GTY when all of the higher categories are fully booked

[karent12]

If this was an airline flight, and everyone knew it was fully booked, there would be a lot of additional people booking just for the chance of getting a free ticket.:D

What happens when a cruise ship is over booked? I know it is a long time before our cruise, and there may be some cancellations. There are so few cabins above ours though. Has anyone ever actually booked a GTY and didn’t get that category or anything higher?

[njhorseman]

When you book a "GTY" you are guaranteed to get a cabin in a category no lower than the one you booked. It can be higher, but it can't be lower.

[karent12]

Like I said, there are no cabins above ours that are not already booked. What would happen then?

[njhorseman]

Like I said, there are no cabins above ours that are not already booked. What would happen then?

 

 

A guarantee only guarantees a cabin in the category you booked, not in one above. You might get a higher category, but that is not guaranteed.

 

If your cruise is a long way off there will no doubt be cancellations. You have to ber patient. Sometimes (although not that often...but it did happen once to me) you don't get an actual cabin assignment until you get to the pier.

[Arwenmark]

It would be hard for you to tell if all the cabins in your category or higher were in fact booked because some TA's get a block of cabins that may not show up unless you happen to be trying to book with them, close to sailing all the unsold ones get turned back in and the shuffle begins as to where to put guarantees.

 

Also there was a thread on here in the past couple days about someone bumped from a cruise, I have known of people with guarantees that were in fact bumped on overbooked cruises. They were offered another ship, refunds etc.

 

Not highly likely but it DOES happen.

[karent12]

The cruise is still far off, but there are only 4 cabins in our same category, and only 4 cabins higher. They are all booked. I did not have to go to a TA for this info.

[garycarla]

In my time on these boards, I think I remember one time when somebody actually did not sail. There was a case of somebody that showed up and they could not give them a room till 4 or 5pm due to overbooking, but they did get a room. That particular poster went off the deep end over the events that day. There posting made it look like they were bumped off the ship and seemed to totally overlook the point that they did get a cabin.

 

Sorry - that was really nasty when it happened.

 

Back to the posting. Like I said, I can not remember somebody saying they got bumped due to overbooking. I am sure it must happen, but I think it is rare. I think they go the GTY route when it gets tight so they have some flexibility. After all, with over a thousand cabins, heading towards 2,000 or more on some ships, stuff happens.

[scchasgal]

The cruise is still far off, but there are only 4 cabins in our same category, and only 4 cabins higher. They are all booked. I did not have to go to a TA for this info.

 

You didn't use the NCL website did you?

[SeaShark]

The cruise is still far off, but there are only 4 cabins in our same category, and only 4 cabins higher. They are all booked. I did not have to go to a TA for this info.

 

If you've booked into that category, then you are one of the "4 booked cabins". What you do not yet have is the exact cabin number.

[Arwenmark]

The cruise is still far off, but there are only 4 cabins in our same category, and only 4 cabins higher. They are all booked. I did not have to go to a TA for this info.

 

As I said before you have NO WAY of knowing if they are all booked or just being held by particular TA's out there. Not unless you have checked with every TA in the world that might have a Group of cabins being held for them.

[lbjohnston]

When I booked my cruise for Dec 2010 on the Pearl my PCC tried to book GTY for me, but it was not available to book that way. I booked a minisuite and for some reason there is no longer a GTY for suites.

[karent12]

As I said before you have NO WAY of knowing if they are all booked or just being held by particular TA's out there. Not unless you have checked with every TA in the world that might have a Group of cabins being held for them.

 

The other 4 cabins are booked from cruisers on the rollcall and they have no intention of cancelling at this time:confused:

[garycarla]

Booked, or not available for booking.

 

Two different situations.

 

You can drive yourself to drink trying to figure out if it might be totally booked. Way too many factors come into play.

 

And at what NCL charges for drinks, well.....

[garycarla]

The other 4 cabins are booked from cruisers on the rollcall and they have no intention of cancelling at this time:confused:

 

Confused?

