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Downgrade Fairy??

Solo Cruiser

By Solo Cruiser,
in Holland America Line

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Solo Cruiser

Solo Cruiser

Posted
Posted

I have been waiting (not too patiently LOL) for my cabin assignment for the 10-21 sailing of the Westerdam. My category H guarantee had not been assigned a cabin number. So today, my TA gets a call that HAL is offering me $100 to downgrade to a category I cabin (inside). I paid $300 to upgrade from an inside guarantee and they want to pay me $100 to downgrade? I refused. They have since offered to allow passengers who change the week of their sailing to upgrade to verandah cabins but I can't change.

 

My TA says this is the first time in her 35 years in the business that a client of hers has been offered a downgrade. I'm hoping this fairy goes away and is replaced with her upgrade sister.

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hammybee

hammybee

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I recall something similar happening on an Alaskan cruise this past summer.

 

Darn shame you can't take the other cruise. In any event, it's Let's Make a Deal Time and if you have a price in mind that you would sail in an inside cabin at, instruct your TA to communicate it to HAL. How does 50% off whatever it is you paid, sound?

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Solo Cruiser

Solo Cruiser

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My TA responded to the downgrade offer with an absolute no and informed HAL that they were offering me 1/3 of what I paid to upgrade. When they submitted the other offer she told them that my sail date was not flexible. She has given them a figure for which I would accept a downgrade but they aren't going for it YET.

 

I'm not sure what a "regular guarantee pool" is but this is certainly the first time I've encountered this situation. My 3 previous cruises have all been guarantee cabins as well. Supposedly their response to my TA was that they were "trying to juggle the inventory." I'm not concerned as there is the guarantee of an H category but I'm beginning to believe that I will book cabin numbers not guarantees in the future.

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LAFFNVEGAS "Live from...." Rare

LAFFNVEGAS

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Sandy this is crazy but not totally unheard of. Back in 2006 we went on the Maasdam for New England. We had a category B Verandah and had been on a waitlist for over 6 months for a S which we never got. About 2 weeks before we left HAL called my TA wanting us to switch cruises for a few months later for 2 different Caribbean cruises for 7 days. The offers were all for Ocean View cabins no verandahs and were offering us no money. We said wait a minute this is nuts you are offering us a 7 day cruise for an itinerary that is normally cheaper than the one we are sailing on and a category lower than what we are paying for on this cruise:confused: Sometimes I think they make these offers before they think or research what their passengers has done.

 

Stand firm and tell them No Thank You I will keep what I paid for:)

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sail7seas

sail7seas

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I've heard of this sort of thing before. Not quite the same.

 

Of course, you should have been offered AT LEAST the amount you paid for the upgrade to coax you to downgrade.....more would have been appropriate.

 

I don't think there is any reason for worry. You said No and they will move along to someone else. They will upgrade, move around, make attractive offers until they get the kind and number of cabins they need.

 

Some folks will welcome the offer and the offers will get better and better as sail date approaches if they still need cabins in a certain range.

 

I wouldn't be at all nervous if I were you as you will be assigned at least the category of your guarantee and you will have a cabin.

 

Too bad you were in a position that prohibited flexibility, you might have gotten a generous offer.

 

Let us know how it ends up.

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CruiseBoySEA

CruiseBoySEA

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What's wrong with a downgrade of that nature? It's not like you paid for a verandah and they asked you to go to an inside cabin. Cruiselines oversell their sailings just like airlines do.....sometimes they need assistance "evening out" the sailing. It amazes me how some people (not necessarily yourself) gripe when something negative happens with a cruiseline (or anything for that matter) but yet they never remember all of the free upgrades they've gotten over the years.....hmmmmm.

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wrp96

wrp96

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What's wrong with a downgrade of that nature? It's not like you paid for a verandah and they asked you to go to an inside cabin. Cruiselines oversell their sailings just like airlines do.....sometimes they need assistance "evening out" the sailing. It amazes me how some people (not necessarily yourself) gripe when something negative happens with a cruiseline (or anything for that matter) but yet they never remember all of the free upgrades they've gotten over the years.....hmmmmm.

 

 

The problem is she had originally booked what they are now offering her at a price that is $300 less than what she has now paid for a nicer room and they are only willing to give back $200. So in essence they are telling the OP she can have her original room for $200 more than what she paid for a better room.

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Jemima

Jemima

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The problem is she had originally booked what they are now offering her at a price that is $300 less than what she has now paid for a nicer room and they are only willing to give back $200. So in essence they are telling the OP she can have her original room for $200 more than what she paid for a better room.

 

Even if she had originally booked the H guarantee, she should not receive anything but an H or higher. That is the way guarantees work. The price makes no difference; it is the category booked.

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wrp96

wrp96

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Even if she had originally booked the H guarantee, she should not receive anything but an H or higher. That is the way guarantees work. The price makes no difference; it is the category booked.

 

I know as I have booked guarantees myself but they are offering her money to drop back down a category (but not enough to cover the amount she paid to upgrade to the higher category). That's the issue here.

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barante

barante

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I'm not saying that this couldn't happen to me. But to lessen that chance I always book a particular cabin. I have never understood why people gamble with guarantees. If you lucky you will do well, but if you are unlucky you will cruise feeling bad. When you have an assigned cabin number, I would think that you are even firmer ground legally, should it come to litigation.

I've never sailed in a penthouse or suite, But pretty much everything in between I have done. I always spend time studying deck plans, and I have never had any problem with the location of a cabin. Even my obstructed was fine. It seems to me that a pleasant cruise experience is not so much about your cabin type as it is about other aspects of onboard service and experience. I always have a good cruise, even when accommodations are not plush.

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Solo Cruiser

Solo Cruiser

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It is my intention to have a great cruise. I'm confident HAL will provide me with a category H cabin for the sailing I've chosen. In no way has the length of time it's taken to get an assignment or the silliness of the original offer diminished my anticipation of this vacation. I am very enthusiastically approaching my first sailaway with Holland America. I will keep you all updated as to any future offers and my ultimate assignment.

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hammybee

hammybee

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When you have an assigned cabin number, I would think that you are even firmer ground legally, should it come to litigation.

 

Whoa. No reason to use the "L" word. When a cruise line oversells a cruise, they do what they need to do to get the necessary cabins. Cruise lines, like airlines, have the ability to bump passengers. Unlike airlines, the only involentary bump situation I am aware of, happened on Oceania. The rest are voluntary with incentives.

 

Here is a link to that story.

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=1692

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bepsf

bepsf

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Posted
I have been waiting (not too patiently LOL) for my cabin assignment for the 10-21 sailing of the Westerdam. My category H guarantee had not been assigned a cabin number. So today, my TA gets a call that HAL is offering me $100 to downgrade to a category I cabin (inside). I paid $300 to upgrade from an inside guarantee and they want to pay me $100 to downgrade? I refused. They have since offered to allow passengers who change the week of their sailing to upgrade to verandah cabins but I can't change.

 

My TA says this is the first time in her 35 years in the business that a client of hers has been offered a downgrade. I'm hoping this fairy goes away and is replaced with her upgrade sister.

 

Just another reason to not book a "Guarantee"...

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