Help! My first cruise

[dgull]

Hi.

Me and my girlfriend are taking the Ryndam out of San Diego to Mexico on December 26th. Some friends talked is into going, but we couldn't get the type of room we wanted (either a suite, or at worse a room with a balcony). We would obviously be willing to pay for a better room.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to know when better rooms become available and how to secure them? IT would score big points with my girl if I could come through on this. Thanks.

[sail7seas]

Did you use a TA to do your booking? If so, emphasize to him/her how much it matters to you and request they call HAL to see if you can be put 'at the top' of a waitlist to purchase a better category cabin. When I say 'top of the list', I mean that there may be folks who are not booked on the ship at all and are waiting to see if a balcony cabin frees up. Maybe HAL would extend a courtesy to you seeing as you are already booked to offer you the better cabin before folks who are not booked at all.


Sometimes (oftentimes) you will find that a day or two after final payment is due for your cruise, some cabins free up as there are always a few that do not make final payment for one reason or another. You may get lucky that someone in a cabin you want decides to not make final payment.

Good luck.

[DFD1]

You might call Holland America direct on their 800 number and ask to speak to a custoamer service representative or a "cruise specialist" (ie sales rep.) and see if you can be put on a possible upgrade list.

It might work and certainly will not hurt to try. I have often had better luck with special problems such as this dealing with HAL direct rather than thru a travel agent. HOWEVER, there are experienced cruisers here who would disagree with me about this and who swear by their travel agents. I certainly recognize and appreciate their position. Good luck.

[sail7seas]

DFD has a good point IMO


Wouldn't hurt to do both.

[jhannah]

When did you book this cruise? I'm guessing fairly late in the game since balcony cabins weren't available. You are past the final payment time, aren't you? If so, most of the moving that's going to happen has already taken place. There's always a chance, however, so as noted above give it a try. I'm confident that wherever you end up on the ship you'll have a great time and get bitten by the cruising bug as most of us who post here have done. It's an easy and civilized way to travel.

[peaches from georgia]

Check out your cruise everyday on Travelocity to see what cabins become available. Better yet, do it 2 or 3 times a day. We had been at the top of a waitlist for a particular cabin and I saw it pop up on Travelocity before my TA did as I was checking morning and night. Called him and we got it.

But, you wonder why, since we were on HAL's waitlist for this particular cabin, it became available to the public for booking in the first place. Our TA should have been notified by HAL if HAL was looking at any waitlist. Lesson learned- no one looks out for you like you can do yourself.