Bed configuration: How to Inform HAL

[O2B@C]

Sorry if this is a question that has been asked and answered many times, but I did a search and could not find the answer.

 

How do you tell HAL whether you want the beds in your stateroom made up as a queen versus two twins? I realize they can change this after boarding, but I hate to make extra work for the cabin stewards, especially on embarkation day when they are already very busy.

 

I have this dim memory that they used to ask you when booking or when doing online checkin, but this time around, I can't find anywhere that I was asked that question.

 

I could call Ship's Services, I realize, but since this is a question that needs to be dealt with for the majority of staterooms on every cruise, I would assume they must have an easier way for people to give them this information.

 

Any recent cruisers know the answer? Thanks!

[Krazy Kruizers]

Our TA requests our bed configuration when she books our cruise.

If I were you - since you are already booked -- call Ship Services at 1-800-541-1576.

[sail7seas]

You could call Ships Services if you wish but still may have to make the request from your steward.

 

800-541-1576

[sail7seas]

:) Great minds.........

 

We were typing at the same time. :)

[cruz chic]

You can ask for your beds to be a certain way but I find they usually leave it the way it was for the last passenger.

[startwin]

It doesn't matter what you request before-hand, it'll be the other way when you board:D Just leave a note for your steward and he'll change it when he makes up the room in the evening.

[catl331]

At booking we always ask to have the beds set up as twins, and have yet to find it done at boarding! We then ask the steward to do it the next morning when servicing the room, but about half the time he will come back later on embarkation day to do it. ;)

[trvlcrzy]

On our last cruise (on the Amsterdam, summer 2012), we had the beds as a queen, but as we were leaving, we placed all of our carry-ons in the closet to allow the stewards to get an early start on our room. When we returned from breakfast, the room was made up into twins. The steward was finishing up when he said, "The next cruisers wanted two beds," so there must be some way this is communicated.

 

DH took a picture of the cabin both ways to show the differences. We had one of the turned-J's on that cruise. Loved the space.

 

I've seen it in the preferences, but I'm not sure anyone actually sees that (the same area of the website where you express interest in future cruising destinations through a questionnaire.)

 

On an earlier cruise, we walked in once to find them separated, and we requested them to be a queen. The steward frowned and said he had just separated them since that was what was on his paperwork. (I don't know where THAT came from...)

Edited November 12, 2012 by trvlcrzy

[O2B@C]

Wow. :confused: You'd think they could come up with a way to collect that info automatically during online checkin, and then communicate it accurately to the stewards. It would save the stewards a lot of extra work. You'd think it would be in their interest to push for it, up the chain via the hotel managers. But what do I know? :rolleyes:

Edited November 12, 2012 by O2B@C

[RuthC]

A couple of stewards have told me that they do get the info on how the beds should be set up, but often it is wrong. Their solution to prevent re-doing the set-up is to leave it as it is, then change it when the new passengers ask. That way they change it once, and once only. They just change the timing on when they do it. Smart.

[Typhoon1]

Your TA can handle the request. Or you can call Ships Services.

[jaguarstyper]

In all my cruises, I'd say the beds have been configured correctly about half the time. I am absolutely convinced they have no way of knowing until you are in the room. They just leave them the way they were for the previous guest. Always a good chance they will not have to change them up. When they do change them, it doesn't take them all that long at all.

[dakrewser]

When we've need to ask Stewart to change things he almost always does it during the 1st night's turn-down service...

[Linda&Vern]

If you book on HAL's website there is a spot that says "bed configuration" and you have to check either twin or queen. Our PCC always sees that and confirms when I speak to him. We always ask for twins if in our favorite C cabin on R&S ships so we can stand and see out the window. When we book a verandah or deluxe suit we choose queen/king.

[O2B@C]

If you book on HAL's website there is a spot that says "bed configuration" and you have to check either twin or queen. Our PCC always sees that and confirms when I speak to him.

 

Aha! I think you may have the answer. I used an online TA whose agent took my initial booking over the phone. She may very well have asked for our bed configuration preference back then, but I don't remember.

 

So perhaps for pax who use a TA, the info is entered by the TA on a screen that their customers don't see, and it's reflected in HAL's system somewhere, but doesn't show up in the "my reservation" screens pax can see on HAL's website.

 

I still think accuracy would improve if HAL asked for this info during online checkin. Even if they already have it, it may have changed between initial booking and checkin time.

[Robocat]

We always specify setup as queen but they're always set as twin when we arrive.

 

So far when we've arrived to our cabin we've met the stewards at the same time. We mention that we want them set as queen. Shortly after we normally do a tour of the ship and the beds have been changed by the time we return.

[catl331]

As RuthC said, I think many of the stewards wait until they get a "confirmation" from the new pax before they do any switching. Maybe some are also hoping that the new people will just accept what they find, regardless of a prior request? In any case it allows the stewards to move some of the embarkation day morning work to later in the day or the next morning.

Edited November 13, 2012 by catl331

[metairiegal]

I know this is an old thread, but I did a search and this came up.

 

We are already booked, but where on the site can you see details like bed configuration,& your dining info?  I've looked everywhere and can't find it!

[PoolSlider]

If you booked directly with HAL, you get an emailed booking confirmation which shows “Beds Requested” in the upper right quadrant. It will show the bed configuration. It can be changed if it’s wrong by calling. It’s never been wrong for me upon arrival in room.

[Happily@Sea]

Every time I've requested twins - it has never been that way. I even emailed my TA to remind HAL [the week before the cruise]  - that I wanted twins and that didn't work either.

 

One time the steward showed me his printed list - just rm #s and configuration - and I showed him my year-old reservation with the exact opposite.

 

Someone is really falling down on the job - and it's not the stewards or the booking process. Whomever is transferring the data is  -- making unhappy people and more unnecessary work for the stewards.

Edited October 23, 2019 by Happily@Sea

[Sue from Canada]

On 11/11/2012 at 10:49 PM, startwin said:

It doesn't matter what you request before-hand, it'll be the other way when you board:D Just leave a note for your steward and he'll change it when he makes up the room in the evening.

You're right.  I travel solo and always want the bed split into two.  Never upon embarkation has this been the way.  I hate unpacking trying to squeeze between the bed and wall to get to the night table.  I do leave a note for the steward and usually the beds are split by the time I get back from the lifeboat drill.  But I hate for my steward to have to do this as they're so busy on turnaround day and must be exhausted.  Leaving a little tip helps.