Is it tacky....

[DenNJill]

... to tell the folks @ Hal we're cruising to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary and ask about an upgrade? (I know they can't promise anything, but thought it may not hurt to mention it). I would do this at the same time I called in to make Pinnacle reservations.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

[serendipity1499]

No it's not tacky at all..:)

 

HAL usually asks if there is a special occasion which you are celebrating when you make your reservations....Your 25th Anniversary info, should be in your passenger name record..

 

I don't believe the same department which handles Pinnacle Reservations, will handle cabin up-grades..

 

Also there are two kinds of up-grades...One in which HAL will give you a free up-grade only because the cabin you presently occupy is sold out & they have more people who want that class of cabin..Free up-grades on HAL are few & far between..

 

Then there are Up-sells, where HAL might offer an up-grade if you are willing to pay an extra amount for the better class cabin..They often offer very good deals on up-sells..

 

Be sure & tell them it's your 25th Anniversary & hope you have a wonderful cruise..

[jhannah]

Informing HAL of your anniversary will get you a nice cake and song in the dining room. Chances for a free cabin upgrade are virtually none unless the scenario develops that sereindipity1499 notes.

[Krazy Kruizers]

If you are planning on celebrating your anniversary at the Pinnacle, unless you tell the Pinnacle Maitre'd that you are celebrating your 25th wedding anniversary, there won't be a cake there for you. He can make arrangements for the cake to be brought over from the dining room. But no one will sing anything.

 

DH has celebrated his birthday a couple of times on the ships and we have made arrangements to have the cake sent over.

[shonuf]

If you are planning on celebrating your anniversary at the Pinnacle, unless you tell the Pinnacle Maitre'd that you are celebrating your 25th wedding anniversary, there won't be a cake there for you. He can make arrangements for the cake to be brought over from the dining room. But no one will sing anything.

 

DH has celebrated his birthday a couple of times on the ships and we have made arrangements to have the cake sent over.

 

We recently celebrated our anniversary on the Oosterdam and went to the Pinnacle on the actual night. We didn't bother to tell them about it as we didn't really care about the "free" cake. Later that evening, after we had gone to bed, the phone rang and the dining room/kitchen (I'm not sure who) wanted to know if we'd like to have the cake delivered to our room. I told them, "No thanks, keep it".

[djallar]

I don't expect an upgrade, but our TA DID tell HAL, when she booked our next two cruises, that we were celebrating my birthday and then our Anniversary.

 

I usually don't like getting Happy Birthday sung to me at restaurants, but somehow, having our table staff do it is pretty cool :D

[Sunshine10]

They sing to you?... This is our 1st HAL cruise and I did put in my record it was our Anniversary. I'm not a big cake person... and I try to avoid getting sung to. Oh well :o

 

DH has done both tux and suit on other lines. Since it's our anniversary, I'll be pushing to get him to bring his tux... (nothing like a man in a tux :D ). And I plan to bring 1 long gown, 1 short.

 

Also I learned the hard way, to wear my "best" outfit the 1st formal night and one that has more "room" to breath the 2nd formal night... all that eating during the week you know. :rolleyes: I'm not a huge eater.. but it simply seems that I gain 3-5 lbs on a cruise, and I'd rather be comfortable when it comes to clothing.

 

Have fun and enjoy.

[noblepa]

A 25th anniversary is generally considered one of the big ones. You could surprise your DW (or DH, depending on who is the OP). HAL does a renewal of vows ceremony that has been discussed on this board in the past. The word is that it is very nice. My DW and I are going to do it for our 30th anniversary on the Oosterdam in April.

 

If you're interested, it costs $129 and includes a group ceremony, presided over by the captain, a reception with cake and champaign (usually in the Crow's Nest lounge or one of the adjacent rooms), dinner for two in the Pinnacle (which you have already mentioned), and a photograph of the occasion. Guests can be invited, at a cost of $12.50 each. Guests are included in the cermony. If they wish to join you in the Pinnacle, they must pay the regular $20 pp.

 

It might be a nice surprise for the DW. Chicks dig that sort of thing. :)

 

Paul Noble

[herb]

On some of our past cruises, it was a miracle if we didn't hear the staff sing "Happy Birthday" or "Happy Anniversary" AT LEAST 20x each night!

[BruceMuzz]

On many ships carrying 2,000 or so passengers, the Cruise Line gets notice every week that about 1,000 of them are celebrating a birthday or anniversary. That would seem to defy the odds - until you find out that many people who actually have a birthday or anniversary within 6 months before or after that particular cruise will claim that it is actually that week.

Hardly surprising that the ships occasionally miss one.

[kryos]

On many ships carrying 2,000 or so passengers, the Cruise Line gets notice every week that about 1,000 of them are celebrating a birthday or anniversary. That would seem to defy the odds - until you find out that many people who actually have a birthday or anniversary within 6 months before or after that particular cruise will claim that it is actually that week.

Hardly surprising that the ships occasionally miss one.

Birthdays are probably noted from the passport records that you provide ... i.e., your immigration form. I know I celebrated my birthday onboard for the past two years ... 49th on Princess and 50th on HAL ... and both times I received a cake in the dining room and all the dining room stewards did the "happy birthday thing."

 

It was nice ... and I really enjoyed it. In neither case did I specifically inform anyone that it was my birthday, yet they knew. Even my cabin steward knew it was my birthday this year on HAL, and he sang happy birthday to me that morning before I left for my snorkling excursion in Maui. Only way I can figure they knew is through the immigration form.

 

Anniversaries, though, I guess you'd have to tell them. Don't recall any space on the immigration form to list wedding date. :)

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[the2ofus]

If the traditional Happy Birthday song doesn't appeal to you, you can ask that they sing the Indonesian version. The dining stewards will usually be surprised and pleased to do so.

[Copper10-8]

DenNjill; nothing tacky about mentioning your milestone! The odds of receiving an upgrade because of that are not great however but you never know! Congrats on your 25th and have an awesome cruise!:)

[sail7seas]

Happy Anniversary. Congratulations. Hope you have many more years together in good health and happiness.

 

[iceman93]

Since 25 is such a big milestone, how about springing for that upgraded cabin yourself rather than hoping for an unlikely upgrade?

[DenNJill]

I did upgrade our cabin once already - but would really like to upgrade one more time - I may call HAL and do just that in the next few weeks - hopefully they can put the upgrade on MY credit card so I can surprise DH. :rolleyes:

However, it's ME that is constantly talking about our upcoming cruise (how many days is it?! LOL!) - I don't think he's thought about it too much yet. ;)

I am so thankful I ran across this site -it's been so very helpful!!