Have You Been Upgraded from NON-Suite to SUITE???

[SakeDad]

OK...gonna get specific now.

Have you ever been upgraded (not up sold!) from a non-suite cabin to a suite cabin on HAL with Neptune Lounge etc..??? Also, we're you a guarantee or did you have an assigned cabin before being upgraded? What category were you in and what were you upgraded to?

THANKS:)

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have not been upgraded to a suite since we only book suites.

 

BUT - when we had to cancel a cruise a few years ago, someone who had been in a mini-suite was moved to our suite. We were told this on this board.

[SWeaster]

Yes. We booked an SY guarantee for the March 3 sailing of the Oosterdam. We were bumped up to an SB with full suite priveleges at no extra cost a couple days before sailing.

 

Bill

[sail7seas]

The only way to be sure you have an "S" Suite and access to Neptune Lounge and all the amentities that are included in the fare is to book and pay for that category of cabin.

 

It has happened that there have been upgrades to those categories but not many. On "S" and "R" class ships, those cabins often sell out early so there are none available for free upgrades. On Vista Class ships, there is some upgrading but not as much as on other lines. (Also, they sell upgrades before they give them...... why give for free what you can get additional money for?)

 

Book and pay for it and then you know you will have it is the best advise.

 

[OldCodger73]

In my opinion HAL engages in deceptive advertising when it calls its non S verandah cabins on R and S class ships suites. I've seen more than one post here on CC from people who have booked a BC through A "suite" cabin and who had thought they had access to the Neptune. The boarding on our Volendam Alaska cruise last July was delayed due to deep cleaning because of code red and when the call was finally made for boarding to begin starting with suite passengers first, there was a stampede to the gate by many of the BC - A passengers. A clarification announcement had to be made, which caused some grumbling form people who thought they had a suite and all its privileges. On a side note, though, the HAL brochure clearly spells out who has suite perks but of course how many people thoroughly read the brochure.

 

Back to the original question. On the above Volendam cruise we were upgraded from an A verandah cabin to a S suite and the couple we were traveling with were upgraded from an outside DA to a BC verandah. It was the first cruise for both of us.

 

I agree with sail7seas, you might get lucky and score an upgrade but the only sure way to have access to the Neptune Lounge is to book an S suite.

[Atomica]

We recieved an upgrade from a BC Guarantee to an S-Suite on our Veendam coastal cruise last year - it was a wonderful surprise and we enjoyed it very much (especially the Neptune Lounge), but I'd never expect anything like that on a regular sailing. Suites tend to be the first categories sold.

[jhannah]

I have been upgraded from a standard balcony stateroom to a full suite on Princess ... but never on a Holland America ship. I guess where there's life, there's hope. ;)

[Randyk47]

We've never been upgraded but then again we book a specific cabin and not an guarantee. We've booked S, SS and B category cabins over our 7 HAL cruises and only once, in fact our last cruise, have we been offered an upgrade. It really was an offer to buy our way up from a B to an S and it would have doubled our fare......we passed. Somebody did it or got a better offer as all the S suites were full for the cruise.

[jtl513]

In my opinion HAL engages in deceptive advertising when it calls its non S verandah cabins on R and S class ships suites.

Why stop there? My dictionary says a suite is "A series of connected rooms used as a living unit" and IMO the only cabin that comes close to that on HAL ship is the Penthouse! :) But of course the entire industry uses that lie.

[sanibelsandals]

Sake Dad:

 

I think you would say we were 'upsold' - but for an addional $178 for the 2 of us - we went from a VB to a SC. In my mind - we were upgraded! We would have spent that in laundry alone!

[steveww48]

Yes. I was on the 4/11/07 sailing of the Noordam. My wife and I were cruising with my parents and we had booked two SY cabins (specific cabins, not guarantees). Sometime within two weeks prior to sailing we were upgraded to SA cabins (with access to Neptune Lounge and the other perks), at no charge.

 

HAL did not notify us or our travel agent about the upgrade. The day prior to sailing I checked our booking info online (no really good reason to do so, I'm just a bit obsessive about these things :D) and I saw the new cabins listed. I called our TA and she was surprised-- she called HAL and they confirmed they had upgraded us.

 

I don't know why we were upgraded. My wife and I have one prior HAL cruise (6 years ago, Amsterdam). My parents have several more HAL cruises but none within the past 6 years.

 

I'm certain that we would have been very happy with the SY's but the SA's sure were great.

