that whole deal is unfamiliar. ,

 

No worries, it is a sweet kind of torture since I have a fabulous cruise to look forward to. Booking through the casino saved me thousands, so it is well worth the gamble ;p

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DaveOKC

DaveOKC

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Don't think I want that torture, so I would never book the Casino rate.

I want to know my cabin the minute I book.

 

I get the casino rate (a 10% discount in my case) and I can select my cabin. My relative gets the casino OFFERS and they are at a crazy low rate (like $99 for an inside), but you have to take the guarantee (you can take a oceanview, veranda or Neptune guarantee for an excellent price, but it still will be a guarantee, so no selecting your cabin).

 

The crazy thing with these casino offers is that if you move up even a little bit within your category, the fare jumps up to about the normal rate. So, it is usually less expensive to take a veranda guarantee than an inside one that is one level above the lowest!

 

If I were ever to get this casino OFFER, I would just take a Neptune guarantee (my relative paid $1000 pp more to move from an Inside to a Neptune for 15 days on a Panama Canal trip - great deal IMO as it was $199 for the Inside and $1199 for the Neptune).

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dznymom

dznymom

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I get the casino rate (a 10% discount in my case) and I can select my cabin. My relative gets the casino OFFERS and they are at a crazy low rate (like $99 for an inside), but you have to take the guarantee (you can take a oceanview, veranda or Neptune guarantee for an excellent price, but it still will be a guarantee, so no selecting your cabin).

 

The crazy thing with these casino offers is that if you move up even a little bit within your category, the fare jumps up to about the normal rate. So, it is usually less expensive to take a veranda guarantee than an inside one that is one level above the lowest!

 

If I were ever to get this casino OFFER, I would just take a Neptune guarantee (my relative paid $1000 pp more to move from an Inside to a Neptune for 15 days on a Panama Canal trip - great deal IMO as it was $199 for the Inside and $1199 for the Neptune).

 

That is exactly how it works. We had the same thought process and grabbed the Neptune for a ridiculous price, and now we wait. It is exciting to see what will happen, and it is surely a no lose situation!

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DaveOKC

DaveOKC

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We booked for two months away too (Nov 11 on the NA), at a special casino rate offer. We took the Signature suite, so I'm not too worried about the location. Hoping for an upsell though to a Neptune. Love me the Neptune!

 

How much more would it have been to book a Neptune with the casino offer (than the Signature)?

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dznymom

dznymom

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We booked for two months away too (Nov 11 on the NA), at a special casino rate offer. We took the Signature suite, so I'm not too worried about the location. Hoping for an upsell though to a Neptune. Love me the Neptune!

 

Cruising on the same day :) Good luck on your Quest for a Neptune! But you can't go wrong whatever happens!

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hunt182644

hunt182644

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Also booked several months ago on the same type of offer. Doing two cruises in Dec. dirt cheap one seven day one 11 days. Decided on interior and oceanview rooms. Saved enough on these to do an overseas cruise and a flyin fishing trip in Canada in 2019. Don't really plan on spending much time in room anyway.

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  • 1 month later...
dznymom

dznymom

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I know this is a relatively old thread, but I wanted to update.  We got our stateroom assignment 2 weeks prior to the cruise via email.  It is a suite that never showed up on all of my searches, go figure :)  Anyway, I am ecstatic with the location and more excited than ever for this cruise!  The torture was well worth the outcome and all the money we saved.  I would do it again!

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Djptcp

Djptcp

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We booked a Neptune Suite today with an unbelievable casino rate, but all bookings through this great offer are guarantees, no choice in the matter. After 47 cruises, we have only booked 2 guarantees because they were last minute and didn't have long to wait for assignments. This will be a 2.5 month wait. We have booked Neptune Suites before (4 of them) at great casino rates, but were able to book specific cabins. I asked the HAL rep when we would find out our assignment and she said within 7 days of embarkation. 

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*Miss G* Great Review Rare

*Miss G*

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12 minutes ago, Djptcp said:

We booked a Neptune Suite today with an unbelievable casino rate, but all bookings through this great offer are guarantees, no choice in the matter. After 47 cruises, we have only booked 2 guarantees because they were last minute and didn't have long to wait for assignments. This will be a 2.5 month wait. We have booked Neptune Suites before (4 of them) at great casino rates, but were able to book specific cabins. I asked the HAL rep when we would find out our assignment and she said within 7 days of embarkation. 

 

Do your casino rate offers come through emails or do you find them when you log in?

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DaveOKC

DaveOKC

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10 hours ago, *Miss G* said:

 

Do your casino rate offers come through emails or do you find them when you log in?

 

As I understand it, the best casino deals (offers) come via email and direct mail.  The casino rate deals are not as good and you find them through your TA or trying to book online.  The casino rate deals are % discounts on your fare and you can book any cabin and get the rate.  The casino offers are generally only for guarantees and are for the lowest level in the category that you want (inside, oceanview, balcony, etc.) - if you try to book a slightly higher level cabin within the category (even as a guarantee) your fare jumps dramatically.

 

IMO, if you get a casino offer, spend a bit more and pick a higher category.

Edited by DaveOKC
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a.madruga

a.madruga

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We believe that if one chooses a cabin choice, inside, outside, veranda or suite. They  should know that is what they are getting or a slight chance of upgrading or upsell later on.

What we've learn to do is choose one we are content with. OBC and cruise choice also play a factor.

Good luck to you and all who choose to go in this direction

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