Ocean View Guaranteed - What is the Worst-Case Scenario?

[Pacificana]

I have been on two cruises so far, and both time booked inside guaranteed cabins. Once we got a wonderful upgrade, and the second time we found ourselves at the very bottom at the rear of the ship. I understand that it was what I paid for, so no problem, but I decided not to try inside guaranteed again. However, I just booked an oceanview guaranteed cabin on Emerald. What should I be prepared for? What is the worst-case scenario? Thank you

[angyl]

Is it a guaranteed Ocean View or a guaranteed Obstructed View Ocean View? The worst case scenario is an obstructed view. But you still get to go on a cruise.

[cynbar]

I think the worst case scenario is a VERY obstructed oceanview, with a lifeboat or some such thing obscuring most of the window. However, some obstructed views have only a small obstruction, so maybe you'll luck out. And, of course, the higher categories have windows that are not obstructed at all. In any case, you should get at least a little daylight, which would put it above an inside in my estimation.

[stoneharborlady]

Worst case scenerio for me would be getting a cabin all the way forward. I dont care for the motion at the front of the ship. Would not mind aft, thats a plus, but forward, no.

[Pacificana]

Thanks, everyone. What's wrong with being at the front of the ship?

[themerle]

The motion! For some people, no problem....for some, big problem at times.

[rdsqrl]

As someone who only books oceanviews and therefore knows them all inside out, I can probably help you more specifically if I know what cabin category you booked and what ship?

[mdmomof7]

For the price, I go for the Obstructed Oceanviews IF I can get one BETWEEN the boats. If they are not much less than a regular ocean view, then I'd go for a regular ocean view. You can rely on the deck plans to see where the tenders/lifeboats rest while cruising. One thing to keep in mind is an early wake up call when you are tendering such as at Princess Cays. The tenders will be right outside your window and you WILL SEE deckhands lowering them. Be sure to draw the curtains! :o

[billie5]

The front of the ship is not just a problem for cruisers with high sensitivity for motion. On rougher seas the ship may not cut its way through the water in the usual fashion, but instead the bow may go "slap, slap, slap" all night. Of course, everyone will sense this, but it will certainly be worse toward the bow. Personally, I can sleep through a passing marching band, but I can imagine that might be a significant problem for lighter sleepers.

 

Bill

[Pacificana]

It's Emerald, category G. Thanks!

[rdsqrl]

It's Emerald, category G. Thanks!

Oh, well, since it's an obstructed-view category, then the worst-case will indeed be having a big honkin' orange tender (which are the big boats, larger than the smaller "lifeboats") right outside your window and they can totally block the view/sunlight. Some cabins are more obstructed than others and it doesn't go by category; i.e., there can be FFs (a cheaper category) that have a fine view and Fs (more expensive) that are totally blocked. That's the downside of taking a guarantee in an obstructed category. But it doesn't bother some people, and if the cost is much less than picking a specific between-boats cabin in a higher category, than go for it. You might get lucky with your assignment. As far as being that much forward, there's more motion than at midships, of course, but I didn't find it such a big deal and I was on a considerably higher deck. Let us know what cabin you ultimately end up with; we'll be keeping our fingers crossed you get a nice view!

[BruceMuzz]

When you book a guarantee:

 

You normally receive a lower price.

You gamble and hope for an elusive upgrade if there are any open cabins.

You agree to take a cabin that nobody else wanted to stay in.

 

The better travel agents know exactly which cabins have noise, view, drain, aircon, and vibration problems. They avoid them on behalf of their clients.

 

Those are the leftovers you most likely will get stuck with.

[Cali_Chick]

When you book a guarantee:

 

You normally receive a lower price.

You gamble and hope for an elusive upgrade if there are any open cabins.

You agree to take a cabin that nobody else wanted to stay in.

 

The better travel agents know exactly which cabins have noise, view, drain, aircon, and vibration problems. They avoid them on behalf of their clients.

 

Those are the leftovers you most likely will get stuck with.

 

Really? I booked a guaranteed GG on the Sea Princess. Looking at the deck plans, I'm fine with that catergory. Will they put me into into something worse? I thought they couldn't do that?

 

Really confused now if booking a guarantee means you get the leftovers. :confused:

[PirateGal]

We booked the obstructed oceanview category for our Emerald cruise last October and I think we had a worse-case scenerio. Our room was L102, right under the gym. We experienced thudding and vibrations from people on the treadmills above us throughout the day. We were never able to sleep in and spent a lot of time outside of our room.

 

I've also been at the very forward of a ship and would prefer the sounds of waves crashing to the sounds and vibration of stomping feet. So, if there's any chance we may end up with a room under a gym, I probably won't book guarantee in the future.

[captainron]

I think the worst case scenario is a VERY obstructed oceanview, with a lifeboat or some such thing obscuring most of the window. However, some obstructed views have only a small obstruction, so maybe you'll luck out. And, of course, the higher categories have windows that are not obstructed at all. In any case, you should get at least a little daylight, which would put it above an inside in my estimation.

 

Oceanview and Obstructed Oceanview are two distinct stateroom categories on Princess.

 

Bottom line...if you booked a guaranteed Oceanview, the worst you can get is...you guessed it, an OCEANVIEW.

 

The best you can get is whatever the upgrade fairy might bring you.

 

Ciao for now!!!

[Cruizer Bill]

Please read my post on the Holland America board. I booked an Oceanview Guarantee and got the "Cabin from Hell" that severly impacted our 14 night New Zealand cruise!!

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1143078

 

The bottom line is you need to study the ship's deck plans very carefully and make certain there is not a higher graded room that you would find unsatisfactory due to room size, location (the bow is terrible!) or proximity to loud/noisy/or otherwise unacceptable nearby rooms/floors. Be careful!!!

 

Bill

[Cruizer Bill]

I just checked the Emerald's Deck Plans and the worst I saw were fully obstructed view cabins. There could be some below a busy deck/room though so check it out carefully.

Bill

[sp2]

We booked an inside guarantee on our very first cruise because it was cheap. We ended up on the lowest deck, as far forward as we could be! Ended up having to deal with the tail end of a tropical storm; seas were very rough for two of the days and I got seasick and didn't come out of the cabin for a couple of days. You feel the motion much more if you are that far forward; and if you are sensitive to it, you may get seasick. For that reason we have never booked a guarantee again; I want to make sure we are midships or towards the aft for smoother sailing.

 

If you are not susceptible to motion sickness or not too picky about where your cabin is located its a good way to save money. Just remember these cabins weren't chosen specifically because they are less than ideal (could be a noisy or rough location).

[geoherb]

I've enjoyed our obstructed view cabins. And we booked another G guarantee for our upcoming cruise on the Crown. We received one of the Emerald Deck Cat. FF cabins.

 

Last November, we received a Cat. F cabin just a few doors down on the Emerald Princess. It was a great location. We were above the theater, but the noise did not bother us much. The nights where we did not attend the second show were the ones where we were tired enough to sleep through the noise.

 

To me, the worst case scenario would be an upgrade to one of the unobstructed view cabins on the Plaza Deck in the very front of the ship--P201 and P202. They're underneath the theater. I think the noise would be worse in them. Plus if you have rough seas you'd feel it more in them.