[Grumpy1]

Last year we booked a "C" on Prinsendam (specific cabin). It was the highest category available at the time we booked, and I let them know that I was interested in an upgrade if cabins became available. We were upsold, at what I felt was a very good price to an SS after final payment. We were actually offered an SY, but while I was on the phone I was looking at empty cabins on Travelocity and talked the reservation agent into the SS in a better location at the same price. When we got to the pier, we found that we had been upgraded to an SA. Bottom line, we spent 16 days in an SA for about what an "A" would have cost, had it been available, at the time we booked.

 

I normally don't book directly through HAL, or, if I do, I transfer the booking to a different TA later, When I told the reservation agent that I would be interested in buying an upgrade if a verandah cabin became available, she asked "or a complimentary upgrade?" Well, of course! I just had a good feeling about my chances so did not move the reservation to another TA. It worked out that time, but I wouldn't book a lower category with the expectation of getting an upgrade. We wanted that ship and that itinerary and booked what was available at the time.

[ore-ee-gun]

We booked a specific VA cabin for our upcoming cruise, but were also asked if we would accept a complimentary upgrade. We said "yes", but only because we guessed that in the very unlikely event we are upgraded, the worst we could do would be a non-perk suite. Hard to complain about that! :)

[hammybee]

Sakedad:

 

Have you considered that maybe, just maybe, there are posters here, who book into and pay for suites? Have you considered that your eagerness that the Upgrade Fairy might give you something more than which you paid for, might be a tad ANNOYING?

 

My goodness dear, zip the lip, shut the pie-hole, hush-up. The Upgrade Fairy loves those who are humble and if and when visited, are gracious enough to not tout it to the world. Refering to the upgrade, in some vague past cruise way, is the only way to go.

 

Now go make your peace with the Upgrade Fairy and maybe she will forgive your past transgressions. She has been know to favor reformed blondes. :)

[SDHALFAN]

Sakedad:

 

Have you considered that maybe, just maybe, there are posters here, who book into and pay for suites? Have you considered that your eagerness that the Upgrade Fairy might give you something more than which you paid for, might be a tad ANNOYING?

 

My goodness dear, zip the lip, shut the pie-hole, hush-up. The Upgrade Fairy loves those who are humble and if and when visited, are gracious enough to not tout it to the world. Refering to the upgrade, in some vague past cruise way, is the only way to go.

 

Now go make your peace with the Upgrade Fairy and maybe she will forgive your past transgressions. She has been know to favor reformed blondes. :)

 

 

Okay Captain my Captain,

 

I am willing to say that I am ever so humble since I sail as a "singleton" and book an outside cabin in the cheapest seats area.

 

I never expect to be upgraded, although when I checked into my cabin on the recent GWV I was surprised to find my luggage already waiting for me - too bad it wasn't my luggage but that of another "singleton" who was obviously upgraded (sincerely doubt that it was a suite though) and then, to add insult to injury, there was a letter waiting for a couple (who were obviously also upgraded) informing them that their TA had sent them a $500.00 on board credit - my lousy TA only sent me $400.00 OBC, although they did send me 4 bottles of wine:) .

 

My cabin was just about as aft as you can get, but I did have that lovely window and looking back on my cruise a whole lot of my best memories are looking out that (cheapie) window at the most incredible islands as we sailed by them and enjoying watching the hustle and bustle as we came into some of the ports.

 

Being a natural redhead (now with more than just a little help from L'Oreal) I have always entertained visions of me as a blonde. Well, the sad truth is that I did try on a blonde wig one time thinking that I would look like one of those blonde on blonde Beverly Hills types. Oh dear God, I looked like I had died and probably not gone to Heaven. Looks like this redhead is condemned forever to sail in the cheap seats but hey, I'm on a cruise; I have an extremely comfortable cabin, with a window, and I have almost always been lucky enough to have the best cabin steward on the entire ship. Jay (Jayadi) on this last cruise was incredible.

 

Valerie:)

 

p.s. I should also add that being that far aft means easier access to the dining room (provided you can find an elevator with room for you at dinner time, or you will have to psych yourself up for a long trip up the stairs to the upper dining room) but that is offset by the fact that when in port and wanting to go ashore you have a really, really long walk from the rear to the front of the ship - just think of all the calories that are being burned off, especially when you have to walk the walk again when getting back onboard - LOL).

[hammybee]

Oh Val,

Everyone knows that the Upgrade Fairy is a red headed pixi who wants to be a blonde. :)

 

BTW,we usually sail the cheap seats too.

