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The upgrade fairy flew today!

vicocala

By vicocala,
in Holland America Line

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Bearnaise

Bearnaise

Posted
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No worries, a guaranty means I at least get somewhere to sleep.

 

Even SZ might be interesting, it's an odd-shaped cabin. So I'm totally fine with whatever happens. At worst, I'll wave to you in your enclave while I'm being led to the general boarding waiting area, but hopefully I'll be sitting next to you. Still no assignment, that has to be good right?

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Bearnaise

Bearnaise

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The longer the wait the better the cabin is what I have tended to experience. Best wishes on your cabin. That is still a great cabin catagory.

It is and I'm totally stoked for what I paid. Besides, if I don't get upgraded to deluxe, I won't have to worry about all that annoying noise from the Neptune Lounge ;)

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geoherb "Live from...." Rare

geoherb

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Congratulations! We're waiting for our cabin assignment for our Westerdam cruise, which is exactly two weeks away. As of now, HAL is no longer offering any balcony or suite cabins. I'm wondering if they booked too many of us in them.

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trixiee

trixiee

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Congratulations! We're waiting for our cabin assignment for our Westerdam cruise, which is exactly two weeks away. As of now, HAL is no longer offering any balcony or suite cabins. I'm wondering if they booked too many of us in them.

 

Same with my sailing - 5 weeks out yet! Yesterday, there were several categories of suites still available. This morning nothing at all! :eek:

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Bearnaise

Bearnaise

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Congratulations! We're waiting for our cabin assignment for our Westerdam cruise, which is exactly two weeks away. As of now, HAL is no longer offering any balcony or suite cabins. I'm wondering if they booked too many of us in them.

At least I'm not the only one!

 

I've seen the same thing happen on previous cruises, where certain categories or even all the cabins will become "call for $$$". I believe that merely means they've reached capacity or they think they have (based on perceived ability to upsell lower categories, etc.). I doubt that the cruise would go from undersold to oversold overnight like that. If they truly were selling out the suites and balcony cabins so fast, they would simply have raised their prices, not kept lowering them.

 

What I am hoping for is that they did oversell the inventory of superior suites and they therefore have no choice but to put me in a deluxe. That vicocala got such an upgrade and the fact that they were offering SC guarantys for only $1,199/pp bodes well. I'm guessing that there are lots of deluxe suites left unsold, but that HAL doesn't want to advertise them for even less than $1,199/pp or else risk the perception that it's a lower quality product. Hopefully, out of pride, they'll simply upgrade us under the table instead :D

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vicocala

vicocala

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Thanks Geoherb and twinkletoes for your congratulations. Those cabins have been removed the last couple of days. I suspect they start with the most expensive cabins first and work their way down. Simply as a way to advertise the lowest price points as long as they can to reach capacity.

 

I would think with upgrades already going out to the deluxe cabins, and some superior cabins, the remaining superior and balcony cabins will be assigned over the next two or three days. The lower cabins will most likely be assigned 3-5 days out or even at the pier.

 

This is just conjecture on my part as that makes the most business sense to me, but companies don't always due things the way outsiders see them as we are limited in knowledge of other factors which may limit or increase capacity.

 

The reason I think longer is better is that a limited number of suites and balconies may be held back for those who do call in. If that is the case, you may not even get an upgraded till the pier. Another reason for last second upgrades is there are going to be statistically always a certain number of cancellations for whatever reason. That could be higher near major holidays and peak vacation times as illness or last minute things develop and people can not make their trip.

 

I suspect that insides and window views will always be the last of the last to hear.

 

Just my two cents, I don't know anything more than what my accounting and business background would lead me to surmise. Personally, I think I was just blessed and didn't do anything extravagant to get the cabin unless it was just by acting quickly when the prices changed.

 

Again my thanks and best wishes to all who are waiting. I expect you will hear this week, and if not, your upgrade chances will be even better.

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twinkletoes4445

twinkletoes4445

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I shall! My wife and I were talking tonight about different excursions and or things to do in Cozumel and Key West and she said I sounded like I might not even want to leave the cabin.

 

I told her, "I might not." :D

 

LOL You may not come out of the cabin!!

 

If you do .... we loved the hop on, hop off trolley in Key West. It's a great way to see the area. We were there for a few days and found it hard to park a car and get around so we used the trolley.

 

We also ordered appetizers to be delivered to our cabin for sail-away! It was so much fun to sit out on the balcony and watch the ship leave port. If you do order appetizers, make sure and let the concierge know by noon that day.

 

Enjoy!!

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vicocala

vicocala

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LOL You may not come out of the cabin!!

