HAL changed our cabin without notification

[groundloop]

We're on Eurdam leaving June 11th.  I'd already printed all of our documents and luggage tags and for some reason happened to look at our account on their website and it dawned on me that we suddenly are in a different cabin than we'd originally booked.  It's the same category (aft balcony), but on deck 5 instead of 7.  We've been booked for over a year and got this particular cabin to be as close as possible to our daughter.

 

I'm about to get on the phone with them to see what's going on, but wonder if anyone else has had them do this.  What's really annoying is they never gave me any notification they were doing this, I only got an email indicating that my boarding time had been changed.

[PACD_JG]

BLUF: Quarantine cabins?

[groundloop]

 

I doubt that they'd use an aft view balcony as a quarantine cabin.

 

PLUS I'd have expected to be notified of a cabin change so close to sailing instead of them expecting us to figure it out.  Since I'd already printed all of our documents it could have been kind of a mess if I hadn't noticed.

Edited June 5, 2022 by groundloop

[groundloop]

 

ALSO, I checked the HAL website and the cabins next to us are selling for $800 less than what we paid when we booked.  Since they moved us to a different cabin I wonder if I'd have an argument that we should be refunded the price difference.

 

(Does it show that I'm pretty annoyed with HAL right now?)

 

 

 

Edited June 5, 2022 by groundloop

[DaveOKC]

38 minutes ago, groundloop said:

We're on Eurdam leaving June 11th.  I'd already printed all of our documents and luggage tags and for some reason happened to look at our account on their website and it dawned on me that we suddenly are in a different cabin than we'd originally booked.  It's the same category (aft balcony), but on deck 5 instead of 7.  We've been booked for over a year and got this particular cabin to be as close as possible to our daughter.

 

I'm about to get on the phone with them to see what's going on, but wonder if anyone else has had them do this.  What's really annoying is they never gave me any notification they were doing this, I only got an email indicating that my boarding time had been changed.

Were the before and after cabins in the exact same category (aft facing ones on the Eurodam are VB)?  If so, I think you have a very valid complaint.  If not, if HAL moved you to a higher "rated" category, AND assuming you did not mark your reservation Do Not Upgrade, then HAL is within their right to move you "up".  Let us know the exact situation as it will matter how you address HAL on this.

 

 

[DaveOKC]

2 minutes ago, groundloop said:

 

ALSO, I checked the HAL website and the cabins next to us are selling for $800 less than what we paid when we booked.  Since they moved us to a different cabin I wonder if I'd have an argument that we should be refunded the price difference.

 

(Does it show that I'm pretty annoyed with HAL right now?)

 

 

 

You should contact your TA and ask about getting some credit or free upgrade, as $800 is quite a difference.  After final payment HAL does not have to drop your fare price, but often they give you something.

 

[groundloop]

19 minutes ago, DaveOKC said:

Were the before and after cabins in the exact same category (aft facing ones on the Eurodam are VB)?  If so, I think you have a very valid complaint.  If not, if HAL moved you to a higher "rated" category, AND assuming you did not mark your reservation Do Not Upgrade, then HAL is within their right to move you "up".  Let us know the exact situation as it will matter how you address HAL on this.

 

 

 

 

Yes, it's the same category.... both aft view Verandahs, but in my opinion we've moved to a less desirable location (although I know that argument won't hold water with HAL).

 

Also, we booked this one directly from the HAL website - no travel agent or PVP (or whatever HAL calls them, I normally cruise with Carnival).

 

 

 

Edited June 5, 2022 by groundloop

[Florida_gal_50]

21 minutes ago, DaveOKC said:

You should contact your TA and ask about getting some credit or free upgrade, as $800 is quite a difference.  After final payment HAL does not have to drop your fare price, but often they give you something.

 

They are pretty stingy with anything as of late.  My last cruise dropped at least $800 after final.  I was told if I gave of my prepaid gratuities they would give me a $100 beverage card.  Nothing else.  What a deal 🙄.  Surprisingly I said no.

[DaveOKC]

10 minutes ago, groundloop said:

 

 

Yes, it's the same category.... both aft view Verandahs, but in my opinion we've moved to a less desirable location (although I know that argument won't hold water with HAL).

Sounds like you got moved from a VB on deck 7 to a VB on deck 5.  Based on this I would definately contact HAL and complain.   They may have a valid reason for doing this, but if they do you should be compensated (IMO) for it.

 

Since you booked direct online, you need to call them directly.  

 

Edited June 5, 2022 by DaveOKC

[KAKcruiser]

I would call now because they close early on Sunday and you want to get this resolved as quickly as possible.

[groundloop]

46 minutes ago, KAKcruiser said:

I would call now because they close early on Sunday and you want to get this resolved as quickly as possible.

 

 

I was on hold for 45 minutes and gave up because I had to take care of something.

 

 

 

 

Edited June 5, 2022 by groundloop

[ontheweb]

3 hours ago, DaveOKC said:

Were the before and after cabins in the exact same category (aft facing ones on the Eurodam are VB)?  If so, I think you have a very valid complaint.  If not, if HAL moved you to a higher "rated" category, AND assuming you did not mark your reservation Do Not Upgrade, then HAL is within their right to move you "up".  Let us know the exact situation as it will matter how you address HAL on this.

 

 

I don't think marking do not upgrade can stop them if they really want to change your cabin. The cruise contract you must sign gives them that right.

[leerathje]

1 hour ago, groundloop said:

 

 

I was on hold for 45 minutes and gave up because I had to take care of something.

 

 

 

 

 

I'm afraid you will probably find that your wait time is longer than 45 minutes. 