[Cruising Illini]

We were on the Rotterdam in Oct. 05 and a couple we met had a wheel-chair

cabin but it was needed by someone in a chair. They were upgraded to a full S suite in exchange for their cabin BUT it was so noisy that they had a real problem sleeping. I had an extra "white noise" machine with us and loaned it to them which helped. I can't remember what the number was -- I should have written it down. We have a favorite cabin on the Rotterdam in the S category so I am not concerned with ours -- we like 7021. Even though this is a sister ship with the Amsterdam the cabin numbers are not the same so this wouldn't necessarily be good on the Amst.

[c-legs]

:D Hi,

Got upgraded from a '' 2 A '' to a SS on Celebrity 's MERCURY last December. Totally unexpected....but, wow...what a huge balcony we ended up with...Anybody familiar with this ship's deck plan will know the difference between ''2A''#9111 and SS#1203.

Only other time we got upgraded was also on ==X==, SUMMIT in June '04...but that one was expected. It was also from balcony to Skysuite,,,lovely way to enjoy an Alaskan cruise.

 

Otherwise, zilch.....

 

Cheers

:rolleyes:

[SakeDad]

Have you considered that maybe, just maybe, there are posters here, who book into and pay for suites? Have you considered that your eagerness that the Upgrade Fairy might give you something more than which you paid for, might be a tad ANNOYING?

 

Oh Val,

BTW,we usually sail the cheap seats too.

 

Actually I am quite aware of the many posters here who have shared their extensive HAL knowledge that have paid full price for suites, MOST of them have wished me the best of luck with the Upgrade Fairy:rolleyes: We booked a SS GTY knowing that whichever SS we get will be a FABULOUS cabin. However, when we booked we could not choose a cabin as HAL only had 8 SS GTY's available. To book a suite was $1,000.00 more for 7 days and I just couldn't justify that for me at the time. I felt that money could be well spent on all the fabulous Alaska excursions being offered. I'm not saying that those who pay it are wrong, simply that I chose not to. If HAL chooses to upgrade me or anyone else than we have recieved "what we paid for" and HAL decided to give us a bit more. I paid for one thing, HAL decided to give me something else...where is the problem??? I have read MANY posts here over the past few months that offer the HOPE to us that we MAY get an upgrade to at least a SC. I absolutely am not "expecting" it but I surely am "hoping" for it. I feel sad that my HOPE has annoyed you....I'll try to keep it contained in the future for you and any others that may be annoyed by the hope and excitement of future cruises and chances for upgrades.

 

Alas, according to you, you travel the "cheap seats" so, while I risk offending your senses again, have YOU considered that speaking for other posters may be "annoying" to them??? Just saying.....

[hammybee]

Alas, according to you, you travel the "cheap seats" so, while I risk offending your senses again, have YOU considered that speaking for other posters may be "annoying" to them??? Just saying.....

 

I said I "usually" travel in the cheap seats. For all you know, I might be your next door neighbor, on your next cruise, rubbing elbows with you in the NL and /or breaking break with you/mother, over dinner.

 

I certainly do not begrudge anyone's hopefullness for an upgrade or good fortune when they get one.

 

Threads about guaranteed cabins and the laws of upgrading are probably in the top ten topics on CC. You may be one of the most prolific posters on this particular topic, on this board. Just saying..........:)

[caviargal]

In December on RCI's Jewel of the Seas, we were upgraded from a standard balcony to a Jr. Suite. RCI has an excellent past passenger program and at my level, Diamond Plus, the occasional upgrade happens though this was the first for me and an unexpected delight, especially as the JS became available 24 hours prior to sailing and I was willing to pay the price for it.

 

Since it was our honeymoon and we had been bumped by Regent at the very last minute due to a pod problem, it made settling for RCI much more pleasant indeed.

[sail7seas]

Caviargal......

 

How many cruises is what you call "Diamond" with RCI?

 

[caviargal]

Caviargal......

 

How many cruises is what you call "Diamond" with RCI?

 

 

 

Diamond Plus is after 24 cruises and that is my level; Diamond is after 10 and the perks there are quite good as well.

[sail7seas]

Thanks......that's a lot of cruises. ;)

 

[SakeDad]

You may be one of the most prolific posters on this particular topic, on this board.

We all have our specialties;)

I travel for a living year round. I enjoy upgrades of all kinds, whether airplane, hotel or car, and frequently recieve them as that's just the way the travel business works. Sometimes I pay for them and other times I am happily surprised with them. If you open yourself up to them (without asking or expecting it:rolleyes: ) I have found that many times you recieve it. I don't think the cruiselines are any different in this as shown by the many posts from happy folks that have been upgraded.:D