Booked Guarentee, Assigned same day??

[CoconutFish]

On Wednesday, we booked a cruise for late September, L Guarentee.
On Thusrsday, I looked up the Shore Excursions and see that we have been assigned a stateroom already, an "L" forward.

This is unprecedented in 8 HAL cruises (all guarentees). Every time
we have been assigned a stateroom anywhere from one month to 2 days before departure date.
This last cruise seems to have been assigned upon booking. Certainly takes all the fun out of the wait!

So, the questions are: Am I missing something? New policy?
Has anyone out there ever been assigned that fast?
Also, will this stateroom assignment be engraved in stone or might it be changed?

Appreciate any thoughts or experiences.
Thanks!

[RuthC]

will this stateroom assignment be engraved in stone or might it be changed?
There's plenty of time for it to be changed. Don't get your hopes up too high, but it is possible since it's still so early.

I've done a guarantee three times and never had a cabin assigned this far out. The most time I ever had was about three weeks; the shortest was 9 days before.

[tomc]

Sometimes it's been at the dock. Other times, it's been 2-3 days before. But it's not definite until I get my door key and I don't get my hopes up when I find out the cabin ahead of time.

That doesn't stop me from hoping steerage is full and I have to be moved to a verandah cabin on the Navigation Deck. :cool:

[Roz]

Ditto what Ruth and Tom said. I always book guarantees, and have been assigned a cabin from 7-14 days before sailing. Assigning it this early kind of defeats the cruise lines' purpose in having people book guarantees. It gives them the flexibility to move passengers around.

I'll be interested in seeing if you actually get the cabin they've assigned you.

Roz

[Jemima]

Are you certain you booked a guarantee? The last time my TA had to book thruough a bigger agency and came back on the phone to ask me if we wanted a specific cabin or would any HH be ok? I restated that we wished to book the HH guarantee, not an HH cabin, & made sure it was booked as a guarantee. We ended up with a D assigned about a week before sailing.
Usually we've gotten a cabin assignment about 10 days out, but did once get one about 3 or 4 weeks before sailing.

[HALOnlyCruiser]

Out of idle curiosity (yeah, right!) I checked the HAL site to see if, by chance, our Guarantee (VH) had been assigned for the 7/15 Oosterdam sailing. Lo! and Behold! there was a cabin number on the Immigration Form! All the way to a VA on the Nav Deck! I am happy as a pig in mud! It's right under the deck portion around the Lido pool, and I wonder if it will be noisy, but it beats being under the Disco!
I guess all the "Wicked" chanting paid off! Now I can fill out the luggage tags. Am I excited? Ya think??????
Go, Me! (And it won't be long now!!!!)

[travellady]

No assignment for our guarantee yet. We booked the Zaandam 9/30 3 day coastal in March, called and made my final payment today, and verified still no cabin assignment. I didn't expect one anyway since last time we sailed HAL guarantee, it was about 2 weeks before sailing when we got our cabin.

[newmexicoNita]

Are you certain you booked a guarantee? The last time my TA had to book thruough a bigger agency and came back on the phone to ask me if we wanted a specific cabin or would any HH be ok? I restated that we wished to book the HH guarantee, not an HH cabin, & made sure it was booked as a guarantee. We ended up with a D assigned about a week before sailing.
Usually we've gotten a cabin assignment about 10 days out, but did once get one about 3 or 4 weeks before sailing.
I have just booked myself and some clients with a guarantee for November sailing; Normally the longer it takes to get the confirmed cabin, the better chances of an upgrade. I have seen guarantees come through with cabin assignments within a day or two of booking or not til the passenger arrives at the dock. I don't think I quite understand what you are saying about your TA? I always give my clients the option if guarantee is available and explain what this means: I book, either through our company system or call the line directly. NMnita

[CoconutFish]

Update. Thanks to all with suggestions and experiences!

Called HAL on Sunday. They say that the cruise was booked initially as an L guarantee, then changed to a specific L stateroom. The implication is that the TA did this. OH!
The kicker is: we asked for a table for two and HAL tells us that the TA booked a table for six!
On top of it all, HAL will not allow us to make any changes. That has to come from the TA.

Called the TA. She wanted to know how we "knew" about the specific stateroom booking and the table size. OH! She says she will call HAL.

Checked today on the HAL immigration form: GUAR!
So, we now have to phone HAL to find out about the table size.

Thanks again to everyone for their imput!

