Alaskan cruise: Frustration!

[RadioBroadcaster]

I am at a loss here as to what to do.....and maybe the wise members here can give me some suggestions. (I hope!)

 

My husband and I (both in our early 50's) would love to take a cruise to Alaska this September 2009.

 

We would like to leave and return via Seattle.

 

We would also like a balcony room midship, not under a pool deck area.

 

We would love to cruise on XXXXXXXX but they will only waitlist their rooms and can not give you an exact room number.

 

Any suggestions???

 

THANK YOU in advance.

 

~Radio Broadcaster from Southern California

[cb at sea]

There's really nothing wrong with being under the pool...that's our preferred deck, and have never been bothered by noise. I'm not a fan of gty. bookings, tho...I want to KNOW what I'm paying for! However, a gty. booking saves you some money. Again, check the deck plans---if there are no "bad" cabins, the go ahead and do the "waitlist" thing!

[daisysheridan]

...We would love to cruise on XXXXXXXX but they will only waitlist their rooms and can not give you an exact room number.

 

I have never heard of a cruise line that will ONLY wait list their rooms unless they are currently booked up and you are on a waitlist to get the type of room you really want.

[grannydi194]

I am at a loss here as to what to do.....and maybe the wise members here can give me some suggestions. (I hope!)

 

My husband and I (both in our early 50's) would love to take a cruise to Alaska this September 2009.

 

We would like to leave and return via Seattle.

 

We would also like a balcony room midship, not under a pool deck area.

 

We would love to cruise on XXXXXXXX but they will only waitlist their rooms and can not give you an exact room number.

 

Any suggestions???

 

THANK YOU in advance.

 

~Radio Broadcaster from Southern California

We are booked on an Alaskan Cruise (Star Princess) in August, we sail round trip from Seattle and have 2 balcony rooms mid ship, and 1 mini suite - exact cabin numbers. We cruise alot and this is our family cruise - 2 sons, daughter-in-law and 2 grandsons. Never have we been waitlisted when there are cabins available.

[paul929207]

If they will only give you a spot on the waitlist, that means the category (s) you want are fully booked. You are not getting a cabin number because you do not have a cabin and may not gt one on that cruise.

[flamomo]

Sometimes when you book guaranty cabin, you get upgraded to a higher level category, BUT NOT ALWAYS.

When a category is waitlisted, it means that there are currently no cabins that are not already booked in that category. However, once the final payment date passes, there may very well be some who do not pay off the balancce on their booking, and their cabins then become available to someone on the waitlist. So if you choose to go this route, you make your guaranty booking for the category that will get you in the general location you desire, and keep your fingers crossed!

We're cruising on the Star Princess o the September 13, 2009 saiing r/t Seattle - Alaska. Maybe you can join us, if the "god of cruising" favors you!

[ajmsta]

Go sail on the HAL Westerdam. We were on her last year in Alaska and we are sailing her again in Sept. She is a grand ship! please check out the recent reviews on this board.

[thinfool]

 

Any suggestions???

 

THANK YOU in advance.

 

~Radio Broadcaster from Southern California

 

Are you using a TA or trying to book directly with the CL ??

 

If the CL, plan on this situation until your cruise hits the final payment date. At that time, any deposits have been returned and rooms may become available.

 

Alternately, find a good TA who knows what he/she is doing and let them do this for you. You may just find yourself with an acceptable room a lot sooner!

[greatam]

Final payment date has most likely arrived for most September 2009 cruises or will in the next few days. So a few cabins MAY become available in the next few days. Whether a cabin that meets the OP's criteria becomes available, who knows.

 

What about a Seattle/Vancouver RT??? Celebrity has quite a few of those-start or end in Vancouver. Fly into Seattle, take the train to Vancouver (fantastic trip), board the ship in Vancouver and end up in Seattle. I know you wanted midship balcony but on a some of the X sailings, there are even a couple aft balconies available.

 

Since you didn't tell us the cruise line you want, it is really difficult to offer much help.

[boulders]

I see a lot of availability for many cruises that leave Seattle. If you want a specific cabin on a specific deck, you really should book when the cruise is first released. For September '09, the cruises were released in spring '08. Booking now is last minute.

[mr green]

I am at a loss here as to what to do.....and maybe the wise members here can give me some suggestions. (I hope!)

 

My husband and I (both in our early 50's) would love to take a cruise to Alaska this September 2009.

 

We would like to leave and return via Seattle.

 

We would also like a balcony room midship, not under a pool deck area.

 

We would love to cruise on XXXXXXXX but they will only waitlist their rooms and can not give you an exact room number.

 

Any suggestions???

 

THANK YOU in advance.

 

~Radio Broadcaster from Southern California

 

This worked for us. Inform Cruise Line X that you will cancel in 2 days, unless you are given a good cabin, and you will go with Cruise Line Y!

 

john

[paul929207]

This worked for us. Inform Cruise Line X that you will cancel in 2 days, unless you are given a good cabin, and you will go with Cruise Line Y!

 

john

If they are waitlisted, the cruise line will not give them a cabin because there are none available.

