Strange up and downgrade.

Three days before departure day we received notice by HAL that we were upgraded from a specifically booked outside deck 2, to a verandah deck 6. Hurray, this was the first time and no complaints.

Halfway through the cruise however I encountered a couple who booked a verandah deck 6 and were told at embarkation they were downgraded to an outside deck 2 (not our original one though). They were understandably upset, but there were no verandahs available anymore and HAL would not remove somebody from his/hers cabin.

Does anybody have experience with this kind of swap, or have inside knowledge about why HAL would be doing this?

sounds like this is getting commonplace. Read my experience under "Signature Suites" entry.

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Three days before departure day we received notice by HAL that we were upgraded from a specifically booked outside deck 2, to a verandah deck 6. Hurray, this was the first time and no complaints.

Halfway through the cruise however I encountered a couple who booked a verandah deck 6 and were told at embarkation they were downgraded to an outside deck 2 (not our original one though). They were understandably upset, but there were no verandahs available anymore and HAL would not remove somebody from his/hers cabin.

Does anybody have experience with this kind of swap, or have inside knowledge about why HAL would be doing this?

Sorry, I've never heard of someone being "downgraded"

Three days before departure day we received notice by HAL that we were upgraded from a specifically booked outside deck 2, to a verandah deck 6. Hurray, this was the first time and no complaints.

Halfway through the cruise however I encountered a couple who booked a verandah deck 6 and were told at embarkation they were downgraded to an outside deck 2 (not our original one though). They were understandably upset, but there were no verandahs available anymore and HAL would not remove somebody from his/hers cabin.

Does anybody have experience with this kind of swap, or have inside knowledge about why HAL would be doing this?

I have never heard of this happening on any cruise. Did they get a refund of the difference in price? Was there any explanation as to why this was done?

Sorry, I've never heard of someone being "downgraded"

Well, it happened. Although they resigned to the situation and were not complaining about the cruise itself they were stil quite upset about the roomswap.

I have never heard of this happening on any cruise. Did they get a refund of the difference in price? Was there any explanation as to why this was done?

No explanation, other than "a mistake has been made".

Yes the difference would be refunded.

Jakko Jakko, please excuse my ignorance of the process, but could they possibly have been traveling on an interline rate, and were "bumped" to accommodate full-fare paying passengers?

Jakko Jakko, please excuse my ignorance of the process, but could they possibly have been traveling on an interline rate, and were "bumped" to accommodate full-fare paying passengers?

That was not mentioned, therefore possible. But then why upgrade us as we did not book a verandah. If verandah's were all booked by full fare passengers then yes, an interline would be downgraded, but they were not as we were upgraded. Also interline staff are aware of the rules and would not be upset.

So to me it remains strange.

This does sound strange what happened to those people.

jakkojakko -- when you booked your specific cabin, did you indicate that you would be willing to accept an upgrade?

What is an interline passenger?

This does sound strange what happened to those people.

jakkojakko -- when you booked your specific cabin, did you indicate that you would be willing to accept an upgrade?

Booked thru an agent and don't remember. Normally I do not check the upgrade box.

What is an interline passenger?

An Interline Psgr is an employee or a retired employee of a company who gives a discount to other airline employees, some hotel employees, tour companies & some cruise line employees.. Each company makes their own agreements with the various hotel chains, cruise lines, & airlines.. However, they normally are not downgraded on cruises unless the cruise line has made a serious mistake..

I'm a retired employee of a European Airline & can get some discounts on other Airlines, some Hotels, some tours & also some Cruise lines.. I rarely take advantage of my discounts on a cruise.. I also always pay full fare on flights as don't want to standby any more..

Interline Psgrs are restricted from discussing their discounts.. In this case I think it was a big mistake on the part of the cruise line employee who may have miscounted the number of psgrs for a particular fare on the OP's cruise.. Mistakes can happen, but they are very rare & I would guess that the cruise line gave the Psgrs some extras incentives to make up for their error in addition to a refund..

When we did a final count of our Psgrs. occasionally we had overbooked a flight & had to downgrade a First class Psgr into Economy.. :eek: But you can be sure that the Psgrs were well taken care of.. The pre-flight dept was responsible for the overbookings :eek:

Also interline staff are aware of the rules and would not be upset.