 

Does HAL know you are travelling with your daughter?  If not, I would suggest you let them know.  My husband and I have cruised twice with my dad and his friend, and my TA lets HAL know we are travelling together.  The first time we had guarantee rooms, and HAL made sure our rooms were beside each other. They know we will generally eat together...it will be very convenient for you when you are travelling with others if HAL knows.

 

L.

 

[groundloop]

After another 45+ minute hold I got through to a customer service agent.  She never could figure out why they moved us, but at least our daughter got moved to a cabin near us. 

 

I'm sure it'll all be ok, but I'm still annoyed about this.  I've been on enough cruises to know where on a ship we like to be, we booked well over a year ago to make sure we got the cabins we wanted, and then they change us at the last minute for no apparent reason (and didn't even have the courtesy to tell us we got moved).

 

 

 

 

 

 

[KroozNut]

10 minutes ago, groundloop said:

After another 45+ minute hold I got through to a customer service agent.  She never could figure out why they moved us, but at least our daughter got moved to a cabin near us. 

 

I'm sure it'll all be ok, but I'm still annoyed about this.  I've been on enough cruises to know where on a ship we like to be, we booked well over a year ago to make sure we got the cabins we wanted, and then they change us at the last minute for no apparent reason (and didn't even have the courtesy to tell us we got moved).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hear you.. I would be very upset if they did that to me.

[AFNavigator]

2 minutes ago, groundloop said:

After another 45+ minute hold I got through to a customer service agent.  She never could figure out why they moved us, but at least our daughter got moved to a cabin near us. 

 

I'm sure it'll all be ok, but I'm still annoyed about this.  I've been on enough cruises to know where on a ship we like to be, we booked well over a year ago to make sure we got the cabins we wanted, and then they change us at the last minute for no apparent reason (and didn't even have the courtesy to tell us we got moved).

 

 

 

 

 

 

I would still press HAL for some sort of compensation, for both the price change and for the cabin change.  You probably won't get any refund but you might convince them to offer you some onboard credit.

Looking at photos of aft cabins on deck 7 and deck 5, plus looking at a photo of the aft end of the ship, it looks like the deck 7 aft balconies are deeper--probably by at least 12"-18"--than the deck 5 aft balconies.

[groundloop]

15 minutes ago, AFNavigator said:

I would still press HAL for some sort of compensation, for both the price change and for the cabin change.  ....

 

I tried, they wouldn't budge.

[AFNavigator]

Just now, groundloop said:

 

I tried, they wouldn't budge.

Maybe try to elevate it to a supervisor on a weekday.  Weekend staff may be more limited on what they can do.

[nyold]

It happened to us the morning of boarding, and the reason is because the room is missing a shower door. So maybe there is a legitimate reason. But if it is indeed a less desirable location you should at least get a credit or something

[julia]

2 hours ago, groundloop said:

After another 45+ minute hold I got through to a customer service agent.  She never could figure out why they moved us, but at least our daughter got moved to a cabin near us. 

 

I'm sure it'll all be ok, but I'm still annoyed about this.  I've been on enough cruises to know where on a ship we like to be, we booked well over a year ago to make sure we got the cabins we wanted, and then they change us at the last minute for no apparent reason (and didn't even have the courtesy to tell us we got moved).

 

 

 

 

 

 

You have EVERY right to be annoyed!!  YOU chose a specific cabin and that is what you wanted.  Period.

[DaveOKC]

8 hours ago, groundloop said:

 

I tried, they wouldn't budge.

As others have stated, try again but during the week this time and if it still does not work, ask to speak to a supervisor.  This situation is why I like to book through a HAL PCC or a travel agent.  They have more "pull" than you do IMO.

[RuthC]

12 hours ago, groundloop said:

After another 45+ minute hold I got through to a customer service agent.  She never could figure out why they moved us, but at least our daughter got moved to a cabin near us. 

Did you ask to be returned to your former cabins? Of course, that might be more difficult since there are two cabins that were moved, but I sure would put up a stink that I wanted my original cabins back, unless there was some very good reason for needing to move me. 
It's not like this is an upgrade, or anything. 

[groundloop]

8 hours ago, RuthC said:

Did you ask to be returned to your former cabins? 

 

 

Yes I did but was told they weren't available but she couldn't tell me anything more.  No idea why we were moved and no idea why on the very day that they moved us our original cabins were gone.  

 

Frankly I'm done with this issue and am ready to move on from it now that daughter's cabin is close to us.  I don't really give a hoot about trying to extract some sort of compensation for being inconvenienced, that's not the way I roll.  I just have to think that HAL could do a lot better job of communicating with their customers and this will certainly be in the back of my head when I decide who to sail with on future cruises.

[Florida_gal_50]

7 minutes ago, groundloop said:

 

 

Yes I did but was told they weren't available but she couldn't tell me anything more.  No idea why we were moved and no idea why on the very day that they moved us our original cabins were gone.  

 

Frankly I'm done with this issue and am ready to move on from it now that daughter's cabin is close to us.  I don't really give a hoot about trying to extract some sort of compensation for being inconvenienced, that's not the way I roll.  I just have to think that HAL could do a lot better job of communicating with their customers and this will certainly be in the back of my head when I decide who to sail with on future cruises.

That’s probably a good decision.  You could burn up a bunch more time and likely not be any further ahead.  I hope you have a wonderful cruise.

[cruisingrob21]

We got moved for a Edam cruise in July as well.  It was an "upgrade" for 4 of us from a VE on deck 4 forward with larger balcony to a VB on deck 5.  They never let us know and resold our cabin.  We were travelling with father in law across the hall and they did at least keep us together, but it makes it very difficult to move.  As a part time TA, I called them, but they said there was nothing I could do because it had been a while - but I hadn't been notified!

 

Oh well, the price dropped by $1300 for us on the same promo so that was the battle I chose to fight.  Not pleased with the new cabin however, all the way forward on deck 5.