Hi! I'm a new(ish) cruiser and completely new to HAL. I've just booked a December cruise (Panama Canal, Dec 2024 on Rotterdam), and my TA has added Club Orange. She was on the phone with HAL while I was on the phone with her. I've done enough research that I *thought* I understood the upgrades, but now, I'm not so sure!
Here are pertinent facts and questions about my cruise:
1) Cruise is booked, but only the $1 deposit (special yesterday and today) has been paid.
2) TA supposedly has added Club Orange, but I have not yet paid for it. I do have an invoice for $300 (12 nights X $25) than the original invoice.
3) The HAL agent my TA was speaking with said that both the cruise and Club Orange must be paid for in full before the upgrade can happen. Is this true? It contradicts nearly everything I read before booking.
4) The HAL agent also told my TA that the upgrade only goes up ONE level within the broader category, ie from "VF" to "VD" NOT from "VF" to, say, "V". Again, this seems to contradict everything I've read.
So, I'm trying to figure out how to get the upgrade I'm hoping for -- which is to ideally to go from the "VF" I've booked to at least a "VB". Do I need to pay the entire amount tomorrow to get the best possibility of a desirable upgrade? There do seem to be a lot of cabins available in various verandah levels.... Also, should I expect just to be able to from "VF" to VD" or can I expect to get my dream verandah (from what is currently available)?
Thanks so much! 🙂