What Can You Tell Me About Our Amsterdam "Guarantee" Cabin

[jennaja]

We booked our sailing on the HAL Amsterdam about 2 weeks ago, and there were only guarantee cabins available.  We chose an unobstructed oceanview guarantee.  We received our cabin assignment today -- 2713.

What can you tell me about this cabin.  It's on the back end, which we've never had before.  From the diagram, it looks like there may be some type of walkway or something in front of our cabin?

Is this cabin likely to be noisy?  We don't mind walking to the staircase or elevators, but I'm hoping there is a quick way to get to the outside viewing areas from here.

[oofroggie]

Are you on the Amsterdam or the New Amsterdam?  On the Amsterdam cabin # 2713 is a partial sea view as it is on the very tail end of the ship.

[3rdGenCunarder]

2713 is a partial sea view because your window doesn't face the sea directly. The area outside your cabin is a little open deck space. It isn't a "through" walkway, just a little outside area. Most people don't know it's there, so I don't think you'll get a lot of noise from people outside. 

 

I don't know how much of a view you'll have, but it will be a quick walk to get outside.

 

[JudithLynne]

There is a previous post that has info on your cabin and other similar ones.  Here it is:

 

 

[oaktreerb]

You have been assigned a partial view.  In the HAL deck plans E2713 is designated with a triangle which means partial sea view and an * showing shower only.   I would follow up with my TA or HAL about this assignment if I had actually paid for an unobstructed.  Rooms in the same category on either side of you are not considered obstructed (no triangle on the deck plan).

[crystalspin]

cruisedeckplans indicates there may be noise during docking due to nearby crew areas. On the Zaandam (sister ship) it says that and also that the area just aft IS a public deck. How cool is that! The link above says that the stairway on that deck is open to passengers to the actual promenade. I think you lucked out on your guarantee!

 

If you google Amsterdam 2713, you should find their photos (four of them and they are ten years old, so the decor will be changed), at least in thumbnail. I have never regretted my lifetime membership to CruiseDeckPlans!

[jennaja]

3 hours ago, oofroggie said:

Are you on the Amsterdam or the New Amsterdam?  On the Amsterdam cabin # 2713 is a partial sea view as it is on the very tail end of the ship.

The Amsterdam.  I called my travel agent this am, and HAL supposedly told them that it's an unobstructed view.  Looking at the diagram, I don't see how it can be unobstructed.  

 

[jennaja]

3 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

2713 is a partial sea view because your window doesn't face the sea directly. The area outside your cabin is a little open deck space. It isn't a "through" walkway, just a little outside area. Most people don't know it's there, so I don't think you'll get a lot of noise from people outside. 

 

I don't know how much of a view you'll have, but it will be a quick walk to get outside.

 

Do you know who has access to that outside area?  Is it for the  crew, or passengers?

[jennaja]

3 hours ago, oaktreerb said:

You have been assigned a partial view.  In the HAL deck plans E2713 is designated with a triangle which means partial sea view and an * showing shower only.   I would follow up with my TA or HAL about this assignment if I had actually paid for an unobstructed.  Rooms in the same category on either side of you are not considered obstructed (no triangle on the deck plan).

When I googled Amsterdam 2713, I came up with  cruise line dot com, which shows the little * for shower only, but it doesn't show the sideways triangle signifying a partial view.  I did see that triangle on another site, though.

[crystalspin]

3 minutes ago, jennaja said:

The Amsterdam.  I called my travel agent this am, and HAL supposedly told them that it's an unobstructed view.  Looking at the diagram, I don't see how it can be unobstructed.  

 

This is the view if it will help you argue your point. It is partially obstructed by the stairs (note: not because of the deck, I don't think that counts, just like Lower Promenade only count obstructed by apparatus not just the walkway). As I said above, the little deck is public, but there is some crew activity near by during docking, according to cruisedeckplans.

 

I would keep the cabin, but that's just me.

 

[jennaja]

3 hours ago, oaktreerb said:

You have been assigned a partial view.  In the HAL deck plans E2713 is designated with a triangle which means partial sea view and an * showing shower only.   I would follow up with my TA or HAL about this assignment if I had actually paid for an unobstructed.  Rooms in the same category on either side of you are not considered obstructed (no triangle on the deck plan).

I  looked at our booking confirmation, and it shows category FF guarantee, which I understood to be unobstructed.  There were also less expensive guarantee cabins for fully obstructed, partially obstructed and porthole, which we chose not to purchase.  I'm not finding where an "FF" is actually defined, other than it was the only category that doesn't describe some type of obstruction.  At the time of booking, the Travel Agent also verbally confirmed that it was unobstructed when I asked her.

[3rdGenCunarder]

11 minutes ago, jennaja said:

I  looked at our booking confirmation, and it shows category FF guarantee, which I understood to be unobstructed.  There were also less expensive guarantee cabins for fully obstructed, partially obstructed and porthole, which we chose not to purchase.  I'm not finding where an "FF" is actually defined, other than it was the only category that doesn't describe some type of obstruction.  At the time of booking, the Travel Agent also verbally confirmed that it was unobstructed when I asked her.

