Getting a guarantee cabin changed ??

Hi all,

Was just wandering if anyone had ever asked to change their guarantee cabin assignment ? We have been allocated a cabin right next to my in-laws despite keeping the bookings separate ...what are my chances of getting one of us moved?

M X

Oh boy!

Yes, it happens, as reported by some pax on this board. You can try, never hurts and you have a reason that could pass muster.

If all else fails, you could ask for an upsell!

Best of luck!

Hi all,

 

Was just wandering if anyone had ever asked to change their guarantee cabin assignment ? We have been allocated a cabin right next to my in-laws despite keeping the bookings separate ...what are my chances of getting one of us moved?

 

M X

We were assigned an outside guarantee we were happy with. About three days before boarding we were reassigned an upgrade, still outside, but more central location. When we boarded DW didn't like it, so before we unpacked we checked to see if the original one was still vacant. It was, so we asked at the front deck if we could be reassigned to the original. They said to check back after dinner. We did, and were able to move to the original cabin.

Well I didn't think it was glad my to be a problem as we were supposed to get a complimentary upgrade from inside to outside but so far HAL is not responding to my emails requesting to use the upgrade offer ...

I hope we can change it ... Two weeks of a mummy's boy in a cabin next to his mummy and I may well jump overboard :eek::rolleyes:;):D

We did once because the cabin we were assigned was a lesser category than HAL was advertising for the same price. They gave us the better cabin. Only time I have ever been disappointed in a guarantee

I think it would be better to call rather than email. You might get a quicker response.

I think it would be better to call rather than email. You might get a quicker response.

It will all depend on how booked up the cruise is. I would definitely call HAL to see what's available. When we didn't like a guarantee we called, but the cruise was it was booked up. We no longer go guaranteed...it's worth the little higher price to book where and what we want. You might have to go down a category or two to make the move.

Utahtea

[quote=

I hope we can change it ... Two weeks of a mummy's boy in a cabin next to his mummy and I may well jump overboard :eek::rolleyes:;):D

I can understand that. Sort of meets the definition of "mixed emotions" - watching your mother-in-law drive of a cliff in your brand new Cadillac.

Well I didn't think it was glad my to be a problem as we were supposed to get a complimentary upgrade from inside to outside but so far HAL is not responding to my emails requesting to use the upgrade offer ...

 

I hope we can change it ... Two weeks of a mummy's boy in a cabin next to his mummy and I may well jump overboard :eek::rolleyes:;):D

I really would hate to be in your situation!

I hope everything works out. Please come back and let us know!

Hi all,

 

Was just wandering if anyone had ever asked to change their guarantee cabin assignment ? We have been allocated a cabin right next to my in-laws despite keeping the bookings separate ...what are my chances of getting one of us moved?

 

M X

As others have said, it is worth trying. Did you get a cabin in a higher level than your guarantee booking was for, eg., did you book an M and get an L (example only, not specific). If that is more or less how your assignment went, you could offer to move to a lower category than what you got assigned, if that would help them move you and if you don't get the upgrade you are referring to.

Similar has happened to me when traveling with friends. I tell my PCC "do not link my reservation with anyone, do not let anyone link TO my reservation". And I always check. And then, yup ..... they are next door even though we aren't linked.

Good luck, I hope you are able to move!

It will all depend on how booked up the cruise is. I would definitely call HAL to see what's available. When we didn't like a guarantee we called, but the cruise was it was booked up. We no longer go guaranteed...it's worth the little higher price to book where and what we want. You might have to go down a category or two to make the move.

 

Utahtea

I avoid guarantees for the same reason. I would rather 1) pay a bit more to select my cabin or 2) drop down a category if I can find a cabin I like. Ever since HAL redid the cabin categories 1-2 years ago I have found certain categories that I really like that are lower ranked than more expensive ones.

It really does pay to do your homework with HAL reservations and do not be afraid to ask for advice on this board.

I avoid guarantees for the same reason. I would rather 1) pay a bit more to select my cabin or 2) drop down a category if I can find a cabin I like. Ever since HAL redid the cabin categories 1-2 years ago I have found certain categories that I really like that are lower ranked than more expensive ones.

 

It really does pay to do your homework with HAL reservations and do not be afraid to ask for advice on this board.

