Is This The Upgrade Fairy?

[O2BKate]

I think yippee for me and my small group sailing September 28th on the Westerdam from Los Angeles through the canal to Fort Lauderdale. We booked into category VD and had cabin assignments and everything when I decided to peruse the HAL website. Lo and behold, not only is the cruise not filled, but the web site showed SY suites available for only $300 more than we are paying. And that amount was with our Mariner number, so I hoped our TA could get an upgrade for even less.

Today I got a call that SY cabins are available for our entire party, and for NO additional charge. The only change we would have to make was that we can't keep our 8:00 p.m. dining time, and have to change to 8:30 instead. Not much of a hardship in our opinion. So, is this officially a visit by the upgrade fairy?

Cruisin Kate

[twinkletoes4445]

Wow, a VD to an SY is a wonderful upgrade! And for everyone in your group...that's great. I don't understand why they would change your dining times...but it sounds like a very fair trade! :)

[Tricia724]

O2BKate.....you're jerking my chain a little! I was originally booked on this sailing in a VA cabin but canceled to do the Veendam instead. You're making me wonder what might have happened for us if we were still booked.:rolleyes:

Seriously, I would say this is the upgrade fairy working overtime on your behalf. Good for you and your whole group....I hope you have a great cruise. It sure pays to be vigilent, doesn't it?

[Candy]

You bet it is! Get it in writing and start packing! (Well, maybe not yet...)

Candy the ZuiderPrincess

http://home.g-net.net/%7Ecbrock/Wave.gifhttp://home.g-net.net/%7Ecbrock/Wave.gif

[cruznon]

May the HAL Upgrade Fairy be kind to us... we're waiting to hear about our cabin assignment...perhaps there may still be a few sprinkles of Upgrade Fairy Dust that will land on us!!!!!

[Krazy Kruizers]

Congratulations on your upgrade!!

[KAKcruiser]

Is it possible that the increased number of upgrades we are hearing about is due to the new Princess computer system for reservations? I always heard about Princess doing lots of upgrades (though in my previous sailings with Princess I never got one!) It was my understanding that HAL used to do upgrades manually.

[Candy]

May the HAL Upgrade Fairy be kind to us... we're waiting to hear about our cabin assignment...perhaps there may still be a few sprinkles of Upgrade Fairy Dust that will land on us!!!!!
http://home.g-net.net/%7Ecbrock/Fairy1.gif
Compliments of Candy the ZuiderPrincess

[RedmondCruiser]

02B-Kate ---- Question --- You received a very nice upgrade, which is rare. I note that you are a Mariner. How many HAL cruises have you taken ?? My theory is that HAL provides upgrades mainly to those who are relatively new to HAL and that they tend to ignore those who have been loyal customers. My expirience has been that HAL wants most of us to pay for an upgrades. Its a policy that I have never been able to figure out.

[O2BKate]

RedmondCruiser, this upcoming cruise will be our 8th with HAL, for a total of 100 days, and our first upgrade. Up until this particular sailing, we have always selected a specific cabin, so we never really expected an upgrade. This time, we selected category VD, and our TA had already given us assigned cabin numbers in that category. So I was surprised and happy about this turn of events. I just figured that it was because the sailing wasn't full yet and they were having less trouble selling the non-suite categories, so move people out of them first. We also work with a TA that sells A LOT of Hal cruises, so that might be a reason. My "group" (only 6 of us total) are all Mariners, but we have the most sailing days of the entire group.

So, how is that for muddying the waters and not being able to help you figure out exactly how the upgrade fairy works?

Cruisin Kate

[Starbright]

You are so lucky! When I read your post it gave me the incentive to ring our TA. We will be on the Zuiderdam from Vancouver to Fort Lauderdale on 30 September. I thought there might be a similar situation on our ship.

No such luck! To upgrade from a verandah to the lowest category of suite would cost us over £2,000!! :eek:

Holland America did generously say that they would put our name down for a possible complementary upgrade at a later date. Don't think I'll be holding my breath - it seems highly unlikely. Fortunately we are happy with the cabin we have if we have to stick with it, but I'm always prepared to stick my neck out if there's a chance to get anything better! :)

[Oceanwench]

Holland America did generously say that they would put our name down for a possible complementary upgrade at a later date. Don't think I'll be holding my breath - it seems highly unlikely. Fortunately we are happy with the cabin we have if we have to stick with it, but I'm always prepared to stick my neck out if there's a chance to get anything better! :)

You and probably about 1,500 others on the same cruise!

[sail7seas]

:confused: My expirience has been that HAL wants most of us to pay for an upgrades. Its a policy that I have never been able to figure out.


I'm confused that You are confused.

What is confusing that HAL wants people to pay for the category cabin they occupy? ;)

Sure.......if it gets close to sailing and they have empties, then they may give freebies. But, gee, er, um..... I'm quite sure I understand their policy. :)

They want to get as much cash for their product as they can.
Why give away what one can sell?

[Oceanwench]

Exactly.