 

If you do .... we loved the hop on, hop off trolley in Key West. It's a great way to see the area. We were there for a few days and found it hard to park a car and get around so we used the trolley.

 

We also ordered appetizers to be delivered to our cabin for sail-away! It was so much fun to sit out on the balcony and watch the ship leave port. If you do order appetizers, make sure and let the concierge know by noon that day.

 

Enjoy!!

 

 

We may very well do the hop on and off trolleys. My first visit was basically walking out Duval to the "Southernmost Point" buoy and leisurely stopping in a bar for a few to check it out and one stop for a cheesecake dipped in chocolate on a stick. (My wife will be very disappointed if I don't find that place again. :eek:) I was traveling solo on that one so I really didn't have a plan.

 

She liked what I did last time and did seem interested in the trolleys so we may do a bit of both as well as try to find a spot of beach amids the rocks.

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twinkletoes4445

twinkletoes4445

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We may very well do the hop on and off trolleys. My first visit was basically walking out Duval to the "Southernmost Point" buoy and leisurely stopping in a bar for a few to check it out and one stop for a cheesecake dipped in chocolate on a stick. (My wife will be very disappointed if I don't find that place again. :eek:) I was traveling solo on that one so I really didn't have a plan.

 

She liked what I did last time and did seem interested in the trolleys so we may do a bit of both as well as try to find a spot of beach amids the rocks.

 

 

I think we found the chocolate dipped cheesecake at Kermit's. It was in the square area. We ended up having them ship us a few pies! It's hard to find a beach there. They have public beaches, but we didn't make it to the public beaches. We stayed at the Reach Resort (I think that was the name) and they had a small beach. A beach was our kids' only request. They also have those little golf-cart type rental vehicles. They looked like fun. It's been quite a few years since we were there, but it was fun. We visited a few of the bars on Duval and really had fun!

 

Once you get to Key West, I'll bet it all comes back to you!

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trixiee

trixiee

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I really enjoyed renting a bicycle and peddling around the "ring road", or sea wall road ( I forget the exact name). You can ride to the point and also to a great public beach. I still had plenty of time to shop and grab a couple of "cold ones"...

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vicocala

vicocala

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Thanks for the tips. I think I got my cheesecake on a stick at a little place on the left hand side of Duval Street when you are looking from Mallory Square. It will be fun looking.:)

 

The worst thing about going to Key West is it will be the last day of the cruise.:rolleyes:

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twinkletoes4445

twinkletoes4445

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I really enjoyed renting a bicycle and peddling around the "ring road", or sea wall road ( I forget the exact name). You can ride to the point and also to a great public beach. I still had plenty of time to shop and grab a couple of "cold ones"...

 

That sounds like fun! We've done the hop on, hop off, so this would be something different to do.

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twinkletoes4445

twinkletoes4445

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Thanks for the tips. I think I got my cheesecake on a stick at a little place on the left hand side of Duval Street when you are looking from Mallory Square. It will be fun looking.:)

 

The worst thing about going to Key West is it will be the last day of the cruise.:rolleyes:

 

 

I'll bet you find the place! It will be fun going back to the place you visited before. I always hate to see the last day of the cruise arrive.

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fayruz

fayruz

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Steve, my original room was a VH GTY (balcony) and I bought up to an SZ GTY. They then upgraded that to an SC GTY and now up to an SA. I am very happy, the SZ rate was a discounted flash rate which immediately was upgraded by HAL to the SC. Thank you for the congratulations!

 

 

hello :-) I am thinking of booking for 2014 (polinesia) and would very much appreciate an upgrade (who would'nt? :-) ).

Do you have to book a guaranteed external or can you choose a specific external cabin and still hope to meet the fairy?

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vicocala

vicocala

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hello :-) I am thinking of booking for 2014 (polinesia) and would very much appreciate an upgrade (who would'nt? :-) ).

Do you have to book a guaranteed external or can you choose a specific external cabin and still hope to meet the fairy?

 

I really don't know. All I can tell you is my upgrades have come through their GTY cabins, whether on HAL or on Carnival. GTY does carry the risk of getting a cabin somewhere you don't like. I have been blessed in that hasn't happened to me yet.

 

All my best wishes for you to have a wonderful trip however you choose to book it!:)

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fayruz

fayruz

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I really don't know. All I can tell you is my upgrades have come through their GTY cabins, whether on HAL or on Carnival. GTY does carry the risk of getting a cabin somewhere you don't like. I have been blessed in that hasn't happened to me yet.

 

All my best wishes for you to have a wonderful trip however you choose to book it!:)

 

Maybe I'll try, then

:-)

thank you so much for the very kind reply

:-)

 

bonvoyage

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