[cruisldy]

I am real curious what the TA's reasoning for going against your wishes and booking a specific cabin, rather than a guarantee and letting it play out. I know that specific cabins, even within a catagory can command a higher cruise price. You don't suppose she had it assigned and was going to charge you more? The fact that she got caught tells me that maybe you had better be looking for a new TA. Good job, doing the research and calling HAL to find out. I am always in control of my bookings, even though I use a TA, also.

[cathi]

Methinks you need a new TA!!! Recently had clients go from a HH guarantee to a balcony upon boarding! Needless to say I had very HAPPY clients when they returned!

[CoconutFish]

Phoned HAL again to check if TA did indeed make the requested changes.
Apparently the TA we dealt with passed on our file to another TA (junior?) in the company ,who made the actual booking with HAL.

So, table size is 2, but the seating is wrong. Back to the TA, because HAL will not let us make any changes.

Question: is there some obscure reason that HAL won't allow the customer to make a change like table size or dining time?

Thanks for all the support!

[RuthC]

Question: is there some obscure reason that HAL won't allow the customer to make a change like table size or dining time?
It's not "obscure" at all. Once you have given over your booking to a TA you have given that TA a contract to handle your business for that cruise. The TA is your agent. HAL is obliged to deal with your agent, and can't deal with anyone else.

It's SOP.

[Cruiseiker]

On Wednesday, we booked a cruise for late September, L Guarentee.
On Thusrsday, I looked up the Shore Excursions and see that we have been assigned a stateroom already, an "L" forward.

This is unprecedented in 8 HAL cruises (all guarentees). Every time
we have been assigned a stateroom anywhere from one month to 2 days before departure date.
This last cruise seems to have been assigned upon booking. Certainly takes all the fun out of the wait!

So, the questions are: Am I missing something? New policy?
Has anyone out there ever been assigned that fast?
Also, will this stateroom assignment be engraved in stone or might it be changed?

Appreciate any thoughts or experiences.
Thanks!

Not sure what you mean by gaurantee? In Dec, 2005 we booked a HAL trip for Sept., 2006 and were immediately given our stateroom # in the Deluxe Veranda category. Am I missing something?

[Randyk47]

Cruiseiker - You're fine....a guarantee is booking a category of cabin without picking a specific cabin. Part of the notion is that by giving up picking a specific cabin by number you'll get upgraded to a higher category cabin at no cost. Call it cruise cabin bingo......sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but in either case you're still on the cruise. Since you've booked a really high category there'd be very little to be gained by booking a guarantee.

[hugger]

We booked a cat. B guarantee on the Veedam for 11-4. When I first looked at the HAL site it showed the Cat B Guar. Now it's just showing a guarantee.
Wondering what this mean's? As we booked the lowest cat (being a B) that we would be happy with. Of course, wishing for an upgrade - may not be all that possible though???

What do you think of it showing just Guar now on the HAL site?
Do you think there is any possiblity of getting an upgrade from a Cat. B?
thanks

[Randyk47]

Hugger - I don't think anybody can really say for certain what your chances are of being upgraded. In your case there's not much room to be upgraded to.....there are 20 A category cabins, 28 S category cabins, and the 1 Penthouse Cabin. First things first would have to be that some of those are not booked. Secondly, there would have to be high demand for category B cabins and/or the categories below the B's. The third, and most important, is that the "upgrade fairy" would have to smile down on you and pick you, out of all the other cat B passengers, to be upgraded to one of the higher cats. Quite frankly since the A's and B's are virtually the same cabin, just on different decks, that's really not much of an upgrade. Now, an upgrade to an S.....that's something to wish for! The whole guarantee thing is about all of the above....you just don't know where or what is going to happen but, especially in your case since you're already in a B, it can't be bad. :)

[AZjohn]

Here is yet another experience. DW and I booked a specific inside cabin (not a guarantee) on our Alaska cruise last summer on the Volendam. Our TA asked if we wanted to be put on a “list” for a possible upgrade (the list was HAL’s, not the TA’s). Of course we said yes, but didn’t have any expectations because the cruise was totally sold out a month or so before our sail date. The morning we checked in for embarkation, the check in agent typed our reservation number in the computer and gave a strange look at the monitor. She then said we have been upgraded to a ocean view cabin, which she said is very strange because the ship is completely full. We didn’t argue the fact, just smiled and said thank you very much.
So, what exactly is this “list” about? I have no idea, but we booked our next cruise for November 25 (VE balcony guarantee) and again asked the TA to but us on the magic upgrade “list”. Do we have expectations? No, but stranger things have happened…;)
Happy sailing,
John

[hugger]

showing on the Hal site rather than the Guar. B - should I be concerned that something isn't correct? Being it did originally show it with the B and now it's just Guar.
THANKS
Sure would be neat to get an S suite - B cat's actually look like they might be quieter than the A's on the Veendam as there are public area's above all the A's (I guess the S's too). However, I'd try an S suite in a heartbeat :)

I just hope that when HAL changed their site a week or so ago that they didn't somehow mess up our reservation - I'm uneasy with it not showing the B guar. now.

