Guaranteed room assignments

[DocJohnB]

First, the search function on this site is miserable and I have indeed tried the "search" function.

 

Second, as can be seen, I am not a newbie here on cruise critic - but I still think the search function is miserable.

 

So now, the question.  What is the current feeling amongst posters as to when "guaranteed" cabin assignments will be made by HAL.  I have a "guaranteed" inside cabin and leave in 12 days on the Zaandam.  On Saturday, I received the "Your cruise documents are now ready" email, but no cabin assignment, ergo, no luggage tag availability.  Hopefully, not pier side.

 

 

Thoughts would be appreciated.

[catl331]

We received 7 of our 9 gty assignments at 11 or 10 days out, and the closest one at 3 days out, so you will probably get yours in the next few days. You can print your bag tags without the room number and just write it in with a Sharpie when you learn it.  Or you can just get tags from a porter at the pier.

 

[CruiserBruce]

Any time up to boarding.

[sedbandmom]

I am on this same cruise. Just received my balcony guarantee. 

Sandy

[RMLincoln]

At the pier might be the best assignment, but they are usually assigned by 10 days out.  m--

[oaktreerb]

MY TA asked that question of HAL last week and was told they start assigning Guarantees 15 days prior to sailing.   Now, does that mean they actually start assigning rooms or is that when they start the upsell process?????  I suspect that is when they begin with the upselling since I have never been assigned that early.  The one time I got an earlier  assignment HAL changed it prior to sailing because they had sold my cabin to someone who needed a cabin for three.  

Edited April 29, 2019 by oaktreerb

[DocJohnB]

1 hour ago, sedbandmom said:

I am on this same cruise. Just received my balcony guarantee. 

 

I just may be getting close.  We'll see.

[CruiserBruce]

1 hour ago, oaktreerb said:

MY TA asked that question of HAL last week and was told they start assigning Guarantees 15 days prior to sailing.   Now, does that mean they actually start assigning rooms or is that when they start the upsell process?????  I suspect that is when they begin with the upselling since I have never been assigned that early.  The one time I got an earlier  assignment HAL changed it prior to sailing because they had sold my cabin to someone who needed a cabin for three.  

Upsells are done much sooner. We have received our GTY assignments as early as 25 days in advance, and as little as 8 days.

[Nsteph3]

We just received ours for our upcoming cruise. It was 9 days out when it appeared on my luggage tags. The email saying documents were ready came two days later. 

[Nsteph3]

Just now, Nsteph3 said:

We just received ours for our upcoming cruise. It was 9 days out when it appeared on my luggage tags. The email saying documents were ready came two days later. 

 

Actually the email said there was a change to our upcoming reservation. We also received the email saying documents were ready prior to getting an assignment 

[Djptcp]

We had a Guarantee Neptune Suite on the Oosterdam in February and received our cabin assignment one week before sailing.

[syesmar]

12 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

Upsells are done much sooner. . . .

When are upsells usually done?  Have never had a travel agent notify me before, so am curious about the timing.

Thanks!

[CruiserBruce]

Just now, syesmar said:

When are upsells usually done?  Have never had a travel agent notify me before, so am curious about the timing.

Thanks!

They usually start a short time after final payment, and before GTY assignments. So, say, 30-40 days out from sailing.

[DaveOKC]

55 minutes ago, syesmar said:

When are upsells usually done?  Have never had a travel agent notify me before, so am curious about the timing.

Thanks!

It seems to depend on how well the cruise is selling.  On my Jan. cruise, which was selling well, the upsells came about 1-2 weeks out.  On my April cruise, which was not selling well, it was 4 weeks out. 

[syesmar]

Thanks so much for the replies! I read through some other "Upsell" Threads and noticed mention of being proactive and calling.  Is this something I'm able to do without first being contacted by HAL?  Thanks!

[Hlitner]

DW and I do a lot of guarantees :).  With HAL (and most cruise lines) the timing of cabin assignments really does vary from cruise to cruise.   On HAL we generally will get our cabin assignment around 7-10 days prior to the cruise...but there are exceptions.  In fact, there are times when a cabin assignment may not be known until you arrive at the port....although this is rare.

 

Hank

[DaveOKC]

23 minutes ago, syesmar said:

Thanks so much for the replies! I read through some other "Upsell" Threads and noticed mention of being proactive and calling.  Is this something I'm able to do without first being contacted by HAL?  Thanks!

