cabin guarantee???

[island lady]

So once I am booked for the very first time using a "cabin guarantee"....website states that "cabin number will be assigned to you once you are reserved and have paid for reservation in full".

 

Uh..huh...I have been booked and have also been paid in full for 3 weeks now. Have even called to find out when cabin will be assigned. Clueless RCI rep had really no idea...."wait a week or so to find out" was his answer. That was 2 weeks ago.

 

So much for "reserved and paid". Anyone else have any experience with guarantee cabin assignments?

[alohanails]

Seems they can wait until time of boarding to issue cabin assignment.

[Puffinater]

The cabin assignment can take all the way up to the day you sail. There is no set time frame.

[island lady]

Seems they can wait until time of boarding to issue cabin assignment.

 

Thanks! :)

 

Well so much for "assignment when booked and paid in full" statement.... :eek: ;)

 

Could end up on an upper deck...could be "rowing with ...." what was that quote from "the Titanic"?? .... :D

 

Anyone else?

[wg6530]

Be patient. I think the closer to the sail date, the better the odds of a nice upgrade. I cannot prove it, of course, but I am happy to wait. if you are picky about cabin location, a guarantee booking is not the best choice.

[firefly333]

So once I am booked for the very first time using a "cabin guarantee"....website states that "cabin number will be assigned to you once you are reserved and have paid for reservation in full".

 

Uh..huh...I have been booked and have also been paid in full for 3 weeks now. Have even called to find out when cabin will be assigned. Clueless RCI rep had really no idea...."wait a week or so to find out" was his answer. That was 2 weeks ago.

 

So much for "reserved and paid". Anyone else have any experience with guarantee cabin assignments?

 

I think you just misread the little blurb. What it means is RCL can assign it anytime after you are paid. It doesnt mean they will assign it exactly then.

[cruiseguy1016]

The only time I ever booked a guarantee, my cabin was assigned two months BEFORE final payment.

[richstowe]

Very upset. We went with Ocean View guarantee and got our cabin the next day (last Friday).

We decided to pay in full because final payment was due only 10 days later.

Wasn't worth the hassle to pay in 2 payments.

 

We got a cabin with what looks like a port hole on deck 2 of the Mariner of the seas. Crap !

 

I think we will try to (pay for an) upgrade.

[wg6530]

Very upset. We went with Ocean View guarantee and got our cabin the next day (last Friday).

We decided to pay in full because final payment was due only 10 days later.

Wasn't worth the hassle to pay in 2 payments.

 

We got a cabin with what looks like a port hole on deck 2 of the Mariner of the seas. Crap !

 

I think we will try to (pay for an) upgrade.

 

sorry to hear that you are disappointed in your assignment. It sounds like you booked an OV gty and got a basic OV cabin. are there other available cabins in that exact same category that would please you? if so, call and ask to switch. If not, paying for an upgrade may be worth it to you.

[ehfl]

We generally book guarantee when available. You'll get a cabin. Just have some patience.

[ehfl]

Very upset. We went with Ocean View guarantee and got our cabin the next day (last Friday).

We decided to pay in full because final payment was due only 10 days later.

Wasn't worth the hassle to pay in 2 payments.

 

We got a cabin with what looks like a port hole on deck 2 of the Mariner of the seas. Crap !

 

I think we will try to (pay for an) upgrade.

 

If you're going to pay for an upgrade, then why not just book the cabin you want to begin with? The way I understand it, is that guarantee cabins are for those that are not so uptight about a particular cabin or location.

[Girl_from_Ipanema]

I booked a guarantee cabin last week for a late May sailing and I received my cabin number that evening.

[silentbob007]

Upgrades do happen out of guarantees, but most often, I get exactly what I pay for ... the lowest level of whatever category I booked. You just have to book what you want/can live with .... :)

[bajathree]

So once I am booked for the very first time using a "cabin guarantee"....website states that "cabin number will be assigned to you once you are reserved and have paid for reservation in full".

 

Uh..huh...I have been booked and have also been paid in full for 3 weeks now. Have even called to find out when cabin will be assigned. Clueless RCI rep had really no idea...."wait a week or so to find out" was his answer. That was 2 weeks ago.

 

So much for "reserved and paid". Anyone else have any experience with guarantee cabin assignments?

 

My experience has been the longer it takes to get assigned and the closer to sailing date it get's the better the chance of getting a higher grade assignment.

[Girl_from_Ipanema]

Upgrades do happen out of guarantees, but most often, I get exactly what I pay for ... the lowest level of whatever category I booked. You just have to book what you want/can live with .... :)

 

I lucked out. I booked an interior stateroom and got a small upgrade to a large interior stateroom. I'm quite pleased!

[mjldvlks]

Very upset. We went with Ocean View guarantee and got our cabin the next day (last Friday).

