Lets Talk HAL Guarantee and upgrades.

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We booked an inside cabin guarantee (paying the category MM rate). We had no cabin assigned until 5 days prior to sailing, when we were assigned a large category K inside cabin. Already that was an upgrade because the cabin would be about 200 sq. ft. instead of the usual 165 sq. ft., and it was mid-ship which is smoother (less "roll") in rough seas. Then, on the day of the cruise, when checking in at the Seattle pier, we found out that we had been upgraded to a large outside cabin with full (unobstructed) view, category F. From reading the postings on cruiscritic.com it seems there is no pattern to when cabins are assigned to passengers who book the "Guarantee" category, nor any pattern to whether or when such passengers are upgraded. Based on the excellent service HAL provided throughout our cruise, my guess is that if they haven't yet assigned your cabin it's because they are expecting -- but not yet certain -- that they will be able to upgrade you. Be sure to post after your cruise and let us know what cabin you got and if you were satisfied with it.

[donh1]

As stated so many times before it is wise to purchase a category you will be happy with. We have selected a guarantee obstructed outside room which means we will get one of about 24 cabins that are on the lower Promenade Deck or maybe something better. Anything better will be a bonus. Quick access to the LP deck is nice.

 

I suspect that far more than 24 couples have done what I did and purchased the lowest possible outside room meaning some will be upgraded. The major online travel agents seem to advertize these rooms. I'll certainly let you know how this worked for me.

 

One thing that anyone thinking about travelling thru the Panama Canal should be aware of is the $287.90 fee per passenger that is not included in the advertized price.

 

People such as me on a budget are not likely to be sold any better category after being hit with that fee.

 

We really enjoy cruising and the financial benifits relating to guanantee bookings seems worthwhile... thanks to all who provided information

[Nicki61]

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[Nicki61]

We purchased an SC Gaur. on the Westerdam 11/25/07. I think there are less than 10 of these and think our chances of an upgrade are high. Oh, all they are selling currently is a Gaur.

What does anyone else think?

 

Nick

[VernaF7449]

My first time for a guarantee: For my June 11, 2007 Norwegian Fjords and North Cape cruise on the Rotterdam, as a solo I booked a K guarantee (inside) which I would have been happy with. When I left at 2 PM EDT on June 8 for the airport to fly to Copenhagen, I still had GUAR on my on-line immigration form. When I checked again on June 10, I saw I got a C cabin (outside with window on lower promenade deck). I loved the cabin, and with the LP right outside there was no need for a balcony!

 

I know some people do not consider the outside cabins on the LP deck an upgrade because they are about 15 sq ft smaller then tho other outside cabins on lower decks, but for me that was fine and I did not notice the difference. I also had a fairly un-obstructed view. Not a bad upgrade.

 

A friend and I are booked on the May 23 2008 Prinsendam Heart of Bordeaux cruise, I think we booked an SY guarantee (I may be wrong on that, but it was a suite). Lets see what we get...

[Gonzo70]

Just consider Holland America. No other Cruise Lines. We have booked two times in the past with a Guarantee. I got exactly what I paid for on one and the second time was upgraded from and outside obstructed to an oceanview. I guess I'm batting 500. My upcoming cruise is also a guarantee so if I get upgraded I'll be batting 750. What's everyone elses experience with guarantees....:rolleyes:

 

I think you'd be batting 667 instead of 750, but not to worry - 667 is a very respectable batting average.

 

I am fortunate to be batting 1,000, but only with one at-bat and a modest upgrade at that. On a Noordam Alaska treat I booked a VH Guarantee and was assigned to a VA aft room.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Verna, That is great:) That most certainly was an excellent Upgrade and a great location. I wish you lots of luck for a upgrade on the May cruise but from what I have ready those SY cabins are the Prinsendam are pretty special too;)

[Tampa Girl]

We booked a specific cabin on Statendam's 3/1/2008, 25-day cruise. Since we booked aboard a Carribean cruise in March, we were asked if we wanted to put in for a "free upgrade". Of course, we said "yes". We are confirmed in a veranda, B cabin. What is the difference between a "guaranteed cabin" and a specified cabin? And can a "free upgrade" mean to an "A" verandah or to a "S" suite (I think I know the answer to that one!) Also, has anyone ever received a "free upgrade". Finally, the "upsell" that people talk about, what is the average discount offered when they become available, about 3 weeks before the cruise?

Thank you all for any insight.

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We booked a specific cabin on Statendam's 3/1/2008, 25-day cruise. Since we booked aboard a Carribean cruise in March, we were asked if we wanted to put in for a "free upgrade". Of course, we said "yes". We are confirmed in a veranda, B cabin. What is the difference between a "guaranteed cabin" and a specified cabin? And can a "free upgrade" mean to an "A" verandah or to a "S" suite (I think I know the answer to that one!) Also, has anyone ever received a "free upgrade". Finally, the "upsell" that people talk about, what is the average discount offered when they become available, about 3 weeks before the cruise?