I have tried this a couple of times without success.  Funny story on my recent (April) cruise:

 

I noticed a big price drop on Neptune suites (I was booked in a Signature) 30 prior to sailing, so I called my HAL PCC and asked her to see if HAL would take $200 pp to upsell me on our one week cruise to a SB Neptune.  The posted prices at that time between the Signature and Neptunes was only $100, so I thought I was being very fair about it at $200.  HAL turned down my offer, referencing the low fare I booked under.  THEN, TWO DAYS LATER, I get an email from HAL offering to upsell me to a Neptune (SA) for $99 !!  Of course I jumped on it immediately and got a great room in a very good location.

 

Moral of the story - HAL has set procedures on these things and unless you happen to find exactly the right person, you are unlikely to get it done. 

[syesmar]

12 minutes ago, DaveOKC said:

I have tried this a couple of times without success.  Funny story on my recent (April) cruise. . . Moral of the story - HAL has set procedures on these things and unless you happen to find exactly the right person, you are unlikely to get it done. 

Wow!  Thanks for sharing and for the advice.

[catl331]

21 hours ago, Hlitner said:

In fact, there are times when a cabin assignment may not be known until you arrive at the port....although this is rare.

 

Once we got an assignment 11 days out and then a re-assignment (higher) the day before. I think we were the beneficiaries of someone's cancellation.

[richwmn]

18 minutes ago, catl331 said:

Once we got an assignment 11 days out and then a re-assignment (higher) the day before. I think we were the beneficiaries of someone's cancellation.

I had the same thing happen in Feb. Moved from an outside cabin to a balcony. I received the notice on Friday before a Sunday sailing.

[DocJohnB]

Thanks to all who have responded.  No assignment yet, but not terribly worried about it.

As I alluded to in my OP my main concern is "luggage tags".  Once on another line, I had purchased the cruise about 10 days prior to a cruise in a guaranteed inside.  Got to the pier and the guy collecting luggage looked at a list and said OK here it is and filled out 3 tags.  He was either in a hurry or possibly dyslexic.  Didn't get the luggage until almost 10:30 and a few trips trips to the guest relations.  The porter had transposed numbers and the luggage actually sat outside two different staterooms.

Hopefully that will not happen this time.  (Besides I now know to walk the passageways looking if it does). 

Edited May 1, 2019 by DocJohnB

[Hlitner]

2 hours ago, DocJohnB said:

Thanks to all who have responded.  No assignment yet, but not terribly worried about it.

As I alluded to in my OP my main concern is "luggage tags".  Once on another line, I had purchased the cruise about 10 days prior to a cruise in a guaranteed inside.  Got to the pier and the guy collecting luggage looked at a list and said OK here it is and filled out 3 tags.  He was either in a hurry or possibly dyslexic.  Didn't get the luggage until almost 10:30 and a few trips trips to the guest relations.  The porter had transposed numbers and the luggage actually sat outside two different staterooms.

Hopefully that will not happen this time.  (Besides I now know to walk the passageways looking if it does). 

We have heard a similar story from another cruiser :(.  To the extent possible, we try to glance at luggage tags at both the airport and cruise port (when a port worker puts on tags) to verify they are correct.  We have never had a problem at a port, but we have stopped a few airline clerks from mis-tagging (if that is a word) our luggage.

 

Hank

[DaveOKC]

Funny story - a while back I had to have the porter on the dock put on my luggage tags.  He asked for my cabin number and it was 007 (Maasdam I think).  He asks for the name, so I had to say " Bond, James " .  I sure cracked him up with that one!

Edited May 1, 2019 by DaveOKC

[DocJohnB]

Just a quick follow-up.  Happened to do my nightly check on my documents status and discovered that I had received my cabin assignment.

And, in a rather nice surprise, I was upgraded from and inside guarantee to an Ocean View.  Pretty much all the way forward on the Dolphin Deck, port side (1806) (only a Handicap Ocean View forward of me).  I believe from deck plans it has 2 portholes vice a window, but I will take it and am glad to get it.

So, for me, the answer to my original question is room assignment was 10 days out.

Again, thanks to all who responded to my OP.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Glad you got your cabin assignment and you are happy with the upgrade.

 

Have a great cruise.