Is this an upgrade or a cancellation?

[sail7seas]

You and I are in the same boat, and actually same cabin preference, on this one. No way we're going to let whoever pick our cabin. The most interesting guarantee I've seen was a category S guarantee on a S class ship. That was a head scratcher as there was no cost reduction for the guarantee and the one and only cabin above S was apparently booked. So like just exactly was somebody getting for the guarantee???? I thought that one was strange and I can't say it's been repeated or was a mistake.

 

Thank you everyone for your comments. I booked this cruise just before final payment and added on my first born a couple of weeks later. At the time I thought of putting him in a different cabin of the same class, but none were available. It wasn't until last week I realized the oceanview across the hall was available. I did get the 3rd and 4th passengers at a very low rate, so the penalty would be "only" $1000. But that penalty puts the cost of the additional cabin over the value to me. The total cost of the cabin would be about $200/day, but it's a 24 day cruise! plus My oldest is the only one of my 3 kids who would do well in a separate cabin. I'll still end up with 2 cabinmates most of the time. So, unless HAL drops the prices further, I'll stick with what I've got.

 

 

 

A big advantage would be a second bathroom. :)

Let us know what you decide.

It'll be a great trip either way.

 

[catl331]

Different strokes, I guess.

 

I'd never want someone else choosing my cabin AND not be saving any money in the process. I would think the biggest motivation to book a guarantee is to save money, not to get more cabin than was purchased. But that is clearly only my opinion and not shared by many.

 

At least if there was a saving, the risk of a cabin you didn't like would have 'value'.

 

We've done 8 guarantees and always paid the same price as if we had chosen a specific cabin of the same type at the time of booking. We have been upgraded on all our guarantees, once (on the N.A.) from an H to a deck 8 V --- a savings of about $700 pp had we chosen the V in the first place. On Vista ships we have never booked higher than VE and have never sailed in less than VB! Only once were we somewhat unhappy with the location of an assigned cabin.

[vbmom87]

I've always understood guarantees to be the same price too;) all I know is that for our collectors' cruise only guarantees were available at the beginning and then my TA got me a cabin pulled out of inventory (now they are all showing). The price for the guarantee and my specific room were exactly the same;)

 

That has been my experience too...they have been the same price as selecting a cabin. However, oftentimes, especially when you get closer to sail date, only guarentees will be available. Last fall I had seen some great prices for a New Zealand cruise. I immediately checked it out, but only guarentees were available. We quickly dropped that idea. I am not fussy about the cabin itself, but the location is important. We get too queasy at the front of the ship, so guarentees are not the way for us to go.

[Jade13]

HAL does look at Mariner status and 3 and 4 star Mariners are often handed out the higher categories when available.

 

I never knew that.

[Aruba]

I never knew that.

 

I didn't either. I always thought that the HAL upgrade fairy was more likely to take the actual price paid into consideration when doling out the higher categories. I am 4-star but usually pay a fairly low price for guarantee rooms, which I've thought has not helped my odds of scoring the upgrades.

 

PS - Hi Jade! Hope to see you on Voyage of the Vikings again some day, but hopefully the next one will not be as wet as the last one. :rolleyes:

[Randyk47]

We've now moved into the Land of the Upgrade Fairy and after years and years of discussion, debate, and analysis we probably know no more about Holland America's internal policy, guidelines, and procedures for upgrades and up sells than we did years ago. What seems to be consistent is inconsistency. :)

[sail7seas]

We've now moved into the Land of the Upgrade Fairy and after years and years of discussion, debate, and analysis we probably know no more about Holland America's internal policy, guidelines, and procedures for upgrades and up sells than we did years ago. What seems to be consistent is inconsistency. :)

 

 

^^ Yes, that. I agree. :)

 

I don't think there is any consistent 'list' of order for upgrading/upselling. I think it varies with a number of considerations....... as well as sometimes just plain random.

 

JMO ...