GTY cabins - with 11 days to go...

[Anne76]

Hi everyone!

 

Working on cruise stuff this morning (papers, meds, travel size things...) and I wanted to print our luggage tag and boarding pass, but we don't have our stateroom number yet.

 

I'm used to get one like a month before the cruise... and usually ending two or three categories higher than what we paid... Is it different on Holland? Do you usually have upgrades or "the upsell" call?

 

From a Holland first timer :D

[dakrewser]

Typical on HAL is assignment 2 weeks out - but it has been known to occur only once you get to the pier.

[Cruising-along]

We usually book guarantee cabins. Our assignments have come on average 10-12 days out, the latest was 1 day out.

 

Before our assignments HAL always sends upsell offers (they have all been so ridiculous it's laughable). One time, after turning down another ridiculous upsell, we were assigned to the upgraded cabin anyway. Outside to verandah for us and for our traveling companions!

[Lady Arwen]

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[Anne76]

We usually book guarantee cabins. Our assignments have come on average 10-12 days out, the latest was 1 day out.

 

Before our assignments HAL always sends upsell offers (they have all been so ridiculous it's laughable). One time, after turning down another ridiculous upsell, we were assigned to the upgraded cabin anyway. Outside to verandah for us and for our traveling companions!

 

Nice upgrade!!! I'm just hoping not to be near the theater... but you never know!!!

[Krazy Kruizers]

It's hard to predict when you will get your cabin assignment.

A couple people here have reported that they got their cabin assignments at the pier.

Hope you get a good cabin.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Did you look at your luggage tags on line? Some times the cabin assignments show up there first.

[SilvertoGold]

HAL should be doing upsells now, if they have not already finished them.

Assignments vary, as noted. Late afternoon about 8 to 5 days out could be the target for you.

 

Welcome to HAL!! Hope you do well with your assignment: please come back and let us know. Enjoy your cruise!

[navybankerteacher]

As their systems get more sophisticated - permitting maximizing of last minute cabin sales, HAL will wind up assigning guarantys later and later. They have no motivation to give away an upgrade as long as they have a chance to sell it at a higher price. It is virtually certain that within a few years any upgrades will only be assigned at checkin.

[Anne76]

Did you look at your luggage tags on line? Some times the cabin assignments show up there first.

 

Yes, every time... :(

[AV8rix]

...without being consulted about it – and am VERY displeased! I booked my cruise just 9 days out from sailing. I always sign up for an interior guaranty for two reasons: I’m solo and have to pay the burdensome full supplement so I try to save some money…but most of all, I’m just 5’0” and I hate the European-style high-sided bathtubs on the S-class and R-class ships. But the only stall showers (below the level of Neptune suites) are in the interiors. Anyway, I was immediately assigned an OV and so am stuck with the tub.

 

I’ll start calling HAL this week. It’s possible that someone with an interior was upgraded to a higher level. Whatever, if this is the worst thing that ever happens to me for the rest of my life, I’ll consider myself lucky :).

[oceanmom]

Booked a guarantee signature suite on Westerdam 9/10 to Alaska. Three weeks before departure received a $499 upsell e-mail to Neptune. Two weeks before departure $399 upsell to Neptune, and the next day assigned a signature suite. Five days before departure offered an upsell at $299 so I called and was given my choice of four different Neptune suites. It's nice to book directly with HAL and get the e-mails, but for the longer cruises with substantial OBC from the big boxstore TA I'll go that route.

(PS. Booked a signature suite at the beginning because the price differential from a veranda was less than $300pp. I figured it would be a chance to try out the SS.)

Edited September 6, 2016 by oceanmom

[kazu]

Booked a guarantee signature suite on Westerdam 9/10 to Alaska. Three weeks before departure received a $499 upsell e-mail to Neptune. Two weeks before departure $399 upsell to Neptune, and the next day assigned a signature suite. Five days before departure offered an upsell at $299 so I called and was given my choice of four different Neptune suites. It's nice to book directly with HAL and get the e-mails, but for the longer cruises with substantial OBC from the big boxstore TA I'll go that route.

(PS. Booked a signature suite at the beginning because the price differential from a veranda was less than $300pp. I figured it would be a chance to try out the SS.)

 

 

Congrats on the upsell :) That's a suite deal :)

 

Lady Arwen, once again the old story holds true - an upgrade is not always an upgrade to everyone ;) good luck.

