Still No Cabin Assignment

[fkfad]

We set sail in 18 days (February 11) on Nieuw Statendam with a Guarantee Oceanview cabin.  We have no yet received our cabin assignment nor our embarkation time.  On the HAL website, it shows Oceanview cabins are sold out.  It also shows 80+ verandahs are still available.  This is a "free" cruise for us from the casino (as always, we had to pay port expenses, taxes, etc.).  I'm holding out hope that an upgrade to a verandah may be a possibility.  I'm just curious if anyone out there in HAL land who was given a "free" guarantee oceanview cabin was ever upgraded to a verandah?  Fingers crossed!  LOL

[*Miss G*]

If you booked through HAL, keep an eye on your email for paid upgrade offers.  Those are your best bets for a verandah.  If you booked through a TA the offer will be sent to them but it’s very rare they pass that information on. You may have to call.

[albingirl]

Here we go.  That's a sold out cruise.  All those verandahs are guarantee cabins.  Unassigned.  

[FlorenceItaly]

A complimentary upgrade is not typical, but keep on the look out for an upsell offer.

[SilvertoGold]

4 minutes ago, FlorenceItaly said:

A complimentary upgrade is not typical, but keep on the look out for an upsell offer.

 

1 hour ago, fkfad said:

We set sail in 18 days (February 11) on Nieuw Statendam with a Guarantee Oceanview cabin.  We have no yet received our cabin assignment nor our embarkation time.  On the HAL website, it shows Oceanview cabins are sold out.  It also shows 80+ verandahs are still available.  This is a "free" cruise for us from the casino (as always, we had to pay port expenses, taxes, etc.).  I'm holding out hope that an upgrade to a verandah may be a possibility.  I'm just curious if anyone out there in HAL land who was given a "free" guarantee oceanview cabin was ever upgraded to a verandah?  Fingers crossed!  LOL

Good luck!  Please let us know what happens with upsell or assignment  Have a great cruise!!

[fkfad]

7 minutes ago, SilvertoGold said:

 

Good luck!  Please let us know what happens with upsell or assignment  Have a great cruise!!

Thank you!!  Needless to say, I CAN'T WAIT!!!  LOL

[Banditswife]

We had a guarantee OV last Nov.  We didn't get our cabin assignment until about 12 days ahead & did end up in an OV.  I think they upsell those Verandahs...

We have another casino OV in March.  On the NS in Nov, we liked our OV on deck 1.  

Edited January 24, 2023 by Banditswife

[DaveOKC]

We got our assignment 15 days prior to sailing and it was the lowest level I could have received.

 

My guess is that HAL is doing upsells first, then making assignments afterwards, so guarantees are les and less desirable to book IMO. 

[kangforpres]

You will probably get an assignment about 7 days out, maybe less. If the cruise is sold out inventory control takes more time

[RMLincoln]

Best upgrade we ever had was when our assignment wasn’t available until we were at the pier. We tracked down the shoreside porter with the assignments clip board to get assignment and luggage tags. It was a nice surprise. Here’s hoping!  m— 

[CruiserBruce]

What appears to be "unfilled" could simply be unassigned, but sold on Guarantee bookings.

 

Many threads here saying recently GTY bookings are filled around 8-10 days prior to sailing.

[Laminator]

4 hours ago, fkfad said:

We set sail in 18 days (February 11) on Nieuw Statendam with a Guarantee Oceanview cabin.  We have no yet received our cabin assignment nor our embarkation time.  On the HAL website, it shows Oceanview cabins are sold out.  It also shows 80+ verandahs are still available.  This is a "free" cruise for us from the casino (as always, we had to pay port expenses, taxes, etc.).  I'm holding out hope that an upgrade to a verandah may be a possibility.  I'm just curious if anyone out there in HAL land who was given a "free" guarantee oceanview cabin was ever upgraded to a verandah?  Fingers crossed!  LOL

We are with you on that cruise and are awaiting a Neptune Suite guaranty assignment for one of our 2 cabins 

[trixiee]

5 hours ago, fkfad said:

We set sail in 18 days (February 11) on Nieuw Statendam with a Guarantee Oceanview cabin.  We have no yet received our cabin assignment nor our embarkation time.  On the HAL website, it shows Oceanview cabins are sold out.  It also shows 80+ verandahs are still available.  This is a "free" cruise for us from the casino (as always, we had to pay port expenses, taxes, etc.).  I'm holding out hope that an upgrade to a verandah may be a possibility.  I'm just curious if anyone out there in HAL land who was given a "free" guarantee oceanview cabin was ever upgraded to a verandah?  Fingers crossed!  LOL

I did! Such a wonderful surprise!  My fingers are crossed for you!

Edited January 24, 2023 by trixiee

[DaveOKC]

1 hour ago, Laminator said:

We are with you on that cruise and are awaiting a Neptune Suite guaranty assignment for one of our 2 cabins 

I hope you have better luck than I did on Saturday with by Feb 5 &12 NA cruises (casino guarantee also).  Got assigned an SC in a less than optimal location.  A week earlier there were numerous Neptunes open, so obviously what HAL did was to run the upsells (people on my roll call reported this) through first before they assigned us lowly guarantees!  I am disappointed in this approach by HAL, but understand why they do it (more money).