I found the same thing about the change in categories when we went to book our up coming cruise!! In the past we had a VB category that we liked so we went to book it for our upcoming cruise and found it was now a VD...that's fine with us...we can pay less for what we know and like! Shhhh....don't tell HAL! ;)

The reason we no longer do the guaranteed is we were upgraded from a guaranteed VD to a VA on the Westerdam in 2013 but our VA was right under the Sea View pool area and we could hear the chairs being moved around. That same cabin is NOW a VF category...which is where it belongs!

Utahtea

We had a guaranteed VD cabin on a Vista class ship (Zuiderdam). About 25 days out we got our assignment. It was still VD, but fully forward on deck 6, (6006). Our TA thought that since we booked and fully paid 13 months in advance of the cruise, and we were both 3-star Mariners, we should get a little bump in category level. HAL changed our assignment to a VA cabin, mid-ships on deck 5, immediately next to the mid-ships elevators. When we got the change, we checked it out on the various sites that have cabin pix. On Vista class ships, deck 5 mid-ships cabins have an extremely shallow balcony because of the narrowing of the deck at that point. Also, much worse, the big orange lifeboats are right under your balcony. Yes, your view straight out to the sea is not obstructed. But if you go out onto the balcony, and want to look down at maybe some dolphins swimming alongside, or a sailaway concert on the pier, you can't see a thing, due to the lifeboats suspended there. Also, the glass outside elevators could look directly onto our balcony and into the cabin. We complained to our TA and she apologized for requesting the move, and she had us moved back into the deck 6 forward cabin, which was perfect.

Rule of thumb... just because a cabin has a higher classification with HAL, doesn't always mean it's superior to what you had. Check first, and YES, you can get a guaranteed assignment changed if you or your TA has a legitimate reasoning. HAL never admitted to us that deck 5 mid-ship balconies are partially obstructed, but because they so easily moved us back to the original assignment indicates that there have been other complaints about partially obstructed views in a VA grade cabin.

I had a guarantee assigned cabin changed once, but I don't know what kind of pleading my TA had to go through to make it happen, if any. Could have been dumb luck, I suppose.

I had booked a J-category as a guarantee, since there were none available in an area that was satisfactory; I was hoping for an upgrade to a better area of the ship. I was assigned to a J-cabin, still in an awful location. My TA got it changed, still a J-category cabin, but in one of the satisfactory areas that was never available in the first place. :rolleyes:

... we were supposed to get a complimentary upgrade from inside to outside ....

Would you mind explaining this statement? I have never heard of anyone who is "supposed" to get a "complimentary" upgrade.

I think it would be better to call rather than email. You might get a quicker response.

I agree with this..

You all are scaring me..:(

Our Friends, DH & I are booked on the Zeiderdam in the fall.. DH & I normally book outside cabins, but this time we decided to go for a balcony, as this may be our last cruise.. We also wanted showers only as both my Friends DH & I would have problems getting in & out of a tub.. We booked with an Interline Travel Agent who was able to get us VF4005 & VF4007..I accepted these cabins & checked to be sure there will be no life boats to block our view... Also hope that they have the plexiglass rails. & not the steel rails..

These cabins are far forward.. Has anyone every stayed in them & are there any problems that we should be aware of..

I called the genetic 800 number on the HA website and asked for a cabin change after getting assigned my guarantee cabin. The person who answered changed my cabin to another location that I requested in the same category. It took about 5 minutes. I had already looked to see what was available so I knew what to ask for. I tried email to my HA cruise consultant before I called and never got a response. I think she was too busy making new bookings to bother with my request. This was on the Westerdam last March.

You all are scaring me..:(

 

Our Friends, DH & I are booked on the Zeiderdam in the fall.. DH & I normally book outside cabins, but this time we decided to go for a balcony, as this may be our last cruise.. We also wanted showers only as both my Friends DH & I would have problems getting in & out of a tub.. We booked with an Interline Travel Agent who was able to get us VF4005 & VF4007..I accepted these cabins & checked to be sure there will be no life boats to block our view... Also hope that they have the plexiglass rails. & not the steel rails..

 

These cabins are far forward.. Has anyone every stayed in them & are there any problems that we should be aware of..