 

FF is oceanview. E, which is what you got, is a higher letter, which means HAL considers it to be "better." My guess is because it's on a higher deck than the FF oceanviews. I thought only H and HH were sold as obstructed or partially obstructed, but perhaps the partial ocean view designation for your cabin is  because your window isn't on the side of the ship where you would have a direct view of the ocean. I don't know why the other aft-facing cabins near you don't have that little triangle notation.

[jennaja]

2 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

FF is oceanview. E, which is what you got, is a higher letter, which means HAL considers it to be "better." My guess is because it's on a higher deck than the FF oceanviews. I thought only H and HH were sold as obstructed or partially obstructed, but perhaps the partial ocean view designation for your cabin is  because your window isn't on the side of the ship where you would have a direct view of the ocean. I don't know why the other aft-facing cabins near you don't have that little triangle notation.

 

The photo posted by crystalspin shows quite a bit of obstruction

[jennaja]

So if I book an unobstructed oceanview guarantee,  isn't HAL obligated to at least put us in the least expensive unobstructed oceanview?  Do they really have the option of putting us on a higher floor with an obstructed view?  If so, then why are they charging more for the  unobstructed oceanview guarantee, if the "guarantee" isn't worth the paper it's printed on?

[3rdGenCunarder]

20 minutes ago, jennaja said:

So if I book an unobstructed oceanview guarantee,  isn't HAL obligated to at least put us in the least expensive unobstructed oceanview?  Do they really have the option of putting us on a higher floor with an obstructed view?  If so, then why are they charging more for the  unobstructed oceanview guarantee, if the "guarantee" isn't worth the paper it's printed on?

 

You booked FF and got E, which is supposedly an upgrade. I understand that it doesn't feel like one. I find it odd that these "partial view" locations aren't a lower category, but they're shown as E.

 

If you booked through a TA, call them to find out what can be done. If you booked directly through HAL, call them. 

 

[jennaja]

7 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

You booked FF and got E, which is supposedly an upgrade. I understand that it doesn't feel like one. I find it odd that these "partial view" locations aren't a lower category, but they're shown as E.

 

If you booked through a TA, call them to find out what can be done. If you booked directly through HAL, call them. 

 

I just got off the phone with my TA (big box store).  HAL was already closed, so I have to call back tomorrow.  His theory is that, because the original agent checked the "any upgrade" box at her end, HAL felt free to put us in an obstructed cabin.  I asked TA several times at the time of booking to make sure that our guarantee was for an unobstructed oceanview, and she confirmed that it was.  She did not ask us if we would be willing to accept any "upgrade" that might put us in a cabin that obstructed our view.  

I feel like I've been scammed -- not sure if it was by HAL, big box Travel, or both.


 

[3rdGenCunarder]

20 minutes ago, jennaja said:

I just got off the phone with my TA (big box store).  HAL was already closed, so I have to call back tomorrow.  His theory is that, because the original agent checked the "any upgrade" box at her end, HAL felt free to put us in an obstructed cabin.  I asked TA several times at the time of booking to make sure that our guarantee was for an unobstructed oceanview, and she confirmed that it was.  She did not ask us if we would be willing to accept any "upgrade" that might put us in a cabin that obstructed our view.  

I feel like I've been scammed -- not sure if it was by HAL, big box Travel, or both.


 

 

It's the risk of guarantees, especially with insides and OV cabins where there is so much variability. HAL decides which cabins are which grade, and you can't limit the upgrade options to only certain cabin grades. I'm not sure there is a "no upgrades" option when you book a guarantee.  I think the only argument you have here is that your cabin is the only E that's marked partial view. 

 

[jennaja]

1 hour ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

It's the risk of guarantees, especially with insides and OV cabins where there is so much variability. HAL decides which cabins are which grade, and you can't limit the upgrade options to only certain cabin grades. I'm not sure there is a "no upgrades" option when you book a guarantee.  I think the only argument you have here is that your cabin is the only E that's marked partial view. 

 

We booked the guarantee because all HAL showed was either inside guarantee, or one of the 4 levels of outside guarantee.   Due to work issues, we always end of booking our cruises at the last minute.

[*Miss G*]

If you look at it from the perspective of having a verandah where the railing is wooden with a glass and steel partition... you could argue that this was an obstructed or partially-obstructed view also.

 

I booked an FF Unobstructed Guarantee and was upgraded to an E Unobstructed.  I have chosen to be fine with the allocation because I may really like it!  I don’t think you received a lesser allocation.  In fact, I think it will probably turn out to be a really good one.  In the grand scheme of things you’re not going to be spending much time in your room gazing out your window.  You’re going to be out on deck or in the public spaces to properly enjoy the view.  Twisting and turning in the wind over an upgraded allocation is not a nice way to spend your vacation prep.  You’re going on a cruise and it’s going to be awesome!

Edited May 20, 2019 by *Miss G*

[jennaja]

13 minutes ago, *Miss G* said:

If you look at it from the perspective of having a verandah where the railing is wooden with a glass and steel partition... you could argue that this was an obstructed or partially-obstructed view also.