Being aware of Interline rules doesn't mean they wouldn't be upset if those rules were applied to them.

I suspect there is more to this story that you weren't made aware of. I'm not buying it at face value.

Sorry, I've never heard of someone being "downgraded"

Does this ever happen to people who have booked a guarantee cabin? Where you already know your cabin number? Thanks.

Does this ever happen to people who have booked a guarantee cabin? Where you already know your cabin number? Thanks.

I've never heard of a cruise passenger being "downgraded" under any conditions.

Does this ever happen to people who have booked a guarantee cabin? Where you already know your cabin number? Thanks.

No. Booking guarantee gives you "the same category booked or better"

I have never heard of anyone being downgraded no matter what they booked.

I would expect a generous portion of my fare refunded if we were downgraded--more than just the difference in fare between the categories. The only time I've heard of a cruise that was seriously overbooked--so much that the cruise line had to cancel some people involuntarily--was a Carnival cruise from Baltimore several years ago. They really got a downgrade.

Booked thru an agent and don't remember. Normally I do not check the upgrade box.

I give considerable thought to deciding whether or not to check the "do not upgrade" box.

If I would be happy with ANY cabin in ANY category above what I booked I allow for an upgrade. If not, I tell my TA "do not upgrade". Normally I end up with a "do not upgrade".

While this may seem unusual, I research my cabin selection thoroughly and very often there are cabins in a higher "ranking" that I really do not want, so I avoid this. Sort of rather being safe than sorry.

Also interline staff are aware of the rules and would not be upset.

Don't bet on that! We have seen stories here of some that did not.

Being aware of Interline rules doesn't mean they wouldn't be upset if those rules were applied to them.

I suspect there is more to this story that you weren't made aware of. I'm not buying it at face value.

I agree with you, Ruth.

I've never heard of any downgrades ever on HAL.

We did get a downgrade "offer" on Oceania (now I wish I had taken it;) ). It was more than what the price difference was.

Being aware of Interline rules doesn't mean they wouldn't be upset if those rules were applied to them.

I suspect there is more to this story that you weren't made aware of. I'm not buying it at face value.

Don't bet on that! We have seen stories here of some that did not.

I agree with both of you with a couple of exceptions.. Most Interline Employees are aware of the rules & regulations regarding interline tickets.. I was in Management & actually only had to discipline one employee because he made a stink about getting on another Carriers flight.. He lost his Interline tickets for almost a year..

However, Parents of the employees are also entitled to discounts & that was where some Airlines ran into problems.. Employees occasionally forgot to tell their Parents about the rules & regulations.. If I received a complaint from another Airline about a parent making a fuss, I would talk to the employee & explain that it was their responsibility to see that their parents knew the rules.. If it happened a second time the employee would loose his/her interline Discounts..

When we travelled I impressed upon my newly adopted 15 year old Son & DH that they were not to discuss their tickets... Of course in those days regular Psgrs. would realize we were Interline only because we had to be dressed up, in a tie/Jacket for DH & Son & a dress/suit for me..

On his first flight as a Non-Rev our Son was sitting 3-4 rows behind DH & me on a full Trans-Atlantic flight.. Every time the Stewardess offered him a drink or something to eat he would politely say "No Thank You".. When she came to me & told me about his refusals, I went back to explain to him that it was OK for him to accept a coke & food.. The poor kid would have starved to death only because I had put the fear of God into him.. :eek:

That was not mentioned, therefore possible. But then why upgrade us as we did not book a verandah. If verandah's were all booked by full fare passengers then yes, an interline would be downgraded, but they were not as we were upgraded. Also interline staff are aware of the rules and would not be upset.

So to me it remains strange.

You as a full paying Psgr would always be up-graded before an Interline Psgr.. After all, the Cruise line wants you to purchase another ticket on another cruise in a higher category next time..

We always up-graded full paying Psgrs first, even if that Psgr paid for Economy & only First class seats were left... Interline Psgrs are normally boarded last..

I believe that a cruise line would do the same....

I too have never heard of any full paying Psgrs being downgraded by a cruise line, but IMO it could happen to an Interline Psgr..

I suspect there is more to this story that you weren't made aware of. I'm not buying it at face value.