Upgrade - If and When

[fsdj1097]

We are booked on the May 21 sailing on the Zaandam - Inside Passage.

I know the upgrade fairy is very fickle - at best.

For those of you who have experienced upgrades, do they typically happen before or after final payment?

Also, HAL has not offered any price reductions on this sailing. IF they do, even after final payment, can we ask for the reduced rate?

Thank you for your replies.

[RuthC]

If, after final payment, the price of your cabin decreases by 10% or more you are entitled to the lower price.

Now, for the upgrade question: if you booked a guarantee you might see a cabin assignment on the shore excursion or Immigration Form page of the HAL website, but it is subject to change right up until sailing. In reality, the final assignment is usually made about 2 weeks before (plus or minus; give or take).
If you picked a specific cabin location you are not as likely to be upgraded, but it can happen. It will, again, be very close to sail date.

Good luck. And enjoy the cruise wherever you lay your head!

[jhannah]

RuthC nailed it.We have been upgraded three times, all after final payment. One we learned about at check-in. That's unusual, but in our case some permanent repairs needed to be done in the A cabin we'd chosen and the ship's engineering department claimed the cabin at the last minute. Fortunately, someone had cancelled their SS cabin, so we got that more spacious accommodation. (And we've not sailed in lesser digs since, thus showing that granting an upgrade can be a real win-win for the cruise line!)

[obriendan]

I’m not sure that there is less of a chance for an upgrade if you book a specific cabin rather than a guarantee. On our eight cruises, we have been upgraded twice. On all cruises we have selected our cabin at the time of booking. On the two upgrades, we found our about them when we boarded. I think another important factor for the upgrade fairy is whether the cruise is fully booked and whether you booked early. In both upgrade cases we had booked early and the cruises were sellouts. The best we can figure, we were moved up because HAL wanted to make more less expensive staterooms available for people who booked later

[RuthC]

I’m not sure that there is less of a chance for an upgrade if you book a specific cabin rather than a guarantee.
It's funny, I've been upgraded exactly once when I booked a specific cabin (14 times. I've booked a guarantee three times and was upgraded twice.)The cruise had been sold out at least a year in advance, and HAL was even giving financial incentives for people to cancel. I was moved from and inside with location! location! location! to an outside directly across the passageway. Better location!!!

I believe it's less likely to get an upgrade when you book a specific cabin because the assumption is that you know what you want. I suspect HAL places the guarantees first, then considers upgrading the cabin-specific passengers based on the need to keep some parties together.
N.B.:this is educated speculation, but speculation, none-the-less.

[obriendan]

Ruth,

I think we're all ignoring the most important factor: Luck!

[fsdj1097]

I appreciate the replies.

We booked an A guarantee originally. We also booked as soon as the 2005 Alaska iteneraries were posted on the HAL website.

This cruise has really bounced around with regards to cabin availability.

Over 2 months ago, the HAL website showed almost all categories as closed.
The only categories showing available were S and PS.

Then, all at once, several categories, with the exception of verandah cabins, opened back up.

Then, today, Cat. A showed available.

What gives?

[ekerr19]

I appreciate the replies.

We booked an A guarantee originally. We also booked as soon as the 2005 Alaska iteneraries were posted on the HAL website.

This cruise has really bounced around with regards to cabin availability.

Over 2 months ago, the HAL website showed almost all categories as closed.
The only categories showing available were S and PS.

Then, all at once, several categories, with the exception of verandah cabins, opened back up.

Then, today, Cat. A showed available.

What gives?

People cancel - rooms are released, etc. Many times rooms are held for specific travel agencies and online booking agencies - if they are not sold within a specific time frame, they are released back to HAL. This is actually quite common. If you want a specific cabin - book it. Upgrades on HAL will be few and far between. It kind of reminds me of the "no" TV commercial for Capital One....

[Bill S]

Our experience is that upgrades are more likely to occur after final payment, then before. With one exception, we have booked specific cabins. We booked a guarantee Cat B once and were upgaded to a Cat A. Once we were upgraded at check-in from specifically-booked Cat C cabin to a Cat B verandah---wonderful!!! Our last two upgrades, we have paid for, albeit at a discounted rate within a week of embarkation for Cat S accomodations. We book cabin categories which meet our minimum requirements/desires so any upgrade would most likely be very acceptable and appreciated, whether for free or discounted fee! We have learned to tell our TA to let HAL know we wish to be considered for an upgrade, even for a fee. We can always decline if the fee is too high!

I noted for our upcoming May 7 Oosterdam Alaska cruise, a lot of categories came open last week. I assume that many cabins had been blocked by travel agencies and right after the 90-day point, a bunch must have been released back to HAL.

[fsdj1097]

Thanks for your replies and input to this thread.

After FP, we'll just keep watching for specials and hope the upgrade fairy hits us with her magic wand!