What are the chances of getting RS with this suite guarantee?

[adavidw]

I noticed today that for the Celebrity Silhouette transatlantic sailing on 10/22/11, the only suites left on the entire ship are 3 Royal Suites at >$6300pp. However, Celebrity is also selling a class W suite guarantee for $1999pp.

 

For those who have experience playing the guarantee game, would anyone venture a guess as to where someone buying a W guarantee room today would get placed? Would Celebrity first bump someone from a CS up to RS, then someone from S1 to CS, then S2 to S1 to make room for a new S2? Seems fair and equitable, but also requires maybe some phone calls to TAs and some time to pass to make those assignments. The easy way would be just to plop the new purchaser in the RS, but how frequently does Celebrity take the lazy way out like this?

 

It's a mostly academic question for me, as I'm already booked on this cruise in a great 1A oversized balcony at a great rate, and even the low price on the W cabin would still be substantially more than I paid. I couldn't justify paying that much extra just to get up to S2 class. It is our tenth anniversary on the cruise, though, and our first cruise without the kids, so I would love to make it more special in a RS. The gambler in me says to go for it, but fortunately the rational side of me is usually able to shout that dude down.

 

What do you think?

[texancruzer]

Hmmmm - well I am a gambling gal......but I would keep my big balcony.

 

Of course it could happen ;)

[DocJohnB]

They (=X=) has been known on transatlantics to hold a Bingo game where the one and only prize is the largest available suite. I believe on our last transatlantic is was a RS (but could have been the biggie :D). Needless to say that particular game, held early in the cruise is very well attended.

 

Just keep you eyes and ears open and you may get the suite for the price of the 1A and whatever you spend on the cards.

 

Can you say,

 

[adavidw]

The plot thickens...

 

A CS just opened up. Still no S1 or S2 open, though.

 

That makes me wonder how a CS opens up at this point, though. We're well past final payment date, and none of the RS disappeared, so it's not like one of the CS people upgraded their cabin... And, it doesn't seem like they could have downgraded, because they wouldn't receive any money back... I wonder if it was being held for an entertainer or a lecturer or someone that's not coming on this cruise anymore?

[bhughey]

Hmmm? Maybe someone canceled??

 

We, too are on the 10/22 Silhouette TA. We were in a cat. 1B on the hump, but noticed today that there is a NC residency discount available, so we were able to switch to a C1 for the same price. It's an aft cabin, and we've never stayed in an aft stateroom before. Should be an interesting change!

[adavidw]

Hmmm? Maybe someone canceled??

 

I had thought that that wasn't likely, since I was thinking that after final payment there was no refunds. I forgot that we're in a tiered cancellation penalty phase, and right now, I think it's a 50% penalty. So, yeah, someone could cancel and get half their money back (and hopefully hit up their travel insurance for the other half if it was a covered reason). So, you're probably right.

 

Enjoy that Concierge Class! That's the other thing going on in our minds right now. We could pick a concierge guarantee for just a tiny bit more than what we paid for the 1A. We'd give up our big balcony and good location for CC class amenities and the luck of the draw. Since I've never had a balcony before ever, I don't know how valuable that 1A balcony is to me is to me yet.

[bhughey]

I had thought that that wasn't likely, since I was thinking that after final payment there was no refunds. I forgot that we're in a tiered cancellation penalty phase, and right now, I think it's a 50% penalty. So, yeah, someone could cancel and get half their money back (and hopefully hit up their travel insurance for the other half if it was a covered reason). So, you're probably right.

 

Enjoy that Concierge Class! That's the other thing going on in our minds right now. We could pick a concierge guarantee for just a tiny bit more than what we paid for the 1A. We'd give up our big balcony and good location for CC class amenities and the luck of the draw. Since I've never had a balcony before ever, I don't know how valuable that 1A balcony is to me is to me yet.

 

Do you have one of those angled balconies? I did loads of research on the C1 aft balconies today and actually changed my chosen stateroom after the initial switch! I realized that the deck plans/numbers are different on the Silhouette vs. all other S-Class ships since it is slightly larger and has more cabins. So *HOPEFULLY* all my sleuthing will pay off and I am actually in on of those aft cabins that IS slightly larger. Though in all honesty, the standard balcony is plenty roomy for two and you will love your balcony no matter what the size! For me, the biggest "perk" of concierge class is the little footrests on the balcony!

[texancruzer]

I was thinking maybe someone had "cancel for any reason" insurance .....

 

I recently upgraded to a Celebrity suite (from one of the large angled balcony cabins on the hump) for our upcoming November Med cruise.

 

Dh doesnt know, he will be totally surprised when we go to board and I head for the "suite" line......

 

but everything was paid for a while back and they had a bunch of cancellations at final payment date..... so I saw they had a senior discount pop up (I guess that is one good thing about being 55) so I took it ! Heck, you only live once and dh will love it !

 

We always book the highest category regular balcony...... we like midship.

 

One piece of advice: once you go up another category (or two or three :rolleyes:) it is very (repeat VERY) hard to go backwards on your next cruise !

[mom23guys]

Sometimes people just have to cancel for unexpected health reasons. We had to cancel our Sept. cruise and take a penalty because my husband had unexpected surgery. People don't just cancel on a whim but they do cancel.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

I noticed today that for the Celebrity Silhouette transatlantic sailing on 10/22/11, the only suites left on the entire ship are 3 Royal Suites at >$6300pp. However, Celebrity is also selling a class W suite guarantee for $1999pp.