 

Maybe you are talking about a category that only has a few cabins in total? Tell us more. This post is confusing.

[NJC4158]

When I block group space as a TA through NCL, I may "block" 30 rooms or so. NCL does not "release" my unsold rooms until 180 days prior to sailing.....

[karent12]

Confused?

 

Maybe you are talking about a category that only has a few cabins in total? Tell us more. This post is confusing.

 

There are only a total of 4 cabins higher then an AC on the Sun. 2 AB and 2 AA. All four of these are booked. Now maybe one of the AC cabins may cancel at a later date. My question remains what happens if no one cancels in the AC, AB or AA category? Yes, I would still go on the cruise in a lower category, as I have many friends on this cruise. Just wondering if anyone had any experience regarding this.

[scchasgal]

The cruise is still far off, but there are only 4 cabins in our same category, and only 4 cabins higher. They are all booked. I did not have to go to a TA for this info.

 

If only 4 cabins in your guarantee are you in an AF guarantee?

[heelfan94]

I see what you're saying, Karen. Booking gty is a little bit of a risk. I'm surprised they let you book one at that level, but things do happen. I have a sister who had to cancel her cruise the day before departure and suddenly one of those cabins is available. I'm not saying it will happen, just that things like that do happen every day. I'll be curious to see how this one shapes up. Will you keep us updated?

[sverigecruiser]

There are only a total of 4 cabins higher then an AC on the Sun. 2 AB and 2 AA. All four of these are booked. Now maybe one of the AC cabins may cancel at a later date. My question remains what happens if no one cancels in the AC, AB or AA category? Yes, I would still go on the cruise in a lower category, as I have many friends on this cruise. Just wondering if anyone had any experience regarding this.

 

How many cabins have you booked? You say that 4 cabins in your category are booked, right? Since there are 6 AC on the Sun, are you booked in one or both of the "remaining" suites?

[CTCruisers]

We never had an issue where we were bumped. Twice we were upgraded to a higher cabin level and twice we ended staying the level we had the guarantee with.

[*Wink*]

I was at NCL.com yesterday and was seeing if there were any Penthouse Suites available for my Epic cruise, and I was only given the GTY option. If I tried to book a Spa Suite, I was given the choice of suite numbers.

 

I think your question has been answered by SeaShark in post #9.

[mpk218]

Ok , you booked an AC GTY . All the AA / AB's are booked by people you know . Then NCL has you sloted for an AC and that is what you will get . To drop you to anything lower would be quite dramatic , (on the Sun) with a GTY. Have fun in your AC , there great ;)

[karent12]

Ok , you booked an AC GTY . All the AA / AB's are booked by people you know . Then NCL has you sloted for an AC and that is what you will get . To drop you to anything lower would be quite dramatic , (on the Sun) with a GTY. Have fun in your AC , there great ;)

 

Okay, the reason I got an AC GTY was that there are no AC cabins available. You are correct that there are few choices of what will happen. There looks to be AD's available, but NCL was not willing to book me in one of them.

 

There is still plenty of time before the cruise, but none of my family or friends want to give up their cabin:D

 

What is NCL's policy on downgrading a GTY cabin?

[karent12]

If you've booked into that category, then you are one of the "4 booked cabins". What you do not yet have is the exact cabin number.

 

I disagree. All of the AC cabins are booked. I just have a GTY, with NCL assigning a cabin 2 weeks before sailing.

NCL is basically playing the odds that someone will cancel.

[mpk218]

I disagree. All of the AC cabins are booked. I just have a GTY, with NCL assigning a cabin 2 weeks before sailing.

NCL is basically playing the odds that someone will cancel.

 

Ok , now I understand . I cant believe they let you book GTY . I sure hope they plan on giving you a sizable chunk of change back if they drop you down . :eek:

Normaly the GTY option drops off when no other placment is possible... Very weird .