CABIN REASSIGNED

[LAFFNVEGAS]

30 minutes ago, Live4cruises said:

I wonder if you made full payment, if that would ensure your choice.  @LAFFNVEGAS, do you know?
I would be (there are not enough adverbs) angry if a cabin that I agreed to pay more to specifically select was sold out from under me. 

No, I do not think that would make a difference at all. Here is my take on what happened, some one had a group that had to be on that Thanksgiving cruise. The original poster did not state if all of the cabins were moved but it sounded like it. I think either a Travel Agency with a lot of clout and or a high up Mariner who cruises very frequent made a request to get those quad staterooms or at least to have several in a row for this sailing. The average person booking either calling into HAL or a Travel Agency would just be told there are no cabins next to each other that we can accommodate 4 passengers in the stateroom. Sorry you should have booked earlier. But if there was a large group needing quads a call was made to higher ups at HAL and they had Inventory Department review what could be done they may have easily just moved them. If the reservation was not marked No Upgrade they just moved it with no notification. Most of the time this does stop any moves like this but it is also not a guarantee. A PCC should have marked this as No Upgrade but then again this was not an upgrade. The other thing is while most of the people working in the revenue department are actually in Seattle but working from home, there is a small number they have assigned to the over seas call center. They are the same ones that are sometimes taking calls for the UpSell Offers. Lets just say I do not have a lot of confidence in their ability.

In all honesty this is still extremely rare that it is happening, the percentage is quite high that single and double occupancy are still booking and staying in triple and quad staterooms.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

55 minutes ago, forevercruising1 said:

Completely angered by this new policy and livid that those of us who booked long before it was activated are not exempt.

 

We just received this notice in email yesterday (12.21.24 Christmas cruise on the Koningsdam — we booked in December, 2023):

 

We are booked in a quad extended balcony cabin which we selected specifically and we booked the same cabin (on the other side) for our adult son and are paying the single supplement for his.

 

Other than canceling (which my husband is ready to do), what is the best plan of attack?

 

 

In this particular instance since they are already warning you, yes I would also move now if you definitely want to know where you will be but you are stuck with staying in the same category. Or you can gamble. If this was not a Christmas week cruise I would stay to gamble and stay put. I think your odds for that week is 50/50. 

HAL is being proactive and warning those in quad staterooms, I doubt every sailing is being sent this notification. HAL possibly has notifications that pop up on their end that states for the Rep to Call Inventory if they are looking for quad staterooms and not seeing what they need.

[forevercruising1]

1 hour ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

I agree with other posters, given that it's a holiday sailing there are likely to be families looking for triples and quads, so I wouldn't gamble on being able to keep the quads you've booked. 

 

By "leftovers" I suppose you mean less than desirable cabins. That's the risk of letting HAL choose where to move you, especially if the move is made late in the game. Have you looked to see what's available now? If you resign yourself to having an ordinary balcony, are there any available cabins that would be acceptable? 

 

Yes, I have looked.  No, we are not interested in other options.

[oaktreerb]

1 hour ago, Live4cruises said:

I wonder if you made full payment, if that would ensure your choice.  @LAFFNVEGAS, do you know?
I would be (there are not enough adverbs) angry if a cabin that I agreed to pay more to specifically select was sold out from under me. 

HAL will have to change their policy of charging more to choose a cabin and then keeping the right to move you if they need your chosen premium charged cabin for another party.  There has to be a legal issue here for some consumer advocate to pursue.

[cccole]

1 hour ago, ebtrip said:

I never received notification that HAL moved all 3 of the cabins I booked. My PCC has put us together again but I lost my extended balcony. I have emailed the corporate office, awaiting an email back.  I’m sure they will do nothing. I was on Celebrity in April during school vacations, had an extended balcony, cabin was for 3, I was not moved as I only book Aqua Class and they only allow 2 in a stateroom. Wanted to go back to cruising with HAL again, but I may have to rethink this decision. 

@ebtrip  This policy is so upsetting to me.  Were your cabin reservations noted as "do not upgrade or move"?  Not sure what the language is.  Is it possible that your 3 cabins were selected because they did not have this noted on the reservations?  I don't think a PCC would admit to not having noted this on your reservation unless you had asked.  I'm just curious.  At the least I hope that your family will be offered some OBC.  OBC does not give you your preferred cabins back but helps a bit.  I know that HAL does not have to do anything but they should. You're going to have a fabulous family vacation, sorry for this change to a well planned cruise.  Cherie

[a.madruga]

On 8/16/2024 at 3:28 PM, ebtrip said:

Just checked the 3 cabins I have on the Koningsdam for our family cruise in November. 
I had an extended balcony and my family was in the 2 adjacent cabins. We were all moved. Called my PCC he had no notification. Called back and said that my cabin was a quad and since we were a double they changed all our cabins and now I have a regular balcony. Spoke to a supervisor who stated that was their policy. I have sent a letter to the president of HAL. Very disappointed,  I have another cruise booked for next year and was told I may be relocated if they need the quad. This happen to anyone else. Do you get any compensation. Thanks

we just noticed our booking for Alaska next July 2025 is a quad never even noticed until we read your issue and worried somewhat only because it's summer and we could get bumped  booked it in Nov 2023 so we could get what we wanted along with CO so our deal is very good but now you got us calling our PCC tomorrow.  Hope all works out for you and family

[TRLD]

1 hour ago, oaktreerb said:

HAL will have to change their policy of charging more to choose a cabin and then keeping the right to move you if they need your chosen premium charged cabin for another party.  There has to be a legal issue here for some consumer advocate to pursue.