 

For those who have experience playing the guarantee game, would anyone venture a guess as to where someone buying a W guarantee room today would get placed? Would Celebrity first bump someone from a CS up to RS, then someone from S1 to CS, then S2 to S1 to make room for a new S2? Seems fair and equitable, but also requires maybe some phone calls to TAs and some time to pass to make those assignments. The easy way would be just to plop the new purchaser in the RS, but how frequently does Celebrity take the lazy way out like this?

 

It's a mostly academic question for me, as I'm already booked on this cruise in a great 1A oversized balcony at a great rate, and even the low price on the W cabin would still be substantially more than I paid. I couldn't justify paying that much extra just to get up to S2 class. It is our tenth anniversary on the cruise, though, and our first cruise without the kids, so I would love to make it more special in a RS. The gambler in me says to go for it, but fortunately the rational side of me is usually able to shout that dude down.

 

What do you think?

 

I wouldn't give up one of those triple size 1A balconies for anything but a guaranteed suite. A sky suite wouldn't do it, balcony is smaller. Would have to be a bigger suite. I certainly wouldn't give it up for a concierge class cabin with a smaller balcony. I've always sailed in concierge class on M class ships because you get a bigger cabin, but all the balcony cabins are the same size on the S class ships, so there's no point. I loved my triple size balcony on the Eclipse!

[bhughey]

I wouldn't give up one of those triple size 1A balconies for anything but a guaranteed suite. A sky suite wouldn't do it, balcony is smaller. Would have to be a bigger suite. I certainly wouldn't give it up for a concierge class cabin with a smaller balcony. I've always sailed in concierge class on M class ships because you get a bigger cabin, but all the balcony cabins are the same size on the S class ships, so there's no point. I loved my triple size balcony on the Eclipse!

 

Actually, all balconies on the S-class ships are not the same size - I happen to be a newly self-appointed expert on the subject (LOL!). We just moved from our 1b hump cabin (regular size balcony) to a C1 aft and I did extensive research on the cabins, balcony size, etc. While the 'larger' aft balconies are not as large as those 1A hump balconies - there are some that are quite a bit wider (and some are just standard in size). Here is a link to a thread on the subject: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1413373.

 

For us... we were thinking an aft balcony would be nice on a Westbound TA, since we'll be waking up so early because of the time change, it may be nice to have a sunrise view. Plus, our last 3 TA's were in hump balconies (which we obviously love), this will be a nice new adventure. :)

[ORV]

I think she was referring to cabin size. Are the aft cabins larger or just the balcony on them?

[bhughey]

I think she was referring to cabin size. Are the aft cabins larger or just the balcony on them?

 

Ah - thanks for clarifying - thought she was talking specifically about not giving up the 1A room because of the larger balcony (which has the same size *stateroom* as Concierge class cabins). All aft cabins w/exception of the sky suites are the same (sky suite = 300 sq. feet and balcony 77 square feet). Some aft balconies are larger because of a "closet" between cabins (or so I understand from other threads on the topic).

[Gonzo70]

Keep in mind they may have some handicapped S2's they have not released yet and people with Suite GTY may be allocated these. While a Royal Suite at a cheap price would be a wonderful thing, I would not get my hopes up too high and would expect to receive an S2, possibly handicapped S2 if you opt for the suite GTY even if no S2's or S1's are currently showing as available.

[getaway101]

Keep in mind they may have some handicapped S2's they have not released yet and people with Suite GTY may be allocated these. While a Royal Suite at a cheap price would be a wonderful thing, I would not get my hopes up too high and would expect to receive an S2, possibly handicapped S2 if you opt for the suite GTY even if no S2's or S1's are currently showing as available.

 

We did the suite guarantee on our upcoming TA on the Eclipse and I was figuring on getting a S-2 but we got S-1. I think what they do is upgrade the people that paid for those suites to the higher suites and then you on a guarantee are at least guaranteed a S-2. We had a S-2 on last years TA and I think the extra perks and SERVICE you get are well worth the regular size balcony which IS bigger than the balcony cabins.

[63galaxie]

Oh, wouldn't that be great? We booked our first (and probably only) Celebrity Suite on Summit next year. The only way up is the Royal suite and the Penthouse.[

 

 

quote=getaway101;30440182]We did the suite guarantee on our upcoming TA on the Eclipse and I was figuring on getting a S-2 but we got S-1. I think what they do is upgrade the people that paid for those suites to the higher suites and then you on a guarantee are at least guaranteed a S-2. We had a S-2 on last years TA and I think the extra perks and SERVICE you get are well worth the regular size balcony which IS bigger than the balcony cabins.

[0493669935]

We were on a Med cruise last year and the couple at our table had a GTY suite reservation. They were in a Royal Suite. So, I guess it can happen!

[nancy anne]

We started off with a C2 cabin on the Equinox for our upcoming Med trip. There were several price cuts on suites, so we went to a Sky Suite 2 and then up to the Celebrity Suite. Last week the TA called and asked if we wanted a Royal Suite for a reduced rate. When all was said and done, we ended up getting a Royal Suite for the same amount of what a Sky Suite 1 orginally was selling for. It pays to check for price drops!:D

 

Nancy

[mafig]

Don't the 1A balconies come with just two chairs and a table. No footstool, no lounger? Although the space is large, you really can't spread out, can you?

 

:confused:

[adavidw]

Don't the 1A balconies come with just two chairs and a table. No footstool, no lounger? Although the space is large, you really can't spread out, can you?

 

:confused:

 

Yes. Although I'm really excited about the 1A, that's one thing that makes me want to upgrade. It's weird; If you offered to just rent me a footstool for $20, I'd think that was ridiculous. But, when we think about paying a few hundred dollars more for CC, one of the big plusses we keep coming back to is "well it's got a footstool on the balcony..."