How Much Extra for a BB Guarantee Suite?

[Beejay4016]

Hi all.

We are booked in a BB guarantee suite for our 7 January sailing on the Volendam. Prices for verandah suites are being advertised for about Aus$1500 less than we paid. This may be normal because I don't know how much extra a guarantee suite comes in at. For such a price difference I would certainly hope for an upgrade.

Can anybody give me a rough ballpark figure for the difference between a verandah suite and a BB guarantee suite? I have tried to contact my travel agent regarding this but he is away until mid-January and his team leader will "get around to" answering his email in due course.

Cheers .. Bev

[Krazy Kruizers]

Wish I could help you on this. But HAL could quote one price to one person and a different price to another person. HAL is inconsistent on too many things.

Your TA is gone for a month and the others can't help out? That is not good. Thankfully our TA doesn't get to take long vacations like that.

Maybe you can call HAL, explain the situation, and they may be able to give you a figure. Unfortunately HAL will not be able to upsell you to a verandah suite -- your TA has to work on that.

[Beejay4016]

Originally Posted by Krazy Kruizers

Wish I could help you on this. But HAL could quote one price to one person and a different price to another person. HAL is inconsistent on too many things.

Your TA is gone for a month and the others can't help out? That is not good. Thankfully our TA doesn't get to take long vacations like that.

Maybe you can call HAL, explain the situation, and they may be able to give you a figure. Unfortunately HAL will not be able to upsell you to a verandah suite -- your TA has to work on that.

Many thanks for that. I guess I've learnt my lesson: book directly through HAL next time and not through an internet agency. Every query I've raised with them, such as the bed configuration, booking the Pinnacle etc they have told me to contact HAL direct. I think they are there to book your actual cruise and that's about it.

I'm not fussed about an upgrade because I think just the normal verandah suites look beautiful, but I would probably be a bit annoyed to find that other people paid $1500 less than what we paid. A couple of hundred I could accept, but not that much.

I have contacted HAL to ask for some clarification, so will see how I get on with them. They have been great with other questions I have directed to them.

Cheers .. Bev

[Randyk47]

Personally we always book through an Internet agency but over the years we've gotten it down to two or three who take really good care of us and get us the lowest price. The rules though for our friends in other countries are sometimes very different and it's hard to address. I did look at your cruise on both Holland America's and my Internet provider sites and veranda suites are now all labeled "call for prices". Sounds like Holland America is in the final stages of selling off the remaining cabin inventory and indeed there may be some sales or deep discounts available. Your issues with your Internet provider notwithstanding, and I'd be looking for another if mine treated me the way yours has, this probably means that the last minute sale prices are only available for new bookings which kind of leaves you out in the cold so to speak. Sometimes you can get Holland America to give you some kind of compensation or adjustment sometimes you get nothing.

[LADYLAYLA]

Originally Posted by Beejay4016

Hi all.

We are booked in a BB guarantee suite for our 7 January sailing on the Volendam. Prices for verandah suites are being advertised for about Aus$1500 less than we paid. This may be normal because I don't know how much extra a guarantee suite comes in at. For such a price difference I would certainly hope for an upgrade.

Can anybody give me a rough ballpark figure for the difference between a verandah suite and a BB guarantee suite? I have tried to contact my travel agent regarding this but he is away until mid-January and his team leader will "get around to" answering his email in due course.

Cheers .. Bev

A BB is a veranda suite. There are various levels, A, B, BA, BB, BC, BQ and all are sold at different rates. It is after final payment for your cruise and they are probably trying to sell cabins. What category was priced that much lower? If it was a BC, then that is a lower category than the BB

[Joy R]

We also booked a BB veranda guarantee, for the same ship and the same cruise - departing on 10th December from Singapore (we fly there tomorrow!). We booked it as a package from our TA, incliding flights and hotel, which often works out cheaper, and less hassle, here in England, so I must confess that I don't know exactly what we paid for the cruise itself. Anyway, we find it difficult to book directly with an American agent, although it is not impossible and we have done it before, but that is another story for another thread.