[mr green]

If they are waitlisted, the cruise line will not give them a cabin because there are none available.

 

Yes they will. A cruise line always has something in reserve.

 

john

[kitty9]

If a cruise is waitlisted, idle threats are not going to work. The cruise line could not care less if you book and then cancel. And if their wait list is long, they certainly won't have 20 to 30 rooms "in reserve" for someone who threatens to book and cancel unless they get what they want.

 

To the OP, if the ship is full, the chances of your getting the exact kind of cabin you want at the same location is pretty slim. If you're willing to wait until after final payment date (I have a cruise scheduled on Celebrity for Sept 11, and my final payment date is July 5), you might get lucky with cancellations. But seeing you waited so long to book this cruise, you probably cannot be picky with the cabin or location.

[Travelcat2]

I wouldn't discount cruises from Vancouver. I live between Vancouver and Seattle -- transportation between the two cities is easy and not too expensive.

[mr green]

If a cruise is waitlisted, idle threats are not going to work.

 

It was no idle threat, since at that time my wife was not very mobile, we could not 'just take anything'. We had a two day hold on a cabin with cruise Y, but cruise X came through.

As it stands I can't see any ship bound for Alaska being full, all lines are advertising great prices.

 

john

[sbflcruiser]

We just returned from a fantasic Alaska vacation and I was suprised, everything was complete full and some even overbooked. Our plane from Florida to Seattle overbooked, asked for others to take another flight. Took the Amtrak from Seattle to Vancouver, not an empty seat. Cruise stated to several passengers with room problems, not a single empty cabin on the ship. Flight home from Anchorage also every seat full. I even commented along the trip, WOW, with the economy the way it is and so much made about reduced people to Alaska, that was not our experience during our trip.

 

Hope everything works out for you, as Alaska was a wonderful trip..;)

[dkjretired]

Waitlist and Guarantee are two totally different things. If you are on a waitlist there are no cabins available in your category.

[Aunty Pat]

Check out Holland America’s Westerdam, roundtrip Seattle on September 6. It has availability in all categories. Some a guarantees. Some you can select your cabin.

 

The other thing to remember since the September cruises are in final payment there may be many unsold cabins on 24 hour hold so that what isn’t available one day can become available the next.

 

If cabin placement is a top priority you may have to pay extra for a higher catagor that isn't under the swimming pool.

 

Aunty Pat

 

Barefoot Windjammer - Phantom ‘81

K&D German Rhine Line ‘84

NCL - Norway ’85, Pride of America ’05, Southward ’87, Star ’97 & ‘05, Starward ’92, Sun ’02 & Windward ’93

RCC - Song of America ‘89

American Hawaiian - Independence ‘98

HAL - Volendam ’99, Noordam ’06, Oosterdam ’07 & ‘09, Statendam ’02 & ‘08, Prinsendam ’03 & ’06, Westerdam ’09 & Zuiderdam ’04, ’06 & ‘07

Carnival - Spirit ‘05

Celebrity – Summit ‘05

Cruise West - Yorktown Clipper ‘06

Princess - Golden Princess ‘07

A & K - East Queen ‘07

Cunard - QM2 ’08

Oceania – Insignia ‘10

[Cruisin' Chick]

I imagine if you talk to a TA (one knowledgeable about cruises) they will keep an eye out for cabins becoming available after final payment comes through. That's when many people make the final decision about whether to take that cruise or not. Also some travel companies reserve a slew of cabins on some cruises, with the idea of selling them. Whatever they don't sell by final payment date, they'll release, and then those are available.

 

Make sure to let your preferences known as to locale on the ship. But be realistic at what you can get. These cruises have been up for booking for a more than a year by now. Next summer's cruises are already available for booking.

 

You might also consider other ships.

[spongerob]

Yes they will. A cruise line always has something in reserve.

 

john

Maybe so, but the OP was quite specific in stating his cabin preference. Balcony cabins located amidship might not be available at the present time, thus the waitlist. No doubt there are cabins, just not what he wants.

[paul929207]

Yes they will. A cruise line always has something in reserve.

 

john

I dn't know how you can say a ship always has cabins in reserve. Are you saying that no cruise ship has ever sailed full?

[grrrlinda]

there are a few cruises that leave and return to Seattle. Good luck!

[agabbymama]

Another reason for the waitlist, on HAL anyway, they hold the balcony cabins for cruisetour passengers. If you aren't on a cruisetour, they don't let you book a balcony cabin, until closer to the sailing date. Not sure if other cruiselines do this or not.

 

Good luck on finding a ship and cabin that you want. Have a great trip!

[poolwife]

Waitlisting means they have "no rooms". Ask to be on the waitlist for numerous categories that you can afford. But, you have to be prepared to sail at the last minute. I did it for a friend once but we didn't have to worry about airfare. And for the HAL cruise we were on that sailed on a Saturday we got called on the Wednesday before to see if they wanted a room.

 

A guarantee is just that a 'guarantee' that you will get a room. Waitlisting is not a guarantee. You are just taking a chance and if the cruise line wanted a deposit they will refund it if you don't get called.