Questions about cruise documents

[btobey]

We received our cruise documents in the mail last week, and I have a couple of questions.

 

First of all, our cabin number is different than what appeared on our invoice. We are still in the E category, but we've been moved from the Main Deck to the deck below, Dolphin. I had assumed that our cabin was guaranteed and don't understand the reason for this change, as it's clearly not an upgrade. Should I contact our TA about it? Is it worth making a stink over?

 

Secondly, we had requested transfers from the ship to airport for our return trip in LA. We told our TA that we wouldn't need them for embarkation (my father lives in the area and will drive us), but she included these transfer vouchers as well. Again, I'm not sure whether to make a stink about it, but I don't want to pay for something that I'm not going to use.

 

What do you all think?

[lvtotrvl1]

We received our cruise documents in the mail last week, and I have a couple of questions.

 

First of all, our cabin number is different than what appeared on our invoice. We are still in the E category, but we've been moved from the Main Deck to the deck below, Dolphin. I had assumed that our cabin was guaranteed and don't understand the reason for this change, as it's clearly not an upgrade. Should I contact our TA about it? Is it worth making a stink over?

 

Secondly, we had requested transfers from the ship to airport for our return trip in LA. We told our TA that we wouldn't need them for embarkation (my father lives in the area and will drive us), but she included these transfer vouchers as well. Again, I'm not sure whether to make a stink about it, but I don't want to pay for something that I'm not going to use.

 

What do you all think?

 

The E"s on the Dolphin Deck are midship and the E's on the Main deck are forward and Aft, so in reality it is a better cabin location. As far as the transfers, you will need to contact your TA.

[jtl513]

We are still in the E category, but we've been moved from the Main Deck to the deck below, Dolphin. I had assumed that our cabin was guaranteed and don't understand the reason for this change, as it's clearly not an upgrade. Should I contact our TA about it? Is it worth making a stink over?

When you buy an "E Guarantee" you're giving HAL the okay to assign you any cabin on the ship that is an E or higher. Most people are hoping for an upgrade, but many if not most are given just the class they booked, where ever HAL chooses.

Secondly, we had requested transfers from the ship to airport for our return trip in LA. We told our TA that we wouldn't need them for embarkation (my father lives in the area and will drive us), but she included these transfer vouchers as well. Again, I'm not sure whether to make a stink about it, but I don't want to pay for something that I'm not going to use.

 

What do you all think?

I would definitely call your TA about getting a refund on the embarkation transfers, as they cost too much to just let it slide!

 

FIVE WEEKS from today we should be well on our way to Cartagena!!! Where we stil can't book excursions. :(:(

 

EDIT: I just read your post on another thread that said you chose a specific cabin, not a guarantee. We had the same thing happen on our (same) cruise, only in our case we were moved a few cabins away on the same deck ... and in the same category. Our TA called, and they said the other cabin was given to someone doing the 19 day stretch rather than our 14 day. We actually booked ours while on a cruise (and transferred the booking to our local TA) and I think maybe the on-board Future Cruise Consultant didn't get her paperwork submitted quickly enough, and someone on land took "our" cabin. Anyway, there was nothing our TA could do about it, and just a few cabins away was no big deal. Also, I agree with lvtotrvl1 that the Dolphin E is probably a better location than the Main E. Smoother ride down low and center, and a shorter walk to places in many instances. :)

[btobey]

John, I don't think we had an E Guarentee--we were assigned a specific cabin number when we booked. But I'll check with my TA.

 

Regarding the excursions, I got another email from HAL saying that they were still trying to work them out with the vendors and hopefully would have them posted soon. :)

[lvtotrvl1]

John, I don't think we had an E Guarentee--we were assigned a specific cabin number when we booked. But I'll check with my TA.

 

Regarding the excursions, I got another email from HAL saying that they were still trying to work them out with the vendors and hopefully would have them posted soon. :)

 

Even if you were assigned that category, the cabin location on the Dolphin deck is higher, so if this is the case, you received an upgrade.

[grannynurse]

When we booked onboard for our next cruise for a specific cabin by number, the cruise consultant specifically asked us if we would accept an upgrade with the warning that the decision was not reversible once another cabin was assigned. We checked the deck plans and decided that we could only get a better cabin/location so we accepted the conditions. Is it possible that you also accepted this offer? This offer is almost always made when you book onboard. Just wondering....

GN

[btobey]

Even if you were assigned that category, the cabin location on the Dolphin deck is higher, so if this is the case, you received an upgrade.

:confused: Dolphin is actually lower, which is why we were NOT considering this to be an upgrade.

 

Anyway, I called our TA, who was as surprised as we were, as all their documentation lists the original room. However, they called HAL, and apparently HAL always had us in the "new" room even though our invoices say otherwise. Now we have to wait and hear back from the owner of the TA to see if anything else can be done (apparently, the ship is completely sold out).

[btobey]

When we booked onboard for our next cruise for a specific cabin by number, the cruise consultant specifically asked us if we would accept an upgrade with the warning that the decision was not reversible once another cabin was assigned. We checked the deck plans and decided that we could only get a better cabin/location so we accepted the conditions. Is it possible that you also accepted this offer? This offer is almost always made when you book onboard. Just wondering....

GN

Thanks for the suggestion, but we booked with a TA, not onboard, and we were never informed of any cabin change possibilities.

[lvtotrvl1]

But even though it is a lower deck the room is in a better position on the ship. It doesn't matter which deck you are on, the location also is important..ie..midship better than aft or foreward (where your original cabins were).

[RuthC]

Apparently you were not the one to pick a specific cabin. You picked a cabin category and let HAL pick the cabin.

HAL has now changed the assignment, and in the process given you a better cabin (mid-ship is generally preferable to forward/aft).

This isn't an upgrade, nor is it a downgrade. But it also doesn't sound like anything to complain about.

[btobey]

Apparently you were not the one to pick a specific cabin. You picked a cabin category and let HAL pick the cabin.

HAL has now changed the assignment, and in the process given you a better cabin (mid-ship is generally preferable to forward/aft).

We picked a specific cabin with our TA, and they somehow communicated the wrong cabin to HAL. As I said, it is the fact that there has been an error that bothers me more than the new cabin location, and it looks to be the fault of our TA, not HAL.

[lvtotrvl1]

We picked a specific cabin with our TA, and they somehow communicated the wrong cabin to HAL. As I said, it is the fact that there has been an error that bothers me more than the new cabin location, and it looks to be the fault of our TA, not HAL.

 

HAL will upgrade cabins, which is what you received. I'm still not sure where I see an error. You have a better cabin location than you booked.

[jtl513]

Is it possible that you also accepted this offer? This offer is almost always made when you book onboard. Just wondering....

GN

If this question is directed to me rather than OP btobey: no, I specifically said we did not want any upgrade. Fortunately, the change that was made was pretty minor for us.

[RuthC]

We picked a specific cabin with our TA,

In your post on the other thread you said that HAL made the assignment. That's different than the above quote.

[btobey]

In your post on the other thread you said that HAL made the assignment. That's different than the above quote.

You misunderstood me. According to HAL, we have been booked in the same cabin--the one on our documents--all along. Therefore, our TA made an error by telling us that we were assigned another cabin; this other cabin number, which we approved, is on every piece of documentation from our TA. I'm fine with keeping the cabin HAL has assigned; it was our TA who suggested that some type of reparation would be in order for their mistake.