 

OP - patience. You will have a room. I've only done one guarantee and I know how you feel. Because of some of my itineraries,or ships, I am a tad fussy on location so we select our cabin whenever we can.

[ksqueak]

Hang in there. A couple of years ago my assignment was done on a Friday morning for a Monday sail. It happened while I was waiting for the car to pick me up as we sailed out of Amsterdam. I had just enough time to print out boarding passes before I left. My TA was beside herself.

[Anne76]

Hang in there. A couple of years ago my assignment was done on a Friday morning for a Monday sail. It happened while I was waiting for the car to pick me up as we sailed out of Amsterdam. I had just enough time to print out boarding passes before I left. My TA was beside herself.

 

I need to be patient I know! Did you ended with a good one?

[RMLincoln]

My best guarantee assignment upgrade was received at the pier. Had to go find the porter with the manifest so we could fill out baggage tags to have our luggage delivered. It was a nice surprise!

 

We've had several guarantee bookings and never got "stuck" with particularly unfavorable room. Have gotten the category purchased only once with HAL and once with Princess but neither category was "rock bottom", but satisfactory from the start.

 

Hope you like what you get. I remind myself, It's hard to have a bad day on a cruise ship.... even if the room location is not perfect, in fact I'm not sure any room location is perfect! But they're all grand!! m--

[jlz62]

Hang in there. A couple of years ago my assignment was done on a Friday morning for a Monday sail. It happened while I was waiting for the car to pick me up as we sailed out of Amsterdam. I had just enough time to print out boarding passes before I left. My TA was beside herself.

 

I am 5 days from sailing and no cabin number on my luggage tag. I hope to see something by EOD on Friday. If not, I am guessing at the hotel on Saturday or the pier on Sunday.

 

Judy

[HokiePoq]

I am 5 days from sailing and no cabin number on my luggage tag. I hope to see something by EOD on Friday. If not, I am guessing at the hotel on Saturday or the pier on Sunday.

 

Judy

 

Keep us posted! I was anxious last year before Voyage of the Vikings, but got ours sooner than you....about 10 days out. We got a one category upgrade...still inside cabin aft but one deck higher.

[AV8rix]

Problem solved!!

 

(see my earlier post #11 on this thread)

 

I usually just book my cruises online on the HAL site. Booked this one that way too. Haven't bothered with a PCC since 2010.

 

So after I did the earlier post on this thread I did a mock booking and saw that there was now only one interior left on the ship (departure date only 6 days away), and that was one of the terrific K category staterooms favored by RuthC. So I called the regular Customer Service line and tried to talk the rep into giving me that one. No luck. After all, I'd only paid for an interior guaranty.

 

So I got the wild idea of calling the PCC that I had used in 2010 when I was just starting with HAL. Left a voicemail and he called back. I explained what I wanted and he said that he'd have to check inventory and call me back. Not 3 minutes later the phone rang, and I'm now booked into the lovely K549 on Maasdam!!!

 

I need to log off now. Can't type and do my happy dance at the same time :D:D:D.

__________________

[RuthC]

Not 3 minutes later the phone rang, and I'm now booked into the lovely K549 on Maasdam!!!

Oh, you got the good one! Congratulations.

(now, go buy a lottery ticket. you may be on a roll. ;))

[Ineke]

We've done most of our bookings as Guarantee cabins, whatever type. Never got a cabin that was less than attractive yet. Usually about 10 days out. Our best one was for a Mediterranean cruise on the Noordam, where we found out at the pier in Civitevecchia that we were upgraded from an obstructed OV to a verandah! Best holiday ever! What better place to have a verandah! Mind you, it spoiled us for life :)

[AV8rix]

Oh, you got the good one! Congratulations.

(now, go buy a lottery ticket. you may be on a roll. ;))

 

:):)

[AtlantaCruiser72]

My experience for my clients has been that Holland and Princess have mostly been doing assignments on GTY rooms within 7-10 days of sailing over the last few months. There have been rare instances that I have seen them done earlier than that as well as the odd exception of it being at the last second or at the pier.

[Anne76]

Nothing this morning, in the single digits tomorrow... I'm checking 5 - 6 times a day!!:D

[Cruising-along]

Nothing this morning, in the single digits tomorrow... I'm checking 5 - 6 times a day!!:D

 

It will be soon! Let us know. :)