We decided to pay in full because final payment was due only 10 days later.

Wasn't worth the hassle to pay in 2 payments.

 

We got a cabin with what looks like a port hole on deck 2 of the Mariner of the seas. Crap !

 

I think we will try to (pay for an) upgrade.

If you are not going to be content with the worst cabin in the guaranteed category, the gurantee game is not for you.

[island lady]

Thanks to all who replied! :)

 

Was curious about cabin assignment so I could point out cabin location to the DH when we

go down to Grills to watch the Monarch sailaway. One of our favorite local things to enjoy with Grill's Margarita in hand! ;)

 

Guess the statement on the website was confusing to me "Guarantee cabin assignment location will be made upon reservation and full payment". Even the RCI rep, who had no idea, was just as confused as to when cabin is assigned.

 

Not going to worry about where they put us, as it is just a 3 night cruise. Went with guarantee cabin due to the usual extreme upcharge they do on holiday sailings. For the price I paid on a guarantee, I recently sailed a Monarch 3 night in a JS! :eek:

 

Will be a Happy New Year no matter where they put us!! :D :D

[Sequim88]

Cruise before last we switched from an inside handicap accessible cabin to balcony gaurantee because price was only $50/pp more. Was a hassle with wife's wheelchair but so worth it for the view. We lucked out with a very nice deck nine (Radiance class) balcony although it was fairly far forward. Assigned a couple weeks prior to departure. But now that we have actually tried an accessible cabin we can no longer go with gaurantee and have to book very early before they are gone.

[cruisegirl1]

We booked a Freedom Balcony Guarantee in December 2010 (for May 2011 sailing.) We are 30 days out and we have no assignment. Many others on our M&M that had a guarantee, received their assignment just after the final payment date. The ship is listed as sold out for balcony and above. I’ve been assured by my TA and RCCL that I will have no problem and will eventually get an assignment. It could be any day from final payment (we are way past that) till boarding.

 

We’ve only booked a guarantee a few times and would never book it with the hopes of getting an upgrade. We book it because it is a good price for a cabin category we will accept. Since we have many cruises (50 with RCCL) for a good price, we’ll give up cabin location. The shorter the cruise, the less the cabin matters to us.

 

Island Lady – when is your sailing?

[cruisegirl1]

if you are not going to be content with the worst cabin in the guaranteed category, the gurantee game is not for you.

 

great advise!!!!

M

[escentialssoycandles]

I too booked an OV Guarantee for our upcoming girls cruise after first booking an interior quad, upgrading for a few bucks more to Oceanview Quad and then changing to OV Guarantee. I am stressed out about not knowing where we are...as we were on deck 8.....but at least we have two cabins now and more space.

[island lady]

 

The shorter the cruise, the less the cabin matters to us.

 

Island Lady – when is your sailing?

 

Yup!! :) For a celebration holiday 3 nighter, the cabin perks are not a big deal. Just

being on "the boat" for New Year's Eve is the thing! ;) First time we have done a holiday sailing. Should be fun!!

 

My Monarch 3 nighter is December 30th of this year. :D

[mjldvlks]

I am surprised so many of you are having trouble with assignments. We have gone the guarantee route several times and have always been assigned very shortly after booking. I know some of you are dealing with TAs, perhaps you should get the TA to call and find out.

 

I am a committed price snob, so the guarantee game is very attractive. But, as I have said before, the primary benefit of the guarantee game is a reduced price. If you are only doing it to angle for an upgrade, or if you are not content with the worst cabin in the guaranteed catedory [which is all that is "guaranteed"] I am afraid you are likely to be disappointed more often than not.

[richstowe]

If you're going to pay for an upgrade, then why not just book the cabin you want to begin with? The way I understand it, is that guarantee cabins are for those that are not so uptight about a particular cabin or location.

 

If you are not going to be content with the worst cabin in the guaranteed category, the gurantee game is not for you.

 

 

Gambled on getting a better cabin. I am not sure what my downside was.

Since I just booked ,I can now book a better cabin. It's not like I booked

a year ago and have to take what's left over.

 

Perhaps with final payment date coming up ,nice cabins may open up after.

 

I get the "gurantee game " and didn't (don't) think there was any real downside.

 

We'll see.

[cruisegirl1]

Never said I was having “trouble” just that it had not been assigned. My few Guarantees were assigned right at final payment, or the day following booking if within the payment window. I know I have a paid reservation, and eventually a cabin. I did the on-line check in, even booked specialty dining and an excursion. I am just waiting for the cabin.

 

 

By the way – my balcony guarantee at the time of booking was a couple of hundred dollars PER PERSON less than the cheapest balcony available. Unless there is some prime cabin available, the location does not matter much to us. We are generally only in the cabin for a week, and sometimes less.

 

M