Thank you all for any insight.

Tampa Girl -- "Guarantee" means you pay for a certain category but you don't get to pick your cabin. The cruise line will assign you a cabin in that category or a higher category. If you care where your cabin is on the ship (for example, if you have a tendency to get seasick you may prefer mid-ship versus far foward or back) then you shouldn't book "Guarantee." Even if you reserve a particular cabin instead of booking the "guarantee" category, you may get an upgrade if the ship isn't full. However, the upgrade may take you far forward, far back, near where the tender boats are lowered into the water when the ship anchors in a harbor (waking you up at 6:00 a.m.), under the nightclub, etc. So some passengers who book a particular cabin specify that they don't want to be upgraded. As for the discount on an "upsell," I have no experience with that but probably other subscribers to this thread will share their experiences.

[OldCodger73]

We have limited cruising experience, three times all on HAL. Our first cruise was July 2006. We booked a A verandah cabin on the Volendam for an Alaska cruise, this was for a specific cabin, not an A guarantee. Once I printed out the on-line check in form I stopped checking the HAL site. We were very surprised and also very pleased to find at checkin that we had been upgraded to an S suite.

 

We like the S suite so well that on our next cruise in September 2006 we booked an S guarantee on the Veendam for a 4-day Pacific Coastal that was the first part of a 35-day Amazon cruise. We received our room number about two weeks in advance of sailing.

 

Subsequently, we booked two cruises for late 2008, both in S. In April, after looking closely at our travel budget we decided to squeeze in an Alaska cruise for late May on the Amsterdam sailing out of our homeport of Seattle. We had planned on booking the cheapest outside available but all were sold out so we booked the cheapest verandah cabin, a BC guarantee, of which according to the deck plan, the Amsterdam had four. We had seen a BC on the Volendam, our traveling companions had been upgraded to a BC from a DA, and knew the room would work for us.

 

Maybe two weeks out we were assigned an A cabin. I had just read a post by SakeDad or SakeDude, can't remember his correct screen name, describing how he got an upsell, so I thought I'd give it a try. Our TA didn't think that there was any chance but called HAL to enquire if any were available and how much would it cost to upsell to an S suite. HAL responded $400 a person, which didn't work for me, so I countered offered and HAL accepted. Sake got his for 50% of HAL's offer, I paid slightly more but it was amount I was comfortable with.

 

As has has been pointed out repeatedly, there seems little rhyme or reason as to upgrades. As to upsells, I'm guessing the bargains are mainly there during the begining or end of the season, but who knows.

[ShoeGal10]

My boyfriend and I are going on our first cruise on Sept 22nd, and had booked a VH guarantee. I was also anxiously checking for a cabin assignment each day, and I checked the online immigration form this morning, and our assignment is a VC at the very back of the ship (aft?). We are really happy with the upgrade, and also happy to have found out almost 4 weeks ahead of time.

 

Also just wanted to say that we have been reading the cruise critic boards daily and have found so much great information - I feel so much more prepared for the cruise as a result!

[grannynurse]

We just got our cabin, 5 weeks before sailing so we know it's a full ship. The upgrade fairy didn't land, we still have our SS, so were batting 500, 1 upgrade out of 2 guarantees.

GN

[robertwcook16]

I booked 3 HH guarantee cabins for 09/23/07 Noordam to Alaska. Got my cabin assignments last Thursday & we got H cabins, not sure if this is really an upgrade but I am still very happy with their location, even though they are obstructed views. Cabins 4114, 4110,4108. Can't wait!!!!

[DFW-Cruiser]

About 6 weeks out, we booked a VH guarantee for our first cruise on the May 19th Oosterdam Alaska itenerary, at an excellent price that was less than some of the outside view cabins. Then we waited and waited as all the other VH passengers annouced their assignments to V-category cabines. About a week prior to sailing we discovered we'd been ungraded to an SS on the Navigation Deck in a wonderful location about 1/2 way between mid-ship and stern.

 

Of course this means if I ever get the opportunity to cruise again, I'll have to have an SY or better!!

 

Linda

[ugminer]

Hands down, I think you have the best record for serious upgrades. Too bad your HAL cruise consultant is not taking on new clients.