[Randyk47]

Hugger - Hard to say exactly what's happening with the B category cabins and the HAL site. Could be some TA has blocked the B's for some reason or just the demand or a mistake in the HAL site or HAL is holding them back trying to get people to book other categories or the category is simply all booked. I wouldn't be concerned this far out. As for the A category.....I agree totally. We're in a B for our Veendam cruise next March and would prefer to stay there rather than go to an A. I see no advantage in being in the rear half of the Navigation deck. We had an S cabin on the Volendam this past February and would more than happily accept an upgrade to an S on the Veendam. ;) I'm still watching the fares and would do a paid upgrade to an S if the cost got more reasonable. Right now it's just too much of a difference and too expensive for our liking to book an S on our particular cruise.

[hugger]

Our T.A. has group space on the cruise we're sailing and has Cat. B's held.
I just hope that everything is on the up and up as we wouldn't be happy with anything less than a Cat B. Hope they can't downgrade us :(

I sent a message via email to HAL we'll see IF I get an answer.

Thanks for the info.
Have a great cruise all - - -

[cruzincurt]

Quote: "The TA is your agent. HAL is obliged to deal with your agent, and can't deal with anyone else."

The TA is not MY agent. They are the cruise line's agent, selling the cruise line's products to me as the consumer. I'm the one paying the bill, they are the go between. I don't really need the TA since I can buy my cruise directly from the cruise line. The cruise line is paying them a commission, not me. (Sure it comes out of what I'm paying) The problem here is probably the different meanings of a "legal" agent (who I have authorized to act on my behalf in legal matters), and a travel agent.

Now to be my "legal" agent, I would have a contract with the TA to negotiate a price on MY behalf and I'll negotiate my commission with the TA, not the other way around where the TA keeps what they feel is their justified or allowed commission. Therefore, as the paying customer, I should be able to call up the cruise line and ask a question about my reservations without going through a TA. But if I'm indirectly paying a commission to the TA, I expect them to provide me with service regarding the product they sold me.

I guess I'm just not lucky since every time I've booked a guarantee, that's the category I've gotten.

[1cruiselvr]

No cruiseline with deal directly with the customer if they have booked thru a travel agent. It's SOP as another poster stated. It's not HAL's policy alone. If it's important to you, then don't book thru a TA. Once you do, all changes have to handled by them. Happy Sailing!

[hugger]

I'm impressed HAL actually wrote me back via email - how GREAT is that!
We are confirmed in a Cat B guar. I'm happy now :)

[newmexicoNita]

Quote: "The TA is your agent. HAL is obliged to deal with your agent, and can't deal with anyone else."

The TA is not MY agent. They are the cruise line's agent, selling the cruise line's products to me as the consumer. I'm the one paying the bill, they are the go between. I don't really need the TA since I can buy my cruise directly from the cruise line. The cruise line is paying them a commission, not me. (Sure it comes out of what I'm paying) The problem here is probably the different meanings of a "legal" agent (who I have authorized to act on my behalf in legal matters), and a travel agent.

Now to be my "legal" agent, I would have a contract with the TA to negotiate a price on MY behalf and I'll negotiate my commission with the TA, not the other way around where the TA keeps what they feel is their justified or allowed commission. Therefore, as the paying customer, I should be able to call up the cruise line and ask a question about my reservations without going through a TA. But if I'm indirectly paying a commission to the TA, I expect them to provide me with service regarding the product they sold me.

I guess I'm just not lucky since every time I've booked a guarantee, that's the category I've gotten.Just to try and clarify the agent/TA/cruise line:yes, the cruise line is paying the commission but your rate would be the same regardless; the cruise line considers the TA as the booking person/agent, thus the reservation belongs to the TA, not you. That is why they deal with the agent. Not to mention if they deal with you and with the agent the possibility of miss communication exists. You are not paying any commission to a TA. You do have the right to expect top service from your TA. As for never getting an upgrade: I am a TA and I have yet to get one. I normally book the best available rate. It is quite often as good or close to as good as I can get and I can book early. As a TA I normally have to wait til close to sailing. Of course I am generalizing; there are exceptions. I have booked cruises using a guarantee and booked clients on the same sailing, using a guarantee. Sometimes they get upgraded, I don't. It is what most of us call a gamble....... NMNita