How does booking a VH work?

[spacepotatoes]

We may have an opportunity to upgrade to a balcony on our Zuiderdam cruise next month. I'm curious how the VH category works, though. From my search of these boards, it sounds like it's a guarantee, which is what I was expecting. But on the HAL site, it doesn't say anything about a gty option; it asks you to choose one of two cabins (4002 and 4004). This is where I got somewhat confused.

 

If you book a particular VH cabin, is it still a guarantee that HAL can reassign or is that actually your cabin? I've read that many on this board have booked VH and have been assigned higher categories since HAL sells many more VHs than just those 4 cabins but the fact it's not stated as a gty anywhere is throwing me off. Can you HAL experts please clarify?

[cruising cockroach]

I'd say for your cruise, there are actually VH (lowest V) cabins still unbooked. I booked VH for a TATL cruise in 5 months. The 4 VH cabins are all allocated but every other V category is available. So right now, anyone booking VH is a GTY (only time that a GTY comes up is when all open cabins in that category have actually been booked). I guess if they move out those who have booked VH, we could get stuck with a VH cabin.

[spacepotatoes]

So they book those 4 cabins first, then any more VH bookings would be guarantees?

[cruising cockroach]

Exactly.

[spacepotatoes]

Thank you :)

[Jemima]

You can book a guarantee in any category unless it is closed for booking. Occasionally one or more categories are only available as a guarantee. Never assume that you will be assigned a higher category.