Lower Promenade an upgrade?

[Maywood4now]

Hi, I was wondering...would a room on the lower promenade be an upgrade from an outside unobstructed view? My sister was booked on the Ryndam as a single willing to share but had booked in at an outside room with unobstructed view. She hoped to be ungraded but never expected that the lower promenade deck would be an "upgrade" from an unobstructed view. I know some people love that deck but I, personally, don't like people walking by my window all day and I like a closer view of the water than looking out over the deck gives me. Would we have to give up being upgraded if we didn't want that deck?

[Stevesan]

Hi, I was wondering...would a room on the lower promenade be an upgrade from an outside unobstructed view? My sister was booked on the Ryndam as a single willing to share but had booked in at an outside room with unobstructed view. She hoped to be ungraded but never expected that the lower promenade deck would be an "upgrade" from an unobstructed view. I know some people love that deck but I, personally, don't like people walking by my window all day and I like a closer view of the water than looking out over the deck gives me. Would we have to give up being upgraded if we didn't want that deck?

 

With a few exceptions, higher decks equal higher categories within the same class: inside, oceanview, etc.

 

I've stayed on the LP deck of RVI, Maasdam and Veendam. With the exception of our Maasdam cabin, the windows were daylight opaque from the outside, but not at night. After dark, the cabin interiors are quite viewable from the deck if the cabins lights are on, so one must close the drapes. Considering there's no outside view at night anyway, that's no loss. Also since the bed usually blocks your outside view, the only real advantage of an outside cabin is not so much the view, but having daylight.

 

I understand your concern, but the only way to avoid an undesirable upgrade, and there are a few, is to have your TA mark the booking as "No Upgrades".

 

Tell sis to enjoy the largest balcony afloat.:p

[Mary Ellen]

I've always said 'no upgrade' when I book outside cabins (when I book verandahs, ok ;) ) just because I don't want a lower promenade cabin - or one just below. I don't trust my fellow passengers to obey the no-jogging rule. :rolleyes:

[jtl513]

Hi, I was wondering...would a room on the lower promenade be an upgrade from an outside unobstructed view? ... Would we have to give up being upgraded if we didn't want that deck?

Whenever you move "up the alphabet" that's an upgrade to HAL. Since the LP deck is mostly Cs on R&S ships, the only ways you can absolutely avoid being on that deck are to specify "NO upgrade", or start with a BC booking.

 

We chose a cabin on the LP for the first time on our upcoming AK cruise after carefully checking them out when we were on the Veendam. By the time we booked all verandah cabins were closed, and that was the only way that we could get a convenient outside deck. One advantage of the LP deck is that you can quickly get outside to either side if there's an announcement of something to see on the other side of the ship from your cabin. :)

[RuthC]

If your sister booked an outside/guaranteed share she has no choice in cabin selection---she sleeps where HAL decides to put her.

If she gets to the cabin first she gets to decide which bed she sleeps in---that's all.

 

I don't remember the cabin category for outside share, but I remember it's lower than a C-cat; your sister got a nice assignment.

[Maywood4now]

Thanks for all the info. It turns out my parents, who also were "upgraded" to the Lower Veranda deck really loved it and liked being able to get outside so easily. They plan to book that deck again. As for me, I will stick with verandas or lock in my outside room. I do love that deck though for strolling outside and it makes the ship feel so much more like an old fashioned cruise ship. That must be why we like Holland America so much, especially that class of ship. They still retain the elegant oceanliner feel.

Thanks again for clearing that up for us.