Upgrade Stories

[Iwilder]

This was being discussed on another thread and it was so much fun that I thought we might try having a special thread for upgrade stories. I'm relatively new at using the CC boards so this may not be the way to do it so be gentle if I'm overstepping board policy or accepted manners. As for myself I've alway enjoyed booking guarantee and I've always gotten a nice upgrade on Holland America. Don't know what I'm going to get on our currently scheduled cruise but I'm eagerly awaiting assignment. :o

[jhannah]

I wish I had one to tell! The only upgrades I've gotten have been on Princess. Standard balcony to mini-suite.

[jtl513]

Counting a reservation that we made for our DD and DSiL, we've gotten upgrades on every one of our six guarantee bookings. Some were only a few steps, which some people don't even consider an upgrade. I consider anything more expensive than what I paid is an upgrade.

[hammybee]

I have seen threads like this. I really wish there were more threads about people who get exactly what they paid for, the cabin no one else wanted.

 

When this happens, most posts contain some element of emotion ranging from disappointment to cruise rage and everything in between.

 

If you are willing to accept the risk of getting what no one else wanted for the potential benefit of getting a better cabin than you paid for, go for it.

 

I hope the upgrade fairies visit you but I would not bet my cruise on it.

[Old As Dirt Mom]

I'm going to be another wet blanket. When I book cruises, I book exactly the cabin I want. That way there are no unhappy surprises, no anxiety, no disappointment. I know this is a boring way to live, but it helps my blood pressure.:)

 

Take a quick glance through the boards and see how many anxious threads are posted that begin: "Leaving for my cruise in two weeks (or two days) and still don't have my cabin assignment"?

 

No thank you. No guarantees for me. Your mileage may vary.:)

[kakalina]

Out of 18 cruises booked guarantee we have been upgraded from inside to outside 15 times. We were once upgraded from an MM inside to a small suite, that was wonderful. We have been very fortunate. Especially on our 30 day to Tahiti we booked an inside prepared to be happy with it but got an OV that allowed us to see all the beautiful islands while we were in port.

[Robin7]

I really wish there were more threads about people who get exactly what they paid for, the cabin no one else wanted.

 

On the Westerdam (1991), Nieuw Amsterdam (1992), and Veendam (2001), we booked exactly the stateroom we wanted and didn't expect, nor receive, an upgrade. However, on the Star Princess in 2003 (after only one other Princess cruise in 1993), we were upgraded from the lowest inside to an obstructed-view outside. Veeeeeeeeeeery nice! (It was booked as a suprise present from our families. I do not know who they booked through.)

 

Zuiderdam, October 2004. Very busy hurricane season and many canceled cruises, including the one before ours. We booked an NN guarantee (after being assured by our TA that we WOULD NOT get it and would be upgraded). We weren't upgraded. We got one of the two NNs on the ship, 4011. It was tiny and in the bow over the show lounge. We still had a great time. Fired the TA, though. (And if I'd read these boards more before our cruise, I would have never booked it that way.)

 

Oosterdam, October 2005. Booked an M guarantee (thus assuring we wouldn't get those dreaded NNs). Got an L.

 

Zaandam, July 2006. Booked an EE down on Dolphin Deck. We were bumped up to Main Deck to a D.

 

Volendam, November 2007. Booked an HH. Got an HH. I said we would accept an upgrade, but it didn't happen. The wondering and waiting about made me crazy!

 

Volendam, October 2008. We have booked one of those 'inside-outside' staterooms directly with HAL. I told them we had no desire for an upgrade. :D

 

I have to say, I'm done with guarantees or leaving ourselves open for an upgrade. It's too nerve-racking for me to wonder for months where we're going to end up. JMO.

 

Robin

[Iwilder]

Thanks everyone for participating. I still haven't got my cabin assignment and will post here as soon as I know.

[Marie321]

Last New Year's cruise on the Westerdam, we booked a VH and received a VC. We were very happy! We've booked a VF guarantee this May for Alaska. No news on the room yet, but if we end up with VF, we are fine with it.

[vbmom87]

I'm going to be another wet blanket. When I book cruises, I book exactly the cabin I want. That way there are no unhappy surprises, no anxiety, no disappointment. I know this is a boring way to live, but it helps my blood pressure.:)

 

Take a quick glance through the boards and see how many anxious threads are posted that begin: "Leaving for my cruise in two weeks (or two days) and still don't have my cabin assignment"?

 

No thank you. No guarantees for me. Your mileage may vary.:)

 

We are taking our first cruise in June. We originally booked a specific inside cabin. HAL ran a sale and we were able to change from our cabin to an unobstructed ocean view guarenteed cabin for $200 less. Since we have never cruised, we have no expectations. I am not fretting about where we will end up. It just doesn't matter to us at this point. We are fine if we don't find out until we board. We did look at the deck plans and felt we would be happy with any room in our guarentee category. Of course, we may get a different category. I just don't think we will be in our cabins much, so I don't know that it matters to us. We have taken mostly camping vacations, so I think any cabin will be a treat for us. I hope I am right.

