Guaranteed cabins???? When assigned?

We have a guaranteed cat H. Any ideas when we will find out about our cabin? We sail Aug 21. Also, since we booked so late we were assigned late dining and are on the waiting list for earlier. What are our chances of being moved?

They might assign it before tix are issued or you may not know until you get to the pier. Hope the upgrade fairy treats you well! In regards to dining, things get sorted out because people switch around. You may get it, but maybe not on the first night. Talk to the Maitre'd when you get onboard and let them know you want to switch to Early.

We have booked on HAL only once using a guarantee (never again) and did not find out our assigned cabin until the morning of the cruise. We were traveling, our flight, hotel and cruise as part of a HAL package. Was not thrilled with our cabin or hotel and have filed it all under lessons learned. However others we met on the cruise were quite happy with their cabins booked using the guarantee option.

We have booked on HAL only once using a guarantee (never again) and did not find out our assigned cabin until the morning of the cruise. We were traveling, our flight, hotel and cruise as part of a HAL package. Was not thrilled with our cabin or hotel and have filed it all under lessons learned. However others we met on the cruise were quite happy with their cabins booked using the guarantee option.

I did the same thing you are talking about ... booked a guarantee with air through Holland America. Don't know about my cabin yet, but just got an email from my TA regarding my air. Never again will I book through the cruiseline. My outbound flight from Philly to Fort Lauderdale is at 6:00 a.m.!!!!! The whole purpose of my wanting to fly down the day of the cruise was so that I wouldn't have to burn through a vacation day the night before (I work graveyard shift and am running very low on vacation days). Now, it looks like I'll wind up doing that anyway. :(

I can only hope they make this inconvenience up to me by giving me a nice upgrade.

Blue skies ...

--rita

Normallly the guarantee cabins are assigned two to three weeks before sailing. Usually after documents are mailed. You can increase your chances of being switched to early seating if you ask for a table for two or four. These tables are usually the last ones filled by the dining room manager.

We are on the same cruise with a catagory H guarantee also. We booked last minute with vacations to go. I have never used them and hope that they pull through. The catagory H outside on the upper promenda deck is supposed to have fully obstructed view which she says is where the life boats hang but you can still see out. By booking guarantee she said that we may be upgraded. How bad is this cabin? Don't know the room number as it has not been assigned. Anybody ever had an obstructed ocean view cabin? I am a mariner member with HAL having sailed this line 3 other times but not on this ship. I would be happy with a normal ocean view. We also are on the wait list for early dining.

We booked a guarantee BB with HAL last summer 3 months before the cruise, were assigned an A cabin 2 weeks out and offered upgrade to SS for nominal fee at about same time. That's my only experience with a guarantee but I'd certainly do it again.

HI Nani123,

If you hear about your cabin would you let me know? WE have had a partial obstruction before and it was ok; you just couldn't see much through the window. We also booked through Vacations to Go. This was my first with them too, but I have read good things about them. It is also our first HAL cruise, but our 4th Alaska cruise. We like to get out of the Texas heat and love the Seattle area.

Yes, I will let you know when I hear about our cabin. Good to know that vacations to go has a good rep. Are you going to Alaska? We are sailing the Zuiderdam to the western carribean on August 21st. Even though I live in sunny and hot Florida I love to go to the tropics!!!

To those of you who used Vacations To Go---will they try to get you an upgrade when you booked a guarantee cabin? I sail on the 24th--(1 week from tomorrow) I checked on the immigration form and I have been assigned a BC which is what I booked at. The TA @ VTG indicated that that was my only choice for booking but assured me that since there are only 4 cabins in that catagory--I would most likely get an upgrade. This is my first cruise--so I am learning new things every day. Once they post the cabin # on your immiagration form--is that it and is there any hope for an upgrade.

(I know that I will have a great time even if I have to sleep on the deck.:D )

We are on the same cruise with a catagory H guarantee also. We booked last minute with vacations to go. I have never used them and hope that they pull through. The catagory H outside on the upper promenda deck is supposed to have fully obstructed view which she says is where the life boats hang but you can still see out. By booking guarantee she said that we may be upgraded. How bad is this cabin? Don't know the room number as it has not been assigned. Anybody ever had an obstructed ocean view cabin? I am a mariner member with HAL having sailed this line 3 other times but not on this ship. I would be happy with a normal ocean view. We also are on the wait list for early dining.