We got our cabin assignment a couple of days ago - an AA cabin on the Navigation Deck. We are well pleased - a full suite would have been better, but the location is great, so we're not complaining.

[Beejay4016]

Originally Posted by Randyk47

Personally we always book through an Internet agency but over the years we've gotten it down to two or three who take really good care of us and get us the lowest price. The rules though for our friends in other countries are sometimes very different and it's hard to address. I did look at your cruise on both Holland America's and my Internet provider sites and veranda suites are now all labeled "call for prices". Sounds like Holland America is in the final stages of selling off the remaining cabin inventory and indeed there may be some sales or deep discounts available. Your issues with your Internet provider notwithstanding, and I'd be looking for another if mine treated me the way yours has, this probably means that the last minute sale prices are only available for new bookings which kind of leaves you out in the cold so to speak. Sometimes you can get Holland America to give you some kind of compensation or adjustment sometimes you get nothing.

Hi there,

Thanks so much for that. I think that while we are on the Volendam we will have a good long chat to the forward cruise person (assuming we love the experience of cruising, which I'm sure we will), and then utilise the services of HAL's own agent. I do appreciate that at the last minute cabins are sold off cheaply, and I look forward one day to being able to take advantage of that but that will have to wait until our retirement years I think.

I did get a response from HAL - always speedy, always polite - suggesting I contact the internet agency again and push for somebody else to have a look at our file. I honestly don't care whether we are upgraded or not; just looking forward to a fabulous cruise, and the most basic verandah suite looks beautiful to me.

Cheers .. Bev

[Beejay4016]

oops

[Beejay4016]

Originally Posted by LADYLAYLA

A BB is a veranda suite. There are various levels, A, B, BA, BB, BC, BQ and all are sold at different rates. It is after final payment for your cruise and they are probably trying to sell cabins. What category was priced that much lower? If it was a BC, then that is a lower category than the BB

Hi Ladylayla,

Thanks for your response. I have been unable to get any information so far from the internet agency and so I will just have to assume that the lower price is indeed for a lower category verandah suite. We really aren't at all fussed about an upgrade as we think the normal verandah suite looks fantastic and are sure we will just love the whole experience. My concern was probably prompted by the wording, simply "suite" in the advertisement whereas previously they had distinguished between "verandah suite" and "suite". I actually love the position of the two aft BB suites so will be more than happy to be placed in one of those.

I guess as first time cruisers I'm zeroing in on things that really aren't an issue.

Cheers .. Bev

[Beejay4016]

Originally Posted by Joy R

We also booked a BB veranda guarantee, for the same ship and the same cruise - departing on 10th December from Singapore (we fly there tomorrow!). We booked it as a package from our TA, incliding flights and hotel, which often works out cheaper, and less hassle, here in England, so I must confess that I don't know exactly what we paid for the cruise itself. Anyway, we find it difficult to book directly with an American agent, although it is not impossible and we have done it before, but that is another story for another thread.

We got our cabin assignment a couple of days ago - an AA cabin on the Navigation Deck. We are well pleased - a full suite would have been better, but the location is great, so we're not complaining.

Hi Joy,

How wonderful for you to receive that upgrade, and I'm sure it will be absolutely wonderful. You are on the December cruise, so you will get to enjoy the vessel and the sights a few weeks before us - our cruise sails ex Singapore on 7 January. I've been following your roll call for little tips etc. I think you are staying at the same hotel that we will be at in January also, the Park at Clarke Quay, which I'm sure you will enjoy as it's a fabulous part of Singapore - heaps of eateries and things to do.

If you do get a chance post cruise, do tell us all about it.

Cheers .. Bev

[SALAD MUNCHER]

Hi all, we have just got off the Volendam in Singapore, having sailed from Sydney. We were booked in an A cat verandah. When we first went in we found it very dark and was surprised to find that all the cat A verandahs on the Navigation deck (7) have a 2 metre plus overhand above their balcony! It was dreadful, you only ever got approx 1 to 1.5 hours of sun either very early or very late in the day, depending on port or starboard side, also one third of the skyscape was blaocked out by the overhang!
We immediately went to the Front office and pleaded for a downgrade!! This is because all other grades of verandah cabins, AA to BB, are on the Verandah deck (6) are not affected by this problem. It took five days for them to finally move us to a B category room. I am going to write to HAL about this issue and suggest they consider changing this category to a lower grade. I can find no mention of this overhang on the HAL website. Has anyone else found this a problem?

