Balcony guarantee or Assignment? Can't decide...

[ALadyNCal]

I have done guarantees in the past and been happy and even gotten from a high inside category to a minimum and once an obstructed outside category. I also booked the minimum inside and got just that...

The only balcony cruise we booked I choose assigned cabins so that I could pick oversized cabins next to each other (family went with us).

This time, I was going to ask for balcony guarantees (2C) and "cross my fingers". I was thinking: a) a balcony is a balcony, b) 10 months to sailing -- upgrades are possible, c) I'm a past passenger, etc.

B]Then I realized something important...[/B] With our itinerary (Buenos Aires to Valparaiso), most of the sights are on the right side...

I have not yet asked the TA if their "block of cabins" include cabin assignments on the right side.

But...now I have to decide, a 2C guarantee....or aim for assigned cabins on the right side.

Any thoughts?

Thanks [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

[I]Celebrity Infinity 02/2005!; NCL Sun 02/2003; Celebrity Millennium 05/2002; Ocean Princess 10/2001; Ocean Princess 8/2001; NCL Sea 7/2000; Ocean Princess 3/2000; Celebrity Mercury 10/1998; Star Princess 3/1996; NCL Dream 8/1995; Azure Seas 2/1991 [/I]

[cruiseyguy]

What is the price difference between assigned and GTY? This is a major trip and not the right time to be "penny wise but pound foolish." Go for the best you can afford.

[fllady]

Taking such a nice cruise i wouldn't count on getting a great cabin in "guarantee". We did it once and never again. (For the savings of $100. each,) we were placed all the way in front and had the ride of our lives when the seas were a little rough. [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif[/img]

Emerald Seas 1980
Norway 1994
Zenith 1995
Royal Majesty 1995
Century 1996, 1999
Ecstasy 1996
Mercury 1997
Horizon 1998
NCL Wind 1998
Grand Princess 1999
Sea Princess 2000
Infinity 2001
NCL Star 2002
Millennium 2003
Summit 2003, 2004=2X
Sun Princess Nov.22, 2004
Brilliance April 8,2005

[ALadyNCal]

Interesting question. As before, I have not paid any less/more for a guarantee. Simple requested it in lieu of an assignment. I have been told on a previous cruise (I believe our last NCL sailing) that guarantees were not available.

So I am simply choosing a guarantee because it is the same cost and I will be happy with a balcony (thrilled actually). Cost is not a factor. I received an email special and it was for a balcony and we booked it, with a request for a guarantee.

Spoke with the TA a few minutes ago. First, she said she would have to check to see if assignments on the right side were available in their block of cabins.

Second, her opinion was, that you won't be sailing that near the coast/land/scenery and that being on the right won't make a huge difference. I don't know the itinerary well enough to know if she is correct.

In the Caribbean, you don't sail close enough to islands, so your coast scenery is in port. In Alaska, we had a right side cabin on a north bound itinerary and it was nice and very close in some spots.

Still undecided...

[I]Celebrity Infinity 02/2005!; NCL Sun 02/2003; Celebrity Millennium 05/2002; Ocean Princess 10/2001; Ocean Princess 8/2001; NCL Sea 7/2000; Ocean Princess 3/2000; Celebrity Mercury 10/1998; Star Princess 3/1996; NCL Dream 8/1995; Azure Seas 2/1991 [/I]

[ALadyNCal]

fllady -- I know what you mean! We got the most forward cabin on almost the highest deck once and there were rough seas during the cruise. Fortunately we aren't prone to seasickness. But, yes, I realize with a guarantee you could get a forward cabin. But by virtue of the category guarantee (2C) you are on an upper deck with a balcony -- which is terrific.

[I]Celebrity Infinity 02/2005!; NCL Sun 02/2003; Celebrity Millennium 05/2002; Ocean Princess 10/2001; Ocean Princess 8/2001; NCL Sea 7/2000; Ocean Princess 3/2000; Celebrity Mercury 10/1998; Star Princess 3/1996; NCL Dream 8/1995; Azure Seas 2/1991 [/I]

[rjack22]

I think if it were me, I would choose the cabin. Especially since one side of the ship will have the "views".

rjack22

Jubilee 08/11/01

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[cruiseyguy]

Your cruise will have 2-3 days of "view" cruising--Chilean fjords, Strait of Megellan, Cape Horn, but the Captain will try to ensure that both sides have good views, as they do on Alaskan cruises.

[Zuzie1]

I find that gtds. have worked well for me. For instance on my Century cruise next week I booked a gtd inside Z cabin (the lowest category) and ended up getting the best inside category on deck 9. I have booked gtd. balcony cabins before, and it worked out well each time.