On the Veendam, the HH is the fully obstructed view and the H is a porthole cabin in the bow. So if you get an upgrade, you will probably get a window with an unobstructed view. Which ship are you going on?

We have taken guaranteed cabins. Once an outside on Carnival(we no longer use that line). The room was awful and they would not tell us the room number until we checked in at the pier. I even called the morning of the cruise and they would not tell me !

The second time was OK because it was a SUITE guarantee with Princess. I kept checking their web site and about 3 weeks before the cruise, a cabin number appeared. It was at the very back of the ship. That is Ok with us. I just figured that the price was right and how bad could any suite be?

As far as the dining issue.....Immediately upon boarding the ship, find the maiter'd. If you wait any time at all ,there will be a lot of other people in line.

We are on the same cruise and also booked with Vacations To Go. They sound like the main agency for this one.

Be very wary of any TA who assures you you will most likely get an upgrade by booking a guarantee. Yes, it happens ... but just as often it doesn't happen. Always book a cabin you will be happy with, and don't let a TA get your hopes up unnecessarily. (After all, they're trying to make a sale.)

I agree, that was poor judgement on that TA's part to make such a statement....

Marie

Nani1223,

Yes, we are heading for Alaska.....can't wait to get out of Texas! I called VTG this morning and the TA said no assignment yet, that HAL tried to have assignment 2 weeks out, but that it was very likely we would not know till be checked in! Oh well, at least it will be COOL!! Have fun on your cruise, we embark on 8/21 but leave for Seattle on the 17th!

I have used this method many times.

Go to the Holland America web page, http://hollandamerica.com/

Step 1: go to "For Booked Guests" and click on "Immigration Form"

Step 2: Enter your booking number, passenger number (1 or 2) and last name.

Step 3: Click on "Begin"

Step 4: Click on "Print" (next to one of the passenger names)

This will display the "Immigration Form". Look for the field "Stateroom #"

What you will see is either your cabin number or 000... The 000 indicates that the cabin has not been assigned yet.

I have booked guaranteed several times and this approach has worked for me. I have typically started looking about 2 weeks before the departure date.

The last time we cruised, we found the cabin number displayed using this approach and when we got to the pier to check in, we found the cabin had changed again and we ended up with an even better cabin.

Hope this helps.

We are also sailing sugust 21 but on Maasdam. We do not have staterooms assigned nor do we have our tickets.

Thanks to all of the insight on GUARANTEED CABINS---like I mentioned, with this being our first cruise--we are learning new things every day!! We will be happy with our cabin--it is going to Alaska!!!:p

Shippy: Did I read you right? Are you also on the Zaandam on July 24th??

As far as I could tell from these boards it was just going to be us and one other group on the whole ship!! If you are on this cruise--Welcome Aboard!!

Howdy,

I am on the Zuiderdam on the 7/24 cruise. I like the obstructed view cabins because they are in a good, quiet location on the ship. Unfortunately it was a guarantee cabin. I only found out my cabin number two days ago, and getting it was a pain! The travel agency was not helpful (Cruisedirect.com, and HAL has a policy of not giving this information to their guests when they book with a travel agency). The view is not great in the obstructed view cabin, but the price normally is. I want to see the outside, I do not particularly care about the view. I hate inside cabins and will not book them. I was upgraded (???) to a C category, which is below (end of the room) a night club. I would have prefered the obstructed view cabin. I booked this cruise with Cruisedirect.com (not good). I was a cheap skate. My cabin number is 1056. I certainly would like a balcony, but I would rather travel three to four times a year and save the cash instead of one big splurge. I probably should have spent $ 200.00 more for the slightly obstructed cabin. I think the cabin will be ok (I hope). I just want the cabin to be quiet.

I do not think you will have a problem with getting an early dinner assignment. Consider their "early" late dining. Its at 8PM which is actually nice. There is no rush to get to dinner when you get back to the ship and there is less of a rush to get you out of the restaurant. I normally find it harder to get late dining than early. Also, the crowd is younger at the late dining. The one time I had early dining (my first cruise, and I did not know better), I was the youngest person at the table (I'm 47 now, and this was three years ago). Everyone else was in the late 70's and 80's and although they were nice, for me at least, it was a little uncomfortable. The food on HAL is quite good. DO NOT MISS THE BAKED ALASKA DINNER! VERY GOOD!

