Room assignments

[LindyWebb]

Hello everyone. I am a first time Carnival Cruiser (my husband and I sailed on a sun cruise ten years ago). I went through a TA to book my cruise and flights and one of the things that we agreed to was having Carnival pick our room. We sail on the Valor with an ocean view and reading about all of the room issues and blocked views I am a bit concerned. I haven't read about anyone else that didn't select their stateroom. Am I the only one? And how concerned should I be?

[redlef]

Hello everyone. I am a first time Carnival Cruiser (my husband and I sailed on a sun cruise ten years ago). I went through a TA to book my cruise and flights and one of the things that we agreed to was having Carnival pick our room. We sail on the Valor with an ocean view and reading about all of the room issues and blocked views I am a bit concerned. I haven't read about anyone else that didn't select their stateroom. Am I the only one? And how concerned should I be?

 

I'm not telling you to worry, you'll be on vacation and I'm sure you'll have a great time. For me, I pay a little extra to make sure I get the room I want, but if you really don't care, and lots of people don't, I wouldn't lose sleep over it.

 

Put it this way - do you select your own room in a hotel?

[Justsyd]

I'm not telling you to worry, you'll be on vacation and I'm sure you'll have a great time. For me, I pay a little extra to make sure I get the room I want, but if you really don't care, and lots of people don't, I wouldn't lose sleep over it.

 

Put it this way - do you select your own room in a hotel?

 

I totally agree with this!

[gone_cruisin]

I have found that when you let Carnival pick the room, I have gotten an "upgrade" out of it. When I say upgrade, I mean that I did not get the bottom level room in your catergory (ie, oceanview, balcony). I got a wonderful handicap room on the Empress deck once. Very nice!

[sail-a-bration]

Our first cruise we were given a wonderful cabin on the Conquest. We booked last minute on the Holiday and had a terrible room. The whole room shook from the jets everytime the ship ported. The Holiday was a very small old ship. The room shaking was a minor bump, we still had a great time on our vacation. I think that most rooms are good and the odds of getting a bad one are slim.

[k2excursion]

You are booked with a guaranteed oceanview room. The blocked rooms (or "obstructed view" rooms) that you've heard about are not considered actual oceanview rooms. Those are considered interiors (category 4J), but they have a window, outside of which is a public deck at the front of the ship. I don't think you can get those with a guaranteed oceanview room. I haven't seen it in writing anywhere. Maybe someone else on here knows for sure.

 

Other than that, don't worry too much about it. All oceanview rooms on Valor are on Decks 1 & 2. If you wind up under the galley, there may be some noise from above. Everything else should be perfectly fine. The room will be large for a cruise ship room (220 sq.ft.). If you're still concerned and you're not passed final payment yet, you could still cancel and book with a rate that lets you pick your own room. If the Earlysaver rate is still available, it'll probably be cheaper than the rate you've got right now. There are restrictions under Earlysaver though, such as no name changes, no downgrading your room to a lower category, and the deposit won't be refunded even if you cancel before final payment (but it can be applied to a future cruise, minus $50pp).

[blorkiemom]

Both times I've done guaranteed category I've gotten an upgrade--first from inside to ocean view, then from ocean view to obstructed balcony (which was totally fine--I didn't mind looking at the top of a lifeboat at all). The only problem is that now I'm spoiled and only want a balcony--which is why I picked my room on this cruise! So an upgrade might be in your future . . .

[Room Service!]

Most cruises we've done Carnival picked the cabin. No complaints.

[firefly333]

The obstructed view cabins are not OVs, they are insides with a blocked view. You wouldnt get on.

 

Carnival is very cheap with its assignments compared to other cruiselines. Iv been on the bottom 2 decks, fore or aft, not mid deck, the last few times... never a great upgrade.

 

Since Carnival does upsells and can get another $40 in a upsell, why would they give you a better cabin .. be prepared for Rivieria deck.

 

btw my last 3, aft rivieria deck, a little more mid rivieria deck, but a quad (I was solo), and forward Main deck.