[Beejay4016]

Originally Posted by SALAD MUNCHER

Hi all, we have just got off the Volendam in Singapore, having sailed from Sydney. We were booked in an A cat verandah. When we first went in we found it very dark and was surprised to find that all the cat A verandahs on the Navigation deck (7) have a 2 metre plus overhand above their balcony! It was dreadful, you only ever got approx 1 to 1.5 hours of sun either very early or very late in the day, depending on port or starboard side, also one third of the skyscape was blaocked out by the overhang!
We immediately went to the Front office and pleaded for a downgrade!! This is because all other grades of verandah cabins, AA to BB, are on the Verandah deck (6) are not affected by this problem. It took five days for them to finally move us to a B category room. I am going to write to HAL about this issue and suggest they consider changing this category to a lower grade. I can find no mention of this overhang on the HAL website. Has anyone else found this a problem?

Hi there. I have seen photographs of cabins like that on one of the Celebrity vessels. Some people hate them, while others absolutely love them. To me they look really claustrophobic with that overhang. Very good that they did move you, though. I hope everything else on the voyage was wonderful.

[PathfinderEss]

Originally Posted by Beejay4016

Hi all.

We are booked in a BB guarantee suite for our 7 January sailing on the Volendam. Prices for verandah suites are being advertised for about Aus$1500 less than we paid. This may be normal because I don't know how much extra a guarantee suite comes in at. For such a price difference I would certainly hope for an upgrade.

Can anybody give me a rough ballpark figure for the difference between a verandah suite and a BB guarantee suite? I have tried to contact my travel agent regarding this but he is away until mid-January and his team leader will "get around to" answering his email in due course.

Cheers .. Bev

I have to assume that you booked your cruise back some months ago at a certain price. Now that the cruise is so close to sail date, Hal often offers flash sales to try to fill the ship. Unless you cancel your cruise and rebook, that would be the only way to get the cheaper price but to do so can cost you lots of money in cancellation fees, certainly more then it is worth the price drop. In saying this, you can go to Hal thru your TA and ask for some possible ship board credit or an upgrade to make up the difference. Sometimes that works but in your case with the missing TA I think you have no recourse.
I think I would just relax and go have a great cruise.

[Beejay4016]

Originally Posted by PathfinderEss

I have to assume that you booked your cruise back some months ago at a certain price. Now that the cruise is so close to sail date, Hal often offers flash sales to try to fill the ship. Unless you cancel your cruise and rebook, that would be the only way to get the cheaper price but to do so can cost you lots of money in cancellation fees, certainly more then it is worth the price drop. In saying this, you can go to Hal thru your TA and ask for some possible ship board credit or an upgrade to make up the difference. Sometimes that works but in your case with the missing TA I think you have no recourse.
I think I would just relax and go have a great cruise.

Hi Melodie. Thanks for that. I have now discovered that the cheaper rates are for a triple suite, which explains things perfectly. Actually, in Australia deposits are non-refundable. We pay large deposits and if we decide we can get a better deal somewhere else we simply lose our deposits. The balance of the fares has long been paid. I am happy enough knowing the explanation fo the much lower "suite" fare. I do realise also that the closer to sailing date the cheaper the fares, and certainly wouldn't lose sleep over people paying a couple of hundred dollars less than what I paid. Just over three weeks to go now and I know it will be fabulous, so much so that I'm sure we will be purchasing FCD while on board.

Cheers .. Bev

[kangforpres]

You should call HAL, everytime I've called about a price drop they have re-booked with the new price. You might have to give up the Guan. and get a Cabin assignment but I would think for $1500 in any currency it would be worth it, you can blow that $1500 on board.