 

 

I'm pretty new to this but how do you talk to the same person at Hal:confused: I just get that if I call back I can talk to anyone who answers. I would love to have someone that I could ask for. I have not had much luck with TA's. I like to do my own research so I pretty much do all my own legwork and usually call reservations on my own. I'm pretty new to cruisin but if the health holds out I plan to try and play catch up every chance I get.:D Deb

[cruzinjudi]

I just booked a guarantee on the Maasadam for a October sailing and my travel agent told me to fill out the forms on line as soon as possible--question if I print out my boarding passes now-do you think I would have a less chance of a good upgrade or does it make any difference? why do we have to print out the boarding passes if I dont know my cabin assignment yet-this is the first time I have done a guarantee---we got such a good rate for a oceanview that I really did not care where the cabin is.

any experience with this would be helpful !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[moveup]

I just booked a guarantee on the Maasadam for a October sailing and my travel agent told me to fill out the forms on line as soon as possible--question if I print out my boarding passes now-do you think I would have a less chance of a good upgrade or does it make any difference? why do we have to print out the boarding passes if I dont know my cabin assignment yet-this is the first time I have done a guarantee---we got such a good rate for a oceanview that I really did not care where the cabin is.

any experience with this would be helpful !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I printed out my boarding passes when they said "GUAR" instead of a cabin number, and then I got assigned a cabin and printed them out again, and then on the day of the cruise I got upgraded again (total of 8 categories upgraded). My suitcases had tags with the old cabin number, but HAL found them and redelivered them to the new cabin. So, having the boarding passes printed out appears to have no negative effect on upgrades.

[moveup]

I just booked a guarantee on the Maasadam for a October sailing and my travel agent told me to fill out the forms on line as soon as possible--question if I print out my boarding passes now-do you think I would have a less chance of a good upgrade or does it make any difference? why do we have to print out the boarding passes if I dont know my cabin assignment yet-this is the first time I have done a guarantee---we got such a good rate for a oceanview that I really did not care where the cabin is.

any experience with this would be helpful !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I printed out my boarding passes when they said "GUAR" instead of a cabin number, and then I got assigned a cabin and printed them out again, and then on the day of the cruise I got upgraded again (total of 8 categories upgraded). My suitcases had tags with the old cabin number, but HAL found them and redelivered them to the new cabin. So, having the boarding passes printed out appears to have no negative effect on upgrades.

[Roz]

Booked 4 guarantees; upgraded twice (from inside to obstructed outside). Have yet to get a bad cabin. Booking guarantees is one of the ways I lower the cost of sailing solo.

 

Roz

[VegasRealtor]

We booked a cat VH guarantee on a 7 day Carribean on the Westerdam and were assigned a cat VH. I called my TA who was actually on the line with a HAL rep at that moment. We were able to upgrade to an SZ for a very small amount of money, but when we went to check in at the pier, our rep said she could not find our room number on her list. Oh no!! A supervisor was summoned and - lo and behold - we had been upgraded to an SA!! How's that for an upgrade!! And the ship was actually pretty full!!

 

We have a guarantee VA on the Oosterdam in November - I'll let everyone know how it turns out.

 

Dave:)

[Two if by Sea]

lo and behold - we had been upgraded to an SA!! How's that for an upgrade!!

 

When you get upgraded to a deluxe suite, do you get all the ameneties just as if you had paid for it -- Neptune Lounge privileges, priority embarkation, etc.?

[RuthC]

When you get upgraded to a deluxe suite, do you get all the ameneties just as if you had paid for it -- Neptune Lounge privileges, priority embarkation, etc.?

Yup. :D Sweet deal, isn't it. We should all get so lucky (at least) once in our lives. ;)

[VegasRealtor]

Re our upgrade - yes, we got everything that's normally included in an S cat suite! How cool!! We both almost fainted at the check in counter. We were ushered over to the suite check-in booth and from there, well...

[kakalina]

I'm pretty new to this but how do you talk to the same person at Hal:confused: I just get that if I call back I can talk to anyone who answers. I would love to have someone that I could ask for. I have not had much luck with TA's. I like to do my own research so I pretty much do all my own legwork and usually call reservations on my own. I'm pretty new to cruisin but if the health holds out I plan to try and play catch up every chance I get.:D Deb

 

When you call tell the person you need a PCC and may you have their extension. Then you can call the same person each time :)

[ugminer]

Thank you. I will try that the next time. I put together the trip to Mexico for three of us,two of the couples have never cruised before, and having one person to talk to would have been so much easier. We all booked on a 3 state special (or so HAL said) with a vh guarantee. Since there are only 4 of those cabins I'm hoping the upgrade fairy sprinkles a liberal amount of dust on us. But if not I'll still be happy with my first verandah even if I do have to stand up to see anything. This is the first time I've done a guarantee, I tend to like to pick our location, but couldn't turn the price down. For that matter I wasn't planning on taking a second cruise at all this year so no matter what, the whole cruise is an upgrade in a way:D

Hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable week end Deb