Category Upgrades From a Guarantee

[SabreSailor]

We've been on 6 HAL cruises (65 days) and have just booked the Zuiderdam in the Med for the fall. We've always had a confirmed cabin in the past, but this time we took a category VD guarantee. From your experience, does an category upgrade often happen? Obviously, cabin availablity is a factor, but is it also based on number of days sailed with HAL, or what?

Is the same true for location/size of table requests in the dining room?

Thanks..............

[huskypup]

We sailed on the Oosterdam in April, this was our first HAL cruise, in fact it was our first cruise full stop, we had originally booked a VF Balcony Guarentee, 10 days before sailing we received our cabin assignment and had been upgraded from a VF to VA, very nice,.

We sail on the Westerdam in Jan and have booked a VF guarentee again, we will be happy with a VF because thats what we have booked but any upgrade will always be nice.

Hope you have a nice cruise.

[Padraic]

In March on the Westerdam my wife and I had a H Guaranteed cabin and when the cabin assignment was made it was a G. When we checked in at Port Everglades the cabin had been changed to VD. Pleasant suprise. We have over 160 days on Holland America so that my have something to do with it.

Padraic

[RuthC]

Obviously, cabin availablity is a factor, but is it also based on number of days sailed with HAL, or what?
No one knows what prompts the Upgrade Fairie to sprinkle her dust where she does. If we did, then... ?

But if days on HAL entered into it at all then I would have had more than one upgrade. I have 367 days sailed, with 20 more coming up (docs came today! :) ), then 10 more booked after that.
I upgrade in lost-track-of-the-number cruises? :confused:

[jtl513]

From your experience, does an category upgrade often happen? Obviously, cabin availablity is a factor, but is it also based on number of days sailed with HAL, or what?On Vistas we booked guarantee VE once and VD twice, and got a nicely-located VAs every time. Those were our 2nd, 3rd, and 6th HAL cruises. We're just lucky, I guess! :D

[SabreSailor]

Thanks, everyone - I know we'll love the cruise no matter where we are, but an upgrade would be icing on the cake....!

[dakrewser]

As best we can tell there's only one reason for an upgrade - the ship needs the cabin you are in for someone else. But if there are 3 bookings and only two cabins in the category, then it appears that the oldest booking gets preference. Mariner status may enter into the equation but, if so, it's sp far down the list as to really make no difference.