Probably not. They changed their policy. Does not matter when one booked. It matters more if they have accepted a copy of the terms and conditions  that incorporates the  language that was changed when the policy was announced. At most one might have a claim if they implemented the policy after final payment date and one could not cancel for a refund

 

Enough time has passed that  one has had the chance to cancel for refund. Which would pretty much be the limit on damages. They seemed to have delayed moving anyone until atleast 3 months after the policy change.

 

One might be able to argue for the difference in fare at the time they booked for selecting or guarantee.

 

However, with the new policy they are pretty clear you can pay a little more to select a higher capacity cabin and have a chance of getting moved or you can select a 2 cabin and not be moved or you can pay less for a guarantee.

 

It also appears that even with the new policy they are doing the same as other lines and making it more difficult to book a cabin that has more capacity than the number you are booking for, if the cabin class has multiple capacity options.

Edited August 17 by TRLD

[forevercruising1]

3 hours ago, FlorenceItaly said:

Since it is a Christmas sailing I think the odds are great you will be moved.  Is your sailing offering the 3rd and 4th guest free?

I don’t know — it is likely.  Since we booked with the Future Cruise Consultant onboard in December, 2023, we didn’t think our cabin selections would be in jeopardy.  We always mark “Do not upgrade” in our bookings, so we are used to actually getting to sail in the cabins we select and pay for; now that HAL is changing its policies and not honoring us as “grandfathered in,” it is very likely that we will make other vacation plans.  — Very frustrating now that we have finally earned Three Star.

[FlorenceItaly]

1 minute ago, forevercruising1 said:

I don’t know — it is likely.  Since we booked with the Future Cruise Consultant onboard in December, 2023, we didn’t think our cabin selections would be in jeopardy.  We always mark “Do not upgrade” in our bookings, so we are used to actually getting to sail in the cabins we select and pay for; now that HAL is changing its policies and not honoring us as “grandfathered in,” it is very likely that we will make other vacation plans.  — Very frustrating now that we have finally earned Three Star.

I went on the HAL site, and your sailing is offering 3rd and 4th person free.  Best of luck to you.

[a.madruga]

2 hours ago, LAFFNVEGAS said:

In this particular instance since they are already warning you, yes I would also move now if you definitely want to know where you will be but you are stuck with staying in the same category. Or you can gamble. If this was not a Christmas week cruise I would stay to gamble and stay put. I think your odds for that week is 50/50. 

HAL is being proactive and warning those in quad staterooms, I doubt every sailing is being sent this notification. HAL possibly has notifications that pop up on their end that states for the Rep to Call Inventory if they are looking for quad staterooms and not seeing what they need.

I agree with the gamble even though families reign in holiday cruises Koningsdam we believe to have good number of quad cabins   after looking up PDF deck plans approx 70 of quads 

[VMax1700]

4 hours ago, forevercruising1 said:

Completely angered by this new policy and livid that those of us who booked long before it was activated are not exempt.

 

We just received this notice in email yesterday (12.21.24 Christmas cruise on the Koningsdam — we booked in December, 2023):

 

 

 

So "guest stateroom selection is on a first-come, first served basis" until HAL says it's not?

[forevercruising1]

9 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

So "guest stateroom selection is on a first-come, first served basis" until HAL says it's not?

Exactly.

[Windsailer]

49 minutes ago, a.madruga said:

we just noticed our booking for Alaska next July 2025 is a quad never even noticed until we read your issue and worried somewhat only because it's summer and we could get bumped  booked it in Nov 2023 so we could get what we wanted along with CO so our deal is very good but now you got us calling our PCC tomorrow.  Hope all works out for you and family

Let us know how that turns out. With CO you are allowed to select your cabin once and that's it. When this new policy came out I tried to move cabins and was told no and no and no.

[JimDee363636]

4 hours ago, forevercruising1 said:

Completely angered by this new policy and livid that those of us who booked long before it was activated are not exempt.

 

We just received this notice in email yesterday (12.21.24 Christmas cruise on the Koningsdam — we booked in December, 2023):

 

We are booked in a quad extended balcony cabin which we selected specifically and we booked the same cabin (on the other side) for our adult son and are paying the single supplement for his.

 

Other than canceling (which my husband is ready to do), what is the best plan of attack?

 

 

I'm with your husband: Cancel ASAP and get every penny back. To paraphrase the great Johnny Paycheck: "Take This Cruise and Shove It." And I'm four-star with HAL and something of a loyalist, but not when loyalty is a one-way street. You have other vacation options.

 

Jim

[TRLD]

53 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

So "guest stateroom selection is on a first-come, first served basis" until HAL says it's not?

