ROTTERDAM some cabins not for sale???

M

MARKandROGER

Guest
Have you ever heard that cabins in a particular category are blocked or you are told that they are already SOLD or not available?

For example on our cruise we still find it hard to understand that with 4 penthouses on the ship, the two penthouses that were SOLD FIRST are the ones on the right hand side of the ship which when the ship is going from New York to Montreal those cabins will NEVER see land! I would think you would want the land side as your first choice.

I feel that they must have taken them off the selling program, until the suites on the land side are soldout, them miraculously they wiill open up for sale. A marketing strategy?

We got the first Penthouse on the land side of the ship, which is the one we wanted and we think is the best. But maybe its not the best side?

Any Comnments
What do you think?

Mark
:)



Post Edited (03-11-03 02:05)
 
C

Cruzman

Guest
Penthouse suites more often than not are booked by corporate interests (or executives of same), the expense of which can and often does get written off as a business expense. This type of cabin lends itself quite well to various types of business meetings and often is used for that purpose during the cruise (in order to justify being classified as a business expense). Having said all of that, they may not have even considered the cabin location when the cabin was booked. Another possibility is that if there is big name entertainment on board, those suites may have been reserved for the entertainers. These are just possibilities, do a little snooping around while you are on board and tell us what you learned.
 
S

sail7seas

Guest
I'm not sure what the point of interest is? What is the difference which PH sold before another? Perhaps the folks who booked the others have cruised in that suite previously and have re-booked it for "sentimental reasons"?
 
M

MARKandROGER

Guest
Dear Cruzman and sail7seas,

The reason for the interest is that I like to figure out how and why things work the way they do. It is part of my business experience in owning and building businesses. I examine how things work and when something appears illogical (to me), I check it out further.

Trying to understand the reservation sytstem or how Holland America markets their ships and their different accomodations fascinates me. The logic behind why the worst side (in my opinion) sold first doesn't make sense. When we looked at what cabin we would want, we envisioned the cruising direction and picked the one cabin we thought was the best with the most privacy on the veranda. When we found that the cabin we picked and wanted was the last cabin available in that category, I had to question why the others did not take what we think was the best cabin themselves. Since we booked, the cabin next to us has come available.

The comments received that it might be corporations, for sentimental reasons, or that they simply did not take in consideration the orientation of the suites are all good viewpoints. Ones that I did not consider. I had hoped that someone would have insight into the workings of the cruiseline, or good explanations like the ones expressed.

My personal point of interest is to understand how crusing fits together, as a whole, and that includes why people do what they. Or don't do for that matter. The cruise lines are experts in their fields and I am certain they do things the public doesn't see becuase it makes the most marketing sense. I love to figure that out too! :)

:)
Mark



Post Edited (03-11-03 18:55)
 
F

frito

Guest
Just go on a cruise and relax and don't fret over how, why, etc. etc. I don't care how / why an airplane flies---- only that it does.

With regards to booking a certain side of the ship, there are many who really don't care which side. Also there are some who had rather watch the open ocean ( I'm one ) than see distant land that you can barely make out. As others have said, there could be a number of reasons why the suites aren't all booked but common sense will tell us that one will be first and one will be last.
 
S

sail7seas

Guest
We have been on over fifty cruises and have always been on port side with the exception of only one cruise. I cannot begin to explain why...suppose it is just a matter of habit now. Our very first cruise our cabin happened to be Port Side and we have always booked port side since.

Too much analysis........go and enjoy! You will drive yourself wacky trying to figure out things that have no reason. It is not a marketing technique that HAL is using.....they are more than pleased to sell every available cabin in any order .....just buy it, that is all they care

Well put, Frizo....one will sell first and one will be last!

To some people POSH is a habit....Port Out; Starboard Home. Who knows the quirks we all carry around.

To other people, they don't want the morning sun on their balcony; to others, they want all the sun they can get. For others, they want to look at the home port when they board; or they have a favorite side they like to sit in at Lido so they pick a cabin on that side of the ship and they don't have to cross over........I could go on and on and on...

It is of zero significance. IMO
 
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