[Moriah]

On my first 5 HAL cruises I booked SA, and of course, got it. On the next cruise (Noordam) we booked "SC Guarantee" and got SA - right across from the Neptune! On my next cruise I booked SS Then on my next one, I booked LATE and was told the only thing left that was not an inside cabin was "VE GUARANTEE" ... so I took that, and ended up with VA cabin 7039 (Westerdam), which was a nice upgrade. For our upcoming Med. cruise next month (Noordam) we also booked rather late and took a "VF Guarantee". I agree with all those who say to book a guarantee only if you would be perfectly happy with the category you actually pay for. But I confess I would NOT have been too happy with VF or VE since their views can be obstructed or their verandahs have metal rails... so... drumroll... I feel very fortunate that our guarantee cabin has already been assigned and we have cabin 4046, which is a VD - not only does it have the plexiglass verandah railing but I've been told the verandah is extra large for it's category. I think the only difference between this cabin and the VA I had last time is that it's on a lower deck, and that doesn't bother me a bit.

So, to make a long story short, the 3 times we've had guarantees we've been lucky:

SC to SA (Noordam Alaska)

VE to VA (Westerdam Caribbean)

VF to VD (Noordam Mediterannean - upcoming next month!)

 

Also, since our current guarantee was assigned so early (we've had the assignment for over a week already and the sailing is on May 29)... does anyone think I could hope for an ADDITIONAL upgrade before sailing?

 

Again, as I said, I would never EXPECT an upgrade or be upset if I didn't get something better than the category I actually paid for. I consider all these upgrades the luck of the draw, and I'm grateful for them.

:)

Moriah

 

[monsoon20009]

We booked an SC guarantee for the Noordam last November and, like Moriah, were upgraded to an SA directly across from the Neptune Lounge.

[ducklovemama]

Out of 18 cruises booked guarantee we have been upgraded from inside to outside 15 times. We were once upgraded from an MM inside to a small suite, that was wonderful. We have been very fortunate. Especially on our 30 day to Tahiti we booked an inside prepared to be happy with it but got an OV that allowed us to see all the beautiful islands while we were in port.[/quote

 

Did you ever receive these upgrades booking through the internet or were they with a local travel agency?

[kakalina]

Did you ever receive these upgrades booking through the internet or were they with a local travel agency?

 

We book exclusively through HAL. We've had the same PCC ( personal cruise consultant ) for five or six years now.

[jtl513]

... but I've been told the verandah is extra large for it's category. I think the only difference between this cabin and the VA I had last time is that it's on a lower deck, and that doesn't bother me a bit.

Your balcony will be 7.5' deep instead of the 6' of the VA, but 4046 is the same size as most other VDs.

Also, since our current guarantee was assigned so early (we've had the assignment for over a week already and the sailing is on May 29)... does anyone think I could hope for an ADDITIONAL upgrade before sailing?

I don't!! (But it could happen.)

[Comptech]

We booked a CAT C (best outside cabin) for our upcoming Holiday cruise this December. I am hoping that we get upgraded to balcony since that is the next possible upgrade.

[May4]

Regarding our 3-day Westerdam trip last week, we booked at the spur of the moment. I'm serious! We booked on April 4 for the April 19 sailing. Our docs arrived at the travel agency on April 6. How's that for speedy? Anyway, we'd paid for a VE guarantee and were assigned a lovely VE cabin.

 

But (imagine wild cheering sounds here) when we got to the pier we we're told that we'd been moved into a suite. Nice neighborhood up there!

 

That's MY best upgrade story.

 

:)

[snoopygirl]

I'm new at this, so I do not know how upgrades work. I booked directly with HAL and was given our cabin number at that time (Noordom 5053VF). I received my travel documents and they have the same cabin assigned. Are the upgrades posted on the documents, or do you learn of the upgrade once you board the ship?

 

Does anyone know if this veranda has steel or glass walls? I know it is not obstructed. Thanks for your help!:)

[CowPrincess]

I have seen threads like this. I really wish there were more threads about people who get exactly what they paid for, the cabin no one else wanted.

 

Take a quick glance through the boards and see how many anxious threads are posted that begin: "Leaving for my cruise in two weeks (or two days) and still don't have my cabin assignment"?

 

No thank you. No guarantees for me. Your mileage may vary

 

I'd say this thread was started in a fun spirit, to have people share good stuff that's happened re cabin assignments. A lot of threads about not getting "good enough" cabins or upgrades seem to be started from a sense of entitlement. Not all, for example the people whose TA told them "book this and you'll be upgraded". But a lot of people feel some sort of entitlement.

 

I was one who started a thread about not having our cabin assignment yet. We booked a guarantee, the best category we could afford and would be satisfied with. Someone came into that thread and reported that HER experience with the category we booked was TERRIBLE and got me totally worried. However, on investigation, I still can't see any significant problems with the rooms in our chosen category on our chosen ship. We booked guarantee because that's all that was available in the best category we could afford.