I consider it their signiture dining event, and the food, while always the same on all their ships, is great. The escargot is something I look forward to every time I go on them, and ALWAYS ORDER SECONDS!

I have traveled on HAL five times over the past two years. I have taken their air twice and regretted it (had to, as the air from Boston was ridiculous). The transfers are terrible and very disorganized. When I was on the Oosterdam this last February, I arrived at Ft. Lauderdale airport about 2:30 PM. We left the airport at 4PM. And the price was expensive from Boston (approximately $ 420.00, although it was $ 250.00 cheaper than I could get--approximately, I do not remember). The flight down was good as it was non stop on Song. The return flight had the perk of first class, but it was out of Miami and went through Detroit. Some idiot took my luggage in Boston (with my insulin in it, and it went bad--not HAL's fault of course). You can get to the pier via a taxi in under ten minutes for about $ 15.00 including tip. I would recommend getting to the pier on your own and spend the extra cash. The price to the pier is regulated. Careful, some taxi drivers may try to rip you off. One guy attempted to do so with me last summer. Being from Boston, I know the drill and called him on it and reported him to the police.

Have a wonderul trip! HAL is a nice line. The price is normally right and all in all a pretty classy line; this is particularly true when you are single and travel alone. I appreciate this and travel on HAL because of it.. HAL is not perfect, but not bad (nothing is). I do like HAL, though, and I travel on the alot, although not exclusively.

bkonner

Nani1223,

Yes, we are heading for Alaska.....can't wait to get out of Texas! I called VTG this morning and the TA said no assignment yet, that HAL tried to have assignment 2 weeks out, but that it was very likely we would not know till be checked in! Oh well, at least it will be COOL!! Have fun on your cruise, we embark on 8/21 but leave for Seattle on the 17th!

Nanheath,

Received my docs today. They assigned us cabin 4068 on the upper promenade deck. It is a totally obstructed view about midship. This is on the Zuiderdam sailing the western carribean 8/21/04 - 8/28/04, I emailed the TA at vacations to go to see what it would cost to upgrade to a regular oceanview but haven't heard back yet. Confirmed dining is Main Lower but I don't know what that means as far as early or late. Does anyone know about this cabin?? Have a great time on your Alaska cruise (that will be my next cruise) and I will toast you with a rum runner as I am sitting on a beautiful beach in the carribean!!!!

Thanks to all for all the great info posted on this message board.

Main Lower is 8:30.

To give you some idea of the cost of upgrade, trying going to Travelocity, and see what the price difference is..or one of those sites..just an idea.

I am booked in an obstructed view on the Lower Promenade sailing of the Veedam next month, BUT, I do like the idea of being right there on the LP(my own big private balcony, LOL..or at least I think I do, it will be my first time :). I am cruising solo, and it's just nice NOT to be in an inside.

Marie

Hi Nani 1223,

Congrats on getting your cabin; we still have not heard. Did someone call and tell you or what? I just went to my immigration form and still see cabin as 000 which another poster said meant it was still not assigned. We depart Aug 21 so I guess your ship filled and ours is still filling? I am curious about an upgrade too and for how much $$$.

I appreciate the toast on the beach..........I will do the same for you as we cruise past the glaciers! This is our 4th time to Alaska but I never tire of the sites or the cool weather!

Nan

we booked a bc guarantee on the Zuiderdam Aug 14th. i called Hal a week ago and they gave us our cabin. we are on the navigation deck cat. a. hope this doesn't change.

:) Hi I booked an inside guaratee too......and I was told by my TA my cabin probably would not be assigned until 2 weeks before I sail...and it could be later than that...its ok with me......I have an inside and I am one of those people who only uses their cabin for sleeping, showering, and changing clothes;) . And she also told me they never guarantee an upgrade.

We actually received our documents in the mail and the cabin number was on the tickets. I have not gone to the HAL website yet (immigration form) to see if the cabin has changed.

Does anyone know a website where you can go to see if the ship is sold out or what cabins are left?

I haven't heard back from TA at VTG on upgrade price but I do know they are still advertising

oceanview cabins with full views. I believe the price difference is about $100+. Maybe still a possibilty of upgrade if they want to sell the lower price cabin. 28 days to go....I'm so excited!!!!

Thanks all again for the info.