Let Me (Maybe) Upgrade You

Congrats to Linda (@DEWz_pingpong) and Steph (@OMGstephWTF) for getting upgraded to a 6E cabin today! They had originally tried to book a 6E during the pre-sale on August 4. When they weren't able to get a 6E, they put themselves on an upgrade wait list minutes later.

Linda says Rose Tours is filing up wait listers for upgrades but she and Steph were last on the list for what was available today (RT didn't mention how long the list was altogether). Linda asked about suites, and Rose Tours told her "NO SUITES" for sure; there is no wait list for them.

@JKsGrownNSexy also talked to RT about a suite upgrade and was told the wait list for a suite is SO long that the whole ship would have to cancel to fill it. They also said that people that requested suites at time of booking are being filled first. And @ATLangela heard from Rose Tours that there would be NO upgrading to suites unless you indicated at the time of booking.

From Anonymous: "I talked to RT today and they told me 6E wait list goes in order of the time you requested it that day. I requested super early and we are high-ish on the list but she says there haven't been many 6E cancellations (shocker - LOL)."

Personally, I also was trying for a suite when we booked. (Had a category 11 all picked out and then it crashed when I got to the payment page, but we all know that story.) Like Linda, I immediately emailed Rose Tours on August 4 asking to be put on a upgrade list. I never heard back, so I'm not sure if such a list exists or not. While it would be hard to turn down a suite if somehow there is a list, I'm secretly on it, AND I get a call, I'd hate to switch rooms now. Somehow without planning I'm between @DEWz_pingpong on one side and @wizbiff on the other. Party in our hall!

In other news, two more regular wait listers were placed in cabins today. @VivaTheBlock talked to RT this morning, and they said only two more cabins were made available today and they were filled. I'm guessing the rash in recent cancellations has something to do with the fact that the cancellation penalty goes from 25% to 50% on January 1.

Regular waitlisters starting to get placed!

Just wanted to get this up quick because I know we've all been waiting to hear: the priority wait list has been cleared and regular wait listers are starting to get calls!

Thanks so much to @Jodis_Tweet for breaking the news to me. She was wait list #2411. Rose Tours offered her a choice of either a 4B or a 6D cabin. Jodi chose the 4B, so that means at least one more cabin was available. She was placed with her roommate.

Make that TWO regular wait listers! @soaps3 also just got her call. She was wait list number #2412 and was also offered either 4B or 6D.

As I was writing this, I saw from @Carrie713 that she was on the priority wait list and did not receive a call. I'd suggest calling or e-mailing Rose Tours to check on that. I know that Jeannie is out of the office right now for the holidays, but they should be placing you guys first!

Please keep me updated (here in the comments or on Twitter) if you hear more wait list news! Congrats Jodi and Erin!

Update: I heard from @luckee13 that wait lister #2408 was called as well, so it sounds like they made several placements. Those with numbers in the low 2400s, keep your phones close by!

10 Best of 2009

I feel funny calling these the "best" posts of 2009. A more accurate title would be "posts that are the most relevant as we get closer to the cruise," but that's not real catchy. Anyway, here are my top ten picks:

1. Choosing Miami vs Fort Lauderdale airport
2. Shopping: buy now or buy later?
3. Prepping: It's not too early to. . .
4. Theme night ideas
5. What really goes on in VIP?
6. To insure or not to insure
7. Tips for finding or becoming a replacement roomie
8. Too many name changes can put everyone's spot at risk
9. Beware: scammers trying to take advantage of those wanting to cruise
10. Day-by-day recaps: Friday, Family Feud, Saturday, Sunday

I've got a few topics still up my sleeve for the coming weeks, but if there's anything in particular you'd want to read about, please let me know in the comments!

Thanks for reading in 2009!

Seating to be assigned this year?

Last year on the post-cruise survey, the ONLY thing I listed under "Needs Improvement" was controlling the queueing for events. Sure, you didn't have to spend time in line, but most of us did. We all know by now that BHs are champions at queueing.

Now, from BlockBeerGirl, some excellent news on ning!

I talked with Rose Tours when I made my 2nd payment and the lady said seating goes by order number: meaning in order we got our cabins and not by price...of course minus the 6E cabins.....they get 1-6 but they also go in order they were purchsed 1-6... hope this makes sense!!! =)

This year, we will have assigned seats according to what order we booked our cabins so we will never have to wait in line like we did last cruise...she said we will have the same seat for every show. YAYY this makes me excited since my last cruise was spent almost entirely in line!!!

NO lining up for events?! Can you imagine?! I don't even know what I'm going to do with all the extra hours in the day. I hope it means I get to meet and talk with more of you. Or, maybe this year we will get that promised Speedo Fun on the Sun Deck.

The suites/6E part of BlockBeerGirl's post may be a bit unclear. I'm pretty sure that the suites go first, and then the 6E will fill in behind, regardless of whether the 6Es booked before the suites.

I don't know how exactly you know what order you booked in, but I'd guess the confirmation number gives some indication. The lower, the better. I think they started at 1000.

Also, the concert is presumably standing room only. I don't know whether the suites/6Es will all be placed in the same area or split into two groups. And if they don't break up the rest of the deck, I can see some out-of-control queueing for that. Everyone on the boat will be jockeying for a great view. Let's hope they figure out a zone system or something. (Do you ever think, "I am so glad I'm not the one that has to figure this stuff out because if BHs don't like it they will come after me with pitchforks?" I sure do.) Anyone have a good idea on how the deck arrangements could work?

On a personal note, I'm bummed that ALL of the Minnesota and Seattle girls that I had such a great time with last year either couldn't book or have had to cancel their reservations, including my roomie Katie. I will miss them bunches. On the plus side, this means I get to room with Malina again! We had a great time together in 2009 and I know we will again in 2010.

Anyway: assigned seating! Yay!

Much more than 10 days later, PWL still being filled

Sorry for the lack of updates lately. I had been holding out for the PWL finishing off and the first regular wait lister getting a call, but that still hasn't happened. On the plus side, as of Friday, PWLs were still getting calls.

Two posts of interest on ning. First, from Sarah:

When I talked with RT they told me that there was still several PWL people left, that there was several below me. But a lot of them aren't going anymore. 2 people out of my group of 4 decided not to go. The bad thing is that since I had 4 people in my group I can take 3 others with me...even if they aren't in my group. Like only 2 of us wanted to go but we were able to put a 3rd person that wasn't on the PWL in our room or the two of us each could of booked a 2 person room and taken 2 no PWL people wth us....so find a PWL person that has roomies that have backed out and get on with them. That could possibly be faster!

If I'm reading this right, it's good news and bad news for wait listers. On the plus side, PWLers are backing out. On the downside, apparently PWLers can take whoever the heck they want if the person they were on the wait list with originally no longer wants to go. I suppose that's no different from the people that find their own replacements for cancellations, but probably not what PWLers want to hear.

Second interesting post from Michelle:

I got my call from RT last Friday that I was on the boat. Got my email confirmation and everything! Well, yesterday Mary called me again and I told them they already called me and put me on the boat. I asked her if everything was OK and she assured me it was. So, I guess that means they still have enough open spots that they're trying to give me another one! HAHAHA!! So, girls, stay close to the phone over the next couple of weeks. I have a feeling that RT has alot more openings than they want us to know about.

My guess is that they have enough rooms to clear out the PWL, but it's taking them much longer than 10 days (obviously) to get through everyone.

Any PWLers still out there who haven't gotten a call yet? Let me know in the comments!