Interesting 1 Day a Cruise Can Show Many Cabins Available Then They Are ALL Closed

[LAFFNVEGAS]

We are booked for the September 9th Noordam and have booked a SZ Guarantee when they had that 3 day Sale and my TA and I have been watching that there were many available SA, SB and even a few SC. There were also a hand full of SY and SS but not near as many as SA cabins. We kept thinking with so many available they might have a sale. I had even remarked about that we were surprised there were many available yet the Ocean View cabins were were sold out. Well, suddenly yesterday after having view them on Thursday. ALL the categories with the exception of a few Inside Cabins are now closed. Certainly they did not all sell in 2 days:confused: I am guessing that they had sold a lot of those SZ Guarantees during that 3 Day Sale and they had to closed all the categories to start to distribute cabins.

What is everyone elses take? We still have 8 weeks and I thought it was a bit early to close the categories but when I checked I see they have done the same with the rest of September sailings for the Noordam.

[codyody]

Same thing has happened on the 9/1 Zuiderdam; only the PH is open. I hesitate to say this, but what if a group has booked - Heaven forbid the infamous Parkwest:eek: . As a former hotel Sales Manager, it's what I'd do if there were that many high-end rooms available: offer them to a high income generating group. I am so sorry I said this out loud, but I've been thinking it ever since I noticed the "sell out" ***SIGH***

[fcorey]

Lisa I saw something similar on another cruise we were looking that. They had some really great rates on VE veranda garr. for the sale, then when the sale ended, the pricing INCREASED higher than it was prior to the sale. My TA said that it was likely that they had alot of people book garr. cabins and now they had a limited amount of veranda cabins not booked.

[Palms2Pines2Sea]

Lisa,

Your guess is absolutely correct. This happens with some frequency. A particular trip, like yours, has sold quite a few guarantee cabins. The cruise line will continue to show availability in many cabin categories (and those cabins do indeed exist for booking). Once the number of passengers has reached a "critical mass", the guarantees are allocated cabins (although not necessarily assigned cabins), and the cruise line substantially reduces the cabins that were available just moments before.

It is possible, but highly unlikely that there was a large group booking at this late a date (for a September departure).

You're leaving 8 weeks from today! Have a wonderful trip!!

[codyody]

P2P2S, I surely hope you are right; perhaps the upgrade fairy will visit:)

[cruznon]

Parkwest????? :eek:
codyyody, the name makes most of us shudder.........ugh

[Charliesmom]

My take on this is that 60 days is the final payment date for the TAs to get the money to HAL. Now they HAVE to allocate the guarantee cabins - the passengers have plunked down their money and the company knows for sure they are sailing.

I would think the critical date is 60 or 61days prior to sailing.

Roberta

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I would not be the least bit surprised that within the next week or two that my TA get's the email or phone asking if we would like to Upgrade of course for a small fee. Tom and I have already decided that we would but our dollar amount we are willing to pay is far less than it was for the June cruise;) After we found that we really like the SY/SS they will have to give us a pretty good bargain and allow me to select which SA or SC cabin. I know there were far more Deluxe Verandah Suites than Superior Vernadah Suites available and I would bet during that sale they sold a lot of SZ Guarantees;) I will keep you all posted:)

[DebDenC]

I just checked our Sept. 1 Zuiderdam cruise on the HAL website. Two days ago, they were showing NO availability. This morning there was SA-SY availability only. This afternoon it is SA-SS only! I figure maybe they closed all bookings until they could determine exactly what they had left to sell. We have an SZ guarantee, so we'll see where we end up! Speaking of which - what is the usual time frame to get a cabin assignment with a guarantee? I know it can be up until day of sailing, but when can I reasonably expect? I go on the HAL website a couple of times a day checking!!
Debbie

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I just checked our Sept. 1 Zuiderdam cruise on the HAL website. Two days ago, they were showing NO availability. This morning there was SA-SY availability only. This afternoon it is SA-SS only! I figure maybe they closed all bookings until they could determine exactly what they had left to sell. We have an SZ guarantee, so we'll see where we end up! Speaking of which - what is the usual time frame to get a cabin assignment with a guarantee? I know it can be up until day of sailing, but when can I reasonably expect? I go on the HAL website a couple of times a day checking!!
Debbie


Debbie, we are a week after you on the Noordam so I just checked and our SA thru SZ's all show Closed only one of the Penthouses are open:D Then it looks like almost all the Verandah categories are still available but the Ocean Views are all closed.

As for time frame I think it depends on how sold out the ship is but we had a SY guarantee on the Noordam last month and it was right about 3 weeks that we found out our cabin. Just cruious have you received your docs yet?

[DebDenC]

Just cruious have you received your docs yet? [/quote]

Yes, we received them last week.

[RuthC]

Speaking of which - what is the usual time frame to get a cabin assignment with a guarantee? I know it can be up until day of sailing, but when can I reasonably expect?
Generally, it's in the one-two week out range. That can be plus or minus, of course. I've done a guarantee three times. Once my assignment came at 9 days out; another time it was about 17 days. I don't remember the third time.

[jhannah]

I don't remember the third time. Too many Wang Wangs on that cruise, my dear???? :D