Zuiderdam What happened to the upgrade?

[cheshire999]

I have a question. I had a guarantee of an upgrade and we had purchased a large outside cabin and we got... a large outside cabin. So where was the upgrade? Did I miss something? Or should I just be happy that I'm not going to be getting up to go to work everyday for at least a week. ::::sigh:::::o

[jhannah]

To my knowledge there is no such thing as a guaranteed upgrade. A guarantee is where you pay a reduced price for a certain cabin category without the ability to select your cabin or its location. You are guaranteed to get at least that category ... but you MIGHT be upgraded to a higher category if HAL needs to move people around for inventory control. Did your TA tell you that you would be guaranteed an upgrade?

[peaches from georgia]

.... I had a guarantee of an upgrade and we had purchased a large outside cabin and we got... a large outside cabin. So where was the upgrade? ..../QUOTE]

 

 

I have never heard of a guarantee of an upgrade. What were you told? Booking a 'guarantee' just means you will not get a lesser category of cabin than the guarantee; it does not mean you will get a higher category which would be an upgrade.

 

Exactly who told you you were guaranteed an upgrade?

[RuthC]

Be happy you're not getting up and going to work.

 

What makes you think you were "guaranteed" an upgrade? I've never heard of any such thing.

A "guarantee" means that you will get at least the cabin category you booked, but does not guarantee you will do any better. HAL has the right to place you wherever they see fit but at no less than you booked.

The only thing I can think of is you booked a cabin category that had an "upgrade" included. That's done by charging less than your category goes for in the first place.

Go and have a good time. The boss isn't watching. ;)

[gizmo]

I am not sure what you mean by "a guarantee of an upgrade".

 

Did the TA promise you an upgrade? How did you book the cabin? Was it a guarantee or did you choose your cabin?

 

Maybe you misunderstood and did receive it. There is more than 1 category for a large outside cabin. It is possible you paid for an F and got an E. Both are large outside cabins. An E would be considered an upgrade as far as the cruise line is concerned. It might be the same exact size cabin, but in a different location. All cruise lines do this, not just Hal.

[Tarkus]

i'm with everybody else on this... i don't believe there is such a thing as a "guaranteed upgrade". i always book guarantee (including my upcoming trip on the zuiderdam) and on 2 of 8 occasions it has resulted in an upgraded room. hardly a guarantee! i have the feeling you may have just misunderstood your ta's usage of the term "guarantee".

[cruznon]

Like everyone else, I've never heard of a guaranteed upgrade--I don't think there is such a thing. I have seen some online TA's off an "automatic upgrade" in which you would pay for a lower category and then an "upgrade" kicks you up to a higher category. In other words you pay "lower" for a higher category cabin---but you don't get an another upgrade--that's it.

[Nan-L]

Maybe they are talking about the cruiseline giving an upgrade when booking IE: a cat a to a cat. B , which is just really the position of the cabin.

[RuthC]

Nan, going from an "A-" category to a "B-" would be a downgrade. But going from a B to an A---a change in cabin location, as you say---is an upgrade since it is an "improvement", at least in HAL's opinion.

[Nan-L]

OK!!

a B to an A... better!!

But if this person was expecting a major cabin upgrade,(not knowing! they meant with in the same cat), not a change in position w/ the same cabin size ( and YES the change in position is an upgrade!!!) as an inside to an outside, then they would be disappointed!!

[cheshire999]

Phew!! Thanks for all the comments. When we purchased the cruise through Cruises Only it had two perks attached (otherwise we would have purchased somewhere else); A Pinnacle Grill upgrade and a "Guaranteed 7 category upgrade". When talking to the TA she gave the impression that we would be upgraded. Now, I'm no Pollyanna and I know better than to expect a Verandah suite, but she should have been a little clearer if all it meant was the same darn thing I had paid for. Its obviously a ruse to get you to use their services... burn me once, shame on you, burn me twice, shame on me. I'll never use Cruises Only again. As far as the Pinnacle Grill Upgrade, its supposed to be a voucher or something to that effect that you get to dine in the Pinnacle Grill one night without the $20 fee. So far that hasn't materialized yet either and they're acting like they don't know what we're talking about. I do have that promo code on my printed reciept from them so now that I have time this week to deal with them I will. (Had priority visit to Grandbaby to see to first!) Thanks for all your comments, I was afraid that I had been suckered in due to my euphoria over just being able to go on a cruise this year. I'm sure we'll have a great time anyways. Did I mention that our cabin butts up against the Vista Lounge? That should make for a quiet restful cruise eh? :(

[RuthC]

cheshire, check the price of your cabin category against what you actually paid. If your TA was being honest you paid the price of a cabin seven categories lower.

A category is a one-letter change in cabin designation (eg: K- to J-).

[obriendan]

Are you sure you haven't actually received the 7 category upgrade? Check the price of the lower category. Frequently I've seen ads for "seven category upgrades" followed by an asterisk. In small print below it will be stated that for the price listed, the 7 category upgrade has already been included. Somewhat misleading!

[gizmo]

Are you sure you haven't actually received the 7 category upgrade? Check the price of the lower category. Frequently I've seen ads for "seven category upgrades" followed by an asterisk. In small print below it will be stated that for the price listed, the 7 category upgrade has already been included. Somewhat misleading!

 

I have seen the same thing !

[maritime4]

A few years ago we received an upgrade on the Maasdam, from an inside to a window. It was our honeymoon so that might have been the reason for the extreme upgrade.

 

We recently booked a guarantee (balcony) on the Zuiderdam and just found out that we've moved from a VF to a VB cabin. Very exciting!