Not quite. Booking a cabin that matches the size of your party is first come first serve  Booking a cabin that holds more than your party when all cabins in that class are that size is first come first serve. Booking a cabin that holds more then your party when a cabin matching your party size is available is first come first serve, with the understanding of being bumped is an option if they need the extra capacity.

 

In the future they may solve the problem by not allowing you to book a higher capacity cabin if a cabin matching capacity is available.

[TRLD]

28 minutes ago, JimDee363636 said:

I'm with your husband: Cancel ASAP and get every penny back. To paraphrase the great Johnny Paycheck: "Take This Cruise and Shove It." And I'm four-star with HAL and something of a loyalist, but not when loyalty is a one-way street. You have other vacation options.

 

Jim

Yep. Of course in most hotels you cannot select your specific room at all. The other mass market lines are taking similar moves. So if such policies are deal breakers the choice is becoming more limited.

[TRLD]

The interesting thing is how many people will end up  actually getting moved under the new policy.

 

So far how many cases of someone actually getting moved have we seen or heard about? 1 maybe 2?

 

I suspect this will, as with other moves for operational reasons (marking no upgrade have never prevented those and will most likely not prevent these moves) will be relatively small in number.

 

Just making people aware of the policy is probably resulting in far more voluntary changes then the number of those that will actually be moved.

Edited August 17 by TRLD

[cccole]

@a.madruga  Please let us know how your call goes with your PCC tomorrow.  Thank you, Cherie

 

[Zippercat]

Earlier this month we booked a 13 day on Nieuw Statendam, Amsterdam to Barcelona, in September, 2025 with CO.  Our PCC said she would book us into a quad VA with the bigger balcony, but that under their new policy we could be bumped for a party of 3 or 4.  She also said this is a once a year itinerary that almost always sells out so she thought there was a good chance for a bump.  

She also said if bumped we would get another VA or better.  I recalled reading on CC that the VQ spa balcony staterooms are considered by HAL to be an upgrade from VA.  So we just booked a 2 person VA to avoid the possible issues. 

[cccole]

9 minutes ago, TRLD said:

Yep. Of course in most hotels you cannot select your specific room at all. The other mass market lines are taking similar moves. So if such policies are deal breakers the choice is becoming more limited.

I agree that you do not always choose your hotel room, however, if you do not like the room you are given you usually have options. And, if prior to arrival, you can most often choose another hotel.  This is not an option on a cruise ship.  It's not apples to apples. 

 

And, does it matter how many people get moved?  Maybe not to you, but to those that get moved from their chosen cabin it is a big deal.  I really don't care how small the number is or if it's me or someone else.  If HAL does this they should make it up to the passenger with OBC.  Future Cruise Credits are worthless if HAL has treated you horribly.  JMO. Cherie 

[a.madruga]

24 minutes ago, cccole said:

@a.madruga  Please let us know how your call goes with your PCC tomorrow.  Thank you, Cherie

 

by all means on Monday 

[a.madruga]

1 hour ago, Windsailer said:

Let us know how that turns out. With CO you are allowed to select your cabin once and that's it. When this new policy came out I tried to move cabins and was told no and no and no.

by all means, that's what's great about cruise shopping because loyalty dose not mean much

[CNSJ]

35 minutes ago, Zippercat said:

the VQ spa balcony staterooms are considered by HAL to be an upgrade from VA

This is why we ask our reservations to be marked DO NOT AUTO UPGRADE.  

The VQ is NOT an upgrade in my opinion from a VA-VB-VC-VD-VE, only from an obstructed balcony.  The yoga mat, smaller balcony, and high forward location aren't my idea of an upgrade.

[Zippercat]

23 minutes ago, CNSJ said:

This is why we ask our reservations to be marked DO NOT AUTO UPGRADE.  

The VQ is NOT an upgrade in my opinion from a VA-VB-VC-VD-VE, only from an obstructed balcony.  The yoga mat, smaller balcony, and high forward location aren't my idea of an upgrade.

I fully agree with your opinion about the VQ. But as I understand the “bump option” that HAL now retains on 2 (maybe 3 also?) passengers in a 4 passenger stateroom, a do not upgrade election can and would be ignored if no other VA staterooms were available. They could move you to an upgrade, such as a VQ.  
 

On a likely to be sold out cruise, I didn’t feel like taking a chance. Honestly we don’t use the balcony that much. But the Pinnacle class ships don’t have much in the way of non-obstructed ocean view staterooms. 

[CNSJ]

19 minutes ago, Zippercat said:

I fully agree with your opinion about the VQ. But as I understand the “bump option” that HAL now retains on 2 (maybe 3 also?) passengers in a 4 passenger stateroom, a do not upgrade election can and would be ignored if no other VA staterooms were available. They could move you to an upgrade, such as a VQ.  
 

On a likely to be sold out cruise, I didn’t feel like taking a chance. Honestly we don’t use the balcony that much. But the Pinnacle class ships don’t have much in the way of non-obstructed ocean view staterooms. 

I should have been more clear, we now book a two person cabin AND ask for DO NOT AUTO UPGRADE.😇