Zuzie1
S/S Atlantic 7/92
Mercury 7/98
Grand Princess 7/99
QE2 8/00
Radiance of the Seas 8/01
NCL Star 6/02

[gracecarmo]

I would certainly choose the Starboard side on this itinerary. We took the Infinity last Feb. (Buenos Aires-Val). When you are sailing past the beautiful glaciers they are all on the right side, and you do go close to them.

Now, here is what happened to us re our cabin: We booked a specific cabin on the Starboard side of the ship in cat.2C, after hearing on this bb that it was the side to be on. Two weeks before sailing, X gave us an "upgrade", on the Port side, one deck above. This did not please me, nor my TA. She called X, and they said all Starboard cabins were taken, and our old cabin was re assigned...duh? Finally, with much ado from my TA, we did get a Starboard cabin (1A) that was really very nice. So choosing your cabin ahead is not really a guarantee that you will get that cabin in the end.
The explanation X gave was that they had a big sale that week and oversold, so everyone was bumped up from 2C to accomodate those lucky people to get in on the bargain basement sale.
The end result was that I was very happy.

Grace

[fllady]

My TA has specific instructions not to let Celebrity or any other cruise line upgrade us without our OK, because even though you can get a nicer room, there are times when the nicer room is not in a good place, especially under the pool deck where it can get very noisy or under a kitchen or next to a work room. We had a beautful room on NCL Star, but it was directly under the buffet, with tile flooring over us. needless to say it was noisy day and night, with foot traffic and the carts they use to move food dishes etc from one place to another. We always carry ear plugs now, just in case.

Emerald Seas 1980
Norway 1994
Zenith 1995
Royal Majesty 1995
Century 1996, 1999
Ecstasy 1996
Mercury 1997
Horizon 1998
NCL Wind 1998
Grand Princess 1999
Sea Princess 2000
Infinity 2001
NCL Star 2002
Millennium 2003
Summit 2003, 2004=2X
Sun Princess Nov.22, 2004
Brilliance April 8,2005

[ALadyNCal]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by fllady:
We always carry ear plugs now, just in case.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Those are always a necessity. Never know when your neighbors will be loud or your spouse will snore! lol [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]

[I]Celebrity Infinity 02/2005!; NCL Sun 02/2003; Celebrity Millennium 05/2002; Ocean Princess 10/2001; Ocean Princess 8/2001; NCL Sea 7/2000; Ocean Princess 3/2000; Celebrity Mercury 10/1998; Star Princess 3/1996; NCL Dream 8/1995; Azure Seas 2/1991 [/I]

[ALadyNCal]

I am leaning towards keeping the guarantees. As we are booking two guarantee cabins....odds are at least ONE of them would be on the right/starboard side.

[I]Celebrity Infinity 02/2005!; NCL Sun 02/2003; Celebrity Millennium 05/2002; Ocean Princess 10/2001; Ocean Princess 8/2001; NCL Sea 7/2000; Ocean Princess 3/2000; Celebrity Mercury 10/1998; Star Princess 3/1996; NCL Dream 8/1995; Azure Seas 2/1991 [/I]

[2bcrewzn]

We booked a gty balcony for Constellation March 11th, 2006 when does x normally assign you a cabin? We have never sailed on X before. Do they just wait and assign you a cabin at the pier or when do you get a cabin and how do you check to see if you cabin assignment?

[flashdog_1]

If you go to celebrity.com at the top left of the page there will be a notice, "Already Booked?" Click there, and it will lead you to your reservation, and you'll be able to tell if they've made the cabin assignment. You will also be able to tell if they've made any errors in spelling of names, addresses etc. and you will be able to get it fixed before you cruise (you want your identification papers to match your name).

I've had two name problems, one of which I didn't know about until the tickets arrived (not being savvy about going to Celebrity's website to check). My passport has my first name, maiden name and married name. The travel agency, I assume, but maybe it was Celebrity, had put my maiden name as part of my last name with no middle name, so none of my frequent flyer or airline reservations matched ME. I did not encounter any problems with immigration or getting on the plane or the ship, but I did with getting the frequent flyer miles. I had to write Delta a letter explaining the situation, and enclose all boarding passes from Delta and NW, make copies of my drivers license, passport photo page etc. to prove to the airline that I was one and the same person as on their reservations. I did get the miles to Alaska, and was very pleased.

The other name problem was a typo, I'm sure, because I spelled it out during a 3 way conversation among Celebrity, me and the travel agent. Teresa became Tersea on the reservation. TA is still working on it getting fixed.