Got my guarantee cabin assignment - 3 weeks out!

[Moriah]

Wow, I really wasn't expecting to get our cabin assigned so early.  Other guarantees I've had we've had to wait until at least 10 days before the cruise, and in a couple of cases until only 48 hours before.  So the good news is I've got the cabin number almost 3 weeks in advance, and the bad new is, it's the first time we haven't received an upgrade from our guarantee category.  Oh well, we've been SO lucky in the past, it was time to get just what we paid for.  Oh wait.  We paid nothing. It's a casino offer that came with a free inside cabin.  I've had these offers before and the last two times we got an OV, and this past November we got an OV FAMILY (two bathrooms!) on Rotterdam.  So, I've been very blessed and lucky, AND while this one is "only" an inside cabin, it's a great location near an exit on deck 3 (Zaandam) so I can zip in and out which I LOVE.  I know many people don't like guarantees.  I kind of like the element of surprise and I'm not terribly picky about location on the ship.  When I've paid for expensive Neptune suites I've been sure to choose my location (right across from the lounge please), but other than that, in any other category, I'm really not fussed about where it is, so that if the guarantee is much cheaper (or in this case, free) I'm happy to wait for the surprise and have always been pleasantly surprised!  So, anyway, no real point to this post except I have no place else to gush about these things except CC !  🙂 sort of blank bored looks from anyone else, even the person I'm cruising with LOL

Edited April 17, 2023 by Moriah

[FlorenceItaly]

This IS unusual.  I can understand your excitement!  Have a wonderful cruise and please come back and share your thoughts on the Zaandam.  We just booked her for the 2024 28 day Amazon Explorer.

[CruiserBruce]

Would it happen to be a B2B? That is one time we have seen assignments done early, as they try to get you the same cabin for both cruises.

[Moriah]

1 hour ago, CruiserBruce said:

Would it happen to be a B2B? That is one time we have seen assignments done early, as they try to get you the same cabin for both cruises.

Nope, just 7 day one way Boston-Montreal.  But.. you could still be on to something since this is a popular route for B2Bers who do the round trip Boston-Boston or Montreal-Montreal.  So they may have been juggling for that reason, and we got lucky.

[Moriah]

1 hour ago, FlorenceItaly said:

This IS unusual.  I can understand your excitement!  Have a wonderful cruise and please come back and share your thoughts on the Zaandam.  We just booked her for the 2024 28 day Amazon Explorer.

Will do!  The last time I did this itinerary it was on Maasdam, a ship I adored... I am intending to love Zaandam just as much! 🙂

[FlorenceItaly]

We took a 51 day cruise on the Amsterdam in late 2019.  After disembarking we said we would never take a ship this small again.....well, here we go! LOL.  It was an offer we could not refuse.  In November of last year we sailed on the Nieuw Statendam.  We loved all the entertainment opportunities, but for US too many people.  We set sail on the Zuiderdam TA next month.  We have sailed on her previously and think this size ship is our "sweet spot".

[gflo]

Love HAL.  Back on this line after lots of Celebrity cruises.  Took the Oosterdam to Antarctica in January.   Phenomenal cruise once we got onboard & after quarantine for 7 days with positive Covid test..NO symptoms.  Fortunately we were in a suite & it never felt claustrophobic.   The crew couldn't do enough!  In spite of the rocky start, had a great time!   Antarctica was beyond our dreams & we had a marvelous Captain who loved showing us the greatest glaciers & icebergs.

Headed to Alaska in 3 weeks on the Eurodam in a guaranteed balcony.   Love the itinerary which includes Sitka.  Looking forward to awesome sights & impeccable HAL service!