Is this really an upgrade

[Lithium]

I had a Category F room booked on the Zuiderdam and was "upgraded" to a Cat E. It seems the F cabins are in better places of the ship and have bathtubs where the E cat is at the very back (main deck) and no tub. I guess I am kind of disappointed in this "upgrade."

[doone]

Did you book a guarantee cabin or did you ask for a specific cabin number?

[RuthC]

HAL considers it an upgrade; if you booked a guarantee they don't ask your opinion.
If you book a specific cabin you can specify if you want to be considered for an upgrade or not, but if you booked a guarantee HAL picks any cabin that category or "better".

[Globaliser]

On the cruise we've most recently booked, we deliberately decided we wanted an outside cabin but not a balcony (too cold and too wet for that). So we have specified "no upgrades" precisely to avoid getting put into a more expensive but less good (on that cruise) cabin.

[stillfrantic]

We also were asked upon booking if we wished to be considered for a complementary upgrade. Since we'd have no control of location then, we elected to not accept an upgrade.