 

We stayed in this area last fall and the cabins do have the steel railings. Other than that we enjoyed the cabin and location. Also, the balconies on deck 4 are larger than the verandas on 5 and 6.

I agree with the calling, but before you dial that number make sure you have a deck plan in front of you. When they start throwing out numbers you need to be prepared to say yes or no, what else do you have. If you work with them, they are willing to do their best to help to make you happy.

You all are scaring me..:(

 

Our Friends, DH & I are booked on the Zeiderdam in the fall.. DH & I normally book outside cabins, but this time we decided to go for a balcony, as this may be our last cruise.. We also wanted showers only as both my Friends DH & I would have problems getting in & out of a tub.. We booked with an Interline Travel Agent who was able to get us VF4005 & VF4007..I accepted these cabins & checked to be sure there will be no life boats to block our view... Also hope that they have the plexiglass rails. & not the steel rails..

 

These cabins are far forward.. Has anyone every stayed in them & are there any problems that we should be aware of..

 

Verandah cabins 4001 thru 4041 all have steel balconies. When you checked for lifeboats and showers only, did you not notice the symbol indication steel railings?

I don't know what your options are because you booked an Interline TA but it seems it is rather limited.

I had a guarantee assigned cabin changed once, but I don't know what kind of pleading my TA had to go through to make it happen, if any. Could have been dumb luck, I suppose.

 

I had booked a J-category as a guarantee, since there were none available in an area that was satisfactory; I was hoping for an upgrade to a better area of the ship. I was assigned to a J-cabin, still in an awful location. My TA got it changed, still a J-category cabin, but in one of the satisfactory areas that was never available in the first place. :rolleyes:

 

Would you mind explaining this statement? I have never heard of anyone who is "supposed" to get a "complimentary" upgrade.

I was sent an email from HAL head office after my previous Koningsdam cruise offering us an upgrade from cheapest inside to cheapest outside on any future sailing ... I was told to forward the email to guest services once I had booked but nobody has gotten back to me, I just got allocated the standard inside guarantee instead ...

I was sent an email from HAL head office after my previous Koningsdam cruise offering us an upgrade from cheapest inside to cheapest outside on any future sailing ... I was told to forward the email to guest services once I had booked but nobody has gotten back to me, I just got allocated the standard inside guarantee instead ...

This is poorly done.

The offer should have been registered against your Mariner number. It then sits there and is available to the booking agent to see and apply when you next book. Some one messed up here.

I would call or email HAL Head Office and ask the person who sent this offer to redeem it for you pronto.

This is poorly done.

 

The offer should have been registered against your Mariner number. It then sits there and is available to the booking agent to see and apply when you next book. Some one messed up here.

 

I would call or email HAL Head Office and ask the person who sent this offer to redeem it for you pronto.

Right. Squeaky wheel gets the grease, and all that.

If the upgrade was to make up for something wrong, then they shouldn't get it wrong, too.

Verandah cabins 4001 thru 4041 all have steel balconies. When you checked for lifeboats and showers only, did you not notice the symbol indication steel railings?

 

I don't know what your options are because you booked an Interline TA but it seems it is rather limited.

Peter, That's what I was afraid of, & No I did not check the railings out..:o Never thought about it until today...:eek:

Don't think I can change these cabins... This is the first time we booked with this Agent only because our Friends wanted to book with him.. They both are eligible ... We usually just go with our full service Agent, but this was a special celebration for us all..

We have no problem paying a fare increase, but our Friends are in a different situation than we are.. I'll talk to them over the weekend & see how they feel.. If we have to keep these cabins, that's fine with us.. We really are looking forward to cruising with them.. They normally cruise on Royal..We were at their wedding & they were at ours & we all had our first cruise together on NCL in the early 80's... These Friends are very special to us. I never wanted to move to Florida from Long Island, but they convinced us to look at houses here..LOL:)

I was sent an email from HAL head office after my previous Koningsdam cruise offering us an upgrade from cheapest inside to cheapest outside on any future sailing ... I was told to forward the email to guest services once I had booked but nobody has gotten back to me, I just got allocated the standard inside guarantee instead ...

Lovely Other I agree you should call them.. After what you went though on the Koningsdam, you deserve more than that.. You might have to ask to speak to a Supervisor when you call them.. As others have said have the deck plans in front of you..Good luck..