 

I booked an FF Unobstructed Guarantee and was upgraded to an E Unobstructed.  I have chosen to be fine with the allocation because I may really like it!  I don’t think you received a lesser allocation.  In fact, I think it will probably turn out to be a really good one.  In the grand scheme of things you’re not going to be spending much time in your room gazing out your window.  You’re going to be out on deck or in the public spaces to properly enjoy the view.  Twisting and turning in the wind over an upgraded allocation is not a nice way to spend your vacation prep.  You’re going on a cruise and it’s going to be awesome!

I believe that the type of balcony room you're describing is sold as an obstructed or partially obstructed balcony cabin, at least on the other cruise lines we've sailed.

We booked and paid for an unobstructed balcony guarantee.   HAL's own deck plan shows that the cabin assigned to us is an obstructed cabin.  

We have sailed to Alaska many times, and prefer Princess, Celebrity and Royal because the onboard activities and entertainment, and their modern style, is more to our taste.  Our 2 prior 14 day cruises on HAL were chosen for the itinerary.  The cruise on the Zaandam last year was fantastic.  The first one, on the Amsterdam, not so much.  We had torrential rains for 13 of the 14 days, and the entertainment  was mostly chamber music, which is not our preferred type of music.  The public areas were more crowded than they probably would normally be, and all that I can recall of the entertainment was a lot of chamber music.

[jennaja]

25 minutes ago, *Miss G* said:

If you look at it from the perspective of having a verandah where the railing is wooden with a glass and steel partition... you could argue that this was an obstructed or partially-obstructed view also.

 

I booked an FF Unobstructed Guarantee and was upgraded to an E Unobstructed.  I have chosen to be fine with the allocation because I may really like it!  I don’t think you received a lesser allocation.  In fact, I think it will probably turn out to be a really good one.  In the grand scheme of things you’re not going to be spending much time in your room gazing out your window.  You’re going to be out on deck or in the public spaces to properly enjoy the view.  Twisting and turning in the wind over an upgraded allocation is not a nice way to spend your vacation prep.  You’re going on a cruise and it’s going to be awesome!

I also would be ok with an unobstructed oceanview, since that's what our guarantee was for.  But that's not what we received.  HAL's deck plan shows that this is an obstructed view.

[oaktreerb]

4 hours ago, jennaja said:

I just got off the phone with my TA (big box store).  HAL was already closed, so I have to call back tomorrow.  His theory is that, because the original agent checked the "any upgrade" box at her end, HAL felt free to put us in an obstructed cabin.  I asked TA several times at the time of booking to make sure that our guarantee was for an unobstructed oceanview, and she confirmed that it was.  She did not ask us if we would be willing to accept any "upgrade" that might put us in a cabin that obstructed our view.  

I feel like I've been scammed -- not sure if it was by HAL, big box Travel, or both.


 

Hang in there.  I am convinced that HAL has misclassified this cabin.  It should be an ‘H’.

 

I also use the big box TA.  All unobstructed cabins may be filled.  If so they at least owe you OBC to compensate you plus a couple of drink cards or pinnacle dinners.  The theory that this was caused by the “any upgrade” box allowing them to put you in an obstructed cabin is simply wrong and this TA needs some retraining.  Take this issue to a manager if you need to.

[Homosassa]

Sorry, but you have actually received more than you paid for. Category FF is considered to be a lower category than an E.

 

As there are actually very few FF cabins on the Amsterdam, you received a better cabin on a higher deck (at least in HAL's view). Booking a guarantee at the last minute means that you will receive whatever cabins might be left unsold. and, at this point, I doubt you can change. You were not scammed, tricked, fooled, or any adjective you may wish to use.

 

In any case, that area outside your cabin is an open deck space for use of any of the passengers.  As it is somewhat "hidden," passengers may not realize that it exists. However, as the cruise progresses, more people will know of its existence and it will become more popular for sailaways  or just as a shady spot to sit (there are lounge chairs located there).

 

I have to say that as I like to select my cabin and prefer low and amidships, I do try to stay on the deck you have been assigned . That area is one of my favorite spots.

[jennaja]

8 hours ago, oaktreerb said:

Hang in there.  I am convinced that HAL has misclassified this cabin.  It should be an ‘H’.

 

I also use the big box TA.  All unobstructed cabins may be filled.  If so they at least owe you OBC to compensate you plus a couple of drink cards or pinnacle dinners.  The theory that this was caused by the “any upgrade” box allowing them to put you in an obstructed cabin is simply wrong and this TA needs some retraining.  Take this issue to a manager if you need to.

HAL continued to sell the unobstructed oceanview guarantee cabins for at least a week after we booked.

I'm on hold with the TA as I type this.

[FlorenceItaly]

38 minutes ago, jennaja said:

HAL continued to sell the unobstructed oceanview guarantee cabins for at least a week after we booked.

I'm on hold with the TA as I type this.

Best wishes!  Let us know how it goes.