 

In the future I will handle this differently, depending on the ship........

[Laminator]

1 hour ago, DaveOKC said:

I hope you have better luck than I did on Saturday with by Feb 5 &12 NA cruises (casino guarantee also).  Got assigned an SC in a less than optimal location.  A week earlier there were numerous Neptunes open, so obviously what HAL did was to run the upsells (people on my roll call reported this) through first before they assigned us lowly guarantees!  I am disappointed in this approach by HAL, but understand why they do it (more money).

 

In the future I will handle this differently, depending on the ship........

There hasn't been a Neptune Suite available on this cruise for over a month. I upgraded to an aft wrap when I booked so my wife and I are good to go. My wifes cabin offer is going to my son and his gf who are not paying anything so they will be good. Plus it is their first cruise so they don't know any better...LOL!!!

[JoieNsk]

1 hour ago, DaveOKC said:

I hope you have better luck than I did on Saturday with by Feb 5 &12 NA cruises (casino guarantee also).  Got assigned an SC in a less than optimal location.  A week earlier there were numerous Neptunes open, so obviously what HAL did was to run the upsells (people on my roll call reported this) through first before they assigned us lowly guarantees!  I am disappointed in this approach by HAL, but understand why they do it (more money).

 

In the future I will handle this differently, depending on the ship........

Did you have Neptune Suite Guarantee, and they gave you Signature Suite instead? if so - that kind of sucks.

 

We have Neptune Suite guarantee this coming August. Got very good price (was told it was somehow a casino rate, though I never stepped a foot in any casino on HAL, and in general do not gamble anywhere :))) . I took it, as the price was twice cheaper as regular price for this type of cabin, and I assumed all Neptune suites are kind of the same. So there going to be no "bad" cabin - whatever would be assigned.

 

I like Signature Suites on the new ships. But I kind of paid for guarantee Neptune Suite type, not for Signature Suite. Didn't think Signature Suites were included into Neptune Suite guarantee.

Edited January 24, 2023 by JoieNsk

[CruiserBruce]

9 minutes ago, JoieNsk said:

Did you have Neptune Suite Guarantee, and they gave you Signature Suite instead? if so - that kind of 

@DaveOKCreceived an SC, which is a Neptune Suite, which was the Guarantee booking they had.

[JoieNsk]

1 minute ago, CruiserBruce said:

@DaveOKCreceived an SC, which is a Neptune Suite, which was the Guarantee booking they had.

I see!

Thank you!

 

I am not all that familiar with HAL cabins.

 

If you know - what is bad about SC Neptune Suite?

 

This is going to be our first ever guarantee. Normally I like to choose particular cabin. But this price was so good, that I figured - worth a try.

[JoieNsk]

Thanks. I found SC type on the deck plans.

 

Also this video somebody posted before gives great idea what the room looks like.

 

 

I probably would have not chosen it if I had to pay "full price" as it's going to be a lot of movement probably in this cabin. Also I prefer lower decks if I can help it.

 

But for the price I got - I'm O'K even with SC category. At least now, in theory :)) 

 

Neither me nor my husband have any general motion sickness problem, and we don't have any mobility issues. And I don't even care for the Neptune Lounge very much - no windows, not drinks :))) - so would not go there very often.

 

Hopefully I would not regret the guarantee thing :)))

 

 

Edited January 24, 2023 by JoieNsk

[DaveOKC]

FYI - the SC cabins are generally used for the Neptune guarantees (at a minimum).  However, the SC cabins can really vary by ship, some good, some fair and some not so good.  I took my chances on these three times this past year and the first two were assigned well located SA cabins, right by the Lounge.  This time it did not work out.  I think the difference is that HAL is now filling the ships more, and the SC guarantees have to fight more people for the assignment.

 

My usual play is to book a Signature Suite and hope for an upsell.  I guess I will have to go back back to this approach.  I am happy with most Signatures.

[Florida_gal_50]

If hal has an opportunity to make money on something or give it for free it seems like a no brainer.  

[mwj]

8 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

What appears to be "unfilled" could simply be unassigned, but sold on Guarantee bookings.

 

Many threads here saying recently GTY bookings are filled around 8-10 days prior to sailing.

Our recent gty was assigned 11 days prior to sailing.

 

there is always someone willing to pay for an upgrade. Our last two upgrade offers were outrageously high, more than double what we might have considered.

Edited January 25, 2023 by mwj
Typo

[L-Goose]

14 hours ago, albingirl said:

Here we go.  That's a sold out cruise.  All those verandahs are guarantee cabins.  Unassigned.  

why do you believe this is a sold-out sailing?

edit... nevermind, I now see on HAL site

Edited January 25, 2023 by L-Goose

[Frogoz]

We board on 3 February and received our assigned cabin 2 days ago. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[fkfad]

7 hours ago, Frogoz said:

We board on 3 February and received our assigned cabin 2 days ago. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Was your cabin considered an upgrade from what you had originally purchased?  Still holding out hope...  LOL