 

Believe me, I'm sure that SOMEONE ELSE would have wanted whatever cabin we get, because for SOMEONE it would be an upgrade so the comment about "guarantees are the cabins no one else wants" is not exactly accurate.

 

CowPrincess

--who leaves in 12 days and still doesn't have a cabin assignment,

--who feels NO entitlement to anything beyond what we've booked,

--who would be thrilled with a visit from the upgrade fairy

--whose vacation will not be ruined if the upgrade fairy doesn't visit

[Mary Ellen]

CowPrincess

--who leaves in 12 days and still doesn't have a cabin assignment,

--who feels NO entitlement to anything beyond what we've booked,

--who would be thrilled with a visit from the upgrade fairy

--whose vacation will not be ruined if the upgrade fairy doesn't visit

You will have a GREAT time!

[CowPrincess]

You will have a GREAT time!

 

Thanks, Mary Ellen!! I'm so excited.... I'm going BACK to Alaska (4th trip), and this is our first non-dog-focussed vacation in 6 years. Woo-hoo.

 

Believe me, if you'd seen some of the places that we stayed for "pet friendly" accommodation -- even sleeping in a lifeboat would be an improvement :) The most notable was a place that had MOLD and missing tiles in the bathroom, peeling flooring, single-paned window facing the busiest street, right next to the bar, and the unlit parking lot overlooked by what appeared to be slum housing. The next most notable was built out of 2 x 4s and plywood, self-catering (if you could use a hot plate), and linoleum flooring that was grey with ground-in dirt.

 

A guarantee OV cabin is definitely an improvement!

[Robin7]

We booked a guarantee, the best category we could afford and would be satisfied with.

 

That's the key to guarantees, I think. You have to know you can end up with the category you book and be happy with it. Even with the teeny, tiny NN, we had a GREAT cruise. One of our favorites ever. It's all what you make of it. I'd rather be in ANY stateroom on a cruise ship than have to stay at home.

 

And now I have to know (but I don't want to totally hijack the thread), what do you do on your 'dog vacations'? And what kind of dogs????

 

Robin

[CowPrincess]

what do you do on your 'dog vacations'? And what kind of dogs????

 

We adopted an older Husky and her VERY elderly Husky x Malemute stepsister. They'd been in an abusive home, then foster care, then abuse, then foster care. The bit that we KNEW about them was that they were from the east coast. The Husky x Mal would get unbelievable excited any time she saw a boat, or someone fishing, or smelled anything that smelled like ocean :) And she would swim if given the chance. So I figured she MAY have been a dog who had at one time (a happier time of life) been around the ocean a lot.

 

So we took seaside vacations and the Husky x Mal got to run on the beach (tho normally so crippled she had trouble walking), go on a boat, dig for clams, collect sea shells, walk along docks.... revisit her puppyhood. The purebred Husky wasn't as thrilled, but she still enjoyed our hikes and dipping her toes in the water. The Husky x Mal has since passed on, and I am SO glad we took her to the ocean -- she truly loved it. After that, we took the Husky purebred on our next vacation to the ocean and I think it gave her some comfort to remember her stepsister. :)

 

THIS YEAR the vacation is all about us :)

[magictam]

I've been very lucky with using the guarantee cabin option. I've only been on a cruise twice, so my experience is limited. But......it's been good.

 

My first time, I booked the lowest balcony guarantee. After reading these boards and studing the deck plans, I didn't think I would be very happy with that cabin. The upgrade fairy came through and I was upgraded from a VH (Noordam) to a VC. Great cabin, wonderful upgrade. Learned from that experience to book a guarantee I would happy with.

 

On my next cruise I was only able to book a guarantee cabin the catorgory I wanted. Again, the upgrade fairy was very kind and I went from a VF (Oosterdam) to a VA.

 

I think like many others have said, it's all in the attidute you go with. I have learned to book a catogory I would be happy but like the excitement and anticapation finding out which cabin I will actually get. It's kinda like Christmas. I hope be happy to get what I wanted, but with the anticapation that it may be more than I expected.

 

Hope everyone enjoyes their cruise regardless.

 

Tammie

[cruz chic]

 

Believe me, I'm sure that SOMEONE ELSE would have wanted whatever cabin we get, because for SOMEONE it would be an upgrade so the comment about "guarantees are the cabins no one else wants" is not exactly accurate.

I really take offence to that statement as well. We've heard a few stories of people ending up across from the Neptune Lounge through guarentees. Sounds desirable to me. Maybe I'm wrong. I usually will book the cheapest cabin as that is what I can afford at this time. If I get upgraded from my guarentee so be it. If I don't it's not a problem. If I booked the cabin I wanted I'd be in the Penthouse. The only problem is that I have champagne taste and a beer budget.:D