OntarioTraveller

Glad that it worked out too!

I agree, if you aren’t picky and guarantees are offered it is a good way to go. There is some risk of getting assigned an inferior cabin very close to sailing (with few choices left to switch too) or not even having a guarantee offered.

I am suspecting many PR residents on board. Our first cruise out of PR a few years ago on a carnival ship had about half Puerto Rican’s. The challenge for us with that was that they tend to travel as larger family groups meaning many, many children particularly babies, preschoolers, toddlers. They are a fun loving group, but yes, it was loud at times in the public areas.

Our April 1st Jewel cruise has many cabins available too in all categories.

I would suggest you call the UK site before you call, I found the US site showed some, UK site showed all!

Go for it, let us know how it works out.

This is my first guarantee as well, I just switched to guarantee due to the low price. I read lots on cruise critic before switching and found this out.

Again, go to the UK site to get the list of available cabins and then call in with your choice.

Booking.royalcaribbean.co.uk

You bet!!!

Once the cabin is assigned you can switch with a phone call! Go to the UK version of RC, go through the motions of booking and all the available cabins will come up in each category. Choose one and call into the RC 800 number on your confirmation and you will be switched. Must be same category. I don’t really mention it is a guarantee, just that I would like to switch cabins.

Cabin availability does change so check back later if you wish. I changed a few times before I settled on one. A best kept secret for sure....

You know that you can call in once your cabin is assigned and change to any available cabin in the same category. We were assigned cabin 1000 at the very front of the ship and changed to 8578, midship.

Thanks, that is what I thought! However, hump cabins seem highly sought after so I felt like I might be missing something. I like the idea of being near the central elevator but maybe not that close as we are “early to bed” types. This is our first balcony due to recent price drops!

I'm on the same cruise! I was in an E2 hump, but saw today that the pricing on D1 hump rooms dropped below what I had paid for the E2. A phone call later and I'm paying $50 less for an upgraded room plus $100 OBC. Woot! I'm happy!

We have been looking at available balcony cabins on the Jewel. Currently booked in 8578 a little forward from the hump.

We were concerned about the noise from the central area if we were in a “hump”, any experience with those cabins?

I was assigned an E2 on a balcony guarantee for my April Jewel cruise.

I know I can trade my assigned (not the best) cabin and as it is before final payment I can watch for cabins that may come available. I am looking at 1516 now on 10th deck forward but want to know if there are others I could keep my eyes out for. Has to be E2 class!

This is my first balcony, the guarantee price was too good to pass up!

Thanks!!

Glad some of you were able to take advantage of these great rates. I just checked now and the prices are back up by a few hundred dollars!

Anyone stay in one of these cabins recently?

We are currently booked in 1516, Deck 10 but could switch. My concern is the uncovered balcony??

Any exprerience with front balconies on Deck 10.

We have 1516 (E2) below the spa. We thought it would be nice to one deck from the pool, food outlets...

Any downsides?

Thanks!

If we ever cruise together I owe you and your companion a drink. I have an upcoming Jewel reservation that I made 500 days ago and thought I got a great deal on the coveted corner aft. I kept the same room and the price dropped $700. I now only owe $100

That is a great price drop!

I remember the first cruise after finding CC and someone suggested checking for lower prices. I had no idea that money could be saved after booking. I was so greatful to that contributer so I’m glad to pay it forward!!

We had booked flights last summer via Westjet from Toronto. This spring Westjet has gone from Sat and Sun flights to just Sat flights. We are staying a week after the cruise in a condo so will fly home Sat instead of Sunday (Westjet gave us a $300 credit due to the change). I believe Air Canada has reduced flights as well.

Definitely this is the most inexpensive cruise we have booked (in a balcony no less!) but I get that while cruise prices have dropped, flights are expensive.

On our April 1sailing there seems to be many cabins available. Wondering if they will offer cheap rates to PR residents to fill the ship?

We had a longstanding reservation on the April 1st Jewel cruise. The price has drastically dropped on the past weeks and we have constantly been calling in to get the price adjustment. Final payment isn’t until Jan. 1st.

We yesterday took advantage of a Balcony Guarantee for about $1200 Canadian Dollars (taxesin) plus $100us OBC. Don’t know what that is in US$ but must be pretty cheap!

We did this exact cruise last year, great ship. San Juan cruises are running, actually we will be spending an extra week in a condo there.

We paid in full ahead of the final payment date. If the price drops do we take an onboard credit or would they refund (to the credit card we paid with) the difference??

We were in an interior room on the Jewel. We found our large suitcase did not fit under the bed. It is a newer wheeled 28” and was too wide. We did stand it up in the closet under the hangers which worked for us but there was only 2 of us in the room.

I too was surprised by all the storage, lots of little spaces.

I don’t know if I would put 4 adults in a cabin though....

For those that already have the Marriott Visa take a look at the Starwood Amex card. After a $1500 spend in your first 3 months you will get 25,000 Starwood points which can now be converted to 75,000 Marriott points. Not bad for paying the first years annual fee of $120 and then cancelling.

I have that card as well. No break on f/x but the points add up quickly, the welcome bonus is good,we have enjoyed many free hotel stays....

Still waiting for my cabin allocation on Jewel in April/18.

Nice price drop yesterday that I called in for.

Any more guarantee stories?

I responded on the separate thread that OntarioCruiser started.

We had booked for April 15th home from San Juan. They have cancelled all Sunday flights for the whole season. Saturday flights are still operating. Probs didn’t feel they could fill 2 flights each weekend.

We are staying a week at a condo after our Jewel cruise so could cut our vacation by a day and take their Saturday flight.

We did get some compensation.

I had the same situation.

I noticed it myself when checking flights.

I was booked to fly home from PR on Sunday, April 15th. Apparently all Sunday flights are cancelled this season.

They are still flying on Saturday.

We are sailing on the Jewel on April 1st, flying in a day ahead and had booked a condo for a week afterwards so were able to shorten our vacation by a day and return on the Saturday. It screws up many sailing until Sunday and planning to fly home that same day.....

I was given a $300credit for the inconvenience (and day lost) and she booked exit row seats for no fee. Maybe I should have asked for more...

Canadians travelling from Toronto to San Juan. Westjet has cancelled all their Sunday flights to and from San Juan until further notice!

We had a return flight booked for April 15th and fortunately it works for us to rebook for the 14th. We were given a $300 credit and were able to book exit row seats for no charge.

Saturday flights are still going...

Just in case this affect anyone, Westjet has cancelled Sunday flights Toronto to San Juan until further notice.

They still fly Saturday.....

Yes, this has been reported recently. Keep watching, it will probably change again.

Yup, just changed back.....

I just checked our inside guarantee reservation for April’s Jewel cruise. “Inside guarantee “ has been changed to “accessible oceanview guarantee”. No cabin assigned yet. Anyone have this happen?

Btw, love this thread, keep the stories coming!

Well, we haven’t had a cabin assigned yet! It seems that it gets assigned quickly after booking or else much later..? We are just over 5 months out so lots of time....