 

so at most one up, from 4A to 4B .. those people with those great upgrades on carnival, what is important to know .. how recent were these. People used to get upgrades a little more often I heard, but not now.

[richfret]

I have sailed Carnival 14 times and am booked for the 15th cruise in March. I use to book the cruise with Carnival picking the cabin. Is that a good idea? It depends on how booked the ship will be so you really have no idea at the time of purchase.

 

Here is one story that happened to me and since that time I always get an assigned cabin where I know the cabin number and location at the time of purchase. I purchased a window cabin and eventually Carnival assigned the number and it was mid ships and not under any traffic areas. Perfect! When we arrived at the port, we were advised we could get an upgrade to a balcony cabin at the very front of the ship. Wow, finally an upgrade! So we accepted because what the heck, it was an upgrade. It turns out that there is a large air intake at this location and the air actually would move the 2 chairs and table across the balcony. You could not keep any thing loose on the table. In addition, there was considerable noise.

 

So I learned my lesson and from that time, I pick from the available cabins and a cabin number is assigned. It does cost a bit more but I think it is worth it.

[Havingfun2010]

Hello everyone. I am a first time Carnival Cruiser (my husband and I sailed on a sun cruise ten years ago). I went through a TA to book my cruise and flights and one of the things that we agreed to was having Carnival pick our room. We sail on the Valor with an ocean view and reading about all of the room issues and blocked views I am a bit concerned. I haven't read about anyone else that didn't select their stateroom. Am I the only one? And how concerned should I be?

 

Why did you pick an oceanview room or because you want to see sunlight, or because the room is slightly bigger? Blocked view rooms are not always a blocked view, just not an ocean view, such as in the front of the ship. Those rooms are better than the regular rooms in my opinion. I wouldn't worry about it at all, and the money you saved, you could buy a few extra drinks.

[Missiowa]

You are booked with a guaranteed oceanview room. The blocked rooms (or "obstructed view" rooms) that you've heard about are not considered actual oceanview rooms. Those are considered interiors (category 4J), but they have a window, outside of which is a public deck at the front of the ship. I don't think you can get those with a guaranteed oceanview room. I haven't seen it in writing anywhere. Maybe someone else on here knows for sure.

 

Other than that, don't worry too much about it. All oceanview rooms on Valor are on Decks 1 & 2. If you wind up under the galley, there may be some noise from above. Everything else should be perfectly fine. The room will be large for a cruise ship room (220 sq.ft.). If you're still concerned and you're not passed final payment yet, you could still cancel and book with a rate that lets you pick your own room. If the Earlysaver rate is still available, it'll probably be cheaper than the rate you've got right now. There are restrictions under Earlysaver though, such as no name changes, no downgrading your room to a lower category, and the deposit won't be refunded even if you cancel before final payment (but it can be applied to a future cruise, minus $50pp).[/Q

 

We have a ocean view room and its on deck 9. Lido deck. Not all oceanview on the valor are on decks 1& 2. Also have then on decks 9, 10th,& 11.

[firefly333]

You are booked with a guaranteed oceanview room. The blocked rooms (or "obstructed view" rooms) that you've heard about are not considered actual oceanview rooms. Those are considered interiors (category 4J), but they have a window, outside of which is a public deck at the front of the ship. I don't think you can get those with a guaranteed oceanview room. I haven't seen it in writing anywhere. Maybe someone else on here knows for sure.

 

 

Two of us above have already addressed this above and said the OP will not get a inside cabin (4J, PT etc are all insides) with a OV gty, nor a obstructed view.

[LindyWebb]

Thank you everyone for your insight. I did do a bit of looking before I booked but not enough. I really didnt have time then. When we went on our first cruise I never heard of balcony rooms. I knew I wanted a window because I thought the visual would kelp me from getting sea sick and dizzy (and it did). Ten years later those were my same thoughts. I really should have found this message board before booking but i didn't. At the end of the day I will just enjoy myself on my vacation and hope everything works out!

 

Thanks again.