[SueOverend]

Cheshire999 - I've been looking at the 7 category upgrade on Cruises only for a friend who may be joining us later in the year on the Westerdam. I must say I haven't had any problems seeing how this works. The upgrade applies as soon as you type in your cabin category. i.e you enter the cabin you want to pay for (i.e an inside) and the cabin selection they give you is 7 categories higher, which depending on which category of inside you selected may bump you up to a Veranda. It was a shame that you didn't understand this when you made your cabin selection, as you would probably have only had to have paid a little more to get your Veranda.

 

I hope you had a great cruise though - I understand how disappointing it must have been for you expect to get something and then don't get it.

[cheshire999]

Cheshire999 - I've been looking at the 7 category upgrade on Cruises only for a friend who may be joining us later in the year on the Westerdam. I must say I haven't had any problems seeing how this works. The upgrade applies as soon as you type in your cabin category. i.e you enter the cabin you want to pay for (i.e an inside) and the cabin selection they give you is 7 categories higher, which depending on which category of inside you selected may bump you up to a Veranda. It was a shame that you didn't understand this when you made your cabin selection, as you would probably have only had to have paid a little more to get your Veranda.

 

I hope you had a great cruise though - I understand how disappointing it must have been for you expect to get something and then don't get it.

 

I paid for a Large Outside Cabin. I got a Large Outside Cabin When booking the cruise, we were told we would have a guarantee 7 category upgrade, with possible upgrade to a balcony. I ended up with exactly what I paid for. So why book with someone who gives that guarantee over anyone else? No reason in my book. I'm going to have a great time. We don't spend much time in our room usually, might have spent more if it were a balcony. The Verandah upgrade would have been several hundred more. Which we just weren't interested in doing at this point.

[Oceanwench]

We tried this, having read about the "up to 7 category upgrade."

Our TA explained to DH that the upgrade was already figured in the price.

In other words, if you booked a large outside room, you were actually paying the price of an inside room.

[Ziggy7]

We tried this, having read about the "up to 7 category upgrade."

Our TA explained to DH that the upgrade was already figured in the price.

In other words, if you booked a large outside room, you were actually paying the price of an inside room.

Yes, thats how it was explained to us as well :)

[heartofamerica]

I paid for a Large Outside Cabin. I got a Large Outside Cabin When booking the cruise, we were told we would have a guarantee 7 category upgrade, with possible upgrade to a balcony. I ended up with exactly what I paid for. So why book with someone who gives that guarantee over anyone else? No reason in my book. I'm going to have a great time. We don't spend much time in our room usually, might have spent more if it were a balcony. The Verandah upgrade would have been several hundred more. Which we just weren't interested in doing at this point.

 

It looks like HAL has 9 levels of outside staterooms. If they booked you at the lowest outside rate, you'd "upgrade" to an outside stateroom. I think it's rather misleading that your TA would lead you to believe that odds were good of getting a verandah.

[RuthC]

I paid for a Large Outside Cabin. I got a Large Outside Cabin.

You appear to think that "Large Outside Cabin" is a category. In reality there are many "Large Outside Cabin" categories and many different prices. You may very well have paid the price for a large outside cabin that is seven categories below the cabin category you will be in.

 

Until you compare the price you paid to the price of the cabin category you have you cannot say that you didn't get the upgrade you were expecting.

[cheshire999]

You appear to think that "Large Outside Cabin" is a category. In reality there are many "Large Outside Cabin" categories and many different prices. You may very well have paid the price for a large outside cabin that is seven categories below the cabin category you will be in.

 

Until you compare the price you paid to the price of the cabin category you have you cannot say that you didn't get the upgrade you were expecting.

 

I see what you're saying. I guess then what my question now is; "What's the difference in categories in a Large Outside Cabin?" The view out the window?

[heartofamerica]

I see what you're saying. I guess then what my question now is; "What's the difference in categories in a Large Outside Cabin?" The view out the window?

Most likely the location on the ship.

[RuthC]

I see what you're saying. I guess then what my question now is; "What's the difference in categories in a Large Outside Cabin?" The view out the window?

Deck and location on the deck. (Mid-ship, forward, aft.)

For example, a mid-ship cabin on a lower deck is generally priced as a lower category than a mid-ship cabin on a higher deck. BUT! A forward or aft cabin on that same lower deck would be a lower category than the mid-ship.

On Rotterdam (I know this one for sure) the inside large K-cat on Main Deck is mid-ship. A K-cat on Lower Prom is forward or aft of the mid-ship area.

In this case going up one deck would have increased the category, but moving forward or aft cancelled the increase out. To have a mid-ship on Lower Prom (directly above the K-cat) you have to get a J-category. More $$$.

Got it?

[cheshire999]

Deck and location on the deck. (Mid-ship, forward, aft.)

For example, a mid-ship cabin on a lower deck is generally priced as a lower category than a mid-ship cabin on a higher deck. BUT! A forward or aft cabin on that same lower deck would be a lower category than the mid-ship.

 

On Rotterdam (I know this one for sure) the inside large K-cat on Main Deck is mid-ship. A K-cat on Lower Prom is forward or aft of the mid-ship area.

In this case going up one deck would have increased the category, but moving forward or aft cancelled the increase out. To have a mid-ship on Lower Prom (directly above the K-cat) you have to get a J-category. More $$$.

 

Got it?

 

Yep!! According to your post, I got a down grade instead of an upgrade. Since I'm on the bottom of the boat, forward. Great. I wasn't depressed before.